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Paramount Pre-1950 Films owned by Universal - Page 2

post #31 of 57
10/2/09 at 12:37pm
The TCM schedule for January 2010 is now available. I see that the seldom-aired "Five Graves to Cairo" (1943) will be shown on January 4.
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post #32 of 57
10/2/09 at 12:50pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rob_Ray View Post



Dan's right.  The transfer of "Remember the Night" TCM ran years ago was much nicer than the one they've run since the fire.  I've often wondered if this was a coincidence.

 

That is disturbing. I don't know how TCM receives films that it licenses. What we see on TV is a film transferred to tape. If the films were destroyed surely the tapes survived. Unless its like syndicated TV shows which are transferred by satellite onto a hard drive. Local TV stations are required to erase the shows after they air.

On a postive note here are some of Paramount films controlled by Universal on TCM in January.

The Egg and I
Blue Skies
It's a Gift
Never Give a Sucker an Even Break
If I had A Million
All My Sons
Five Graves to Cairo
The Scarlett Empress
The Major and The Minor
The Heiress
To Each His Own
Foreign Affair
The Roads to Singapore, Zanibar, Morocco, and Utopia
Ma and Pa Kettle

There are probably others that I missed.
Edited by Garysb - 10/2/09 at 1:23pm
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post #33 of 57
10/2/09 at 1:01pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Garysb View Post




That is disturbing. I don't know how TCM receives films that it licenses. What we see on TV is a film transferred to tape. If the films were destroyed surely the tapes survived. Unless its like syndicated TV shows which are transferred by satellite onto a hard drive. Local TV stations are required to erase the shows after they air.
 
Actually, I understood that it was a lot of the video and audio masters that were destoyed, not the films themselves.  The archival film elements should be stored in properly protected storage facilities elsewhere.  As far as Universal's film library is concerned, the worst thing that happened is that new video masters may need to be created.  From what I hear, it was the audio archives that took the big hit since there are no film elements to fall back on.
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post #34 of 57
10/2/09 at 1:05pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dan McW View Post

TCM first showed "Remember the Night" around Christmas a couple of years ago, and IIRC that print looked fine. I'm not an expert on the fire at Universal and what might have been lost in it, but ever since the fire TCM has run the poorer version of the film with the MCA logo several times.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Rob_Ray View Post

Dan's right.  The transfer of "Remember the Night" TCM ran years ago was much nicer than the one they've run since the fire.  I've often wondered if this was a coincidence. 

I think we are starting to realize just how much was lost in the Universal fire.  It was scary to learn that the original tape master (from UCLA's nitrate print, since deteriorated) of Island of Lost Souls may have been destroyed.  That may have been the highest quality element left on that film. 
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post #35 of 57
10/2/09 at 4:45pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dan McW View Post




TCM first showed "Remember the Night" around Christmas a couple of years ago, and IIRC that print looked fine. I'm not an expert on the fire at Universal and what might have been lost in it, but ever since the fire TCM has run the poorer version of the film with the MCA logo several times.
Since there is a good R2 DVD of REMEMBER THE NIGHT in Italy that came out earlier this year, I doubt that's more than a coincidence. Moreover, the box set that included the film, also included NO TIME FOR LOVE which Universal is releasing as part of the Claudette Colbert collection. So I bet that it won't be long till a R1 release comes along.
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post #36 of 57
10/2/09 at 5:45pm
Charles H.

I would definitely become a loyal customer of a Universal Archives program if they decide to go that route. With their own films as well as the Paramount ones they have, they hold the majority of films I want from my favorite stars including Gary Cooper and Clara Bow (they have her sound films) along with many, many others. 

I'm very excited about TCM's deal with Universal and can't wait to see what kind of goodies we get.  
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post #37 of 57
10/2/09 at 7:37pm
Hopefully the Deanna Durbin movies we haven't already gotten. That would be wonderful.
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post #38 of 57
10/2/09 at 10:05pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Eric Vedowski View Post

According to David Cherichetti's biography/filmography of Leisen (Hollywood Director) :
"When Fox bought the rights to "Burlesque" (the original source material for SHSL), Paramount may have sent over the original camera negative, as was often done. In the late '60s, The American Film Institute asked both studios to search for the film and all that turned up was an incomplete nitrate release print at Paramount. Leisen's 16mm print was borrowed from the friend to whom he had willed it and the missing three reels were blown up to 35mm. Thus the film exists now but hardly in a condition to showcase Leisen's beautiful imagry."

