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Reviews of silent film releases on home video.
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Lizzies of the Field
(1924)

This two-reel comedy short, directed by Del Lord, stars Billy Bevan and Sid Smith, with Jack Lloyd, Barbara Pierce, John J. Richardson, Andy Clyde, Spencer Bell and George Gray.

Most commonly available prints of this film are abridged one-reel 16mm reduction prints. In recent years a 35mm two-reel verion struck from the export negative has been identified in the holdings of Eye Film Instituut Nederland.

D&D Productions
2024 Blu-ray Disc edition

Billy Bevan: Silent Comedian (1917-1931), black & white, and color-toned black & white, 320 minutes total, not rated, including Lizzies of the Field (1924), black & white, 20 minutes, not rated.

D&D Productions,
no catalog number, UPC 7-45808-09991-6.
One single-sided, dual-layered, Region 0 Blu-ray Disc (BD-R BDMV) (two BDs in the set); 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 18.2 Mbps average video bit rate; Dolby Digital (AC3) 2.0 stereo sound encoded at 224 Mbps audio bit rate; English language intertitles, no subtitles; chapter stops; standard two-disc DVD keepcase [Kickstarter issue], and standard two-disc BD keepcase [retail issue]; £29.95.
Release date: 1 October 2024.
Country of origin: England

Ratings (1-10): video: 8 / audio: 8 / additional content: 7 / overall: 8.

This Blu-ray Disc (BD-R) edition has been conflated from an excellent 35mm nitrate print held by the Eye Film Instituut Nederland, with inserted footage from a very-good 16mm reduction duplicate negative in the Blackhawk Films collection of Lobster Films. Not only does the 35mm material add footage previously unavailable on home video, the print improves the picture quality of some shots commonly seen in 16mm prints. A few seconds of transient nitrate decomposition is seen in the 35mm material. The results are a big wow.

The film is accompanied by a music score arranged and performed on piano by Ethan Uslan.

Supplemental material includes the featurette “Renovating Billy,” detailing the restoration work performed on the films (6 minutes); the featurette “Jane & Bob: Memories of Grandpa” (13 minutes); and a collection of videos utilized in the producers’ Kickstarter campaign (entertaining in their own right). A 12-page insert booklet was provided to Kickstarter supporters exclusively, containing a Bevan biography by Brent Walker and notes on the films by Dave Wyatt.

For brief review notes on the other films in this collection, see our Billy Bevan: Silent Comedian on home video page.

This is such an improvement of other home video editions that this our enthusiastically recommended home video edition of the film as it may be the only home video edition of the two-reel version of the Bevan film.

USA: Click the logomark to purchase this Region 0 Blu-ray Disc (BD-R) edition from Amazon.com. Purchase supports Silent Era.

Flicker Alley
2008 DVD edition

Saved from the Flames: 54 Rare and Restored Films 1896-1944 (1896-1944), black & white, color-tinted black & white, color-toned black & white, color-tinted-and-toned black & white, and color, 420 minutes total, not rated, including Lizzies of the Field (1924), black & white, 14 minutes, not rated.

Flicker Alley, FA0006,
UPC 6-17311-67339-9, ISBN 1-893967-33-6.
One single-sided, dual-layered, Region 0 NTSC DVD disc (three DVDs in the set); One single-sided, single-layered, Region 0 NTSC DVD-R disc; 1.33:1 aspect ratio picture in full-frame 4:3 (720 x 480 pixels) interlaced scan image encoded in SDR MPEG-2 format at 6.8 Mbps average video bit rate (capable of progressive scan upscaling to 60 fps); MPEG-2 2.0 stereo sound encoded at 256 Kbps audio bit rate; English language intertitles, no subtitles; 3 chapter stops; 16-page insert booklet; standard three-disc DVD keepcase; $49.95.
Release date: 22 January 2008.
Country of origin: USA

Ratings (1-10): video: 5 / audio: 5 / additional content: 9 / overall: 7.

This DVD edition, culled from Lobster Films’ Retour de Flamme French home video series, has been mastered from a very-good 16mm reduction print, with some dust, speckling, emulsion scuffing, fine vertical scratches, and other print flaws.

The film is accompanied by a music score composed and performed on synthesizers by Eric Beheim, with occasional sound effects.

Supplemental material includes a 16-page insert booklet with notes on the films.

