Lost and Hard-to-Find movies; the ones that got away

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TomWeaver999

[-]

(10/19/09 7:06 AM)

Vazec

<< I made no factual claims. information. <<

That's okay, we're used to that!

TomWeaver999

[-]

(10/19/09 7:10 AM)

Vazec

<< Nope, the synopsis is marked "Not Viewed."

Well, not exactly. <<

Ummmm...yes, exactly. In the AFI CATALOG, before the synopsis, it says (in brackets) [NOT VIEWED].

TomWeaver999

[-]

(10/19/09 9:50 AM)

Vazec

In the back of my brain, there's the feeling I've seen FLIGHT TO FAME but maybe not -- there are no notes in my files. I betcha it used stock shots from Columbia's AIR HAWKS (1935), having a story with some similarities.

Dave Sindelar

Hurricane Island (1951)

[-]

(10/19/09 10:51 PM)

Here's some more to add to the mix.

Hurricane Island (1951)
Directed by Lew Landers
Featuring Jon Hall, Marie Windsor, Romo Vincent

Listed in: Creature Features Movie Guide Strikes Again by John Stanley

Fantastic Content: The story involves the fountain of youth.

Commentary: The first plot description I read for this only mentioned the story being about (among other things) Ponce de Leon's search for the fountain of youth. Of course, the question I had was this - did he find it during the course of the movie? Whether he does or not makes the difference between whether it's a full-blown fantasy or merely a marginal one. Well, he does find it, and the plot also involves lady pirates and indian mysticism. It has a handful of votes on IMDB, and the movie seems to be well enough received, especially considering it's a Sam Katzman cheapie; apparently, most of the hurricane footage is lifted from other movies. I don't have any definite info as to whether it still exists or not, but my gut instinct is that it does, so I'm going to classify it as Hard-to-Find.

He always carries his guitar with him, because he never knows when he'll be called on to sing.

Dave Sindelar

Kill or Be Killed (1967)

[-]

(10/19/09 11:16 PM)

Kill or Be Killed (1967)
Directed by William Hale and Herschel Daugherty
Featuring James Darren, Robert Colbert, Whit Bissell

Listed in: Creature Features Movie Guide Strikes Again by John Stanley

Fantastic Content: Time Travel.

Commentary: I'm tempted to fake my way through this one. It's a TV-Movie edited together from two episodes of TV's "The Time Tunnel"; the two episodes are "The Day the Sky Fell In" and "Kill Two By Two". Both have a WWII theme; the first involves the Time Tunnelers appearing at Pearl Harbor, and the second has them trapped on an island in the Pacific being stalked by a Japanese soldier. I'm guessing that the process for turning these episodes into a movie consisted little more than redoing some credits. The movie version itself is obscure enough that it doesn't even have a listing on IMDB. I don't know if watching the individual episodes back to back would consititute "cheating", but given that the movie version has been on my list long enough without coming to light, I figure that's a decent compromise. For now, I'll classify it as Hard-to-Find.

He always carries his guitar with him, because he never knows when he'll be called on to sing.

Dave Sindelar

The Love Captive (1934)

[-]

(10/19/09 11:28 PM)

The Love Captive (1934)
Directed by Max Marcin
Featuring Nils Asther, Gloria Stuart, Paul Kelly

Listed in: Creature Features Movie Guide Strikes Again by John Stanley

Fantastic Content: Hypnotism!

Commenatary: The plot involves a psychiatrist who hypnotizes women so they fall in love with him. This obscure little Universal movie has no votes at all on IMDB. Given that this seems one of those titles that Universal would have gladly included in its horror packages, I suspect that this one is lost, but I can't say for sure. At any rate, I'm going to classify it as Unknown for the time being.

He always carries his guitar with him, because he never knows when he'll be called on to sing.