Thanks for the background, Eric.
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post #39 of 57
10/3/09 at 5:47am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Garysb View Post





On a postive note here are some of Paramount films controlled by Universal on TCM in January.

The Egg and I
Blue Skies
It's a Gift
Never Give a Sucker an Even Break
If I had A Million
All My Sons
Five Graves to Cairo
The Scarlett Empress
The Major and The Minor
The Heiress
To Each His Own
Foreign Affair
The Roads to Singapore, Zanibar, Morocco, and Utopia
Ma and Pa Kettle

There are probably others that I missed.


 

I guess I am being picky, but The Egg & I and the Ma & Pa Kettle Series are true born Universal Pictures and indicative of the type of films the company was making in the late 40's and early 50's as was the Abbott & Costello films.  I would love to see some great transfers of the Henry Aldrich series from Paramount.  This series is truly rare and pretty good.  It was sort of Paramount's answer to the MGM Andy Hardy series. 

Concerning the fire last year, what was destroyed was video transfers and 35mm prints used for retro screenings.  All negatives and other one-of-a-kind prints were stored off site in a climate controlled storage facility.  If there is sup-par print being show now instead of a better transfer shown earlier, then that means the better transfer could have been destroyed and Universal has not made a new transfer yet.  I understand that Universal has said that they will reprint what was lost, but it will take time.  A gorgeous print of Thoroughly Modern Millie was destroyed and they have not reprinted it yet.
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post #40 of 57
10/3/09 at 11:58am
I've also noticed all the films on that list have been released on VHS and/or DVD :)  Masters on these must have been handy and accessable.
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post #41 of 57
10/3/09 at 1:44pm
 Most of the Universal stuff that has played on cable has looked and sounded pretty good to me. And I'm talking about films not on home video such as:
GREEN HELL
THE WEB
FLESH AND FANTASY
AIR MAIL
SAN DIEGO, I LOVE YOU
REMEMBER LAST NIGHT?
THE SUN NEVER SETS
THE RUNAROUND
THE SUSPECT

But every now and then (on TCM) a couple of Universal films that look and sound like old 16mm television prints show up.

The two I remember off hand are

FEUDIN', FUSSIN' and A-FIGHTIN'
WIVES UNDER SUSPICION
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post #42 of 57
10/3/09 at 8:55pm
Hoping this is not too much of a derailment, but as long as we're talking pre-'48 Paramount movies, I'll ask this question here:

I caught part of a movie on a TV station years ago that had the pre-48 Paramount package, and maybe some pre-48 WB's and RKO's too, but I'm very certain it was a Paramount movie. There was a musical number where one woman was singing in a nightclub while another did a ballet dance nearby, flanked by chorus girls in sour-faced masks. Eventually, the masked girls surround the main dancer, and when they disperse, she is on the floor wearing an identical mask to them. I've been googling all manner of permutations of B&W movie, masked dancers, etc, to no avail; there were suggestsions of DAMES and SHALL WE DANCE, but I know it's not them, and when I posed this to someone else, they suggested LADY IN THE DARK, but that's a color film.

Any hunches?
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post #43 of 57
10/4/09 at 1:50pm
Mark, could it have been a black and white print of a color film?

The reason that the cut-off was '48, by the way, was because after that year, television distributors had to pay a portion of the profits towards SAG royalties.
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post #44 of 57
10/5/09 at 6:49pm

Has anyone heard any more news about the five Paramount Horror/Mystery titles that were to come out this month from Universal as an exclusive to TCM. 

We heard, we saw art work, then nothing.  Is this going to happen or not?  I think I will put my money on not.

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post #45 of 57
10/5/09 at 9:35pm
I have no idea, Allen, but this ad is running in the back of TCM's November Now Playing guide:



As you can see they're also advertising REMEMBER THE NIGHT, so whether these titles are going to happen or not, TCM has sort of put themselves out there certainly by promoting them.
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post #46 of 57
10/5/09 at 11:53pm

Oh, I hope this does not mean Remember the Night will get a DVD-R edition, please!!!!!! This one really needs to released in a proper pressed disc edition!

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post #47 of 57
10/6/09 at 3:44pm
why are we speculating dvd-r?
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post #48 of 57
10/6/09 at 4:00pm
It would be great to get some other Mitchell Leisens out on dvd: ARISE, MY LOVE and HOLD BACK THE DAWN.  It was Sturges' objections to REMEMBER THE NIGHT and Wilder's objection to HOLD BACK THE DAWN that inspired them to become directors.  That said, Leisen was a terrific director and certainly TO EACH HIS OWN, KITTY, FRENCHMAN'S CREEK are also worthy of dvdship.  Would love to see-if possible--LADY IN THE DARK and DREAM GIRL from Universal.  Also-but less likely--THE MATING SEASON and NO MAN OF HER OWN from Paramount.  Certainly, many of Leisen's films could be brought out in the context of Criterion and Eclipse.
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post #49 of 57
10/6/09 at 4:19pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by MarcoBiscotti View Post

why are we speculating dvd-r?
 


