The history of screen comedy did not begin with Charlie Chaplin or Buster Keaton. Prior to their appearances on the American screen, an entire generation of comedians was already establishing (and breaking) the boundaries of this rapidly evolving genre. While working at the Vitagraph Studios, music hall artists such as John Bunny, Frank Daniels, and Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Drew retooled their brands of comedy into something uniquely cinematic, advancing the art form and setting the stage for the slapstick explosion. This three-disc collection, presented by the Library of Congress, showcases the bold innovation of these overlooked pioneers, including the ingenious trick film The Disintegrated Convict, the gender-bending irrereverence of Edith Storey, and the epic scale of Larry Semon’s The Sawmill. Vitagraph Comedies also provides precious glimpses of comedians (e.g. Flora Finch or the comedy duo Montgomery and Rock) who are virtually forgotten today, because so little of their work has survived.
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Video Quality
Vitagraph Comedies comes to Blu-Ray thanks to Kino Classics with three discs of rarely-seen silent films through a collaboration with The Library of Congress. With nearly 10 hours of material at hand, it is difficult to list the exact source and quality of each of the silent films provided, but each source seems to be in the best shape possible for work that is over 100 years old. If you go in with the appropriate expectations, you should be astonished by this terrific presentation.
The color-tinted efforts impress in high definition just as much as the black-and-white films. The restoration team has avoided unsightly DNR with natural grain remaining intact. Even with films this old, there are observable textures on the clothing and within the setting. The contrast is largely well-defined, but the transfer experiences a decent amount of flicker and moments of damage to the print. There are stray vertical lines that make quick appearances without ruining the overall presentation of the film. These transfers show off a favorable amount of depth and some tangible detail within the film’s composition. Black levels present with some depth and no overwhelming occurrence of black crush or compression artifacts. Kino Classics has taken on the daunting task of presenting this wide range of material to film fans in the best way possible, and their efforts should be lauded.
Audio Quality
This Blu-Ray presents these films with numerous different DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio tracks that sound pretty wonderful. Music supervisor Dana Reason is at the helm of this project after accomplishing a similar feat with Cinema’s First Nasty Women. Most of the tracks complement their films quite well for a fun and consistent listening experience. As these are silent films, the music is the only element to contend with in this track, and it sounds warm and inviting with no clipping or age-related wear and tear. Classic film fans should be delighted with the sound quality of these tracks.
Special Features
- Introductions: There is an introduction provided for each of the three discs that run 4-13 minutes with curator Rob Stone, archivists Lynanne Schweighofer and George Willeman, and film historian Rob Farr in which they discuss the reasons for taking on this massive project, what they wanted to highlight with the different segments of the set, the performers included, and so much more that puts this experience into context.
- Audio Commentaries: Film Historian Anthony Slide provides an audio commentary track for every short included in this set that gives you amazing historical context for what you are watching. Slide does not sugarcoat things when he thinks things are not particularly funny, which makes the insights feel that much more well-rounded.
Final Thoughts
Vitagraph Comedies is one of the releases that reminds you why physical media is so vital. The curators here have rescued an overlooked piece of film history and contextualized it for a modern audience. Beyond the historical importance, the entertainment value is through the roof with tons of hilarious and inventive films that far outweigh the occasional dud. You get to observe so many forgotten artists who are finally getting some recognition. Kino Classics has released a Blu-Ray set featuring a top-notch A/V presentation and a vast assortment of special features. It is rare to discover a new segment of film history, so those who have any interest should support this one. Highly Recommended
Vitagraph Comedies is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Kino Classics has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
