Reviews of silent film releases on home video.
Copyright © 1999-2024 by Carl Bennett
and the Silent Era Company.
All Rights Reserved. |
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Shifting Sands
(1918)
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This Gloria Swanson drama was directed by Albert Parker.
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 Grapevine Video
2008 DVD edition
Shifting Sands (1918), black & white, 52 minutes, not rated,
with Manhandled (1924), black & white, 68 minutes, not rated.
Grapevine Video, no catalog number, UPC 8-42614-10035-2.
One single-sided, single-layered, Region 0 NTSC DVD-R disc; 1.33:1 aspect ratio picture in full-frame 4:3 (720 x 480 pixels) interlaced scan image encoded in SDR MPEG-2 format at 4.4 Mbps average video bit rate (capable of progressive scan upscaling to 60 fps); Dolby Digital (AC3) 2.0 mono sound encoded at 224 Kbps audio bit rate; English language intertitles, no foreign language subtitles; 6 chapter stops; standard DVD keepcase; $14.95.
Release date: 2008.
Country of origin: USA
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This DVD+R edition, originally prepared for VHS release in 2003, has been mastered from a fair 8mm reduction print that is dark, with closed-up shadow details.
The film is accompanied by a soundtrack comprised of preexisting recordings.
Until a higher-quality edition of the film is released on home video, which really should be soon, we recommend this edition from Grapevine Video.
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USA: Click the logomark to purchase this Region 0 NTSC DVD+R edition from Amazon.com. Your purchase supports Silent Era.
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This Region 0 NTSC DVD-R edition is available directly from . . .
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 TeleVista
2009 DVD edition
Shifting Sands (1918), black & white, 47 minutes, not rated,
with Skylarking (1923) black & white, 11 minutes, not rated.
TeleVista, no catalog number, UPC 0-29502-22210-9.
One single-sided, single-layered, Region 0 NTSC DVD-R disc; 1.33:1 aspect ratio picture in full-frame 4:3 (720 x 480 pixels) interlaced scan image encoded in SDR MPEG-2 format at 5.0 Mbps average video bit rate (capable of progressive scan upscaling to 60 fps); Dolby Digital (AC3) 2.0 stereo sound encoded at 192 Kbps audio bit rate; English language intertitles, no foreign language subtitles; 7 chapter stops; standard DVD keepcase; $19.95.
Release date: 28 April 2009.
Country of origin: USA •
Ratings (1-10): video: 3 / audio: 5 / additional content: 6 / overall: 3.
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Just imagine that you have decided to purchase this disc because of its full color packaging and its higher cost, thinking that this may be some indication of its higher quality. Just imagine the fury you would feel, watching the opening moments of this disc, when you realized that TeleVista ripped you off for $20.00!
This DVD edition has been mastered from a poor 8mm reduction print that is blurry and contrasty. The source print was likely poorly duplicated to begin with, but the video transfer looks as though it was done through Walgreen’s photo counter.
The film is accompanied by a cobbled-together music score of preexisting recordings.
Not at all recommended — it’s just more crap from TeleVista. Buy the Grapevine Video edition noted above instead. The only thing that makes this disc worth anything is the very-good print utilized for Skylarking, added to the disc as a supplement.
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USA: Click the logomark to purchase this Region 0 NTSC DVD edition from Amazon.com. Your purchase supports Silent Era.
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Canada: Click the logomark to purchase this Region 0 NTSC DVD edition from Amazon.ca. Your purchase supports Silent Era.
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 Alpha Video
2011 DVD edition
Toll of the Sea (1922) color, ? minutes, not rated,
with Shifting Sands (1918), black & white, ? minutes, not rated.
Alpha Home Entertainment, distributed by Oldies.com,
ALP 6620D, UPC 0-89218-66209-5.
One single-sided, single-layered, Region 0 NTSC DVD-R disc; 1.33:1 aspect ratio picture in full-frame 4:3 (720 x 480 pixels) interlaced scan image encoded in SDR MPEG-2 format at ? Mbps average video bit rate (capable of progressive scan upscaling to ? fps); Dolby Digital (AC3) 2.0 mono sound encoded at ? Kbps audio bit rate; English language intertitles, no foreign language subtitles; chapter stops; standard DVD keepcase; $7.98 (raised to $8.98).
Release date: 30 August 2011.
Country of origin: USA
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This DVD edition of Shifting Sands may have been mastered from a 16mm reduction print.
The film is accompanied by a cobbled-together music score of preexisting recordings.
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USA: Click the logomark to purchase this Region 0 NTSC DVD edition from Amazon.com. Your purchase supports Silent Era.
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Canada: Click the logomark to purchase this Region 0 NTSC DVD edition from Amazon.ca. Your purchase supports Silent Era.
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Other silent era GLORIA SWANSON films available on home video.
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