Home Theater United Episode 39 - What's Cooking at Warner Archive Collection with Mr. George Feltenstein (1 Viewer)

[Sam Posten]

episode-39-what-s-cooking-at-warner-archive-collection-with-mr-george-feltenstein



Home Theater United

Episode 39

September 19, 2022 6:30 PM EST

What’s cooking at Warner Archive (Target time about 1h):

• Intro by sam: Who is Mr. George Feltenstein? What’s his history with Warner?
• He’s been a great friend to HTF over the years and we’d love to visit with him again =) THANKS to Ronald Epstein for bringing Mr. Feltenstein to the show!
• So big changes with Warner Archive moving from Time Warner to The new Warner Brothers Discovery, what can you tell us about this transition?
• Adam Lenhart wonders if the sale is having effects on preservation. How has the role of film preservation changed? What’s the latest on it? Is new technology helping it, or making it more economical?
• Is Warner going “Streaming first”? Is there a way to say what has priority between theatrical, streaming, digital ownership and physical media? Are DVDs dead? Is MoD dead? Do you think streaming has good and well killed movies on demand?
• So… given the big changes and now 13 years in… what does the future of the warner archive collection look like? GF : I will address this
• It seems like everything is merging together into one of 2-3 big companies, yet there’s 18 different streaming services. How do you see this shaking out?
• How are you feeling about the future of actual movie theaters? Can they survive?
• What’s been recently announced that you are most excited about?

HTF questions:

• Jim Bur: THANKS for great 2020-2021 releases! Especially technicolor stuff
• Roland L and many many others: Anything in the pipe in 3d?
• Silent films?
• Angelo Columbus: Next year is the 100th anniversary! Big plans? & Robert Crawford: I would like to ask him if next year’s Warner’s Centennial celebration will include titles across the different studio releases now under Warner control. Will there be a mixture of Warner, MGM, RKO and Goldwyn titles coming out on physical media in 2023, to celebrate 100 years of Warner?
• Ricard M S: Have there been any recent "unexpected" discoveries of film elements/missing footage in the vaults that are being incorporated into upcoming blu-ray release? particularly interested in the still-unreleased complete MATA HARI.
• Battlebeast and others Any best picture winners in the pipe? Do they tend to be given priority?
• Rafael Piress: Any chance of getting back to 5-7 releases a month?
• SWFF: plans for more horror and/or SciFi flicks, and, maybe, more Hammer Films?
• JC Riesenbeck and others: Any chance of A Summer Place? (Sam notes this was his parents first date movie he thinks!)
• Lots of folks asking about TV shows, Sam Favate wants to know about Babylon 5
• Lots of folks interested in more classic animation, 80s forever notes the hints were for lots of animation in 2022, Delayed or off the table? GF: I will address
• Stephen J H how about collabs with cartoon network? GF: I will address
• Deepscan: Any collaborations with Criterion, like maybe an ultimate Superman set
• Arthur Powell: Anything happening on the silent film front (Greed, The Crowd, The Wind, The Student Prince of Old Heidelberg, The Fire Brigade, So This Is Paris, the 1924 version of Captain Blood, etc.)?
• Mark-P: The Opposite Sex Blu-ray having mono sound will ever be corrected and a replacement program initiated? Robert Harris made the following comment over a year and a half ago and nothing has come of it.
• Xochipill: anything for fans of 70mm like Ryan's Daughter and Cheyenne Autumn?
• Keith Cobby: Any update on the hinted on Three Little Words?
• Keith also asks Updates to 4k for big Blus like North By Northwest? Or are those not as important with great blurays already out
• Mark Brown Ask what is Warner's position on using Perspecta on MGM titles?

Specific Titles:

Larry P: Any plans for the Warner-owned Abbott and Costello films? These are the last A&C holdouts for blu-ray. Also, how about some more love for Lucy? - more RKO and of course "The Long, Long Trailer". A complete restoration of TV's Adventures of Superman would be amazing. Oh, and Gilligan needs to be rescued from DVD and onto Blu!

