Golden Age 3-D Features

[bavanut]

Originally Posted by Robert Furmanek

As we explained on the live chat, we own the copyright so can do the restoration at any time. It will eventually get done but we have to get the more time sensitive licenses done first.

Bob, when the long-anticipated roadshow version of Arch Oboler's second 3-D film does arrive, I know I will not be the only one saying...

"Dome"-O Arigato!

[Jimmy_Melnarik]

Originally Posted by jimqk

During another part of the discussion, someone asked whether the archive will again work with Vinegar Syndrome, and the answer from the archive members was, "Stay tuned."

There are so many sexploitation 3D films that would be perfect for VS. Seems like a no-brainer to me! Staying tuned, aye.

[jimqk]

Is there any chance we'll ever see the 1973 3-D version of Flesh for Frankenstein on Blu-ray? Does anybody have any information regarding this? What is preventing a release? Over the years flat versions were released abroad.

[cinerama]

Originally Posted by jimqk

Is there any chance we'll ever see the 1973 3-D version of Flesh for Frankenstein on Blu-ray? Does anybody have any information regarding this? What is preventing a release? Over the years flat versions were released abroad.

Bob has commented that Paul Morrissey would not pay the 3D Film Archive to do a 3D restoration on Blu-ray so this is not going to happen. As Bob has said "I like to eat".

[BleedOrange11]

If I remember correctly, I read Paul Morrissey wanted the restoration done for free. He also had a hard time understanding the concept of vertical misalignment and thought the 3D was perfect as he shot it in 1973. So difficult to work with and paranoid that anyone trying to restore his film is wanting to take advantage of him.

[revgen]

Originally Posted by BleedOrange11

If I remember correctly, I read Paul Morrissey wanted the restoration done for free. He also had a hard time understanding the concept of vertical misalignment and thought the 3D was perfect as he shot it in 1973. So difficult to work with and paranoid that anyone trying to restore his film is wanting to take advantage of him.

Part of it is that. The other reason is that Paul threw Space-Vision inventor and advisor Robert Bernier off the movie set because Paul couldn't stand all the rules Bernier imposed on him for shooting the film and because it took longer than Paul wanted to set up shots. As a result, Flesh For Frankenstein is the worst looking Space-Vision film.

His ego prevents him from admitting to others and possibly to himself that he screwed up.

[Interdimensional]

Flesh for Frankenstein has some absolutely stunning 3-D and a totally anarchic sensibility. Udo Kier's take on the character is a real standout. It's a film that jumps right off the screen, and not just stereoscopically.

Paul Morrissey may be difficult, but the film wouldn't exist without him, so I don't begrudge him 'holding it hostage' quite the same way I might with certain studios that keep their inherited assets in locked vaults. If it's going to happen, it's going to have to be done his way, and this might require a certain amount of ego massaging. Perhaps he misunderstands the concept of allignment correction as something that would interfere with his vision of the film as he shot it. If he doesn't want to pay, I'd be happy to chip in the usual kickstarter amount, and I have no doubt it could be easily funded. Although I think it would likely be among the most commercial titles available, and would surely pay for itself regardless. It shouldn't need to be crowdfunded.

Maybe Vinegar Syndrome will take a crack at it. They have a good track record of dealing with smaller producers and individual rights holders, so perhaps they can find the right approach when negotiating with cantankerous characters.

That said, Morrisey was already asked about this back in 2012, and his answer was bizarre to say the least.

New Times: Flesh for Frankenstein was shot in 3-D, so you plan to release it on Blu-ray 3-D?
Paul Morrissey: Oh, I do. But I want to do it myself with streaming. Look, I've been the movie business for over 50 years, and I've done everything imaginable that could be done or ever was done by anybody. I did, in not only making the films entirely by myself, in every step of the way, the early films, including photographing them--everything! But I've distributed some of them myself, and I've sold them over the years to DVD people who put them out, and they give me a little money in advance, and then for the next five or six years I never see a penny. I'm no longer going to go to other companies. Instead I have at least 10 or 12 films that I intend to stream, so that anybody wants to see them, they pay me whatever the hell they pay, not companies that don't bother to give you any results (laughs). It's not a fun business to be in.
Can you even stream movies in 3-D?
Doesn't the Blu-Ray show up streaming on TV? If you play this Blu-Ray, you see it on a television screen, so why can't it be streamed to a television screen? Look, streaming is new to me. It's the 21st century. I won't be around for that, thank God, the scum, Comrade Osama Obama and Comrade Ms. Obama and her husband [presidential senior advisor] Valerie Jarrett. The 21st century deserves low-life filth like that: Soviet control. And they're gonna get it, and they'll suffer and deserve it, but the old thing about showing movies in theaters and showing movies only on DVD, that's over.

Not exactly the kind of talk that would inspire confidence. I think it's worth another shot, but it would take some high level of diplomacy because anyone who could work out a deal with a guy like that probably deserves a Nobel prize.

[BleedOrange11]

Sounds senile. Probably can't happen until he is no longer around. I'd love to buy his film on Blu-ray 3D though.

[chrisp32]

I remember when Channel 4 broadcast this in ColorCode anaglyph (blue/yellow) as part of a 3D week back in 2009. They broadcast Friday the 13th Part III as well.

