Rouben Mamoulian's "The Song of Songs" Blu-ray - Marlene Dietrich @indicatorseries
Added 2023-07-21 14:08:26 +0000 UTCRouben Mamoulian's "The Song of Songs" Blu-ray - Marlene Dietrich @indicatorseries
(KINO) BONUS CAPTURES:
https://www.patreon.com/posts/pre-code-song-of-35123465
OUR COMPARISON:
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film9/blu-ray_review_121/the_song_of_songs_blu-ray.htm
From Rouben Mamoulian, the acclaimed director of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Love Me Tonight, Becky Sharp, The Mark of Zorro and Blood and Sand, comes this classic pre-Code tearjerker starring glamorous screen legend Marlene Dietrich (Desire, Angel, No Highway in the Sky). Lily (Dietrich), a pious German peasant girl, has always found comfort in the Bible’s “Song of Songs.” She clings to its joyous message of love when her father dies and she moves to Berlin to live with her strict aunt. There, she becomes the muse of aspiring sculptor Richard (Brian Aherne, A Night to Remember), and before long their working relationship turns romantic. But Richard is a man in love with his art, leaving Lily to fall into the arms of a hedonistic baron (Lionel Atwill, Doctor X) who offers her what she now desires more than love—revenge! Beautifully shot in glorious black-and-white by Oscar winner Victor Milner (Reap the Wild Wind, The General Died at Dawn)
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Indicator have also transferred Rouben Mamoulian's The Song of Songs to Blu-ray. The 1080P image quality is a duplicate of the Kino - although on a single-layered disc with a more modest bitrate. Likewise there is not much disparity in the audio. At least, not that I can discern. The extras are where the two Blu-ray packages differ the most.
The Indicator Blu-ray repeat Kino Lorber's David Del Valle audio commentary from 2020. But they add much more. New (2023) we get 1/2 hour of Geoff Andrew on ‘The Song of Songs’ as the writer and critic assesses the film and its place within the career of director Rouben Mamoulian. Indicator include a 54-minute Lux Radio Theatre: ‘The Song of Songs’ from 1937 - a radio play adaptation of the film’s screenplay, featuring returning cast members Marlene Dietrich and Lionel Atwill, and Douglas Fairbanks Jr. There are both the original theatrical trailer and an image gallery of promotional and publicity materials and the package includes a limited edition exclusive booklet with a new essay by Rick Burin, archival articles, an overview of contemporary critical responses, and full film credits.
For lovers Pre-Code The Song of Songs is essential. Dietrich is at her hypnotic best (a level she would maintain for decades) and this Indicator Blu-ray is the best package with the bonus extras. For many this will be worth the double dip.
