Opening Of LILAC TIME (1928)

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Gagman 66
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Joined: April 19th, 2007, 11:34 pm
Location: Nebraska

Opening Of LILAC TIME (1928)

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:D For Memorial Day weekend. The opening of Colleen Moore's LILAC TIME. The rendition of "Jeannine" is the original recording of the entrance music that I got from the Vita-phone project last year. Jorge restored the audio and it sounds great! Also have the closing original music. The credit design however is probably from a later re-issue print, as are title-card fonts. Also obtained the closing and overture audio recordings from the Vita-phone project. As a First National Release prior to the merger with Warner's, the sound on film process was called Firn A Phone. I believe it was sound on film in some Theaters, and others sound on disc like Vita-phone. Still others released as a true Silent to be screened with live Orchestra. Gary Cooper does not appear in this footage. I plan to upload a few scenes later though with Coop and Colleen together.

Sure wish that TCM would broadcast the long awaited restored version of this famous film. This recording from an old murky Critics Choice VHS, is far from a crisp transfer. Probably processed from 16 millimeter. I know that much better materials do exist from 35 millimeter stock. Just look at the sharpness of the clip in that Gary Cooper documentary that TCM occasionally runs.

LILAC TIME was actually on the TCM schedule in 1996. Three years before I had the station. However, according to my friend Scott Cleveland the broadcast that was supposed to be aired that week was cancelled. So as far as I am aware LILAC TIME has never aired on TCM in any form. Though the picture was supposedly restored with it's original Firn A Phone track since that time. It was screened at one of the big festivals back in 2003 in 35 millimeter. Most recent screenings seem to be 16 millimeter though. Still I know that very good 35 Millimeter prints do exist. A fresh broadcast master could be made of these.

For the clip I used the original Entrance, or Overture music, so it probably is prior to the film itself rolling, but don't know for sure? The other music is a Nat Shilkrat Orchestra recording of "Jeanine", with a little bit of the Carl Davis Photoplay Productions score to WINGS mixed in. I think Shilkrat was musical director on the score to the actual film though too? So that is probably his arrangement in the Opening and Exit? Didn't really want to use the WINGS music, but couldn't find much of anything else that would work with the footage.


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