"AT LONG LAST LOVE" , "Where's Charley?" "Song of Norway" Status on musicals misfires (1 Viewer)

[ahollis]

Originally Posted by GMpasqua /t/318244/at-long-lsat-love-wheres-charley-song-of-norway-status-on-musicals-misfires#post_3894847
This would most likely come out under Image or Anchor Bay. Disney will never put it out under their label. MGM could use a 35MM element for a MOD dvd

ABC holds the rights to Song Of Norway. They leased it to Anchor Bay with their other films, such as the Selznick titles and Krakatoa, East of Java, The Last Valley, Straw Dogs, Zachariah, and The Grissom Gang back in the middle 90's. That lease was up in 2002 and Disney/ABC entered into a leasing agreement with MGM for those titles. As long as MGM has the lease to the library, Song of Norway is included. There will be no Disney, Image or Anchor Bay in the foreseeable future. MGM has not released any ABC Pictures, or Goldwyn estate films that they also lease, on MOD. Though MGM just released the three Hitchcock films that ABC owns on Blu-ray a couple of weeks ago. But again MGM will not fork over the cost for Song of Norway and I don't think Disney/ABC will either. Also think about all the full frame UA films that MGM has put out under their MOD program, knowing full well that they were filmed for exhibition in widescreen and they would not pay for new transfers. Off the subject some, but the MGM MOD program leaves alot to be desired.

Our immediate hope is for a region free Blu-ray from one of the international markets, where MGM does not hold rights. Do you know anyone over there?

 

[Ed Lachmann]

I've a question about another part of Greg's original post. What does, in fact, remain of PORGY AND BESS? On 9/27/07, DeeF posted on this Forum: "At a screening of a 35mm print of PORGY AND BESS last night at the Ziegfield Theater in NY, it was mentioned that the original elements all exist, and would cost about $2.5 million to restore the film." I attended a screening in Los Angeles a couple years ago where a dark and unimpressive 35mm print was presented. Someone in attendance mentioned that this was the only complete print in existence. Does anyone know more about these original elements? I'm sure that this would be a success if it were restored and released. A superb cast, gorgeous music, what's not to love? It's at the top of my BD wish list.

 

[Charles Smith]

I saw that showing at the Ziegfeld. I don't remember the print as dark and unimpressive. As I recall, brightness, contrast and colors seemed fine. The problem there was that keeping the image in focus, or in focus on both sides of the screen at once. seemed to be a severe and constant battle. There were times that it settled down, but it was rough going. I'm also remembering a very noticeable, intermittent hum. They did state that that was the only complete print in existence. The audience was small that night, but patient, understanding, and totally enthusiastic in hoping for a restoration and eventual release.

 

[ahollis]

Originally Posted by Ed Lachmann /t/318244/at-long-lsat-love-wheres-charley-song-of-norway-status-on-musicals-misfires#post_3894894
I've a question about another part of Greg's original post. What does, in fact, remain of PORGY AND BESS? On 9/27/07, DeeF posted on this Forum: "At a screening of a 35mm print of PORGY AND BESS last night at the Ziegfield Theater in NY, it was mentioned that the original elements all exist, and would cost about $2.5 million to restore the film." I attended a screening in Los Angeles a couple years ago where a dark and unimpressive 35mm print was presented. Someone in attendance mentioned that this was the only complete print in existence. Does anyone know more about these original elements? I'm sure that this would be a success if it were restored and released. A superb cast, gorgeous music, what's not to love? It's at the top of my BD wish list.

It has the same problems as Song of Norway. It is owned by the Samuel Goldwyn estate. MGM has a lease on the Goldwyn Sr. Films which they made when they purchased Goldwyn Jr. films and distribution company. Up until last year, the major obstacle was the Gershwin estate did not like the film and refused to renew copyrights with the Goldwyn estate. Now that problem is almost gone, but MGM will not put up the money for a title they do not own and the Goldwyn's don't want to since they don't have absolute control over the title now. The agreement between MGM and the Goldwyn's should be up in the next couple of years. Knowing where MGM business plan is, I don't see them renewing the agreement.

I understand that the print at the Ziegfield was from a private collector. I have read that the elements are all there for a rescue. I wish I could win the lottery and have this restored along with Alamo, Hawaii, and IAMMMMW.

 

[Ed Lachmann]

Thank you, Allen, for the good news and information. That must have been the same print we saw at LACMA. I'd really love to see the other titles you mentioned restored, as well.

