King of jazz
By: Carl Laemmle presents ; produced by Carl Laemmle, Jr. ; Universal Pictures Corp. ; entire production devised and directed by John Murray Anderson
Contributors: Ruskin, Harry, 1894-1969, screenwriter; Whiteman, Paul, 1890-1967, on-screen performer, conductor; Boles, John, singer; La Plante, Laura, 1904-1996, actor; Loff, Jeanette, 1906-1942, singer; Tryon, Glenn, 1899-1970, actor; Kent, William, 1886-1945, actor; Summerville, Slim, 1892-1946, actor; Ash, Jerome, 1892-1953, director of photography; Mohr, Hal, 1894-1974, director of photography; Rennahan, Ray, 1896-1980, director of photography; Carlisle, Robert, 1888-1974, editor of moving image work; Ager, Milton, 1893-1979, composer (expression); Yellen, Jack, 1892-1991, lyricist; Gershwin, George, 1898-1937, composer (expression); Rose, Billy, 1899-1966, lyricist; Wayne, Mabel, 1904-1978, composer (expression); Rhythm Boys (Vocal group); Universal Pictures Corporation; Criterion Collection (Firm)
Edition: Two-DVD special edition.
Series: The Criterion collection -- 915; Criterion collection -- 915.
Published: 2018
Language: eng
Format: [videorecording] /
Number of pages: 98
ISBN-13: 9781681434179
Subjects: Revues; Big bands; Jazz
Other titles: Container of (work): All Americans (Motion picture); Container of (work): I know everybody and everybody's racket (Motion picture)
Work titles: King of jazz (Motion picture : 1930)
Description: "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 to present a spectacular array of sketches, performances by such acts of the Rhythm Boys (featuring a young Bing Crosby), and orchestral numbers--all lavishly staged by veteran theater director John Murray Anderson. Presented here in the most complete form possible and restored to its early-Technicolor glory, King of Jazz offers a fascinating shapshot of the way mainstream American culture viewed itself at the dawn of the 1930s"--Container.
Notes: Originally released as a motion picture in 1930.

Full screen (1.37:1).

4K digital restoration by Universal Pictures.

Special features: 2017 audio commentary featuring jazz and film critic Gary Giddins, music and cultural critic Gene Seymour, and musician and bandleader Vince Girodano; new introduction to the film 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 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.

Comedy sketches, Harry Ruskin ; lyrics, Jack Yellen ; music, Milton Ager ; additional musical numbers by George Gershwin, Mabel Wayne, Billy Rose, James Dietrich ; cinematographers, Hal Mohr, Jerry Ash, Ray Rennahan ; film editor, Robert Carlisle ; dance director, Russell Markert ; animated cartoons, Walter Lantz, Bill Nolan.

Featuring Paul Whiteman; with John Boles, Laura La Plante, Jeanette Loff, Glenn Tryon, William Kent, Slim Summerville, The Rhythm Boys, Kathryn Crawford, Beth Laemmle, Stanley Smith, Charles Irwin, George Chiles, Jack White, Frank Leslie, Walter Brennan, Churchill Ross, Johnson Arledge, Al Norman, Jacques Cartier, Paul Howard, Nell O'Day, The Tommy Atkins Sextette, Marion Stadler, Don Rose, The Russell Markert Girls.

Rating: Not rated.

DVD, NTSC, region 1; 4:3 presentation; Dolby Digital 1.0 monaural.

English dialogue and lyrics with optional English subtitles for the deaf and hearing-impaired (SDH).
Table of contents: title: disc one. King of jazz [feature film]; title: disc two. [Special features].