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- Marx Brothers: Swordfish Collection - 1930 Animal Crackers
Marx Brothers: Swordfish Collection - 1930 Animal Crackers
Updated
Faneditor Name:
Original Movie Title:
Genre:
Fanedit Type:
Original Release Date:
1930
Original Running Time:
97
Fanedit Release Date:
Fanedit Running Time:
93
Time Cut:
4
Additional Links:
Brief Synopsis:
I've been a lifelong Marx Brothers fan from my earliest memories. I could debate with myself all day about which of their 13 films is the best ('A Day At The Races'?). But I can say with no doubt that most of their films come with certain baggage...
Due to the commercial neccesities of the time and due to the radical nature of their comedy they usually peppered the popular songs of the day throughout the films, to keep people happy. At the time, this formula was boxoffice dynamite but some of these songs have not aged well and I almost always fast-forward through them (Other songs are
still masterpieces, 'Cosi-Cosa' for example). Also sometimes the plots, subplots and supporting talent isn't up to the match of The Brothers' firecracker humour. But fast-forwarding through that material isn't really possible, so wouldn't it be wonderful to have a collection of these films with all the killer and none of the filler?
Due to the commercial neccesities of the time and due to the radical nature of their comedy they usually peppered the popular songs of the day throughout the films, to keep people happy. At the time, this formula was boxoffice dynamite but some of these songs have not aged well and I almost always fast-forward through them (Other songs are
still masterpieces, 'Cosi-Cosa' for example). Also sometimes the plots, subplots and supporting talent isn't up to the match of The Brothers' firecracker humour. But fast-forwarding through that material isn't really possible, so wouldn't it be wonderful to have a collection of these films with all the killer and none of the filler?
Intention:
These edits should be a fun diversion for me, from more time consuming and challenging edits. This 13 film project will be a long time in the making. I'll be editing through their filmography in chronological order. I will not be cutting out any of the comedy and as I move towards their mid-career films, I'll be cutting less and less. But their last 6 films will require the most editing with the final film 'Love Happy' being drastically recut.
I want these edits to feel like nothing is missing (or nothing that you will miss anyway!), just pure comedy magic.
I want these edits to feel like nothing is missing (or nothing that you will miss anyway!), just pure comedy magic.
Additional Notes:
In the year since the success of 'The Cocoanuts' sound recording technology had come on alot meaning the camera is a little more free in 'Animal Crackers'. However the irection is still limited by modern and pre-sound standards and the edited is often poor. I've done my best to clean up a few edits here and there but there are still noticable jump cuts inherent in the source. The image quality is also variable and I've applied some sharpening to try and compensate. Of course none of these problems make the movie any less funny.
Other Sources:
The Marx Brothers Silver Screen Collection - Region 1 DVD Boxset
Special Thanks:
Thanks of course go to Chico, Harpo, Groucho and Zeppo for a lifetime of laughs. Plus to those of the FE.org community that offeried words of encouragement when this DVD kept going wrong (This is the 3rd time I did this edit from scratch).
Release Information:
DVD
Special Features
Menus and the trailer for 'Monkey Business'
Editing Details:
The goal of the edit was to keep all the comedy but to streamline and fix all the other material. However due to this being basically a masterpiece the edit isfairly light compaed to what I will be doing with the later films.
Cuts and Additions:
- Minimal trims to the 'Stolen painting' subplot. Without removing any of the Brothers.
- Cut the two 'Stolen painting' scenes back together to highlight their farcical nature
- Sharpened the image throughout (The print is of a variable quality)
- Smoothed out some of the primitive cuts and shots where possible. While still preserving the look of a film from this period.
00.00.00 Added TM2YC and Swordfish idents
00.00.12 Adjusted framing of opening credits to match rest of film
00.16.01 Fade to black shortened and Groucho/Rittenhouse scene brought forward
00.21.20 Hives' dialogue shortened
00.24.58 POV shot of painting added
00.25.00 2nd half of painting discussion blended back in
00.26.05 POV shot of painting removed and two shot recropped
00.26.30 Strange camera pan removed
00.47.10 Partially smoothed out the rough cut from Chico/Harpo to Mrs Rittenhouse
00.57.21 Hives sneaking and intro to unveiling shortened
00.57.41 Partially smoothed out the rough sound cut from painting to couple
00.57.45 Exposition dialogue trimmed
00.59.10 Start of scheming scene trimmed
01.00.22 Hives' final line and start of painting search trimmed
01.00.57 Lovers' song removed
01.04.23 Fade to black shortened
01.26.43 Introduction to Rittenhouse/Chandler scene trimmed
01.33.09 Trailer for 'Monkey Business' added to the end
Original Length: 97 minutes
FanEdit Length: 93 minutes
Removed: 4 minutes
- Cut the two 'Stolen painting' scenes back together to highlight their farcical nature
- Sharpened the image throughout (The print is of a variable quality)
- Smoothed out some of the primitive cuts and shots where possible. While still preserving the look of a film from this period.
