THE REVOLUTIONARY (1970, Paul Williams) Sony/MGM (1 Viewer)

[Jon Hertzberg]

With all the discussion about the Midnight Movies series from MGM/Sony, I thought this story was applicable.

I'm in the midst of a series I programmed on lesser known films of the 60s-70s American New Wave. We just screened Paul Williams' The Revolutionary, a 1970 UA film starring a young Jon Voight, Robert Duvall, and Seymour Cassel. I was shocked (in a good way) to find that MGM/UA had struck a new print of this relatively unknown film. The film cannister indicated a 2000 date (perhaps when the new print was made). In any event this print was sparkling...I suspect if the print was made in 2000, it has rarely screened in the interim.

This is the kind of film I imagine MGM would have soon released on DVD (especially with a new print at the ready), however with Sony at the helm, I fear this will never see the light of day. It makes me wonder what else is sitting in the Sony vaults via MGM (i.e. Witchfinder General). Anyone have close contacts with John Kirk?

 

[George Reis]

I truly hope that Sony can be convinced to release more titles each month, and the more obsure, the better. Does every film have to be an Oscar winner already out on DVD two or three previous times before they consider releasing it? I so miss the days when MGM was on its own, and films like THE REVOLUTIONARY had more than a fighting chance.

 

[walter o]

MGM also had a nice new master of two another obscure Jon Voight films OUT OF IT and FEARLESS FRANK that used to play in FLIXchannel all the time about 4 years ago, along with THE REVOLUTIONARY, it's sad all that restoration work will just sit and collect dust, while Sony makes us double dip on HUDSON HAWK!

 

[Jon Hertzberg]

Very interesting. Out of It is Paul Williams' first feature, made just before The Revolutionary. WB has Williams' third film Dealing... so perhaps we will see that one before long. Fearless Frank is a Philip Kaufman film that appears to have been produced independently. Did Sony gain this through MGM/UA?

 

[walter o]

Jon,

OUT OF IT was a UA release, FEARLESS FRANK was a AIP film, which MGM aquired thru Orion, all three (including REVOLUTIONARY) began with the new MGM logo,but with Sony handling MGM's titles, it looks doubtful these will be released anytime soon.

 

[Jon Hertzberg]

Thanks, Walter. I knew that Out of It was UA, but not about Fearless Frank. One of the pleasures of seeing the new print of The Revolutionary was the old UA logo--"Entertainment From Transamerica Corporation."

 

[Mark Edward Heuck]

Sadly, John Kirk can't help us. When Sony eliminated MGM's "redundant" DVD, archival, and distribution operations, they kept John Kirk on the payroll, but they have now changed his duties to restoring old Sony sitcoms. So his influence has been significantly reduced.

You can and should, though, send John a thank you note, as it was him who set about the massive run of print updating and quiet restorations during his time at MGM; you never would have gotten that clean print without him doing the do back in 2000.

 

[Jon Hertzberg]

Thanks for the update, Mark. John Kirk's "re-assignment" is disheartening and also, sadly, not surprising. Have you got contact info for Mr. Kirk?