Pass The Marmalade......AGAIN

 

It was five years ago that the Warner Archive released a restored version of THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN on Blu-ray, with a number of new extras. I wrote a blog post on it and at the time I thought it was the best-looking version of the film I had ever seen. 

Now, there's been another major restoration of THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN, and the present-day Hammer company has gone all out to promote it, with a special showing of the movie at the very theater in London at which it premiered in 1957 (more about that later). This restored CURSE is also the basis of a super-special 4K/Blu-ray set released by Hammer. 

Unfortunately due to rights issues those in North America are not allowed from even attempting to buy this limited edition set from Hammer (it is a Region B release). The Warner Archive has stepped up to produce a Region A version of the set, a three-disc release. 

The Warner Archive COF release doesn't have all the bells & whistles that the Hammer version does, but it does feature three different aspect ratios of the film, four audio commentaries, and various extras on each of the three discs. 

I'm sure the first thing those reading this are wondering is, "How does this restoration look??" I purchased the Blu-ray version (I don't have a 4K player), and I have to say that the movie looks much brighter....and the colors are very vivid, almost to the point where at certain times they look enhanced. 

It's a fine restoration, to be sure, but the main reason I bought this was due to the many new extras. Included in them are programs on Hammer legends such as screenwriter Jimmy Sangster, makeup artist Phil Leaky, and cinematographer Jack Asher, with rare audio of Leaky and Asher discussing their work (this audio was provided by Richard Klemensen). There's also a look at the costume design for THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN, with an appearance by actor Melvyn Hayes (who played the young Baron Frankenstein). 

This release also has a fourteen minute-long image gallery, with plenty of photos even I have never seen. I do have an issue with the gallery--the stills go by so fast one only gets a second or so to view them. (I guess if the gallery had been slowed down a bit, it would last twenty+ minutes long.) 

My favorite of the new extras is a wonderful feature where Hammer historian Wayne Kinsey and actress Madeline Smith (THE VAMPIRE LOVERS) visit the seaside town of Whitstable, in Kent, England. Whitstable is where Peter Cushing lived for many years, and Kinsey and Smith discuss Cushing's life while stopping by a number of places that the legendary actor had a personal connection with. 

If you're a major Hammer fan like me, you've more than likely bought THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN several times over the years on VHS, DVD, Blu-ray......so should you buy it again?? I'm not the type of person to say "You have to own this if you are a REAL fan", because, in the real world, most people have bills to pay and families to take care of. I will say this is a worthy purchase--but the Warner Archive Blu-ray from 5 years ago is more than acceptable. 

I love the fact that the present-day Hammer is releasing all these jam-packed box sets, but let's face it, they're not cheap, and because they are produced in England, you're going to have to pay plenty when it comes to shipping & handling due to current events. And there's something else to consider--how many times can you buy the same movies over and over again?? There's already a few Hammer titles I've bought multiple times on Blu-ray, including a special version of a title that arrived at my house today, and which I'll be writing a blog post on soon. How many times have you heard or read, "This is the ultimate version of this film", only to find out a couple years later there's another release that supposedly is even better looking and has unearthed footage and/or brand new extras? 

I think the most important thing about this new COF Blu-ray is the fact that Warners and Hammer worked closely together to make it happen....and that may mean other Hammers that were released in the U.S. by Warners could be on the docket for super-special restorations and home video releases. I'm referring to Hammer titles such as THE MUMMY, DRACULA HAS RISEN FROM THE GRAVE, FRANKENSTEIN MUST BE DESTROYED, and, of course, HORROR OF DRACULA. 

In a way, the films made by Hammer are like the supernatural creatures contained in them--you keep encountering them over and over again, and just when you believe you are done with them, they come back, stronger than ever. 

As for that recent London showing of the new restoration of THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN, my great buddy Joshua Kennedy was in attendance--and he was Martine Beswicke's escort!! No Blu-ray extra can match that!!

