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Syncopation [Blu-ray]
(William Dieterle, 1942)
Review by Gary Tooze
Production: Theatrical: RKO Radio Pictures Video: Cohen Media Group / Eureka Entertainment
Disc: Region: 'A' / 'B' (as verified by the Oppo Blu-ray player) Runtime: 1:28:13.621 / 1:28:17.208 Disc Size: 45,116,707,992 bytes / 27,708,450,063 bytes Feature Size: 22,388,514,816 bytes / 26,919,217,152 bytes Video Bitrate: 30.00 Mbps / 36.49 Mbps Chapters: 9 / 9 Case: Transparent Blu-ray case (both) Release date: February 10th, 2015 / March 16th, 2020
Video (both): Aspect ratio: 1.33:1 Resolution: 1080p / 23.976 fps Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
Audio: LPCM Audio English 2304 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 2304 kbps / 24-bit LPCM Audio English 1536 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1536 kbps / 16-bit
Subtitles: None / English (SDH), none
Extras:
•
"Symphony in Black" (1935 w/Duke Ellington and Billie Holiday)
(9:37) • 2015 Re-Release Trailer (1:29) • 8-page leaflet with photos, chapter titles etc.
None, (DVD included) A collector s booklet featuring a new essay by Pasquale Iannone
Bitrate:
Description: A one-of-a-kind cinematic extravaganza, Syncopation is both a love story about two young musicians and a celebration of some of the greatest popular music of the first half of the 20th century. The romance between a young trumpeter (former child star Jackie Cooper of The Champ and Our Gang fame) and a New Orleans-born piano player (Bonita Granville, the silver screen's original Nancy Drew and the future producer of TV's Lassie) serves as the narrative plot line. But the core of the film is its celebratory history of "syncopated" music - jazz - tracing it from the turn-of-the-century sounds of ragtime, through Dixieland, the blues, Chicago jazz and the swing era.Musical greats of the day are featured in performance, including Benny Goodman, Harry James, Gene Krupa, Charlie Barnet and many more. Also in the cast are Adolphe Menjou, George Bancroft, Robert Benchley and singers Todd Duncan and Connee Boswell. Putting all of the elements together is prolific golden age director William Dieterle (The Life of Emile Zola, Portrait of Jennie, September Affair, The Hunchback of Notre Dame). For its Cohen Film Collection Blu-ray release, syncopation has been restored in 2K from an archival 35mm fine grain master struck by the Library of Congress from the nitrate negative.
The Film:
This musical chronicles the history of jazz music and features many of
the most popular musical acts from the early 1940s, including Gene Krupa
and Benny Goodman. The story centers on a trumpet player who falls for a
young woman with an equal passion for music. Unfortunately, the girl is
still grieving for her true-love whom she lost during the war. The
trumpeter begins working to get the girl to trust her. He simultaneously
tries to start a band. Songs include: "Goin' Up the River" Dave
Torbett, Leith Stevens, "You Made Me Love You" Joseph McCarthy,
James V. Monaco, "Only Worry for a Pillow," "Chicago Ragtime"
Stevens, "Under a Falling Star" Rich Hall, Stevens, sung by
Connie Boswell, and "Slave Market" Hall Johnson.
In 1906, the Congo Square Building in New Orleans, who was previously
used as a slave market, is transformed into an African-American
unemployment bureau. Close by there is also an African-American musical
college, where little Reggie Tearbone, seven years old, is learning to
play Bach on his cornet. He has trouble following the sheet and starts
improvising. It begins to sound more like a jazz piece.
Image : NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc. Syncopation on Blu-ray from Cohen Media looks very good. Grain, detail and depth are all accentuated by the marvelous contrast of the 1080P black and white visuals. There are a few, less-frequent, muddy spots but they seem more a function of the original production not any flaw in the rendering. This is dual-layered with a high bitrate and it exceeded my expectations. I might have seen one or two slight instances of noise but it was never distracting. The shadows in the film are so rich and the use of light only adds to the aura. This Blu-ray video is impressive enough for this reviewer to express great satisfaction with the visual presentation.
The Eureka has a higher bitrate and a slightly 'lighter' image. I think it also looks great - Region 'B'ers should be equally as pleased to see this gem in 1080P. Sweet.
CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION
Subtitle Sample - Eureka - Region 'B' - Blu-ray
More Cohen - Region 'A' - Blu-ray Captures
Audio :The audio is transferred via a linear PCM mono 2.0 channel at a very supportive 2304 Kbps. It sounds pretty darn solid - nice high-end underpinning the crisp, authentically flat music. Depth is there in limited quantity - adding a further edge of realism. 'Toe-tapping' would be an understatement to describing the rhythms via uncompressed. There are some anticipated weaknesses but they are the exception. You might even be encouraged to listen to this with the video turned off. All good. There are no subtitles offered and m y Oppo has identified it as being a region 'A'.
Eureka go linear PCM, but only 16-bit. I admit though the audio is a big part of this film experience and it still sounds great on the Eureka that offers optional English (SDH) subtitles (see sample above) on their Region 'B'-locked disc.
Extras : Incredible selection of supplements -over 100-minutes worth of vintage Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday, Louis Armstrong, Bessie Smith, Cab Calloway, Hoagy Carmichael, Artie Shaw and others. How great is it to have this all available on one Blu-ray with uncompressed audio! The quality is decent enough with 1929's "St. Louis Blues" before a bit inferior a/v wise (predictably so considering its age). Also included are a new Re-Release trailer and a liner notes leaflet.
Nothing but the film on the Eureka Blu-ray but the package includes a progressively encoded DVD and a collector's booklet featuring a new essay by Pasquale Iannone.
Cohen - Region 'A' - Blu-ray
Eureka - Region 'B' - Blu-ray
BOTTOM LINE:
The Cohen eclipses the new Eureka Blu-ray - slightly in audio and extensively in extras. The inclusion of optional subtitles, Region 'B' status (Europe) and second disc DVD may be a selling point for many. To that group - this is warmly recommended!
Gary Tooze February 3rd, 2015 February 26th, 2020
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About the Reviewer: Hello, fellow Beavers! I have been interested in film since I viewed a Chaplin festival on PBS when I was around 9 years old. I credit DVD with expanding my horizons to fill an almost ravenous desire to seek out new film experiences. I currently own approximately 9500 DVDs and have reviewed over 5000 myself. I appreciate my discussion Listserv for furthering my film education and inspiring me to continue running DVDBeaver. Plus a healthy thanks to those who donate and use our Amazon links.
Although I never wanted to become one of those guys who
focused 'too much' on image and sound quality - I
find HD is swiftly pushing me in that direction. 60-Inch Class (59.58” Diagonal) 1080p Pioneer KURO Plasma Flat Panel HDTV PDP6020-FD
Oppo Digital BDP-83 Universal Region FREE Blu-ray/SACD
Player APC AV 1.5 kVA H Type Power Conditioner 120V Gary W. Tooze ALL OUR NEW FORMAT DVD REVIEWS
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