MovieChat Forums > Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927) Discussion > Okay so im confused about the versions.....

Okay so im confused about the versions...

posted 13 years ago by DesignMan15
2 replies | jump to latest

So the version ive always watched of Sunrise is silent with intertitles and has some sound effects. Is this the Movietone version? Because im pretty sure its longer than the other version? If so then what exactly is Movietone? and the other version, this "Czech" version, what is it like? Does it have dialogue because i was seeing screencaps and one showed one with subtitles? So is the Czech version a talkie? Im confused. I dont want to know what was cut and all that like that one thread but can someone just tell me about these 2 versions and the dialogue issue and Movietone issue and all that?

[–] Foz90 13 years ago

According to the booklet that I received with the film, the Movietone version is 16 minutes longer than the Czech one, with a whole reel of footage missing from the latter (though it's just clipped scenes rather than one large segment, I believe).

As far as I can tell, Movietone is just what it's known as to distinguish it from the Czech version, though it could be something to do with the different aspect ratio (1.20:1 for Movietone, 1.37:1 for the Czech) or the fact that the latter is completely without sound whereas the Movietone one has a few audience sounds as you said.

The Czech version is generally included because it has a much sharper image than the Movietone one. So the quality is better, but it doesn't have as much footage. That's the main distinguishing feature. As for the subtitles on the Czech version - it's because the title cards which distinguish the dialogue are in Czech. As a result, they'd be subtitled so you can understand them as an English speaker. Hope that helps.

[–] DesignMan15 13 years ago

Yes that makes sense and clears everything up. Thank you :)