Yes, why ARE we - they could easily be doing limited pressing. :) 1000-2000 units :)
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post #50 of 57
10/6/09 at 4:42pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by MattH. View Post

Hopefully the Deanna Durbin movies we haven't already gotten. That would be wonderful.

More Deanna Durbin would be most welcomed! Over the last year I have been seeing more of her movies and they are addicting! I wouldn't even mind another Sweetheart collection!



Quote:
Originally Posted by RafaelPires View Post

Oh, I hope this does not mean Remember the Night will get a DVD-R edition, please!!!!!! This one really needs to released in a proper pressed disc edition!


I agree! This movie is terrific! I would think Barbara Stanwyck would sell.... she tends to have a following. A Christmas movie with the stars of Double Indemnity... could a holiday movie be any better? I think not! This movie needs a proper release!
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post #51 of 57
10/6/09 at 4:50pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by DeWilson View Post





Yes, why ARE we - they could easily be doing limited pressing. :) 1000-2000 units :)

I think the speculation is that the TCM RKO Lost Film series was DVD-r.  And since TCM is a part of Time Warner they could just be taking a cue from the Warner Archives.  I think more people expect these to be DVD-r than don't.  I would love to see these pressed, but I am not going to hold my breath.
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post #52 of 57
10/7/09 at 5:44pm
I sent TCM an email a few days ago asking when a date for the Universal Cult Horror Collection would be announced, but have received no response yet. It would be nice to get a date, especially as Halloween is only three and a half weeks away.
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post #53 of 57
10/9/09 at 12:04pm
The movies order through the TCM website come from Movies Unlimited. I know the TCM movie catalogue is from Movies Unlimited. So does Movies Unlimited have the exclusive deal to release these movies ?

On the TCM website under TCM Box Sets, and then under TCM Vault collection there is a notation saying Coming Soon: Warner Archives. Do you think this will just be the bundles already sold on the WB shop or new collections of the Archive movies and at what price ?
http://turnerclassic.moviesunlimited.com/boxsets/default.asp?shopref=Navigation%3ATCM+Box+Sets
Edited by Garysb - 10/9/09 at 12:17pm
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post #54 of 57
10/9/09 at 12:07pm
TCM uses Movies Unlimited as their agent. 
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post #55 of 57
10/9/09 at 12:25pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pete York View Post

I have no idea, Allen, but this ad is running in the back of TCM's November Now Playing guide:



As you can see they're also advertising REMEMBER THE NIGHT, so whether these titles are going to happen or not, TCM has sort of put themselves out there certainly by promoting them.

There is no mention of "Remember The Night" on DVD on the TCM or Movies Unlimited sites as of today. Since this clearly is a Christmas movie, if it were coming, you would think there would be some mention of it by now. Perhaps it was planned and then they found out, due to the fire,  they didn't have good printing elements.

Sadly the TCM Vault collection is where the Lost RKO and Warner Archive films are listed which are all DVD-R. It seems likely that if "Remember The Night" was released, it would not be a pressed disc.
Edited by Garysb - 10/9/09 at 9:37pm
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post #56 of 57
10/9/09 at 3:11pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ahollis View Post

TCM uses Movies Unlimited as their agent. 

I am going to clarify myself some.  TCM and Movie Unlimited have an agreement where DVD's sold through TCM website are handled (order, payment, shipping) by Movies Unlimited.  They both share in the income generated from the sales.  It is a perfect relationship that seems to work well.  Even now you can go direct to the Movies Unlimited site and order the Warner Archive titles and the Lost Films of RKO that TCM advertises.  When the Universal Horrors and Remember the Night are released then you will see it on the TCM and Movies Unlimited web sites. 

I do not think that the Universal Fire had anything to do with not hearing any news on either of the projects.  They never would have gone so far as obtaining the rights to release the films and advertise as coming without checking the source materials first.  What you will see are DVD-r discs with a high price point, even higher than the WA.  I suspect the price to be around $24.99 as the RKO films were and a price break for the horrors when bundled.
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post #57 of 57
10/24/09 at 7:16pm
Any more news about this beside the ad in the monthy TCM mag? 
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