Grass and Chang (Blu-ray)

In 1924, filmmakers Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack (King Kong) linked up with journalist and part- time spy Marguerite Harrison to film adventure, danger and unparalleled drama in the treacherous migration of the Bakhtiari tribe of Persia. GRASS: A NATION’S BATTLE FOR LIFE features unforgettable tableaus of courage and determination as the Bakhtiari brave the raging Karun River. This new 4K restoration will astonish audiences with its beautiful photography and heart-stopping adventure. GRASS is a timeless tale of survival from a legendary filmmaking trio. Featuring original music composed by Patrick Holcomb and performed by Malcolm Dalglish and students of the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music.

Cooper and Schoedsack teamed up again in 1927 for CHANG: A DRAMA OF THE WILDERNESS, a magical story of a Thai family’s struggle to survive the forces of nature. Shot entirely in Siam, the film tells of a farmer and his family who live at the edge of a massive jungle. Living in the wilderness, the family’s very survival is threatened by their jungle neighbors – including bears, lizards, tigers, and even a catastrophic elephant stampede. Featuring one of the most terrific sequences shot with real animals put to film, this 2K restoration of CHANG will astonish and delight. With a traditional Thai score composed and conducted by Bruce Gaston and performed by Fong Naam.

The 4K restoration of GRASS was overseen by Milestone Films with the cooperation of the Museum of Modern Art and Library of Congress. 4K scans of the lone surviving but incomplete 35mm tinted and toned nitrate print were provided by the Library of Congress. 4K scans of Cooper’s internegative were done at the Museum of Modern Art. Using the LoC material as the main source, missing sections were sourced from the MoMA scans.

The 2K restoration of CHANG was overseen by Milestone Films. The scan was performed by FilmMedia, and stabilization and cleanup was performed by Kino Lorber.