A Few Words About A few words about...™ How the West Was Won -- in Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[john a hunter]

As I understand it, the gross on HTWWW was spilt equally between MGM and Cinerama so MGM's share shown above was only half of its take.

 

[cinemiracle]

Cleopatra eventually did earn back its cost and was the biggest money earner of the films mentioned. As I stated it cost a fortune that that in part is the reason for its noterietry.

True Cleopatra did finally earn back it's cost and eventually made a small profit. But that took many years. It was only THE SOUND OF MUSIC that restored Fox's dwindling money in the bank to a healthy amount .SOM was and still is the longest running English speaking film in history.5 years in London,4 and a half in Sydney and the only film to run over a year in New Zealand (Auckland). 42 weeks in Wellington (New Zealand) These lengthy runs have never been surpassed in over 50 years. For me it certainly wasn't much fun having to see this film every day for 42 weeks.

 

[Allansfirebird]

CLEOPATRA was a 'massive' financial flop. It never made a cent.It did not make a ton of money like you said. It was the biggest financial flop ever at the time of it's release. It almost sent a studio broke. It had a very disappointing run in TODD-AO where I worked.

That's a big assumption to be making without having any of the documentation to back it up. I'm going to be acquiring budget and cost reports for Cleopatra quite soon from the producer's archive at the Wisconsin Historical Society and I should be able to verify just how "massive" it flopped. And yes, I'm aware the movie was a flop on release due to its exorbitant costs, but I don't believe it was "massive."

 

[cinemiracle]

As I understand it, the gross on HTWWW was spilt equally between MGM and Cinerama so MGM's share shown above was only half of its take.

True John, but with one smash hit (HTWWW) and another (BROTHERS GRIMM) that was not the expected hit at the box-office, MGM eventually lost money on the combined films. It was also the end of 3-strip Cinerama. 3-strip Kinopanorama (Russia) did after approx. a 40 year break , have a revival (in Australia) where it continues to this day. I was fortunate to go on location several times and have some 3-strip film of my self which was filmed at the late John Mitchell's residence more that a decade ago.

 

[john a hunter]

That's a big assumption to be making without having any of the documentation to back it up. I'm going to be acquiring budget and cost reports for Cleopatra quite soon from the producer's archive at the Wisconsin Historical Society and I should be able to verify just how "massive" it flopped. And yes, I'm aware the movie was a flop on release due to its exorbitant costs, but I don't believe it was "massive."

Should be fascinating reading. As is well known, Fox adding the studio losses for several years to the film's legitimate cost.
Even by Hollywood's "strange" accounting methods ,it is interesting that it eventually came good.

 

[Richard Gallagher]

IMO, it's the most known score from that year.

Agreed. The late fifties and early sixties were glory years for movie music. United Artists used to put out a new album of movie themes every year.

 

[Paul Rossen]

True Cleopatra did finally earn back it's cost and eventually made a small profit. But that took many years. It was only THE SOUND OF MUSIC that restored Fox's dwindling money in the bank to a healthy amount .SOM was and still is the longest running English speaking film in history.5 years in London,4 and a half in
Sydney and the only film to run over a year in New Zealand (Auckland). 42 weeks in Wellington (New Zealand) These lengthy runs have never been surpassed in over 50 years. For me it certainly wasn't much fun having to see this film every day for 42 weeks.

I believe the longest running Roadshow film in New York was Around the world in 80 Day’s at the Rivoli Theater at 102 weeks . Sound of Music was cut short at 96 weeks due to arrangements made for the premiere showing of The Sand Pebbles at the Rivoli.

 

[jim_falconer]

True Cleopatra did finally earn back it's cost and eventually made a small profit. But that took many years. It was only THE SOUND OF MUSIC that restored Fox's dwindling money in the bank to a healthy amount .SOM was and still is the longest running English speaking film in history.5 years in London,4 and a half in Sydney and the only film to run over a year in New Zealand (Auckland). 42 weeks in Wellington (New Zealand) These lengthy runs have never been surpassed in over 50 years. For me it certainly wasn't much fun having to see this film every day for 42 weeks.