Dave Sindelar

The Medium (1934)

[-]

(10/19/09 11:37 PM)

The Medium (1934)
Directed by Vernon Sewell
Featuring Barbara Gott, Nancy O'Neil, Shayle Gardner

Listed in: Creature Features Movie Guide Strikes Again by John Stanley

Fantastic Content: Body sealed up in statue, psychic solves the case.

Commentary: Just how short can a movie be and still be called a feature? IMDB says this British movie clocks in at 38 minutes, which may be the shortest non-silent movie that still isn't classifed as a short. If the plot seemed familiar to me, it's because the director remade it as THE LATIN QUARTER, which I have seen. Information on this one seems rather scarce, and I suspect it's lost, but I can't say for sure. I'm going to classify it as Unknown.

He always carries his guitar with him, because he never knows when he'll be called on to sing.

Dave Sindelar

The Mystic (1925)

[-]

(10/19/09 11:50 PM)

The Mystic (1925)
Directed by Tod Browning
Featuring Aileen Pringle, Conway Tearle, Mitchell Lewis

Listed in: Creature Features Movie Guide Strikes Again by John Stanley

Fantastic Content: Seances and mystics.

Commentary: The basic plot: a criminal brings three Hungarian gypsies to American to help him bilk a rich woman out of her money, but one of the gypsies begins feeling sorry for the woman. It's a Tod Browning movie without Lon Chaney. This one definitely appears to exist, and it has enough votes on IMDB to make me suspect that my inability to find a copy is just bad luck. But then, that's one of the reasons I created this thread; I always have the hope that someone will point me in the direction of a copy, and, of the many movies I've covered recently, this one seems like a likely candidate to pop up. I'm classifying it as Hard-to-Find.

He always carries his guitar with him, because he never knows when he'll be called on to sing.

doctor kiss

[-]

(10/20/09 2:48 AM)

Dave Sindelar wrote:
The Mystic (1925)
Directed by Tod Browning
Featuring Aileen Pringle, Conway Tearle, Mitchell Lewis

...of the many movies I've covered recently, this one seems like a likely candidate to pop up.

Check your messages, and this one can be considered solved now.

Bill Warren

More AFI Catalog summaries

[-]

(10/20/09 2:12 PM)

These come from the online catalog

HURRICANE

ISLAND

(viewed)

Summary:

On Easter day, 1513, a Spanish expedition led by Jose Ponce de León claims a coastal strip of land in the New World in the name of Spain. During the proclamation, the Spaniards are attacked by angry Indians and Ponce de León is injured by a poisoned arrow. The group leaves for Cuba to seek medical advice, and when the Spanish doctor is unable to help Ponce de León, he tells the commander's right-hand man, Captain Carlos Montalvo, to take his leader to the local witch doctor. The witch doctor says that Ponce de León is under the spell of "Hurricane," God of the Winds, and that he must return to the god's secret shrine, a golden fountain of youth, for the cure. Meanwhile, Jane Bolton, a notorious and beautiful pirate leader, learns about the Spaniards planned visit to the fountain of youth and assumes that it must be filled with gold. When Jane's men fail to steal the map to the fountain, she joins a group of women prisoners whom Ponce de León's men have rounded up to help colonize the area for Spain. Jane flirts with Montalvo, hoping to gain access to the map, and as she locks him in a passionate kiss one evening, Jose, one of the crew, calls out that another ship has been spotted. Montalvo strips and swims to the strange vessel as its crew, led by Jane's lover, Angus Macready, climb into small boats. Montalvo torches the pirate ship and jumps into the water just before it explodes. After everyone has landed safely on shore, Macready and the pirates attack the Spanish encampment. During the scuffle, Jane grabs a gun and tries to force Jose to give her the treasure map, but Montalvo arrives and they put Jane in irons. The Indians, led by a young, belligerent warrior named Valco, watch the white men approach, and when Valco expresses the desire to attack them, Okahla, the tribe's leader and high priestess of Hurricane's fountain, insists that there will be no more bloodshed. Meanwhile, Jane tries to run away, but Montalvo captures her. During a wedding celebration for the Spaniards and their convict brides, Montalvo brings Jane food and she begins to admire the gallant Spaniard. When Montalvo goes to investigate strange noises in the jungle, Valco and his renegade braves take him prisoner. Returning with Montalvo to their village, the Indians demand that he show them the secret of the white man's power: firearms. Okahla is furious that Valco is challenging her peaceful rule, and then, to prove her power against the white man's weapon, she has Montalvo shoot her. Montalvo does not use bullets, and the pair successfully fools the Indians into believing that Okahla is invincible. Okahla takes Montalvo back to her tent and, in gratitude, offers to bring him to the fountain as long as he desires only a cure and not gold. Meanwhile, Valco approaches Macready and his pirates, and the two groups decide to join forces against Okahla's braves, who guard the fountain. At the idyllic fountain, Okahla offers Ponce de León a gold goblet filled with the fountain's waters, and he is miraculously cured. Just then, Macready, Valco and their men attack, and Okahla, believing that she has been double-crossed, calls on the god Hurricane to attack. When the winds begin to gust, Valco's men flee in terror and Macready and Montalvo have a sword fight, which Montalvo wins. As the rest of the men flee the hurricane winds, Montalvo forces a reluctant Okahla to leave the fountain. Okahla cannot live without the fountain's waters, however, and when the Spaniards put her into a life boat in the sea, she withers and dies of old age before their eyes. The next day, which is clear and sunny, Ponce de León says that Okahla is not really gone because her philosophy of peace and wisdom will always remain with them. Montalvo and Jane, now in love, listen happily to the great explorer's words.

