I recall seeing Joseph Pevney’s Man of a Thousand Faces late in the summer of 1957 in its original run in Manhattan. As a huge fan of all things horror (the Universal films were a TV staple), and just getting into film history, this was an important screening for me, as it put a number of things in perspective.
At that time, while I knew Lon Chaney, Jr. primarily from the Universal horror titles, I only knew his father from Phantom, Notre Dame and another silent film, Nomads of the North.
Arrow’s new Blu-ray is perfect in every detail, with proper grain, a gorgeous gray scale, and nice black levels.
Zero problems with either image or track.
For Cagney fans, or lovers of cinema history, there’s a lot to like here.
For those into minutia, you’ll find Jeanne Cagney, playing Lon’s sister, Carrie. Some may recall seeing her as Mr. Cohan’s sister in Yankee Doodle Dandy, fifteen years previous.
Silent comic ‘Snub’ Pollard is on hand as a waiter in an early studio scene, and Troy Donahue (uncredited) plays an asst. director. Nicky Blair, later a Hollywood restaurateur, plays the cameraman in the Unholy Three sequence.
Image – 5
Audio – 5
Pass / Fail – Pass
Upgrade from DVD – Absolutely
Recommended
RAH
Robert has been known in the film industry for his unmatched skill and passion in film preservation. Growing up around photography, his first home theater experience began at age ten with 16mm. Years later he was running 35 and 70mm at home.
His restoration projects have breathed new life into classic films like Lawrence of Arabia, Vertigo, My Fair Lady, Spartacus, and The Godfather series. Beyond his restoration work, he has also shared his expertise through publications, contributing to the academic discourse on film restoration. The Academy Film Archive houses the Robert A. Harris Collection, a testament to his significant contributions to film preservation.
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