An E-mail Appeal to Mr. Wade Williams (1 Viewer)

[TravisR]

I have made my point several times about ROCKETSHIP XM. I don't want it made fun of or belittled. It's an insult to the people that made the film. This moronic episode will not be re-licensed now or in the future so please stop asking. The answer is NO. The film is in my TRUST and I have an entail on this film that it cannot be licensed for anything except in it's intended form. The episode was not funny anyway, just stupid and needs to go away.

It'll never go away because we'll keep circulating the tapes.

 

[Mossman-Williams]

Rob C.
My point is you don't see JOLSON STORY being distributed theatrically and I don't remember seeing it on TV much in years.
It may be on DVD, so what's the point in looking for ways to criticize me for a statement based in fact. Larry Parks is in blackface most of
the time and the film is an excellent slice of Americana like SONG OF THE SOUTH , AMOS N ANDY and other such films that are
CENSORED by the new Censor Board of Political Correctness. ignoring history. The last Censor Board went out of business in Topeka Kansas
decades ago only to be replaced by the speech police.

Moderator's Note: Political comment removed.

wade williams

 

[Peter Apruzzese]

I ran both The Jolson Story and Jolson Sings Again theatrically a few years ago. No issues with getting them from Columbia/Sony as they have fine prints of both. So I'm not sure what you mean.

 

[Bryan^H]

Todd-


I have made my point several times about ROCKETSHIP XM. I don't want it made fun of or belittled. It's an insult to the people that made the film. This moronic episode will not be re-licensed now or in the future so please stop asking. The answer is NO. The film is in my TRUST and I have an entail on this film that it cannot be licensed for anything except in it's intended form. The episode was not funny anyway, just stupid and needs to go away. The film is an early serious attempt at depicting space flight and the people involved would turn over in their grave if they saw what was done with it. It's utter disrespect and nonsense to DEFILE this great motion picture. I said DEFILE !!!!

My word. Rocketship XM is not that great of a film(in my opinion of course). I found it quite tedious, and a chore to sit through. There are far better landmark Sci-Fi films like 'Forbidden Planet' , or my favorite 'Robinson Crusoe On Mars' Which remain relevant because of their proper treatment.

 

[bgart13]

Oh brother... Seems it's almost time to shut down the thread when discussion of Trump comes up, with a nasty comment included no less.

 

[Mike Frezon]

Oh brother... Seems it's almost time to shut down the thread when discussion of Trump comes up, with a nasty comment included no less.

Well, that's certainly one way to get a thread closed. Another would be if members make uncivil comments about other members.

I have just edited two posts which contained comments of a political nature. That is strictly against HTF Rules. If anyone else wants to try to go down that road they do so at their own risk.

 

[Mossman-Williams]

Travis-

When ROCKETSHIP X-M was licensed to MST3000 they paid a specific amount of money to use the film for a limited time and
for a licensed use. They paid for that time. They got the use they wanted and it's over. That time has come and gone for years..


What you are saying is you intend to break the law, steal my property, display and use it illegally and encourage others to do the same ?
The law for copyright infringement is severe- Fines and jail time.

The copyright law gives the copyright owner the say as to whom and where his property is used..

wade williams

 

[Mossman-Williams]

Bryon H-

I saw FORBIDDEN PLANET when it originally opened and I believe it was in stereo sound either Perspecta of Magnetic 4 channel..
While it was ahead of it's time and was beautiful and fun, however it was made primarily for kids. ROBINSON CARUSO ON MARS was one
long bore with cheezy special effects ( upside war machines from WAR OF THE WORLDS ) I have had a 35MM Technicolor and Cinemascope original print in my collection since the year it was released and looked at it once.
ROCKETSHIP XM has a world wide fan base, ROBINSON CARUSO ON MARS does not.

Hey Mike if you want to close this Thread I have no problem. I have spent hours tying to explain the various issues and correct all the BS. These people are going to believe what they want so it's probably a waste of time. There are some intelligent, rational people on this Forum and then there are some that are not.
Personally I would prefer you close the thread. I have nothing more to say.

wade williams

 

[Mike Frezon]

Hey Mike if you want to close this Thread I have no problem. I have spent hours tying to explain the various issues and correct all the BS. These people are going to believe what they want so it's probably a waste of time. There are some intelligent, rational people on this Forum and then there are some that are not.
Personally I would prefer you close the thread. I have nothing more to say.

