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Cover of The Thanhouser Collection, Volumes 1, 2 and 3

Set · The Thanhouser Collection on DVD

The Thanhouser Collection, Volumes 1, 2 and 3

Thirteen Thanhouser films gathered from archives around the world, from the studio's early years to Edwin Thanhouser's return. Original music composed and performed by Andrew Crow.

13 films · 3 discs · 4 hr 22 min · 1911 to 1916 · Released 2004

Watch the first film freeBuy the DVD · $24.95

Every film on this set is free to watch here. Download the film notes (PDF)

Volume 1 · 1911 to 1912

The Early Years

5 films · 1 hr 5 min

  • Family disharmony with a happy ending, featuring Marie Eline, "The Thanhouser Kid."

  • A moral tale about material wealth, with William Garwood, William Russell and Marguerite Snow.

  • A love story with a stowaway and a shipwreck, filmed on Long Island Sound, with William Garwood.

  • Watch14:23

    1911

    Cinderella

    An elaborate version of the fairy tale, with Florence La Badie and Harry Benham.

  • James Cruze as Jekyll and Hyde in the second American film of Stevenson's novel, with Florence La Badie.

Volume 2 · 1912 to 1914

Under the Mutual Banner

5 films · 1 hr 26 min

  • A pre-war film on child labor reform, photographed by Carl Louis Gregory. On the National Film Registry since 2011.

  • An early "women's lib" story with a comic twist, with Florence La Badie, William Russell and William Garwood.

  • The Nativity told with a cast of hundreds, in a one-reel British cut of the three-reel original.

  • Watch16:08

    1914

    The Decoy

    Romance and crime with Muriel Ostriche and Morgan Jones, a Princess film.

  • A fantasy about Helen Badgley, "The Kidlet," and Shep, the Thanhouser collie.

Volume 3 · 1915 to 1916

Edwin Thanhouser Returns

3 films · 1 hr 51 min

  • A two-reel suspense drama with inventive camera work, with Florence La Badie and Morris Foster.

  • A down-and-out vaudeville team attempts Shakespeare. A Falstaff comedy.

  • Jeanne Eagels' film debut, as a prostitute turned faith healer. A five-reel feature.

Reviews

What reviewers said

These reviews were written for the VHS release, Thanhouser Classics, which had the same three volumes and films.

“Anyone who enjoys this fairy tale can't afford to miss seeing this, the earliest known surviving film adaptation of this well loved story.”
Robert KlepperThe Silents Majority, 1996Volume 1Read the review →
“This film really demonstrates what an emotional impact a mere 11 minutes of motion picture images can have!”
Robert KlepperThe Silents Majority, 1996Volume 2Read the review →
“The World and the Woman shows us Jeanne Eagels at her very best.”
Robert KlepperThe Silents Majority, 1996Volume 3Read the review →
“This set used the best available preprint material — much of it beautifully preserved — and has elegant new organ scores by Andrew Crow and a booklet.”
Gary MorrisBright Lights Film Journal, January 1999Volumes 1, 2 and 3Read the review →

About this set

Music
Composed and performed by Andrew Crow for this set
Film notes
Booklet (PDF)
Released
2004, by Thanhouser Company Film Preservation, Inc.
Press release
PDF
Discs
3 discs, Region 0, play in any country

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