DEATH PACKS A SUITCASE On Blu-ray From Kino

 

A few months ago Kino released on Blu-ray THE VENGEANCE OF DR. MABUSE, an early Seventies picture directed by Jess Franco that was the last gasp of German producer Artur Brauner's Dr. Mabuse film series. Now Kino has gifted us with DEATH PACKS A SUITCASE, a 1971 movie that is also directed by Franco, and is also a poor cousin of another group of films produced by Artur Brauner, this time a series of Bryan Edgar Wallace adaptations. 

Kino uses DEATH PACKS A SUITCASE as the title on this Blu-ray's disc case, but the title on the actual film is DER TODESRACHER VON SOHO (THE AVENGER OF SOHO). This movie is also known as THE CORPSE PACKS HIS BAGS. Whatever its moniker, the film is a remake of the very first entry in Artur Brauner's Krimi outings based on the works of Bryan Edgar Wallace (son of Edgar). The original DEATH PACKS A SUITCASE is not on Eureka's Bryan Edgar Wallace set, so I have not seen it....but I'm sure it's much better than the remake. 

The 1971 DEATH PACKS A SUITCASE has been called by some the last classic Krimi story, but for me it feels more like a typical weird Jess Franco flick than a German crime thriller. This DEATH is in color (in my opinion the best Krimis are in black & white), and while the main credits are set against footage of London, you don't believe for a second that this story takes place in England. (The movie was filmed in Spain.) The confusing plot involves a spate of murders where the victims are knifed in the back, and a suitcase packed with their belongings is found at the scene. A mod Scotland Yard detective (Franco regular Fred Williams) is on the case, but things get stranger and stranger, with elements such as a drug ring and a number of suspects who have secret identities. 

I wrote a blog post on THE VENGEANCE OF DR. MABUSE this summer, and much of what I said about that movie applies here. Franco and his cinematographer Manuel Merino provide plenty of unusual camera angles and shot compositions, but perhaps they should have spent more time on story construction and more effective editing--the plot gets more confusing as the movie goes along, and it feels as if a few scenes were cut out, or not even filmed to begin with. (It doesn't help that every time a victim is stabbed in the back by a thrown knife, a loud cartoon-like BBBWWWWOOONNNGGG!!! sound can be heard.) The story has a few of Jess Franco's traits, such as a nightclub scene with a exotic performer, multiple women being tied up and threatened with violence, and a remote hideout that happens to have a laboratory, but overall DEATH PACKS A SUITCASE is very low-key when compared to the rest of Franco's career. (Jess Franco himself has a very small role.) The poster image on the Blu-ray case is way more atmospheric than anything in the story. 

The cast includes a few Krimi veterans such as Horst Tappert, Barbara Rutting, and Seigfried Schurenberg, along with plenty of attractive women, but none of the characters really makes a mark on the viewer. Rolf Kuhn's peppy music score does remind one of the soundtracks for the classic Krimis of the 1960s. 

The disc case for DEATH PACKS A SUITCASE states that the movie is presented in a 1.66:1 aspect ratio, but it's actually in 1.37:1. The visual quality is sharp and clear (this film looks way better than THE VENGEANCE OF DR. MABUSE). The credits are in German, along with the dialogue track, and English subtitles are provided. 

The only extra is a fine audio commentary by Troy Howarth and Nathaniel Thompson. Both men are Franco admirers, but even Troy admits that the plot doesn't make much sense. The duo do have great appreciation for Franco's visual style in this picture, and they give out plenty of info on the production and the many links most of the cast and crew have with Jess Franco's directorial career. 

I must admit if it wasn't for my recent interest in the Krimi genre overall I probably wouldn't have bought this Blu-ray. DEATH PACKS A SUITCASE doesn't have enough Jess Franco elements in it to make it a true Jess Franco outing, and it doesn't have enough of a Krimi sensibility to make it a proper Krimi. It's an odd picture overall.

