Last Summer (1969) coming from Warner Archive

[whiteberry]

https://www.facebook.com/warnerarchi...2427192922959/ (in the comments)

Poster:


Trailer:

Last Summer - Classic Movie Trailer - YouTube

TV Spot:

Last Summer TV Spot (1969) - YouTube

Soundtrack:
https://www.discogs.com/master/10078...ure-Soundtrack

[tangerinewolf]

Can't wait for this...the memories that it stirs up. I've always loved Barbara Hershey

[BobSimms]

Here is a restored TV spot, uploaded by the Lost Films festival in the UK, who screened a 35mm uncensored print last month.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZlf-tpvb_k

[HorrorBlu]

I've kept this saved on my DVR for years from a TCM airing, since there is no disc available.

Terrific movie. Feels very intense for its time. Can't wait!

[MikeK84]

Is this for real? I can’t believe it! I thought all prints of this movie were lost… can’t wait for this to come true!

[BobSimms]

Originally Posted by MikeK84

Is this for real? I can’t believe it! I thought all prints of this movie were lost… can’t wait for this to come true!

Yes it’s for real. George from Warner Archive had stated they had located the original camera negative but it was missing the final reel. Apparently that problem has been rectified now, one way or another.

An uncensored 35mm print was screened as part of the Lost Reels film festival in Britain last month. See: https://lostreels.co.uk/Documents/la...er%20Essay.pdf

The above link may contain spoilers!

The print screened last month was also faded blue.

A 16mm print exists in Australia, but it might be censored? Not sure.

Anyway, none of that matters now!

[whiteberry]

I'm going to do a deep dive into the initial release of the movie. If you haven't seen the movie, you will probably not want to read the articles because they discuss the changes made to the movie to get a R rating. "AA" in the articles is Allied Artists.

May 7, 1969 - In an advertisement in Weekly Variety, Allied Artists announces the completion of the movie:



May 13, 1969 - The movie is screened out-of-competition at the Cannes Film Festival. Weekly Variety publishes their review on May 21, 1969:



May 21, 1969 - In the "Doing The Cannes-Cannes" column in Weekly Variety, Variety reports on the reception of the movie at the Cannes Film Festival:



May 28, 1969 - The movie receives an X rating from the MPAA.

Daily Variety:



Weekly Variety:



June 10, 1969 - The movie opens at the Cinema I theater in New York City. Here's the opening day newspaper advertisement that appeared in the New York Daily News:



The newspaper advertisement says "world premiere" but it had already been shown at the Cannes Film Festival.

June 18, 1969 - Weekly Variety reports on the movie's first week box office gross at the Cinema I theater:



June 24, 1969 - In an advertisement in Daily Variety, Allied Artists celebrates the movie's first week box office gross at the Cinema I theater:



June 25, 1969 - Weekly Variety reports on the movie's second week box office gross at the Cinema I theater:



June 25, 1969 - Allied Artists tells Daily Variety the movie will be one of the most profitable movies in its history:



July 16, 1969 - After playing at the Cinema I theater in New York City for five weeks with a X rating, the MPAA changes the rating from X to R after Allied Artists made changes to the movie:

Daily Variety:



Weekly Variety:



July 23, 1969 - In the "Inside Stuff - Pictures" column in Weekly Variety, Variety reports that Allied Artists is still using the X rating in advertising in New York City:



July 30, 1969 - In Army Archerd's "Just For Variety" column in Daily Variety, Frank Perry discusses why he agreed to make changes to the movie to get a R rating:



October 30, 1969 - Daily Variety reports on Frank Perry's October 29 appearance at the San Francisco Film Festival. He discussed why he agreed to make changes to the movie and advocated for two different X ratings:

[sb5]

Huge news! It started to seem like we’d never see anything better than rips of the TCM showings. Curious to see the what shape it will be in.

Originally Posted by BobSimms

A 16mm print exists in Australia, but it might be censored? Not sure.

Anyway, none of that matters now!

