The Silver Screen column discussion

[john a hunter]

Re: Ben Hur-I think you will find that Camera 65 always used a 1.25 squeeze. Early tests tried out 1.33 which was quickly dropped. The lenses still showed 1.33 even though they were in fact 1.25 compression.
The photo of the guy "sketching" looks like he was in fact painting the mattes that were used several times during the filming.
As a point of interest the stadium production here in Sydney was dreadful with people walking out laughing it was so bad. I doubt it will raise its ugly head anywhere else in the world.

[Robert Siegel]

Originally Posted by john a hunter

Re: Ben Hur-I think you will find that Camera 65 always used a 1.25 squeeze. Early tests tried out 1.33 which was quickly dropped. The lenses still showed 1.33 even though they were in fact 1.25 compression.
The photo of the guy "sketching" looks like he was in fact painting the mattes that were used several times during the filming.
As a point of interest the stadium production here in Sydney was dreadful with people walking out laughing it was so bad. I doubt it will raise its ugly head anywhere else in the world.

I was wondering how the Sydney production was, what a strange story to try to put on stage. The data I used for the Camera 65 was from initial MGM press releases, so that is why it may have been changed after that was released.

[iberiangoth]

Great articles, Robert.
Though not yet released on Blu would like to see one of your spreads on Samson and Delilah ( 1949 ) when it appears on Blu. Hopefully soon.

[Cinemave]

I hear Cleopatra is getting a UK release in January on BD, hopefully we'll see it stateside soon after. I KNOW you must have some enjoyable material for that one!

Adjusted for inflation it’s still the most expensive movie ever made…

[Valaquenta]

Here is my take on what movies that should be dealt with in the future columns :

1. Spartacus (1960)
2. The Searchers (1956)
3. Paths of Glory (1957)
4. All About Eve (1950)
5. The Night of the Hunter (1955)

[Robert Siegel]

Thanks for the kind remarks iberiangoth, should that be released I will surely cover it. I hope it is soon, it's a great movie.

Cinemave: You bet! A movie like that deserves the "Ben-Hur" type treatment (and will get it). Wish it would be announced here in the USA. Fox is really being quite slow on it's pre-1970 catalog.

Valaquenta: All of those are coming, but All About Eve is just one of those few movies I don't have much material on, but I have the word out in the collectors community, so should I find enough, I will do that one. Spartacus will probably be the next one on your list.

I am already preparing Mutiny on the Bounty, My Fair Lady and West Side Story! The Guns of Navarone and One Eyes Jacks are possibles.

[DetroitSquirreL]

As someone who has been a film buff for around 40 years its great to read this stuff. I have personally stepped into the the film business myself. So far Ive got a few 'background actor' parts but hope to at least some time get a bit speaking role. I've always been intrigued on how the films were done and the decisions were made to do what and the final outcome. Keep up the great work, you have another follower.

Cheers

[CinemaScope]

Originally Posted by Cinemave

I hear Cleopatra is getting a UK release in January on BD, hopefully we'll see it stateside soon after. I KNOW you must have some enjoyable material for that one!

Adjusted for inflation it’s still the most expensive movie ever made…

Yep, the 30th January. I'm sure this will be a worldwide release. It looks like one UK online retailer jumped the gun (it is nearly four months away!) & the others had to join in so they wouldn't lose pre-orders. I bet Fox are not too happy about it all.

[Robert Siegel]

Originally Posted by DetroitSquirreL

As someone who has been a film buff for around 40 years its great to read this stuff. I have personally stepped into the the film business myself. So far Ive got a few 'background actor' parts but hope to at least some time get a bit speaking role. I've always been intrigued on how the films were done and the decisions were made to do what and the final outcome. Keep up the great work, you have another follower.

Cheers

That's great to hear, which background parts did you get? It would be fun to search and find you if we have the movies:-).....Thanks for the compliment, and best of luck!!!

[Robert Siegel]

Originally Posted by CinemaScope

Yep, the 30th January. I'm sure this will be a worldwide release. It looks like one UK online retailer jumped the gun (it is nearly four months away!) & the others had to join in so they wouldn't lose pre-orders. I bet Fox are not too happy about it all.

