More CinemaScope films from WB, FOX , Universal & Columbia (1 Viewer)

[flagbrothers]

The major studios have released several CinemaScope films however, with the abundance of titles in their catalog, there are several films still missing in action. I can think of a stars like Ginger Rogers, Jane Russell, Lauren Bacall, Gregory Peck just to name a few who made several films during the CinemaScope era. Also there were several film noirs that were released in CinemaScope. Here is a list of films that I feel should get released. If you have any suggestions feel free to add to the list.

Hell on Frisco Bay
Women's World
Teenage Rebel
Night People
The Tattered Dress
Violent Saturday
I died a thousand times
The Left hand of God
The Egyptian
Underwater
Gentlemen Marry Brunettes
Hot Blood
Slightly Scarlet
The Revolt of Mamie Stover
How to Be Very, Very Popular
Three for the Show
Istanbul
The Gift of Love
The Cobweb
The 3rd Voice
Zarak
The Bandit of Zhobe
Interpol aka Pick up Alley
Back from Eternity
Sign of the Pagan

 

[Robert Harris]

The CinemaScope films were produced during the Eastman 5248 era.

This means that, in a general sense, work needs to be performed to bring them back to a printable state. This also means investment and time.

 

[Simon Howson]

Hot Blood is available from region 2 U.K. The transfer is excellent. It's a wonderful hyperactive film, it's a must for any fans of Nicholas Ray.
How much money? Tens of thousands? Hundreds of thousands?

I re-watched Fox's The Last Wagon (1956) tonight for the first time since it was released, and I was again blown away by the quality of the film, and the good quality transfer. I watched The Proud Ones (1956) a couple of weeks ago which looks even better, and is another excellent CinemaScope western.

Both of those DVDs are double sided, with a widescreen version of the film on one side, and a pan and scan copy on the other. Fox should stop bothering with pan and scan versions, but include one of their Regal or Associate Producers Inc. B-films on Side B of their classic DVDs. For example one of their RegalScope westerns. Since they are B&W I imagine making transfers would cost a lot less than transferring a colour film. But it would just be cool to get an A western and a B western on the same DVD, kind of like a double bill, like how they were originally shown.

 

[JPCinema]

I had heard that the THE EGYPTIAN had been restored and also been shown on INHD channel ( horribly pan and scanned to 16X9). The credits were in 2.55 and looked amazing. Where's the DVD release????

 

[Brandon Conway]

I've never heard of these things costing less than 6 figures.

 

[Jon Lidolt]

Yeah, where is it? The Egyptian is one of my favorite movie spectaculars. And give it to me on Blu-ray - PLEASE. The musical score by Bernard Hermann is one of his best, the sets are spectacular and it's great fun watching Daryl Zanuck's "find" Bella Darvi vamp her way across the wide CinemaScope screen.

 

[Jack Theakston]

5247 (5248 was introduced in 1953, but only after the first two CS titles were shot), which is why THE ROBE and HOW TO MARRY A MILLIONAIRE are both heavily lit.

Also, to the initial poster-- UNDERWATER! is a SuperScope title, not a CinemaScope title.

 

[Simon Howson]

Thanks for the info.

 

[Simon Howson]

 

[Douglas Monce]

Most TV stations will still not run a letterboxed film and as such a pan and scan version must be made to make back the cost of transferring to video in the first place. On a catalog title the studio will most likely make more money on TV distribution than DVD sales.

Doug

 

[Jack Theakston]

I agree, there's no reason to be including a pan and scan/open matte ANYTHING in this day and age, but it happens because there are ninnies out there who feel uncomfortable if their screen isn't being filled. And (as mentioned above) there are still networks that won't run letterbox.

ON THE THRESHOLD OF SPACE is one of Webb's best, the film that John Hodiak died on the set of. It's a great space-race era film that takes a more science than fiction look at the conquest of space. But can it sell? I know that's a fairly business-minded thing to say, but the problem is you've got to be able to make it sell in order to put it out there.