 

[Joe Caps]

ne person here claims that Song of Norway had some success. But it would have opened throughout the country in 70mm and all of those prints would have been contact printed of of the 70mm negative.
Two - NO collector has an IB Tech 70mm of this film. Why? there are NO ib Techs of any 70mm film. Technicolor never geared up for 70mm.
Porgy and Bess- Tom Bodley, who was head of post production for Goldwyn did a restoration of the 70mm neg and the six track of Porgy around 1983.
No prints have been made since then. I don't see why it should not be in good shape now.

 

[NY2LA]

ne person here claims that Song of Norway had some success. But it would have opened throughout the country in 70mm and all of those prints would have been contact printed of of the 70mm negative.

I'm not going to argue degree of success or boxoffice figures. A roadshow opening in the states and beyond would still be just a handful of prints, what, 50, 75 total, and not necessarily all off the OCN. There weren't so many Cinerama screens left, and not all roadshow houses could play 70mm... but however you look at it, it was no Sound of Music, nor My Fair Lady, etc. so the elements shouldn't necessarily be in such awful shape... unless they were also stored in the legendary Forum basement under six feet of water... ; )
I'm just sayin', I don't think they necessarily need "a lot of work done." We're not talkin' Joan Rivers, Michael Jackson kind of work done, more like, hmmm, Streisand or maybe Cher at most. I'm sure others could have picked better examples, but you get it, right? The difference between, "she looks nice" and when she sits down, her mouth snaps open. What's the celluloid equivalent to Botox, wet gate?

 

[NY2LA]

Also think about all the full frame UA films that MGM has put out under their MOD program, knowing full well that they were filmed for exhibition in widescreen and they would not pay for new transfers.  Off the subject some, but the MGM MOD program leaves alot to be desired. 

Could it be because FOX handles MGM's video release catalog, and we know how careless they can be? When do the titles revert back to ABC?

 

[ahollis]

Porgy and Bess- Tom Bodley, who was head of post production for Goldwyn did a restoration of the 70mm neg and the six track of Porgy around 1983.
No prints have been made since then. I don't see why it should not be in good shape now.

I guess that IB Tech print of Song is sitting next to the complete cut of The Magnificent Ambersons and the only print of London After Midnight in South America.

Great news about the Porgy & Bess negative. Perhaps when MGM loses control of the Goldwyn titles, something will happen.

 

[ahollis]

Originally Posted by NY2LA /t/318244/at-long-lsat-love-wheres-charley-song-of-norway-status-on-musicals-misfires#post_3895071
Could it be because FOX handled MGM's video release catalog, and we know how careless they can be? When do the titles revert back to ABC?

Fox distributes the MGM titles, but has no control over what elements for transfer MGM gives them or what titles are to released. The cases of West Side Story and The Greatest Story Ever Told tell that tale. It is the same for Twilight Time. The transfers that they release depend entirely on what Fox and Sony give them.

ABC Pictures licensed their films first to Anchor Bay in the early 90's where they appeared on VHS and DVD. That agreement ended in 2002 and Criterion picked up several titles for a one time release and released them in 2003, those titles included Straw Dogs, Rebbecca, Spellbound, and Notorious. In 2004 MGM got the license and first started releasing the titles that Criterion had just released and the ones that were big sellers for Anchor Bay. Over the few years, MGM released just about every title in the ABC library, except for The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Song of Norway. Reasoning, let your mind come up with it for I have no idea, unless there was a problem with source material or they just didn't think they would sell. There are three films in the group which are in public domain and MGM expressed no use for them and they are Little Lord Fauntleroy, Nothing Sacred and Made For Each Other.

This is the second licensing agreement between MGM and Disney/ABC for the films. The first was from 2004 through 2008 inclusive or five years. The agreement was renewed when both the DVD business and MGM looked a little rosier. It was reported at the time to be another 5 year deal, so that would put the end of the agreement up in 2013. With MGM releasing the three Hitchcock films in Blu-ray a couple of weeks ago, I give the expiration date some validity.

 

[NY2LA]

Fox distributes the MGM titles, but has no control over what elements for transfer MGM gives them or what titles are to released.  The cases of West Side Story and The Greatest Story Ever Told tell that tale.  It is the same for Twilight Time.  The transfers that they release depend entirely on what Fox and Sony give them. 