Probably not very happy, but then again, I often wonder if somehow that isn't considered good "word of mouth." this pre-announcement excitement. In any case, it will be great to have Cleopatra, that is going to be incredible on Blu-ray. How one film almost closed a studio, amazing. And of course the similar story did happen again later with Heaven's Gate and United Artists, but United Artists never got their "Sound of Music" to save them in the manner Fox was saved.

[DetroitSquirreL]

Originally Posted by Robert Siegel

That's great to hear, which background parts did you get? It would be fun to search and find you if we have the movies:-).....Thanks for the compliment, and best of luck!!!

I just last weekend finished filming "I, Alex Cross" the prequel to "Kiss the Girls" The book was based here in Detroit so what better place to film then right here in Detroit!

[Robert Siegel]

Originally Posted by DetroitSquirreL

I just last weekend finished filming "I, Alex Cross" the prequel to "Kiss the Girls" The book was based here in Detroit so what better place to film then right here in Detroit!

Well, the best of luck, hope to see you on a movie poster soon as the lead:-)

[Robert Siegel]

I would like to ask all of the people that have posted here, if there was one movie you would like to see covered in The Silver Screen that was made before 1970 and has not been covered yet, what would it be? The film must be a previous Blu-ray release. Remember only one title.

[Pirate King]

Originally Posted by Robert Siegel

I would like to ask all of the people that have posted here, if there was one movie you would like to see covered in The Silver Screen that was made before 1970 and has not been covered yet, what would it be? The film must be a previous Blu-ray release. Remember only one title.

"The Longest Day"

Mostly because the cast has so many Hollywood legends. Eddie Albert, Richard Burton, Red Buttons, Sean Connery, Henry Fonda, Jeffery Hunter, Peter Lawford, Roddy McDowell, Robert Mitchum, Rod Steiger, Stuart Whitman and John Wayne... along with many others.

[DetroitSquirreL]

Originally Posted by Pirate King

"The Longest Day"

Mostly because the cast has so many Hollywood legends. Eddie Albert, Richard Burton, Red Buttons, Sean Connery, Henry Fonda, Jeffery Hunter, Peter Lawford, Roddy McDowell, Robert Mitchum, Rod Steiger, Stuart Whitman and John Wayne... along with many others.

Good choice mate

[iberiangoth]

Quo Vadis

[rkolinski]

Spartacus

Also, if you need images of original movie posters, the lobby card set and the hard cover '61 movie program, I can provide those to you because I own all of these items. Did you know that plastic model kits of gladiators were also released for this movie?

[Robert Siegel]

I am searching for a bit more material on The Longest Day but am ready to do Spartacus and Quo Vadis when they can be fit into the schedule. Thanks for your responses.

Did any members of the thread actually see any of the pre-1970 Silver Screen-covered movies in their original showings?

[Ernest Rister]

In 1928, Disney first produced the first Mickey Mouse cartoon, and only 11 years later, the first feature (Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs) was produced.

Hey, Robert - Snow White premiered in December of 1937, not in 1939. Nine years after Steamboat Willie, not eleven.

While Bambi took nine years to make because of the technical scenes and special effects,

That would mean Bambi went into production in 1933, the same year Walt released The Three Little Pigs. Obviously, Bambi was not in production for nine years, and in fact, Walt did not even own the rights to Bambi in 1933. The rights were purchased in 1933 by Sidney Franklin, who approached Walt with the project in 1935. For this reason, Bambi was in extremely early development starting in 1935, but serious work did not begin until the Franklin/Hyperion collaboration starting in 1936. At this time, Bambi was planned to be the follow-up to Snow White. Because of the story problems, Bambi stalled and in all actuality, no animation of consequence was produced for Bambi until 1939.

[rkolinski]

Originally Posted by Robert Siegel

I am searching for a bit more material on The Longest Day but am ready to do Spartacus and Quo Vadis when they can be fit into the schedule. Thanks for your responses.

Did any members of the thread actually see any of the pre-1970 Silver Screen-covered movies in their original showings?

I did see Spartacus twice when it first came out; I saw Ben Hur, Doctor Zhivago, El Cid, Fall of the Roman Empire, Bridge on the River Kwai, Sand Pebbles, Lawrence of Arabia, Guns of Navarone and the list goes on during their first showings. Spartacus is my favorite among these followed by Sand Pebbles and Doctor Zhivago!