The Digital Bits' Call to Action for John Wayne's The Alamo

[MifuneFan]

I think this would be a huge Kickstarter success if they went that route. Perhaps years ago people might have been more negative about funding that, but crowdfunding is all the rage now, and I truly believe it's the only way we'll see sometime done here, since MGM aren't in the best shape to fund it all themselves.

[BillieCassin]

I couldn't care less about ever watching this film (just not my thing), but the article at Bits made my stomach turn. The fact that a studio would let any film, much less a John Wayne classic, rot is simply beyond comprehension.

[Flex Mentallo]

I'll just start off saying The Alamo isn't a very good movie. I know The Duke has his fans but I think even those fans can agree there are much better movies of his worthy of a blu ray release.

With that out of the way let's talk MGM. They're broke and frankly have bigger fish to fry than restoring a bloated mess like The Alamo. MGM is nothing more than a catalog at this stage of the game and can barely release their own films on home video hence their licensing deals with Fox, Criterion, Twilight Time and anyone else willing to cut them a check. Truth is, MGM could make more money selling Twilight Time "They Call Me, Mr. Tibbs!" than they ever could restoring then releasing The Alamo on video.

And a Kickstarter campaign? That's just embarrassing. Best case scenario MGM gets a couple hundred thousand. I'm gonna go on a limb and say this is a several million dollar job and ain't nobody funding, much less co-funding, second tier John Wayne in this market. $7.88 in the Walmart dump bin is not going to cut it.

I know every movie has it's fan and my collection is filled with movies in no one's top 100. I'm just being real about it. If I'm wrong then great. Nothing wrong with more catalog on blu.

[Emcg0211]

I have literally zero interest in this title. That being said, I will be tweeting at MGM and would gladly back a hypothetical kickstarter.

[Canada]

That is just sad that the MGM has the film just sitting there disintegrating, I was going to say before there very eyes, but apparently not. Why not get either Martin Scorsese or Steven Spielberg on the project they're always going on about preserving film history.





This is how classic cinema should be treated in the 21st century. A review of Bridge on the River Kwai by Martin Liebman

[Lemmy Lugosi]

Originally Posted by rickah88

[Show spoiler]

Jesus Christ, if studios don't care anymore...why do they think we should?

One of several reasons that my purchases are WAAAAYYYYY down over the last couple'a years. The studios make little effort (and often none) to give us the products we desire/require; their indifference has resulted in my diminishing purchases.

[Jaymole]

I will definitely be posting to MGM's facebook account. Although not a great film, it holds quite a bit of nostalgia for me as I loved it as a kid.

I still have my laser box set of the restored roadshow 192 minute version (I never picked up the DVD of the Alamo as they only released the 167 minute version). At least I can watch that, but I am hoping that sometime in the future I can retire this.

[Iamspartacus]

Love this film. My favorite John Wayne--being from Texas there is a lot of nostalgia here.

[atfree]

Just an FYI....as of earlier today, there were almost 200 posts to MGM Studios Facebook account asking them to save "The Alamo", plus a lot of comments on their promotional posts. I'd still encourage everyone, if you haven't, to post there and encourage others you know to do the same.

[HD Goofnut]

I just made my post on their Facebook page. MGM should be ashamed.

[Arkadin]

I just knew this was going to happen based on pming RAH a few years ago and asking him the status of the restoration.
just sickening.

[klauswhereareyou]

I'm going to guess that the reason that this isn't seen as restoration material is that the critical community don't see it as an important film. Stuff like Lawrence of Arabia or Vertigo get saved because they're seen as works of art. Maybe if there were some high profile fans out there (like we see pictures of above) than it would've already been fixed up? I think it should be saved no matter it's quality because it's a film, but maybe since it's not seen as one of the top films..or even one of Wayne's that and the fact that it would cost a lot are not helping matters here.

[al cos.]

Meanwhile, MGM is repackaging a bunch of movies again and just generally jerking off. Way to go.

[Hypnosifl]

Originally Posted by Musicguy

Instead of funding a restoration, why don't they just preserve what they have so the film could be restored at a later date?

That's an interesting idea. If they just did a 2K scan of the original elements now, would that make it possible to do a 2K restoration at any point in the future? Or does restoration work involve physically messing with the original elements in some way, like treating them chemically or something?

[gpn]

Originally Posted by Flex Mentallo

With that out of the way let's talk MGM. They're broke and frankly have bigger fish to fry than restoring a bloated mess like The Alamo.

Actually, MGM is doing quite well lately with their share of profits from Skyfall and the Hobbit films, so it would be nice to see them channel some of that money towards preservation.

And Canada, please resize your pictures. Mr. Scorsese's organization would be a good one to help with working on the Alamo, but I don't think we need 3000 x 2000 pictures of him and Spielberg.

[Tom Servo]

I saw this movie on TCM or AMC within the last few years and it looked nothing like that purple mess in that screenshot. I guess they were airing it from an old DVD or something. Aren't there any existing elements of the movie, even if they are inferior and not the originals? What did they make the DVD from?

[EVERYONE LIES]

the kickstarter campaign should be to buy United Artists catalog and let MGM finally die the death that it has deserved for the past 30 years.

[buck135]

Originally Posted by EVERYONE LIES

the kickstarter campaign should be to buy United Artists catalog and let MGM finally die the death that it has deserved for the past 30 years.

That is one of the best posts I've read in years. Paramount, Universal and Sony's back catalog should also be absorbed as well.

[ultlife2013]

*enters thread, looks up at last post.*

*quietly walks back into a hedge like homer*

[s.jorgens1]

Originally Posted by Snicket

What a strange and very specific thing to label these people as...

what people act like is what they are

Originally Posted by mr nostromo

Unfortunately, these days it is true for most large businesses, not just in film. The clowns with 'degrees' May be academically clever, but they certainly are NOT wise. :-(

very true and academic smarts does not mean crap in the real world.

Originally Posted by Canada

That is just sad that the MGM has the film just sitting there disintegrating, I was going to say before there very eyes, but apparently not. Why not get either Martin Scorsese or Steven Spielberg on the project they're always going on about preserving film history.

This is how classic cinema should be treated in the 21st century. A review of Bridge on the River Kwai by Martin Liebman

those 2 ONLY care about film preservation IF THEY ARE MAKING A HUGE BUCK FOR THEMSELVES, they are very self centered, IF they were for preservation just for preservation they would not care if they made a buck or not

Originally Posted by BillieCassin

I couldn't care less about ever watching this film (just not my thing), but the article at Bits made my stomach turn. The fact that a studio would let any film, much less a John Wayne classic, rot is simply beyond comprehension.

THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN 99.9% of college graduates who get into studios (and every other industry) are drones / sheep / non-thinking people.

Originally Posted by al cos.

Meanwhile, MGM is repackaging a bunch of movies again and just generally jerking off. Way to go.

because in there marketing classes and such is what they are told makes the most sense, when it clearly the opposite, those colleges responsible for these graduates should be fined.