Reviews of silent film releases on home video.
Copyright © 1999-2026 by Carl Bennett
and the Silent Era Company.
All Rights Reserved. |
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Idle Eyes
(1928)
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This comedy short, directed by Leslie Goodwins, stars Ben Turpin and Helen Gilmore, with Georgia O’Dell, Leo White, and three-year-old Billy Barty (in what may be his second film appearance).
The film includes an intertitle that asks, “Are you experienced?” — Jimi would be so proud.
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 Unknown Video
2006 DVD edition
The Silent Comedy Mafia, Volume 1 (1918-1928), color-tinted black & white, 105 minutes total, not rated, including Idle Eyes (1928), color-tinted black & white, 18 minutes, not rated.
Unknown Video, no catalog number, unknown UPC number.
One single-sided, single-layered, Region 0 NTSC DVD-R disc; 1.33:1 aspect ratio picture in full-frame 4:3 (720 x 480 pixels) interlaced scan image encoded in SDR MPEG-2 format at 5.2 Mbps average video bit rate (capable of progressive scan upscaling to 60 fps); Dolby Digital (AC3) 2.0 stereo sound encoded at 192 Kbps audio bit rate; English language intertitles, no subtitles; no chapter stops (within the film); standard DVD keepcase; $18.95.
Release date: 26 April 2006.
Country of origin: USA
Ratings (1-10): video: 7 / audio: 8 / additional content: 7 / overall: 7.
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This DVD-R edition has been mastered from a very-good fine-grain 16mm reduction print from the Blackhawk Films collection held by Film Preservation Associates that is a little contrasty, with burnt-out highlights and some closed-up shadows.
We are quite pleased with the piano accompaniment by Frederick Hodges as it is well-performed, well-recorded and always an appropriate complement to the film’s action.
Supplemental material includes clips from Ben Turpin films and newsreels (9 minutes); and a stills gallery (37 images).
For information about other films in this collection, see our The Silent Comedy Mafia, Volume 1 on home video page.
We enthusiastically recommend this above-average small-company video collection. A fun disc!
This review was updated in 2026.
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UNKNOWN VIDEO has discontinued business and this Region 0 NTSC DVD-R edition is . . .
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 Alpha Video
2011 DVD edition
The Turpinator: Ben Turpin Comedy Classics (1915-1928), black & white, 62 minutes total, not rated, including Idle Eyes (1928), black & white, 19 minutes, not rated.
Alpha Home Entertainment, distributed by Oldies.com,
ALP 6632D, UPC 0-89218-66329-0.
One single-sided, single-layered, Region 0 NTSC DVD-R disc; 1.33:1 aspect ratio picture in full-frame 4:3 (720 x 480 pixels) interlaced scan image encoded in SDR MPEG-2 format at 7.0 Mbps average video bit rate (capable of progressive scan upscaling to 60 fps); Dolby Digital (AC3) 2.0 mono sound encoded at 384 Kbps audio bit rate; English language intertitles, no subtitles; no chapter stops (within the film); standard DVD keepcase; $7.98 (raised again to $9.99).
Release date: 30 August 2011.
Country of origin: USA
Ratings (1-10): video: 3 / audio: 3 / additional content: 0 / overall: 3.
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This DVD-R edition has been mastered from a good but contrasty 8mm reduction print, with dust, speckling, schmutz, emulsion scrapes, and other print flaws present in the picture.
The film is accompanied by a soundtrack compiled from preexisting jazz music recordings.
For information about other films in this collection, see our The Turpinator: Ben Turpin Comedy Classics on home video page.
Note: Our library copy of this disc was originally manufactured on a standard DVD. However, copies sold today will likely be provided on MOD DVD-R discs.
Not recommended.
This review was updated in 2026.
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This Region 0 NTSC DVD-R edition is available from
ALPHA VIDEO through . . .
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Other silent era BEN TURPIN films available on home video.
Other SHORT COMEDY FILMS of the silent era available on home video.
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