|
|
|
Michael Powell Early Works
[Blu-ray]
Blu-ray B - United Kingdom - British Film Institute Review written by and copyright: James-Masaki Ryan (27th September 2024). |
|
The Film
 "Michael Powell Early Works" When listing the most influential filmmakers and films of all time, Michael Powell and his works are frequently named, as his career spanned decades with some of the most ambitious and incredible works of all time. His collaborations with filmmaker Emeric Pressburger, starting with 1937's "The Edge of the World" and subsequent works such as "One of Our Aircraft Is Missing" (1942), "The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp" (1943), "Black Narcissus" (1947), "The Red Shoes" (1948), "The Tales of Hoffmann" (1951) were major features of British filmmaking that were praised at the time and continued to wow audiences and influence later filmmakers. While it is known that the recognition of Powell's work in his later years started to diminish and the rediscovery of his filmography just before his death in 1990 at the age of 84, there was little mention of his works prior to his teaming with Pressburger. He directed his first film in 1931 when he was 25 and directed 23 films before he took on his personal project "The Edge of the World" just six years later. One of the main reasons was that many of these 23 films were considered lost for decades. The BFI launched a project called "Missing Believed Lost", which listed 100 British films that were lost. Working with private collectors, film studios and worldwide film archives, a number of Powell's early works were found, though there are 10 still considered lost as of 2024. Some were discovered in the 1980s, and when Powell was notified of the prints being found, he jokingly said that he hoped that his early works would not destroy his newfound recognition. It might be easy to dismiss them as lesser works at first glance. Many of them were thrown into the category of "Quota Quickies", which were low budget British made features of the late 1920s and 1930s that were subsidized by the British government and produced to have an equal share of theatrical releases in their country against the emerging Hollywood productions. With short runtimes of about an hour or less and having minimal production values, they might have been lesser works by the numbers and limitations set against Powell, but it's fascinating how he was able to use the limits to become creative with the tight cast and crew for each production. Powell directed features for Film Engineering, Westminster Films, Gaumont-British, Gainsborough, and a few other English companies at this time, and while a number were considered "Quota Quickies", some of them were with some slightly higher budgets and larger casts, though very small in comparison to Hollywood counterparts of the era or the extravagant productions that Powell would make with Pressburger in later years. This set collects five of those early features directed by Powell. "Rynox" (1931) F.X. Benedik (played by Stewart Rome) is the wealthy owner of the Rynox company who is looking to have his son Tony (played by John Longden) take over one day in the future. There is a mysterious scraggly bearded man named Boswell Marsh in town, who is making threats towards Rynox and balks whenever he hears the name of Benedik being uttered, causing all those around him to feel discomfort around the unstable man. But what is the truth around the strange man's identity and what is F.X. truly planning for the company's future? Based on the novel of the same name by Philip MacDonald, "Rynox" was Powell's second feature as a director following his debut with the 1931 feature "Two Crowded Hours" which is considered lost, making this his earliest surviving directorial film. The character of Marsh being theatrically exaggerated is certainly a highlight of the film, with his soundingly evil and villainous voice and a gruesome and dirty looking appearance making him stand out from the suits, ties, and dresses of the other characters seen on screen. While the twist of the story may come as fairly easy to guess, it is about the performances and the secrets that the characters must carry through emotional responses without having to spoil the fun. Powell does a fair job with his direction, which is mostly set in studio settings for the locations though there are a few shots of outdoor locations that were used. Camera movement here is minimal, though there are some clever uses of movement and dissolves used from time to time. While the company of Rynox seems to be grand business, the setpiece of F.X. Benedik's office is a bit unconvincing with the poorly done paintings of the scenery that is supposed to be from his window having poor depth. "Rynox" is a fairly good feature with a murder mystery aspect with fine performances, though it doesn't quite elevate to a lost classic level of filmmaking. It is interesting to see Powell's work taking shape in his use of camerawork and editing here, though it is just a small step for things to come in his career. "Hotel Splendide" (1932) Jerry Mason (played by Jerry Verno) is working at a dead end job at the bottom level of the office, though he imagines himself to be the boss one day. He suddenly receives notice that through an inheritance, he has become the owner of the lavishly named Hotel Splendide and decides to quit his job, pack his bags, and move to his new place in which he imagines the prospects of being a fancy hotelier. But when he arrives, the place is very basic, with the young woman Joyce Dacre (played by Vera Sherborne) taking care of the place until Mason arrives. While he tries to settle in and figure out the business which hasn't been doing particularly well, he is also acquainting himself with the various guests that are staying at the establishment. But at the same time, a number of crooks are targeting the hotel, as the famous Dysart Pearls are said to be there... "Hotel Splendide" is a slapstick comedy right from the start with a hilarious sequence of Mason using his boss' office