Book Review: JOHN FORD AT WORK--Production Histories 1927-1939

 

I own a number of books concerning John Ford, and this one takes a different tack. Author Lea Jacobs uses official studio memoranda, early draft scripts, production histories, and personal correspondence to make a thorough and exhaustive analysis of how many of the films John Ford directed between 1927 and 1939 were put together. 

John Ford gave very few insights into his cinematic work, making some wonder if the great filmmaker just showed up on the set and made things up as he went along. Jacobs shows that despite Ford's individualistic nature, he worked alongside several producers, writers, technicians, and actors who helped bring his visions to the screen. 

The author doesn't just rely on the same old Ford anecdotes--she takes a deep, deep dive into the facts and figures of many of the movies the director made during the late silent--early sound period. There are multiple notes on every page of this volume, and Jacobs points out how Ford would adjust his style with each studio and cast & crew he worked with. 

Jacobs also examines several sequences from Ford's films, sometimes on a shot-by-shot basis. (This book is filled with dozens and dozens of screen grabs.) She even mentions how the development of various film stocks enabled Ford and his cinematographers to create more and more expressive visuals. 

Being a long-time Ford fan, what really got my attention in this book was the fact that the author put a spotlight on several of the director's films that have been barely touched upon by other Ford scholars--films such as THE BLACK WATCH, AIR MAIL, THE PRISONER OF SHARK ISLAND, and WEE WILLIE WINKIE (which is usually considered as just a Shirley Temple feature). Jacobs also devotes a chapter to Ford's collaborations with Will Rogers. 

Once Jacobs gets to 1939 is when a couple of Ford's greatest works are analyzed: STAGECOACH and YOUNG MR. LINCOLN. Despite the fame of these features the author points out plenty of details that even a Ford admirer wouldn't notice. 

The title of this book is very apt, since the author barely mentions Ford's personal life during the period that it covers. This volume truly is all about Ford's work. If you are expecting a pleasant, easy read, and a bunch of stories about Ford being an ornery grouch, this book isn't for you. 

From my perspective I found JOHN FORD AT WORK to be fascinating. There's plenty of "inside baseball" knowledge here--maybe too much for some--but I thought the incredible amount of detail provided gave one an in-depth and at times revelatory account of how one of the greatest directors in movie history navigated the many changes happening in Hollywood during the late silent and early sound period, while still making a series of great features. There are times when JOHN FORD AT WORK feels like a textbook, but if you are a classic film buff this shouldn't bother you. This is a John Ford book that actually does print the facts rather than the legends. 

FOG ISLAND

 

This is a 1945 old dark house/suspense movie, made by the Poverty Row company PRC. The most notable thing about it is that it pairs the great British actors (and cult legends) Lionel Atwill and George Zucco, but unfortunately it doesn't give them all that much to do together. 

Atwill and Zucco had a lot in common (professionally at least). They both were about the same age, they both usually portrayed the same types of characters, and they both alternated between appearing in major productions and starring in low-budget horror films. They were both masters at upper-class villainy, and one would assume that FOG ISLAND would give them a chance to play off each other and really let rip. That doesn't come about, due to the fact that the movie overall is quite pedestrian. 

George Zucco plays disgraced financier Leo Grainer, who has just spent five years in prison. To escape unwanted attention, Grainer and his stepdaughter Gail (Sharon Douglas) live on a lonely castle located on the remote (and aptly named) Fog Island. Grainer is obsessed with getting revenge on the people that he believes set him up, sent him to prison, and possibly murdered his wife. He invites a group of his former associates (Lionel Atwill, Jerome Cowan, Veda Ann Borg, Ian Keith, and Jacqueline de Wit) to visit the island, knowing that they won't refuse because they all are convinced Grainer has hidden a bunch of loot about the place. When the shady crew arrives, Grainer has a special surprise set up for them--but the person who actually murdered his wife might upset all of his plans. 