Unfortunately, the collection is now out-of-print.

USA: Click the logomark to purchase this Region 0 NTSC DVD edition from Amazon.com. Your purchase supports Silent Era.

Canada: Click the logomark to purchase this Region 0 NTSC DVD edition from Amazon.ca. Your purchase supports Silent Era.

United Kingdom: Click the logomark to purchase this Region 0 NTSC DVD edition from Amazon.co.uk. Support Silent Era.

This Region 0 NTSC DVD edition has been discontinued
and is . . .

Lobster Films
2017 DVD edition

Le meilleur de Retour de Flamme, Volumes 1-8 (1896-1961), black & white, color-tinted black & white, and color, 1088 minutes total, not rated, including Lizzies of the Field (1924), black & white, ? minutes, not rated.

Lobster Films, EDV 1419, UPC 3-760130-460873.
One single-sided, dual-layered, Region 0 PAL DVD disc (eight DVDs in the set)1.33:1 aspect ratio picture in full-frame 4:3 (720 x 576 pixels) interlaced scan image encoded in SDR MPEG-2 format at 8.0 Mbps average video bit rate (capable of progressive scan upscaling to 50 fps); Dolby Digital (AC3) 2.0 mono and stereo sound encoded at 224 Kbps audio bit rate; English language intertitles, optional French language subtitles; chapter stops; four two-disc slimline DVD keepcases in cardboard slipcase; unknown suggested retail price.
Release date: 20 February 2017
Country of origin: France

Ratings (1-10): video: 5 / audio: 5 / additional content: 7 / overall: 6.

This PAL DVD edition has been mastered from a very-good 16mm reduction print, with some dust, speckling, emulsion scuffing, fine vertical scratches, and other print flaws.

The film is accompanied by a music score composed and performed on synthesizers by Eric Beheim, with occasional sound effects.

This boxset is highly recommended however please note that there are no English language intertitles except for the American films and that there are no English language subtitles to Bromberg’s verbal introductions or to the foreign language films. North American collectors will need a PAL DVD player capable of outputting an NTSC-compatible signal to view this edition.

France: Click the logomark to purchase this Region 0 PAL DVD boxset from Amazon.ca. Your purchase supports Silent Era.

USA: Click the logomark to purchase this Region 0 PAL DVD boxset from Amazon.com. Your purchase supports Silent Era.

Reelclassicdvd.com
2004 DVD edition

A Festival of Silent Comedy, Volume 4 (1919-1927), black & white, 106 minutes total, not rated, including Lizzies of the Field (1924), black & white, 14 minutes, not rated.

Reelclassicdvd.com, no catalog number, UPC 7-62184-87732-7.
One single-sided, single-layered, Region 0 NTSC DVD-R disc; 1.33:1 aspect ratio picture in full-frame 4:3 (720 x 480 pixels) interlaced scan image encoded in SDR MPEG-2 format at ? Mbps average video bit rate (capable of progressive scan upscaling to ? fps); Dolby Digital (AC3) 2.0 stereo sound encoded at ? Kbps audio bit rate; English language intertitles, no subtitles; no chapter stops; standard DVD keepcase; $20.00.
Release date: 2004.
Country of origin: USA

This DVD-R edition has been mastered from a 16mm reduction print and is likely to be visually identical to the All Day Entertainment edition noted below.

The film is presented with a music score performed by Ben Model.

USA: Click the logomark to purchase this Region 0 NTSC DVD-R edition from Amazon.com. Your purchase supports Silent Era.

This Region 0 NTSC DVD-R edition is available from
REELCLASSIC DVD through . . .

All Day Entertainment
2006 DVD edition

American Slapstick (1914-1929), black & white and color-tinted black & white, 279 minutes total, not rated, including Lizzies of the Field (1924), black & white, 14 minutes, not rated.

All Day Entertainment, distributed by Image Entertainment,
ADE3581DVD, UPC 0-14381-35812-4.
One single-sided, single-layered, Region 1 NTSC DVD disc (three DVDs in the set); 1.33:1 aspect ratio picture in windowboxed 4:3 (720 x 480 pixels) interlaced scan image encoded in SDR MPEG-2 format at 6.8 Mbps average video bit rate (capable of progressive scan upscaling to 60 fps); Dolby Digital (AC3) 2.0 stereo sound encoded at 192 Kbps audio bit rate; English language intertitles, no subtitles; no chapter stops (within the film); double-wide three-disc DVD keepcase; $39.99.
Release date: 21 November 2006.
Country of origin: USA

Ratings (1-10): video: 5 / audio: 8 / additional content: 7 / overall: 7.

