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

ADDITION: Criterion Blu-ray (April 2020): Criterion have transferred Buster Keaton's The Cameraman to Blu-ray. It is cited as being from a "New 4K digital restoration". A text screen, before the presentation states: "This 4K digital restoration of The Cameraman was undertaken by the Criterion Collection, the Cineteca di Bologna, and Warner Bros. The original version of the film, lost since 1951, featured three minutes of footage that do not exist in any surviving film element. For this restoration, three elements were used: a 35 mm MGM second generation fine grain; a 16 mm print from the Library of Congress, courtesy of Bruce Lawton and the Malkames Collection; and a 35 mm duplicate positive from MGM's Big Parade of Comedy. The 16 mm print was the primary source for the first three reels of the film. The film elements were scanned at Warner Bros. Motion Picture Imaging in Burbank, California, and the digital restoration was performed at 12Immagine Ritrovata in Bologna, Italy. " So, our screen captures have been divided into the early lesser quality and the more impressive visuals for the rest of the presentation. The disparity is fairly obvious but the rest of the film looks highly remarkable by comparison. We are generally very accepting of the image of very old and restored Silent Era films, but this improvement demonstratively enhanced the rest of the 1080P, 4K-restored, presentation. There are still light scratches and marks but the contrast has jumped significantly with deeper black almost inky black levels enhancing the film's marginalized density.   

On their Blu-ray, Criterion use linear PCM 2.0 channel track (24-bit) with the original English intertitles. It sports a lovely new score by composer Timothy Brock, conducted by Brock and performed by the orchestra of the Teatro Comunale di Bologna in 2020. Criterion's Blu-ray is Region 'A'-locked.

The Criterion Blu-ray include an audio commentary from 2004 featuring Glenn Mitchell, author of A–Z of Silent Film Comedy: An Illustrated Companion. He takes a few gaps but endeavours to fill in as much as he is able to derive about the history of the production - it is quite substantial and worth the indulgence for fans. Criterion include Spite Marriage from 1929. It was Buster Keaton’s next feature for MGM following The Cameraman. It is in a new 2K restoration, with an optional 2004 commentary featuring John Bengtson, author of Silent Echoes: Discovering Early Hollywood Through the Films of Buster Keaton, and Jeffrey Vance, coauthor with Eleanor Keaton of Buster Keaton Remembered. The knowledge exported is impressive and interesting. Time Travelers, is a new 16-minute documentary by Daniel Raim featuring interviews with silent-film experts Bengtson and film historian Marc Wanamaker. So Funny It Hurt: Buster Keaton & MGM is a 38-minute a documentary by film historians Kevin Brownlow and Christopher Bird. Hosted by longtime Buster Keaton friend James Karen, this video piece focuses on Keaton's time at MGM. In his autobiography, Keaton describes signing with the studio as "the worst mistake of my life." The Motion Picture Camera (1979), is a 1/2 hour documentary by A.S.C. cinematographer and film preservationist Karl Malkames, in a 4k restoration. In addition to Buster Keaton and Marceline Day, there is a third star of The Cameraman: Buster's camera. This thirty-three-minute documentary authoritatively documents the history and development of Keaton's favorite tool of the trade. This 4K restoration of The Motion Picture Camera used scans of the original 16mm camera negative 'A' and 'B' rolls in The Malkames Collection, which were digitally assembled and color graded. The soundtrack was restored from the original 16mm magnetic fullcoat of the final sound mix. It was restored in 2020 by Helge Bernhardt, produced by Bruce Lawton. Lastly, is a new 1/4 hour interview, shot by the Criterion Collection in 2020, features James L. Neibaur, author of The Fall of Buster Keaton: His Films for MGM, Educational Picture and Columbia. In the package are liner notes with an essay by film critic Imogen Sara Smith.

This is one helluva package with the two features - both with commentaries and a host of other supplements. The Cameraman is another of the thrilling and enjoyable Buster Keaton comedies. Since The Cameraman has been mostly missing in complete form, this 4K restoration is a revelation to his fans. The Criterion Blu-ray is warmly recommended to that group of Keaton-devout Silent-Era aficionados!

Gary Tooze