The basic premise of FOG ISLAND seems promising--some have compared the movie's script to Agatha Christie's AND THEN THERE WERE NONE--but this is a cheap PRC flick that probably was made in about a week. The entire story takes place in the "castle", which is made up of a bunch of generic sets. (It is stated that the castle was built by pirates, but this intriguing idea isn't developed.) Much of the suspense revolves around the characters constantly following each other around (it seems no one in this story ever thought about looking behind them). 

There's no comic relief role in FOG ISLAND, which could be a good thing, but all the other characters are so suspicious, untrustworthy and sarcastic that one isn't too worried about what happens to them. Leo Grainer may have a legitimate reason to seek revenge, but George Zucco plays him as if he was the main villain. Lionel Atwill is more reserved than usual, which will disappoint fans who want to see him at his dastardly best. What's more disappointing is that Atwill and Zucco barely exchange dialogue. 

The only two "sympathetic" characters are Grainer's stepdaughter and the young son (John Whitney) of one of the invited guests, who passed away while Grainer was in prison. The son takes his father's place to resume a past relationship with Gail, but she treats him with disdain, while he keeps bugging the heck out of her. Their antics just get in the way of the plot, and Gail's sudden "I love this guy after all" turnaround is incredibly contrived. 

The best aspect of FOG ISLAND is Grainer's special surprise, which happens to be a secret room which is rigged to trap those inside while the space is flooded with water. Even this gimmick isn't presented properly--this is a movie that was shot as quickly and as frugally as possible, and the suspense that should come from it is frittered away by desultory shot choices and stale editing. FOG ISLAND was directed by Terry Morse, whose main claim to fame is that he oversaw the American version of the original 1954 GODZILLA. 

It's always great to see Lionel Atwill and George Zucco, especially in the same film, but FOG ISLAND doesn't take full advantage of two of the best character actors who worked during the Golden Age of Hollywood. 

EAGLE OF THE PACIFIC

 

This is a 1953 Japanese film, a World War II epic made by Toho Studios which focuses on Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, a man who is to Western eyes the most famous officer of the Imperial Navy. This movie is mentioned in the GODZILLA--THE FIRST 70 YEARS book, due to the fact that it was directed by Ishiro Honda, the filmmaker most associated with Japanese Giant Monster cinema. I discovered an uncut print of EAGLE OF THE PACIFIC, containing English subtitles, on the Internet Archive. 

The movie starts in the late 1930s, as Japan goes through numerous changes of political leadership. The departments of the Navy and Army are at odds with whether the country should enter into the Tripartite Pact, a treaty that would officially bind Japan with Germany and Italy. Admiral Yamamoto believes that if Japan signs onto the Pact, the country will soon be at war with the United States, a war he is sure will eventually ruin the Empire. Yamamoto does all he can to convince as many government and military officials as possible to avoid a major war, but he also feels that as a soldier, his duty is to fight for his country as hard and as long as he can. Yamamoto spearheads the plans behind the Pearl Harbor and Midway operations, but as the war goes on he doubts Japan will achieve any lasting success from it. The story ends with a disconsolate Yamamoto being shot down and killed while being transported in a plane over the Bougainville Islands in 1943. 

If you are an English-speaking WWII buff, watching EAGLE OF THE PACIFIC will be a fascinating experience. This is a movie with the viewpoint of the "other side", so to speak, and it shows how mainstream post-war Japan felt about famous battles such as Pearl Harbor, Midway, and the air war over Rabaul. EAGLE OF THE PACIFIC isn't a rousing war adventure, it is a somber, down-to-earth examination of a dignified military officer who does his duty to the fullest, even though he believes that his country is going down the wrong path. 