and pretending to scold clients and workers over the phone, as well as insulting his superiors, though he is oblivious to the fact that they are standing right behind him and hearing every word. There are also pratfalls and wacky instances with the oddball characters staying at the hotel itself, and there are elements of Powell's personal experiences here, from the comedy touches that he experienced acting in the "Riviera Revels" shorts in the late 1920s as well as his time helping at his father's hotel in Nice. It is definitely fun seeing Mason try to adjust to his new life which is far less exciting and rich than expected, and his comedic timing is excellent throughout. The plot of the hidden pearls gives the film an extra bit of character with the various patrons being ever so suspicious. Some are crooks in disguise. Others are cops that are undercover who heard about the raid through a radio bugging (with a cameo by Powell himself as the radio operator), and some are innocent bystanders that happen to be staying at the location. There is a bit of mystery as to who is who and it's a wonderfully funny experience through its short runtime as a highlight of Powell's early films. The production itself is extremely basic with its limited locations, and not too much work was done to make the hotel itself convincing. Each room is basically a studio set and not too much redressing is done to convince audiences otherwise. One of the more impressive sequences is Mason's travel to his new hotel, which is done using a clever montage of shots and simulating a train ride even though it was not shot on a train at all. It's also noticeable for using "The Funeral March of the Marionette" by Charles Gounod near the end, which was most famously used by Alfred Hitchcock as his opening theme to the "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" TV series many years later. Powell might not be known for his comedic work, but he was extremely capable even with the limited resources for this production. "Hotel Splendide" is an absolute highlight of the set. "The Night of the Party" (1934) Lord Studholme (played by Malcolm Keen) is a powerful newspaper owner decides to host a party at his home, at which a number of people close to him as well as a few frenemies take part in. To liven up the party, Chiddiatt (played by Ernest Thesiger) decides to host a role playing game in which one person would secretly be the "killer" while Lord Studholme would be the victim and the patrons of the party would deduct who the person was. But during the game, Lord Studholme is actually found to be murdered by a real gunshot would, everyone at the party becomes a suspect. "The Night of the Party", which was named "The Murder Party" for its American release, is one that doesn't show who the killer is to the audience, but tries to have the audience guess along with the characters as to who did it. Each of the characters introduced more or less have a motive to killing him. Studholme strongly disapproved of his assistant Guy Kinnion (played by Ian Hunter) secretly marrying his daughter Peggy Studholme (played by Jane Baxter). Studholme has secret letters that Joan (played by Viola Keats) wrote to her lover which could ruin her life. Studholme repeatedly wrote negative reviews of Chiddiatt's written works. Princess Amelia (played by Muriel Aked) may be the only person that has no major motive, but having a person of royalty at the scene of the crime makes things extremely difficult for the investigation. The film does a good job setting up the characters and making sure the differing motivations are set up quickly, and each of the characters have their own personality set, with the stern Studholme, the flamboyant Chddiatt (with Thesiger stealing the show in all of his scenes as he frequently does), and the distraught females. What is slightly weak is that the story's latter half is mostly a standard courtroom trial with the witnesses recounting the events and the cross examinations. It seems a lot could have been deducted at the house itself and been given an Agatha Christie treatment, but it's a rather bland second half after a fun and well paced first half. Powell stated his dislike for the film itself, though it is not entirely a misfire, with great performances with charm and humor as well as tension. "Her Last Affaire" (1935) Lady Avril Weyre (played by Viola Keats) is the wife of politician Sir Julian Weyre (played by Francis L. Sullivan). At the hospital she is diagnosed with a weak heart. Alan Herriot (played by Hugh Williams is looking to marry their daughter Judy Weyre (played by Sophie Stewart), but Sire Weyre highly disapproves, due to Herriot's family history. The flirtatious and promiscuous Lady Weyre may see things differently, and while she and Herriot are planning to meet at an inn to work out the family issues, she dies suddenly from her heart condition. As he looks to be the prime suspect of murder, he must find a way to escape. "Her Last Affaire" does have much better production values and Powell does a fine job with the dramatic aspect as well as through its small comedic touches. Innkeepers John Laurie as Robb and Googie Withers as Effie are especially highlights as supporting characters with their banter, even though there is more weight dramatically pulled from the main performers. While it's possibly a terrible choice for the character of Alan Herriot to simply try to escape, he sees it as a way to protect Judy and the Weyre family, as having the two together at a secluded location secret from all others would making it a frenzy for the tabloid press, as well as his thoughts of being falsely incarcerated just as his father was. There is depth to the narrative and the character motivations, and while Powell does a capable job with the production, it's still a stepping stone of things to come. "Behind the Mask" (1936/1944) Nick Barclay (played by Hugh Williams is an aviator in love with June Slade (played by Jane Baxter), though her parents (played by Peter Gawthorne and Barbara Everest) disapprove of