A Douglas Fairbanks Musketeer Double Feature On Blu-ray

 

The Cohen Media Group and Kino Lorber have released a magnificent silent movie double feature on Blu-ray, featuring the legendary Douglas Fairbanks. THE THREE MUSKETEERS (1921) and THE IRON MASK (1929) are on this Region A disc, and the sources for both films are from recent major restorations. 

Alexandre Dumas' D'Artagnan was made to order for Douglas Fairbanks. The character's earnestness, swagger, and overall bravado perfectly matched Fairbanks's screen persona. But these Musketeer films are much more than just Fairbanks. These were major productions in every way, with opulent sets, settings, and costumes. In all the historical adventures he was involved with, Douglas Fairbanks made sure to give audiences a fantastic experience. 

These restorations of the silent THE THREE MUSKETEERS and THE IRON MASK show how much money, time and effort were spent on each production. Both films look amazing on this Blu-ray--I'd say THE IRON MASK looks a bit better, but one has to remember that THE THREE MUSKETEERS is over a hundred years old. 

This disc also provides great music scores for each film by esteemed composers--THE THREE MUSKETEERS has music by Robert Israel, and THE IRON MASK has a score by Carl Davis. The scores are presented in 5.1 and 2.0 DTS, and they fit the tone of the films like a glove. 

If you have never seen these films, and are wondering how they hold up today, I'd say they hold up very well. Both films are presented at the proper frame speed, and they are both wonderful classic adventures that can be enjoyed by anyone. The action sequences are still impressive, and you can't help but be energized by Fairbanks--he has so much vitality that he can barely keep still. 

THE THREE MUSKETEERS is a very close adaptation of Dumas' story, and it has Adolphe Menjou as King Louis XIII and Eugene Pallette of all people as Aramis. THE IRON MASK was made 8 years later, and it was the last silent feature to star Fairbanks. THE IRON MASK, while still fun, is a darker, more expressionistic film, and it's also moving at times, with several major characters meeting tragic fates. The poignant climax has Fairbanks saying farewell to his brand of derring-do in his own particular way. 

A few actors other than Fairbanks appeared in both of the features on this disc, including Marguerite De La Motte as Constance, Nigel De Brulier as the scheming Cardinal Richelieu, and Leon Bary as Athos. 

This is a great double feature from Cohen and Kino--my only quibble is that there are no extras or audio commentaries to give background and info on these films. Any silent film fanatic or lover of grand adventure will want this disc in order to see these films given the best presentation possible. This disc and these movies are a tribute to the star quality and the film making talents of Douglas Fairbanks. The large-scale adventures Fairbanks made in the 1920s are the equivalent of Marvel movies today.