Reviewed By Jason LockardThe most iconic villain in comic book history is arguably The Joker. But you may not know that that character was inspired by a character in film history! The film is entitled "The Man Who Laughs".
Well, the good folks at Flicker Alley has worked with Universal Pictures to bring us this film that inspired The Joker. In a release that this classic truly deserves, a 4K remaster on Blu-ray and DVD. But is this release worth adding to your collection? Well, that's what we are going to look at in this review.
The film takes place in 1680s England. King James II sentences his political enemy, Lord Clancharlie, to death in an iron maiden. But before he dies he is informed that his son, Gwynplaine, has been disfigured with a permanent grin by Dr. Hardquannone, so that he will "laugh forever at his fool of a father".
Gwynplaine and a blind girl, Dea, who has also been abandoned are taken in by the charlatan Ursus. Fast forward the now-adult Gwynplaine has become The Laughing Man of a traveling carnival. He and Dea have also fallen in love; he remains distant, believing himself unworthy of her affection due to his disfigurement, although she cannot see it.
Later Queen Anne grants Gwynplaine his peerage and a seat in the House of Lords, and orders Josiana to marry him in order to restore the proper ownership of the estate. Will he accept the offer and reject the woman he loves. You'll have to see the film to find out!
The silent film is a a visually stunning piece of cinema. It ranges from drama to action adventure to romance and even a little bit of horror. The range of emotion shown in this film is something filmmakers and actors could learn from. I truly believe this is a film that every film fan should see once in his or her lifetime!
Now for this release the 4K restoration. This film looks and sounds absolutely stunning. When I heard of the restoration I hoped it would look good. I was blown away by how good this looks! I can not put it into words.
But Flicker Alley didn't stop their they loaded this Blu-ray/DVD combo pack with bonus features. They include:
- Paul Leni and The Man Who Laughs - A visual essay by film historian and author, John Soister, on Leni's work at Universal during this period.
- Celebrating Universal’s Masterpiece - A new booklet essay written by renowned film historian and author, Kevin Brownlow.
- Notes On the New Score - A short essay by composer Sonia Coronado of the Berklee School of Music on their new score for The Man Who Laughs.
- Optional Secondary Audio Track - In addition to the new Berklee School of Music score, the film’s original 1928 Movietone score is presented here as a secondary audio track.
- Rare Image Gallery - A slide show presentation of vintage marketing materials, trade ads, memorabilia, and more.
Another amazing feature is a reversible cover artwork. You can choose the one shown above or one that has a real comic book feel to it.
So if your a fan of classic cinema or want to witness the true origin of The Joker, there is no better way than with this 4K restoration of The Man who laughs. It has never looked better. I am proud to have this in my collection.
If you'd like a copy for your collection you can get one by going to www.FlickerAlley.com today.
Audiences: Teens and Adults
Objectionable Material: nothing
Length: 1 Hour 50 Minutes
Genre: Drama,
Blu-ray /DVD Rating: A
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