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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The Three
Musketeers
(1921) |
Douglas Fairbanks stars in this adventure classic based on the famous Dumas novel, with support from Nigel de Brulier as Richelieu, Adolphe Menjou as King Louis, and Leon Bary, George Siegmann and Eugene Pallette as the musketeers.
As Richelieu, de Brulier is excellent as the hiss-worthy corrupt cardinal.
It is unfortunate that the film appears to have only survived in 16mm reduction prints.
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 Cohen Film Collection
2023 Blu-ray Disc edition
The Three Musketeers (1921), black & white, 136 minutes, not rated,
with The Iron Mask (1929), black & white, 104 minutes, not rated.
Cohen Film Collection, distributed by Kino Lorber,
K26415, UPC 7-38329-26415-4.
One single-sided, single-layered, Region A Blu-ray Disc; 1.33:1 aspect ratio picture in pillarboxed 16:9 (1920 x 1080 pixels) 24 fps progressive scan image encoded in SDR AVC format at ? Mbps average video bit rate; DTS-HD Master Audio 48 kHz 5.1 surround sound, and Dolby Digital 48 kHz 2.0 stereo sound; English language intertitles, no foreign language subtitles; chapter stops; standard BD keepcase; $29.95.
Release date: 17 October 2023.
Country of origin: USA
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This Blu-ray edition of The Three Musketeers, produced by Cohen Film Collection, has been mastered from a full frame 35mm fine-grain positive was scanned at 4K high-resolution at an historically appropriate 21 frames per second on the suggestion of Fairbanks scholar Jeffrey Vance. More than 150 hours of digital clean-up was completed at 2K resolution.
The film is likely to be presented with a custom music score.
This will likely be the best available home video edition of The Three Musketeers.
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USA: Click the logomark to purchase this Region A Blu-ray Disc edition from Amazon.com. Your purchase supports Silent Era.
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Canada: Click the logomark to purchase this Region A Blu-ray Disc edition from Amazon.ca. Your purchase supports Silent Era.
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This Region A Blu-ray Disc edition is also available directly from . . .
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 Undercrank Productions
2016 DVD edition
The Three Musketeers (1921), color-toned black & white, 120 minutes, not rated.
Undercrank Productions,
no catalog number, UPC 0-86547-02310-8.
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 60 fps); Dolby Digital (AC3) 2.0 stereo sound encoded at 192 Kbps audio bit rate; English language intertitles, no foreign language subtitles; 28 chapter stops; standard DVD keepcase; $19.95.
Release date: 13 December 2016.
Country of origin: USA
Ratings (1-10): video: 5 / audio: 7 / additional content: 0 / overall: 6.
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This DVD-R edition has been mastered from a 16mm reduction print restored by Karl Malkames. The 4K high-definition digital scan runs a bit faster than natural speed. While the scan is very-good, the source material doesn’t look much better than other prints that have been utilized for home video. The print has a light amount of dust and speckling (less than usual), fine vertical scratches, scuffing and other minor flaws and the picture details themselves are soft. Viewers will soon get lost in the story and not be distracted by print issues.
The film is presented with a very-good music score composed and performed on virtual theatre organ by Ben Model.
This is the best available DVD edition of the film and it is recommended to collectors who prefer the format.
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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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 Kino on Video
2004 DVD edition
The Three Musketeers (1921), black & white, 118 minutes, not rated.
Kino International, K332, UPC 7-38329-03322-4.
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 4.7 Mbps average video bit rate (capable of progressive scan upscaling to 60 fps); Dolby Digital (AC3) 2.0 stereo sound encoded at 224 Kbps audio bit rate; English language intertitles, no foreign language subtitles; 24 chapter stops; standard DVD keepcase; $29.95.
Release date: 3 February 2004.
Country of origin: USA
Ratings (1-10): video: 5 / audio: 5 / additional content: 0 / overall: 5.
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Kino International rereleased their DVD edition of The Three Musketeers as produced for video by David Shepard utilizing a very-good 35mm duplicate print licensed from The Douris Corporation that appears to originate from a 16mm reduction print. Unfortunately, the opportunity to upgrade the presentation was not taken and this edition is of similar visual quality to the 1999 DVD. The video transfer is a little soft in image detail and runs at a slightly faster than natural speed. The source material has the usual amount of dust, speckling, scuffing and other print flaws.
The film is accompanied by the original 1921 music score compiled by Louis Gottschalk, performed by Brian Bennison on synthesizers. OK, at best, the music is passable.
As the disc is largely the same in content and visual quality as their previous edition, with no remastering at a higher video bit rate that could have resulted in a slightly improved picture image, we prefer the Undercrank Productions edition noted above.
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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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United Kingdom: Click the logomark to purchase this Region 0 NTSC DVD edition from Amazon.co.uk. Support Silent Era.
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 Kino on Video
1999 DVD edition
The Three Musketeers (1921), black & white, 118 minutes, not rated.
Kino International, K117, UPC 7-38329-01172-7.
One single-sided, single-layered, Region 0 NTSC DVD 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 4.6 Mbps average video bit rate (capable of progressive scan upscaling to 60 fps); Dolby Digital (AC3) 2.0 stereo sound encoded at 224 Kbps audio bit rate; English language intertitles, no foreign language subtitles; 24 chapter stops; snapper DVD case; $29.99.
Release date: 13 August 1999.
Country of origin: USA
Ratings (1-10): video: 5 / audio: 5 / additional content: 0 / overall: 5.
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This early DVD edition was produced for video by David Shepard utilizing a very-good 35mm duplicate print. The video transfer, likely originally prepared for laserdisc and VHS videotape, is a little soft in image detail and runs at a slightly faster than natural speed. The source material has the usual amount of dust, speckling, scuffing and other print flaws.