their relationship. During a masked ball in which they attend, Nick is accused of stealing a shield from Lord Slade, though he knows that he is innocent and being framed. Perhaps the weakest film in the set, "The Man Behind the Mask" was a low budget thriller from Joe Rock Productions, led by the Oscar winning American producer Joe Rock. Powell stated, "They had a very poor script. I did my best to make it into a rather German type expressionistic thriller. It was very hard work indeed because we had no money." It might also be unfair to call it the weakest, as the only version currently in existence is a reissued version of the film which was retitled "Behind the Mask" in 1944 and shortened by over twenty minutes. While some of the more significant portions central to the story are kept intact, it is evident from the start of the film that it is heavily cut. The opening sequence introducing Nick and the Slade family is less than five minutes and is cut and edited so poorly that it seems closer to a "previously on..." introduction to a TV show where only the quick details are presented. There are other moments in the story that seem to be glossed over, elements such as the chess game and seemingly a more fleshed out ending seem to be gone, leaving only the main body without the limbs. In essence, it seemed that the mystery/thriller already had issues from the original 1936 version which led to new rightsholder New Realm Pictures to reissue it with trims, only making things slightly more confusing rather than fitting. What is fascinating was that this quota quickie would be the first that Powell would direct for Joe Rock, but their relationship was extended a year later when Rock produced Powell's production of "The Edge of the World" with Emeric Pressburger, and the rest is history, to say. Michael Powell's early works are fascinating to see in hindsight of his more well known work, with a young filmmaker working relentlessly at breakneck speed of film after film, and while there are some clunky moments, there are also some signs of greatness as well. As many of Powell's early films were unseen for decades, they have been hard to assess. In addition, they never had any official home video releases so this set from the BFI comes as a landmark release. With new 4K restorations of the five of the surviving films, this set fills a fascinating gap in the filmography of one of cinema's greatest filmmakers. Note this is a region B Blu-ray set
Video
The BFI presents all five films in the original 1.37:1 aspect ratio in 1080p AVC MPEG-4. "Rynox", "Hotel Splendide", and The Night of the Party were remastered by the BFI National Archive, supported by Matt Spick and the Charles Skey Charitable Trust. The films were remastered from the 35mm nitrate camera negatives in 4K resolution and were remastered by Silver Salt Restoration, London. "Her Last Affaire" was remastered from the 35mm safety duplicate negative preserved by the BFI National Archive in 4K resolution and remastered by Silver Salt Restoration, London. "Behind the Mask" was remastered by the BFI National Archive from a 16mm combined positive preserved by the George Eastman Museum. It was scanned at 4K resolution by the George Eastman Museum and was remastered by Dragon Digital, UK. With three of the films coming from the original negatives, it's great to say that they look absolutely fantastic in these new restorations, with the black and white image showcasing a good level of greys and exceptional detail throughout. "Her Last Affaire" looks very good as well, with great care taken to the greyscale. Due to circumstances, "Behind the Mask" is the worst looking as it comes from a 16mm reduction which was also a cut version, though the restoration team did as much as it can to bring it to a watchable state. As with the age of the films themselves, they all have their weaknesses even with the best restoration tools applied. There are noticeable damage marks such as tramlines, scratches, water bubbles, and slight flicker. "Behind the Mask" has a softer look and lacking detail. But thankfully, restoration tools have removed a significant amount of speckles and other debris, have stabilized the greyscale, removed wobble and warping for excellent restorations for each. Considering these films have been out of the public eye for so long, it truly is a miracle that they survive in these newly restored conditions. An excellent job by the BFI for all the work here. The runtimes of the films are as follows: * "Rynox" (1931) (46:36) * "Hotel Splendide" (1932) (52:35) * "The Night of the Party" (1934) (63:29) * "Her Last Affaire" (1935) (68:09) * "Behind the Mask" (1936, 1944 reissue version) (56:24)
Audio
English LPCM 1.0 All five films are presented with uncompressed mono audio tracks. For "Rynox", "Hotel Splendide", and The Night of the Party, they were remastered from the original nitrate soundtracks preserved by the BFI National Archive in 2023. "Her Last Affaire" was remastered from the duplicate negative sound track preserved by the BFI National Archive in 2023. For "Behind the Mask", the sound from the 16mm combined positive was scanned in the US by Simon Daniels Sound and restored by Audio Mechanics in 2024. Considering their ages and limitations, there should be some flatness to be expected in these vintage mono audio tracks. Fortunately, the restorations are excellent, removing damage such as pops, hiss, and other distortions while still keeping dialogue clear and consistent throughout. Music is sparingly used in the films, and they can sometimes sound a bit rough and flat. "Behind the Mask" sounds the flattest overall with some slight muffle with dialogue at times, though nothing too major for distraction. There are still some instances of audio damage to be heard, though they are fairly quiet and not too particularly noticeable. Overall the BFI have done a stellar job with the audio restorations of these films. There are optional English HoH subtitles for all five films in a white font which are easy to read, well timed, and without errors.
