Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: "HOUSE OF WAX" DVD is better than expected

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Posted by Claude S. Ayakawa (Member # 1401) on 08-06-2003, 06:17 PM:

I first saw "HOUSE OF WAX" in Natural Vision 3-D at the Liberty Theatre in Honolulu during it first run in 1953 and was very impressed with both the movie and the dual projection presentation. The movie was finally released on DVD yesterday and although not in 3-D, I thought the film itself was very enjoyable like the first time I saw it. What makes this DVD a treat is the inclusion of the original 1933 film "MYSTERY OF THE WAX MUSEUM" starring Lionel Atwil and Fay Wray in the original two strip Technicolor process. "HOUSE OF WAX". Although not in the special photographic process, features the original stereo soundtrack which was used at selected venues in large major cities like Los Angeles and New York during it's first run showing. Beside the two movies, the DVD features newsreel clips of the world premiere and the theatrical trailer promoting it's 3-D presentation with only graphics. Although showing signs of age, the color was good and so was the stereo sound. "The two strip Technicolor process in "MYSTERY OF THE WAX MUSEUM" was very interesting. It looked pale and did not have that very striking look of the three strip process but it was more than acceptable.

By the way, I saw "HOUSE OF WAX" again many years later in the single strip Polaroid 3-D process and I must admit, I was not impressed like I was when I first saw the film. How I wish I could see this movie again next month at the Egyptian Theatre in Los Angeles in the original Natural Vision 3-D process.

-Claude

Posted by Bruce McGee (Member # 131) on 08-06-2003, 06:34 PM:

Hi Claude.

When I worked in TV film back in the late 1970's, we ran Mystery Of The Wax Museum in B/W from a B/W print because we were told by UA (the distributor back then) that there were no color prints available of any kind. In the early 1980's they must have found one, because WTBS in Atlanta ran it from a slightly faded 16mm print.

We ran House Of Wax, too. Many of our runs were from old IB 16mm prints. They were well-used, but looked great on the air, usually...

I'll be looking for a DVD of House Of Wax.

Posted by Bill Gabel (Member # 1105) on 08-06-2003, 07:10 PM:

quote:
In the early 1980's they must have found one.

They found a print that had been taken from the Warner Lot by an employee. That had worked on the lot for a few years. This person was a film collector. Who also had a few more other missing prints and footage from the Warner. It turned out he had taken them to add to his collection. The FBI/MPAA raided his storage lockers and recovered these print for Warner.

Posted by Paul Linfesty (Member # 214) on 08-09-2003, 08:11 PM:

quote:
Although not in the special photographic process, features the original stereo soundtrack which was used at selected venues in large major cities like Los Angeles and New York during it's first run showing.

Actually, the original magnetic stereo masters were long ago lost. With the exception of the mono surround track, which was optically placed on one of the left/eye right/eye reels (the other reel contained the combined mono mix)the stereo track is a remixed, re-channeled affair.

Posted by Claude S. Ayakawa (Member # 1401) on 08-10-2003, 12:21 AM:

Hi Paul,

I have heard fake stereo from mono films and disliked many of them but the sound on the "HOUSE OF WAX" DVD sounded very good. There were a few parts when directional sound effects was used such as the time when Vincent Price's business partner threw a chair at him after starting a fire in the museum very early in the film. The crashing of the chair could be heard from my rear surround speaker. I thought that was very cool!

Did you pick up the DVD yet?

-Claude

Posted by Paul Linfesty (Member # 214) on 08-10-2003, 01:17 AM:

No, I haven't picked it up yet. I usually wait for titles to be later re-priced (at least lately). I should have clarified above that the surviving mono optical surround track was preserved and used (at least on the 70mm 6-track mag re-release version of the early 70's.) The re-mix was used for the stage channels only (also can only verify on the 70mm re-issue that placed the two images side by side). Its very possible this remix was done off the original mag stereo music recordings. It's the actual original completed stereo mix that no longer exists (save for that surround track).