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IT's A Mad Mad Mad Mad World Restoration - Page 12

post #331 of 537
10/16/07 at 6:14pm

Re: IT's A Mad Mad Mad Mad World Restoratiion

Count me as #3. I have the current DVD, which is somewhat of an abomination, but I want a proper film restoration, like something RAH would be involved with.
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post #332 of 537
10/19/07 at 4:27pm

Re: It's A Mad Mad Mad Mad World Restoratiion

I too signed the petition. But if all else fails, may I suggest this to MGM/Fox...since the current extended cut exists on digital video anyway, wouldn't it be wise to just include that version (even if isn't anamorphically enhanced) in addition to the restored General Release Version (with the radio calls) in your 2-disc SE?

And RAH, if it's true your restoration attempt is continuing, please do what you can to save what you got before time deteriorates precious footage!
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post #333 of 537
10/19/07 at 6:15pm

Re: It's A Mad Mad Mad Mad World Restoratiion

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jo_C
And RAH, if it's true your restoration attempt is continuing, please do what you can to save what you got before time deteriorates precious footage!

I'm sure all the footage has been backed up , both on film and on Harddrive..
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post #334 of 537
10/19/07 at 8:58pm

Re: IT's A Mad Mad Mad Mad World Restoratiion

Don't count on it. RAH estimated about 2 years ago in this thread that the elements for restoration would be lost to the ravages of time if MGM didn't act quickly.
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post #335 of 537
10/20/07 at 10:30am

Re: IT's A Mad Mad Mad Mad World Restoratiion

With all due respect to Mr. Harris (who is not restoring the film, if I recall correctly), I'm quite confident that the people at MGM (Sony/Fox/et al) know EXACTLY what they're doing with their film elements and will not be letting any original materials of a high-profile film such as MAD WORLD go bunk.
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post #336 of 537
10/20/07 at 10:58am

Re: IT's A Mad Mad Mad Mad World Restoratiion

Well, we'd all like to hope that, but if you've ever listened to one of RAH's commentaries (I'd recommend My Fair Lady), you'd know that studio execs are not that far removed from the village idiot when it comes to proper storage and restoration of film elements from this era. Many of them don't care because they're too busy cranking out the next mindless action flick and trying to maximize profit on that venture.
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post #337 of 537
10/20/07 at 2:18pm

Re: IT's A Mad Mad Mad Mad World Restoratiion

Trust me, I know EXACTLY what studio executives are like.

But studio execs are not the ones restoring these films and frequently don't make any sort of priority for what gets done in a studio's archives (unless there's a specific project coming up).

When things need to get done, they get done under the jurisdiction of the archival departments. Grover Crisp at Columbia and Schawn Belston at Fox do extremely good work and know what to do and what not to do with elements.
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post #338 of 537
10/20/07 at 5:28pm

Re: IT's A Mad Mad Mad Mad World Restoratiion

Restoration, I would hope, would be in the hands of someone like MGM's John Kirk, who did such a solid job with the Sergio Leone films, any quibbles about the audio tracks notwithstanding. However, at this time, it is merely a hope until we receive any actual news.
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post #339 of 537
10/22/07 at 2:08pm

Re: IT's A Mad Mad Mad Mad World Restoratiion

Quote:
Originally Posted by darkrock17
as well as a restored original 192 roadshow version.

Wait, I thought that footage was still lost.
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post #340 of 537
10/24/07 at 8:28am

Re: IT's A Mad Mad Mad Mad World Restoratiion

I haven't looked at it in years. I'm pretty sure the laser disc version of IAMMMMW was the full version. I have the discs, but no longer have a laser disc player.
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post #341 of 537
10/24/07 at 8:45am

Re: IT's A Mad Mad Mad Mad World Restoratiion

Quote:
Originally Posted by Billy Fogerty
I haven't looked at it in years. I'm pretty sure the laser disc version of IAMMMMW was the full version. I have the discs, but no longer have a laser disc player.

The laserdisc is a special "extended" cut that combines a preview print with the general release cut - it's not the real roadshow cut.
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post #342 of 537
10/24/07 at 9:05am

Re: IT's A Mad Mad Mad Mad World Restoratiion

For any real fan of IAMMMMW the laserdisc is an
amazing experience. It has most all the footage from the
roadshow version (and then some). It's pretty fun to watch.

It's probably the most valuable item in my entire video collection.
I don't think we will ever see a release that contains all the
footage that is included on the laserdisc.
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post #343 of 537
10/24/07 at 11:18am

Re: IT's A Mad Mad Mad Mad World Restoratiion

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ronald Epstein
It's probably the most valuable item in my entire DVD collection.

You mean laser disc collection or DVD ??
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post #344 of 537
10/24/07 at 11:57am

Re: IT's A Mad Mad Mad Mad World Restoratiion

I should have said "video" collection. Will update. Thanks!
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post #345 of 537
10/24/07 at 11:57am

Re: IT's A Mad Mad Mad Mad World Restoratiion

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ronald Epstein
all the footage from the
roadshow version (and then some)

Would it be possible to list for me the sequences on the laserdisc which would not be in a proper replication of the roadshow cut? I think I have a general idea of which they would be, but would really like to have those assumptions confirmed.
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post #346 of 537
10/24/07 at 1:01pm

Re: IT's A Mad Mad Mad Mad World Restoratiion

From Robert Harris back in January, 2007:

Quote:
To be clear...

