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"Porgy and Bess" restoration

post #1 of 8
9/18/09 at 5:12pm
Thread Starter 
Mr Harris, have you ever been approached for the "Porgy and Bess" restoration. The rights are available, but the studios feel the restoration will cost more than the video sales.

I was told the Samuel Goldwyn company restored/worked on the film in 1985 but then the rights were an issue.  The Gershwins are now releasing the rights, and I know several people have been looking for a print to use for a video version (though they wouldn't use a print they would need the negative correct??) 

Ken Kramer owns the last print to be screened, Mile Krueger is also looking for useable elements and stated the elements are with Goldwyn and now it's just a matter of funding a restoration. Since the film wasn't screen much would it need that much work if the Goldwyn company owns has the elements?

Wouldn't the 70 MM elements still be usuable - the film only played a limited number of theaters for less that 8 months in 70MM before it was released wide in 35MM and then never again
Edited by Greg_M - 9/18/09 at 5:24pm
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post #2 of 8
9/21/09 at 3:52am
Good questions, I've wanted to see this film for a long time. Preminger's other 70mm film Exodus is one of my favourite widescreen films.
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post #3 of 8
11/15/09 at 3:58pm
I've always wanted to see this film and hope for a DVD release.
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post #4 of 8
1/27/10 at 7:21pm
Well - even though the film originally had a limited release and limited print runs and thus theoretically minimal handling of the 65mm negative, if the negative has not been stored properly it could be warped and faded.  So it could in fact bee in dire condition.  And the stereo mag masters could also be suffering from serious vinegar syndrome as well, again if not stored under optimum conditions.
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post #5 of 8
5/3/11 at 5:20pm

Any comment on this Mr. Harris? There are apparently several good 35mm prints of this film out there but the status of the 70mm version is unclear...it may need a timely restoration. There are also reports that the original 70mm version was a longer cut of the film, closer to 150 minutes in length. It would be a shame if the extra footage was lost. I know there is some questional legal issues surrounding this film but something needs to be done.

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post #6 of 8
5/3/11 at 8:14pm

Along with just a couple of other quality musical films, I owe a lifelong love of music and musical theater and George Gershwin to having been taken to this particular film as a kid.  Blew me away.  I later acquired the score and studied and played it to death on piano, soon learning of course that it wasn't just a "musical" but a full fledged opera.  Never saw the film again until a showing at UCLA in the early 1980s which once again blew me away.  Third and most recent time was in 2007 at the Ziegfeld in NYC.  That was a collector's print, and it was both fascinating to view the film with adult eyes, and shocking to see what a challenge that print apparently was for the projectionists.

 

I understand the issues (or at least some of them) surrounding the film, but it's such a remarkable piece of filmed musical history that I hope these things will be resolved in our lifetime, and I second the motion for the right people to be permitted to step in and ensure that the elements are preserved for when a proper release can be undertaken.

 

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post #7 of 8
5/8/11 at 2:51pm

All it takes if funding and interest.

 

RAH

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post #8 of 8
5/13/11 at 4:56am

I would love to have Porgy and Bess released as a bluray.

 

Probably needs at least one commentary or a damn good documentary to explain how controversial the pre-production and the filming were for the times.

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