BD 270 The Hunchback of Notre Dame

[swo17]

The Hunchback of Notre Dame



Perhaps the grandest of Universal's silent films—and featuring arguably it's first iconic movie monster—The Hunchback of Notre Dame stars Lon Chaney in the role which transformed him from a respected character actor to a global superstar.

Chaney stars as Quasimodo, the mocked and vilified bell-ringer of Notre Dame who selflessly protects the starcrossed street performer Esmerelda (Patsy Ruth Miller), who is in an ill-fated love affair with the dashing Captain Phoebus (Norman Kerry).

A "Super Jewel" adaptation of Victor Hugo's novel, Universal spared no expense on this lavish production, and were rewarded with the most financially successful silent film they had released up to that point. Lon Chaney's performance and make-up work are already legendary, but the rest of the film is as deserving of praise – a beautiful nightmare now fully restored in 4K and making its UK debut on Blu-ray as part of the Masters of Cinema series.

SPECIAL FEATURES

• Limited Edition O-Card Slipcase [2000 units]
• 1080p presentation on Blu-ray from a 4K restoration conducted by Universal Pictures
• Music by Nora Kroll-Rosenbaum & Laura Karpman (presented in uncompressed LPCM stereo)
• Brand new audio commentary with author Stephen Jones and author / critic Kim Newman
• Brand new interview with author / critic Kim Newman on the many adaptations of Victor Hugo's novel
• Brand new interview with film historian Jonathan Rigby
• A collector's booklet featuring a new essay by journalist Philip Kemp, illustrated with archival imagery

[Orlac]

Should be a nice upgrade from my 25 year old Eureka VHS!

The Michael Blake commentary and Donald Hushberger score on the 2007 Image DVD make that a keeper too (the subesequent BD from Flicker Alley uncessarily speeded them up to 24 fps)

[swo17]

Presentation-wise it looks like this will replicate the recent Kino release. I was going to say the FA may still be of interest for that score, but wasn't aware of the speed-up issue

[ryannichols7]

Kino also has a commentary by Farran Smith Nehme, who's tracks I always quite enjoy.

swo you said it best yourself before - when it comes to silents, you can always expect to hold multiple editions in order to get everything definitive - it's so rare you see an absolutely definitive release that has every possible score, commentary, etc. Nosferatu being a rare example of being the clear winner, or maybe Criterion's edition of Haxan (which really makes you wish they did more silents)

[MichaelB]

Which Nosferatu is “the clear winner”? Eureka’s is more scholarly, but when I’m in the mood to watch the film I generally pick the BFI edition for its glorious blood-and-thunder James Bernard score, and would urge fans to own both.

[Kauno]

Presentation-wise it looks like this will replicate the recent Kino release. I was going to say the FA may still be of interest for that score, but wasn't aware of the speed-up issue

What is this speed-up issue?

[swo17]

I'm just going off of what Orlac said immediately above my post

[Orlac]

Which Nosferatu is “the clear winner”? Eureka’s is more scholarly, but when I’m in the mood to watch the film I generally pick the BFI edition for its glorious blood-and-thunder James Bernard score, and would urge fans to own both.

From an authenticity point of view, the Eureka is the clear winner - German language intertitles, original score re-construction. But the BFI edition is more accessible. I do find it a shame that a lot of silents now don't come with decent English intertitles, instead you have to try and read the English subs over the original language intertitles, which can be challenging at times.

I definetly think we need another version marrying the Gillian Anderson version of the original score to the movie - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lagE2_yKleg. The one on the Eureka/Kino versions is somewhat anemic by comparison.

[Orlac]

Presentation-wise it looks like this will replicate the recent Kino release. I was going to say the FA may still be of interest for that score, but wasn't aware of the speed-up issue

What is this speed-up issue?

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film2/DVDRevie ... e_dame.htm

Leonard says in email "Comparing Flicker Alley's new Blu-ray of the Chaney Hunchback, we see right off that this is essentially the same source as the Image Ultimate Edition, with better contrast, higher resolution and faster speed (149 min vs 157 min). It really does play faster, and the result in motion is an improvement, I think. The problem is that the music score plays faster as well, and suffers accordingly. Played A/B, the Image audio blows the Flicker out of the water. It has weight and breadth to say nothing of correct timbres."

[L.A.]

Flicker Alley’s edition has some interesting extras like a short film from 1913 but Eureka is the one for me along with The Most Dangerous Game. October is going to be a good month.

[L.A.]

Beaver.