269-Minute DR. MABUSE?

Hello, Friends----In the September 6 issue of the New York Sun, there
is a brief note about the upcoming KINO release of Fritz Lang's 1922
classic DR. MABUSE THE GAMBLER. The article (by Gary Giddins) notes
that in 2001 a company called Image released an "apparently definitive"
219-minute version, but now we have KINO's with FIFTY new minutes! Mr.
Giddins gives a very enthusiastic review, and says it's "more
Complete", but I'm a little skeptical here. Kino is a member in good
stead of the three-toed sloth school of silent film presentation. The
glacial pace they impose ruins the rhythm the film's makers intended,
turning the most airy fantasy, like WAXWORKS or THIEF OF BAGHDAD into
lead. Their "THIEF", for example, has been stretched out to almost
three hours! Mr. Giddins mentions at one point that "a few minutes
could have wisely been shaved off the intertitles". Well, that gives me
pause to wonder---it would seem unlikely that only the intertitles are
too slow! I cannot grasp why
pouring molasses on silents is so seductive! I've been seeing silents
for forty-odd years, on TV, the theatre, and on tape, and only in the
last twenty or so has this freak speed popped up! Why? There's a
correct speed, and the slo-mo speed! Thanks for reading----Cole Johnson.

Hi Cole,

Welcome to alt.movies.silent! I know one of the people involved with
the original Image release of Mabuse and he confirms that the Kino does
indeed include new footage. But 2 and 1/2 reels? We'll see. This
will drive commercial producers of silent DVDs crazy, but I think film
transfer speeds should be posted on the back of the box along with the
running time and the aspect ratio. Of course this could be problematic
if there were a range of speeds, but the notice could read something
like: "Warning: The surgeon general warns that this film contains
transfer speeds ranging from 11.2fps to 17.5fps. Pregnant women should
refrain from..." You get the drift.

Rob Farr
www.slapsticon.org

Cole Johnson wrote:
> Hello, Friends----In the September 6 issue of the New York Sun, there
> is a brief note about the upcoming KINO release of Fritz Lang's 1922
> classic DR. MABUSE THE GAMBLER. The article (by Gary Giddins) notes
> that in 2001 a company called Image released an "apparently definitive"
> 219-minute version, but now we have KINO's with FIFTY new minutes! Mr.
> Giddins gives a very enthusiastic review, and says it's "more
> Complete", but I'm a little skeptical here. Kino is a member in good
> stead of the three-toed sloth school of silent film presentation. The
> glacial pace they impose ruins the rhythm the film's makers intended,
> turning the most airy fantasy, like WAXWORKS or THIEF OF BAGHDAD into
> lead. Their "THIEF", for example, has been stretched out to almost
> three hours! Mr. Giddins mentions at one point that "a few minutes
> could have wisely been shaved off the intertitles". Well, that gives me
> pause to wonder---it would seem unlikely that only the intertitles are
> too slow! I cannot grasp why
> pouring molasses on silents is so seductive! I've been seeing silents
> for forty-odd years, on TV, the theatre, and on tape, and only in the
> last twenty or so has this freak speed popped up! Why? There's a
> correct speed, and the slo-mo speed! Thanks for reading----Cole Johnson.