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Reviews of silent film releases on home video.
Copyright © 1999-2024 by Carl Bennett
and the Silent Era Company.
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Varieté
(1925)

 

This UFA drama of the circus world, infidelity and murder, directed by E.A. Dupont, stars Emil Jannings and Lya de Putti, with Warwick Ward, Maly Delschaft, Georg John and Kurt Gerron.

The film features some innovative cinematography and special effects shots.

Kino Classics
2017 Blu-ray Disc edition

Varieté (1925) [German release version], color-tinted black & white, 95 minutes, not rated,
with Othello (1922), black & white, 79 minutes, not rated.

Kino Lorber, K20699, UPC 7-38329-20699-4.
One single-sided, dual-layered, Region A Blu-ray Disc, 1.33:1 aspect ratio image in pillarboxed 16:9 (1920 x 1080 pixels) progressive scan AVC (MPEG-4) format, SDR (standard dynamic range), ? Mbps average video bit rate, ? Mbps audio bit rate, LPCM 48 kHz 2.0 stereo sound, German language intertitles, optional English language subtitles, chapter stops; standard BD keepcase; $29.95.
Release date: 22 August 2017.
Country of origin: USA

This Blu-ray Disc edition has been mastered from the 2015 F.W. Murnau Stiftung restoration of the original German release version of the film.

The film is accompanied by a music score performed by the Berklee Silent Film Orchestra.

The supplementary material includes a presentation of Othello (1922) starring Emil Jannings and Lya de Putti, and a short documentary on the composition and recording of the music score.

 
USA: Click the logomark to purchase this Region A Blu-ray Disc edition from Amazon.com. Your purchase supports Silent Era.
 
Canada: Click the logomark to purchase this Region A Blu-ray Disc edition from Amazon.ca. Your purchase supports Silent Era.
Masters of Cinema
2017 Blu-ray Disc / DVD edition

Varieté (1925) [German release version], color-tinted black & white, 95 minutes, not rated,
with Variety (1926) [USA release version], black & white, 82 minutes, not rated.

Eureka Entertainment,
EKA70232 (MoC 160), unknown UPC number.
One single-sided, dual-layered, Region B Blu-ray Disc, 1.33:1 aspect ratio image in pillarboxed 16:9 (1920 x 1080 pixels) progressive scan AVC (MPEG-4) format, SDR (standard dynamic range), ? Mbps average video bit rate, ? Mbps audio bit rate, LPCM 48 kHz 2.0 stereo sound, German language intertitles, optional English language subtitles, chapter stops; and one single-sided, dual-layered, Region 2 PAL DVD disc, 1.33:1 aspect ratio image in full-frame 4:3 (720 x 576 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 stereo sound, German language intertitles, optional English language subtitles, chapter stops; standard two-disc BD keepcase; £14.99.
Release date: 23 January 2017.
Country of origin: England
This Region B Blu-ray Disc / PAL DVD edition has been mastered from the 2015 F.W. Murnau Stiftung restoration of the original German release version of the film, and includes a presentation of the 1926 American release version from a print held by the Library of Congress.

The film is accompanied by three optional music scores by Stephen Horne, Johannes Contag, and a music score composed by Martyn Jacques and performed by The Tiger Lillies.

The supplementary material includes a booklet with essays and stills.

North American collectors will need a region-free Blu-ray Disc player and/or PAL DVD player capable of outputting an NTSC-compatible signal to view this edition.

 
United Kingdom: Click logomark to purchase this Region B Blu-ray Disc / Region 2 PAL DVD edition from Amazon.co.uk.
F.W. Murnau Stiftung
2015 Blu-ray Disc edition

Varieté (1925) [German release version], color-tinted black & white, 95 minutes, not rated,
with Variety (1926) [USA release version], black & white, 82 minutes, not rated.

Freidrich-Wilhelm-Murnau-Stiftung, distributed by NFP, unknown catalog number, UPC 4-260213-911029.
One single-sided, dual-layered, Region 0 Blu-ray Disc, 1.33:1 aspect ratio image in pillarboxed 16:9 (1920 x 1080 pixels) 24fps progressive scan AVC (MPEG-4) format, SDR (standard dynamic range), ? Mbps average video bit rate, ? Mbps audio bit rate, DTS-HD Master Audio 48 kHz 5.1 surround sound and DTS-HD Master Audio 48 kHz 2.0 stereo sound, German language intertitles, optional English, French, Italian and Japanese language subtitles, chapter stops; standard BD keepcase; €14.99.
Release date: 6 February 2015.
Country of origin: Germany
This Blu-ray Disc edition has been mastered from the 2015 F.W. Murnau Stiftung restoration of the original German release version of the film, and includes a presentation of the 1926 American release version from a print held by the Library of Congress.

The film is accompanied by a music score composed by Martyn Jacques and performed by The Tiger Lillies. The American version of the film is accompanied by a music score performed by Peter Kleinschmidt.

The supplementary material includes a 32-page booklet with stills and essays by Guido Altendorf, Martyn Jacques, Michael Wedel and Anke Wilkening.

North American collectors will need a region-free Blu-ray Disc player capable of outputting an NTSC-compatible signal to view this edition.

 
Germany: Click the logomark to purchase this Region 0 Blu-ray Disc edition from Amazon.de. Your purchase supports Silent Era.
F.W. Murnau Stiftung
2015 DVD edition

Varieté (1925) [German release version], color-tinted black & white, 95 minutes, not rated,
with Variety (1926) [USA release version], black & white, 82 minutes, not rated.