00.00.00 Added TM2YC and Swordfish idents
00.00.12 Adjusted framing of opening credits to match rest of film
00.16.01 Fade to black shortened and Groucho/Rittenhouse scene brought forward
00.21.20 Hives' dialogue shortened
00.24.58 POV shot of painting added
00.25.00 2nd half of painting discussion blended back in
00.26.05 POV shot of painting removed and two shot recropped
00.26.30 Strange camera pan removed
00.47.10 Partially smoothed out the rough cut from Chico/Harpo to Mrs Rittenhouse
00.57.21 Hives sneaking and intro to unveiling shortened
00.57.41 Partially smoothed out the rough sound cut from painting to couple
00.57.45 Exposition dialogue trimmed
00.59.10 Start of scheming scene trimmed
01.00.22 Hives' final line and start of painting search trimmed
01.00.57 Lovers' song removed
01.04.23 Fade to black shortened
01.26.43 Introduction to Rittenhouse/Chandler scene trimmed
01.33.09 Trailer for 'Monkey Business' added to the end
Original Length: 97 minutes
FanEdit Length: 93 minutes
Removed: 4 minutes
Cover art by TM2YC (DOWNLOAD HERE)
"Take a letter to my lawyers!" - 5 minutes from 'Animal Crackers'
User reviews
3 reviews
Overall rating
9.9
Audio/Video Quality
10.0(3)
Audio Editing
10.0(3)
Visual Editing
10.0(3)
Narrative
10.0(3)
Enjoyment
9.3(3)
Overall rating
10.0
Audio/Video Quality
10.0
Audio Editing
10.0
Visual Editing
10.0
Narrative
10.0
Enjoyment
10.0
Even as a child I found the songs (but not the piano playing ) interminably boring and they just got in the way of the genius of the Marx Bros. I almost can't believe anyone would ever have cared for them other than those retained for Groucho or comedic plot value. These edits are perfect in driving home the pace and frantic chaos of the Bros, and I for one have them burnt to disc and in the official box set with the words "WATCH THIS VERSION ONLY" emblazoned on the printing.
Thank you so much for making these. There are not enough editors tacking older classics.
I hope you do some more...I may even join in (but not with the Marx Bros).
Delightful and highly recommended!
Thank you so much for making these. There are not enough editors tacking older classics.
I hope you do some more...I may even join in (but not with the Marx Bros).
Delightful and highly recommended!
W
Overall rating
9.6
Audio/Video Quality
10.0
Audio Editing
10.0
Visual Editing
10.0
Narrative
10.0
Enjoyment
8.0
I'm a Big fan of the Marx Brothers. Unfortunately as TM2YC knows the production quality of the majority of their films was lacking. It's all hit or miss with the Marx Brothers all across the board. Their editing was mostly sub par. Their sound suffered greatly over the years from neglect or even possibly it was never all that great to begin with. The stories in The Marx Brothers early movies are mostly their Vaudeville Acts connected together with a loose or sometimes non-existent story line. Animal Crackers is another example of this.
TM2YC did a wonderful job in cleaning up Vol 1 and 2 of this Swordfish Collection. He tightened up the editing and cleaned up the musical numbers. The DVD menu screen is classy and a wonderful presentation for these two movies.
You accomplished exactly what you set out to do with Vol. 1 and 2, and did a great job of it too.
This is probably the best presentation of Animal Crackers anyone can see today. It's as coherent and logically put together as a it can ever hope to be. I'm very happy I got to see this version of it.
Animal Crackers seems to receive more love by other Marx Brothers fans than what I believe it deserves. I just don't get it. Animal Crackers is a fun movie just not one of my favorites.
TM2YC did a wonderful job in cleaning up Vol 1 and 2 of this Swordfish Collection. He tightened up the editing and cleaned up the musical numbers. The DVD menu screen is classy and a wonderful presentation for these two movies.
You accomplished exactly what you set out to do with Vol. 1 and 2, and did a great job of it too.
This is probably the best presentation of Animal Crackers anyone can see today. It's as coherent and logically put together as a it can ever hope to be. I'm very happy I got to see this version of it.
Animal Crackers seems to receive more love by other Marx Brothers fans than what I believe it deserves. I just don't get it. Animal Crackers is a fun movie just not one of my favorites.
User Review
Do you recommend this edit?
Yes
Format Watched?
DVD
L
Overall rating
10.0
Audio/Video Quality
10.0
Audio Editing
10.0
Visual Editing
10.0
Narrative
10.0
Enjoyment
10.0
Having not seen this Marx Brothers film in particular, this seemed like a great opportunity to do so.
I can't actually tell that anything has been edited so you've clearly done a good and seamless job.
The audio and video are clear and it sounds and looks good so what you did must have worked.
This feels very professional and nothing feels missing and the film flowed naturally.
You've clearly taken a lot of time and care to editing this film and I hope you do more of these,
as it's the best quality version of their films we'll probably ever see.
I eagerly wait the rest of the collection.
I can't actually tell that anything has been edited so you've clearly done a good and seamless job.
The audio and video are clear and it sounds and looks good so what you did must have worked.
This feels very professional and nothing feels missing and the film flowed naturally.
You've clearly taken a lot of time and care to editing this film and I hope you do more of these,
as it's the best quality version of their films we'll probably ever see.
I eagerly wait the rest of the collection.
User Review
Do you recommend this edit?
Yes
Format Watched?
DVD
S