A few days ago, TCM had a gem for the first time: the restored 1930 King of Jazz, a musical revue starring Paul Whiteman, arguable the most popular bandleader of his day.
Incredible.
First off, it was in an early form of Technicolor that was not sensitive to all colors of the spectrum (that wouldn't come along until 1934). No blue or yellow here - primarily shades of red, green and turquoise. However, the colors look amazing is this restoration. Much of the film's original camera negative still survives and that was the primary source used, though when other source prints were used, the difference in quality is apparent. Though the soundtrack appears to have survived intact, a few missing minutes of visual material are represented by black & white still photographs. A disconcerting fact is, for whatever reason, the men wear just as much overdone makeup as the women. All that rouge and lipstick! Yegh!
It's also Bing Crosby's film debut (as a member of the singing trio, The Rhythm Boys), and aside from all the face paint, you'll see why the studios made him wear a toupee when he became a Hollywood leading man a short time later.
This film turned up on cable at least 30 years ago; that's when I first saw it. King of Jazz fascinated me, though it was choppy and somewhat shorter. I think the (unrestored) copy floating around YouTube may be similar to the one I saw years ago. Regardless, if you've never seen the film, only see the restored version! The difference is like night and day. And they really don't make them like this anymore.
Check this out:
Some things in the film might be considered politically incorrect by today standards, but I say, what the hell! You've been warned.
Now if I could just get past Rhapsody in Green...
Signor V.
"For me, there's only my wife..."
"Sure I cook with wine - sometimes I even add it to the food!"
"When life itself seems lunatic, who knows where madness lies?"
"It was a grass harp... And we listened."
"Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it? Every, every minute?"
"No. Saints and poets, maybe... they do some."
Re: i am the only one who enjoy old movies ?
[Re: MeyerLansky]
#967026 03/17/1911:06 PM03/17/1911:06 PM
James Cagney is my favorite actor of all time. He could do it all. Drama, comedy, dance, action. And he did it all well!
"Yankee Doodle Dandy" is the movie I've watched most in my life and I never tire of watching Cagney's movements and energy. But it is "Angels with Dirty Faces" that really impressed me. Cagney grew up on the eastside of NYC, and he was a tough kid, a product of the streets.He was already an established star when "Dirty Faces" was being filmed. The "Dead End" kids had become 'famous' at that time (mainly from their portrayals of tough city kids in the wonderful movie "Dead End") and they were a rowdy bunch who were enjoying their newly found fame and notoriety for being "hooligans". They disrupted the movie set with their raucous and wild behavior and they thrilled with doing it. They picked on co-star Humphrey Bogart (who had also co-starred with them in "Dead End") and Bogey could not control them. Well, Cagney was different. He was a REAL tough guy and he single-handedly whipped the kids into shape by physically taking a tough stance with them (see the film clip below) and once the actors realized what was happening they quickly behaved themselves.
But it was Cagney's acting that won that movie for me. Did he help out his old pal, Pat O'brien, by "turning yellow" so as make the kids ashamed of him, or was that all an act?? In my mind there is only one answer.
Watch Cagney's little actions in this clip..... he was really man-handling the "tough kids".
.
Re: i am the only one who enjoy old movies ?
[Re: SC]
#967294 03/19/1908:38 PM03/19/1908:38 PM
Don Cardi, ya beat me to it with Man of 1000 Faces!
One of my (many) favorite Cagney films. I first saw it on TV when CBS aired it for the first time in the NYC area sometime around 1968. (Remember The Late Show? The Late Late Show? The Late Late Show II? Award Theater? Heheheheh... I'm showing my age.)
Not very historically accurate, Cagney was way too old for the role, the re-created Lon Chaney makeups bore little resemblance to the originals, the script was pure 1950's soap opera, and yet...
...I still think it's a great film and much of that is because of Cagney.
Signor V.
"For me, there's only my wife..."
"Sure I cook with wine - sometimes I even add it to the food!"
"When life itself seems lunatic, who knows where madness lies?"
"It was a grass harp... And we listened."
"Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it? Every, every minute?"
"No. Saints and poets, maybe... they do some."
Re: i am the only one who enjoy old movies ?
[Re: MeyerLansky]
#967338 03/20/1901:04 PM03/20/1901:04 PM