Denjiro Okochi plays Yamamoto. In this film the Admiral is portrayed as a thoughtful man of honor and intelligence, a man whose quiet stature makes him stand above and beyond his colleagues. We don't get to find out much about the Admiral himself--he doesn't seem to have any sort of personal life--and much of the time Yamamoto is shown sitting by himself in a darkened room, or strolling alone on a ship's deck at night, while ruminating upon the fate of his country. At times Yamamoto seems too good to be true (as is usual the real person was much more complicated). It seems that this film is using Yamamoto as a symbol for all those Japanese veterans and citizens who had great regret for the war and its aftermath. (Director Ishiro Honda himself served in WWII, and his experiences had a profound effect on his beliefs and the films he would make.) 

EAGLE OF THE PACIFIC uses plenty of actual military footage from WWII, and this is augmented by FX footage created by master technician Eiji Tsuburaya, who would work several times with Ishiro Honda on numerous Kaiju and science fiction films. Much of the FX seen here was actually created for other war features, but the editing between the various models and historical images is very well done. Ironically this movie has no footage whatsoever of American military personnel, and there are no major female roles. 

The supporting cast has two major names more associated with the films of Akira Kurosawa--Toshiro Mifune plays a fighter pilot, and Takashi Shimura has a cameo as a military official. During the Midway sequence one can spot Haruo Nakajima, the original Godzilla suit actor--he's the pilot with the back of his flight suit in flames as he climbs out of his plane. 

EAGLE OF THE PACIFIC is a well made war drama that is more reflective than grandiose. The movie doesn't try to blame any one person or group for how the War in the Pacific came about, and it also doesn't try to demonize the enemy. (It also doesn't mention the many war crimes committed by Japanese forces upon thousands of POWs and civilians.) It also shows how Ishiro Honda did much more than direct Godzilla--he was a fine filmmaker who worked on several types of stories. 

AIRPORT '77 On Blu-ray From Kino

 

If you are wondering why I would buy AIRPORT '77 on Blu-ray, well....it does have Jimmy Stewart and Christopher Lee. That's enough reason for me--but the film itself is actually a pretty good entry in the Disaster Genre cycle of films made in 1970s. 

The Disaster Genre in the Seventies was almost the equivalent to the comic book movies of the present day. The Disaster movies usually featured all-star casts, large-scale action sequences, and plots that got more and more ridiculous as more examples of the genre were made. The storyline of AIRPORT '77 is rather preposterous, but it is so well made and well acted that one buys into it, which is all that matters. 

A powerful millionaire (James Stewart) has bought his very own 747 jumbo jet, and he's had it tricked out with all sorts of gimmicks. The plane, filled with VIPs and valuable artwork, is en route to the millionaire's Florida retreat when it gets hijacked, but the culprits crash it into the ocean near the Bermuda Triangle. Due to the plane's special air-tight compartments, the passengers and crew are still alive, even though the jet is underwater. But their time--and their air--is running out, and the courageous captain (Jack Lemmon) is doing everything in his power to save the day. 

What really makes AIRPORT '77 work is the performances of Jack Lemmon and Darrin McGavin (who plays an aviation expert that is on the flight). The two actors are absolute pros who convince the viewer in the reality of what is happening. There is some cheese and some camp in this movie (it is an AIRPORT entry, after all), but for the most part it is tamped down. The entire affair of a 747 full of people underneath the Atlantic Ocean, the passengers and crew's attempts to survive, and the rescue efforts are edited superbly and wind up being quite suspenseful. 

The cast of well-known names includes Olivia de Havilland, Joseph Cotten, Brenda Vaccaro, Lee Grant, and as mentioned, Christopher Lee. The two Lees play an unhappy married couple, with Grant causing all the trouble in their relationship. Most of the camp factor revolves around Grant's character, a woman so self-absorbed and embittered that when she gets punched in the face by Brenda Vaccaro, I felt like standing up and cheering. Christopher Lee does much better with his role as a dignified man of integrity who winds up being a hero--it's one of the actor's most unusual parts, and his fans will get a kick out of seeing him as a "normal" person (and participating in a dangerous underwater stunt). 

