8mm Forum: MGM Digests & MGM Feature question

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Posted by Michael De Angelis (Member # 91) on October 09, 2004, 07:53 PM:

I am very curious about Mike Peckhams interest in the MGM Digests, and wonder if anyone along with Mike has information regarding some of the Musical releases?

I have had a few MGM Digest releases over the years, but to date
this is in my collection:

1.)Singing in the Rain (200 foot version color / sound)

2.)Easter Parade (400 foot version color / sound)

I wonder if there was an 200 foot sound version of Easter Parade with alternate footage?

3.)An American in Paris.(400 foot version color / sound)

I love American in Paris, and only wish that the 400 foot version had a part 2.
Does anyone know if this was ever made as a multi part digest?

I once thought that perhaps it would be possible to get the last reel or so of "American in Paris", from the Derann feature to make this digest more or less a little more complete?

I had seen the 400 foot color/sound version of The Wizard of Oz, and thought that it was pretty good, which leads me to ask if anyone can reply if they have a complete Wizard of Oz, made by Derann? I wonder how good it looks? Is it sharp and with saturated color?

Best Wishes,
Michael De Angelis
USA

[ October 10, 2004, 12:01 AM: Message edited by: Michael De Angelis ]

Posted by Lance Alspaugh (Member # 27) on October 09, 2004, 09:10 PM:

Hi Michael,

I own a copy of "Wizard" from Derann and the results are terrific. Top quality all the way around and highly recommended.
I do not believe there were any second parts to the "American" digest from MGM.

Posted by Tom Photiou (Member # 130) on October 10, 2004, 03:47 AM:

With regard to the MGM releases on 8mm, i do believe there are some ace titles of all interests from MGM unfortunatley the few we have had did seen to suffer badley from fade, mainly the 3 x 400 and the 400's, Ice station Zebra and the dirty Dozen to mention just two, what are the MGM's like in general? Were we unlucky do they suffer badley? [Frown]

Posted by Kevin Faulkner (Member # 6) on October 10, 2004, 04:04 AM:

Hi Tom,
I can reiterate what Lance said about Wizard, the Dearnn print is superb. Having said that I had a copy on Agfa stock which was very cold and grainy but then found an earlier copy which was printed on Kodak stock which is, as I said earlier, really superb. Look for an early copy as it looks to me as if the neg was remade possibly from a release print or a copy of the original neg.
Comments Duncan!!!

Kev.

Posted by Andreas Eggeling (Member # 105) on October 12, 2004, 07:19 AM:

3.)An American in Paris.(400 foot version color / sound)
I love American in Paris, and only wish that the 400 foot version had a part 2. Does anyone know if this was ever made as a multi part digest?

Hi Michael,

yes, it exists a 3 x 400 part version from mgm,
in polyester on Kodak pre-striped filmstock.

yrs
Andreas

Posted by Mike Peckham (Member # 16) on October 12, 2004, 01:44 PM:

Michael

I have been trying to copy and paste my list of MGM digests on hear for you but every ime I try to open it up my pc goes into meltdown and I have to start over [Frown]

.

However, I can tell you that there was a 2 x 400ft version of "Singin' in the Rain" and there was a 200ft version of "Easter Parade" but I don't have it in my collection so not sure if it has any different footage to the 400ft version.

Like you I like the 400fter of American in Paris and think it is great that it contains virtually the complete ballet sequence form the end of the film, I think that must be the highlight of the whole film? I was very intrigued to hear from Andreas that there was a 3 x 400ft version available, I don't see any mention of it in any of my catalogues and haven't seen it on a list so far so wonder if it was a late release? Certainly one I shall be looking out for now... Andreas, do you have a catalogue number for it or any other details about its release?

I am still planning to get an article on the MGM digests ready for the FFTC magazine, I have made a start [Roll Eyes]

so watch this space [Wink]

.

On the subject of colour fade, the odd thing is that some have faded and others still look as good as they did when they were new. A previous thread about this anomally suggested that MGM were using various labs and sometimes even different labs for the same release which would suggest why some have survived better than others.

I hope that's useful

Mike [Smile]

Posted by Andreas Eggeling (Member # 105) on October 12, 2004, 04:05 PM:

Mike,

"American in Paris" was a US-print on the typical blue reels with the typical leaders. On polyester filmstock like "Clash of the Titans".

It was published in 1981 by UFA, Germany, No. 663, 664 and 665 (but listed in the 1982 catalogue only!!) perhaps a order work from Ken/MGM for UFA,Germany.

Look following link

I have had the 3 x 400 parter about one year ago.

It would not wonder me if no prints made for the english market, because UFA sold some other releases made in USA never seen on used lists (for example Derann or ebay.com).

Andreas

Posted by John Hourigan (Member # 111) on October 13, 2004, 07:01 PM:

The MGM digests were certainly in a class by themselves in terms of editing (etc., dissolves, etc.) and quality. My only complaint about the MGM digests is that they tend to suffer from soft focus compared to my other digests.

Posted by Andreas Eggeling (Member # 105) on October 15, 2004, 08:37 AM:

A question:

Which of the follwing german recorded US-Prints (deliverd on blue 8mm reels, printed in US-Labs) were also released with english sound?

