IT's A Mad Mad Mad Mad World Restoration - Page 4

Tino · 02-24-2005, 04:31 PM

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I'm entirely in support of restoration and preservation - NOT alteration

I agree 100%!

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As to the extended LaserDisc version, it sucked.

I wouldn't say it sucked, but it definitely changes the mood of the film for the worse, imo.

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plus whatever other cut material an expert such as Robert Harris would add in as appropriate.

I still can't get over this statement.

george kaplan · 02-24-2005, 05:10 PM

I still can't get over this statement.

Look, what I'm saying is this.

I want the fully restored roadshow version. I suspect that of the material available, it's going to be damned near impossible to figure out exactly what was and wasn't part of that original roadshow version. I trust an expert like Robert Harris to figure it out as best as possible. With the laser disc, we had Stanley Kramer, but now it falls to other experts.

If after that extended explanation, you still can't get over it, well...too bad.

Tino · 02-24-2005, 05:32 PM

I doubt Mr. Harris would agree with you George.

I doubt that he would actually take a guess as to what Mr. Kramer would have wanted to include. I think he respects the film and the art of filmmaking too much to do such a thing.

Mr Harris?

Robert Harris · 02-24-2005, 05:57 PM

We do not deal in guesswork.

Although it took almost a year of research, we now have the precise continuity for the Premiere cut of the film...

down to the frame.

RAH

Tino · 02-24-2005, 06:03 PM

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We do not deal in guesswork

I thought as much Robert. Awesome news. Thanks!

george kaplan · 02-24-2005, 07:33 PM

I doubt that he would actually take a guess as to what Mr. Kramer would have wanted to include.

Tino, I never said that I wanted Robert Harris to guess what Kramer wanted. I said I wanted him to used his expertise to figure it out. Which is exactly what happened.

Robert,

Does this mean a new dvd with the proper cut is to be forthcoming at some point?

MarkHarrison · 02-24-2005, 07:49 PM

If it helps George, I got the point you were trying to make.

Steve Tannehill · 02-24-2005, 09:05 PM

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We do not deal in guesswork.

Although it took almost a year of research, we now have the precise continuity for the Premiere cut of the film...

down to the frame.

RAH

With that in mind, what needs to be done to make it so?

I've chipped in for the DVD. I'll buy it again. I'll even pay to see it in a theater. (I'll even take a day off work like I did for the opening of your Lawrence of Arabia.)

- Steve

Robert Harris · 02-25-2005, 08:02 AM

Ron is most aware of the state of the trimmed elements.

There are certain fixes which need to be taken care of re: the Oneg, but then the problems begin. Some trims exist with audio, less the final second. Some trims exist with no audio. For others, only audio is extant. The mix of trims is both normal ultra-pan and ultra-pan rectified. There are holes in the film for which we have audio only. There are holes in the film for which we have image only. There are some missing shots for which we have neither. All trims have a fully crushed cyan layer.

A "final" search has never been performed for elements which had been excised from the Oneg and separation masters. Some material was lost in a facility which was being razed. Other elements were lost in the '94 quake. Other elements are (we feel) buried in a Southern Jersey or Pennsylvania landfill.

Other than that we have no problems.

As to a new DVD forthcoming?

RAH

Jeff Swearingen · 02-25-2005, 08:24 AM

Robert,

I'm glad to see you're having no problems with this at all!

Steve Tannehill · 02-25-2005, 09:07 AM

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Other than that we have no problems.

As to a new DVD forthcoming?

Sigh. I feel like the big 'W' has been chopped down. Oh wait, it is almost gone.

As I said, my money is on the table for a new DVD. But I'm not holding my breath.

Thanks for all your effort!

- Steve