Three sci-fi classics – what's up?
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Archived from the IMDb Discussion Forums — Classic Film
hobnob53 — 9 years ago(February 01, 2017 02:24 PM)
In the past few years there's been a lot of talk about the rediscovery and/or restoration of three vintage science fiction classicsbut their present status varies and in two cases their future availability is uncertain. The films:
Deluge
(1933). This is the one we definitely know about. RKO sold this film to Republic Pictures around 1941 so the latter could scissor out the destruction scenes for some of its serials (such as
King of the Rocket Men
). Presumably Republic either threw out the rest of the movie or left it to disintegrate in some film can. (Amazing and appalling to think how cavalierly studios treated their libraries back then.) For decades the film was thought lost. But in 1981 Forrest Ackermann found a copy in Italy while rummaging through an Italian film archive, and businessman Wade Williams located a similar copy in Italy that same year. The print was only adequate, it was dubbed in Italian, and not only the credits but even the signage in the film ("North American Meteorological Institute", etc.) had been re-shot in Italian, per government diktat. After theatrical exhibition, Williams released this version on VHS in the 1990s, but while it was better than nothing, hope of finding an original print seemed forlorn until last year, when a reasonably pristine English-language copy was located in Paris (along with a French soundtrack). Lobster Films did the necessary restoration work, the film had a new theatrical premiere, and it's due out from Kino-Lorber this month on DVD and Blu-ray. A happy ending.
The Mysterious Island
(1929). This film was never lost, but it was thought to no longer exist in its original form. MGM began shooting this expensive epic in 1926, filming in two-color Technicolor. Production kept halting due to various mishaps and delays but perhaps surprisingly the studio persevered for three years, even adding some sound sequences when that technology came in. The movie kind of came and went but in the 50s, when Metro finally began selling blocs of its films to television, they reproduced the TV print only in black & white, since it was deemed a needless extravagance to make 16mm color prints when no one had color television. (This was common practice; MGM also didn't bother to reproduce in color color sequences in otherwise b&w films such as
The Women
and
The Picture of Dorian Gray
.) Years later this b&w version turned up first on TNT, then later every so often on TCM. Unfortunately the original color print was left to disintegrate, and except for a single ten-minute reel carefully stored at the UCLA Film and Television Archive none of the color footage was believed to have survived. But in 2013 a complete print in Technicolor was discovered in the good old Czech Film Archives. Restoration was carried out in conjunction with the George Eastman House and the restored film had its 21st-century theatrical debut in Italy in 2014.
But the question is: what's happened to it since? There has been no home video release anywhere that I can discover, nor any theatrical showing in the U.S. or even elsewhere in Europe. I don't know if the film found in Prague has Czech intertitles or subtitles and if so whether this is causing any problem or delay in getting a video release. But I'd think MGM or someone would be eager to bring the original, long-unseen color version of this fascinating and bizarre film to a wider audience as soon as possible, as was done with
Deluge
. But thus far, the silence is deafeningeven for a silent.
The Day of the Triffids
(1962). Notwithstanding its being a much more modern film than the previous pair,
Triffids
has suffered severe damage and, that aside, almost all available prints are pan & scan instead of the original CinemaScope image (and the one widescreen print I've seen is missing 90 seconds of the film). Some years ago an enthusiast announced he was engaged in a painstaking frame-by-frame restoration of the movie, which is much in need of cleaning and repairing of both its picture and sound. Portions of the restored film were shown publicly at film festivals in the early 2010s. But since around 2012 I've heard nothing more about the state of this restoration work nor even a hint of when (if ever, I'm forced to say) the work will be finished and the complete restored movie made available.
Has anyone heard anything regarding the present status of
The Mysterious Island
or
The Day of the Triffids
? There is nothing on either film's IMDb page, nor any other site that I can find, with any recent or pertinent information. -
matt_garth — 9 years ago(February 01, 2017 02:45 PM)
Thanks for the interesting background and current info, Hob. Nothing further to add on their status, but will be on the lookout. Would enjoy revisiting one (TRIFFIDS) and discovering the other two.
