NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

ADDITION: Flicker Alley Blu-ray (May 2025): Flicker Alley has also transferred Cecil B. DeMille’s "The King of Kings" to Blu-ray. It is cited as "Blu-ray Authoring by David Mackenzie of Fidelity In Motion". Flicker Alley presents The King of Kings on two separate Blu-ray discs: the longer roadshow version and the general release cut. The restoration, supported by Cecilia DeMille Presley, delivers a remarkable visual experience for a 1927 silent film. The high-definition transfer showcases a clean, sharp image with careful attention to repairing scratches, dust, and wear from aging prints. Black-and-white sequences exhibit strong contrast with deep blacks and bright whites, enhancing details like the texture of costumes and the grandeur of DeMille’s sets (e.g., Mary Magdalene’s opulent palace, the sprawling temple). The standout feature is the Technicolor sequences, particularly the Resurrection, where vivid reds, blues, and golds come through with surprising vibrancy for a nearly century-old film. The roadshow version retains an opening Technicolor segment with Mary Magdalene’s lavish celebration, a highlight lost in black-and-white in the general release. Some minor flaws - slight softness in distant shots or faint flickering - persist as expected from source limitations, but the restoration elevates the visual majesty, capturing DeMille’s blend of spectacle and reverence. The 2017 Lobster Films Blu-ray, also a restored effort, offers a comparable presentation, often sourced from similar archival materials. Both releases excel in clarity and contrast, but Flicker Alley’s transfer edges out slightly in stabilizing frame jitter and refining grain structure, especially in crowd scenes (e.g., the Crucifixion). Our static captures cannot show this superiority. Lobster Films’ color sequences are also rich, but Flicker Alley’s Technicolor restoration feels a touch more saturated and refined, particularly in the roadshow cut. It could be the more robust transfer - maxed out bitrates - for both cuts. Both companies renderings are impressive, though Flicker Alley’s approach gives it broader scope. They have elevated the Lobster films viewing experience another impressive notch.

NOTE: We have added 37 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE.

On their Blu-ray, Flicker Alley uses a DTS-HD Master tracks (24-bit) with original English intertitles. As a silent film, The King of Kings has no dialogue or original sound effects, but the Flicker Alley Blu-ray enriches the experience with multiple audio options. The roadshow version features a new orchestral score by Robert Israel, based on Hugo Riesenfeld’s 1928 composition, available in 5.1 Surround DTS-HD Master Audio and 2.0 Stereo DTS-HD. The 5.1 mix is immersive, with strings and brass swelling across channels to match the drama - gentle for Jesus’ ministry, intense for the Crucifixion’s storm and earthquake. The soundstage feels wide yet balanced with clear instrumentation and no distortion. For the 1928 general release, two scores are included: Hugo Riesenfeld’s original orchestral score and an organ score by Christian Elliott, both in 2.0 Stereo. The orchestral track carries a classic, robust feel, complementing the film’s epic scale while the organ score offers a traditional, church-like ambiance, rich and resonant. Both are clean and well-recorded, though the 5.1 surround for the roadshow version stands out for its depth and dynamism. Flicker Alley’s Blu-ray edge lies in the 5.1 Surround DTS-HD Master Audio option, providing a more enveloping experience than Lobster’s typical 2.0 offerings. Both handle stereo well with clear, crisp sound, but Flicker Alley’s variety - 5.1 for the roadshow, dual scores for the general release - gives it a slight advantage in flexibility and impact. There are English language intertitles. These Blu-rays are Region FREE.