Duke Togo: Will WAC/Warner have access to the restoration work that Second Sight is doing with The Hitcher in the UK? WAC has about 200 Golden Harvest titles. Any updates on when we might see any in the line?

Joel Arnt: Are more titles starring Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, ...

Mark Mayes Gone with the Wind in 4k? (Sam asks has GWTW survived its time in the barrel recently!)

David Weiker Captain Blood

Astairefan: Any golden age musicals in the pipeline? Especially Astaire / Rogers films.

Lots of folks asked about Northwest Passage or Raintree County. Is raintree still problematic as reported in the past?

Stephen JH: Cartoon Network collab ?

Travelling Man: more Marx Brothers ?

Owen 35: hanna barbar?

Klaus: The Prisoner of Zenda (1937)

 

[Sam Posten]

Background info:
(33) George Feltenstein | LinkedIn
George Feltenstein - IMDb
IamA George Feltenstein from Warner Archive at Warner Bros. AMA! : movies (reddit.com)
Warner Archive Mailbag August 2022 — The Extras

If you want more recent history especially about Raintree County Start here:
The Extras: The Origins of Warner Archive with George Feltenstein on Apple Podcasts


WarnerBros.com | WB Q&A - George Feltenstein | Articles

 

[Sam Posten]

Reserved

 

[Robert Crawford]

A great podcast! I suggest anybody interested in WA titles, listen to Sam's interview with George Feltenstein. A special thanks to both, Sam and George.

Some tidbits from the podcast:

• WA hoping to release 4-6 titles a month. Based on the interview, I think that's more likely to happen in 2023, than the last couple of months of this year.

• George stated they're trying to establish a return disc program for the disc errors of "The Opposite Sex" and "Ghost Ship". An announcement will be coming to HTF, once that program is set-up.

• WA looking at releasing 3-4 silent films onto Blu-ray in 2023, with a possibility that 1-2 titles might be pushed out to 2024.

• 3-D movies have some commercial value issues due to the shrinking number of people able to watch 3-D movies. WA looking at some 3-D animation mentioned on the HTF. George Feltenstein: Not a promise, but there is some hope regarding those couple of 3-D cartoons.

• Both, Warner Archive and Warner Home Video will be celebrating Warner's 100th Anniversary next year with several titles in 2023, on Blu-ray along with some 4K/UHD releases. Warner Archive's 2023 main focus will be on Warner Brothers titles while Warner Home Video having a broader selection of Warner, MGM and RKO titles. WA still trying to get approval to release some 4K/UHD titles. George is advocating "Gone with the Wind" and "The Adventures of Robin Hood" for 4K/UHD release, but still seeking approval from Warner superiors. Warner Home Video will be releasing some classic films onto 4K/UHD in 2023.

• More than one Best Picture Winner is in the WA pipeline for 2023, and beyond.

• One more Classic Horror movie will be released on Blu-ray in 2022.

• Warner's working relationship with Criterion will continue so more Warner owned titles will be released by Criterion in the future.

• WA working on some classic animation for 2023 and beyond.

• Nothing yet on 70mm films like "Ryan's Daughter".

• The title "Three Little Words" (1950) could be in the pipeline. Film elements have been scanned, but no master is made yet.

• Some Technicolor films are in the pipeline, but the cost is expensive in comparison to other color formats and black and white films.

• Raintree County (1957) is another expensive project that if approved is several years out. No promises regarding that title due to the expense and the film element issues that need to be resolved.

• Northwest Passage (1940) has no film element issues. It's not on the schedule, but needs restoration and more work before it can be released on Blu-ray.

• Regarding "Captain Blood" (1935), something is happening and that's all George can say about that title. Nothing going on with the 1924 film version.

• Fred Astaire/Ginger Rogers musicals have film elements in terrible shape. Only one of nine such films still has its OCN. Nothing happening right now, but there is hope for the future.

