'Some Came Running' announced - but has anyone heard of the label? (1 Viewer)

[Bruce Morrison]

The Amazon site is showing that Minnelli's 'Some Came Running' has been announced for release on October 25th - on a label named 'Pro-Active Entertain'. I haven't heard of this label before - does anyone know what sort of track record they have and whether this is likely to be a good transfer? The movie was originally an MGM production, so I was expecting Warners to own the DVD rights now. Anyway I'm pleased to see that it's appearing on DVD, provided it's a decent transfer.

 

[JohnMor]

Yeah, they have a lot of how-to and public domain. Did this classic become PD? Hopefully not.

 

[Thomas T]

I'm dubious about the announcement.

Both the VHS tape and laser disc were released by MGM prior to their acquisition by Warners via Ted Turner. If it HAS fallen into public domain, it's done so only recently and someone at Warners messed up seriously by not renewing the copyright. Given the value of their massive library, I doubt this would have been allowed to happen but incompetence knows no boundaries.

 

[Roger Rollins]

Apparently, no incompetence is at fault here...just some unseemly pirate trying to get away with theft.

The film is most definitely protected by copyright, as indicated on the Library of Congress' website:

****
Registration Number: RE-279-860
Title: Some came running. By aLoew's, Inc. & Sol. C. Siegel Productions,
Inc.

Claimant: acM G M/U A Entertainment Company & acSol C. Siegel Productions,
Inc. (PWH)

Effective Registration Date: 6Jan86
Original Registration Date: 9Dec58;
Original Registration Number: LP12675.
Original Class: L


******

I doubt this bootleg will ever come to market...except (sadly) via the black market, perhaps, where unknowing people end up with LD ports. (UGH)


It's a great film, and I'm certain we'll get a first-class DVD release from Warner one of these days....

 

[GregoryMesh]

Even more disturbing info - kazart is listing that Cheezy Flicks is actually releasing this title. Pro-Active Entertainment usually just distribute other studio's releases (including some Canadian ones).

 

[Simon Howson]

Didn't Warner say that they intend to release it sometime in 2006? It needs a high class Warner transfer, I hope people resist rewarding this public domain company.

I prefer the film to the more famous James Jones novel adaptation - From Here to Eternity. The final sequence is an amazing piece of widescreen choreography, as others have pointed out, the coloured lights and low angle shots and actor movement are as well staged as any Minelli musical sequence.

 

[Sean A]

I'm sure WB would want to put out a Minelli collection, featuring this film, one of his greatest dramatic works.

 

[Simon Howson]

Great score as well, I think Bernstein admitted that his opening cue was his version of a Bernard Herrmann main title