My understanding from discussions of its showings is that the infamous Australian print was an odd Frankenstein’d cut where the first half/possibly up to 2/3rds of it are a censored TV cut, while the final part was uncensored. Apparently you could even see through a shift in the color timing when you moved from one cut to the other.

[BobSimms]

Originally Posted by sb5

Huge news! It started to seem like we’d never see anything better than rips of the TCM showings. Curious to see the what shape it will be in.

I would hope as the OCN it’s in great shape and if it requires extensive work, they’ll make it happen. Warner Archive has high standards.

[Chris J]

I think the only release of this movie on home video was the Key Video VHS, which was the R-rated cut, so to see it on Blu-ray will definitely be a big upgrade.

[johnny_g]

Amazingly, as a kid, I watched this film several times on TV. KPIX channel 5 in San Francisco used to show it late at night, or use it as filler after local sports games. I'm sure it was hacked to pieces, but I found it mezmerizing. Maybe they ran it often due to Richard Thomas just becoming famous on The Waltons. I'm pretty sure that even at 9 or 10, I was crushing on Bruce Davison

[VeronicaSawyer]

Assuming this happens, it’s huge news. This is a holy grail title for many, myself included. This movie had a significant impact on me when I saw it in my early 20s. I’ve basically been waiting for a home video release ever since.

[Thomas Veil]

Yikes this movie seems like a hard watch. For some reason I don't recall it. I was hoping it was more a pleasant fond look at teenage youth but seems more like a three aholes being aholes. I mean hey I had my share of adventures and questionable moments in my youth but I don't remember any of that crap.

Hope it comes out but not sure it would be would be something I would rewatch.

[tangerinewolf]

Originally Posted by Thomas Veil

Yikes this movie seems like a hard watch. For some reason I don't recall it. I was hoping it was more a pleasant fond look at teenage youth but seems more like a three aholes being aholes. I mean hey I had my share of adventures and questionable moments in my youth but I don't remember any of that crap.

Hope it comes out but not sure it would be would be something I would rewatch.

You say you don’t recall seeing it, but you don’t remember any of that crap? What, based on the trailer and review you just saw posted above? You should see the full movie before calling it crap.

Anyway, I hope WAC delivers us a clean uncut presentation on Blu-ray.

[BobSimms]

Originally Posted by VeronicaSawyer

Assuming this happens, it’s huge news.

Oh, it’s happening!

[Thomas Veil]

Originally Posted by tangerinewolf

You say you don’t recall seeing it, but you don’t remember any of that crap? What, based on the trailer and review you just saw posted above? You should see the full movie before calling it crap.

Anyway, I hope WAC delivers us a clean uncut presentation on Blu-ray.

Dude, take your attitude and back up. Learn to read. After I saw this I researched it and know all about it (who would of thunk the internet can be used for research).

Second, I never once called it crap...this is what I said "I mean hey I had my share of adventures and questionable moments in my youth but I don't remember any of that crap." I was talking about my youth in comparison to this warped version of teenage years. Sorry I can't relate to

[Show spoiler]Nursing then killing a seagull and raping a girl.

Finally I said I hope it gets released, just not something I would watch more than once.

[tangerinewolf]

^^
I know how to read. Glad you did some research. Probably then you should skip this movie if (your word) “crap” enters into the discussion, in one way (in real life) or the other (in movie life).

[Thomas Veil]

Originally Posted by tangerinewolf

^^
I know how to read. Glad you did some research. Probably then you should skip this movie if (your word) “crap” enters into the discussion, in one way (in real life) or the other (in movie life).

Still not gettin it pal. Not worth the time.

[tangerinewolf]

Originally Posted by Thomas Veil

Still not gettin it pal. Not worth the time.

I’ll be enjoying the movie when I buy the Blu-ray when it’s released. It’s been talked about many times over on the WAC thread. So someday soon the fans like me will have it.

[Thomas Veil]

Originally Posted by tangerinewolf

I’ll be enjoying the movie when I buy the Blu-ray when it’s released. It’s been talked about many times over on the WAC thread. So someday soon the fans like me will have it.

Well good, enjoy.