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Post by timshelboy on May 24, 2022 22:39:11 GMT
Indulge me.... I'm limiting it to 10 pre 1970 ones believed not "lost" 10  9  8  7  6  5  4  3  2  1 MOST WANTED  And/or what are your most wanted...? |
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Post by Richard Kimble on May 25, 2022 6:59:04 GMT
 Photo taken on the set of the now lost Humor Risk (1921), a silent short starring The Marx Brothers. All four appear in this picture, some more recognizable than others. 
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Post by Richard Kimble on May 25, 2022 7:07:07 GMT
It seems I misunderstood your OP: you want films that aren't lost, but still difficult to see?
Sorry. I'll see myself out.
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spiderwort
Junior Member
@spiderwort
Posts: 2,099
Likes: 9,420
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Post by spiderwort on May 25, 2022 11:06:46 GMT
This one above all others. I have no idea why Warner Brothers has never released it on DVD or allowed it to be shown on tv.
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Post by timshelboy on May 25, 2022 13:09:11 GMT
This one above all others. I have no idea why Warner Brothers has never released it on DVD or allowed it to be shown on tv.
There you go spider..... DARK AT THE TOP OF THE STAIRS 
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Post by Doghouse6 on May 25, 2022 13:27:57 GMT
This one above all others. I have no idea why Warner Brothers has never released it on DVD or allowed it to be shown on tv. Aside from unavailability of preprint materials, there are two issues most often keeping films out of circulation. The first is music licensing, which kept Annie Get Your Gun unseen following its original release until after Irving Berlin's 1989 death, and still prevents films like Taking Off and American Hot Wax from U.S. distribution. The second involves owner/author/copyright-holder estates. So it was with the Hitchcock estate and Rear Window, The Trouble With Harry, The Man Who Knew Too Much and Vertigo for some years, and the John Wayne estate with Island In the Sky and The High and the Mighty. As far as I'm aware, The Dark at the Top of the Stairs isn't plagued by the first, so my assumption is that the second must be the issue here. As you no doubt know, deals made for adapting existing works for films may take just about any form, from outright sales to those incorporating any number of conditions concerning distribution permissions and/or participation. Upon William's death in 1973, his entire estate went to his sister Helene (Connell), who survived until 1990. If what I speculate is correct, any distribution logjams must now presumably rest in the territory of her heirs (or theirs). But again: all speculation. This is less so: an answer must lie somewhere deep within Warner Media documents.
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Post by TheGoodMan19 on May 26, 2022 0:25:05 GMT
The Day the Clown Cried
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Post by Penn Guinn on May 26, 2022 1:01:49 GMT
For the longest time, I wanted to see Porgy and Bess but it was unavailable in any way shape or form.
It finally turned up briefly on some channel available on ROKU TVs and I watched it but was incredibly disappointed.
Between the obvious dubbing and the static camera work* it simply was not worth the long wait.
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Post by marshamae on May 26, 2022 1:10:16 GMT
I watched Exodus on TCM a few days ago and was shocked at the shots that were framed so badly. Maybe it’s a Preminger thing.
I got a copy of Porgy and Bess. It was good but kind of jerky. Dvd might have been made from a bad print. The dubbing was soso. I really wanted to see Sammy Davis as Sportin life
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Post by manfromplanetx on May 26, 2022 1:26:48 GMT
I am still looking for ... UK 1950 directed by Daniel Birt ?  |
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Post by Rufus-T on May 26, 2022 5:48:28 GMT
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Post by timshelboy on May 26, 2022 10:38:52 GMT
For the longest time, I wanted to see Porgy and Bess but it was unavailable in any way shape or form. It finally turned up briefly on some channel available on ROKU TVs and I watched it but was incredibly disappointed. Between the obvious dubbing and the static camera work* it simply was not worth the long wait. Here's PORGY & BESS, although edited by 20 mins or so. I agree it disappointed, esp after Preminger's success with CARMEN JONES, although the material obvs more problematic today. Nice tunes though! PORGY & BESS
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Post by timshelboy on May 26, 2022 10:54:59 GMT
LES MIS? This looks like it might be it Rufus - I think the Part 2 a red herring - imdb says 5 hour version. Dvdlady is reliable and not too pricey and she takes paypal. 
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Post by Rufus-T on May 26, 2022 17:19:34 GMT
LES MIS? This looks like it might be it Rufus - I think the Part 2 a red herring - imdb says 5 hour version. Dvdlady is reliable and not too pricey and she takes paypal. Thanks for recommending DVDlady. Looks like a place with lots of oldies but goodies, and many obscure stuff I never heard of.
Weird that it says Baricade (Les Miserable Part II). Same on IMDb. I first heard of this version on a long movie list. I believe it was being screened exclusively at one place not long ago, unless I remember a wrong film.
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spiderwort
Junior Member
@spiderwort
Posts: 2,099
Likes: 9,420
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Post by spiderwort on May 27, 2022 14:15:51 GMT
This one above all others. I have no idea why Warner Brothers has never released it on DVD or allowed it to be shown on tv.
There you go spider..... DARK AT THE TOP OF THE STAIRS 
Bless you, Tim! Thanks so much. I look forward to seeing this treasure again, and hope one of these days I'll be able to see it in a perfect, maybe even restored, format. But until then, this will certainly do.
