Robert Harris on The Bits: The Alamo (1 Viewer)

[Larry Sutliff]

Absolutely wonderful news, and I can't wait to see the results.

 

[Robert Harris]

Glad this finally got the green light!! Excellent news!

It should be noted for those who have not read the base piece on Bits, that while green lit, this project is not fully funded.

 

[joefantom]

Hello, to everyone who reads this. In regards to "The Alamo" the much beloved movie that the Duke wanted to make since the late forties and as everyone knows had a hell of a time making it let alone just trying to finance it and then went to into a lot of debt by financing the project himself and directing it. It seems to me that the Alamo the movie it self (on its own merit) is fighting the whole Santa Anna regimne all over again. Only this time it's against TIME. The time it took for the negatives and all the film stock to detiraite to where it lies now, the time it took that no one cared about it for years, and now the time it takes with LOVING CARE to fully restore as best that can be done with todays technowledgy. I was not born in Texas but I was raised there since 1964 I can remmber my farther taking me and my brother to see it when it was still playing in Dallas, TX then. I still to this day get chills by certain scenes, but mostly by what was said and how it was said. To not restore or do any thing to this much beloved film would be a travesty of holocost perportions beyond belief. This is why it is so important that this movie be restored to its fullest capacity that man and film historaians can bestow upon an extremely remarkable film such as this

" T H E A L A M O " . To anyone who has ever been to any battle site or seen any movie about an historic battle and subseqently went to that battle site in years since, know percisley what it means to have faught for and belevied in what this country stands for. I hope with all my heart that what ever time it takes to restore this truly remarkable movie. It's done with love and the tenderness I know it will be given by those who handle it.

Donald J Gallion

Gunnery Sergant, U. S. Marine Corps, Retired

Thanks to all who read this for letting

me vet and soap box it for awhile.

 

[Patrick McCart]

So, the "general release" footage would be utilized from the 65mm separations and possibly some of what's left of the negative (like on Disney's restoration of Pollyanna), with the roadshow-only footage taken from the sole existing 70mm print?

What are the plans for the faded roadshow footage? Would it be necessary to use colorization like the system Legend Films uses?

 

[Robert Harris]

What are the plans for the faded roadshow footage? Would it be necessary to use colorization like the system Legend Films uses?

All avenues have been or are being tested, inclusive of new technology.

 

[Robert Harris]

" T H E A L A M O " . To anyone who has ever been to any battle site or seen any movie about an historic battle and subseqently went to that battle site in years since, know percisley what it means to have fought for and believed in what this country stands for. I hope with all my heart that what ever time it takes to restore this truly remarkable movie. It's done with love and the tenderness I know it will be given by those who handle it.
Donald J Gallion
Gunnery Sergant, U. S. Marine Corps, Retired
Thanks to all who read this for letting
me vet and soap box it for awhile.

Thank you. Its nice to have the support of the Marines, and welcome to HTF!
RAH

 

[Felix Martinez]

Great news! Already putting the word out via Twitter, Facebook, etc.

For those who are fortunate to work at companies that have "matching gifts" for non-profit/501(c)(3) orgs - be sure to leverage those funds as well.

 

[DaViD Boulet]

Has a mechanism for contributing to this fund been finalized? The moment it is, I'd like to use my own web venue to help support the cause, and make a donation myself.
Pathetically, when I hear "The Alamo" the cinematic association that first comes to mind is Pee Wee Herman's Big Adventure. I saw The Alamo a long time ago on television as a kid but never since. I think I need to personally invest in this restoration so I can get a Blu-ray or 70mm screening in my future and rectify this cultural deficit in my movie-memory.

 

[Robert Harris]

Has a mechanism for contributing to this fund been finalized? The moment it is, I'd like to use my own web venue to help support the cause, and make a donation myself.
Pathetically, when I hear "The Alamo" the cinematic association that first comes to mind is Pee Wee Herman's Big Adventure. I saw The Alamo a long time ago on television as a kid but never since. I think I need to personally invest in this restoration so I can get a Blu-ray or 70mm screening in my future and rectify this cultural deficit in my movie-memory.