THE LOVE CAPTIVE (not viewed)

Summary:

During a high society party, Dr. Alexis Collender offers to hypnotize the host's butler and demonstrate his power of control using a loaded pistol. After the terrified butler refuses to go through with the experiment, Alice Trask, Collender's new nurse, tells her fiancé, Dr. Norman Ware, that she has fallen in love with the charismatic Collender. Convinced that Alice has been transfixed by Collender, a heartbroken Norman arranges for her to start another job but is unable to convince her to leave the hypnotist. At the same time, nurse Mary Williams, Alice's embittered predecessor, confides in Norman that Collender, who successfully cures drug addicts and alcoholics, had seduced and deserted her. Before Norman acts on Mary's confession, Collender cures Larry Chapman, a reporter, of severe hiccups and becomes the beneficiary of his public relations expertise. Larry, using a series of publicity gimmicks, makes Collender an overnight celebrity and increases his business tenfold. Collender's success, however, brings him to the attention of the county medical board, who at the urging of Norman and his brother-in-law, lawyer Roger Loft, files charges of unethical practice against him. Still under Collender's spell, Alice visits Norman and, after chastizing him for acting out of jealousy, asks him to stop the board's proceedings. Norman refuses, however, and confides in Roger his desire to murder Collender. During the board's first grievance committee hearing, which is being held at Roger's home, Collender shows up and asks to demonstrate his pistol trick. After he is denied his request, Collender gives his gun to Roger's butler and then hypnotizes Roger's wife Valerie with his watch. Later, Larry advises Collender that, unless he wants to lose his lucrative business, he must give up Alice. Collender takes Larry's advice and, using hypnosis, orders Alice to leave him. Before Alice returns to Norman, Roger accuses Collender of seducing Valerie and, with Norman, confronts him with his own gun. When Roger sees Alice reunite with Norman, however, he concludes that Collender is innocent and leaves his office, unaware that Valerie is in the next room waiting to be seduced. Although Norman is ready to drop charges against Collender, the final hearing proceeds as planned, and Collender is allowed his demonstration. In an operating theater filled with onlookers, Collender hands a hypnotized Roger his gun and announces that, at his command, his subject will be unable to pull the gun's hair trigger. To discredit his accusers, he then asks a spellbound Valerie to relate the story of Alice and Norman's troubled romance. During Valerie's speech, Roger aims the gun at Collender and, in spite of the hypnotist's orders to stop, shoots and kills his foe. At a preliminary hearing, a judge determines that Roger was acting under hypnosis and grants him his freedom. Later, Norman asks Roger if his hypnosis was faked, but Roger wisely refuses to reveal the truth.

