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Author
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Topic: Golddiggers of 1933
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Paul Adsett
Film God
Posts: 5003
From: USA
Registered: Jun 2003
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posted October 31, 2006 09:30 PM
Golddiggers of 1933
Black & White,
2 x400ft double album
Derann
In the annals of motion picture musical films the name Busby Berkeley is iconic as the director of the most dazzling extravaganza’s ever put on film. Berkeley rose to fame in 1933 as the choreographer of the lavish musical numbers for the ground breaking film 42nd Street. That film was also responsible for creating an instant dancing star named Ruby Keeler, who starred opposite crooner Dick Powell.
Following the phenomenal success of 42nd Street, Goldiggers of 1933 was immediately put into production by Warner Bros, utilizing the same back stage musical theme, and again with Ruby and Dick as the lead stars. As with most of the Warner 30’s musicals , the story is featherweight, serving merely as a support vehicle for Berkely’s big production numbers, which was what everyone went to see.
Derann’s 2 x 400ft double album perfectly captures the essence of the feature, dispensing almost entirely with the forgettable story line and showing the notable production numbers in their entirety. The film opens with Ginger Rodgers singing the theme song ‘We’re in the Money’, dressed in a gown of glittering coins and a chorus of similar clad beauties. Next we have Powell crooning ‘I’ve got to sing a Torch Song’ to the star struck Ruby and the cigar chomping producer Ned Sparks. The show finally gets into production, with the opening number’ Pettin’ in the Park’ with Ruby and Dick and, in typical Berkeley style, shadowed views of wet nude chorus girls . The second album opens up with the beautiful’ Shadow Waltz’, complete with sixty girls dancing with neon lit violins on huge curving white staircases. The final number is the memorable ‘Forgotten Man’ sung by Joan Blondell and showing the fate of ex-servicemen in the great depression- it makes a real social statement of the times. One of the things I really like about all the Derann edited Berkeley musicals is the way they retained the complete opening title sequences with those nice little cameo shots of the cast.
The Derann print is on black and white film stock. It is one of the best B&W prints I have ever seen, with pin sharp focus, rich blacks, and great contrast. Truly a beautiful print. Sound is good, bearing in mind that this film was made in the early sound era. The films are superbly packaged in plastic clamshell boxes, with great graphics on both front and back covers. The musical numbers in the albums are not quite in the order shown above, but a couple of splices will get things in the correct sequence of the feature film.
Highly recommended for all Berkely musical fans.
Print A
Sound A
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The best of all worlds- 8mm, super 8mm, 9.5mm, and HD Digital Projection,
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Eumig S938 Stereo f1.0 Ektar
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Paul Adsett
Film God
Posts: 5003
From: USA
Registered: Jun 2003
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posted April 16, 2007 06:12 PM
Mike,
You only need a couple of splices to get the numbers in the correct order:
REEL 1 - 'We're in the Money', I've got to sing a Torch Song', 'Pettin' in the Park'
Reel 2 - 'Shadow Waltz' followed by My Forgotten Man'
All you have to do is switch ' Pettin in the Park' from reel 2 to the end of reel 1, and 'Forgotten Man' from reel 1 to the end of reel 2.
Then of course you can splice bothe extracts to a show stopping 800ft reel!
The other Warner/Berkeley digests put out by Derann, are '42nd Street', 'Footlight Parade', 'Dames', and 'Goldiggers of 1935'. These are all excellent, and I shall be posting reviews of them shortly. All really worth getting Mike.
Graham,Trev, Mike,
Colourizing Berkeley's black and white musicals is like vandalizing great art! Berkeleys Warner Musicals are phtographed like Film Noir, with great shadow emphasis- just look at the Shadow Waltz' number!
Color would add nothing!- indeed it would subtract. No, these films must be seen in the original black and white. Berkeley made many films at MGM and FOX, that were photograhed in color. They are very impressive, but do not, in my opinion, have the special magic of the old Warner black and white numbers.
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The best of all worlds- 8mm, super 8mm, 9.5mm, and HD Digital Projection,
Elmo GS1200 f1.0 2-blade
Eumig S938 Stereo f1.0 Ektar
Panasonic PT-AE4000U digital pj
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Paul Adsett
Film God
Posts: 5003
From: USA
Registered: Jun 2003
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posted April 18, 2007 12:16 PM
Hi Osi,
No, the Warner Bros/Berkeley musicals were all filmed in black and white. Berkeley did not get to use color until he migrated to MGM and FOX. If you want to see what Buz could do with color, get hold of 'The Gang's All Here' DVD, starring Alice Faye, and watch the 'Tutti-frutti-hat' number with Carmen Miranda. It'll blow you away, and every time you pick up a banana, that number will come back to haunt you! ![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
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The best of all worlds- 8mm, super 8mm, 9.5mm, and HD Digital Projection,
Elmo GS1200 f1.0 2-blade
Eumig S938 Stereo f1.0 Ektar
Panasonic PT-AE4000U digital pj
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