The jazz singer

Author

Alan Crosland

Call Number

• DVD MUSICAL (CEN)

Edition

Three-disc deluxe ed.; 80th anniversary ed.; Full screen version.

Languages

In English, with optional English, French, or Spanish subtitles; English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing.

Performers

Al Jolson, Mary McAvoy, Warner Oland, Eugenie Besserer, Otto Lederer.

Publication Information

Burbank, CA : Turner Entertainment Co. : Distributed by Warner Home Video, [2007]

Physical Description

3 videodiscs (89 min.) : sd., b&w ; 4 3/4 in. + 10 photo cards (18 cm.) + 1 reproduction of a Vitaphone program ([12] p. : ill. ; 18 cm.) + 1 reproduction of a souvenir program ([20] p. : col. ill. ; 18 cm.) + 1 reproduction of a Theater Herald leaflet ([4] p. : col. ill. ; 18 cm.) + 1 vintage documents reproduction booklet (16 p. : ill. ; 18 cm.) + 1 reproduction of a telegram from Al Jolson to Jack Warner (18 cm.)

Audience

Not rated.

Summary

The son of a Jewish cantor must defy his father in order to pursue his dream of becoming a jazz singer.

Notes

Based on the play by Samson Raphaelson.

Originally produced as a motion picture in 1927.

Special features (disc 1, 139 min.): optional audio commentary by Ron Hutchinson (founder of The Vitaphone Projects) and Nighthawks bandleader Vince Giordano; 4 vintage Al Jolson short films (49 min. total); classic cartoon "I love to singa" (8 min.); Lux Radio Theatre adaptation of "The jazz singer", also starring Jolson (1947, 58 min.); Jolson trailer gallery (24 min. total).

Special features (disc 2, 185 min.): "The dawn of sound : how the movies learned to talk" documentary (2007, 85 min.); surviving excerpts from 1929's "Gold diggers of Broadway" (16 min. total); 5 studio shorts from or celebrating the early sound era (84 min.).

Special features (disc 3, 208 min.): rare & historic Vitaphone shorts from the Warner Bros. vaults.