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French Masterworks: Russian Emigres in Paris 1923-1928 - 5 Iconic Films Albatros Productions

The Burning Crucible (Le Brasier ardent, 1923)                                   lavish Kean (1924)

The Late Mathias Pascal (Feu Mathias Pascal, 1926)

Gribiche (1925)                         The New Gentlemen (Les Nouveaux messieur, 1929)

The five exciting features in this collection, each restored to excellent condition by the Cinematheque Francaise, are all U.S. home video premieres, accompanied by outstanding new music scores by Timothy Brock, Robert Israel, Neil Brand, Antonio Coppola and the Mont
Alto Motion Picture Orchestra.

Three of the films showcase the multi-faceted talents of Ivan Mosjoukine, who left a starring career in Russia for even greater glory in France. He wrote and directed The Burning Crucible (Le Brasier ardent, 1923) in which he also plays eleven parts. Of this film Jean Renoir said "I was ecstatic … I decided to abandon my trade, ceramics, to try to make films." Mosjoukine also collaborated on the script and plays the title role in Alexandre Volkoff's lavish Kean (1924), dramatizing the later life of Edmund Kean, the greatest Shakespearian of the early 19th century. In The Late Mathias Pascal (Feu Mathias Pascal, 1926) - a nearly three-hour super-production based upon a Pirandello Novel and brilliantly directed by Marcel L'Herbier — Mosjoukine inhabits the dual lives of the eponymous main character. To see him in action is to be mesmerized; he combines the theatrical skill of John Barrymore with the élan of Valentino or John Gilbert.

Alexander Kamenka, the head of Albatros, thought Jacques Feyder the greatest French filmmaker, and secured his talent for the dazzling comedy-dramas Gribiche (1925) and The New Gentlemen (Les Nouveaux messieur, 1929). Jean Forest (Faces of Children, Crainquebille) is Gribiche, a working-class youth who allows himself to be adopted in the hope that his widowed mother can marry a man unwilling to take on a step-son. The New Gentlemen, one of the wittiest, most sophisticated comedies ever to come out of France, describes a tug-of-war over a pretty young actress between an aging aristocrat and a young left-wing union organizer.
 

Posters

DVD Review: Flicker Alley (French Masterworks: Russian Emigres in P) - Region 0 - NTSC

Big thanks to Gregory Meshman for the Review!

DVD Box Cover

CLICK to order from:

 

Distribution

Flicker Alley

Region 0 - NTSC

 

Comments

Flicker Alley delivers another great package! There are 5 films in this collection from the French studio created by Russian émigrés in Paris in 1920's - Films Albatros. Flicker Alley already produced an excellent DVD release of another Albatros film in 2010 - René Clair's The Italian Straw Hat () that made our top 20 DVD releases of that year. Earlier this year, Flicker Alley released one of the films in this collection on blu-ray, Marcel L'Herbier's The Late Mathias Pascal () and one wishes they released all of them in high definition. Alas, we get a DVD release of 5 excellent silents that are highly recommended. All 5 films are very enjoyable and have lots to offer to any silent film enthusiast, especially 2 films by Jacques Feyder - Gribiche and Les Nouveaux messieur. Hopefully, the success of this set will show Flicker Alley enough interest to bring all five films in high definition.

As noted earlier, The Late Mathias Pascal was released on Blu-ray and, unfortunately, my review copy did not include this film to compare to high definition release (Reviewed HERE on DVDBeaver). Thankfully, the remaining 4 films were included. Each film gets its own dual-layered disc. The picture quality is excellent for each film, especially considering the age of the materials used for the restoration and transfers. Each film starts with a few cards about the print and restoration. The discs are interlaced, but with current technology, it never becomes a problem when viewing the films. 5 different composers are featured, each scoring one film - Timothy Brock, Robert Israel, Neil Brand, Antonio Coppola and the Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra. Gribiche includes a bonus scene, taken from the export version. An informative 28-page booklet with notes on the studio and each film by Lenny Borger rounds off the package. A highly recommended release that I'm sure will make an appearance on the top DVD list of 2013.

  - Gregory Meshman

 


DVD Menus
 

 


(aka "The Burning Crucible" )

 

directed by Ivan Mozzhukhin
France

Theatrical Release: August 1923

Reviews

Runtime 1:48:04
Video

1.33:1 Original Aspect Ratio
Average Bitrate: 7.96 mb/s
NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s

NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.

Bitrate

Audio Dolby Digital Stereo (Neil Brand)
Subtitles English (option of white or yellow), None
Features Release Information:
Studio: Flicker Alley

Aspect Ratio:
Fullscreen - 1.33:1

Edition Details:
• 28-Page booklet with notes by Lenny Borger

DVD Release Date: May 14, 2013
5 discs in a keep case

Chapters 13
 

Screen Captures

 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


 


(aka "Edmund Kean: Prince Among Lovers" )

 

directed by Alexandre Volkoff
France 1924

Theatrical Release: 15 February 1924 (France)

Reviews        More Reviews 

DVD Review: Flicker Alley (French Masterworks: Russian Emigres) - Region 0 - NTSC

Big thanks to Gregory Meshman for the Review!

Distribution

Flicker Alley

Region 0 - NTSC

Runtime 2:21:15
Video

1.33:1 Original Aspect Ratio
Average Bitrate: 7.24 mb/s
NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s

NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.

Bitrate

Audio Dolby Digital Stereo (Robert Israel)
Subtitles English (option of white or yellow), None
Features Release Information:
Studio: Flicker Alley

Aspect Ratio:
Fullscreen - 1.33:1

Edition Details:
• None

DVD Release Date:
5 discs in a keep case

Chapters 20

  


Screen Captures

 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


 


(aka "Mother of Mine" )

 

directed by Jacques Feyder
France 1926

Theatrical Release: 2 April 1926 (France)

Reviews

DVD Review: Flicker Alley (French Masterworks: Russian Emigres) - Region 0 - NTSC

Big thanks to Gregory Meshman for the Review!

Distribution

Flicker Alley

Region 0 - NTSC

Runtime 1:52:40
Video

1.33:1 Original Aspect Ratio
Average Bitrate: 7.48 mb/s
NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s

NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.

Bitrate

Audio Dolby Digital Stereo (The Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra)
Subtitles English (option of white or yellow), None
Features Release Information:
Studio: Flicker Alley

Aspect Ratio:
Fullscreen - 1.33:1

Edition Details:
• Bonus Scene (2:47)

DVD Release Date:
5 discs in a keep case

Chapters 20


Screen Captures

 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


 


(aka "The New Gentlemen" )

 

directed by Jacques Feyder
France 1929

Theatrical Release: 5 April 1929 (France)

Reviews        More Reviews 

DVD Review: Flicker Alley (French Masterworks: Russian Emigres) - Region 0 - NTSC

Big thanks to Gregory Meshman for the Review!

Distribution

Flicker Alley

Region 0 - NTSC

Runtime 2:03:52
Video

1.33:1 Original Aspect Ratio
Average Bitrate: 7.96 mb/s
NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s

NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.

Bitrate

Audio Dolby Digital Stereo (Antonio Coppola)
Subtitles English (option of white or yellow), None
Features Release Information:
Studio: Flicker Alley

Aspect Ratio:
Fullscreen - 1.33:1

Edition Details:
• None

DVD Release Date:
5 discs in a keep case

Chapters 24

  


Screen Captures

 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


 


DVD Box Cover

CLICK to order from:

 

Distribution

Flicker Alley

Region 0 - NTSC

 




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