Extras
The films are spread across two discs in the following order: DISC ONE * "Rynox" (1931) (46:36) * "Hotel Splendide" (1932) (52:35) * "The Night of the Party" (1934) (63:29) DISC TWO * "Her Last Affaire" (1935) (68:09) * "Behind the Mask" (1936, 1944 reissue version) (56:24) The extras are spread across the two discs as follows: DISC ONE Audio commentary for "Rynox" by Marc David Jacobs This new and exclusive commentary by Marc David Jacobs, a researcher and expert on early British films is a very informative one, as he gives great information on the actors, the motivations of the characters, about the faithful adaptation of the original story, how the BFI rescued the film print and much more. in English Dolby Digital 2.0 without subtitles Audio commentary for "Hotel Splendide" by Lawrence Napper and Dom Delargy This new and exclusive commentary has Napper and Delargy, of the KinoQuickies series of podcasts and events discuss the second film in the set. Unfortunately this commentary is a bit of a disappointment, as the two of them give little information on the film itself, not being able to identify many of the uncredited actors and joking with each other with some of the logic in the comedic story. They do point out some of the good work with the comedic sequences, but overall it is the weakest of the commentaries in the set. in English Dolby Digital 2.0 without subtitles Audio commentary for "The Night of the Party" by Dr Josephine Botting and Vic Pratt Botting and Pratt of the BFI are together here for this new and exclusive commentary, as they both discuss some of the positives of the film that Powell himself disliked. From Powell being contracted to work on projects such as this before he could make his own personal projects, how the script had been around for some time before Powell was attached to direct, information on the various actors, notes on the wardrobes and costume designs, the framing used to incorporate the numerous cast members on screen, differences between the film and the original source material, and more. It's a lively and great chat with a lot of great information included. in English Dolby Digital 2.0 without subtitles "Inside the Archive: The Early Films of Michael Powell" documentary (41:29) This new documentary by the BFI has new interviews with James Bell, Dr Josephine Botting, Mike Kohler, and Elena Nepoti discussing the tasks and challenges presented in recovering and restoring the early Powell films, focused on the five in this set. Two portions of this documentary focusing on the discovery of "Behind the Mask" and the sound restoration are embedded below, courtesy of the BFI. The entire documentary can also be watched for free on the BFI Player. in 1080p AVC MPEG-4, in 1.33:1, in English Dolby Digital 2.0 without subtitles Image Gallery (10:06) Presented here is an automated silent slideshow with stills from the three films on this disc. Included are promotional stills and behind the scenes stills, while "Night of the Party" also includes original production sketches. in 1080p AVC MPEG-4 DISC TWO Audio commentary for "Her Last Affaire" by Ian Christie Christie has championed the works of Powell for more than 40 years as a film historian, and this new and exclusive commentary is an excellent one. Included are information on the cast and crew, differences between the original play and the film, how the film was reviewed at the time, information Powell gave about the film's production and more. in English Dolby Digital 2.0 without subtitles Audio commentary for "Behind the Mask" by Marc David Jacobs Jacobs returns for another new and exclusive commentary for the final film in the set, in which he points out the various spelling errors of the reissue credits, speculation on the missing 22 minutes of footage, lengthy information on actress Jane Baxter through help from her family, about the film's production and the discovery of the reissue print, and much more. in English Dolby Digital 2.0 without subtitles "Riviera Revels" shorts - "Travelaugh No. 1: Spooky Islands" (1927) (with optional commentary by Bryony Dixon) (12:03) - "Travelaugh No. 10: Fauny Business" (1927) (with optional commentary by Bryony Dixon) (14:00) Powell may have been a director for most of his career in film, though he made a name for himself by starring in a series of silent comedy travelogue shorts. Working with filmmakers Harry Lachman and Rex Ingram as a gofer on a few of their productions, Powell was destined to become a director himself, but along the way he appeared in a number of their works including these shorts as the character of Cicero Baedeker Symp, a bumbling explorer that is easily caught in wacky physical stunt performances. Shot on location and showcasing the French Riviera for a British audience, presented here are two of the seven surviving shorts, with five being considered lost. The shorts have optional commentary by the BFI's Bryony