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What non-silent films have been lost and there are no prints? (1 Viewer)

PaulBigelow

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Nov 5, 2002
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139
Hello,

It has been stated that many pre-1950's movies have been lost due to deterioration. This would lead me to think that some color and sound films have been lost.

One example could be the original cut of "The Magnificent Ambersons", although, of couse, some footage does survive.

Any other notable examples of "lost forever" post-talkie films?
 

Rob Gardiner

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Feb 15, 2002
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I don't have any specific titles for you, but I've read that fifty percent of all pre-1950 films, and a staggering ninety percent of all silents are now lost.
 

Evan Case

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Jan 22, 2000
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The Rogue Song, a 1930 Technicolor operetta with an Oscar-nominated performance by Lawrence Tibbett, is now gone, though the complete soundtrack still exists. Someone found a few minutes of footage relatively recently, however.

The film, directed by Lionel Barrymore (!), is probably best known now for featuring Laurel and Hardy as comedic support (apparently, they are only glorified cameos). The found footage, iirc, is a scene of L&H asleep in a cave and meeting a bear. I remember seeing this scene on TCM once, probably during their L&H marathon.

Evan
 

Bill Williams

Screenwriter
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May 28, 2003
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The original 134-minute master cut of Superman IV is believed gone forever as well. Once the disastrous sneak preview had been shown, Warner Bros. ordered the film to be cut, and some 42 minutes of footage was excised from the print, with the remaining footage slapped together for theatrical release (90 minutes for the U.S. version, 93 minutes for the European version). Different trailers and TV spots have used portions of the excised scenes in promoting the film, all of which are evidence that the footage was in fact shot and filmed, though the master footage has not been located. Attempts to track down the master print have turned up nothing to this point, so we must therefore conclude that the master print and the missing 42 minutes of footage are gone forever. Some may say "good riddance" to it, while others may not.
 

KDHM

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Check out this web site that lists most of the early sound films and which ones are lost
Vitaphone
kd
 

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