Dave B Ferris

Billy Wilder Speaks?

I really enjoyed the TCM documentary last week. I was intrigued by Robert
Osborne's comments about the length of the original production: while
the TCM broadcast fit within a 90-minute window, Osborne said the
original German broadcast was 6-hours.

I thought I saw the 'Kino' logo at the beginning of the TCM broadcast.

Has anybody heard whether Kino might release either the 90-minute
or 6-hour version(s) to R1 DVD?

Eric Peterson

Re: Billy Wilder Speaks?

"Shoot a few scenes out of focus. I want to win the foreign film award."
Billy Wilder

"This business has come a long way in the last 30 years, but why should I depress you"
I.A.L. Diamond on the Movie Business (1986)

Jeff Newcomb

Re: Billy Wilder Speaks?

I had been waiting and trying to see this for years. It is actually from a German TV mini-series called Billy, How Did You Do It?. There were six 30-minute episodes, which makes a total of three hours, and I'd still love to see the whole thing. TCM was one of the co-producers of this American version, so perhaps Warner has the rights -- at least to this edited version. With Spirit of St. Louis already scheduled, Warner's only opportunity to present it as a supplement would be on a two-disc set of Love in the Afternoon.

My best hope for this is that it could fall into the hands of Criterion, who have a great releationship with Volker Schlondorff. They would undoubtedly release the full series (minus the film clips). If they have secured the rights to Fedora from the German holding company that owns it, this would be the ideal supplement.

MattH.

Re: Billy Wilder Speaks?

I did enjoy the TCM broadcast, but I found much of the content overly familiar. I hadn't ever heard about Curtis' shame of being in women's clothing. The stories of Marilyn's unending retakes on simple lines got more exaggerated as Billy got older. It used to be 28 takes for "It's me, Sugar," and 40 takes for "Where is that bourbon." Now both have climbed into the 60s.

Still, there is no denying he's one of the true greats, and anything he wants to tell us about his years as a filmmaker would be fine with me. I do wish some of the less successful films would be covered more thoroughly. Always eager to find out more about THE PRIVATE LIFE OF SHERLOCK HOLMES, for example.

Eric Peterson

Re: Billy Wilder Speaks?

Here it is. It looks like it includes most of the footage from the full European version, but as extra material only.

This is so mine!!

http://www.kino.com/video/item.php?film_id=827

"Shoot a few scenes out of focus. I want to win the foreign film award."
Billy Wilder

"This business has come a long way in the last 30 years, but why should I depress you"
I.A.L. Diamond on the Movie Business (1986)

Dave B Ferris

Re: Billy Wilder Speaks?

Excellent! Eric, thanks for the link.

I'll be purchasing this, as well. October 17th should arrive quickly enough.

oscar_merkx

Re: Billy Wilder Speaks?

cheers for that link

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