8mm Forum: Walton Films Features: Unabridged?

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Posted by Joe Balitzki (Member # 438) on August 19, 2013, 05:43 PM:

Were all Features released by Walton uncut or were they slightly shortened? I believe some of their Feature releases were slightly abridged. But were all of their Feature releases this way? I know their T&J Cartoons have been slightly shortened. Finally, did Walton ever release any RKO Features or was that Mountain Films only?

Posted by Hugh Thompson Scott (Member # 2922) on August 19, 2013, 06:37 PM:

Hi Joe, I still have their release of "The Third Man", which is the
complete feature as far as I know, although a lot of their output was reduced to 72 mins, they were on the whole, well edited.
I can't honestly recall any RKO releases put out by Walton, but
someone might know better.

Posted by Joe Balitzki (Member # 438) on August 19, 2013, 06:41 PM:

Interesting that you should mention "The Third Man" because the running time theatrically is different in the USA compared to the UK. Which was a result of David O. Selznick's tinkering.

Posted by Hugh Thompson Scott (Member # 2922) on August 19, 2013, 06:50 PM:

Hi Joe, Walton released it at 12 reels on 6x400, with a running time of 104 minutes, they even included the original censor
certificate. There was also a print from the USA, but I have no idea
of it's running time.

Posted by Joe Balitzki (Member # 438) on August 19, 2013, 06:55 PM:

So, what Studio Logo is shown on the UK prints? On the USA prints we have the Selznick International Pictures Logo.

The only Walton print I currently own is a cartoon and the Walton Films Logo is at the end of it. Do Walton Feature releases show a Walton Logo at the Beginning of the films?

Posted by Hugh Thompson Scott (Member # 2922) on August 19, 2013, 07:10 PM:

Yes they do Joe,it used to be a big "W", later on a globe. Their editing in the main was very good, indeed I was thrilled to bits that all the main & end credits had been retained on "One Million
Years BC", but missing the creation prologue which set the scene,
but was well annoyed when they buggered about with the main
titles on "Matthew Hopkins, Witchfinder General" and cut the
end titles, unforgivable, and I did complain at the time.Other than
that, all titles were intact on their features.

Posted by Joe Balitzki (Member # 438) on August 19, 2013, 07:15 PM:

Now I'm curious; does "One Million Years BC" have a 20th Century-Fox Logo? In the USA, "Hannie Caulder" was released through Paramount. I imagine the Paramount Mountain is nowhere in sight on the Walton prints... You have to wonder about some of the editing choices that were made... and why!

Posted by Hugh Thompson Scott (Member # 2922) on August 19, 2013, 07:38 PM:

No, the only logo is the Wakton one, even my 16MM print is devoid
of a Fox Logo.

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on August 19, 2013, 09:02 PM:

With regard to Walton's Tom & Jerry cartoons, I have been told that due to their contract with MGM the first ten issued titles were slightly abridged, but all subsequent issues were complete.

Posted by Hugh Thompson Scott (Member # 2922) on August 20, 2013, 04:45 AM:

Walton made the excuse on editing all their L&H films, was to
make them all uniform length, I can't fathom why this Procrustean
idea was even entertained.Sacrilege.

Posted by Alexander Vandeputte (Member # 1803) on August 20, 2013, 07:19 AM:

Didn't Walton also release "The one that got away" as a full length feature ?
Saw it on Ebay as a 6x400 ft in Walton boxes. (But alas, missed out on it...)

Posted by Hugh Thompson Scott (Member # 2922) on August 20, 2013, 07:24 AM:

They did Alexander, also on std 8mm.

Posted by David Ollerearnshaw (Member # 3296) on August 20, 2013, 09:27 AM:

I think "Reach For The Sky" was also complete too.

Hannie Caulder was Tigon in the UK Tony Tenser the producer who is quite well represented on 8mm.

Hannie Caulder is quite well edited, although just Walton world logo on the end. Callan too was quite well done, like Hugh says they generally did a good job.

Just had a quick look at my films I was amazed I only have 5 Walton features, I did hire most of their releases in the days of old. Walton were always a little more expensive than some of the other distributors.

Looking at my old Movie Maker & Film Making magazines a few times readers were complaining about the Walton scissors man. They date from about 1967 to when they closed. The reply from Walton strikes me now as very arrogant. Seems to be look WE are releasing these films for you if you don't want them don't buy them.

In the UK they were also the distributor for MGM when they entered the digest market.

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on August 20, 2013, 12:27 PM:

I was always rather cheesed with they're edit of the Tom and Jerry cartoons. Grrrr!

