Classic Movies: KING OF JAZZ (1930) - Criterion Collection

king-of-jazz-1930-dvd-blu-ray-criterion-collection

Product Description: Made during the early years of the movie musical, this exuberant revue was one of the most extravagant, eclectic, and technically ambitious Hollywood productions of its day. Starring the bandleader Paul Whiteman, then widely celebrated as the King of Jazz, the film drew from Broadway variety shows of the time to present a spectacular array of sketches, performances by such acts as the Rhythm Boys (featuring a young Bing Crosby), and orchestral numbers overseen by Whiteman himself (including a larger-than-life rendition of George Gershwin's 'Rhapsody in Blue') all lavishly staged by veteran theater director John Murray Anderson and beautifully shot in early Technicolor. Long available only in incomplete form, KING OF JAZZ appears here newly restored to its original glory, offering a fascinating snapshot of the way mainstream American popular culture viewed itself at the dawn of the 1930s.

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Movie Details

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Video

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Special Features & Extras

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MOVIE DETAILS

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Director: John Murray Anderson

Starring: Bing Crosby, Paul Whiteman, Carla Laemmle, Stanley Smith

Genre: Animation, Comedy, Music

Runtime: 98 min

Rating: Not Rated

Language: English

Studio: Criterion Collection

Home Video Release Date: March 27, 2018

AVAILABLE FORMATS

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Blu-ray

DVD

VIDEO

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DVD

Codec: MPEG-2
Resolution: 480i
Aspect Ratio: 1.35:1
Encoding Format: 16:9

Blu-ray

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Resolution: 1080p
Aspect Ratio: 1.35:1

AUDIO

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Dubbed:

DVD: None
Blu-ray: None

Audio Formats:

DVD: LPCM Mono
Blu-ray: LPCM Mono

SUBTITLES

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DVD: English SDH

Blu-ray: English SDH

SPECIAL FEATURES & EXTRAS

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New audio commentary featuring jazz and film critic Gary Giddins, music and cultural critic Gene Seymour, and musician and bandleader Vince Giordano
New introduction by Giddins
New interview with musician and pianist Michael Feinstein
Four new video essays by authors and archivists James Layton and David Pierce on the development and making of King of Jazz
Deleted scenes and alternate opening-title sequence
All Americans, a 1929 short film featuring a version of the “Melting Pot” number that was restaged for the finale of King of Jazz
I Know Everybody and Everybody’s Racket, a 1933 short film featuring Paul Whiteman and His Orchestra
Two Oswald the Lucky Rabbit cartoons from 1930, featuring music and animation from King of Jazz