AIRPORT series regular George Kennedy also shows up, but he really doesn't have much to do. This movie also has plenty of familiar TV faces from the period, including Gil Gerard before he became Buck Rogers. As a matter of fact, the movie does have a TV-like feel at times--its director, Jerry Jameson, had a long career of working on several network shows. 

Speaking of television, when AIRPORT '77 made its American debut on that medium, it was with nearly over an hour of extra footage to make it a "special event". This added footage is not on this Blu-ray, and it appears that it's not available anywhere--I couldn't even find it on YouTube. I have to say that the theatrical version of the film runs a taut 114 minutes, and I don't think added footage would have made the story any better (it probably would have just bogged things down). It would have been nice to have this added footage on the disc, but I assume there must be some sort of rights issue. 

Kino's Blu-ray of AIRPORT '77 looks fine in its 2.35:1 aspect ratio. Surprisingly, the film's practical effects hold up rather well, even with the increased HD detail. Trailers for all the AIRPORT features all included. 

The main extra is a new audio commentary by Julie Kirgo and Peter Hankoff. I regret to say it is one I wasn't impressed with--the duo constantly interrupt one another, and their attempts at conversational humor fall flat. 

Kino has come out with new 4K and Blu-ray editions of the entire AIRPORT series. I must say that when it comes to the Disaster Genre, I'm not as big of a fan of it as others, but I do remember that when I was a kid these movies were huge events. I believe that I did watch AIRPORT '77 when I was very young, but I hadn't seen it since then. I popped in this Blu-ray expecting something cheesy and silly, but the overall story is very well done, and compared to the cartoonish popcorn movies of today, AIRPORT '77 almost feels like a docudrama. 

Book Review: GODZILLA--THE FIRST 70 YEARS

 

My birthday was a couple weeks ago, and my brother Robert sent me an Amazon gift card. I used it to help purchase GODZILLA--THE FIRST 70 YEARS, a mammoth hardcover tome that is 432 pages long and weighs almost six pounds. 

Published by Abrams, this book covers the entire Japanese film history of the King of the Monsters, starting with Godzilla's debut in 1954. Every single one of the Godzilla films produced by Toho Studios gets a concise and informative history, including those made during the Heisei Era (1984-95) and the Millennium Era (1999-2004). SHIN GODZILLA, GODZILLA MINUS ONE and the Anime movies featuring the character are thoroughly discussed as well. 

The book's authors are Steve Ryfle and Ed Godziszewski, two major Japanese cinema experts who were responsible for the wonderful Ishiro Honda biography a few years ago. 

I've barely started delving into this magnificent volume, but I already know more than enough to give it my highest recommendation. It's filled with hundreds of photos, many of them in color, and some taking up an entire page. Many of these pictures are new to me, and trust me, I've read (and own) plenty of books about the world's most famous Kaiju. 

The text isn't just a generic & basic summation about each of the films--The authors take a deep, deep dive into every production, dealing with the genesis of the storylines, the FX involved, and each title's reception and impact on the box office. What I've always appreciated about the authors (who have done a number of audio commentaries for various Godzilla home video releases) is that they put the films into the context of their being Japanese--which seems an obvious thing to do, but many look at them from an English-speaking point of view. One must remember that Toho's Godzilla series was not made specifically for American audiences. 

(Speaking of an American point of view--the 1998 Tri-Star GODZILLA and the so-called "Monarch" series of films which have a creature called Godzilla are not covered in this volume. That doesn't bother me one bit, but I figured I better let folks know in case someone pays the major amount of money for this book expecting to see something about those movies.) 

The book also has introductions by filmmaker John Carpenter and actress Megumi Odaka (who appeared in six Godzilla films during the Heisei Era), and an afterword by Toho executive Shogo Tomiyama. 

This is a volume truly worthy of the massive subject it covers. If you're looking for a perfect holiday gift for a hardcore film geek, you can't do better than purchasing GODZILLA--THE FIRST 70 YEARS. 