The Mystic (not viewed)

Summary:

Michael Nash, an American crook, arranges for three Hungarian Gypsies to come to the United States, having them then stage a seance that enables him to gain control over the wealth of Doris Merrick, a beautiful and unsuspecting heiress. They raise the spirit of her late father and thereby expose the crooked dealings of Bradshaw, Doris' guardian. Overcome by a fit of conscience, Michael later returns Doris' money. The police deport the Gypsies, and Michael follows them to their native country, declaring his love for one of their number, Zara, who fully returns his affection.

Dave Sindelar

[-]

(10/20/09 2:17 PM)

Thanks for the inclusion of the viewed / not viewed status, Bill; knowing that it was viewed will help me classify them better.

He always carries his guitar with him, because he never knows when he'll be called on to sing.

Bill Warren

[-]

(10/20/09 4:24 PM)

I live to serve, unlike a waiter, who serves to live.

TomWeaver999

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(10/20/09 4:31 PM)

Vazec

Wouldn't it be better just to post links to the TCM website where these synopses appear? I don't think we're supposed to be taking thousands of words of their copyrighted stuff.

sthorntn

[-]

(10/24/09 10:04 AM)

<< The Love Captive (1934)
Directed by Max Marcin
Featuring Nils Asther, Gloria Stuart, Paul Kelly >>

Dave,

THE LOVE CAPTIVE was shown at the Cinesation film festival in September, 1998, so it certainly exists in the hands of private collectors. I attended and saw it, although other than Gloria Stuart's performance I don't remember much about it. (If I had realized how rare the film was I would have paid much closer attention!)

Dave Sindelar

[-]

(10/24/09 10:07 AM)

Thanks for the info about THE LOVE CAPTIVE; I've changed its status from UNKNOWN to HARD-TO-FIND.

He always carries his guitar with him, because he never knows when he'll be called on to sing.

Bill Warren

[-]

(10/24/09 2:25 PM)

I doubt that TCM can copyright material published on the AFI Catalog site.

TomWeaver999

[-]

(10/24/09 2:54 PM)

Vazec

Who said they did or could? I just said that taking and posting thousands of words of copyrighted material here ain't right. When I see on-line an interesting article or info or whatever, I post a link. Let the sites where we're finding this stuff get a little extra traffic and attention, not just pirate it.

Bill Warren

[-]

(10/24/09 3:00 PM)

You did. You specifically said these synopses were copyrighted by TCM. They aren't--even if TCM claims they are.

Wouldn't it be better just to post links to the TCM website where these synopses appear? I don't think we're supposed to be taking thousands of words of their copyrighted stuff.

They are from the AFI Catalog site; the material there can be accessed only if you pay to do it, although for a brief time access to the catalog is free Thousands (at least) of people around the world copy these synopses; when the AFI tells me to stop, I will. You showed no such compunctions about my copying the same kind of material for you over the last few years..

Last Edited By: Bill Warren 10/24/09 3:04 PM. Edited 2 times.

TomWeaver999

[-]

(10/24/09 3:07 PM)

Vazec

<< when the AFI tells me to stop, I will. <<

Nice attitude about copyrighted material. Okay, now we know where you stand about other writers' stuff; thanks.

Bill Warren

[-]

(10/24/09 3:13 PM)

TomWeaver999 wrote:
<< when the AFI tells me to stop, I will. <<

Nice attitude about copyrighted material. Okay, now we know where you stand about other writers' stuff; thanks.

You're welcome. I assume you're also thanking me for sending >you< that same sort of "copyrighted" material. Which was from AFI, not TCM, despite your peculiar claim. I assume you'll also jump down the throats of the many other CHFBers who reprint newspaper articles, reviews, etc.

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