The Unknown (Tod Browning, 1927) - longer print has been found (1 Viewer)

[Stefan Andersson]

A 66 min. print of The Unknown has been found and restored by The George Eastman Museum. Here are notes from a recent showing, part of an Italian silent movie festival:

THE UNKNOWN

A ROMANCE OF THE REDWOODS (US 1917) regia/dir: Cecil B. DeMille

www.giornatedelcinemamuto.it

More info in this podcast (ep. 91):

Ep. 91: Pordenone 2022 Festival Report • Restoring the Unknown The Unknown • Biographer Lara Gabrielle on Marion Davies - NitrateVille.com

 

[battlebeast]

Finding longer prints or whole films makes me happy, no matter what film it is! Now, if only THE PATRIOT and LONDON AFTER MIDNIGHT could be found… :/

 

[Robert Harris]

What’d odd here is that the film, which still under copyright, was publicly presented before a paying audience.

WB owns this film, regardless of elements.

Methinks copyright law may be dead.

If possessing film elements is 90% of the law, we’re in for an interesting ride.

 

[RobertMG]

What’d odd here is that the film, which still under copyright, was publicly presented before a paying audience.

WB owns this film, regardless of elements.

Methinks copyright law may be dead.

If possessing film elements is 90% of the law, we’re in for an interesting ride.

Is it posible WB okayed the showing? But Copyright law is a comedy everytime Mickey Mouse is due for PD Disney gets their way to change the laws -- whats the sense of having any laws then make it no expiring date? Here we go again The existing shortened version was augmented with footage from a newly-discovered Czech nitrate print which contained all the scenes missing from the other print. Wonder if they have The Rogue Song, Hats Off, Convention City all the LOST films seem to show up there!

 

[Capt D McMars]

Is it posible WB okayed the showing? But Copyright law is a comedy everytime Mickey Mouse is due for PD Disney gets their way to change the laws -- whats the sense of having any laws then make it no expiring date? Here we go again The existing shortened version was augmented with footage from a newly-discovered Czech nitrate print which contained all the scenes missing from the other print. Wonder if they have The Rogue Song, Hats Off, Convention City all the LOST films seem to show up there!

 

[battlebeast]

Is it posible WB okayed the showing? But Copyright law is a comedy everytime Mickey Mouse is due for PD Disney gets their way to change the laws -- whats the sense of having any laws then make it no expiring date? Here we go again The existing shortened version was augmented with footage from a newly-discovered Czech nitrate print which contained all the scenes missing from the other print. Wonder if they have The Rogue Song, Hats Off, Convention City all the LOST films seem to show up there!

They should really go through their whole archive.

*rolls dice*

“Come on, Patriot!”

 

[Stephen_J_H]

What’d odd here is that the film, which still under copyright, was publicly presented before a paying audience.

WB owns this film, regardless of elements.

Methinks copyright law may be dead.

If possessing film elements is 90% of the law, we’re in for an interesting ride.

Depends on if MGM [original copyright holders] renewed the copyright in 1955. If not, it would be public domain.

 

[RobertMG]

They should really go through their whole archive.

*rolls dice*

“Come on, Patriot!”

What else is hidden behind the Iron Curtain reports were The Rogus Song was on Russian TV 1960s

 

[RobertMG]

What else is hidden behind the Iron Curtain reports were The Rogus Song was on Russian TV 1960s

https://nfa.cz/en/ hey if anyone speaks the language you can look thru the archive

 

[Robert Harris]

Is it posible WB okayed the showing? But Copyright law is a comedy everytime Mickey Mouse is due for PD Disney gets their way to change the laws -- whats the sense of having any laws then make it no expiring date? Here we go again The existing shortened version was augmented with footage from a newly-discovered Czech nitrate print which contained all the scenes missing from the other print. Wonder if they have The Rogue Song, Hats Off, Convention City all the LOST films seem to show up there!

Copyright law is not a joke.