HE WHO GETS SLAPPED On Blu-ray From Flicker Alley

 

Flicker Alley treats us with a Blu-ray special edition of HE WHO GETS SLAPPED, a unique 1924 silent melodrama which stars the legendary Lon Chaney. 

HE WHO GETS SLAPPED is not a horror film, but Lon Chaney in clown makeup is about as creepy as you can get. (In the film's story, Chaney's character is supposed to be a circus headliner due to his ability to make people laugh, but when he flashes his wide-eyed mad grin it's hard to believe anyone would find him funny.) Chaney plays Paul Beaumont, a struggling scientist whose life's work--and wife--are stolen from him by an elitist Baron who posed as a benefactor. When Beaumont protests at this treatment the Baron dismissively slaps him--and this incident sends the scientist over the edge. The poor man winds up at a Paris circus, where for every performance Beaumont relives his tragic past. Going simply by the name of "HE", Beaumont falls in love with a beautiful young bareback rider named Consuelo (Norma Shearer). Consuelo, however, has eyes for Bezano (John Gilbert), the partner in her act. She also has a greedy, amoral father who is willing to "give" her to a rich older man in exchange for financial security--and that rich older man happens to be Beaumont's old enemy, the Baron. The crafty clown comes upon an emphatic way to allow Consuelo and Bezano to be free and get revenge on the father and the Baron at the same time. 

Beyond featuring a great Lon Chaney performance, HE WHO GETS SLAPPED has a major place in cinema history--it was the first film produced by the newly-formed Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer company. Directed by the Swedish Victor Seastrom, the movie has plenty of symbolism and poignancy, but some might find Paul Beaumont's obsession with emotionally torturing himself a bit too much. (In his clown act Beaumont is slapped by dozens and dozens of clowns, and then his "heart" is torn from his costume and buried under the center ring. "HE" is then given a clown's funeral. Remember that this act is something Beaumont performs night after night.) Much has been made of the sadomasochistic tendencies of Chaney's characters--maybe too much--but this time all the film buff psychoanalysis bears thinking about. 

Norma Shearer and John Gilbert are fine as the young lovers--this was before each of them reached their own major stardom at MGM--but it must be stated that when the story focuses on them, and Chaney is not on the screen, things have a tendency to bog down. Marc McDermott as the Baron and Tully Marshall as Consuelo's father are a particularly nasty pair of villains--but don't worry, they get exactly what they deserve (and then some). 

This Region-Free Blu-ray features a new restoration of HE WHO GETS SLAPPED by Blackhawk Films. The print is leagues above the one used on a Warner Archive DVD that was released years ago. Two music choices are presented on this disc: a piano score by Antonio Coppola, and an orchestral score by the Alloy Orchestra that was recorded live during a showing of the film in 2013. (For my money the orchestral score is preferable.) 

The extras include a short history of Leo the Lion, the famous logo of MGM, a 1925 Mack Sennett boxing comedy called HE WHO GETS SMACKED which only satirizes the Chaney film's title, a 1926 Max Fleischer "Out of the Inkwell" cartoon titled KOKO AT THE CIRCUS, and stills & promotional galleries. (The various photos of Chaney in his clown getup are as unsettling as any photos from LONDON AFTER MIDNIGHT or THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA.)

Michael F. Blake, the ultimate Lon Chaney expert, provides an informative brand new audio commentary. Blake discusses the formation of MGM, gives out various circus trivia, and details his lifelong fascination with Chaney. Flicker Alley has also provided a 16 page booklet that has stills from the film and an article by Thomas Gladysz that covers the film's production history. It also contains excerpts from a 1923 interview of Victor Seastrom by SCREENLAND magazine. The disc cover insert for this Blu-ray edition is reversible. 

Flicker Alley puts out magnificent product, and this release will be highly enjoyed by silent movie and Lon Chaney fans. One hopes that the company has more titles in the works starring the Man of a Thousand Faces.