A Few Words About A few words about...™ The Boy Friend -- in Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[cadavra]

Thank you for the shout-out, Robert. It pleases me greatly that George Feltenstein refers to this as "The Schlesinger Cut."

I wish I had some fantastic anecdote, but the plain fact of the matter that I asked Dick May, then head of MGM's asset management, about putting it back together. He checked and found that it had only been cut for the North American release, and there was apparently a perfectly intact uncut negative labeled "International." I quickly ordered a print, screened it, realized it was indeed the full version, and the rest is history. I then looked into the other pictures butchered by Aubrey. Blake Edwards' WILD ROVERS was also left intact for the rest of the world and I reissued that as well.

But no such luck with PAT GARRETT and BILLY THE KID and THE CAREY TREATMENT. CAREY was cut worldwide, and the trims were tossed, so the extant version is sadly all that's left. But the trims on GARRETT survived, thanks to one of the editors. Roger Mayer gave them the green light to start reconstructing it. But MGM, irate at the huge box office returns from my reissue of THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE (yes, you read that right, and no, it doesn't make sense) fired me. With no one left to release the new version in theatres, it was sold to the Z Channel, whereupon Jerry Harvey promptly took credit for restoring it, a lie I've been beating back for decades with limited success.

And there you go.

Mike S.

 

[cinemiracle]

And don't forget about the ubilled tour-de-force appearance by Glenda Jackson, the actress who broke her leg requiring Polly Brown to go one in her place. Jackson hobbled into the theater on crutches to witness what she thought would be the understudy's ruin of the play...and ended up in tears, instead!!

A truly great actor.Saw her twice on stage. She was the only actor that I encountered who would invite you into her dressing room ,if you were waiting outside the stage door for a autograph.

 

[Robert Harris]

Thank you for the shout-out, Robert. It pleases me greatly that George Feltenstein refers to this as "The Schlesinger Cut."

I wish I had some fantastic anecdote, but the plain fact of the matter that I asked Dick May, then head of MGM's asset management, about putting it back together. He checked and found that it had only been cut for the North American release, and there was apparently a perfectly intact uncut negative labeled "International." I quickly ordered a print, screened it, realized it was indeed the full version, and the rest is history. I then looked into the other pictures butchered by Aubrey. Blake Edwards' WILD ROVERS was also left intact for the rest of the world and I reissued that as well.

But no such luck with PAT GARRETT and BILLY THE KID and THE CAREY TREATMENT. CAREY was cut worldwide, and the trims were tossed, so the extant version is sadly all that's left. But the trims on GARRETT survived, thanks to one of the editors. Roger Mayer gave them the green light to start reconstructing it. But MGM, irate at the huge box office returns from my reissue of THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE (yes, you read that right, and no, it doesn't make sense) fired me. With no one left to release the new version in theatres, it was sold to the Z Channel, whereupon Jerry Harvey promptly took credit for restoring it, a lie I've been beating back for decades with limited success.

And there you go.

Mike S.

Probably comes down to risk/reward.

With Manchurian, I presume you created a release predicated basically upon P & A, with zero production cost, and ended up with a higher profit ratio than new theatrical releases.

How dare you!

 

[Robin9]

. . . . MGM, irate at the huge box office returns from my reissue of THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE (yes, you read that right, and no, it doesn't make sense) fired me. . . .

One of these days, when you have nothing urgent to do, you'll have to come back and give us the full low-down on this little episode!

 

[AnthonyClarke]

I believe Judy Garland would often invite one into her dressing-room.

 

[Matt Hough]

This movie played on TCM yesterday afternoon, but I resisted watching it (or even recording it) since I want my first HD experience with it to be from the Blu-ray release.

 

[Angelo Colombus]

I dvr the TCM broadcast since I have never seen the movie but will watch it soon.

 

[PMF]

The film was released mono in the Colonies.

Warner Archive returned, however, to the original 4-track stereo full-coat, and created a new 5.1. Previously the tracks were heard in 2-track domestically.

Warner Archive pulled out all the stops, and went back to the foundation.

Always enjoyed the Julie Andrews vinyl; but this is one of those musicals on film that slipped by me.
Maybe it was those terrible theatrical cuts that were made; as its end results may have altogether played a part as to why this film was not a drawing card, when finally arriving at my local provincial theater.
Nonetheless, I was intrigued when I read RAH's initial review about "The Boy Friend" having its missing footage reinstated;
quite a bit of footage, in fact, as this can often change everything for the better.
But RAH's above Post locks it in for me;
and I am certain that "The Boy Friend" will not feel like a blind-buy, at all, as the films plays out before me.