This DVD edition has been mastered from a very-good 16mm reduction print from the collection of Donald Lee and provided for this edition by Mark Roth of ReelClassicDVD.

The film is accompanied by a music score composed and performed on piano by Ben Model.

For our brief review notes of some of the other films in the collection, see our American Slapstick, Volume 1 on home video page.

The supplemental material includes a short film from the 1960s featuring clips from silent films (5 minutes) and a PDF copy of The Charlie Chaplin Book (1916).

While this edition is long out-of-print, you can still view this home video edition of the film in the ReelClassicDVD.com edition noted above.

USA: Click the logomark to purchase this Region 1 NTSC DVD edition from Amazon.com. Your purchase supports Silent Era.

Canada: Click the logomark to purchase this Region 1 NTSC DVD edition from Amazon.ca. Your purchase supports Silent Era.

ALL DAY ENTERTAINMENT has discontinued disc sales
and this Region 1 NTSC DVD edition is . . .

Sunrise Silents
2006 DVD edition

She (1925), color-tinted black & white, 74 minutes, not rated, with Lizzies of the Field (1924), color-tinted black & white, 14 minutes, not rated.

Sunrise Silents,
SBBH-N (NTSC) and SBBH-P (PAL), no UPC number.
One single-sided, single-layered, Region 0 NTSC or PAL DVD-R disc; 1.33:1 aspect ratio picture in windowboxed 4:3 (720 x 480 pixels) interlaced scan image encoded in SDR MPEG-2 format at 3.2 Mbps average video bit rate (capable of progressive scan upscaling to 60 fps); Dolby Digital (AC3) 2.0 stereo sound encoded at 192 Kbps audio bit rate; English language intertitles, no subtitles; chapter stops; standard DVD keepcase; $23.95.
Release date: 26 July 2006.
Country of origin: USA

Ratings (1-10): video: 4 / audio: 4 / additional content: 5 / overall: 4.

This DVD-R edition has been mastered from a fair 16mm reduction print, with dust, speckling, and other print flaws.

The film is accompanied by a soundtrack compiled from royalty-free MIDI files played through a MIDI synthesizer.

In his recent releases, edition producer Rich Oliver offers more in additional disc features than any other independent home video company. Lizzies of the Field (1924), A Knight of the Trails (1915), the Mystery of the Double Cross (1917) episode, and The 1918 Maxwell (1918) are presented from good 16mm reduction prints. Also included is a trailer for The Head Man (1928), and still galleries of glass advertising slides and photoplay book covers.

This out-of-print edition is not recommended.

SUNRISE SILENTS has discontinued business and this edition is . . .

Alpha Video
2011 DVD edition

Sennett Sensations (1912-1924), black & white, 56 minutes total, not rated, including Lizzies of the Field (1924), black & white, 13 minutes, not rated.

Alpha Home Entertainment, distributed by Oldies.com,
ALP 6667D, UPC 0-89218-66679-6.
One single-sided, single-layered, Region 0 NTSC DVD-R disc; 1.33:1 aspect ratio picture in full-frame 4:3 (720 x 480 pixels) interlaced scan image encoded in SDR MPEG-2 format at 6.2 Mbps average video bit rate (capable of progressive scan upscaling to 60 fps); Dolby Digital (AC3) 2.0 mono sound encoded at 384 Kbps audio bit rate; English language intertitles, no subtitles; no chapter stops (within the film); standard DVD keepcase; $7.98 (raised to $8.98).
Release date: 1 November 2011.
Country of origin: USA

Ratings (1-10): video: 3 / audio: 4 / additional content: 3 / overall: 3.

This DVD-R edition has been mastered from a subpar abridged 8mm reduction print that is blurry in image details, with greyed shadows. This edition is just watchable but why would you when better-looking editions are available?

The film is presented with a soundtrack compiled from preexisting jazz music recordings.

We don’t recommend this below-average disc since most of the films are available elsewhere in better-looking editions on home video.

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

This Region 0 NTSC DVD-R edition is also available directly from . . .