I recorded both but never got round to watching either (although I have since seen Friday the 13th on 3D BluRay). Unfortunately I no longer have the recording. Probably still have the ColorCode glasses lying around somewhere, though ...

[jimqk]

This sounds like a project perfectly suited for a Kickstarter. I've been wanting to see this movie since its re-release in 1982, and I've still never seen it. I can't imagine watching it if it's not in 3-D.

[robtadrian]

Originally Posted by jimqk

This sounds like a project perfectly suited for a Kickstarter. I've been wanting to see this movie since its re-release in 1982, and I've still never seen it. I can't imagine watching it if it's not in 3-D.

I'm hoping when Covid seems vanquished and theaters open up The Quad and Film Forum (both in Manhattan) if still around will have a 3D festival. The Quad showed Flesh for Frankenstein a couple of years back and I believe it was sold out. I could see Exhumed Films also having a showing in the Philadelphia area...

[8traxrule]

I have a field-sequential 3D VHS tape of Frankenstein. I don't think it was made from a Japanese VHD as there's a few things in it that would have had to be censored in Japan.

[cinerama]

Originally Posted by 8traxrule

I have a field-sequential 3D VHS tape of Frankenstein. I don't think it was made from a Japanese VHD as there's a few things in it that would have had to be censored in Japan.

That came from
https://www.3dmagic.com/catalog/vide...o_catalog.html

[gazadams]

is he still doing any 3d ?

[Interdimensional]

Originally Posted by BleedOrange11

Sounds senile. Probably can't happen until he is no longer around. I'd love to buy his film on Blu-ray 3D though.

He was 71 at the time of that interview. I don't know whether to take it with a grain of salt or at face value. It's almost like one of the delusional rants from his main characters. I'd like to think he might still come around to allowing a 3-D restoration, but we won't hold our breath. Be nice if it could happen in time for the 50th anniversary.

Originally Posted by robtadrian

I'm hoping when Covid seems vanquished and theaters open up The Quad and Film Forum (both in Manhattan) if still around will have a 3D festival. The Quad showed Flesh for Frankenstein a couple of years back and I believe it was sold out. I could see Exhumed Films also having a showing in the Philadelphia area...

I remember that screening well. The audience seemed to get a kick out of it. Maybe the film is not for everyone, but it does have some excellent 3-D, and definitely there is an audience for it. I think Udo's performance is hysterical.

I'm very much in favour of venues like that continuing. It's good for cinema, good for 3-D, good for people who want to see those films. Not quite the same when everyone's sitting at home looking at their own screens.

[lgmayka]

Originally Posted by lgmayka

xeprodu0 on eBay claims to be selling genuine 3D Blu-Rays of 1950s 3D films. He claims to have converted them from shutter-version laserdiscs. Is this possible, or is it just another scam?

I ordered two of them, and they arrived yesterday.

The Stranger Wore a Gun + Gun Fury, advertised as Real 3D and HD: Gun Fury's 3D, color, and picture quality are all very good, but I only watched a minute of it because I bought the fully restored 3D version a couple years ago. Stranger Wore a Gun has very good 3D; the color and picture quality are at roughly the level of a DVD.

The French Line, advertised as Real 3D (but not HD): 3D is pretty good, but the color is washed out, the picture quality rather poor, and the playback occasionally glitched. In short, it plays like an old home movie except for the 3D. Luckily, the sound is still good--an important consideration since this is a musical. (Both Jane Russell and Gilbert Roland sing songs.)

Note that the shipping charge is very high. The seller was willing to discount it somewhat (for two disks in one shipment), but the savings was not as great as I had hoped/expected.

[revgen]

Originally Posted by jimqk

Bob didn't seem pessimistic about the possibility of working on the 3-D movies owned by Wade Williams at some point in the future. Contrarily, he sounded somewhat optimistic, and is hopeful that at some point the archive is called upon to work on those titles, which include Cat Women of the Moon, Robot Monster and Hannah Lee. As we know, Film Detective recently released a 4K restoration of Williams-owned film Giant From the Unknown on Blu-ray, and it's been reported it will be the first release of many of his properties.

Originally Posted by Kino Lorber Insider

No.

If any of Wade Williams' titles are going to be released, it's unlikely to happen through Kino Lorber. At least not directly. In 2016, the 3DFA struck a deal with the copyright holder of September Storm. Then they paid for the scanning and restoration costs through Kickstarter donations. After the Kickstarter donors received their orders, Kino Lorber published and distributed the disc through traditional retailers. Bob made a similar offer to WW on HTF awhile back, but WW didn't take him up on that offer. Minds can change over time.

[robtadrian]

Saw the post on the main page about Warner Archive's restoration of the (2D) Doctor X through the Hobson/Lucas Foundation. Wondering if this foundation would be open to funding some other restorations

[Interdimensional]

I've been wondering the same thing. Last year's restoration of Mystery of the Wax Museum was funded the same way. It might be the only chance WB's 3D films have to get restored.

Perhaps George Lucas might be interested in bankrolling a restoration of The Charge at Feather River, given the somewhat trivial Star Wars connection.

Wish I was a billionaire philanthropist.

[robtadrian]

Perhaps George Lucas might be interested in bankrolling a restoration of The Charge at Feather River, given the somewhat trivial Star Wars connection.

Ahh..the Wilheim scream! I remember this being mentioned years ago. Thanks for reminding me.