The brilliant jazz critic and scholar Gary Giddins and esteemed musicologist (and performer) Michael Feinstein appear on-camera in separate interviews to explain Paul Whiteman’s place in American music and the broad use of the term “jazz” at that time. However, Criterion now returns to us one of these revues in King of Jazz, one of the few two-color Technicolor films of the time and an example of the kinds of artistry being done at the infancy of two technologies in Hollywood history. Made during the early years of the movie musical, this exuberant revue was one of the most extravagant, eclectic, and technically ambitious Hollywood productions of its day. Less extravagant, and more direct in black-and-white, All Americans is almost like a proof of concept for Anderson’s full-length feature the following year. King of Jazz (Criterion Collection), Blu-ray, Full Frame, Subtitled, Musicals (Theatrical), 715515212618 It’s also a garish display of excess. Criterion's Blu-ray disc of the restored KING OF JAZZ is nothing short of spectacular, with most of the footage sourced from the original camera negative. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Criterion's Blu-ray disc of the restored KING OF JAZZ is nothing short of spectacular, with most of the footage sourced from the original camera negative. Three lesser quality 35mm prints were also used and the shift from sources is noticeable, but never detracting in any way. Since 1984, we’ve dedicated ourselves to gathering the greatest films from around the world and publishing them in editions of the highest technical quality. King of Jazz. Three lesser quality 35mm prints were also used and the shift from sources is noticeable, but never detracting in any way. Three lesser quality 35mm prints were also used and the shift from sources is noticeable, but never detracting in any way. Shop King of Jazz (The Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray]. King of Jazz is a portrait of a time that was and never was - a scrapbook full of melodies and anecdotes. I was considering a blind buy, as I love 1930s films, but would appreciate hearing … Indeed, looking back, it is not surprising that King of Jazz won an Oscar for art direction in its day. King of Jazz marked the first film appearance of the popular crooner Bing Crosby, who, at the time, was a member of The Rhythm Boys, the Whiteman Orchestra's vocal trio. All right! This spectacular and technically ambitious Hollywood musical is a priceless window onto American pop culture’s view of itself in the 1930s. And, following a number of triumphant screenings at festivals around the world, is now making its DVD/Blu-ray debut as part of the Criterion Collection. The film is presented in the aspect ratio of 1.37:1 on a dual-layer disc and has been given a 1080p/24hz high-definition encode. It had not been on my radar at all, and I hadn't even heard of the film until Criterion released it. The complaining has been going here here since at least 2012, about the lack of the film, the poor quality of the print, the sloth of the restoration, the fact that it's not playing at the poster's neighborhood house, to a lack of a blu-ray/dvd release. Of course, “The Dancing Cavalier” never existed, but if it did it would resemble “King of Jazz,” a crazy quilt of a film that arrived in theaters in 1930 with an avalanche of hype and one of the biggest budgets ever afforded a movie at the time, only to suffer catastrophic box-office failure.