... because you get to see how early talking films were made for those who do not speak English. Often, a studio would dub an important film into Spanish, German, Italian, and French. This is the Spanish language version of Buster's talking film debut, "Free and Easy".
Buster is present from the original cast, along with people who are actual employees of MGM studio, such as Lionel Barrymore and Fred Niblo. The rest of the cast is Hispanic, the most prominent being Raquel Torres, who had a few leading roles at MGM during the late silent/early sound era. Her most prominent role was probably in "White Shadows in the South Seas" (1928). Torres takes the role played by Anita Page in the English language version.
In terms of art form, this is NOT the Spanish language version of Dracula, which in artistic and photographic terms was as good as or better than the English speaking Dracula. So the way that studios would, for the first few years of talkies, make these alternative language versions is to have the English speaking stars read their lines phonetically off of cue cards just off stage. So poor Buster was often stuck going all the way through a dismal film several times in several languages. No wonder his drinking problem worsened after 1930.
For years unavailable, Estrellados is now available from the Warner Archive on DVD as a double feature with "Free and Easy", the English language version.
Buster is present from the original cast, along with people who are actual employees of MGM studio, such as Lionel Barrymore and Fred Niblo. The rest of the cast is Hispanic, the most prominent being Raquel Torres, who had a few leading roles at MGM during the late silent/early sound era. Her most prominent role was probably in "White Shadows in the South Seas" (1928). Torres takes the role played by Anita Page in the English language version.
In terms of art form, this is NOT the Spanish language version of Dracula, which in artistic and photographic terms was as good as or better than the English speaking Dracula. So the way that studios would, for the first few years of talkies, make these alternative language versions is to have the English speaking stars read their lines phonetically off of cue cards just off stage. So poor Buster was often stuck going all the way through a dismal film several times in several languages. No wonder his drinking problem worsened after 1930.
For years unavailable, Estrellados is now available from the Warner Archive on DVD as a double feature with "Free and Easy", the English language version.