W.C. Fields Silents Dated and Detailed
Allow me to extend a hearty handclasp of appreciation to Kino Lorber! Today they confirmed the release date and provided specs for their upcoming Blu-ray releases of the silent W.C. Fields films It’s the Old Army Game (1926) and Running Wild (1927).
Fields is my favorite film comedian, so I cannot wait to get my hands on these rare examples of his pre-sound films. Plus, it is a very welcome surprise that Kino is making the extra effort to commission new musical scores and audio commentaries for these releases. Hopefully, Fields’ other surviving Paramount silent, So’s Your Old Man (1926) will follow sometime in the future.
Here’s the announcement from the Kino Lorber Facebook page:
Coming out on DVD and Blu-ray March 13th from Kino Classics!
Two W.C. Fields silent classics, available separately:
IT’S THE OLD ARMY GAME (1926)
Starring W.C. Fields and Louise Brooks
Directed by A. Edward Sutherland
Bonus Features:
- Audio commentary by film historian James L. Neibaur, author of THE W.C. FIELDS FILMS
- New score by Ben Model
RUNNING WILD (1927)
Starring W.C. Fields and Mary Brian
Directed by Gregory La Cava
Bonus Features:
- Audio commentary by film historian James L. Neibaur, author of THE W.C. FIELDS FILMS
- New score by Donald Sosin
I have ordered both of these DVDs, and am looking forward to getting them. The new music and audio commentary will be interesting. Hopefully they will also release “So’s Your Old Man”, a 1926 W. C. Fields feature which seems to never have been officially released on any home movie format.
I’ve never seen SO’S YOUR OLD MAN, so I would purchase a Blu-ray or DVD in a heartbeat if it is ever released. I also truly hope that Universal plans to release the classic “talkie” Fields films (IT’S A GIFT, THE BANK DICK, THE OLD FASHIONED WAY, POPPY, etc.) on Blu-ray. One or more box sets like the Marx Brothers Blu-ray set would be my preference.
There is a DVD-R of it for sale on eBay, but obviously not an official release.
Here it is on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KowoNly0bMU
It is on the Library of Congress’ official list of landmark films, and is occasionally screened in theatres, but for some odd reason, it has not been made available for official purchase. It isn’t as good as the 1934 remake, “You’re Telling Me!”, but it is still good and worth seeing a couple of times. There are a few extra bits of business of Fields with a suitcase, and of Fields running at full sprint toward the end of the film, at the golf course.
I’ve only seen the Blu-ray of It’s The Old Army Game – too bad Kino ruined the film. It was a complete waste of money.