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Post by Paul Sylvain on Aug 1, 2012 20:07:52 GMT -5
I keep looking and hoping and waiting for Turner Classic Movies (TCM) to air Wayne's Alamo -- the full-length (as opposed to the DVD) version of it. I may have missed it, but I think Turner last showed it back in 2009.
So, I see that today, Turner was dedicating the day to John Wayne flicks. I thought, "Ah-ha! It's going to be broadcast." Nope. Imagine my disappointment at not seeing it on the sked.
I wish a restored, full-length version would be released to the masses. I have and watch the DVD, and like it, but it's not the same.
Paul
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Post by Allen Wiener on Aug 1, 2012 20:57:39 GMT -5
They used to show it a couple of times a year, but not for a long time. I posted on TCM's website, where you can suggest a film, but no dice. They show some films literally every month, some of them twice in the same month, notably their favorite musicals (which I like as much as you like "Dancing with the Stars"). Not too many westerns and not Wayne's Alamo for a long time.
If you can find a copy of the VHS "Director's Cut" it is the full, uncut, widescreen print. Maybe on Ebay.
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Post by Paul Sylvain on Aug 2, 2012 5:28:32 GMT -5
They used to show it a couple of times a year, but not for a long time. I posted on TCM's website, where you can suggest a film, but no dice. They show some films literally every month, some of them twice in the same month, notably their favorite musicals (which I like as much as you like "Dancing with the Stars"). Not too many westerns and not Wayne's Alamo for a long time. If you can find a copy of the VHS "Director's Cut" it is the full, uncut, widescreen print. Maybe on Ebay. Actually, I think I have a VHS copy of it, but we no longer have a VHS machine. So much for progress. I've suggested the movie on TCM's web site, too, but without luck.Perhaps the film is too fragile or has been damaged. |
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Post by davidpenrod on Aug 2, 2012 9:48:26 GMT -5
Paul, I looked online at places like Amazon and Netflix and could not find the full length version in DVD - but Amazon has the full length director's cut in VHS. There are actually many different lengths out there:
US: 167 min
UK: 203 min (25 fps) (director's cut) (1993 video release)
USA: 140 min (1967 re-release)
USA: 192 min (roadshow version)
Unfortunately, the UK version, which is the "fulll length" one, cannot be played on US or Canadian DVD players.
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Post by Allen Wiener on Aug 2, 2012 13:11:20 GMT -5
Paul -- check your PMs.
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Post by sloanrodgers on Aug 2, 2012 16:18:29 GMT -5
Once a year is enough.
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Post by Allen Wiener on Aug 2, 2012 16:38:13 GMT -5
It's been more than a year and, considering how many movies TCM insists on showing virtually every month, why not this one? One thing to be aware of if you do see it, is that the color on all surviving videos I've seen is very badly faded. Somewhere here we discussed this and someone posted a link to a website by a person who was trying to restore the film by recreating the original color and restoring all of the scenes that were cut out over the years. The full, widescreen VHS copy of the full version runs 3:24 (204 minutes). It's fun to watch the whole film as it was originally presented, but the lack of sharp, vivid color, which was one of the film's high notes, is very obvious.
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Post by Paul Sylvain on Aug 2, 2012 19:24:59 GMT -5
Thanks, Allen. Got the message and responded.
I'm thinking the color on any surviving copy of the film is going to be faded a bit. It will take a dedicated (and probably costly) effort to restore it, and there may not be much heart in those who own it to do so.
I am in full agreement with Allen in TCM's movie offerings. The only thing I can guess is that the film they have is just too delicate to risk running it. Maybe. If that's not the case, then a periodic showing would be greatly appreciated. They could do say each March 6, for example.
Paul
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Post by Allen Wiener on Aug 2, 2012 21:33:12 GMT -5
Last year I suggested they do at least a part-day March 6 run of Alamo related movies, which they've already shown at least once and have in their library ("The Alamo," "The Last Command," "The Iron Mistress," The First Texan"); I got no answer and no Alamo movies last March 6. I recommended the movie again today and wrote a justification based on the film's status as a super example of 1950s-60s high budget Hollywood blockbusters and as the most costly U.S. movie made up to that time. Also, since they were doing a day of Wayne movies, why not include the one that mattered most to him personally, one that he sunk most of his money into, and which he served as producer, director and star. It's also part of the last years of genuine second unit work and first-rate battle scenes before the era of CGI, when you really had to do it live and film it. Don't know if it will get the film back on TCM or not, but worth a try. The squeeky wheel gets the grease. It was so long ago that they showed it, I don't recall of the color was any more vivid on their print than it is on the VHS releases.
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Post by Paul Sylvain on Aug 3, 2012 6:30:22 GMT -5
I will have to do the same, Allen. Hope it works -- but doing a "Remember the Alamo" day in flicks is a great idea. It has been ages since I saw "The Last Command", for example, it would be great to see a grouping like that.
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Post by Allen Wiener on Aug 3, 2012 8:38:46 GMT -5
They showed "Last Command" fairly recently. By the way, after looking at the two VHS editions of the Wayne movie, and noting how badly faded the color was on both of them, I got out the DVD edition and noticed there is distinctly better color on that truncated print. That's probably why they chose to put that print out on DVD, rather than go through the expense of restoring the full version. I can't recall what the color quality was on the print that TCM used.
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Post by Allen Wiener on Aug 3, 2012 12:00:07 GMT -5
The best way to contace TCM and express your wishes, including any other films you might want them to show (or, perhaps, to STOP showing for at least a few months!) is to log onto their website (creating an account is free) and going to this page, clicking the "Contact Us" icon, and then filling out the form. www.tcm.com/contact-tcm.html |
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Post by Allen Wiener on Aug 15, 2012 17:49:06 GMT -5
For those who want to keep up with the status of the film's restoration, see the following link: www.thedigitalbits.com/articles/robertharris/harris032009.htmlThere is also a discussion forum where Harris will respond to questions, but it sounds to me like the project, at best, is in limbo, if not dead. What is surprising is that, while they are seeking large, corporate donors, the Wayne family has not come forward to pitch in on this effort. The faiilure to restore the film seems more a matter of no one really caring about it, rather than money. Here's a link to the forum; I had no luck in several attempts to register, but you may want to try. www.hometheaterforum.com/t/283892/robert-harris-on-the-bits-resurrecting-and-restoring-the-alamo |
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Post by loucapitano on Aug 17, 2012 17:56:01 GMT -5
Thanks Allen, I'll certainly give it a try to cajole TCM to show a full cut of Wayne's Alamo. After all, they recently showed the uncut non dubbed versions of Japanese sci-fi classics Godzilla and Rodan. (I think they included Mothra, but I've been unable to sit through it since I was 11) They just used English subtitles.
By the way, I heard the Alamo version shown in France is pretty close to the director's cut but I have no idea how to get a copy.
Also, if you can, watch the Wayne DVD in French and Spanish. It's easy to follow since most of us know the dialog by heart.
It's really funny in French, especially Harvey, Widmark and Wayne along with the Tennessee boys. ;D
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