Cheap First Sound of Movies (Bonus Edition) (DVD) (Ben Bernie Orchestra; Noble Sissle and Eubie Blake; Abbie Mitchell; Eva Puck and Sammy White; Eddie Cantor; Weber and Fields; Fanny Ward; Elsa Lanchester; Monroe Silver; and the Famous Bouncing Ball., Ray Pointer) Price

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Customer Reviews of First Sound of Movies (Bonus Edition)

RAY POINTER DOES IT AGAIN!!!
This is another of Ray Pointer's brilliant pieces of production and one which, because of it's historical significance for both early film and animation, is one that I feel is an important addition to the libraries of not just collectors, but for historians of film, theater, and American Culture. <
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>This is the first of what appears to be a new line called "BONUS EDITIONS," which contains a two-DVD set. The first DVD titled, "The First Sound of Movies" is the award-winning documentary that PBS failed to air due to political reasons connected with this untold real story of the development of the "talkies.". We get an extensive look at the history of Dr. Lee deForest and his contributions to radio, including his controversial invention of the Audion Tube in 1906, which went on to become the most significant electronics innovation of the first half of the 20th century. We learn that after its application to radio was understood and perfected, deForest proceeded with his patented "sound on film" process starting in 1919. Within a few years, he had the basic technology, which revolutionized the film industry, and the surviving evidence showcased in this documentary proves against all claims to the contrary that they did indeed work. And with deForest's ground work, the sound revolution could have begun five years before it actually happened. But deForest's timing was a bit premature for the industry. <
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>In addition to the developments of Dr. deForest, we are introduced to Maurice Zouary, who was responsible for restoring and maintaining the deForest Phono Films Library, which was discovered 50 years ago in an abandoned film vault. Mr. Zouary has spent a lifetime researching the subjecet of deForest and commissioned Ray Pointer to produce this stellar documentary, that tells a new history of sound motion pictures that has previsouly been obscured by the powers of Hollywood. <
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>The library of films contains a variety of Vaudeville performers, including a very young Eubie Blake, Eddie Cantor, whom we've all seen parodied in Looney Tunes, Ben "Yousah, Yousah" Bernie, also as seen in Looney Tune. We also see Calvin Coolidge giving a speech on the economy in the first sound newsreel, plus many others. <
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>The most satisfying surprise, of course, is the famous Max Fleischer "Follow the Bouncing Ball" sing-alongs films, which were the very first successful attempts at sound synchronization in early animation. Most notable is MY OLD KENTUCKY HOME, where the dog asks the audience in animated lip synch to,"Follow the ball and join in, Everybody! " There are two of the Ko-Ko Song Cartunes included here; "Has Anybody Seen Kelly?" and "By the Light of the Silvery Moon". In all, I'm amazed at the sound quality of these films made before 1927, especially the song films.! (For more of these great Fleischer works, you MUST purchase "Ko-Ko Song Cartunes", also compiled by Ray Pointer.) <
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>The second DVD titled, "The Birth of the Talkies" is a suppliment to this documentary, with a look at some of the same performers and a few new surprises. It starts off with a kinescope from The Joe Franklin Show, from WOR-TV, Channel 9, NYC. This broadcast was a a television special featuring Zouary talking about the deForest films. Franklin's other guest on the boradcast is Jack Poppele, who set up one of the nation's first radio stations, WOR, and worked with David Sarnoff of RCA fame. In addition to their input, we are entertained by more vintage talent, including George Bernard Shaw, and an excerpt from a play, featuring the 1924 screen debut of Elsa Lanchester, whom most people remember from "The Bride of Frankenstein". <
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>This collection comes highly recommended for ANY follower or collector of vintage/early films and animation, as well as anyone interested in the history of sound on film and the immense contribution of Dr. Lee deForest and the technology that made it all possible. <
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>Richard Kish <
>Beacon, New York <
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