Lik Mearse
23-10-2001, 12:09
Fellow Mutes,
Silent film restoration "expert" David Shepherd is interviewed in the latest "Video Watchdog" about his reconstuction of "The Lost World" (available in a very large box on R2.)
One of the characters in the film is a black native who's original intertitles were written in cod English to emphasise his "primitive" nature. Shepherd decided that this "would not be acceptable to today's audiences" and replaced it with straight English. Also, shots where the character rolls his eyes and acts stupidly have been excised for the same reason.
Now I thought the idea of restoration was to present the film as far as possible in it's original version - not act as self-appointed censor.
Presumably his version of "Triumph of the Will" removes all references to Nazis.
Anyone surprised by this?
Yours Prehistorically,
Lik.
Silent film restoration "expert" David Shepherd is interviewed in the latest "Video Watchdog" about his reconstuction of "The Lost World" (available in a very large box on R2.)
One of the characters in the film is a black native who's original intertitles were written in cod English to emphasise his "primitive" nature. Shepherd decided that this "would not be acceptable to today's audiences" and replaced it with straight English. Also, shots where the character rolls his eyes and acts stupidly have been excised for the same reason.
Now I thought the idea of restoration was to present the film as far as possible in it's original version - not act as self-appointed censor.
Presumably his version of "Triumph of the Will" removes all references to Nazis.
Anyone surprised by this?
Yours Prehistorically,
Lik.