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The Toll of the Sea (1923)
The Toll of the Sea (1923) poster

The Toll of the Sea (1923)

Drama, Romance • 54m

Director: Chester M. Franklin

Cast: Beatrice Bentley, Kenneth Harlan, Anna May Wong, Priscilla Moran, Etta Lee, Ming Young

Best English-friendly & video release

Official HD Streaming by UCLA

HD Streaming
Video notes:

Official HD Streaming by UCLA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HInIK4k2na4

Official HD Streaming by UCLA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HInIK4k2na4

Restored from 35mm negative

Updated 10 months ago


About the film

A young Chinese woman saves an American man washed up onto the shore and the two fall in love, only for him to have second thoughts.

More from Chester M. Franklin

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Director: Chester M. Franklin

Best English-Friendly:

Kino Lorber Blu-ray

Best Video:

Kino Lorber Blu-ray 2K scan

More from UCLA

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Director: James P. Hogan

Video format: Only Unofficial Sources

Sources: search.library.ucla.edu (opens in a new tab)

Best Video:

Very rough unofficial VHS rip exists online.

UCLA has complete 16mm safety print but no release or restoration yet https://search.library.ucla.edu/permalink/01UCS_LAL/tk6osu/alma99122723506533

Directors: Kathy Levitt & Christine Lesiak & Michie Gleason

Video format: HD Streaming

Director: Nick Elliot

Video format: HD Streaming

Director: David García

Video format: Only Unofficial Sources

Sources: YouTube (opens in a new tab)

Best Video:

Unofficial Youtube 

New UCLA restoration no release yet

Director: Ray Manzarek

Video format: HD Streaming

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Official HD Streaming by UCLA on Youtube

Sources: YouTube (opens in a new tab)

Director: Frank Tashlin

Video format: HD Streaming

Director: Sid Laverents

Video format: HD Streaming

More Drama on Blu-ray

Director: Robert Altman

4K · Excellent
Best English-Friendly & Video:

Vinegar Syndrome Cinématographe 4K Blu-ray

Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab) · Blu-ray.com (opens in a new tab)

Video Notes:

Cinematrographe's HDR grading is overcooked, which is a known VinSyn tendency. Additionally, their booklet mis-credits the encode to FiM.

YMMV, but for some, the included BD encoded by Marcus Johnson—ironically may make for a more pleasing experience.

Director: Roman Polanski

4K · Solid
Best English-Friendly & Video:

Carlotta France 4K Blu-ray

Sources: Blu-ray.com (opens in a new tab)

Upcoming Release:

UK 4K teased by 88 Films https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?p=24252379

Video Notes:

Carlotta France 4K Blu-ray > Vinegar Syndrome 4K Blu-ray (better encode on Carlotta without any low-pass filtering, more extras and English subtitles on Vinegar Syndrome)

Director: Alan J. Pakula

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Olive Films Blu-ray

Director: Vincente Minnelli

Best English-Friendly & Video:

MGM Blu-ray

Director: Steve Gordon

Best English-Friendly & Video:

WB Blu-ray

Director: John Woo

4K · Excellent
Best English-Friendly & Video:

Arrow 4K Blu-ray or Imprint 4K Blu-ray

Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab) · Blu-ray.com (opens in a new tab)

Upcoming Release:

Plaion Germany 4K Blu-ray

Video Notes:

Arrow has a different grade and a better encode than the Shout! Factory, though the difference in either is not major. Imprint release, which leaves Shout! Factory's master and subtitles as is, is encoded by FiM. https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.php?p=24473097&postcount=56

Best Audio:

Original mix: Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray

Alternate mix: Scanbox Nordic PAL DVD

Surround remix: HK Video France 4K Blu-ray (5.0)

Audio Notes:

Original mix: Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray (similar to Criterion LaserDisc, but less distorted)

Alternate mix: Scanbox Nordic PAL DVD

Surround remix: HK Video France 4K Blu-ray (5.0)

Arrow used the alternate mix, but with extra filtering and lowered dynamic range. The alternate mix has much better fidelity.

Imprint presumably used the Shout! Factory original mix and left it as is, though no official confirmation.

Additional Info:

Arrow has a much better translation.

Arrow LE has the Taiwan Extended Cut which will not be present on the standard edition. However, Imprint is FiM and has its own archival extras not present on the Arrow.

Director: Richard Brooks

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Warner Archive Blu-ray

Video Notes:

4K restoration from Original Camera Negative

Director: Vincent Sherman

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Warner Archive Blu-ray

Video Notes:

4K restoration from Original Camera Negative

Director: Jonathan Demme

4K · Excellent
Best English-Friendly & Video:

Arrow 4K Blu-ray

Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)

Best Audio:

1991 Orion LaserDisc vs 2024 Arrow 4K Blu-ray

Additional Info:

Criterion Blu-ray has exclusive extras

Edit history

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Researched and maintained by

vanshady

· last reviewed 10 months ago

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