Silent Era Information*Progressive Silent Film List*Lost Films*People*Theaters
Taylorology*Articles*Home Video*Books*Search
 
Foolish Wives BD
 
Silent Era Home Page  >  Home Video  >  Tumbleweeds
 
Silent Era Films on Home Video
Reviews of silent film releases on home video.
Copyright © 1999-2024 by Carl Bennett
and the Silent Era Company.
All Rights Reserved.

Tumbleweeds
(1925)

 

This perennial favorite was William S. Hart’s final film (apart from a small number of later film appearances as himself), another in a long series of formula Westerns that nonetheless delivers the two-gun goods.

Tumbleweeds (1925) is the story of budding love amid the largest land grab in U.S. history. It is about the conflict between pioneering cattle ranchers and the swarm of land-hungry homesteaders. It is also a commentary that laments the progress of modern America and the loss of the 19th century cowboy’s legacy.

Hart is ably supported by love-interest Barbara Bedford (whose film debut was in the 1920 Hart crime drama The Cradle of Courage) and comic-relief Lucien Littlefield as Kentucky Rose.

Tumbleweeds is as formula as they come, yet it is entertaining and is a fitting end to Hart’s extremely successful career as a western film star. The film is fun and lighthearted in the beginning, settling down to the tense dramatic conflict and resolution, and the star’s one last appearance as the two-gun man in the doorway of the Box K Ranch.

Most of the available prints of the film (especially on 16mm film prints) originate from the 1939 Astor Pictures sound rerelease version of the film.

Carl Bennett

Worldview Entertainment
2002 DVD edition

Tumbleweeds (1925), color-toned black & white, 85 minutes, not rated.

Worldview Entertainment, distributed by Image Entertainment, ID1580WVDVD, UPC 0-14381-15802-1.
One single-sided, single-layered, Region 1 NTSC DVD disc, 1.33:1 aspect ratio image in full-frame 4:3 (720 x 480 pixels) interlaced scan MPEG-2 format, SDR (standard dynamic range), 5.0 Mbps average video bit rate, 224 Kbps audio bit rate, Dolby Digital 48kHz 8-bit 2.0 mono sound, English language intertitles, no foreign language subtitles, 18 chapter stops; standard DVD keepcase; $24.99.
Release date: 25 June 2002.
Country of origin: USA

Ratings (1-10): video: 7 / audio: 5 / additional content: 0 / overall: 7.

This DVD edition has been transferred from a Paul Killiam collection sound rerelease print at sound speed. The print is marked with some scratches, a few splices, and more dust specks than usual. The beginning of a superimposed intertitle visible at 49:50 reveals that the intertitles here are not the originals. The transfer maintains a very good range of greytones, but appears to be a bit overcompressed at times. The dust clouds in the background at 14:40 seem coarsely rendered in playback. The MPEG video compression reveals its undersampled status in several examples of light print decomposition. Generally, the DVD at hand looks much the same as earlier VHS home video editions prepared from the Killiam materials.

The piano music score performed by William Perry is distorted in places since the audio source was the mono optical soundtrack from the Killiam rerelease print. Since the original sound recordings of the Perry performance must exist somewhere in what is now Cohen Media Group’s holdings, the DVD would have benefitted from a new audio transfer from the original recorded masters.

We noted that it is unusual to see a land rush that moves from left to right, seemingly in the wrong direction — psychologically a progress from the west to the east.

This presentation includes William S. Hart’s 1939 sound introduction (and main titles) from the film’s late-thirties rerelease, a turgid affair that records for posterity Hart’s Victorian theatrical modulating vocal delivery. We cherish every melodramatic moment of it. Even with the years that have passed, and the number of other editions that have been produced, we still recommend this DVD edition (until something better comes along).

 
USA: Click the logomark to purchase this Region 1 NTSC DVD edition from Amazon.com. Your purchase supports Silent Era.
 
Canada: Click the logomark to purchase this Region 1 NTSC DVD edition from Amazon.ca. Your purchase supports Silent Era.
The Film Detective
2015 DVD edition

Tumbleweeds (1925) [1939 rerelease version], black & white, 88 minutes, not rated.

The Film Detective, FD0349, UPC 8-89290-42314-6.
One single-sided, single-layered, Region 0 NTSC DVD-R disc, 1.33:1 aspect ratio image in full-frame 4:3 (720 x 480 pixels) interlaced scan MPEG-2 format, SDR (standard dynamic range), ? Mbps average video bit rate, ? Kbps audio bit rate, Dolby Digital 48 kHz 2.0 mono sound, English language intertitles, no foreign language subtitles, 18 chapter stops; standard DVD keepcase; $9.99.
Release date: 3 November 2015.
Country of origin: USA

Ratings (1-10): video: 4 / audio: 5 / additional content: 0 / overall: 4.
This DVD-R edition has been mastered from a 16mm reduction print of the 1939 sound rerelease version of the film.

