Fox is still releasing a lot of classic in Spain, never released in USA - Page 2

 Nope.   I have another friend who just emailed me about this travesty....but Joe go ahead and buy it...see for yourself.

well, Ken.  They both know this film like the back of their hands.  they both have done comparisons.   neither is on this forum and neither can do frame grabs to show you.  But they are both fine with their discs and see no problem.

I dunno, just a thought, but maybe the disc contains the flag that tells the telly to go to amanorphic, try manually setting it to 4x3. I'm sure you've tried that. As I say, just a thought.

 The box says....4X3...All 3 monitors  that I have are showing the film cropped at 4X3 or at 16X9....just look at the credits.      ALL other Fox studio classic releases from Spain that I own do NOT have this problem.   I truly wish it was not so!

 Hi Joe, I am an Australian collector and a big fan of your Columbia Special Edition Laserdiscs (LOST HORIZON, 1776 etc). Before Sony released 1776 on dvd I was in contact with someone in the "ideas dept" and suggested they re-use the LD commentary or bring Peter Stone in to do one as he had done one for CHARADE with Criterion. I also suggested they restore the faded sequences as best they could to release the uncut version. As you'd know they did a new commentary track with Stone and Peter Hunt and found the full negative in a "mine shaft"-type storage vault. (Though I wish Mr Hunt had left it intact as it is on the LD version).
       Re FOREVER AMBER, I read when the LD was being planned (ultimately unreleased I think) that a collector had offered Fox the uncensored ending (showing Amber  resigned to returning to her courtesan life) but then withdrew this offer.Pity. Do you know if any footage survives of the aborted version with British actress Peggy Cummins? If so, they could make a fascinating Spec. Ed. with maybe  a Preminger expert providing a commentary dealing with the censorship concerns, the great Raksin score etc.
   Do you know if the Spanish release of the Ladd film ONE FOOT IN HELL is in Scope or P+S? Ken is looking into this for me.
On two different "notes", are there any plans for a dvd of the 1973 LOST HORIZON? Has the notorious "fertility dance" with Olivia Hussey at the end of 'Living Together' been found? Is there any progress on a release of PORGY AND BESS? I have a letterboxed copy of the 120 minute General Release Cut which is watchable but does not contain 'My Man's Gone Now',a highpoint of the Gershwin score. Did the 70mm screenings in NYC a few years ago spark any studio interest? I have heard that MGM/UA have the rights but this is not verified.Cheers, Mike

Hi Mike in Autralia.  Thanks for the compliments. Don't kow about columbias plans for Horizon.  BTW, the negative for 1776 was never lost.  Some prick at columbia claimed they didn't know where it was.  Hooray for Hollywood.

I think the Peggy Cummings footage still existed as of 1989, but all of that stuff was moved and who knows if they junked it?
Don't know about a collector having the uncut ending.   Very unlikely.  The film was cut early in its originla run- fox sent out new beginnings and endings with a deman that the originals be sent back.
Porgy and Bess is with MGM but they don't want to spend the money required to restore the film, as the contract with Goldwyn does not last much longer.

I guess the good news is the the contract between Goldwyn and MGM does not last much longer.  It would be interesting to see Lost Horizon (73) on DVD.  It was always an interesting experiment for that time.
Edited by ahollis - 12/5/09 at 6:08am

I bought the Busby Berkeley Box Set in the end, only $23.39 from Amazon US. What a bargain!

Hi Joe, I am a fan of your work on the Columbia Laser Discs (1776, LOST HORIZON.3 FOR THE SHOW etc).I was in touch with someone at Sony DVD when they were considering releasing some classics around the time of their anniversary screenings in the late '90's (which also took place in Melbourne). I remember my dismay on hearing that ANATOMY OF A MURDER was coming out full-frame after I had just seen it screened theatrically in 1.85 to 1. (I bought the French release as it was in OAR). I made some suggestions for 1776 which they acted upon (eg. seeing if Peter Stone was available to do a commentary as he had just done the track for Criterion's CHARADE, restoring the faded deleted footage- I was very glad that they found the complete negative, though I do wish the director had left the film intact as on the LD).
   I've been waiting to hear from Ken on ONE FOOT IN HELL. Do you know if the Spanish version is in full Scope?
There was talk of Fox releasing FOREVER AMBER on LD with the uncensored ending from a privately owned print (which shows Linda Darnell resignedly returning to her courtesan life). This was in the dying days of Laserdisc and I don't think the release took place. Do you know if any footage survives from the aborted Peggy Cummins version? If so, they could do a great Special Edition of this title.
Is there any word on LOST HORIZON making it to dvd? Would they be likely to use your restored version of this film whenever they release it?  Has the Olivia Hussey dance sequence from 'Living together,Growing Together' been found?
Finally, I have the 120 min General Release Version of PORGY IN BESS in Wide Screen from a Rare Movie website. It's watchable but I was hoping that the recent screenings in New York (70mm print?) would lead to a dvd release of the 136 min cut. Is it true that MGM/UA have the rights but are wary of  outlaying the costs involved in restoring it for dvd release? Cheers, Mike Evans (Australia)