Dixon, who gives information on the settings and how Powell was cast, information on possible missing or deleted scenes, and more. in 1080p AVC MPEG-4, in 1.33:1, Music Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo with English Intertitles "Inside the Archive: Riviera Revels" featurette (12:01) Dixon appears here discussing the above shorts in this new featurette, with their production history, detailed information on Powell's father's connections to the filmmakers, the letters that Powell wrote while he was starring in the productions and more. The featurette can also be watched for free on the BFI Player. in 1080p AVC MPEG-4, in 1.33:1, in English Dolby Digital 2.0 without subtitles "Visions, Dreams and Magic: The Unmade Films of Michael Powell" documentary (40:45) This new documentary has interviews with James Bell and Ian Christie, as well as Powell's third wife and window Thelma Schoonmaker as they discuss a number of works that Powell worked on, but was never able to produce in his later career. Schoonmaker discusses about curating all the memorabilia and notes that Powell had kept, works such as "13 Ways to Kill a Poet", "The Earthsea Trilogy", "The Living Room", and more that went far in pre-production but never got off the ground. There is also some footage of Powell directing students at Dartmouth college in 1980 as they worked on a student adaptation of the Earthsea works. The full documentary short can be found on BFI's Blu-ray release of "Bluebeard's Castle" (1963). in 1080p AVC MPEG-4, in various ratios, in English Dolby Digital 2.0 without subtitles Interview with Erwin Hillier (audio only, plays over "Behind the Mask") (26:29) This vintage audio interview with Hillier, cameraman on the film has him discussing about working with small budgets at the time, his working relationship with Powell, and more. in English Dolby Digital 2.0 without subtitles "The Archers in Argentina" 1954 home movie footage (with optional commentary by Marc David Jacobs) (20:43) Presented here are a selection of Powell's home movie footage as he traveled to the Festival Internacional Cinematográfico in Mar del Plata, Argentina in early March 1954, which has shots of crowds cheering at the arrival of the international guests, shots from the hotel balcony, relaxing times at the beach, a massive outdoor barbecue, and much more. The footage is in color, and has been restored here in 4K resolution. While it may have received a 4K restoration, due to the fragile nature of the original film, there are some damage marks, gate hairs, and other inconsistencies remaining, though the image is is quite good shape with colors being balanced as much as possible. It is presented background music and optionally with commentary by Jacobs who provides information on the cast and crewmembers that are featured in the footage and background about the trip. in 1080p AVC MPEG-4, in 1.33:1, Music Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo Image Gallery (2:49) Presented here is an automated silent slideshow gallery of the two films on this disc, with promotional stills and behind the scenes stills. in 1080p AVC MPEG-4 Booklet A 46 page booklet is included with the first pressing. The first essay is "A Real Talent Shot Red-Hot into the World" by James Bell which is an overview of Powell's early works. Next is "Michael Powell 1931: Or When Is a Quickie Not a Quickie?" by Marc David Jacobs which looks at quota quickies of the period and notes on Powell's two features directed that year. This is followed by "Fast Work in Economy Class" by Lawrence Napper which is focused on "Hotel Splendide". "All the Nicest Games Are Played in the Dark" by Pamela Hutchinson follows, and this looks at the murder mystery aspect and "The Night of the Party". Ian Christie's essay on "Her Last Affaire" is next, entitled "More Than a Quickie Affair". Marc David Jacobs returns for the next essay with "A Game of Chess" which looks at the final film in the set. "Powell's Missing Legacy" by Dr Josephine Botting has information about what is known of Powell's still lost ten features of the period and the discovery of many that were thought to be forever lost. There are also "Notes on the Remastering" by Kieron Webb detailing the difficulties with the remastering process of these features. There are also information on the special features, acknowledgements, and stills. Trailer for "Cinema Unbound: The Creative Worlds of Powell + Pressburger" from the BFI
Overall
"Michael Powell Early Works" is an incredible release, giving audiences a new glimpse into the early low budget sound years of British filmmaking through the eyes of one of cinema's greatest directors in his directorial infancy. The films are all given excellent restorations for their home video first alongside excellent extras making this set highly recommended. Amazon UK link BFI Shop link Note the film score below is an average for all five features.
|
|||||
|