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Author Topic: What ever happened to "AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS" ? Per Hauberg Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 883 From: Malling, Denmark Registered: Jul 2000 posted 05-04-2003 07:12 PM                        Christian: Talking about german dubbed versions of foreign films: I have seen, that some german theaters are running late nite shows "in Originalfassung". Courtesy DTS, i guess (subtitled, so that You use two different prints, or just another set of discs and no translation at all ?) -Is this wide spread ? - Is it popular, or are the german versions appreciated by private cinemagoers ? I know, it is a matter of, what You have been used to at all times. In Denmark, a Disney or similar films for the youngest audiences simply will not sell tickets, if they are not dubbed, but the kids shouldn't be more than 10 years old, before protesting. And to dub an adult picture (no, not that kind of "adult", Michael !) would make the cinemas stand empty for sure. On the other hand, our subtitles - especially after changing from stamped-in by cliches to burned with laser, are very often not in focus with the picture itself, causing us to choose between focus on text or focus on picture. If on top of that, the print is some third generation internegative stuff, rush made on overtime in Rome, the menu says Blur, and i have a problem, answering those patrons who claims, they are better off at home with the DVD. -And being without the subtitles won't work either. Getting somehow far from "Around the World" now, admitted - sorry for that, but it seemed natural to throw this in just now. Another extra - a bit closer to post, as this concerns another "REEL STUFF" Todd-AO movie: You mentioned "Porgy & Bess". -Something strange happened to that film in Denmark a long way back: The local Columbia boss was ordered, relatively soon after the end of the films first engagements, to junk all prints, including a 70mm in very fine condition. Being aware of the costs of this print, including the expensive subtitling, he protested and allmost got spanked by European Columbia HQ. -The film disappeared from danish distribution and never came back, which was most uncommon in those days (first half of the sixties), when every single print was used for re-issue after re-issue until they were completely worn out. -Those good, old days before video destroyed re-runs totally. Anybody know, if Columbia loosed rights for this one so early or what ? Per  |  IP: Logged Steve Kraus Film God Posts: 4094 From: Chicago, IL, USA Registered: May 2000 posted 05-04-2003 08:06 PM                    "Ich seh Dir in die Augen, Kleines." I don't think much of that translation. "Here's looking at you, kid" is a sort of phantom toast, as though he said "Here's TO looking at you". Saying something like "Prosit (or some other toast word) to looking at you" probably would not seem right in German but I'm sure there would be some way to convey the toast-like spirit of the line. "In Casablanca steht ein Cafe Americain... Eins, zwei, ILSA!" Well, in 1955, when Casablanca came out here, they even cut out the Nazis... How do you have Casablanca without Nazis?  |  IP: Logged Claude S. Ayakawa Film God Posts: 2738 From: Waipahu, Hawaii, USA Registered: Aug 2002 posted 05-05-2003 01:16 AM                        As I understand, the estate of George Gershwin was not pleased with the film adaption of PORGY & BESS" and revoked all rights for future showings of the film once the initial first run engagements were completed. "PORGY & BESS" is one of the most requested musical film on DVD and unless the Gershwin estate change their minds, the film will never be seen again in public or on home video. We can only hope that they will change their minds like the Alfred Hitchcock estate did when they finally agreed to allow the master's classics including "REAR WINDOW", PSYCHO", "ROBE" and a few others to be released to theatres and home video after the films were place in moratorium by the Hitchcock estate. Honolulu was not fortunate to play a 70mm print of "PORGY & BESS" but did get a very beautiful 35mm mag stereo print and I saw the film at it's first run showing at the long defunct Princess Theatre in downtown Honolulu which was operated by the then locally owned Consolidated Amusement Company. I recall liking the picture very much. -Claude -Claude  |  IP: Logged Per Hauberg Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 883 From: Malling, Denmark Registered: Jul 2000 posted 05-05-2003 05:18 AM                        That Gershwin-family sure were critic. -Well, -my curiousity has been pleased. Thanks, Claude. You're not alone to wish for it coming up again... p.  |  IP: Logged Thomas Hauerslev Master Film Handler Posts: 451 From: Copenhagen, Denmark Registered: Aug 2000 posted 05-05-2003 08:03 AM                        We ran "Porgy and Bess", in Todd-AO, in 1999 at the Bradford Film Festival. It was an English print with German title cards. Film was of course faded. Since then "P&B" has been shown at several festivals here and there. Per, get your finger out, go to Bradford next year and let your mom and the dog run the business for you. How many years have I told you to come along - 8? For decades, Per has kept his mom, a sweet old woman, "imprisoned" at Bio's concession stand - isn't that cruel?  |  IP: Logged Christian Appelt Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 505 From: Frankfurt, Germany Registered: Dec 2001 posted 05-05-2003 10:07 AM                     Per, ten, fifteen years ago, it was hard to find original version screenings in most German cities. The situation has improved, certainly due to the convenience of DTS. In my hometown, a 7 screen plex (5 of them small, I admit) changed to OVs only and does tremendous business since then. In the other multiplex theatres, they will occasionally put in an additional show in the afternoon, but this is rare. Two former repertoire theatres do a lot of special screenings for school classes (English and French OVs) - if they have to see HARRY POTTER, at least they will improve their English... The German affinity to dubbing is a historical phenomenon (I think that goes for Italy, too), after WW2 the allied nations all hastened to set up dubbing studios to get their own movies on German screens. During the Third Reich, there was little chance of seeing foreign-language movies, and after the WW2, audiences grew accustomed to having everything dubbed. So DTS finally bridged the gap because there is no more need for special OV prints. I like subtitled prints very much, especially with languages other than English or French. But most people seem to hate subtitles and claim it will detract them from the movie.  |  IP: Logged Karen Hultgren Master Film Handler Posts: 492 From: Agoura Hills, CA, USA Registered: Mar 2000 posted 05-05-2003 11:26 AM                        Per - It doesn't sound like you are using the DTS-CSS system for subtitles. If you were, you could very easily adjust subtitle focus on the subtitle projector. Karen at DTS khultgren@dtsonline.com  |  IP: Logged Michael Schaffer "Where is the Boardwalk Hotel?" Posts: 4143 From: Boston, MA Registered: Apr 2002 posted 05-05-2003 12:11 PM                        quote: How do you have Casablanca without Nazis? I have never seen the infamous first German version of Casablanca, but I have read that it had been heavily reedited and dubbed so that there were no Nazis in the picture anymore, but the bad guys were aliens somehow - no kidding! I hate dubbing very much. It completely destroys the film for me. Fortunately, one big multiplex (Sony Center) in Berlin switched to original versions 1 1/2 years ago, and there has always been a relatively lively arthouse scene which always played original. Still, the vast majority of German audiences prefer to watch the dubbed versions. The prints shown at the Sony Center are practically always original prints, not German prints with dts. The same goes for most of the arthouse cinemas too. In one, they recently installed dts-6D to be more independent of the print situation - often there are very few prints available. But then, many distributors still don`t put dts timecode on all their prints. There is a cinema for French films here too. In most cases, they have two prints since the German versions rarely have dts even though the French OVs usually have it. dts is very popular in France. Interestingly, even though the French are very reluctant to speak English, they show a lot more OVs there than here. I have no idea why that is so, but I think they have a better developed feeling for the cinema as an art form so they want to see it in its original version. German audiences see the cinema more as a big TV and don`t care about authenticity. Since there is a very small market for original versions, many of the prints are not subtitled, those which are usually have laser etched subtitles. I have never seen the dts CSS in action here.  |  IP: Logged Per Hauberg Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 883 From: Malling, Denmark Registered: Jul 2000 posted 05-05-2003 07:17 PM                        Karen I have been copying and sending the part of the dts homepage, presenting the subtitling system, to allmost all danish distributors. Noone ever bothered to even comment on it. After trying again in connection with the possible reissue on 2001 when the calender invited to it, and still not getting through, i simply gave up. They (local distributors) were years to understand the possibility of the one print - two sets of discs idea, and that was their maximum efford presented. They just don't get it !! Someone ought to do something - Someone with more power of penetration than the owner of a 127 seat countryside twoplex.... Per  |  IP: Logged Christian Appelt Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 505 From: Frankfurt, Germany Registered: Dec 2001 posted 05-11-2003 05:15 PM                     The GOODBYE ROYAL show that I announced earlier in this thread (when we were trying to get a good AROUND THE WORLD print for the last show of that former MGM theatre in Frankfurt, Germany) will take place on May 23, 7.30 p.m. local time). A dubbed 35mm Scope print of THE VIKINGS (1958) will be shown, the print is on Agfa positive stock and has the slightly bluish look that many 1950s Eastman/Scope films have when they were printed by dupe negative instead of Technicolor IB. Nothing special regarding print quality, I just wanted to mention it because I got some mails off forum on the subject. The AROUND THE WORLD 70mm print (dubbed german) that was mentioned earlier may be shown during the summer in the Cineplex theatre here at Frankfurt, they play many old 70mm prints like AIRPORT, JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, EARTHQUAKE. Today I saw INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM almost 20 years later, still a lot of fun. So if you guys from Scandinavia think about making a 70mm trip, just check now and then at www.cineplex.de then click on "Frankfurt" and "70mm Filme". May 18: DIE HARD May 25: AIRPORT Juni 1: EARTHQUAKE June 8: SPARTACUS (old version) June 15: DIE HARDER June 22: THE TEN COMMANDMENTS June 29: JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR All shows start at 11:00 A.M., prints are dubbed german, the restaurant opens at 10:00, and you can order Film&Breakfast tickets. More films are to come and will be announced on their website, I think also on in70mm.com . PS: Naturally all tough men from Denmark & Sweden are welcome on May 23, you can leave your dragon ships on the river Main just 10 minutes from the theatre, and don`t bring your axes, we have no drawbridge! (I ran the THE VIKINGS today...)  |  IP: Logged Darren Crimmins Expert Film Handler Posts: 130 From: Dallas, TX, USA Registered: Jan 2002 posted 05-15-2003 05:20 PM                     I like the old Hellen Keller joke, "Around the Block in 80 Days".  |  IP: Logged Patrick J. McCart Film Handler Posts: 24 From: Blue Ridge, GA, USA Registered: Nov 2001 posted 05-17-2003 12:06 PM                        I was doing research on the film and was able to get a photocopied article from the Library of Congress about their holdings for Around the World in Eighty Days. Here is one paragraph describing what is in the collection: "The Library's "Around the World in 80 Days" footage consists of 426 reels of picture and sound track material, in several languages, in 16mm, 35mm and 70mm [probably 65mm, too]. These range from preliminary rough cut "workprints" to production elements, preprints, color separations, tests, shots of the premires, and "behind-the-scenes" footage about the making and publicizing of the movie. The footage includes portions of the original 1957 German, Italian and French versions. Other original sound track material is broken down into various components, such as music, sound effects and dialogue." "Should the movie someday be restored, the Library's collection will have much to contribute." Taylor deposited the materials with the LoC in the early 1980s, I think...so this may have been what happened to the separations.  |  IP: Logged

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