Hannah Lee AKA Outlaw Territory 3D Blu-ray (1953) [Region Free] [BD-R]

[Robert Furmanek]

Here's a chance to express your thoughts to the owner of 35mm 3-D elements on HANNAH LEE:

http://www.hometheaterforum.com/comm...posts/4404224/

[Interdimensional]

- It's been an absolutely fascinating thread so far. I hope the line of communication can remain open.

Even moreso the hope for a positive outcome.

[Robert Furmanek]

Private e-mails, proposal and discussions have been fruitless for the last four years.

Perhaps a public offer will make a difference?

[8traxrule]

I have a field-sequential VHS tape of the alternate title "Outlaw Territory". It's said to be made from the last surviving 3D print, and isn't in perfect shape but it still looks good all things considered.

[Robert Furmanek]

That's a bootleg done by Michael Starks from a print in Texas that was deteriorating with vinegar syndrome. It's long-gone now.

There is a complete - and VERY faded - dual 35mm print at UCLA that I restored in the 1990's.

Either way, Wade has the negatives so any existing prints are of little value. Take a look at our restoration of the trailer on 3-D RARITIES to get an idea how good it can look!

[Richard--W]

I wish I could respond on HTF but after ten years of participating I was banned for confronting Warner Brothers.

I gather from his responses that Wade Williams' priority is to earn his investment back plus a profit even though the market has shrunk to the point where it's impossible to meet his expectations. It's a matter of money. He may be willing to sell a property outright. You've probably already thought of this, but why not ask Wade Williams how much money he wants for the copyright, chain of title and physical elements? Or, make him an offer. Then find someone to pay him that. Or start a kickstarter campaign to raise the money. A kickstarter campaign might be the best way to pay his demands.

[Robert Furmanek]

I've tried multiple times to make a deal with him for his 3-D titles over the past 4 years. I finally gave up and turned it over to Frank Tarzi at Kino.

He would never sell a film he purports to own, he'd rather let it gather dust in a vault so long as it is part of the "Wade Williams Collection."

One word describes WW: impossible.

[FatalSpiderbite]

Originally Posted by Robert Furmanek

I've tried multiple times to make a deal with him for his 3-D titles over the past 4 years. I finally gave up and turned it over to Frank Tarzi at Kino.

He would never sell a film he purports to own, he'd rather let it gather dust in a vault so long as it is part of the "Wade Williams Collection."

One word describes WW: impossible.

That's a shame.

How old is the guy? He is running out of time to make any money on something like this, the audience for stuff like this is fading more and more every year and the film is running out of time to be properly preserved.

The whole damn thing is a shame.

[Richard--W]

Understood.

So it's a matter of ego as well as money.

I've come up against the collector's mentality before, in another field of endeavor, but the collector mentality is the same in all fields of endeavor, and you're right, they're impossible. There may be some other age-related impediment to his understanding, but when dealing with difficult and unreasonable people, the ego must be addressed as well as the wallet.

You've probably tried this already, but what if an outright purchase also includes the provision that he will be credited and thanked and that "The Wade Williams Collections" be listed at the opening?

[Damon1281]

Originally Posted by Richard--W

what if an outright purchase also includes the provision that he will be credited and thanked and that "The Wade Williams Collections" be listed at the opening?

Is this the same Wade Williams that starred in Prison Break (tv)?

He probably had it restored already and watches it in his private theater, delighted that no one else can.

[Richard--W]

I wouldn't know. You'd have to ask him.

It just irks me that I can't do anything helpful. Bob F. sounds fed up.

[Robert Furmanek]

No, it's not.

After trying for 4 years, yes I'm fed up. He's not going to sell the film. Trust me.

[revgen]

He believes a "company like Kino" will come along and license and restore the three 3-D films in his collection. I'll believe it when I see it.

In the meantime, there's still plenty of golden age and silver age 3-D titles coming down the pipeline, so I'm not going to become too upset if Williams' 3-D films don't come out.

[Robert Furmanek]

Sigh

[BleedOrange11]

Seems similar to the Paul Morrissey situation where he'd rather sit on the film, letting it age and making zero money, hoping for a miraculous change in copyright and distribution policy, instead of partnering and sharing a small profit. That's too bad because I'd love to see and buy his 3D films, and I don't want to seek out low-quality bootleg versions.

From what I've read about Hannah Lee, it needs a lot a 3D-specific restoration attention, and (apart from Warner Bros.) the 3Dfilmarchive is the only 3D restoration company who's proven to identify and fix all problem situations before finalizing the disc. Bob and Kino's offer to scan and restore the negatives at no cost to him and share profits 50/50 seems more than reasonable. How can you expect anything better than that unless you are doing all the restoration and distribution work yourself?

I see he is afraid of online piracy, but that is going to happen whether the film is public domain or not. I don't think torrenters check PD status before downloading, so I doubt that would really affect the disc's sales numbers. A substantial amount of people would buy the 3D disc regardless, just to have it in the best quality possible, as evidenced by the Vintage 3-D craze on these forums and the sales numbers of other Golden Age releases.

Anyway, it's nice to see that he's interacting with the online community and contemplating 3D restoration. At the very least, I hope time can make the situation clear to all parties and a deal can be made in the future.

[infiniteCR]

He should let this happen now. I doubt a lot of bluray buyers care about this movie and that number can only go down, right? Why not release it now? Does he really think real customers are going to pirate this?

[BleedOrange11]

He also brings up that he had a bad experience releasing a public domain film, Jail Bait (1954) on DVD from Image Entertainment, in the past where third party pirates copied the disc and re-sold it, leading to minimal sales.

I don't think that would happen as much today in the age of Blu-ray and high-speed internet.

[bavanut]

I know!

Somebody put Wade Williams in touch with Tony Anthony. We could have the Noir version of Hannah Lee. Save a lot on color restoration that way. Tweak the convergence for a lot more pop-out. Back it all up with some good Bob Seger tunes, like in that one Comin' At Ya! trailer. Practically a new film. New copyright. Problem solved.

[Richard--W]

I'm not laughing.

Originally Posted by BleedOrange11

...
Anyway, it's nice to see that he's interacting with the online community and contemplating 3D restoration. At the very least, I hope time can make the situation clear to all parties and a deal can be made in the future.

Evidently Wade Williams doesn't realize that he's on his way to becoming the most despised person in the cult film community / home-video distribution industry. I've been talking on the phone to mutual acquaintances, including people who've known him since the 1970s, and I'm told he's been impossible to deal with for nearly forty years. He has a narrow set of rules, and that's all he knows. I've just been told repeatedly by four different people -- professional people --- that Wade Williams refuses to be reasoned with. No home video distributor can afford to meet his demands. He just alienates everybody. People treat him courteously because of his holdings, but everybody would rather tell him what they really think of him. It's awfully sad, really, both for him and for the works of art that he withholds and destroys.

[bavanut]

Richard, I honestly believe that I personally want Hannah Lee restored more than any living human being. But I am not going to let this situation, or the obscene intransigence of its central player, paralyze my sense of humor.

That is not a jab against you, not at all. I have gotten to know you well enough to know how much you respect film and filmmakers. And I think I am not wrong in saying you have a keen sense of justice, which I share. But in a case like this, sometimes we just need to have a laugh while we regroup and consider our options, you know?