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spiderwort
Junior Member
@spiderwort
Posts: 2,099
Likes: 9,420
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Post by spiderwort on May 27, 2022 14:26:26 GMT
This one above all others. I have no idea why Warner Brothers has never released it on DVD or allowed it to be shown on tv. Aside from unavailability of preprint materials, there are two issues most often keeping films out of circulation. The first is music licensing, which kept Annie Get Your Gun unseen following its original release until after Irving Berlin's 1989 death, and still prevents films like Taking Off and American Hot Wax from U.S. distribution. The second involves owner/author/copyright-holder estates. So it was with the Hitchcock estate and Rear Window, The Trouble With Harry, The Man Who Knew Too Much and Vertigo for some years, and the John Wayne estate with Island In the Sky and The High and the Mighty. As far as I'm aware, The Dark at the Top of the Stairs isn't plagued by the first, so my assumption is that the second must be the issue here. As you no doubt know, deals made for adapting existing works for films may take just about any form, from outright sales to those incorporating any number of conditions concerning distribution permissions and/or participation. Upon William's death in 1973, his entire estate went to his sister Helene (Connell), who survived until 1990. If what I speculate is correct, any distribution logjams must now presumably rest in the territory of her heirs (or theirs). But again: all speculation. This is less so: an answer must lie somewhere deep within Warner Media documents.
Yes, I think you are probably right, sad to say, doghouse. I actually called Warner Brothers a few years ago to try to find out what the deal was, and the woman I spoke to told me that Warners no longer had the rights to it. I was shocked, but she was unable to tell me more (didn't know any more, I mean). It just seems to be lost somewhere in the void. A shame, because I know I'm not the only one who would like to see it again, properly formatted (especially kijii ); also, it reminds me of the Warners backlot Midwest Street, which I absolutely love. I've actually shot in that house, which was the exterior for the Flood family house in the film (also for the Trask house in EAST OF EDEN). Brings back a lot of memories -- the location, but also the film itself. It changed my life when I saw it on the big screen in 1960, followed by another Inge film, SPLENDOR IN THE GRASS, the next year. That one really sealed the deal for me as far as my life's path was concerned. I will be forever grateful to William Inge for that. I think I'm going to check with some people at the Inge Festival to see if they know anymore, though they probably don't. A few years ago when I attended and Shirley Knight was there for a screening of the film and a Q & A afterwards, they showed a terrible print. So that will probably be a lost cause, too. Anyway, thanks for your enlightened, helpful response. I always enjoy and appreciate your insights.
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Post by timshelboy on May 27, 2022 16:45:55 GMT
Bless you, Tim! Thanks so much. I look forward to seeing this treasure again, and hope one of these days I'll be able to see it in a perfect, maybe even restored, format. But until then, this will certainly do.
A William Inge box set would be nice - SHEBA, PICNIC, BUS STOP, SPLENDOR IN THE GRASS , ALL FALL DOWN, BUS RILEY, THE STRIPPER and DARK AT THE TOP OF THE STAIRS would make a lovely collection.
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spiderwort
Junior Member
@spiderwort
Posts: 2,099
Likes: 9,420
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Post by spiderwort on May 27, 2022 17:13:09 GMT
A William Inge box set would be nice - SHEBA, PICNIC, BUS STOP, SPLENDOR IN THE GRASS , ALL FALL DOWN, BUS RILEY, THE STRIPPER and DARK AT THE TOP OF THE STAIRS would make a lovely collection.
From your mouth to God's ear!
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Post by Doghouse6 on May 28, 2022 6:30:44 GMT
Aside from unavailability of preprint materials, there are two issues most often keeping films out of circulation. The first is music licensing, which kept Annie Get Your Gun unseen following its original release until after Irving Berlin's 1989 death, and still prevents films like Taking Off and American Hot Wax from U.S. distribution. The second involves owner/author/copyright-holder estates. So it was with the Hitchcock estate and Rear Window, The Trouble With Harry, The Man Who Knew Too Much and Vertigo for some years, and the John Wayne estate with Island In the Sky and The High and the Mighty. As far as I'm aware, The Dark at the Top of the Stairs isn't plagued by the first, so my assumption is that the second must be the issue here. As you no doubt know, deals made for adapting existing works for films may take just about any form, from outright sales to those incorporating any number of conditions concerning distribution permissions and/or participation. Upon William's death in 1973, his entire estate went to his sister Helene (Connell), who survived until 1990. If what I speculate is correct, any distribution logjams must now presumably rest in the territory of her heirs (or theirs). But again: all speculation. This is less so: an answer must lie somewhere deep within Warner Media documents.
Yes, I think you are probably right, sad to say, doghouse. I actually called Warner Brothers a few years ago to try to find out what the deal was, and the woman I spoke to told me that Warners no longer had the rights to it. I was shocked, but she was unable to tell me more (didn't know any more, I mean). It just seems to be lost somewhere in the void. A shame, because I know I'm not the only one who would like to see it again, properly formatted (especially kijii ); also, it reminds me of the Warners backlot Midwest Street, which I absolutely love. I've actually shot in that house, which was the exterior for the Flood family house in the film (also for the Trask house in EAST OF EDEN). Brings back a lot of memories -- the location, but also the film itself. It changed my life when I saw it on the big screen in 1960, followed by another Inge film, SPLENDOR IN THE GRASS, the next year. That one really sealed the deal for me as far as my life's path was concerned. I will be forever grateful to William Inge for that. I think I'm going to check with some people at the Inge Festival to see if they know anymore, though they probably don't. A few years ago when I attended and Shirley Knight was there for a screening of the film and a Q & A afterwards, they showed a terrible print. So that will probably be a lost cause, too. Anyway, thanks for your enlightened, helpful response. I always enjoy and appreciate your insights. That's quite interesting about the rights. I have heard of deals specifying that some or all rights revert to the author of the original work after the initial copyright expiration or within some other period, but I'd guess that only those of a certain stature, like Inge, could swing such arrangements. On the other hand, even a company as large as Warners would probably not have envisioned revenue streams beyond broadcasting licensing in 1960, and simply shrugged it off (just as MGM did when Red Skelton, negotiating his contract in the early '40s, specified participation in future television licensing). Some are visionaries, some aren't.
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