More Treasures From American Film Archives

This second DVD box set from the National Film Preservation Foundation (see review of Treasures From American Film Archives in VL-1/01) collects 50 films--ranging in length from 15 seconds to 90 minutes--preserved by America's leading archives, including the Library of Congress, George Eastman House, the Museum of Modern Art, and the UCLA Film and Television Archive. The selections, predominantly from the silent-movie era, include experimental test films, newsreels, cartoons, trailers, political ads, promotional pieces, documentaries, short subjects, and three full-length features. The condition of the pieces varies widely, with some appearing to have been copied from pristine nitrate elements and others--apparently preserved just in the nick of time--showing severe damage and decomposition. Each selection has its own menu card and is accompanied by a text essay that can be accessed from that card (the essays also appear, along with frame blowups, in a handsome 186-page book packaged with the discs). Over 30 musicians supply accompaniment, and individual pieces have commentaries by archivists and academics (these tend to be rather dry, and the viewer is constantly reminded that between 80-90% of movies made during the silent era seem to be irretrievably lost). Though some of the selections in this beautifully-packaged collection are of historical interest only, many have solid entertainment value and could surprise those who regard silent films merely as quaint, primitive artifacts. Feature-wise, the clear standout is Ernst Lubitsch's 1925 version of Lady Windermere's Fan, which remains a model of sophisticated screen storytelling without the benefit of dialogue. Highly recommended. Editor's Choice. Aud: C, P. (E. Hulse)