Like most home video editions of Tumbleweeds, this presentation includes William S. Hart’s 1939 sound introduction (and main titles), synchronized music and sound effects from the film’s late-thirties rerelease.

Note: Our copy of this edition had trouble playing on a Macintosh laptop computer with two separate drives but played OK on all of our reference DVD deck players.

 
USA: Click the logomark to purchase this Region 0 NTSC DVD-R edition from Amazon.com. Your purchase supports Silent Era.
 
Canada: Click the logomark to purchase this Region 0 NTSC DVD-R edition from Amazon.ca. Your purchase supports Silent Era.
VCI Entertainment
2003 DVD edition

The Great Train Robbery 100th Anniversary Special Edition (1903-1925), black & white and color-tinted and color-toned black & white, 201 minutes total, not rated,
including Tumbleweeds (1925) [1939 rerelease version],
black & white, 82 minutes, not rated.

VCI Entertainment, 8297, UPC 0-89859-82972-7.
One single-sided, dual-layered, Region 0 NTSC DVD disc, 1.33:1 aspect ratio image in full-frame 4:3 (720 x 480 pixels) interlaced scan MPEG-2 format, SDR (standard dynamic range), 5.0 Mbps average video bit rate, 192 Kbps audio bit rate, Dolby Digital 48 kHz 2.0 mono sound, English language intertitles, no foreign language subtitles, no chapter stops; standard DVD keepcase; $19.99.
Release date: 16 December 2003.
Country of origin: USA

Ratings (1-10): video: 4 / audio: 5 / additional content: 6 / overall: 4.

This midline DVD edition has been mastered from very-good 16mm reduction print materials of the 1939 rerelease version, with the sound introduction at the beginning of the film. Because the print is the sound rerelease version, the footage runs at the faster sound-speed pace and features the rerelease soundtrack of music and synchronized sound effects.

At times the print is dark and contrasty, with plugged up shadows but leaving highlight detail intact at the brightest end of the greyscale range. The usual amount of light speckling and dust is present in the source materials.

This edition is just watchable and is a greater value with the additional films included on the disc, but the Worldview Entertainment edition above is the best currently available on DVD.

 
USA: Click the logomark to purchase this Region 0 NTSC DVD edition from Amazon.com. Your purchase supports Silent Era.
 
Canada: Click the logomark to purchase this Region 0 NTSC DVD edition from Amazon.ca. Your purchase supports Silent Era.
 
United Kingdom: Click the logomark at right to purchase this Region 0 NTSC DVD edition from Amazon.co.uk.
Navarre Corporation
2002 DVD edition

Tumbleweeds (1925) [1939 rerelease version], black & white, 82 minutes, not rated,
with Judge Priest (1934), black & white, 61 minutes, not rated, and Yellowstone (1936), black & white, 63 minutes, not rated.

Navarre Corporation, 53-RPH-1636, unknown UPC number.
One single-sided, dual-layered, Region 0 NTSC DVD disc, 1.33:1 aspect ratio image in full-frame 4:3 (720 x 480 pixels) interlaced scan MPEG-2 format, SDR (standard dynamic range), ? Mbps average video bit rate, 192 Kbps audio bit rate, Dolby Digital 48 kHz 8-bit 2.0 mono sound, English language intertitles, no foreign language subtitles, chapter stops; standard DVD keepcase; $9.98.
Release date: 16 July 2002.
Country of origin: USA

Ratings (1-10): video: 4 / audio: 5 / additional content: 4 / overall: 4.

As in the majority of Navarre DVD releases, the source material for the video transfer is a 16mm reduction print, which is soft of image detail, scratched, dusty and other damage. The coarse picture details are a combination of the subpar print and overcompression of the video data. The result is a rough viewing experience.

The film is accompanied by the mono soundtrack from the 1939 rerelease.

We recommend the Image edition above instead of this budget disc.

 
USA: Click the logomark to purchase this Region 0 NTSC DVD edition from Amazon.com. Your purchase supports Silent Era.
 
Canada: Click the logomark to purchase this Region 0 NTSC DVD edition from Amazon.ca. Your purchase supports Silent Era.
Alpha Video
2009 DVD edition

Tumbleweeds (1925), black & white, 78 minutes, not rated.