David,
Thank you. We should have something together shortly. The Alamo is one of those handful of films, much like Lawrence, Spartacus and Ben-Hur, which simply do not work on a small screen, much less a telephone.
In 70mm they are examples of the wonders of the cinematic world.
RAH

 

[clownjuggles]

Robert,

Glad to hear we are so close. Would contributions be able to be written off as charitable given as the result is to be used for charity work?

Peter

 

[Robert Harris]

Robert,
Glad to hear we are so close. Would contributions be able to be written off as charitable given as the result is to be used for charity work?
Peter

Yes. They must go through a properly accredited 501(3)(c), and this is being worked out at present.

 

[Comixguru]

I know Paypal may take a fee and percentage, but I think there is a huge lost opportunity here. Releasing the article on the Bits and not having an avenue to contribute is leaving people very willing to contribute with no way to help. Foolish to worry about small contributions while you take no contributions.

 

[Robert Harris]

contributions.

We're not against the receipt of contributions via Paypal. This is one of the things that needs to be ironed out, as it would be inappropriate for our company to accept them directly.

 

[Sam Posten]

I'm definitely interested in helping out in whatever way possible members here at HTF can contribute! Paypal sounds like a good conduit if you can make it work. I'll contribute double for IAMMMMWorld too =)

 

[Robert Harris]

I'm definitely interested in helping out in whatever way possible members here at HTF can contribute! Paypal sounds like a good conduit if you can make it work. I'll contribute double for IAMMMMWorld too =)

Thank you, Sam. As I noted in an earlier post, some of the technology that we're creating for The Alamo is also necessary for Mad World, so the two projects dovetail nicely.
RAH

 

[dcarty]

Hello Mr Harris!

Long time admirer, first time poster.

I know your team is exploring every available avenue but, to put my oar in, I wonder if some sort of subscription service would be an option? Back in the 1950s it was fairly common practice for smaller record labels to fund Classical Music recordings basically by selling them in advance. I'd love to help support the project no matter how donations are ultimately accepted but I wouldn't mind buying my Blu-Ray copy up front at a special subscription price--especially knowing that the purchase helped to fund the restoration.

I realize it's more complicated than just accepting donations but just my $.02

Dave

 

[Robert Harris]

Hello Mr Harris!
Long time admirer, first time poster.
I know your team is exploring every available avenue but, to put my oar in, I wonder if some sort of subscription service would be an option? Back in the 1950s it was fairly common practice for smaller record labels to fund Classical Music recordings basically by selling them in advance. I'd love to help support the project no matter how donations are ultimately accepted but I wouldn't mind buying my Blu-Ray copy up front at a special subscription price--especially knowing that the purchase helped to fund the restoration.
I realize it's more complicated than just accepting donations but just my $.02
Dave

Interesting idea and approach...
Possibly a special Blu-ray along with some 70mm frames of film for contributions above a certain reasonable amount.
Thanks for the input.

 

[Dennis Gallagher]

I mentioned this many years ago in reference to a
proposed "Mad World" restoration:
Would Martin Scorsese's Film Foundation accept
donations tagged for a specific project?
The Film Foundation

 

[Robert Harris]

I mentioned this many years ago in reference to a
proposed "Mad World" restoration:
Would Martin Scorsese's Film Foundation accept
donations tagged for a specific project?
The Film Foundation

The Film Foundation has its own agenda and list of films.

 

[Alstrup]

Dear Robert,

We spoke on the phone many years ago (early 90´s) about the restoration of Lawrence (when I called you from Copenhagen, I will never forget that illuminating conversation, also since we got interrupted by a thunderstorm which knocked out the entire NYC powergrid).

I am really happy to see that this particular project will FINALLY go forward, not a moment to soon and hopefully not to late....

Are you in contact with the editor of in70mm.com about the current project?

It would be fantastic at the end of this whole project if you could come to the International Copenhagen 70mm film festival next year and present the film.

I wish you and your team all the best for the work ahead!

A question: why the decision to scan to Vistavision instead of 65mm?

Many thanks,

Ole ALstrup