I believe I read that "The Longest Day" massive success in 1962, helped offset the studio's loses for Cleopatra

 

[Paul Rossen]

I believe I read that "The Longest Day" massive success in 1962, helped offset the studio's loses for Cleopatra

The Longest was successful and kept Fox in business as the studio put all of its resources into the Cleopatra production. Fox cancelled a number of productions during this time period including the George Cukor film starring Marilyn Monroe.

 

[Chelsearicky]

True Cleopatra did finally earn back it's cost and eventually made a small profit. But that took many years. It was only THE SOUND OF MUSIC that restored Fox's dwindling money in the bank to a healthy amount .SOM was and still is the longest running English speaking film in history.5 years in London,4 and a half in Sydney and the only film to run over a year in New Zealand (Auckland). 42 weeks in Wellington (New Zealand) These lengthy runs have never been surpassed in over 50 years. For me it certainly wasn't much fun having to see this film every day for 42 weeks.

"West Side Story" also ran for five years in Paris, but split between two theaters, I believe.

 

[cinemiracle]

"West Side Story" also ran for five years in Paris, but split between two theaters, I believe.

So WSS ran 5 years at 2 cinemas -does that mean it only ran 2 and a half years in total. I'm confused.

 

[Chelsearicky]

So WSS ran 5 years at 2 cinemas -does that mean it only ran 2 and a half years in total. I'm confused.

No, a 5 year run that began in one theater and ended in another.

 

[john a hunter]

Unlike South Pacific which ended its 4 and a half year run at London's Dominion Theatre where it begun in April 58.
They needed two Todd-AO prints. The first was the longer version.

 

[MarkantonyII]

The film elements would work beautifully with 4k. Only problem is dollars. Calling Dave Strohmaier!

My maths is terrible, but i think all 3 panels were scanned and fixed separately at 2K each, then combined. Given the ultrawide AR it may be poss to get an almost 4K image by utilising the 3 x 2K masters...then removing the join lines

M

 

[Mark-P]

My maths is terrible, but i think all 3 panels were scanned and fixed separately at 2K each, then combined. Given the ultrawide AR it may be poss to get an almost 4K image by utilising the 3 x 2K masters...then removing the join lines

M

I can assist with the math. Scanning each panel at 2K (perf-to-perf, and 6 perfs high) would result in 2K wide by 2.25K high, all three combined resulting in 6K wide by 2.25K high, minus appropriate cropping. Scanning at 4K would result in a total of 12K wide by 4.5K high, again minus appropriate cropping. Needless to say way more resolution than 4K!

 

[MarkantonyII]

I can assist with the math. Scanning each panel at 2K (perf-to-perf, and 6 perfs high) would result in 2K wide by 2.25K high, all three combined resulting in 6K wide by 2.25K high, minus appropriate cropping. Scanning at 4K would result in a total of 12K wide by 4.5K high, again minus appropriate cropping. Needless to say way more resolution than 4K!

So therefore the 3x existing 2K masters, if recombined, have +50% more width resolution than 4K.

Whether this works depends if the % of black bar height on 2.89:1 gives an equivalent, actual picture area, height information of around 2.25K if adapted to a 4K master or significantly less.

M

 

[cinemiracle]

Unlike South Pacific which ended its 4 and a half year run at London's Dominion Theatre where it begun in April 58.
They needed two Todd-AO prints. The first was the longer version.

But they ,like the USA never had an overture for the film. We did where I worked in New Zealand.

 

[Paul Rossen]

But they ,like the USA never had an overture for the film. We did where I worked in New Zealand.

I saw South Pacific in NYC with an Overture long after it’s Roadshow run at a 70 mm festival in the 70’s.

 

[john a hunter]

But they ,like the USA never had an overture for the film. We did where I worked in New Zealand.

The second cut print did.
As you know the first print when straight into the titles after the motor cycle crash at the end of The Miracle of Todd-AO short.
Great showmanship!!!!

 

[Mike Frezon]

As much as I love some of this, we really need to get back to How the West Was Won, gents.