Library of Congress Old Dark House Print

0 Kudo

Forum Jump

Author	Comment
EDITOR MFTV	Library of Congress Old Dark House Print	Lead	[-]
(10/29/07 8:01 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	I went to the historic Landmark Loew's Jersey Theatre to see the double feature of The Black Cat and The Old Dark House on Friday and the Library of Congress print of The Old Dark House was SPECTACULAR (it looks like the film was shot yesterday)! It looked every bit as good as the gorgeous print that was used for The Ghoul DVD several years ago, but seeing it on the big screen was a revelation! I know a lot has been written about the late Curtis Harrington's work to find this one time lost film and get it out there for the public (including the Kino DVD), but had he known about the Library of Congress print he could have saved himself a lot of work and we would have had a MUCH better DVD of the film to enjoy. My question is why hasn't Kino (who apparently still owns the rights to the film) approached the Library of Congress about using their print for an updated DVD (the 75th anniversary was this year) of the film? Maybe there's a lot of politics involved, but I'd love to see it happen. I can't stress enough about how beautiful the print looked, and if you ever see the Library of Congress print playing at theater near you, do yourself a favor and make sure you check it out---you won't be disappointed! Jim Clatterbaugh Editor/Publisher MFTV www.monstersfromthevault.com Last Edited By: EDITOR MFTV 10/29/07 10:56 AM. Edited 1 time.
Chesterbelloc		#1	[-]
(10/29/07 10:31 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	My question is why hasn't Kino (who apparently still owns the rights to the film) approached the Library of Congress about using their print for an updated DVD (the 75th anniversary was this year) of the film? Maybe there's a lot of politics involved, but I'd love to see it happen. You and me both! THE OLD DARK HOUSE is one of the finest chillers ever made. Those wonderful performances, and the beautiful look of the film, deserves better treatment on DVD(though I am happy to have a copy at all!).
Robert Summit		#2	[-]
(10/29/07 11:02 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	Great cast, Laughton and his bluster, Gloria Stuart and her white body, Thesiger and his nostrils, and Karloff as the old dark souse. "If you had a face like mine, you'd punch me right in the nose, and I'm just the guy that can do it!"
Wolfman Joe	Re: Library of Congress Old Dark House Print	#3	[-]
(10/29/07 11:17 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	D'oh, I saw an ad for this screening, I knew I shoulda gone. Jim, the ad mentioned a lobby display of "original" Karloff movie posters - anything worth mentioning? Any of them actually "original"?
FrozenGhost		#4	[-]
(10/29/07 11:29 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	Yes, indeed. Original one sheets of BLACK CAT and OLD DARK HOUSE plus the only surviving copy of the advance one sheet of BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN. Also on display was a the complete set of original lobby cards of FRANKENSTEIN (which might have been laser copies) but I know all this stuff came from collector/dealer Todd Fiertag (sp?) who occasionally puts them up on eBay.
EDITOR MFTV		#5	[-]
(10/29/07 12:52 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	Wolfman Joe wrote: D'oh, I saw an ad for this screening, I knew I shoulda gone. Jim, the ad mentioned a lobby display of "original" Karloff movie posters - anything worth mentioning? Any of them actually "original"? Yes, indeed. Original one sheets of BLACK CAT and OLD DARK HOUSE plus the only surviving copy of the advance one sheet of BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN. Also on display was a the complete set of original lobby cards of FRANKENSTEIN (which might have been laser copies) but I know all this stuff came from collector/dealer Todd Fiertag (sp?) who occasionally puts them up on eBay. I was told that the three posters combined were valued at $1,000,000. Jim Clatterbaugh Editor/Publisher MFTV www.monstersfromthevault.com
BixB		#6	[-]
(10/29/07 12:55 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	EDITOR MFTV wrote: ...but had he known about the Library of Congress print he could have saved himself a lot of work and we would have had a MUCH better DVD of the film to enjoy. My question is why hasn't Kino (who apparently still owns the rights to the film) approached the Library of Congress about using their print for an updated DVD (the 75th anniversary was this year) of the film? Actually Jim, the materials that Harrington unearthed are the ones on deposit at the LoC. In fact it was the negative, not a print which is the main reason what you saw looked so spectacular. The reason the Kino DVD looks so inferior is that they were forced to use a 16mm print. At the time, in spite of their best efforts, Kino was unable to get permission to use the restored 35mm. The person responsible for blocking the use of the restored print is no longer in charge and it's my belief that if Kino (provided they still have the rights) put forth an effort, a remastered DVD could happen. Everyone I know who's seen the restored print said it's not only jaw dropping but they couldn't bear to look at their DVD again. I almost got to see it last year at the Kentucky Theatre in Lexington. What happened was the LoC accidently shipped the print to their new headquarters in Culpepper, Va. instead of the theatre. By the time the mistake was discovered it was too late to make the show date. Joe Busam
Bob Furmanek		#7	[-]
(10/29/07 1:04 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	The one sheets were indeed original, and that's why they had a full time guard sitting next to them the entire time! Mr. Feiertag has been most generous in sharing his collection. Just the week before at the Lafayette Theater in Suffern, New York, he not only had an original 3 sheet for ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN, he had Lugosi's actual cape from the film as well! Last Edited By: Bob Furmanek 10/29/07 1:07 PM. Edited 1 times.
EDITOR MFTV		#8	[-]
