The recent passing of Edie Adams and the attendant comments regarding her role in IT'S A MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD WORLD inspired me to start this thread. The
movie has come up numerous times in other threads and there always seems to be a number of folks who enjoy this film. So, here's a place to discuss the
movie, it's cast, production, script, director or whatever.
IT'S A MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD WORLD has been a favorite movie of mine ever since I saw it in it's original Cinerama roadshow engagement at the Dallas Capri Cinerama theater. I was 11 years old and somehow was taken to this reserved seat run three times. I bought, and still own, the souvenir progam booklet that was offered in the lobby. I would pore over its contents endlessly, especially the pull out section of Jack Davis' fantastic art depicting an Earth from which spilled the entire cast (in caricature) in pursuit of a bag of money with legs. The entrance to the theater had a huge reproduction of this art which I dearly wanted. In this early days before collecting became a common occurrence, and given my tender age, I had no idea of how to obtain material of this sort. So, I simply drew my own, enlarging the Davis art. Years later I began an even bigger enlargement with which to adorn my bedroom wall.
After the exclusive Cinerama run I caught the truncated 150 minute version several more times when the film went into general release. During a re-release in the early 1970s (the tag line was something like "If there's anything this mad, mad, mad, mad world needs now it's IT'S A MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD WORLD") I saw it several more times. I've got a one-sheet from that re-release (remarkably they got artist Jack Davis to do that one, too, unless this was just some unused alternate art he did for the original) and I've also picked up the pressbook with all the ad art, banners and other goodies that were available to exhibitors. Still wish I could get my hands on that giant wall-size verison of the art. The soundtrack album, with Ernest Gold's incredible score was one of my earliest film score acquisitions. Was there ever a novelization? I'd always buy those when I saw them but was never aware of one for this film.
I bought the box set LD with all the extra scenes and picked up the DVD even though it reverted back to the "popular prices" 150 minute edition.
Anyways, this is just a starter post. I hope others will jump in, especially Paul Strabo who is DA MAN on these boards when it comes to MAD WORLD (you've got to visit his website with a link to the many Wonders of the World).
IT'S A MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD WORLD has been a favorite movie of mine ever since I saw it in it's original Cinerama roadshow engagement at the Dallas Capri Cinerama theater. I was 11 years old and somehow was taken to this reserved seat run three times. I bought, and still own, the souvenir progam booklet that was offered in the lobby. I would pore over its contents endlessly, especially the pull out section of Jack Davis' fantastic art depicting an Earth from which spilled the entire cast (in caricature) in pursuit of a bag of money with legs. The entrance to the theater had a huge reproduction of this art which I dearly wanted. In this early days before collecting became a common occurrence, and given my tender age, I had no idea of how to obtain material of this sort. So, I simply drew my own, enlarging the Davis art. Years later I began an even bigger enlargement with which to adorn my bedroom wall.
After the exclusive Cinerama run I caught the truncated 150 minute version several more times when the film went into general release. During a re-release in the early 1970s (the tag line was something like "If there's anything this mad, mad, mad, mad world needs now it's IT'S A MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD WORLD") I saw it several more times. I've got a one-sheet from that re-release (remarkably they got artist Jack Davis to do that one, too, unless this was just some unused alternate art he did for the original) and I've also picked up the pressbook with all the ad art, banners and other goodies that were available to exhibitors. Still wish I could get my hands on that giant wall-size verison of the art. The soundtrack album, with Ernest Gold's incredible score was one of my earliest film score acquisitions. Was there ever a novelization? I'd always buy those when I saw them but was never aware of one for this film.
I bought the box set LD with all the extra scenes and picked up the DVD even though it reverted back to the "popular prices" 150 minute edition.
Anyways, this is just a starter post. I hope others will jump in, especially Paul Strabo who is DA MAN on these boards when it comes to MAD WORLD (you've got to visit his website with a link to the many Wonders of the World).
Other than that, I think she approved of the
rest of the movie.