Oops! I was sure my earlier post had not made it through to the site. Apologies for the repetition.( I have just turned 50 but do not as yet have short-term memory issues!!)
  By the way Allen, what if Goldwyn and the Gershwins bury PORGY AND BESS again when the time expires with MGM? I wish they'd just transfer the best print they have (it would have to beat my bootleg copy) so we have access to the full version again. There's a legion of folk who would stampede to Tower to get a halfway reasonable version of this film.
Also, on a Fox note, has anyone ever found the cut songs from THE KING AND I or CAROUSEL? I'd be happy to see them even if they have faded to shades of pink.Did anyone else out there think the commentary track with Ernest Lehman and Marni Nixon on the 40th anniversary LD of KING AND I was much better than the DVD commentary?
     I was very happy see that Fox cable are now showing Scope versions of WOMAN OBSESSED (Hayward) and TEN NORTH FREDERICK(Cooper). Would love to see proper releases of more Fox Scope films of the '50's (egs .BEST THINGS IN LIFE ARE FREE,THE VIEW FROM POMPEY'S HEAD) but the trend now appears to be to release these kinds of titles on DVD-R with little or no restoration and no special features.Do we know how long DVD-R copies will last? I've known some CD-R discs to "conk out" after a period of time.To be frank I'm a little tired of the same old titles being recycled a dozen times, now with the gloss of Blu-ray.(I like Blu-Ray, but how many new classic titles are coming out now, either in SD or on BluRay? What's happened to the great Fox Noir collection?Studio Classics? THE ROBE + SOUTH PACIFIC are terrific but they are the exception and not the rule it would seem).Speaking of DVD-R, does anyone know if THE GROUP and DREAMCHILD will be in OAR?
Finally, how does UNTAMED look in the Spanish release? Is it full Scope or cropped? Do the Stereo films have stereo soundtracks? Thanks,  Mike

I kinda got the impression from Joe and another friend that MGM could release it now if they chose to as they have the rights. As I recall it came on Channel 7 one weeknight in 1974 for its one and only TV broadcast in Melbourne.My email address is  cscope59@yahoo.com if you'd like to know more about the copy I have which is at least Letterboxed.
     I have most of the Kaye and Cantor films on LD. They look very good. (As you probably know Goldwyn saw Kaye as his new Cantor and a few Kaye films are loose remakes of past Cantor hits, eg UP IN ARMS). Would like to see them on dvd too.

I also have the Kaye and Cantor on laserdisc and enjoy them.  I read on another thread that the Gershwin estate was holding up any home video release in the US, not sure about other countries.  As you know, MGM is in terrible financial shape and is obtaining bids for library and other assets.  There is hope that someone will acquire them and do something with the library.  When the agreement with Goldwyn ends, it will be up to them to make a deal or go it alone. 

Other titles released on this date:
- Harry Black and the Tiger (1958): Stewart Granger, Barbara Rush
- Way... Way Out (1966): Jerry Lewis, Connie Stevens, Anita Ekberg
- My Gal Sal (1942): Rita Hayworth, Victor Mature, Carole Landis
- Destination Gobi (1953): Richard Widmark, Don Taylor
- When the Legends Die (1972): Richard Widmark, Frederic Forrest, Luana Anders

 Some very tempting titles there.
Does anybody know if BOY ON A DOLPHIN is Anamorphic/Stereo and how does it look?
I only have a 4:3 pan and scan that I recorded off TV, so I desperately need an upgrade.

Has anyone purchased or rented The Roots of Heaven via the U.S. iTunes store? Is it a new transfer?

I wonder if this DVD release will be the same transfer?

The box art here at least indicates that The Roots of Heaven will be anamorphic scope.

Thanks for the link. Very tempting! I've wanted to see this for ages.

I bought Untamed (Tyrone Power, Susan Hayward) and the transfer is awful.  Yes, it is 2:35:1, but it's non-anamorphic, as well as pixillated, full of artifacts, blurry -- looks like a bootleg.  I am leery of buying any of these Spanish releases, though I'd sure love to have a widescreen DVD of Pony Soldier, another Power film.

Of course it is.

Thanks for your report. That's very disapointing. It sounds like they just got an old cable TV master.

I suspect that the anamorphic ones will be new transfers.

My mistake about Pony Soldier -- it's not widescreen.  I forgot it was from 1952. :)

I had been hoping for a third Power box set with his costume/adventure pics (including King of the Khyber Rifles) but it looks like it's not to be. :(

It's rather annoying that the U.S. iTunes store is selling  (or renting) The Left hand of God in what is obviously a very recently made transfer:
http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewMovie?id=307718968&s=143441

Thanks for the links Francisco, much appreciated.

Hi, Can anyone tell me if the CinemaScope Alan Ladd western ONE FOOT IN HELL is in Wide Screen or full frame? If it is in Scope, what is the print/transfer like? Thanks also for the rundown on UNTAMED by folk above. I will pass on it!

 It is 2.35 but not anamorphic.

Very sorry to edit your post, Rafael, but I wonder if you ever picked up these two from your original list?

I'm quite interested in ordering but in view of the comments in this thread am somewhat wary until I hear more.
What's been your experience?