Some Cinemark theaters in the US showed a restored digital silent
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Archived from the IMDb Discussion Forums — Wings
JackBluegrass — 13 years ago(May 17, 2012 02:57 PM)
Some Cinemark theaters in the US showed a restored digital silent
Wings
yesterday, May 16, 2012. The credits at the end indicate that George Lucas' Skywalker facilities in Marin County was one of the participants in the restoration. Included were Paramount opening logos from the distant past to today. 2012 is Paramount's 100th birthday, and this restoration includes a "100" on the current logo.
You absolutely have to see this work! The photography is nothing short of outstanding. For a film made in 1926-27, the images of aerial warfare will blow your mind. "Special effects" were primitive then, so motion picture cameras were mounted on planes and on just about anything else that moved.
Sounds other than dialogue have been added (World War I fighter plane engines, gunfire, cannon, background music, etc.) Dialogue consists of printed words appearing on screen, as they did in the sound-less 1927 original, but reading the lips of actors and actresses becomes easier as you watch.
My wife and I were amazed at how many teenagers and 20-somethings were in the audience. -
magic8ball2112 — 13 years ago(May 30, 2012 10:14 AM)
Saw it last night as part of our local NPR affiliate's Summer movies program.
Pretty appropriate since it was largely filmed here in San Antonio.
Paired up with the 1911 short
Billy and his Pal
, another film shot here.
Overall, a great film. To be sure the Battle of St. Mihiel near the end is almost epic in scope given the number of people involved!
And, yep, 2 entire screens were sold out by a mix of largely elder types, but plenty of 20 & 30 somethings! -
JackBluegrass — 13 years ago(May 30, 2012 11:05 AM)
magicetc.,
Since you're in San AntonioI did medic training at Ft. Sam Houston many moons ago. A stone courtyard at Ft. Sam seems to be the location of the movie's exteriors for the induction scene. That site looks very familiar to me. Do I have the place right?
What would draw from teens to 30-year olds to a silent fim? I still haven't figured that one out. -
Igenlode Wordsmith — 13 years ago(October 11, 2012 05:58 PM)
Saw this at the London Film Festival: the print quality is excellent and the original score on the soundtrack is great. (Though judging by the list of song titles credited at the end, there were a lot of references I still didn't get!)
~~Igenlode
Gather round, lads and lasses, gather round -
JackBluegrass — 13 years ago(October 23, 2012 01:08 PM)
Mr. Wordsmith, (Catchy name, there!)
What references are you referring to? The digitally restored version shown this year in US theatres named at the end the many entities who performed the restoration.
Stupid!?! I never called you stupid! To call you stupid would be an insult to stupid people! -
Igenlode Wordsmith — 13 years ago(October 25, 2012 07:25 PM)
I meant musical references songs whose melodies were supposed to evoke their apt titles for a contemporary audience (like "I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles" in the 'bubbles' scene). I'm reasonably familiar with the popular tunes of the 1920s, but I only got about half of the titles listed in the music credits the run-down looked like a pretty complete plot summary, from what I recall!
~~Igenlode, who has a collection of contemporary sheet music
Gather round, lads and lasses, gather round -
ms-zanadu — 12 years ago(April 22, 2013 09:41 PM)
I'm also watching this on TCM nbroyles ( and for the very first time too ) . Totally agree a restoration was needed for this wonderful silent film . So far I feel sorry for the character Mary in this one . Thanks JackBluegrass for your subject post . Enjoy the movie too nbroyles .