 

[bujaki]

This is the information provided by the Le giornate del cinema muto at Pordenone:

THE UNKNOWN (Lo sconosciuto) (US 1927) regia/dir: Tod Browning. scen: Waldemar Young. did/titles: Joseph W. Farnham. photog: Merritt B. Gerstad. mont/ed: Harry Reynolds, Earl Taggart. scg/des: Cedric Gibbons, Richard Day. cost: Lucia Coulter. cast: Lon Chaney (Alonzo), Norman Kerry (Malabar), Joan Crawford (Nanon), Nick De Ruiz (Zanzi), John George (Cojo), Frank Lanning (Costra). prod, dist: M-G-M. première: 03.06.1927 (Loew’s State, Los Angeles). uscita/rel: 04.06.1927. copia/copy: DCP, 66' (da/from 35mm, 5235 ft., 21 fps, da/from 35mm pos. nitr. [George Eastman Museum] + 35mm pos. nitr. [Národní filmovy archiv]; orig. l: 5517 ft.); did./titles: ENG. fonte/source: George Eastman Museum, Rochester, NY. Restaurato con il sostegno di/Preserved with the support of The National Film Preservation Foundation.

 

[richardburton84]

Some more information on the restoration from CineSavant, with a link to a podcast on the matter:

CineSavant Column – CineSavant

cinesavant.com

A separate link to the podcast itself:

Ep. 91: Pordenone 2022 Festival Report • Restoring the Unknown The Unknown • Biographer Lara Gabrielle on Marion Davies - NitrateVille.com

 

[RobertMG]

Copyright law is not a joke.

No I agree - then make copyright unexpirable - Just make them forever look at KIng of Kings 1961 WB/Turner almost lost the rights in a lawsuit but MGMs original contract stated MGM had the rights for the film in certain countries basically forever so thanks to their smart lawyers in 1960/61 that film will never be locked away https://filmsuits.com/king-of-kings...,Productions, Inc. as a “work made for hire.”

 

[RobertMG]

No I agree - then make copyright unexpirable - Just make them forever look at KIng of Kings 1961 WB/Turner almost lost the rights in a lawsuit but MGMs original contract stated MGM had the rights for the film in certain countries basically forever so thanks to their smart lawyers in 1960/61 that film will never be locked away https://filmsuits.com/king-of-kings/#:~:text=In this lawsuit, MGM defends their ownership of,Productions, Inc. as a “work made for hire.”

Also read this ==== here we go again! With the older films though like the one about this thread if these copyrights are extneded again they will never be released on home vid and thats a loss for us all https://www.belmontentertainmentlaw...-mickey-mouse-character-out-of-public-domain/

 

[Robert Harris]

Copyright law is finite.

The Unknown goes PD in two months four days.

 

[Stephen_J_H]

Copyright law is finite.

As it should be. If copyright exists in perpetuity, it stifles creativity.

 

[RobertMG]

Copyright law is finite.

The Unknown goes PD in two months four days.

WOW! So this will probably go to video fast --- - bet you would love to go thru Czech archives seems all lost films are found there!

 

[RobertMG]

As it should be. If copyright exists in perpetuity, it stifles creativity.

Look at how many places get around them - Drums Of Fu Manchu 1940 the thought is it went back to Sax Rohmer estate no one knows UCLA has the negs - which by rights are Republics if they could clear the rights but would Paramount release it> Meanwhile you can buy that on dvd! Thanks to Mr Harris for telling us about the Copyright on this lost Browning film --- maybe Warners should make a deal to release it

 

[Robert Harris]

Look at how many places get around them - Drums Of Fu Manchu 1940 the thought is it went back to Sax Rohmer estate no one knows UCLA has the negs - which by rights are Republics if they could clear the rights but would Paramount release it> Meanwhile you can buy that on dvd! Thanks to Mr Harris for telling us about the Copyright on this lost Browning film --- maybe Warners should make a deal to release it

Warners should have been given the elements.

 

[RobertMG]

Warners should have been given the elements.

From your mouth to GOD's ears!