There is an old adage out there that states “silence is golden.” As most people know, that adage means to say that having silence instead of the noise all around us is a good thing. It is, too. At the same time though, it can apply in another way, believe it not. It can also apply in regard to silent film. That is because there are lots of great old silent films that are golden in their own right. Case in point are the old Buster Keaton movies, those from the likes of Harold Lloyd, Douglas Fairbanks, and so many others. This week, Eureka Entertainment re-issued another golden silent film for a whole new generation of audiences in the form of The Cat and the Canary. Originally released in 1927 by Universal Pictures, this “old dark house” style film was not the first of its kind but is still a thoroughly entertaining work that every true film buff should watch. The bonus content that accompanies the movie in its brand new Blu-ray re-issue adds to its appeal because of the history that it provides regarding the movie, its cast, and its place in the larger pantheon of cinematic history. The overall production in this restoration puts the finishing touch to the movie’s presentation. It will have audiences applauding just as much in is own way. When it is considered along with the bonus content and the movie’s story, the whole therein makes this movie release another great addition to this year’s field of movie and TV re-issues.
Eureka Entertainment’s brand new re-issue of Universal Pictures’ 1927 silent film, The Car and the Canary, is a strong presentation from the independent distribution company that most true film buffs will appreciate. The movie’s appeal comes in part through its featured story. The story in question is a familiar tale. A group of people come together in an old house to hear the reading of a departed family member’s will. They all must stay the night and survive and only one person can end up with the money. Meanwhile the specter of something paranormal or even more dangerous lurks in the shadows. If this sounds familiar, it should. It was also used in the play by John Willard as well as in the stage play presentation of The Bat years prior in 1920. The play in question was the brainchild of Mary Roberts Rinehart and Avery Hopwood. It would also go on to be used multiple times in later years in the likes of another Universal flick, The Shadow of the Cat (1961) and Deal Productions/Iselin-Tinney Productions’ The Curse of the Living Corpse (1967). Even The Flintstones would use a very similar plot in its 1964 episode, “A Haunted House Is Not A Home.” The Three Stooges would also go on to use a similar plot more than once in their shorts, one of which being 1945’s “If A Body Meets A Body.”
The evil that lurks in the case of The Cat and The Canary is believed to be a maniac who escaped a nearby insane asylum, though the reality is disturbing in its own right as it is revealed who the maniac really is. In the end, audiences get a satisfying finale. At the same time though, there is one somewhat disturbing aspect. That aspect is the reminder in viewers’ minds that Paul (Creighton Hale) and Annabelle (Laura LaPlante) are related albeit distantly. That the story would put them together romantically (or what seems romantically) is a little unsettling.
Speaking of that seeming romance, it is one of a number of interesting topics addressed in the bonus feature-length audio commentary from the pairing of Kevin Lyons and Jonathan Rigby. The duo’s commentary is one of a number of fully engaging and entertaining extras that come with the movie’s new re-issue. The pair notes in passing, the romantic ending that is so commonplace among stories such as The Cat and the Canary. The pair also raises an even more intriguing discussion, that of director Paul Leni’s focus on the characters’ hands throughout the movie. It really is an interesting topic to which most audiences likely would not have thought about had they not taken in this audio track but once they do, becomes clearly important in the bigger picture of the story. The duo also discusses Leni’s own take on the film as influenced by the European filming techniques of the age; those impressionist influences, such as extreme facial close-ups and other items. They, like author Stephen Jones and critic Kim Newman (who provide their own separate commentary track), also discuss the “old dark house” movie plot, its use in the original stage play, and the history of the genre. The pair makes mention of the tie to The Bat in regard to the genre, as do Newman and Jones. Speaking of that pair, viewers learn from Newman and Jones, The Cat and the Canary is not the progenitor of the “old dark house” genre. That honor belongs to Paramount Pictures’ 1921 movie, The Ghost Breaker. The pair also takes on Leni’s impressionist influences in his directing style, just as Lyons and Rigby do on their audio track.
As if everything noted is not enough, Lyons and Rigby also take on differences between the original stage play of The Cat and The Canary and its cinematic adaptation. The pair reveals during its discussion, for instance, that not included in the movie but included in the stage play, was a mention of Paul suffering somewhat from PTSD due to his time in military service. It is understandable, considering how the movie script plays out, why that was not included here. On yet another note, Newman and Jones make mention of Hale’s deliberate attempt to emulate Lloyd what with the use of his glasses. He really does look similar to Lloyd thanks to that added touch. It helps add to the story’s overall comedic touch even amid all of the story’s tension. When one considers all of the items discussed noted here alongside everything else raised in the commentaries and other standalone extras, the whole therein adds a whole extra layer of engagement and entertainment for audiences. When that extra layer is considered along with the story (and its pacing), that whole gives audiences more than enough to applaud. It is still not all that audiences will appreciate. The general production of the movie in its latest re-issue rounds out the reasons for audiences to take in this presentation.
The production that went into the movie’s restoration this time out is well-deserving of praise because of the clarity in the picture and sound. All of the look of the original film is there in the rich sepia tone and even the grainy look of each scene. It creates a wonderful, welcome sense of nostalgia. The orchestration that accompanies the movie, serving as its soundtrack adds just as much to the whole. The perfect timing adds so much emotion to each scene and the sound itself exhibits the amount of work that went into giving new life to the movie’s soundtrack through its new recording. The positive aesthetic that it and the general look of the production brings to the movie makes for just as much enjoyment as the movie’s story and its bonus content. When all things are considered, the result is a presentation that every film buff will appreciate and that is the best re-issue of the classic flick to date. Overall, they make the movie among the best of this year’s new movie and television re-issues.
Eureka Entertainment’s brand new re-issue of Universal Pictures’ classic crime thriller The Cat and the Canary is a wonderful new entry in this year’s field of new movie and television re-issues. It gives audiences so much to appreciate, from its relatively accessible story to its bonus content, which provides audiences so much background on the movie and the very genre that is the “old dark house” and more, to the expert production. Each item examined adds so much to the whole of the movie’s new presentation. All things considered they make The Cat and the Canary’s latest release a must have for any classic film buff that proves in fact silence is truly golden in more ways than one.
Eurkea Entertainment’s new re-issue of The Cat and the Canary is a successful new offering from the independent distributor. It is available now. More information on this and other titles from Eureka Entertainment is available at:
Website: https://eurekavideo.co.uk
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EurekaEntertainment
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Eurekavideo
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