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Vitagraph
Comedies
(1907-1922)

Contents: The Boy, the Bust, and the Bath (1907), The Disintegrated Convict (1907), The Flat Dwellers; or, The House of Too Much Trouble (1907), Get Me a Step-Ladder (1908), Kitty and the Cowboys (1911), In the Clutches of a Vapor Bath (1911), The New Stenographer (1911), The Haunted Rocker (1912), The Lovesick Maidens of Cuddleton (1912), A Regiment of Two (1913), The Egyptian Mummy (1914), A Horseshoe for Luck (1914), The Professional Scapegoat (1914), Sweeney’s Christmas Bird (1914), Auntie’s Portrait (1915), Beautiful Thoughts (1915), Boobley’s Baby (1915), A Case of Eugenics (1915), The Deceivers (1915), Jane Was Worth It (1915), A Safe Investment (1915), Captain Jinks’ Evolution (1916), Captain Jinks, the Cobbler (1916), His Wife Knew About It (1916), Jane’s Bashful Hero (1916), Mr. Jack Ducks the Alimony (1916), Mr. Jack, the Hash Magnate (1916), Mr. Jack Trifles (1916), A Telegraphic Tangle (1916), Bullies and Bullets (1917), Captain Jinks’ Baby (1917), Captain Jinks’ Cure (1917), Hindoos and Hazards (1918), A Little Ouija Work (1918), Damsels and Dandies (1919), The Grocery Clerk (1919), The Head Waiter (1919), School Days (1920), The Bell Hop (1921) and The Sawmill (1922).

This collection features short comedy films starring John Bunny, Edith Storey, Larry Semon, Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Drew and Frank Daniels.

Kino Classics
2024 Blu-ray edition

Vitagraph Comedies (1907-1922), black & white, 565 minutes total, not rated, including The Boy, the Bust, and the Bath (1907), color-toned black & white, 6 minutes, not rated, The Disintegrated Convict (1907), black & white, 6 minutes, not rated, The Flat Dwellers; or, The House of Too Much Trouble (1907), black & white, 6 minutes, not rated, Get Me a Step-Ladder (1908), black & white, 3 minutes, not rated, Kitty and the Cowboys (1911), black & white, 11 minutes, not rated, In the Clutches of a Vapor Bath (1911), black & white, 7 minutes, not rated, The New Stenographer (1911), black & white, and color-tinted black & white, 12 minutes, not rated, The Haunted Rocker (1912), black & white, 8 minutes, not rated, The Lovesick Maidens of Cuddleton (1912), color-toned black & white, color-tinted black & white, and color-tinted and color-toned black & white, 12 minutes, not rated, A Regiment of Two (1913), black & white, and color-toned black & white, 28 minutes, not rated, The Egyptian Mummy (1914), black & white, 15 minutes, not rated, A Horseshoe for Luck (1914), black & white, 13 minutes, not rated, The Professional Scapegoat (1914), black & white, 14 minutes, not rated, Sweeney’s Christmas Bird (1914), black & white, 14 minutes, not rated, Auntie’s Portrait (1915), black & white, 13 minutes, not rated, Beautiful Thoughts (1915), black & white, 11 minutes, not rated, Boobley’s Baby (1915), black & white, 14 minutes, not rated, A Case of Eugenics (1915), black & white, 11 minutes, not rated, The Deceivers (1915), black & white, 13 minutes, not rated, Jane Was Worth It (1915), black & white, 28 minutes, not rated, A Safe Investment (1915), black & white, 14 minutes, not rated, Captain Jinks’ Evolution (1916), black & white, 12 minutes, not rated, Captain Jinks, the Cobbler (1916), black & white, 12 minutes, not rated, His Wife Knew About It (1916), black & white, 14 minutes, not rated, Jane’s Bashful Hero (1916), color-toned black & white, 15 minutes, not rated, Mr. Jack Ducks the Alimony (1916), black & white, 13 minutes, not rated, Mr. Jack, the Hash Magnate (1916), black & white, 12 minutes, not rated, Mr. Jack Trifles (1916), black & white, 14 minutes, not rated, A Telegraphic Tangle (1916), black & white, 13 minutes, not rated, Bullies and Bullets (1917), black & white, 13 minutes, not rated, Captain Jinks’ Baby (1917), black & white, 12 minutes, not rated, Captain Jinks’ Cure (1917), black & white, 12 minutes, not rated, Hindoos and Hazards (1918), black & white, 10 minutes, not rated, A Little Ouija Work (1918), black & white, 13 minutes, not rated, Damsels and Dandies (1919), black & white, 15 minutes, not rated, The Grocery Clerk (1919), black & white, 27 minutes, not rated, The Head Waiter (1919), black & white, 19 minutes, not rated, School Days (1920), black & white, 25 minutes, not rated, The Bell Hop (1921), black & white, 29 minutes, not rated, and The Sawmill (1922), black & white, 26 minutes, not rated.

Kino Lorber, K26603, UPC 7-38329-26603-5.
Three single-sided, dual-layered, Region A Blu-ray Discs; 1.33:1 aspect ratio picture in pillarboxed 16:9 (1920 x 1080 pixels) 24 fps progressive scan image encoded in SDR AVC format at ? Mbps average video bit rate; DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 stereo sound encoded at ? Mbps audio bit rate; English language intertitles, no subtitles; chapter stops; standard three-disc BD keepcase; $39.95.
Release date: 14 May 2024.
Country of origin: USA

Ratings (1-10): video: 8 / audio: 9 / additional content: 8 / overall: 8.

This Blu-ray Disc collection has been mastered from archival 35mm, 28mm and 16mm film elements held by the Library of Congress, and George Eastman Museum that range from very-good to excellent. As might be expected, the earlier films survive in rougher condition than the later films., with some missing footage, print breaks, sprocket damage, nitrate decomposition, frame jitters, emulsion chipping, and other flaws.

The films are accompanied by music scores compiled, composed and performed by Esin Aydingoz, Caterina Maddalena Barbieri, Camila Cortina Bello, Teil Buck, Linda Chase, Ivanna Cuesta Gonzalez, Renée T. Coulombe, Annette Johnson, Chris Lock, Liz Magnes, Karen Majewicz, Ben Model, Shane Prediville, Dana Reason, Chris Rorrer with Daniel Mandrychenko, Don Ross, José María Serralde Ruiz, Andrew Earle Simpson, Dylan Talisien, Peter Valsamis, Gonca Feride Varol, Violin Noir, and Qingye Wu.

Supplemental material includes an introduction to Vitagraph comedies (14 minutes); audio commentaries by film historian Anthony Slide; and interviews with collection curator Rob Stone, archivists Lynanne Schweighofer and Geo. Willeman, and film historian Rob Farr (24 minutes total).

For our comparative reviews of some of the films in this collection, see our The Bell Hop on home video, The Egyptian Mummy on home video, The Grocery Clerk on home video, The Head Waiter on home video, The Sawmill on home video and School Days on home video pages.

This is our recommended home video edition of these films.

USA: Click the logomark to purchase this Region 0 Blu-ray Disc edition from Amazon.com. Your purchase supports Silent Era.