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King of Jazz

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    This disc has not yet been reviewed. The following information has been provided by the distributor.

Genres: Animation, Comedy, Music
Starring: Bing Crosby, Paul Whiteman
Director: John Murray Anderson
Plot Synopsis:

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.

  • Release Details
    Release Date: March 27th, 2018
    Movie Release Year: 1930
    Release Country: United States
    Movie Studio: Criterion
  • Technical Specs
    Length:98 Minutes
    Specs:Bu-ray
    Video Resolution/Codec:1080p/AVC MPEG-4
    Aspect Ratio(s):1.331
    Audio Formats:English LPCM Mono
    Special Features: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