Author Archives: chipkaufmann

Of the several different cinematic adaptations of ROMEO & JULIET that are out there, this version has always been my personal favorite since I first saw it in the early 1970s. Not the best, mind you, hence 4 stars instead of 5. The Franco Zefferelli production has that distinction but if you’ve never seen thisContinue reading “1954 ROMEO & JULIET Is Finally Available In A Beautiful Transfer”

This 1954 British color version of SVENGALI has always gotten the short end of the stick in my opinion. A lot of that has to do with the fact that it’s always compared to the legendary 1931 version with John Barrymore but it’s like comparing apples and oranges. This version has gorgeous color photography, isContinue reading “SVENGALI (1931 / 1954): Double Feature For The Price Of One”

SILENT DISCOVERIES is a textbook example of how silent films were treated before preservation was taken seriously and how far preservation has come since the 1950s. Everything considered wrong with or bad about silent movies is on display here. First up let’s take a look at YESTERDAY AND TODAY one of the very first silentContinue reading “SILENT DISCOVERIES: A Testament To How Far Silent Film Preservation Has Come”

…or words to that effect. That’s what I said when I saw this at my local movie theatre back in 1962 under its better known title of HORROR HOTEL. I have seen it many times since then, the last being this past Halloween. I was surprised to discover that I hadn’t written a review forContinue reading “CITY OF THE DEAD/HORROR HOTEL (1960): Pretty Darn Good For 6 Coke Caps…”

To paraphrase Steven H. Scheuer, the man who published TV movie reviews before Leonard Maltin, “Make a hundred Grade B thrillers, and you’re bound to turn out one gem, and this is it”. He wasn’t referring to THE NIGHT VISITOR, but he easily could have been. This early 1970s thriller was made for a smallContinue reading “THE NIGHT VISITOR Is A Forgotten Gem”

Curtis Harrington’s RUBY is one of those B movies that has everything we love about B movies. Actors past their heyday, warmed over storyline (actually a ripoff of CARRIE and THE EXORCIST), cheap production values, limited special effects and goofs galore. It’s even set in a drive-in. One of the goofs would be so obviousContinue reading “RUBY Is The Ultimate Drive-In Movie”

THE COVERED WAGON was based on the novel of the same name by the now forgotten writer Emerson Hough and recounts the 1848 trek of a wagon train from Kansas City to Oregon. It remains a landmark film in many ways. Originally planned as just another Western programmer, it was expanded by director James CruzeContinue reading “THE COVERED WAGON (1923): Silent Western Was The TITANIC Of Its Day”

Having enjoyed MASTER & COMMANDER: THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD with Russell Crowe and its incredible depiction of life aboard an early 19th century frigate, I decided to re-view this 1926 film of shipboard life. I was surprised to note that several scenes in OLD IRONSIDES are quite similar to scenes in MASTER &Continue reading “OLD IRONSIDES Is The MASTER & COMMANDER Of The Silent Era”

Silent movies of Gloria Swanson that were not directed by Cecil B. DeMille are very hard to come by although Gloria was a fairly prolific silent film actress. Allan Dwan was a prolific director whose career lasted 50 years (1911-1961). It featured movies with Douglas Fairbanks (ROBIN HOOD) as well as John Wayne (SANDS OFContinue reading “ZAZA (1923): Rare Opportunity To See Silent Era Gloria Swanson Without Cecil B. DeMille”

BEGGARS OF LIFE is one of those legendary movies that silent film fans have read about but rarely had an opportunity to see, Chances are that if you have seen it, it’s been in some poor public domain copy of a copy which some of the other reviews clearly attest to. Now, thanks to KinoContinue reading “BEGGARS OF LIFE (1928): Louise Brooks’ Best American Film In A Top Notch Release”