- Trapeze (MGM 3 x 400)
- Bonny and Clyde (MGM 3 x 400)
- Cincinnati Kid (MGM 3 x 400)
- American in Paris (MGM 3 x 400)
- Time Machine (MGM 3 x 400), 1981
- Rebell without Cause (Warner 3 x 400)
- Viva Las Vegas (MGM 3 x 400)

- Crime Busters (Columbia 3 x 400),
aka Trinity: In Trouble Again
aka Two Supercops

- Odds and Even (Columbia 3 x 400),
aka Trinity: Gambling for High Stakes

Mike, do you know more????

yrs.
Andreas

Posted by Mike Peckham (Member # 16) on October 15, 2004, 11:49 AM:

Hello Andreas

I have managed to open my MGM list with out it causing a melt down on my computer. To do it I had to attach it to an email which I then sent to myself [all on the same computer!], I could then open it from the attachment and copy it to paste it here. Aren't computers wonderful [Mad]

.

So here it is;

The list so far…….

1 x 400fters

M1 Dr Zhivago
M2 Ivanhoe
M3 Shaft
M4 Quo Vadis
M5 The Wizard of Oz
M6 An American in Paris
M7 Logans Run
M8 The Dirty Dozen
M9 Easter Parade
M10 Mutiny on the Bounty
M11 How the West was Won
M12 King Solomons Mines
M13 International Velvet
M14 Coma
M15 Singin' in the Rain Pt1
M16 Singin' in the Rain Pt2
M17 Show Boat
M18 Mogambo
M19 A Night at The Opera Pt1
M20 A night at the Opera Pt2
M21 Anchors Aweigh
M22 Gigi
M23 North by North west
M24 Ben Hur
M25 Where Eagles Dare
M26 The Champ
M27 West World
M28 Ice Station Zebra
M29 High Society 2 x parts
M30 Seven Brides for Seven Brothers 2 x parts
M31 ?
M32 Northwest Passage
M33 Guns for San Sebastian
M34 Fame 2x parts
M?? The Formula

3 x 400fters:

M1 Dr Zhivago
M4 Quo Vadis
M8 The Dirty Dozen
M10 Mutiny on the Bounty
M24 Ben Hur
M25 Where Eagles Dare
M27 West World
M28 Ice Station Zebra
M33 Guns for San Sebastian
M35 The Forlula
M?? Clash of the Titans
M?? Meteor

This seems to be the list of all those titles issued in the States by MGM with an English soundtrack and English box illustrations. Unless any one else knows different...

Mike

Posted by Michael De Angelis (Member # 91) on October 17, 2004, 12:50 PM:

Hello to all,
Andreas Eggeling mentioned that the American in Paris 3 X 400 was available in English Sound from the German release.

Can anyone comment on how this digest is edited? I wonder how much of the ballet dream sequence is kept in tact, and if the film concludes as the complete feature ends?

Last but not least, Thank you to everyone that helped contribute to this topic.
This is what is so great about this hobby, we share an interest in a very unique format that thrills us in many ways. The forum makes it all possible, and from specialized expert hobbists as you all are from the far reaches of the world, this becomes interesting and wonderful to share.

Cheers,
Michael

Posted by Andreas Eggeling (Member # 105) on October 17, 2004, 01:39 PM:

Hello Michael,

I only mentioned that the a german sound version (spoken german, songs in original english sound) 3 x 400 was available, made in US-Labs. I don´t know if an only english sound 3 x 400 was available.

Didn´t anybody have an old catalogue?

A question to all US-UK readers:
I read in some german collectors magazine: KEN/MGM or KEN/UFA,
and some more ........
Was MGM Super8 independent of KEN Super8 and a extra company or was KEN the distributor of MGM films?
[Confused]

Sometimes I have the feeling that german collectors think all films delivered on blue reels and made in USA are from KEN. But I think that isn´t true, or? [Confused]

ciao
Andreas

Posted by Michael De Angelis (Member # 91) on October 17, 2004, 10:27 PM:

Hello Andreas,

Thank you for describing the details in the German prints.

I always assumed that Ken Films had the distribution license to the MGM / UA inventory. But I am not aware of the specific details.

This was a very good question. Does anyone on the forum have an answer to this query?

Best,
Michael

Posted by Pierre Jean F. Dupuis (Member # 277) on October 23, 2004, 11:59 AM:

Aright, here's my two cents...

Someone asked for a catalogue... I have a small brochure that came with An American in Paris... scanned it and put it up here: http://www.angelfire.com/linux/fhjkoffie/s8/s8.html

As far as my experiences go with MGM abridgements.

American in Paris (M6) 400Ft.
Still love this one as it was my first colour reel ever! It's also when I found out that colour reels tend to turn red after a while (depending on stock obviously). A little color left, but mostly magenta. No story preserved... - just hilights.

Westworld 3x400Ft.
Strangely my print has a scope company logo, but the rest is 4:3. It suffered a bit from it's previous owner with some light sprockethole damage (are these prints known to be sentitive to that?). Better color than above, but still faded. (So in my case the three reeler is better than 'a' 400ft reel). Pretty good cutdown.

Ben Hur (M24) 400Ft.
Got this for only a few euro's recently. It's as magenta as as American in Paris. For an 18 minuter of such a long movie a surprisingly nice abridgement.

Quo Vadis (UFA) 3x400Ft.
Got a box with 9 400Ft. reels in the mail today and this German print of Quo Vadis was in it. Seems the previous owner had it on a bigger spool as the leader has been replaced (right in front of the first frame on every reel) so no trace of original factory markings. A quick visual inspection showed quite a lot of blue left, but it still seems to be heavy in magenta.

Posted by Andreas Eggeling (Member # 105) on October 30, 2004, 06:54 AM:

An American in Paris (3 x 400)for sale on ebay germany .

Attention: german spoken, songs original english.

Refering the Westworld 3 x 400. In Germany was the sequel "Futureworld" released as 3 x 400 footer by CMV-Film.

Pierre,
the Quo Vadis reels made in Maritz Lab, USA.

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