The film is accompanied by the original 1921 music score compiled by Louis Gottschalk, performed by Brian Bennison on synthesizers.
The disc has gone out-of-print, having been replaced by the Kino edition noted above.
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This Region 0 NTSC DVD edition is . . . |
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 St. Clair Vision
2006 DVD edition
Classic Tales of Adventure (1921-1955), black & white, 880 minutes total, not rated,
including The Three Musketeers (1921), black & white, 118 minutes, not rated.
St. Clair Vision, PDS87269-3VD, UPC 7-77966-87269-8.
One single-sided, dual-layered, Region 0 NTSC DVD disc (three DVDs in the set); 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 3.0 Mbps average video bit rate (capable of progressive scan upscaling to 60 fps); Dolby Digital (AC3) 5.1 surround sound (processed from mono sources) encoded at 256 Kbps audio bit rate; English language intertitles, no foreign language subtitles; 8 chapter stops; three-disc DVD keepcase; $9.98.
Release date: 2 May 2006.
Country of origin: Canada
Ratings (1-10): video: 4 / audio: 4 / additional content: 5 / overall: 4.
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This DVD edition has been mastered from a 16mm reduction print, greyed-out in its tonal range and flecked with a typical amount of speckling and dust. The image detail in the very-good print is predictably soft, but — to be fair — we’ve seen worse than this.
The film is accompanied by a collection of inappropriate vintage jazz recordings from monaural 78rpm records, which begs the question why St. Clair Vision thinks that 5.1 surround sound is justified, other than to dupe an unknowing consumer into thinking they are getting a disc of value. Actually, quite horrid.
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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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 Sunrise Silents
2004 DVD edition
The Three Musketeers (1921), black & white, 132 minutes, not rated,
with The Hazards of Helen [chapter 33: “In Danger’s Path”] (1915), black & white, 13 minutes, not rated, and It’s a Gift (1923), black & white, 13 minutes, not rated.
Sunrise Silents, V1N4-N (NTSC) or V1N4-P (PAL), no UPC number.
One single-sided, single-layered, Region 0 NTSC or PAL DVD-R disc; 1.33:1 aspect ratio picture in windowboxed 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 stereo sound encoded at ? Kbps audio bit rate; English language intertitles, no foreign language subtitles, chapter stops; standard DVD keepcase; $19.95.
Release date: 2004.
Country of origin: USA
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This DVD-R edition from Sunrise Silents has likely been mastered from a 16mm reduction print.
The film is presented with an episode from a serial and a Snub Pollard comedy.
If you own a copy of this disc please consider loaning it to us to review for documentation purposes. We pay postage both ways.
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SUNRISE SILENTS has discontinued business and this edition is . . .
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 Delta Entertainment
2005 DVD edition
Douglas Fairbanks: The Great Swashbuckler (1976), black & white and color, 90 minutes, not rated,
with The Three Musketeers (1921), black & white, ? minutes, not rated.
Delta Entertainment,
unknown catalog number, unknown UPC number.
One dual-sided, single-layered, Region 0 NTSC DVD 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 stereo sound encoded at ? Kbps audio bit rate; English language intertitles, no foreign language subtitles; chapter stops; standard DVD keepcase; $6.99.
Release date: 29 November 2005.
Country of origin: USA
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This double-sided DVD edition features two Fairbanks features on one side, and the documentary on the flip. The film is accompanied by a prerecorded score of jazz recordings that probably do nothing to convey the tone of the film.
The disc also contains a slight supplemental material section.
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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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 Cobra Entertainment
2011 DVD edition
The Three Musketeers (1921), black & white, 119 minutes, not rated.
Cobra Entertainment,
unknown catalog number, unknown UPC number.
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 stereo sound encoded at ? Kbps audio bit rate; English language intertitles, no foreign language subtitles, chapter stops; standard DVD keepcase; $9.99.
Release date: 3 August 2011.
Country of origin: USA
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This DVD-R edition has likely been mastered from a 16mm reduction print. Cobra Entertainment may be a successor company to Delta Entertainment and this may substantially be a rerelease of the 2005 Delta edition noted above.
The film is likely presented with a soundtrack compiled from preexisting recordings.
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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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Canada: Click the logomark to purchase this Region 0 NTSC DVD-R edition from Amazon.ca. Your purchase supports Silent Era.
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 Alpha Video
2014 DVD edition
The Three Musketeers (1921), black & white, ? minutes, not rated,
with The Three Musketeers (1916), black & white, ? minutes, not rated.
Alpha Home Entertainment, distributed by Oldies.com,
ALP 7497D, UPC 0-89218-74979-6.
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 stereo? 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: 28 October 2014.
Country of origin: USA
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This DVD-R edition has likely been mastered from a 16mm reduction print.
The film is likely presented with a soundtrack compiled from preexisting recordings.
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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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Canada: Click the logomark to purchase this Region 0 NTSC DVD-R edition from Amazon.ca. Your purchase supports Silent Era.
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 Synergy Entertainment
2008 DVD edition
The Three Musketeers (1921), black & white, 119 minutes, not rated.
Synergy Entertainment,
unknown catalog number, unknown UPC number.
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 stereo? sound encoded at ? Kbps audio bit rate; English language intertitles, no foreign language subtitles; chapter stops; standard DVD keepcase; $9.99.
Release date: 30 October 2008.
Country of origin: USA
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This DVD-R edition has likely been mastered from a 16mm reduction print.
The film is likely presented with a soundtrack compiled from preexisting recordings.
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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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Other silent era DOUGLAS FAIRBANKS films available on home video.
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Douglas Fairbanks filmography in The Progressive Silent Film List
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