Golden Age 3-D Features

[Richard--W]

It must have been the 2006 Expo before that, then. It wasn't Dennis.
It really was an excellent appraisal of the film. I wish I had taped it.

What was Dennis' problem the last time. He didn't want to do a poster, either as I recall.

Yes, Jack's presentations were much appreciated by the crowd. You surround yourself with first-rate talent, Bob.

[Robert Furmanek]

I really don't know.

Those were dark days for the Archive. We prefer to look ahead!

[Richard--W]

They were bright days for the rest of us. The only ray of hope 3-D film enthusiasts had seen.

[Robert Furmanek]

True but I had lost twenty years of very hard work by trusting the wrong person.

Thank goodness we have rebounded!

[Richard--W]

Every step ahead in life has to be paid for in blood.
In the long run I'd say you're coming out ahead now.
Once people compare your work on Revenge to the studio's on Creature the distinctions will be made clear.

[Benjibot4]

Bob F. - What are the chances of another 3DFA 3D premiere during the next TCM festival at the Chinese? All the others were pretty well attended as I recall.

[revgen]

My theory. Both of the 3DFA restorations show at TCMFF (GOG and Redheads) were color and widescreen. IIRC, the Chinese multiplex screen they use to showcase 3-D films at the festival doesn't have curtains to mask the black bars on the sides of an academy presentation. For TCMFF 2018 they showcased Creature From the Black Lagoon, a widescreen film.

Jivaro is a widescreen (1.66 AR) and color production. Revenge of the Creature is black and white and widescreen (1.85). So I believe there's a chance for either to be shown next year.

[BleedOrange11]

Not that it's a huge difference, but I believe Revenge of the Creature's OAR is 2.00:1, and so is Creature from the Black Lagoon's, despite the Blu-ray.

[Robert Furmanek]

Originally Posted by Benjibot4

Bob F. - What are the chances of another 3DFA 3D premiere during the next TCM festival at the Chinese? All the others were pretty well attended as I recall.

We'd love to!

[Richard--W]

Originally Posted by BleedOrange11

Not that it's a huge difference, but I believe Revenge of the Creature's OAR is 2.00:1, and so is Creature from the Black Lagoon's, despite the Blu-ray.

What makes you think so?

[BleedOrange11]

Variety's 3/16/1955 review specifies 2.00:1 as the aspect ratio for Revenge of the Creature.

https://archive.org/stream/variety19.../n159/mode/2up

Box Office actually specified 1.85:1, but after some research I found Variety to be more reliable.

http://www2.boxoffice.com/the_vault/...=91#page_start



Bob's research about Creature from the Black Lagoon is here. Neither Box Office, nor Variety specified a ratio.

http://www.3dfilmarchive.com/an-in-d...black-lagoon-1
http://www.3dfilmarchive.com/1953-wi...on-dvd-blu-ray

Universal adopted a 2.00:1 house ratio on 5/9/53, and Creature began filming 10/6/53.

[revgen]

According to the 3DFA, the first Creature film is 2:1.

http://www.3dfilmarchive.com/the-fir...-of-widescreen

Universal began shooting Revenge of the Creature in June of 1954 and finished in August of 1954.

Universal was a prime advocate of 2:1 in 1953, but not all Universal films were shot in that format. As the years went by, less Universal films were shot in 2:1. For practical reasons. Some rural theaters still had 1.66:1 screens. Others were 1.85:1. If Bob believes that Revenge was shot in 1.85:1, I believe he probably found documentation outside the trade journals indicating that this was true.

[T. Warren Scollan]

OK, since time has show my last prediction to be accurate(neener, neener, neener), I'll try another:

On 3dFA's website for "Revenge", it's solicits our help in pushing Universal to 3d release any and all of their remaining unreleased 3, "Wings of the Hawk", "Taza, Son of Cochise", and "The Glass Web". This leads me to believe that the previously mentioned "mystery western" which has been put on hold for a while, is, after all, "Southwest Passage". Comments?

[BleedOrange11]

Yes, Universal later switched from 2.00:1 back to 1.85:1 as a standard ratio for non-scope films, apparently as early as Naked Alibi and Ricochet Romance, but a pattern for exactly when and what doesn't seem to be documented. The same trade-journal ratio discrepancy exists for other Universal films of this period. Neither journal is perfect, but the tie breaker seems to go with Variety for some reason. Maybe Bob can clarify some of these issues for us.