Historian Marc Wanamaker (The Hollywood Behind the Lens: Treasures from the Bison Archives) delivers a detailed commentary for the roadshow version. He explores the film’s history, DeMille’s vision, the legacy of its premiere at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, and production challenges. His insights into casting (e.g., H.B. Warner as Jesus) and DeMille’s reverence for the subject are engaging and informative. The rest of the extras are on the second disc Blu-ray housing the General Release version. Included is a 21-minute feature, with commentary by Wanamaker, showcasing rare behind-the-scenes footage - DeMille directing extras, building sets, and staging miracles, like Lazarus’ raising. It reveals the scale of the production with thousands of extras and massive sets, and Wanamaker’s narration adds context on DeMille’s methods. ‘The King of Kings’ Set Visit - runs 8 minutes, offering a staged “visit” to the set, part of the film’s promotional push. It shows DeMille at work, actors in costume, and glimpses of the temple and Golgotha sets, giving a charming, vintage look at the publicity machine. A 6-minute silent clip captures the film’s May 1927 premiere in Germany. Crowds gather and theater marquees glow, reflecting the global buzz. It’s a brief but fascinating snapshot of the film’s international reach. Pathé Week on Broadway is a 4 1/2-minute animated short from 1927, tied to Pathé’s promotional efforts. This quirky cartoon hypes the film’s Broadway run, blending humor and marketing in a delightful, period-specific gem. This 3-minute featurette, Negative A / Negative B, explains DeMille’s use of multiple negatives (A and B) to create different cuts. It covers the technical process - shooting variants for editing flexibility - and offers a concise look at early filmmaking craft. Technicolor - A Look into the Innovative Process Behind the Film’s Color Sequences is a 5-minute piece diving into the two-strip Technicolor process, used for the Resurrection and roadshow opening. It explains the pioneering technique - combining red and green to create vivid hues - and shows how it awed 1927 audiences. Clips highlight the restored color’s impact. Hand Coloring Onto the Film - A Look at the Painstaking Process Used to Colorize Individual Elements of Various Scenes is a 3.5-minute featurette detailing the hand-coloring process, where artists meticulously painted frames to enhance scenes (e.g., robes, flames). With examples and explanation, it underscores the labor-intensive artistry of silent-era color. Lastly, there is a rich collection of gallery images: behind-the-scenes photos of DeMille and crew, concept art by Dan Sayre Groesbeck, vibrant posters, and archival documents (e.g., studio memos). Global sourcing adds depth, showcasing the film’s creation and promotion. The Flicker Alley package includes a souvenir booklet with an introduction by Serge Bromberg (of Lobster Films), detailing the film’s legacy, notes on the restoration process (e.g., repairing nitrate prints), and insights into alternate versions, like the roadshow and general cuts. It’s a valuable, well-written companion. The package has a reversible sleeve (see below.)

The Roadshow cut offers a lavish, immersive experience with look and sound in sync for maximum awe, ideal for dedicated viewers. The General Release version sacrifices depth for efficiency. Its visuals and sound are still powerful but streamlined for broader appeal. The Flicker Alley Blu-ray with Technicolor sequences is a particular treat - slightly superior to the 2017 Lobster Films Blu-ray in stabilization and color richness. The surround mix on the Flicker Alley Roadshow version brings the orchestra to life with subtle directional effects (e.g., storm sounds in rear channels during the Crucifixion) that amplify DeMille’s spectacle. It’s a robust, modern complement to the silent visuals. The stereo tracks suit the shorter cut’s faster pace, offering viewers a choice of mood. The extras are a treasure trove - Wanamaker’s commentary, behind-the-scenes footage, and technical featurettes illuminate the film’s craft and history, complemented by galleries and a detailed booklet. Compared to the 2017 Lobster Films, Flicker Alley's Blu-ray offers a more comprehensive package, making it the definitive release for fans and silent film enthusiasts. To that group, this has our strongest recommendation.

***

The scores (Hugo Riesenfeld or Christian Elliot) are lossless (linear PCM)  for the short version as well as for the 2.0 channel LPCM channel track on the 1927 version with a lossy 5.1 option. There are optional French subtitles for the English language intertitles. These Blu-rays are Region FREE.

Extras are all on the 1927 version disc and are mostly silent with a couple in French with optional English subtitles. There are lost of archival images and it they are very good in dealing with DeMille, the restoration, the color process etc. There are 2 DVDs of the two versions and a 30-page booklet in French with photos.

Although majority sepia tints the lesser-seen longer version has the two color sequences. This is pure gold. If you are unfamiliar with Silent Era films - you can dive headfirst into this... beware: you may get obsessed!

Gary Tooze

***

ON THE DVD: The 1927 version is presented here in an excellent transfer despite some fairly significant damage to the original elements. Black and White scenes show some impressive detail. On occasion whites look a little blown out, but for the most part contrast is as perfect as a film of this age is going to look. Colour scenes are heavily damaged and exhibit some major flicker. These portions within the 1927 version still have much better contrast than the 1928 version. The score sounds very good with a wide range of fidelity (it should as it is a brand new recording). It is presented as a Dolby Digital 2.0 track, not a DD 5.1 mix as stated on the Criterion website. Extras on disc one are very informative, but are mostly text and image based, except for the trailers.

The 1928 version is of much lower quality and represents a different film experience altogether.

Some scenes in the 1927 that are colour are presented in B&W in the 1928. Quite a few scenes do not share the same frames, making matching screen capture nearly impossible. The B&W scenes in the later version sometimes look sharper and more detailed than their 1927 colour counterpart. The original 1928 Riesenfeld score sounds thin and has some hiss while being fairly limited in range. It is presented in Dolby Digital 1.0 and compliments the film nicely. The alternate 2004 pipe organ score (DD 2.0 not 5.1) sounds very clean but I still preferred the original mono score for this version of the film.

Extras on disc two include 13:30 min of behind the scenes silent footage, stills and more image/text based extras including costume sketches and portrait stills.

Overall this set is very highly recommended and to have the longer 1927 version of the film in such a high quality transfer represents a real revelation for fans of this or any silent film.out of