TCM To Air LONDON AFTER MIDNIGHT Reconstruction on Halloween (1 Viewer)

[Larry Sutliff]

This Halloween, TCM will be airing a reconstruction of the lost Lon Chaney/Tod Browning silent classic LONDON AFTER MIDNIGHT. LAM is probably one of the two or three most sought after lost films, and this news is incredible to someone like me who has wanted to see this legendary film for as long as I can remember. Rick Schmidlin, who did the reconstruction of GREED, is supervising this project. He will be assisted by Chaney historian extraordinarre Michael Blake, and there will be an original score composed by Robert Israel.
Here's a link to an article about the project in NY NEWSDAY:
REAWAKENING A FILM'S STILLS AND CHILLS
I can't wait to see this. Now if only I can get TCM before Halloween!

 

[Tim RH]

Sounds sweet. Forrest J Ackerman has always teased me with this film. I thought it was lost forever, so this is definately good news!

 

[Patrick McCart]

This ought to be interesting.

Shmidlin's restoration for Greed was brilliantly done. I kept thinking it would turn out awful, but the film is ten times better. While the 10 hour version is pretty much lost, at least we have the version Erich Von Stroheim intended next.

I wonder if he could perform a similar service for The Cameraman... a big chunk of the film has been lost for a while, but could be re-created from stills and script. Buster Keaton even described the scene in detail in an interview years later.

 

[Brian Kidd]

What a colossal waste of money! The film is lost forever! Why not use the money to help support the restoration of a deteriorating film while it can still be saved instead of "recreating" one that is already lost? I'm appalled.

 

[Brook K]

Excellent, like many, I've wanted to see this since I first read about it.

 

[Jordan_E]

It's like Pandora's Box, because we can't see it makes it worth to some people to put the money into a restoration. Besides, I've seen pictures from this movie since I was a kid and would like to see it pieced together. Since this the first year I have TCM for Halloween, I'm really looking forward to their selections!

 

[Scott Leopold]

I'm looking forward to this. I need to make sure to remind myself so I don't miss out. I've read some reports that it's not as good as the hype surrounding it, but I'd love to see a print turn up some day in a private collection somewhere.

 

[Larry Sutliff]

What a colossal waste of money! The film is lost forever! Why not use the money to help support the restoration of a deteriorating film while it can still be saved instead of "recreating" one that is already lost? I'm appalled.

Um, the people who are working on this project have done more for the preservation of silent films than nearly anyone else alive.

 

[Mark Zimmer]

While those in the know claim that the original film is a disappointing piece, I'll be tuned in to see the reconstruction for myself. Forry Ackerman has just got too many people excited about this picture. And the more silent film that TCM airs and publicizing lost film is going to be good for preservation in the long run.

 

[BarryR]

I see absolutely nothing wrong with spending $$$ on reconstructing an otherwise lost film!!! It can only enhance the need to salvage what is otherwise beyond reach.