And regarding LOVE ME TENDER-- I'm sure it was budgetary. Who knew Elvis was going to sell as well as he did? The original title was THE RENO BROTHERS until they wrote the song up. There are some fine films shot black and white 'scope. They look pretty damned impressive.

 

[Simon Howson]

Some other great B&W CinemaScope films:

Bitter Victory
The Young Lions
Diary of Anne Frank
Compulsion
Sink the Bismark
Seven Thieves
The Hustler
The Innocents (Astonishing photography by Freddie Francis)
The Longest Day (though this film is credited as CinemaScope, to me it looks more like a Panavision lensed film)

 

[Jack Theakston]

That is, of course, a big "if."

Most features have transfers done already, but in a case like this, unfortunately pan and scan.

 

[Simon Howson]

I wonder what the future will be? They only release famous A films on a physical media, and the rest are DRMd downloads, from new transfers, but based on whatever the best element they can find at the time?

Hopefully blu-ray explodes over the next 12 - 18 months, and effectively subsidises the release of many more classic films on standard DVD.

 

[Douglas Monce]

One of my favorite widescreen films, it's actually Panavision not CinemaScope, is The Satan Bug (1965) directed by John Sturges. It's a cool cold war, germ warfare spy thriller. Sturges really knew how to use the 2.35:1 ratio. Some of his other great widescreen films include

Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (VistaVision)
The Magnificent Seven (Panavision)
The Great Escape (Panavision)
Hour of the Gun (Panavision)
Ice Station Zebra (Super Panavision 70)

But The Satan Bug is still only available as a pan and scan VHS.

Doug

 

[Simon Howson]

I think Bad Day at Black Rock is a pretty good example of early CinemaScope filmmaking. All the scenes in the hotel lobby are handled in interesting ways, with different actors kind of hanging around different areas of the frame.

Last Train from Gun Hill is another great VistaVision film he directed, I actually prefer it to the more famous Gunfight at O.K. Corral. Ice Station Zebra is a great film, who would've thought the large format would work so well in a confined space like a submarine? Warner did a great job with the DVD, and the Australian version only costs $8!

I haven't watched the others recently, but vaguely recall interesting things in Hour of the Gun. I'll have to give them another look.

The Satan Bug MUST be good, because it has Anne Francis in it. :-P

 

[Brent Avery]

Since there are a fair number of Region 2 releases that stand a good chance of not being released here I will be buying a few titles.

Lonely Are The Brave '62
Captain Lightfoot '55 (2:55)
Garden Of Evil '54 (2:55)
Flight From Ashiya '64
The Long Duel '67
Satan Bug '67
Run For The Sun '56
Tobruk '67
File Of The Golden Goose '69
Tell Them Willie Boy Is Here '69
Night Of The Generals '67

I will keep checking and hopefully will find a few more 2:35 films. It's a pity they are not available in Region 1 but I am buying a Oppo HD981 specifically for Region 2 dvds as my old Bravo D1 does not convert as well as I'd like.

 

[Simon Howson]

Do you know which country has these two out? I can't find them on United Kingdom webpages.

There are lots out in France that aren't out anywhere else, but they are very expensive. I managed to pick up Bigger than Life on eBay for AUD$20, and I want to get Party Girl. But they are so expensive on Amazon.fr

 

[Douglas Monce]

Right I had forgotten about Last Train From Gun Hill. Another great John Sturges film.

And yes Anne Francis is always a joy to watch, even if her costumes in Satan Bug aren't as revealing as Forbidden Planet!

Doug

 

[Brent Avery]

Simon - You should be able to find it within the dvd listings on the ebay uk site. They are both Spainish releases - with Spanish language titleson the covers etc.but have english audio tracks. I agree that more often than not they are more expensive, especially with shipping charges but I'm willing to live with it for a film I enjoy. If you still are unable to locate either let me know and I will pm you.