We all have problems and worries about how sound films are presented on home video, like pan-n-scanning, matting/open matting, sound remixing, original language/dubbing, etc. These issues are brought up in nearly every Blu-ray or DVD thread I've read concerning sound cinema. But, what about silent movies?
Here are three things that have irked me:
1. PAL to NTSC conversions: I've seen and heard about this quite a bit, mostly on Kino DVDs but also on some others I can't immediately recall. The jerkiness combined with the layers of interlacing can definitely hurt the image. Depending on how the picture looks otherwise, it can still be watchable.
2. Self congratulatory introductions: These aren't all that bad; if they're terse I'll read them, but if they run nearly 2 minutes (like on one of the restored versions of CABIRIA) I'll just fast forward to the actual movie. They can be interesting, but seem better suited inside a DVD booklet.
3. Incorrect credits and/or intertitles: I realize and accept that in some cases the original titles are MIA, but in cases where they exist and are replaced simply to copyright a version, it doesn't seem very professional, especially when the version in question is advertised as a restoration. I understand the desire to copyright a version of a PD movie and that the intertitles are the first and easiest thing to go, plus it doesn't really interfere with my enjoyment, but something about it just doesn't seem right, particularly when the font chosen is very modern-looking.
Here are three things that have irked me:
1. PAL to NTSC conversions: I've seen and heard about this quite a bit, mostly on Kino DVDs but also on some others I can't immediately recall. The jerkiness combined with the layers of interlacing can definitely hurt the image. Depending on how the picture looks otherwise, it can still be watchable.
2. Self congratulatory introductions: These aren't all that bad; if they're terse I'll read them, but if they run nearly 2 minutes (like on one of the restored versions of CABIRIA) I'll just fast forward to the actual movie. They can be interesting, but seem better suited inside a DVD booklet.
3. Incorrect credits and/or intertitles: I realize and accept that in some cases the original titles are MIA, but in cases where they exist and are replaced simply to copyright a version, it doesn't seem very professional, especially when the version in question is advertised as a restoration. I understand the desire to copyright a version of a PD movie and that the intertitles are the first and easiest thing to go, plus it doesn't really interfere with my enjoyment, but something about it just doesn't seem right, particularly when the font chosen is very modern-looking.
