I have a theory of why "3 Ring Circus" (Martin & Lewis) is not on DVD. (1 Viewer)

All of the Martin & Lewis films are now on DVD except for "3 Ring Circus".

Here is my theory of why this movie has not been released on DVD.

Paramount is very paranoid about music rights these days. TV show collectors know what they have done to "My Three Sons", "The Fugitive" and "The Odd Couple" on DVD. They have replaced scores or edited out songs.

Most of the Martin & Lewis films have songs written for the movie. Or in the case of "Living It Up", the rights to the few songs from the Broadway Show "Hazel Flagg" were purchased by Paramount. "The Stooge" also had some older songs in it.

"3 Ring Circus" has only one original song. ("Hey, Punchinello")

One of Dean's big numbers in "3 Ring Circus" is "It's a Big, Wide, Wonderful World" written by John Rox in 1939 and I believe made it's debut in the flop Broadway review "All in Fun" in late 1940. The song became somewhat popular in other recordings in the 40's and had a big revival from being sung in "3 Ring Circus".

Could there be a problem with this song that is causing Paramount to not release "3 Ring Circus" on DVD?

I would not be surprised if music clearance was the problem, I know it is for The Joker Is Wild for instance, because I read about it.

Still maybe Legend Films will surprise us with it release, courtesy of Paramount eventually, as they did for Money from Home last year...I am a Dino fan, so I would love to have a copy other than TV-taped.

Possible, but there are a slew of songs in the other M&L pictures that weren't particularly Famous Music titles, either ("I'm in the Mood For Love" from THAT'S MY BOY, is a Robbins Music song, for instance).

My guess is that Paramount either has other plans for the title, or that the elements for the film may be in a compromised state at this time.

This tidbit from the AFI catalog: According to an August 1955 Hollywood Reporter news item, writers George Beck and Samuel Locke filed a $65,000 infringement lawsuit against Paramount and Wallis, claiming that Wallis had hired them to write a circus story for Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, entitled Big Top, which Wallis later rejected. The disposition of the suit is not known.
Maybe that has something to do with it's unavailability-or maybe not.

I could swear that I saw Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis singing the song Relaxayvoo in You're Never Too Young (it was sung early in the film when Jerry is the barber) when I was a kid. The dvd released by paramount had it cut from the film. Then I think I read that it was edited out for the official release of the film but I could swear I saw it on television with that song in place.


So I suspect that if they do release it they will cut that scene out of the film for Three Ring Circus. So I don't doubt that is why it isn't being released.

Originally Posted by Martine Beswick

I could swear that I saw Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis singing the song Relaxayvoo in You're Never Too Young (it was sung early in the film when Jerry is the barber) when I was a kid. The dvd released by paramount had it cut from the film. Then I think I read that it was edited out for the official release of the film but I could swear I saw it on television with that song in place.


So I suspect that if they do release it they will cut that scene out of the film for Three Ring Circus. So I don't doubt that is why it isn't being released.

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I think the reason it is has not released is Paramount does not have any interest to do so. I heard that they were very disappointed in the Martin & Lewis Collections sales and they continue to just make deals with other parties. Also "Big Wide Wonderful World" is used in the movie SWEET BIRD OF YOUTH and that is on DVD so if a deal needed to be made, it can. The songwriter John Rox also has several other songs in films that have been released to DVD including SIOUX CITY SUE, the well known Gene Autry film.

"Relax-Ay-Voo" was in the film YOUR NEVER TOO YOUNG.

Originally Posted by ahollis

I think the reason it is has not released is Paramount does not have any interest to do so. I heard that they were very disappointed in the Martin & Lewis Collections sales and they continue to just make deals with other parties.

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I don't know how disappointed they could have been. Both Volumes 1 and 2 are out of print commanding prices of over $100 at Amazon. Seems to me they could sell another couple thousand if they wanted to as prices don't go that high arbitrarily.

Originally Posted by gunthertoody
I don't know how disappointed they could have been. Both Volumes 1 and 2 are out of print commanding prices of over $100 at Amazon. Seems to me they could sell another couple thousand if they wanted to as prices don't go that high arbitrarily.

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The original sales were slow and Paramount made comments to that effect. I remember seeing stacks of both volumes at Virgin Music in Times Square and they were still there when they closed. Paramount took just about every title they released OOP about three or four years ago (there is a thread on HTF concerning this) and those titles soared on ebay and Amazon, because you can't get them and there are some people out there that want the titles, they will pay just about any amount for the collections. Another part of the of the story, is that if the sales were any good why did they license out MONEY FROM HOME to Legend and not release it themselves?


The best bet is for Paramount to license the 3 RING CIRCUS to another distributor such as Olive Films or hopefully Shout!, but if there are rights problems and Paramount does not want to solve the problems, I doubt that any outside company will want to take the problems on.

From what I had read in the past, I got the impression that the negative for 3 RING CIRCUS was missing from the Paramount vaults (or was too damaged to salvage). Th situation may have changed regarding a 35mm master, but I recall hearing all of the other masters were either in private collections or archives that Paramount did not bother looking.


I got lucky with the Martin & Lewis collections--picked them up (1&2) at B&N the moment they started going OOP on Amazon. How did that huge Jerry Lewis solo set do, sales-wise?

Originally Posted by JoHud

From what I had read in the past, I got the impression that the negative for 3 RING CIRCUS was missing from the Paramount vaults (or was too damaged to salvage). The situation may have changed regarding a 35mm master, but I recall hearing all of the other masters were either in private collections or archives that Paramount did not bother looking.

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The film was also re-issued for the kid's matinee market in the 1970's, edited as "Jerrico, The Wonder Clown" so there has to be some sort of elements on the film in Paramount's Vault, even if it's the edited version.

Amazon UK has DVD copies of the film - used ones can be had for under $25.


http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Ddvd&field-keywords=3+ring+circus&x=0&y=0

It is on TCM next week
4-5-17
10:15 pm est

THE SAD SACK, THE BIG MOUTH and WAY...WAY OUT! are all MIA on DVD and Blu-Ray

Kino Lorber Classics has DON'T GIVE UP THE SHIP coming out in April with VISIT TO A SMALL PLANET announced as Coming Soon!

And I forgot his 1980 "comeback" film, HARDLY WORKING.

Just saw a few minutes of the TCM broadcast on my dvr and they were showing a nice clean print of the film.

3 Ring Circus just showed up on iTunes in HD. Is this the first it’s been released in HD? This is a VistaVision movie. 4K would make an appreciable difference.

Here's hoping they eventually do release that film and a few others of his titles so all of them could be made available on the DVD or Blu-Ray formats.