(10/29/07 1:07 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	BixB wrote: EDITOR MFTV wrote: ...but had he known about the Library of Congress print he could have saved himself a lot of work and we would have had a MUCH better DVD of the film to enjoy. My question is why hasn't Kino (who apparently still owns the rights to the film) approached the Library of Congress about using their print for an updated DVD (the 75th anniversary was this year) of the film? Actually Jim, the materials that Harrington unearthed are the ones on deposit at the LoC. In fact it was the negative, not a print which is the main reason what you saw looked so spectacular. The reason the Kino DVD looks so inferior is that they were forced to use a 16mm print. At the time, in spite of their best efforts, Kino was unable to get permission to use the restored 35mm. The person responsible for blocking the use of the restored print is no longer in charge and it's my belief that if Kino (provided they still have the rights) put forth an effort, a remastered DVD could happen. Everyone I know who's seen the restored print said it's not only jaw dropping but they couldn't bear to look at their DVD again. I almost got to see it last year at the Kentucky Theatre in Lexington. What happened was the LoC accidently shipped the print to their new headquarters in Culpepper, Va. instead of the theatre. By the time the mistake was discovered it was too late to make the show date. My bad, I thought the Kino print was what he uncovered. It's kind of weird that there's a little featurette on the Kino DVD about discovering the film, yet they didn't have access to that print. Maybe he talks about that in the featurette, it's been a while since I've seen it. It would be great if Wonderfest could set up a screening of it one year. Jim Clatterbaugh Editor/Publisher MFTV www.monstersfromthevault.com
Koukol 5		#9	[-]
(10/29/07 3:39 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	We need to organize a petition so Kino knows there's interest out there/here.
JimPV		#10	[-]
(10/29/07 4:21 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	Koukol 5 wrote: We need to organize a petition so Kino knows there's interest out there/here. Count me in...! So Kino actually owns the rights to The Old Dark House now? How'd they get 'em?
TServo4		#11	[-]
(10/29/07 4:44 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	Kino has licensed the US VIDEO distribution rights for THE OLD DARK HOUSE. Theatrical and overall ownership for the film is with the Douris Corporation, who were the receivers of ownership from the late Raymond Rohauer. The weekend at the Loews was fun, and the prints the had were quite nice. Listening to the original track on FRANKENSTEIN, even past all of the reverb in the theater, made me appreciate what a good 35mm track sounds like, as opposed to the heavily filtered DVD track. J. Theakston The Central Theater, Passaic, NJ
Count Gamula		#12	[-]
(10/29/07 6:17 PM) Burgomaster Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	I saw the 35mm print at the Egyptian Theater a few years ago and it was amazing. Yes, it does make it hard to be satisfied with the print on the DVD now.
Joe Karlosi		#13	[-]
(10/29/07 6:23 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	Same here. I saw it last year at the FIlm Forum in New York - just gorgeous. I REALLY, REALLY would love to see this restored on a DVD. ---------------------- "It's MORE ... than a hobby!"
Robert Summit		#14	[-]
(10/29/07 6:28 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	I'm not sure, who knows what's lurking up Thesiger's nostrils? Hi-def might not be such a good idea. "If you had a face like mine, you'd punch me right in the nose, and I'm just the guy that can do it!"
Joe Karlosi		#15	[-]
(10/31/07 6:28 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	I was just thinking - there's no chance that TCM wil be showing a better print this Halloween night/early Nov. 1st morning, is there? ---------------------- "It's MORE ... than a hobby!"
Tor havin fun		#16	[-]
(10/31/07 11:33 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	It would be monsterrific to light a match to those three one-sheets. Just so you could say "There. Now they're even rarer."
David Scott Butner	Library of Congress Old Dark House Print	#17	[-]
(11/01/07 8:44 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	I was just thinking - there's no chance that TCM wil be showing a better print this Halloween night/early Nov. 1st morning, is there? I may be mistaken, but my recollection is that the print that TCM runs (and which I watched a few minutes of last night) is actually far inferior to the one Kino utilized for their DVD/Laser Disc release and looks more like the source used for the (bootleg?) prints that occasionally surfaced during Rohauer's lifetime. Kino has licensed the US VIDEO distribution rights for THE OLD DARK HOUSE. Theatrical and overall ownership for the film is with the Douris Corporation, who were the receivers of ownership from the late Raymond Rohauer. I've always assumed that Douris is somehow part of Kino. Is this not so? ------------- "After all, it is better to be frightened than to be crushed."
Count Gamula		#18	[-]
(11/01/07 10:47 AM) Burgomaster Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	I started to record THE OLD DARK HOUSE last night in case it might be a better print this time. I got kind of hopeful when Robert Osborne introduced the movie and mentioned Curtis Harrington finding the print and The Eastman House doing a restoration. But when the movie started it was the usual murky print they always show. I agree it is not nearly as good as the version on the Kino DVD. If I were Eastman House I'd be upset that they were mentioned in connection with the showing of the TCM print.
TServo4		#19	[-]
(11/01/07 2:37 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	I've always assumed that Douris is somehow part of Kino. Is this not so? No. Douris is its own company. Kino simply frequently licenses films from Douris, that's all. J. Theakston The Central Theater, Passaic, NJ
Miss Rebecca Femm		#20	[-]
(11/03/07 12:32 AM) Handmaiden Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	The one sheets were indeed original, and that's why they had a full time guard sitting next to them the entire time! What? Who's there? Sheets? No, we don't need any sheets! No beds! What? Design Copyright 2005 by Sorko

<< Previous Topic Next Topic >>

Add Reply

Yuku free message boards

Library of Congress Old Dark House Print

Library of Congress Old Dark House Print

Quick Reply