What's not to love here, when knowing that "the original 4-track stereo full-coat" is alive and well and actually used?
And when I say "actually used", I'm referring to the 6-Tracks from "West Side Story" that were discovered and quizzically ignored or omitted when - whomever - haphazardly prepared that debacle of a BD, which still remains the only BD offering we have. Other studios who are currently preparing BD transfers of their important catalogue titles would be foolish not to be taking their cues from WAC, at this point on. WAC's work and output remains the consistent standard-bearer.

Without reservations, I'm all in for supporting WAC on this "Blind-Buy", especially when such care and work has been fully applied.
I don't know if this is technically what Mr. Harris would refer to as a true restoration;
but every single attribute of "The Boy Friend" described thus far sure does make it sound as if we've got its nearest possible equivalent.
Looking forward to this one.

 

[DP 70]

I have heard the discovered 6-Track from WSS in Bradford which was presented in DTS SV on the Cinerama screen and it sounded
excellent.

 

[Robert Harris]

I have heard the discovered 6-Track from WSS in Bradford which was presented in DTS SV on the Cinerama screen and it sounded
excellent.

What is the "discovered" track?

 

[DP 70]

Hi Mr Harris,
It has to do with Chace Audio there is an article in 70mm.com.
Thanks.

 

[Robert Harris]

Hi Mr Harris,
It has to do with Chace Audio there is an article in 70mm.com.
Thanks.

Ah. The tracks were always available. No one searched for them.

A number of years ago, I worked with a collector to allow his 70mm print to be used as a 6-track source. It was at that time, that a search was finally made. I believe the full-coat was in the Todd vault.

 

[DP 70]

Thanks very much Mr Harris for the info.

 

[PMF]

Thank you for the shout-out, Robert. It pleases me greatly that George Feltenstein refers to this as "The Schlesinger Cut."

I wish I had some fantastic anecdote, but the plain fact of the matter that I asked Dick May, then head of MGM's asset management, about putting it back together. He checked and found that it had only been cut for the North American release, and there was apparently a perfectly intact uncut negative labeled "International." I quickly ordered a print, screened it, realized it was indeed the full version, and the rest is history. I then looked into the other pictures butchered by Aubrey. Blake Edwards' WILD ROVERS was also left intact for the rest of the world and I reissued that as well.

But no such luck with PAT GARRETT and BILLY THE KID and THE CAREY TREATMENT. CAREY was cut worldwide, and the trims were tossed, so the extant version is sadly all that's left. But the trims on GARRETT survived, thanks to one of the editors. Roger Mayer gave them the green light to start reconstructing it. But MGM, irate at the huge box office returns from my reissue of THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE (yes, you read that right, and no, it doesn't make sense) fired me. With no one left to release the new version in theatres, it was sold to the Z Channel, whereupon Jerry Harvey promptly took credit for restoring it, a lie I've been beating back for decades with limited success.

And there you go.

Mike S.

How on earth did I miss this Post? Just saw it today. Fascinating stuff. Thanks for logging in Mr. cadavra. I am very excited about this BD. Thanks for getting the ball rolling with Dick May.

P.S. The Jerry Harvey anecdote speaks volumes to me. People who take credit for the work of others do not have their own industry.

 

[PMF]

[...] I believe the full-coat was in the Todd vault.

Be it "The Boy Friend" or "West Side Story", this talk of full-coats has been music to my ears.

 

[warnerbro]

Is this the unedited version?

 

[Joel Arndt]

Is this the unedited version?

Yes, and includes the intermission and entr'acte.

 

[PMF]

Is this the unedited version?

Yes, and includes the intermission and entr'acte.

Is it safe to assume that all films with an intermission and entr'acte score, also comes with an Overture?
No mentions of one here, but I would imagine so.

 

[Robert Harris]

Is it safe to assume that all films with an intermission and entr'acte score, also comes with an Overture?
No mentions of one here, but I would imagine so.

No.

 

[theonemacduff]

Saw this when it came out, and had a ball. One shot in particular I recall is that as a dancer, I think Glenda Jackson (?) does a move, we get a smash cut to a close up of her feet hitting the boards and little clouds of dust coming up (and a big boom on the soundtrack). I thought nothing could better express the sheer physicality and effort which dancers put into making things look weightless and effortless.