Will we see a new Capra Collection Blu-Ray from Sony? (1 Viewer)

[Robert Crawford]

or how about Capra/ Cooper/Stanwyck's Meet John Doe....

I'm not sure Warner has the home video rights to Meet John Doe. It might be in PD Hell!

 

[dana martin]

My understanding was that Capra sold the rights to it to accompany that basically let the original negative deteriorate Warner has a print and that along with what the Library of Congress had was what was used for the last release from VCI but not Optimum, yes it's in PD hell but Warner is actually saved some that way they did it with a little Ronald Reagan film, Irving Berlin's This is the Army.

The question is, if it's possible, to copyright a restoration and release it proper.

 

[RichMurphy]

The question is, if it's possible, to copyright a restoration and release it proper.

According to the infallible Wikipedia , Warner Bros. was able to copyright its awesome restoration of the Janet Gaynor/Frederic March A STAR IS BORN, which had fallen into the public domain.

 

[dana martin]

So there's hope yet

 

[Malcolm R]

The question is, if it's possible, to copyright a restoration and release it proper.

I believe so, as I think this is the case with the recent restorations by the 3D Film Archive of Abbott & Costello's Africa Screams and Jack & the Beanstalk. If anyone wants to use the restored version, I think they would have get approval from 3DFA (who would also control the new masters).

 

[RobertMG]

I'm not sure Warner has the home video rights to Meet John Doe. It might be in PD Hell!

I heard from famous contact at UCLA that Bob Furmanek had yes located the original negative which is now there BUT if anyone does it it will be Sony! I think they mentioned the Packford Foundation of something like that restored it.

 

[RobertMG]

My understanding was that Capra sold the rights to it to accompany that basically let the original negative deteriorate Warner has a print and that along with what the Library of Congress had was what was used for the last release from VCI but not Optimum, yes it's in PD hell but Warner is actually saved some that way they did it with a little Ronald Reagan film, Irving Berlin's This is the Army.

The question is, if it's possible, to copyright a restoration and release it proper.

Bob Furmanek found the original neg in NJ -- it is now at UCLA and they said if it will be done Sony will be the ones to do it

 

[dana martin]

Bob Furmanek found the original neg in NJ -- it is now at UCLA and they said if it will be done Sony will be the ones to do it

Yeah I don't want to go off topic but a Sony release of a Capra film, instant purchase

 

[RobertMG]

Yeah I don't want to go off topic but a Sony release of a Capra film, instant purchase

Agree as I bet a lot would - question is why hasn't it happened already!

 

[David Weicker]

Agree as I bet a lot would - question is why hasn't it happened already!

Easy answer - The rights are unclear.

Meet John Doe was a WB production, (not a Columbia production, like the other Sony owned Capra films).

Since it fell into PD, it's a gamble for a studio to release the restored version (even though one now exists).

Sony/Columbia have their name on the broadcast version that TCM shows. But broadcast rights and home-video rights are not always the same.

 

[RobertMG]

Easy answer - The rights are unclear.

Meet John Doe was a WB production, (not a Columbia production, like the other Sony owned Capra films).

Since it fell into PD, it's a gamble for a studio to release the restored version (even though one now exists).

Sony/Columbia have their name on the broadcast version that TCM shows. But broadcast rights and home-video rights are not always the same.

Our MEET JOHN DOE holdings are on deposit from a third party. From UCLA

 

[Bob Furmanek]

I found the camera original 35mm nitrate picture and track negatives for MEET JOHN DOE at a film storage facility in Fort Lee, New Jersey in the early 90s. They were in a storage vault with orphaned films.

We arranged for them to go to the Packard Humanities Institute. They in turn provided them to Grover Crisp at Sony for restoration and preservation.

 

[RobertMG]

I found the camera original 35mm nitrate picture and track negatives for MEET JOHN DOE at a film storage facility in Fort Lee, New Jersey in the early 90s. They were in a storage vault with orphaned films.

We arranged for them to go to the Packard Humanities Institute. They in turn provided them to Grover Crisp at Sony for restoration and preservation.

Were the given to Sony because they at that point owned the film? Why not Capra's family or WB?

 

[Bob Furmanek]

Outside of finding and saving the elements, I was not involved with anything that happened to them so I cannot answer that question.

 

[RobertMG]

Were the given to Sony because they at that point owned the film? Why not Capra's family or WB?

Maybe not clear who owns the rights thats wy not on home video? TCM site says they air the restored print since 2016

 

[Robert Crawford]

Maybe not clear who owns the rights thats wy not on home video? TCM site says they air the restored print since 2016

Warner had a film distribution deal for the movie while Frank Capra Productions was the production company for Meet John Doe.

 

[tsodcollector]

Sony has a good chance of releasing a collection of his greatest movies on dvd,it would be great.it's a wonderful life is owned by spelling entertainment.a unit of viacom.so they coundn't get it.and meet john doe is owned by warner bros.the capra family,is owned by diffrent companies mostly sony/columbia tristar.

 

[Garysb]

I supposed there could have been a deal between Warner Bros and Frank Capra where he agreed to direct 2 films, "Arsenic and Old Lace" and "Meet John Doe" where "Arsenic" would be produced and owned by Warner Bros. and where Warner Bros would only distribute "John Doe", the film produced by Frank Capra Productions and the rights revert to Capra after a number of years. Capra allowed "It's a Wonderful Life" to fall into public domain. Not sure how the film elements ended up at Republic Pictures and after many sales with Paramount. Perhaps he no longer owned it when it went into public domain. "State of The Union" another Liberty Picture was released by MGM but is now with Universal somehow, perhaps MCA got the rights before they bought Universal, just a guess.
Wikipedia to the rescue:
Paramount bought Liberty Pictures with the assets of "Its A Wonderful Life", and "State of The Union" "Wonderful Life" was sold with cartoons such as Betty Boop to U.M. & M. TV Corporation which were all later sold to National Telefilm Associates, and in turn became Republic Pictures. While "State of the Union" was included with the pre 1950 Paramount Pictures sold to MCA .

I still don't understand how Sony got the rights to "John Doe" I like seeing the prints that have the Warner Bros shield at the start. This is rare.

 

[Robin9]

Outside of finding and saving the elements, I was not involved with anything that happened to them so I cannot answer that question.

Were you able to judge if the elements were in good condition?

 

[Bob Furmanek]

My evaluation was a quick wind through of each reel on the bench just to make sure there were no signs of nitrate decomposition. That’s about all that I can remember 3+ decades later!