WAC Releasing Auntie Mame onto Blu-ray 12-05-17! (1 Viewer)

[Dick]

To be fair, that's the whole point of the film. Young Patrick is a stiff. His late father never let him be a child! It's Auntie Mame's mission to turn him into a fun loving "live live live" little boy.

Yeah, I get that. But I still find this kid insufferable. I felt similarly about the kid in THE KING AND I -- too studied and stagy --, but there was enough opulence and music and good actors surrounding him that I could get through it.

 

[Bill Huelbig]

One day some years ago, before "Auntie Mame" was on DVD, I got a pinched nerve in my neck which caused terrible pain. I was unable to eat or sleep. "Auntie Mame" happened to be on American Movie Classics that day - this is when they still showed uninterrupted, uncut classic movies. For 2 1/2 hours, I completely forgot my troubles. I'll always be grateful to "Auntie Mame" for that. Can't wait to get it on Blu-ray.

 

[Joe Caps]

Two things -
The opening scene, Nora and Patrick arriving outside of Mames apartment house, is supposed to be day for night, but it is always transferred day.
Also, too bad Warners could not find the missing stereo track for this film.

 

[Mark-P]

Also, too bad Warners could not find the missing stereo track for this film.

What evidence do you have that there actually was a stereo track for this film?

 

[Jimbo64]

There was a stereo track for Auntie Mame?

 

[OliverK]

Possibly:
http://tinyurl.com/mame-stereo
At the bottom of page 93 it says that Warner junked their stereo soundtracks and that Mame was reported to have been shown in stereo. More of a possibility than a certainty I'd say.

 

[Rob W]

Joe C may not post around here as much anymore, but he knows what he's talking about, especially concerning soundtracks.

 

[MatthewA]

Pre-ordered for a Merry Christmas and a Happy li'l ol' Hanukkah!

 

[OliverK]

Joe C may not post around here as much anymore, but he knows what he's talking about, especially concerning soundtracks.

Indeed I had missed that Joe brought up the matter a few posts above the one I had answered to. he knows his stuff and maybe a print might still exist with a collector. Knowing of the reluctance of some of them to make their prints available that may not help much though.

 

[Dick]

I saw Auntie Mame as a double feature with A Bridge to the Sun.

I would also love to see BRIDGE TO THE SUN on Blu. Very fine drama, and Carroll Baker is superb.

 

[Joe Caps]

About Mame in stereo.
When I was growing up in my little home town of Elmira, N.Y. We had a revival theater.
Aumtie Mame was always in stereo.
I also went to a couple of private showings in L.A. of Auntie Mame in stereo.
A collector has a stereo print of Auntie Mame in storage at UCLA.

 

[Rick Thompson]

Indeed I had missed that Joe brought up the matter a few posts above the one I had answered to. he knows his stuff and maybe a print might still exist with a collector. Knowing of the reluctance of some of them to make their prints available that may not help much though.

After what happened to The Alamo, do you blame them?

 

[MatthewA]

A lot of film collectors and film bookers in repertory and independent theaters have had bad experiences dealing with Warner Bros. in the past. I talked to one owner of an independent theater who actually called them "the anti-Christ." I don't know whether that's still the case.

 

[RobertSiegel]

About Mame in stereo.
When I was growing up in my little home town of Elmira, N.Y. We had a revival theater.
Aumtie Mame was always in stereo.
I also went to a couple of private showings in L.A. of Auntie Mame in stereo.
A collector has a stereo print of Auntie Mame in storage at UCLA.

It is such a sad shame then that the soundtrack of this print stored by this collector at UCLA was not able to be used for the blu-ray. I know someone at Warner Brothers through my sister who is in the classic department at another studio. He has used collector's reels and returned them for 2 projects that I know of, which I can't mention, but the fact is, the films were returned to the collectors with respect. I have been told of several instances of this. Auntie Mame is one of my all time favorites, and honestly, I have a big lack of respect for these "collectors" (who claim their collection is theirs, but is really not their property). Auntie Mame is one of my all time favorite movies, and had Warner Brothers gained access to this print mentioned by Joe stored at UCLA by a private collector, we would have a permanent record of Auntie Mame and its original stereo soundtrack. These are valuable materials for the documentation of films (in this instance, its stereo soundtrack).

What I have to ask Joe C is have you told Warner Brothers about this situation and where they might start to obtain this print?? No blame here, just curious. Personally, I would do everything I could to get that print back to Warner Brothers. To heck with the collector, he's got stolen material which is in this case (the soundtrack is) vital to the presentation of this film forever.