• Regarding "A Summer Place" no HD Master exists. George is aware of the interest in a Blu-ray release.

• North by Northwest (1959) 4K/UHD is not on the schedule for 2023. A possibility in 2024.

• The Prisoner of Zenda (1937) has film element issues. The 1952 Technicolor version might be a possibility, but approval and work not done.

 

[Angelo Colombus]

Great podcast and the news about some silent film releases for next year and I hope more Marx Bros. Very happy to hear that George suggested to Criterion to release Citizen Kane as their first 4K disc.

 

[Sam Posten]

Great podcast and the news about some silent film releases for next year and I hope more Marx Bros. Very happy to hear that George suggested to Criterion to release Citizen Kane as their first 4K disc.

Yep definitely a few embarrassing moments for me, like not knowing there are 30(!!!) Warner criterion’s already!

 

[JohnMor]

George Feltenstein is a cinematic treasure in his own right. What a gift for cinema fans and fans of physical media. Here’s hoping the transition with WBD brings viability to his plans and desires for the catalogue.

Thanks for this fun and informative interview!

 

[jayembee]

Yep definitely a few embarrassing moments for me, like not knowing there are 30(!!!) Warner criterion’s already!

And that's not even including the New Line Cinema titles!

 

[Ken_Martinez]

Kinda disappointed at the lack of detail on classic animation, especially compared to how much went into stuff like Babylon 5 and silent film and other topics.


I take it classic animation is a sore topic at WAC.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I take it classic animation is a sore topic at WAC.

You and I must have listened to different podcasts because George Feltenstein appeared to be very optimistic about classic animation in 2023 and beyond.

 

[Sam Posten]

You and I must have listened to different podcasts because George Feltenstein appeared to be very optimistic about classic animation in 2023 and beyond.

This!!!!

 

[Sam Posten]

Thanks for the feedback all. Request for you: if you see this episode being discussed at other sites would you please link it here or send me a pm? Thanks!

 

[Keith Cobby]

Great podcast. Thanks Sam, thanks George.

 

[RobertMG]

Great podcast. Thanks Sam, thanks George.

GREAT interview and thanks on Northwest Passage!

 

[RobertMG]

GREAT interview and thanks on Northwest Passage!

Sam I think the 100th of MGM is 2024 so makes sense North by Northwest in 2024. So next next year 2023 WB's 100th! Going to be a fun time!

 

[Astairefan]

Sam I think the 100th of MGM is 2024 so makes sense North by Northwest in 2024. So next next year 2023 WB's 100th! Going to be a fun time!

I'd sooner say that it's more likely because 2024 would be the 65th anniversary of North By Northwest (given how much the studios seem to rely on releasing films during their anniversary years).

 

[RobertMG]

I'd sooner say that it's more likely because 2024 would be the 65th anniversary of North By Northwest (given how much the studios seem to rely on releasing films during their anniversary years).

Wonder if the one original neg on Astaire Rogers is Barkley's of Broadway? Great podcast though!

 

[Astairefan]

Wonder if the one original neg on Astaire Rogers is Barkley's of Broadway? Great podcast though!

I think he was talking about the RKO films, not their lone MGM film.

 

[RobertMG]

I think he was talking about the RKO films, not their lone MGM film.

That what I was wondering but he really did not clarify - the sets they did later the two sets was missing Carefree?

 

[Keith Cobby]

I thought it was interesting at the beginning when George told us the size of the library. It puts into perspective the chances of any one title being released and clearly as they are a business, it is the top titles that generate most revenue. Many will never reach blu ray and only a trickle will make it to 4k, perhaps only a couple each year. It looks like Robin Hood and North by Northwest will be released within the next year or two and perhaps GWTW. It wasn't mentioned specifically, but I am hopeful Around the World in 80 Days is in the (blu ray) pipeline (as an AA winner).