Wade:

I'm afraid it's not your call. We'll (the administrative team) close a thread if we deem it appropriate OR at the request of the thread starter.

But you certainly are free to come/go as you please. If you've got nothing to add, that's fine.

For one, I appreciate you taking on this fervent crowd of film lovers. Secondly, if you bow out of the thread, I hope you will return to give us updates about any deals you strike to bring the films in your collection to the public marketplace. As you can plainly see, there are many people here who are more-than-ready to spend their hard-earned dollars to see the films in your collection.

 

[Mossman-Williams]

Mike-
Thank you for being sane, You are like a Petunia in an onion patch. as my grandmother
would say. I have just acquired two more rather important films a science fiction film from the 30's
and one of the best film from the 40's.
I will let you know when to make the announcement.
Have met some intelligent and nice people on the Forum.


wade williams

 

[John Doe]

Wade, you said that Kino tried to license Detour from you, but isn't Detour a public domain title? Do you have any decent film elements for it?

 

[Dick]

I have nothing more to say.
wade williams

See ya.

 

[FatherDude]

The film is an early serious attempt at depicting space flight and the people involved would turn over in their grave if they saw what was done with it.

I do not share your authority to speak for the dead, but I do know Hugh O'Brian (still kicking at 91 years old, bless him) didn't seem to mind taking pictures with MST3K fans who met him at an expo.

Respectfully,
Jason

 

[phillyrobt]

Well, that's certainly one way to get a thread closed. Another would be if members make uncivil comments about other members.

I have just edited two posts which contained comments of a political nature. That is strictly against HTF Rules. If anyone else wants to try to go down that road they do so at their own risk.

My comment only was in reference to post 43. I've checked the history of Song of the South as well as Amos and Andy and outside of NAACP protests in the 50s and 60s there is no such thing as "black" censorship against these things nowadays. An entertainment professional would know this.

 

[FatherDude]

Correct, the "censorship" is self-imposed. It's a public image issue. I always figured they would release it through that Walt Disney Treasures line from several years ago, under which they included some of the studio's overt propaganda from the WWII era along with a foreword that put them in historical context. Never did happen.

One silver lining about Song of the South is that Disney was at least smart enough to quietly restore the film back in 2011.

 

[Mossman-Williams]

John Doe-

DETOUR is in the Public Domain, however I have the chain of title rights, the 35MM negative and track- Trailer 35MM Fine Grain and a very early 16MM negative made from the Fine Grain in the 1950's. The 35MM print master is NITRATE and sharp. CRITERION made overtures
to license, so did KINO and a French Company. When it comes out on DVD it will be a double feature with the remake with Tom Neal Jr
playing the same role as his father. I have had the film out on VHS in the past with ENGLEWOOD ENTERTAINMENT and with IMAGE on
DVD. I plan to put both the films on 4K along with INVADERS FROM MARS so they can also play theatrically.

it is one of my favorite films and I have had a long time association with the late Tom Neal Jr, and the late Martin Goldsmith the man that wrote
the novel and screenplay. And of course produced and directed the remake.

wade williams

P.S. Decided to answer sensible questions on the Forum.

 

[Mossman-Williams]

Jason-
When Hugh O Brian was here at the re-release of XM he took pictures with everyone. He loves the film. I doubt if he even
saw the MST3000 version. When a star goes to an expo they are expected to be nice to fans and take pictures., and sell pictures.

wade williams

 

[FatherDude]

Mr. Williams,

Some of those fans were introduced to his work through the episode. Suppressing it does not rescue the film's legacy because it never needed rescuing.

Respectfully,
Jason

 

[John Sparks]

Come on, just release them on BD before almost all the members that are on this thread "DIE!" We're almost as old as you and we ain't getting any younger!!!

 

[Rodney]

I will not license ROCKETSHIP XM for MST3000 ever . It is a landmark and historic film, very popular and am in the process of taking it off the pirates uploading on YOUTUBE .and elsewhere.

I am going to make a restoration BLU-RAY with the REVISED version and the ORIGINAL version with the V2 rockets and lavender died film stock on Mars.

I still have my copy of the premiere issue of CINEMAGIC that had the cover story "Re-making Rocketship X-M". I have never seen the revised version, so I hope that you are successful in your intent to release a definitive blu-ray with both versions on it.