The laserdisc of MW is not representative of any real version of the film, and contains outtakes and trims never part of any completed product. The roadshow version of the film should not be considered / reviewed / discussed with this as a basis.
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post #347 of 537
10/24/07 at 1:02pm

Re: IT's A Mad Mad Mad Mad World Restoratiion

The IMDB has a complete list of differences between the extended laserdisc cut and the general release DVD: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0057193/alternateversions

I think everything except for the overture, intermission/entr'acte, and exit music can be found in the deleted scenes section of the DVD.

If a restoration ever happens, I do hope that they go for the closest to the roadshow cut instead of putting "everything" back into the movie. But whatever doesn't belong in the restored cut should be included as an extra.
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post #348 of 537
10/24/07 at 10:17pm

Re: IT's A Mad Mad Mad Mad World Restoration

I don't think you guys understood my request. I have every home video version of the film. I know what's in the two different released versions. What I want to know is this: Exactly which scenes found in the extended laserdisc version are trims, outtakes, or other bits NOT originally seen in the roadshow version.
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post #349 of 537
10/25/07 at 4:38am

Re: IT's A Mad Mad Mad Mad World Restoratiion

Too many to go into here, but as an example, Mr. Stang hanging from the rafters of the garage while under attack from a certain crazed truck driver.
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post #350 of 537
10/25/07 at 8:16am

Re: IT's A Mad Mad Mad Mad World Restoratiion

I could guess that one of the times Ethel Merman is knocked into the garbage can wasn't in the original version. They wouldn't repeat the same joke twice.

I'd also guess that when Spencer Tracy knocks her over WAS in the original roadshow, because a shot of that scene is in my Souvenir Program which I got in March of 1964 when I saw the movie in Cinerama -- unfortunately, it had already been cut by then (which I didn't know) and I wondered why there were pictures of scenes in the program which I hadn't seen in the movie! Now I know.
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post #351 of 537
10/25/07 at 10:58am

Re: IT's A Mad Mad Mad Mad World Restoratiion

Why isn't Sony/MGM doing anything to get the restoration started? What about the Kramer estate?
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post #352 of 537
10/26/07 at 8:26pm

Re: IT's A Mad Mad Mad Mad World Restoratiion

Quote:
Why isn't Sony/MGM doing anything to get the restoration started? What about the Kramer estate?

Columbia/Sony don't distribute MGM titles anymore, MGM switched over to Fox to handle their distribution, so there the best people to ask, besides MGM themselves. If enough people express interest in It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World odds are most likely MGM will consider releasing a new DVD, and even a brand new digital transfer. Along with the long awaited orginal 1963 192 min roadshow version.
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post #353 of 537
10/30/07 at 10:44am

Re: IT's A Mad Mad Mad Mad World Restoratiion

Just to let you know from my end...on my web site yesterday I did do an article on "Mad World". I mentioned Robert Harris in my original piece (remembering an earlier Internet article about Harris and "Mad World"...somewhere I'll try and find it on Archive.org). I took the piece down at his request, citing factual errors. Yes, I had forgotten the L.A. Cinerama screening with the police calls was more than two years ago (as I had stated in my piece). And yes, I may have been wrong on mentioning the "few minutes of footage remain" or something like that. But this much is obviously true.. the film was cut for general release, and there was an extended video version in the 1990s.

Something still stuns me...exactly how much of the added footage in the current extended version is from the roadshow version or just outtake footage not seen in any release version?

Over the years, I have done my research on the Internet on "Mad World", and that's what went into the making of my original article.

I did hear a minute of the police calls on another "Mad World" fan site a few days ago (can't tell you where as I probably would be violating forum rules). They were interesting to hear.

So if indeed there's no "Mad World" restoration on the boards at the moment, where do we all go from here? We can't sit and do nothing. After all, didn't campaigning by the fans get "Superman: The Movie" back on big screens and video?

I guess it never ends.
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post #354 of 537
10/30/07 at 12:30pm

Re: IT's A Mad Mad Mad Mad World Restoratiion

what forum rule would bw broken ?

Are these on an illegal download or obtained by illegal
method?

If not, and they simply posted on a web site it should be ok.

Send the site to a mod and check to see of its ok.
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post #355 of 537
10/30/07 at 1:49pm

Re: IT's A Mad Mad Mad Mad World Restoratiion

Quote:
Originally Posted by TonyD
what forum rule would bw broken ?

Are these on an illegal download or obtained by illegal
method?

If not, and they simply posted on a web site it should be ok.

Well I'm sure that MGM would not have given approval for audio or visual material from the film to be made available on a fan website so the material is pirated and therefore against Forum rules. Yes?
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post #356 of 537
10/30/07 at 4:06pm

Re: IT's A Mad Mad Mad Mad World Restoratiion

Whenever I think of restoring this movie to its original glory, I recall the "sentimental" scoring cue from the movie, best evidenced at the point when Spencer Tracy takes a longing last look back at the police station.
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post #357 of 537
10/30/07 at 6:42pm

Re: IT's A Mad Mad Mad Mad World Restoratiion

This ( http://web.archive.org/web/200204032...world/mad.html ) is the archived article that inspired my original gripe.
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post #358 of 537
10/30/07 at 6:59pm

Re: IT's A Mad Mad Mad Mad World Restoratiion

Much appreciated and well spent evening of reading .. Thankyou !!!
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post #359 of 537
10/30/07 at 9:52pm

Re: IT's A Mad Mad Mad Mad World Restoratiion

The revival of this thread makes me want to dig out my old Laserdisc copy. I doubt very much we'll ever see the original roadshow version, just like we'll probably never see a rerelease of the original version of The Alamo (which I also have on Laserdisc).
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post #360 of 537
11/17/07 at 2:11pm

Re: IT's A Mad Mad Mad Mad World Restoratiion

Ah yes, another victim of vinegar syndrome.
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