Take 'em to Missouri -
TrevorAclea — 9 years ago(February 01, 2017 03:00 PM)
Mysterious Island turned up on DVD in Germany, but in a black and white reissue version from a budget label. By all accounts Triffids is fully restored but no label is willing to pay the asking price (not huge for a big company but too large for most boutique labels) to use the restored version. Like the situation with One-Eyed Jacks, most feel it's been Public Domained to death and wouldn't recoup the investment, while the company that restored the film obviously wants to get back the money they spent on it.
http://www.ignite-films.com/press/triffids.html
"Security - release the badgers." -
hobnob53 — 9 years ago(February 03, 2017 12:27 PM)
That's the most news I've had on
Triffids
in years, Trevor, thank you. Have you any idea what they're asking for rights to the film? All the work done is of little value if they price themselves out of existence. But it's nice to know that at least the work has been completed.
In the US Criterion put out
One-Eyed Jacks
and it seems to be doing okay. It's been suggested maybe they could acquire
TDOTT
, but I tend to doubt they will. Still, they have
The Blob
and
Fiend Without a Face
, so you never know. -
Henry_Framus_Valentine — 9 years ago(February 01, 2017 03:55 PM)
A six-part TV mini-series based on Wyndham`s
Day of the Triffids
starring John Duttine aired in the US in the early 1980s. In my opinion, the series was vastly superior to the earlier feature film starring Howard Keel.
Liberty E Pluribus Unum In God We Trust -
MikeF-6 — 9 years ago(February 01, 2017 05:46 PM)
Would like to see "The Day of the Triffids" again. I remember showing off to my kids when I picked up a paperback movie guide and showed them when they asked about a movie reference in a song from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show":
And I really got hot
When I saw Jeanette Scott
Fight a triffid that spits poison and kills.
mf
I know that, in spite of the poets, youth is not the happiest season" -
CanterburyTale — 9 years ago(February 02, 2017 04:58 AM)
I bought a copy of The Day Of The Triffids on DVD late last year, and, although I love the film, the print is not the best.It is a great pity that a restored version is not available (at least I certainly haven't been able to find one), as it is often screened here on the generally fantastic Talking Pictures channel,but hardly presented in its best light, and sure to put some viewers off with its fuzzy images, and pan and scan.
"Barney SloaneThat's my new nameMy old one's a little more Italian." -
Oleg123 — 9 years ago(February 02, 2017 11:06 AM)
I don't know if the film found in Prague has Czech intertitles or subtitles and if so whether this is causing any problem or delay in getting a video release.
no idea about this film, but many silent films have been found in Czech republic, i've seen some of them, and some in theater - ALL had czech titles, intertitles, end credits.
The only thing that american distributor did, was a quick frame in the beginning of each film with title, names of ppl involvedm synpsis in english -
hobnob53 — 9 years ago(February 03, 2017 12:38 PM)
Hi Maddy,
With
Deluge
soon coming out you'll have the chance to see it.
The Mysterious Island
with that all-important "The" is a very strange film and well worth seeing. Its star is Lionel Barrymore, if can you believe it. It has an underwater civilization with little fish-men, sunken Roman galleys with skeletons still chained to the oars, a monster lizard that terrorizes the underwater people's city cool even in b&w, but I have to see it in color! -
Maddyclassicfilms — 9 years ago(February 03, 2017 01:20 PM)
a monster lizard that terrorizes the underwater people's city cool even in b&w
Possible inspiration for Godzilla? Sounds well worth a look, doesn't sound like the sort of film I'd expect to Lionel pop up in to be honest. Will keep an eye out.
Go to bed Frank or this is going to get ugly
. -
hobnob53 — 9 years ago(February 03, 2017 01:30 PM)
Well, for 1929!
Not Godzilla this was just an alligator or something. I'm sorry, words fail me all I can say is that this movie is bizarre! Okay, weird. Nothing like the 1961 movie or the Verne novel it's set in a fictional Balkan country called Hetvia and deals with political intrigue as well. Barrymore plays Count Dakkar which is the original name of Captain Nemo. This film is sort of a prequel to
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
, except Dakkar dies herewhich he couldn't, of course, if he went on to be Nemo. Here he invents
two
submarines capable of exploring the depths of the sea.