Alpha Home Entertainment, distributed by Oldies.com,
ALP5887D, UPC 0-89218-58879-1.
One single-sided, single-layered, Region 0 NTSC DVD disc, 1.33:1 aspect ratio image in full-frame 4:3 (720 x 480 pixels) interlaced scan MPEG-2 format, SDR (standard dynamic range), ? Mbps average video bit rate, ? Kbps audio bit rate, Dolby Digital 48 kHz 8-bit 2.0 mono sound, English language intertitles, no foreign language subtitles, chapter stops; standard DVD keepcase; $7.98 (raised to $8.98).
Release date: 25 August 2009.
Country of origin: USA
This budget edition has likely been transferred from a 16mm reduction print of the 1939 sound rerelease. The edition includes Hart’s spoken introduction from that version.

The film is accompanied by the synchronized music score from its 1939 rerelease.

 
USA: Click the logomark to purchase this Region 0 NTSC DVD edition from Amazon.com. Your purchase supports Silent Era.
 
Canada: Click the logomark to purchase this Region 0 NTSC DVD edition from Amazon.ca. Your purchase supports Silent Era.
 
United Kingdom: Click the logomark to purchase this Region 0 NTSC DVD edition from Amazon.co.uk. Support Silent Era.
Reelclassicdvd.com
200? DVD edition

Tumbleweeds (1925) [1939 rerelease version], black & white, 102 minutes, not rated.

Reelclassicdvd.com, no catalog number, UPC 7-62185-05302-7.
One single-sided, single-layered, Region 0 NTSC DVD-R disc; 1.33:1 aspect ratio image in full-frame 4:3 (720 x 480 pixels) interlaced scan MPEG-2 format, SDR (standard dynamic range), ? Mbps average video bit rate, ? Kbps audio bit rate, Dolby Digital 48 kHz 2.0 mono sound; English language intertitles, no foreign language subtitles; no chapter stops; standard DVD keepcase; $20.00.
Release date: 200?
Country of origin: USA
This DVD-R edition has been transferred from a 16mm reduction print, with the sound-film edition spoken introduction by William S. Hart.

The film is likely accompanied by the synchronized music soundtrack from its 1939 rerelease.

 
This Region 0 NTSC DVD-R edition is available from Reelclassicdvd.com through . . .
Sinister Cinema
2007 DVD edition

Tumbleweeds (1925) [?] [1939 rerelease version]?, black & white, ? minutes, not rated.

Sinister Cinema, W354, no UPC number.
One single-sided, single-layered, Region 0 NTSC DVD-R disc, 1.33:1 aspect ratio image in full-frame 4:3 (720 x 480 pixels) interlaced scan MPEG-2 format, SDR (standard dynamic range), ? Mbps average video bit rate, ? Kbps audio bit rate, PCM 48 kHz 2.0 mono sound, English language intertitles, no foreign language subtitles, chapter stops; standard DVD keepcase; $11.95 (reduced to $8.95).
Release date: 2007
Country of origin: USA
This DVD-R edition has been transferred from a 16mm reduction print.

The film is likely accompanied by the synchronized music soundtrack from its 1939 rerelease.

 
This Region 0 NTSC DVD-R edition is available directly from . . .
Other WILLIAM S. HART films available on home video.

Other WESTERN FILMS of the silent era available on home video.

William S. Hart filmography in The Progressive Silent Film List
 
 
Silent Era Home Page  >  Home Video  >  Tumbleweeds
 
Lodger BD
Become a Patron of Silent Era

SUPPORT SILENT ERA
USING THESE LINKS
WHEN SHOPPING AT
AMAZON

AmazonUS
AmazonCA
AmazonUK

When Knighthood Was in Flower BD/DVD

Wagon Tracks BD

Treasures 5 DVD Boxset

Madame DuBarry BD

Stella Maris BD

Three Ages / Hospitality BD

Pandora's Box BD

Browning's Shockers BD

Johnstown Flood BD

3 Musketeers / Iron Mask BD

Piccadilly BD

Spanish Dancer BD

Laurel & Hardy Year 1 BD

The Doll BD

Robin Hood / Black Pirate BD

Sky High BD

Michael BD

Johannna Enlists BD

Foolish Wives BD

Wolves / North BD

Paths to Paradise BD

Oyster Princess BD

The Trap BD

Metropolis BD

Sherlock Jr BD

Chaplin at Keystone DVD

Metropolis DVD

The General BD

Battleship Potemkin BD

General / Steamboat Bill Jr BD

Georges Méliès DVD

The Informer BD

Beyond the Rocks DVD

Valentino DVD

Underground BD

Miss Mend DVD

The Last Warning BD

La Roue DVD

Mysterious Island DVD

Our Hospitality (Lobster) BD

The Eagle BD

Peter Pan BD

The Last Laugh DVD

The Circus BD

Valentino 1 BD

Valentino 2 BD

Charley Bowers BD

L’Argent BD

Méliès Fairy Tales BD/DVD

The Man Who Laughs BD

Prince Achmed BD

Fragment of an Empire BD

Der Hund von Baskerville BD

Uncle Tom's Cabin BD

*