I know of a collector who has a stereo print of the film "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying." I know who it is and where he has it. I tried to work with him to let the powers that be use it to obtain the stereo track, plus the film he had was some 4+ minutes longer than any other version, but I don't know what that would have been, but after he continued to refuse, I did the right thing and reported this to MGM/UA. I felt I was doing something for film fans and how they would "hear" the film from now to whenever. Unfortunately, the film appeared without a true stereo track on blu-ray, and now I wonder if they tried to get it at all.

So being that Auntie Mame is one of my all time favorite movies and I have never seen it in stereo, it makes me furious that some collector with a stolen film holds the soundtrack from the public and those who love the movie and also historical documentation.

 

[OliverK]

It is such a sad shame then that the soundtrack of this print stored by this collector at UCLA was not able to be used for the blu-ray. I know someone at Warner Brothers through my sister who is in the classic department at another studio. He has used collector's reels and returned them for 2 projects that I know of, which I can't mention, but the fact is, the films were returned to the collectors with respect. I have been told of several instances of this. Auntie Mame is one of my all time favorites, and honestly, I have a big lack of respect for these "collectors" (who claim their collection is theirs, but is really not their property). Auntie Mame is one of my all time favorite movies, and had Warner Brothers gained access to this print mentioned by Joe stored at UCLA by a private collector, we would have a permanent record of Auntie Mame and its original stereo soundtrack. These are valuable materials for the documentation of films (in this instance, its stereo soundtrack).

What I have to ask Joe C is have you told Warner Brothers about this situation and where they might start to obtain this print?? No blame here, just curious. Personally, I would do everything I could to get that print back to Warner Brothers. To heck with the collector, he's got stolen material which is in this case (the soundtrack is) vital to the presentation of this film forever.

I know of a collector who has a stereo print of the film "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying." I know who it is and where he has it. I tried to work with him to let the powers that be use it to obtain the stereo track, plus the film he had was some 4+ minutes longer than any other version, but I don't know what that would have been, but after he continued to refuse, I did the right thing and reported this to MGM/UA. I felt I was doing something for film fans and how they would "hear" the film from now to whenever. Unfortunately, the film appeared without a true stereo track on blu-ray, and now I wonder if they tried to get it at all.

So being that Auntie Mame is one of my all time favorite movies and I have never seen it in stereo, it makes me furious that some collector with a stolen film holds the soundtrack from the public and those who love the movie and also historical documentation.

Collectors have repeatedly been belittled and their prints mistreated and even confiscated or at least there have been threats like now in your post. If I was a sceptic collector reading your post it would reinforce my resolve to not let any studio have it.

What the studios should do imo would be to treat the print properly and return it to the collector in as good shape or better than they received it if that is possible at all. I would even go so far as to offer them some kind of credit / visibility on all future home video versions of the movie that profit from having received that print and maybe also give them a studio tour or something like it. Make them feel important and appreciated because actually this is what they are as they took the prints that the studios mostly intended to be junked and preserved them.

 

[OliverK]

After what happened to The Alamo, do you blame them?

From what I remember I think that the print of The Alamo suffered more because it was not a collector's print which is why the studio did with it what they wanted and afterwards stored it improperly.

I do not know similar horror stories from collectors prints but I remember a story here where a collector was promised some kind of credit for lending his print and he got nothing, zip, nada - at least this is how the story went. I guess that if you preserve a 50 year old movie that the studio was too stupid / lazy / disorganized to take proper care of then you should get some credit and respect.

But let us also not forget that film collectors also can be very special "characters" like many collectors in every field so that also has to be considered when there are prints but the studios cannot get hold of them.

 

[Robert Harris]

Collectors have repeatedly been belittled and their prints mistreated and even confiscated or at least there have been threats like now in your post. If I was a sceptic collector reading your post it would reinforce my resolve to not let any studio have it.

What the studios should do imo would be to treat the print properly and return it to the collector in as good shape or better than they received it if that is possible at all. I would even go so far as to offer them some kind of credit / visibility on all future home video versions of the movie that profit from having received that print and maybe also give them a studio tour or something like it. Make them feel important and appreciated because actually this is what they are as they took the prints that the studios mostly intended to be junked and preserved them.

You’re referencing ancient history. The studios and archives work constantly with collectors, whose prints are well-handled, and returned.

 

[OliverK]

You’re referencing ancient history. The studios and archives work constantly with collectors, whose prints are well-handled, and returned.

If somebody had a bad dealing with a studio in those ancient times then he might be lost as a source of prints forever so I hope that not too much damage was caused back then. I wonder if an effort was made to localize a stereo print for Mame or if this is a case of somebody mentioning that a stereo print exists when it already is too late to incorporate that track into the upcoming release.

 

[Marco S]

I forgot, but was this ever projected in stereo?? On its premiere??

 

[john a hunter]

Relatively widely . Also in Australia.