Posted by Hugh Thompson Scott (Member # 2922) on August 20, 2013, 06:36 PM:

Isn't it amazing how you tend to lose track of prints you've owned,
I had totally forgotten "Reach For The Sky", until Dave mentioned it. A film I would have liked to have seen Walton release in colour,
I could have lived without a 'scope version, was the film "FERRY
TO HONG KONG", they did a superb 8 reel version, which I got
especially for my Dad many years ago, but the setting demanded colour.Have you many prints Joe from Walton, or are there any you're looking for?

[ August 20, 2013, 07:51 PM: Message edited by: Hugh Thompson Scott ]

Posted by Winbert Hutahaean (Member # 58) on August 20, 2013, 10:39 PM:

I believe Walton was trying to sell their film on 8 reelers (4 x 400' spool). So as long as the original theatrical release fit or below that length then it would be complete. Otherwise was slightly abridged.

Posted by Robert Crewdson (Member # 3790) on August 21, 2013, 06:34 AM:

Hugh, Reach for the Sky was made in B&W. Would love to know how they made it look as though Kenneth More had a leg missing, don't think it was strapped up.

I found it annoying that anyone would cut about 2 minutes or less from a film when there was enough room on the spool.

Posted by Hugh Thompson Scott (Member # 2922) on August 22, 2013, 07:28 AM:

Yes I know that Robert, I had one, I was just wishing Walton had
released "Ferry to Hong Kong" in colour.

Posted by Robert Crewdson (Member # 3790) on August 25, 2013, 07:56 AM:

Hugh, by now Ferry to Hong Kong would be red, at least with B&W you still have the film.

Don't you just love these old war films, Reach for the sky, Angels One Five, etc, where your watching the hero in beautiful B&W, suddenly it changes to scratchy footage of a dog fight, then we return back to the pristine footage and the hero says 'That was too close for comfort, we nearly bought it this time'

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on August 25, 2013, 08:49 AM:

Sometimes they turn out to be much better than they were rated to be when they came out.

"Never So Few" a 1959 Frank Sinatra, Steve McQueen and Peter Lawford, (A 1959 super 8 optical sound feature, though this print was re-released on super 8 in 1968, due to the popularity of Steve McQueen, hence this 1959 film film ending up as a optical super 8 feature) ...

I have ended up enjoying more than I thought I would. It's a slower moving war film, but more psycological in some ways so, for me, more enjoyable.

Posted by Hugh Thompson Scott (Member # 2922) on August 26, 2013, 05:32 AM:

Hi Robert, I must say that the Walton colour features I have, still
have great colour, their print of "Matthew Hopkins-Witchfinder General", which was the first colour feature I bought on its
release, is still excellent, as are a host of them. The only Walton
colour fade I've encountered, is the 400' "Sea Wolves", which was
a secondhand purchase and came that way.
Regarding the "old stiff upper lip" stuff in Kenneth More type films
this is true, but remember that's how these people carried on,
a different world from today.

[ August 26, 2013, 06:53 AM: Message edited by: Hugh Thompson Scott ]

Posted by David Ollerearnshaw (Member # 3296) on August 26, 2013, 06:45 AM:

I forgot to ask in my earlier post has anyone bought the German DVD of "Hannie Caulder"? I think it has the Walton 8mm release as an extra.

When I look on ebay at the titles for sale from Walton, it surprises me some of the titles they released over the years. They had a good varied range.

I started collecting about 75/76 just after I left school, so my first catalogues would be from that time. I used to drewl at the titles.

I have put the 1979 #29 on my website, I found one from 1958 that too will be put on the site.

I wonder do film collectors know that Walton also had a large range of 35mm slides too.

Posted by Robert Crewdson (Member # 3790) on August 28, 2013, 04:50 AM:

Like you David, I used to drool at the titles, I used to pick up a free catalogue from Dixons and just dream that one day I would be able to own films.

Posted by Hugh Thompson Scott (Member # 2922) on August 29, 2013, 03:32 PM:

Like you Robert, I was in awe, but I wanted my favourite film, and
still is, "One Million Years B.C.", i was in shock when it was announced as a 200' B/W reel, then as a 200' COL/SND episode,
I was thrilled, my favourite sequence, the young Tyrannosaur
invading the shell peoples camp, the only fault, was the last gasp
as it died, was omitted from the clip, but thankfully in the feature was kept in.
Next to "Jason",this is a classic for me, "Star Wars" isn't even in the running, Raquel, I MUST give you my address.

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