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Posted by Billy Joe on 11/15/05 21:04
Bill Vermillion wrote:
> In article <d91jn15an850c1h8088jvv4onb3ntrdnbo@4ax.com>,
> <FM98.3@WKLLradio.com> wrote:
>> On Wed, 09 Nov 2005 21:23:12 GMT, "DVD" <dvd@dvd.nu> wrote:
>>
>>> Is there anywhere to download old films?
>
>> Why bother. Walmart has been selling old films on DVD for $1
>> each.
>
> Places like archive.org have old films that aren't available
> anywhere else. Not DVD and not VHS.
>
> For an example I got an old comedy "I'm From Arkansas" from
> archive.org. It's a comdey - not great - but has old line
> start Slim Summervile and El Brendel.
>
> It's from PRC - Producers Releasing Corporation - who made a
> lot
> of B-Budget films - a lot of them westerns for the
> double-feature
> Saturday matinee crowd. $50,000 was a big budget for them.
>
> TCM has shown three or four films from them spotlighting
> directed
> by Edward G. Ulmer. But almost all of their output [IMDB shows
> they distributed 286 films and produced 222 before they went
> out
> of business in 1948] arent' available anywhere, and there are
> several on archive.org
>
> I recognized several of the films as the second 'cowboy' film
> they'd show on Saturday's when I was kid. Usually starring
> "Lash LaRue".
>
> Some of the Ulmer films, and one of the most popular films
> they
> released - the Enchanget Forest - reputed to be the first
> film blown up from 16MM to 35MM for theatrical release - are
> on DVD
> and/or VHS. But most are just missing in action - except for
> transfered old prints that look like they were used in TV
> sations
> in the 1950s that are on these sites.
>
>
> Bill
Well said, Bill.
However, whether within the spirit of the law of not, the only
place to find some items is among fans who utilize the internet.
De Dva (The Dove) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0062906/ is one
such example.
While two of the crew went on to either recognizable or stellar
careers, this early, farcical, 12 minute effort deserves a much
wider audience than it has received since one of its very few
showings on Z-Channel, thanks to Jerry Harvey - as a between
feature filler.
Were it not for some astute VHS, or more likely Beta, enthusiast
at that time, there'd not be any copy available. The copyright
owner may or may not have turned it to Public Domain, but it's
unlikely that it will ever have another commercial release or
that anyone is concerned with infringement or protection from
public viewing. While acolades are not dollars, kudos to the
writer, director, and cast of this clever bit of film.
One has to search for a while to find a source, but the effort
will be rewarded. The poor image quality and frame size is
forgivable, as there doesn't seem to be another copy.
BJ
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