Francis Joins the WACS
http://www2.boxoffice.com/the_vault/...161#page_start
https://archive.org/stream/variety19...ge/n7/mode/2up

The Far Country
http://www2.boxoffice.com/the_vault/...=91#page_start
https://archive.org/stream/variety19...ge/n5/mode/2up

This Island Earth
http://www2.boxoffice.com/the_vault/...109#page_start
https://archive.org/stream/variety19.../n297/mode/2up

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by T. Warren Scollan

OK, since time has show my last prediction to be accurate(neener, neener, neener), I'll try another:

On 3dFA's website for "Revenge", it's solicits our help in pushing Universal to 3d release any and all of their remaining unreleased 3, "Wings of the Hawk", "Taza, Son of Cochise", and "The Glass Web". This leads me to believe that the previously mentioned "mystery western" which has been put on hold for a while, is, after all, "Southwest Passage". Comments?

Can you predict Rue Morgue please?

[Robert Furmanek]

Originally Posted by BleedOrange11

Yes, Universal later switched from 2.00:1 back to 1.85:1 as a standard ratio for non-scope films, apparently as early as Naked Alibi and Ricochet Romance, but a pattern for exactly when and what doesn't seem to be documented. The same trade-journal ratio discrepancy exists for other Universal films of this period. Neither journal is perfect, but the tie breaker seems to go with Variety for some reason. Maybe Bob can clarify some of these issues for us.

Francis Joins the WACS
http://www2.boxoffice.com/the_vault/...161#page_start
https://archive.org/stream/variety19...ge/n7/mode/2up

The Far Country
http://www2.boxoffice.com/the_vault/...=91#page_start
https://archive.org/stream/variety19...ge/n5/mode/2up

This Island Earth
http://www2.boxoffice.com/the_vault/...109#page_start
https://archive.org/stream/variety19.../n297/mode/2up

You've hit upon one of the great mysteries of early aspect ratio data. We've been through all of Universal-International's paperwork from that era and can find no written information on this anomaly.

We do know that both aspect ratios were screened on the lot during a films production. It is interesting to note that Executives saw the 2.00:1 framing. Perhaps they elected to recommend certain films for 1.85:1 to exhibitors?

[Secretive Rook]

[QUOTE= This leads me to believe that the previously mentioned "mystery western" which has been put on hold for a while, is, after all, "Southwest Passage". Comments?[/QUOTE]

When there was discussion earlier about Southwest Passage possibly being that candidate, some on this forum were expressing disappointment it would be considered, because of the missing 4 reels. I remember thinking it must be they felt there were better options, perhaps that's why they came across so negative about this one.

Bob was positive, even defensive in his stated position that 5 out of 9 reels is all we have, as far as we know, and as it is, the film would be better released as such than not at all. Hillary Hess made a comment recommending films in general being made available if possible. Were these recommendations and statements all merely theoretical?

I agree that if 5 of 9 reels is all there is of Southwest Passage, then it will still be wonderful to see, but T Warren, your comment does have me wondering if I can read between the lines of what Bob and Hilary expressed a few weeks ago.

Time will tell if you have hit the nail on the head again

[BleedOrange11]

So "shooting companies" watched the rushes in 1.85:1, and "executives" watched the rushes in 2.00:1. Shooting companies are the director and crew? And executives are the studio producers? I guess they wanted double coverage to make sure the film worked at both ratios. Very strange.

[Richard--W]

Originally Posted by Robert Furmanek

You've hit upon one of the great mysteries of early aspect ratio data. We've been through all of Universal-International's paperwork from that era and can find no written information on this anomaly.

We do know that both aspect ratios were screened on the lot during a films production. It is interesting to note that Executives saw the 2.00:1 framing. Perhaps they elected to recommend certain films for 1.85:1 to exhibitors?

That's quite a rabbit to pull out of the hat.

"Mr. Golitzin", Bob?

[BleedOrange11]

So how do you choose what ratio to recommend for Revenge of the Creature's Blu-ray 3D?