Yeah, sorry I don't buy that as an excuse for Fox to take no responsibility for a product THEY market with THEIR name ALL OVER it. It seems you're suggesting they are like a Coca-Cola bottling plant - independent of the company itself - that just buys the syrup and adds water and gas and bottles it. But even those bottlers are responsible for QA and spot checks to make sure a bad batch doesn't get out. All the back and forth here about WSS did not convince me that Fox couldn't have taken a look at the product. Wasn't it Mr Harris who pointed out how many hands this had to pass through who could have caught it if they had bothered to pay attention? I'm not inclined to give them a pass for yet another mistake.

This is the second licensing agreement between MGM and Disney/ABC for the films.  The first was from 2004 through 2008 inclusive or five years.  The agreement was renewed when both the DVD business and MGM looked a little rosier.  It was reported at the time to be another 5 year deal, so that would put the end of the agreement up in 2013.    With MGM releasing the three Hitchcock films in Blu-ray a couple of weeks ago, I give the expiration date some validity. 

So maybe before the year is out we can lobby Disney to keep the rights and release it.

 

[Charles Smith]

Originally Posted by ahollis /t/318244/at-long-last-love-wheres-charley-song-of-norway-status-on-musicals-misfires#post_3895086
I guess that IB Tech print of Song is sitting next to the complete cut of The Magnificent Ambersons and the only print of London After Midnight in South America.

I've just been waiting for a good time to come clean about that complete cut of Greed I found in the attic when I bought this house.

 

[Charles Smith]

Whoops, duplicate post, sorry. No further attic discoveries.

 

[Ed Lachmann]

Porgy and Bess- Tom Bodley, who was head of post production for Goldwyn did a restoration of the 70mm neg and the six track of Porgy around 1983.
No prints have been made since then. I don't see why it should not be in good shape now.

Wow, thanks Joe. Really wonderful news! I'm getting excited that this may finally happen, and from restored 70mm elements to boot!

 

[GMpasqua]

Originally Posted by Joe Caps /t/318244/at-long-last-love-wheres-charley-song-of-norway-status-on-musicals-misfires#post_3894985
Porgy and Bess- Tom Bodley, who was head of post production for Goldwyn did a restoration of the 70mm neg and the six track of Porgy around 1983.
No prints have been made since then. I don't see why it should not be in good shape now.

Does anyone at Fox or MGM even know about this information? I remember reading in one of the home video magazines in the late 80's - early 90's that "Porgy and Bess" was indeed restored - or a new element was made - to preserve the soundtrack which was found to be deteriorating. If that is the case, there should be an element for "Porgy and Bess" which could be used for Video.

In the mid 90's I saw a screening of a private collector's print and it looked great - I'm told that was the one used in recent screenings and it has not held up very well.

 

[Bob Cashill]

PORGY AND BESS was added to the National Film Registry in December. I asked critic Dave Kehr, who's part of the selection committee, about it on his blog. He said: "it was not entirely a coincidence that “Porgy and Bess” appeared on the Registry list this year. The reason the film has been out of release is an ongoing battle between the Gershin estate and the Goldwyn heirs, which has recently been settled — just in time, as the negative was languishing in a storage warehouse and was about to disintegrate. There should be a major reissue in the near future." Good news indeed.

 

[Charles Smith]

EXCELLENT news.

 

[JoHud]

Finally! I've been waiting a long time to see this one.

 

[GMpasqua]

Years ago (1978-79) Merv Griffen interviewed director Milo Forman when the film "HAIR" came out on his tv talk show. He asked the director how he prepared for the musical film. Forman explained he and his team watched a lot of musical films. Merv responsed with the good ones and Forman said, "no, the bad ones - so we would know what NOT to do" Merv aksed him to name them but Forman politely refused


"Where's Charley" the composer's estate has withheld the film from distribution until recently

Stagebound version of Broadway hit.
Ray Bolger singing the hit song "Once in Love With Amy"

 

[ahollis]

Originally Posted by GMpasqua /t/318244/at-long-last-love-wheres-charley-song-of-norway-status-on-musicals-misfires/30#post_3895548

"Where's Charley" the composer's estate has withheld the film from distribution until recently

Stagebound version of Broadway hit.
Ray Bolger singing the hit song "Once in Love With Amy"

We are now waiting on Warners to either find a decent print or decide to put some money into it. Their Facebook page indicated that they would "love" to get this out, but the elements are in very poor shape. Here's hoping that it comes soon. There is a YouTube clip of the "Once In Love With Amy" number if anyone is interested.