The Intrigue: The Films of Julia Crawford Ivers Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.5

The Intrigue: The Films of Julia Crawford Ivers Blu-ray Movie Review

An outstanding presentation of a silent era classic.

The Intrigue is a compelling 1916 silent film which serves as an early work of the great female auteur filmmaker Julia Crawford Ivers (who penned the screenplay). The film is also noteworthy for a early performance by King Vidor. The silent feature stars Cecil Van Auker and Lenore Ulric in the leading roles. Fans of classic silent-era cinema should consider the under-rated gem to be a must-see classic.

The story of The Intrigue centers on a brilliant young scientist and the journey taken with his latest invention. Guy Longstreet (Cecil Van Auker) is a mad scientist who creates a death-ray device with incredible powers. Determined to showcase the powers of his remarkable death-ray, Longstreet takes the device to showcase it to a gathering of world leaders who are considering purchasing it in order to become the sole owners of the extraordinary powers which are contained within.

As the demonstration of the death ray goes underway, the altogether dangerous – and shocking – powers of the death-ray device are displayed to their full glory. Meanwhile, Countess Sonia Varnli (Lenore Ulric) becomes involved in the events at hand. Will the death-ray lead to the destruction of all humanity?

The performances are an impressive component of the early silent production. Cecil Van Auker excels as the mad scientist and showcases a great amount of enthusiasm for the role. Lenore Ulric is simply remarkable as the countess (and her performance certainly helps the film find its dramatic backdrop). The performers excel in their roles and keep the film entertaining. Even at over 100 years old, The Intrigue is still an impressive showcase and these early silent performances are a striking example behind the effectiveness of the film.

Imagination at play.

The music score composed by Ben Model (Cartoon Roots, Sherlock Holmes) is another effective element of the production. The score music contributes to the experience ten-fold and helps the filmmaking feel alive with energy. There is something outstanding about the music and how it seamlessly blends in with the filmmaking: providing the silent era filmmaking with wonder.

The cinematography by James Van Trees (The Gorilla Man, Steel Against the Sky) is one of the most breathtaking elements of the production. The visuals of The Intrigue are extraordinary and are far beyond the typical silent production of the time-period. The efforts of Van Trees are certainly as impressive as one would hope to find in a silent feature – the visuals are so potent and essential in telling the story.

The screenplay by Julia Crawford Ivers (The Veiled Adventurer, The White Flower) is at the heart of the film. Ivers proves herself a master of science-fiction storytelling with the unique concept and the fun execution of the material. The script certainly plays around with the death- ray device conceptually (exploring the way in which such a device would play a role in society circa 1916). Ivers penned characters and themes that are just as relevant today as at the time of production.

Directed by Frank Lloyd (Mutiny on the Bounty, The Divine Lady), The Intrigue is a must-see silent era production. The storytelling is exquisite and the characterizations are top-notch. The science-fiction concepts are explored in compelling ways and the execution of the silent-era visuals are made great through the distinctive vision of Lloyd (as he has fun experimenting with the style of the film). For classic film enthusiasts, The Intrigue is a must-see gem.

The Intrigue: The Films of Julia Crawford Ivers Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber, The Intrigue is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition in the original 1.33:1 full frame aspect ratio. The feature-film has been lovingly restored and has been preserved by the Library of Congress. The restoration effort was undertaken by Lynanne Schweighofer and George Willeman. The digital restorations are a massive improvement and the filmmaking looks better than it has most likely ever appeared on home media.

Though there is occasional print damage, minor wear, and scratches, The Intrigue also looks razor sharp at times. Throughout the presentation, the scan impressed with its robust clarity and overall definition. A fantastic presentation that capably preserves the written work of Julia Crawford Ivers. Kudos to Kino for a terrific presentation.

The Intrigue: The Films of Julia Crawford Ivers Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release is presented in uncompressed PCM 2.0 at 16 bit depth. The presentation features a top-notch music only soundtrack featuring the score composed by Ben Model. The music sounds startlingly clear and crisp. The dynamics of the soundstage are enveloping and immersive. The track has no signs of any wear, hiss, crackle, pops, or clicks. The audio clarity is truly superb and manages to accompany the brilliant video restoration enormously well. Fans of The Intrigue will be thrilled with the results.

The Intrigue: The Films of Julia Crawford Ivers Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Includes a seven page booklet featuring writing about The Intrigue and the works of Julia Crawford Ivers.

Audio Commentary by Anthony Slide

The release includes a selection of additional features:

The Majesty of the Law (HD, 13:51) is the fourth reel of the film written and directed by Julia Crawford Ivers. The short features music composed by Makia Matsumura. Color Tinted.

Ben Blair (HD, 1:04:04) is a feature-length film directed by William Desmond Taylor from the script written by Julia Crawford Ivers. The film is adapted from the novel by Will Lillibridge. Featuring cinematography by Homer Scott and music composed by Andrew Earle Simpson. Color Tinted.

A Son of Erin (HD, 55:51) stars Dustin Farnum in a theatrical film written and directed by Julia Crawford Ivers. The film features a score composed by Eunice Martins. Color Tinted.

The Intrigue: The Films of Julia Crawford Ivers Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Intrigue is a compelling silent-era feature-film with a lot of great ideas on the table. The science-fiction concept involves a death-ray and the potential sale of the device to world leaders. The concept is well explored through the fun screenplay penned by Julia Crawford Ivers (The Veiled Adventurer). The performances by Cecil Van Auker and Lenore Ulric are extraordinary. A fantastic visual experience, The Intrigue is intriguing, indeed. (Pun intended.)

As part of Kino's Pioneers: First Women Filmmakers line, the Blu-ray release from Kino Lorber comes with a first- rate video-audio restoration of The Intrigue and a nice selection of supplemental features – including three other films from the great Julia Crawford Ivers: The Majesty of Law, Ben Blair, and A Son of Erin. An essential release. Highly recommended.