Freidrich-Wilhelm-Murnau-Stiftung, distributed by NFP, unknown catalog number, unknown UPC number.
One single-sided, dual-layered, Region 0 PAL DVD-R disc, 1.33:1 aspect ratio image in full-frame 4:3 (720 x 576 pixels) interlaced? scan MPEG-2 format, SDR (standard dynamic range), ? Mbps average video bit rate, ? Kbps audio bit rate, Dolby Digital 48 kHz 5.1 surround sound and Dolby Digital 48 kHz 2.0 stereo sound, German language intertitles, optional English, French, Italian and Japanese language subtitles, chapter stops; standard DVD keepcase; €14.99.
Release date: 6 February 2015.
Country of origin: Germany
This PAL DVD edition has been mastered from the 2015 F.W. Murnau Stiftung restoration of the original German release version of the film, and includes a presentation of the 1926 American release version from a print held by the Library of Congress.

The film is accompanied by a music score composed by Martyn Jacques and performed by The Tiger Lillies. The American version of the film is accompanied by a music score performed by Peter Kleinschmidt.

The supplementary material includes a 32-page booklet with stills and essays by Guido Altendorf, Martyn Jacques, Michael Wedel and Anke Wilkening.

North American collectors will need a region-free PAL DVD player capable of outputting an NTSC-compatible signal to view this edition.

 
Germany: Click the logomark to purchase this Region 0 PAL DVD edition from Amazon.de. Your purchase supports Silent Era.
Grapevine Video
2010 DVD edition

Variety (1926) [USA release version], black & white, 71 minutes, not rated.

Grapevine Video, no catalog number, UPC 8-42614-10181-6.
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 stereo sound, English language intertitles, no foreign language subtitles, 12 chapter stops; standard DVD keepcase; $14.95.
Release date: 2010.
Country of origin: USA

Ratings (1-10): video: 4 / audio: 4 / additional content: 0 / overall: 4.

This remastered DVD-R edition has been updated by Grapevine Video from their earlier DVD edition of the 1926 American release version of Varieté. The 16mm source print is a bit contrasty, with almost detailess highlights and dark shadows still manages to retain a reasonable range of greytones in the image. There is some image instability and a noticeable amount of dust, speckling and emulsion wear and scratches. The transfer itself is coarse and contains many compression artifacts that contribute to the disc’s faults. The edition likely plays better on a computer monitor than on a high-definition system.

The film is accompanied by a cobbled-together score of preexisting film music recordings, which is serviceable at best.

Not recommended, as there are better home video editions noted above, but still a viewable edition of the American release version of the film.

 
USA: Click the logomark to purchase this Region 0 NTSC DVD-R edition from Amazon.com. Your purchase supports Silent Era.
 
This Region 0 NTSC DVD-R edition is available directly from . . .
Reelclassicdvd.com
2016 DVD edition

Variety (1926) [USA release version], black & white, 72 minutes, not rated,
with The Artist (1950), black & white, ? minutes, not rated.

Reelclassicdvd.com, unknown catalog number, unknown 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, Dolby Digital 48 kHz 2.0 stereo sound, English language intertitles, no foreign language subtitles, chapter stops; standard DVD keepcase; $19.95.
Release date: 7 November 2016.
Country of origin: USA
This DVD-R edition has been mastered from a 16mm reduction print of the American release version of the film.

The film is to be accompanied by a cobbled-together score of preexisting film music recordings.

 
This Region 0 NTSC DVD-R edition is available from . . .
Reel Vault
2009 DVD edition

Variety (1926) [USA release version], black & white, 72 minutes, not rated.

Reel Vault, 2156D, UPC 6-44827-21562-1.
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), 4.5 Mbps average video bit rate, 256 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; $8.99.
Release date: 2009.
Country of origin: USA

Ratings (1-10): video: 4 / audio: 3 / additional content: 0 / overall: 3.

This DVD-R edition has been mastered from a 16mm reduction print of the American release version of the film. As is typical of analog transfers from 16mm materials, the picture (including some of the intertitles) can be quite dark with background details lost in a shadowy wash and some highlights (including facial details) washed-out to an indecipherable white.

The film is accompanied by a cobbled-together soundtrack of preexisting film music recordings, with some of the selections being wildly inappropriate and highly annoying.

Over the years, this company has released DVD-R editions under a number of company names, with the same catalog number and UPC number, including Nostalgia Family Video (as originally reviewed), Hollywood’s Attic, RetroFlix, and (as of 2015) Reel Vault. Not a recommended disc as the Kino Lorber edition or the other Blu-ray Discs for European viewers noted above are far better.

 
USA: Click the logomark to purchase this Region 0 NTSC DVD-R edition from Amazon.com. Your purchase supports Silent Era.
Grapevine Video
2009 DVD edition

Variety (1926) [USA release version], black & white, 72 minutes, not rated.

Grapevine Video, no catalog number, unknown 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, Dolby Digital 48 kHz 2.0 stereo sound, English language intertitles, no foreign language subtitles; chapter stops; standard DVD keepcase; $14.95.
Release date: April 2009.
Country of origin: USA
This DVD-R edition has been mastered from a 16mm reduction print of the 1926 American release version of Varieté.

The film is accompanied by a music score comprised of preexisting recordings.

This edition is now out-of-print, being replaced by the remastered Grapevine Video edition noted above.

 
This Region 0 NTSC DVD-R edition is . . .
Other silent era EMIL JANNINGS films available on home video.

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

 
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