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Topic: Lost films

Dominique De Bast
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From: Brussels, Belgium
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posted May 25, 2015 05:50 PM

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We all know that a lot of the films from the silent era are lost and it is always a good new when a copy is found somewhere. It also happens with sound films but it seems to be less frequent or less advertised. A French dvd was released of a British film (in French !) with the famous Maurice Chevalier, "Le vagabond bien aimé" (The Beloved Vagabond). The film is dated 1936 and, following the dvd, was lost until a laboratory copy was found. There is, indeed, few informations on the net but still a comment dated 2006, so before the dvd was released. I Wonder how you can check if a film is really lost. Is there a kind of database of lost films ?

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Dominique

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Panayotis A. Carayannis
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posted May 26, 2015 05:15 AM

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I guess any missing film is potentially "lost" until it is found ! [Smile]

[Smile]

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Steve Carter
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posted May 26, 2015 06:21 AM

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I have the DVD collection 'Harry Langdon Lost & Found'I love Langdon, since seeing him in the Youngson Comps, and Monkhouse's 'Mad Movies', Mad Movies ran here in the mid to late 60's on Sunday afternoon. I also have the Weiss brothers 'Weiss-O-Rama' silents taken from 35mm negs Ben Turpin,Snub Pollard, Jimmy Aubrey, and Poodles Hanneford, the quality is excellent...

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Paul Mason
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posted May 26, 2015 07:23 AM

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Dominique,
There is a database for British Films. This is "the Most Wanted Films" webpages by the British Film Institute:

http://www.bfi.org.uk/explore-film-tv/bfi-national-archive/archive-projects/bfi-most-wanted

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Paul.

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Dominique De Bast
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posted May 26, 2015 07:40 AM

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Thank you very much, Paul !

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Dominique

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Maurice Leakey
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posted May 26, 2015 11:19 AM

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I have a very interesting set of 14 volumes of "The Ealing Studios Rarities Collection." Each set has two DVDs, with two films on each.
Volume 5 include "The Beloved Vagabond".
The sets have many very interesting old films some of which were thought lost, one title is from the only known surviving print.
There are plenty of extras, including trailers.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Ealing-Studios-Rarities-Collection/dp/B00CPQ89VO

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Maurice

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Dominique De Bast
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posted May 26, 2015 12:45 PM

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Great link, Maurice. Maybe the comment I saw dated 2006 was for this film was for the version in English. At the early talkies era, it was common to shoot several versions of a film at the same time in different languages. Maurice Chevalier and Betty Stockfield played in the English and in the French version. The version of this film in French may have been found later than the one in English.

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Maurice Leakey
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posted May 26, 2015 02:43 PM

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Here's a link to a great book which I bought a few years ago at the British Film Institute Bookshop. It has 100 British features which the National Film Archive would most like to find.
It's a large book with plenty of stills and information.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Missing-Believed-Lost-British-Search/dp/0851703062/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1432660546&sr=1-1&keywords=missing+believed+lost

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Maurice

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Dominique De Bast
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posted May 26, 2015 05:23 PM

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This book is dated 1992. It would be intersting to know how many of the films listed in it were found since it has been published. Once again, you gave a good reference, Maurice !

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Dominique

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Robert Crewdson
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posted May 27, 2015 08:54 AM

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There is also a list on Wikipedia. Back in 1970 a publication by The Times claimed that 'The Tunnel' a 1935 film starring Richard Dix, was a Lost Film. It's available to view at Archive.org, and about a year ago a 16mm copy was offered on Ebay

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Dominique De Bast
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posted May 27, 2015 09:15 AM

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Fantastic ! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_lost_films

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Dominique

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Clay Smith
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posted May 27, 2015 09:08 PM

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Dominique,
That is an interesting list of lost films. Would love to be able to view the 1936 Italian animation of The Adventures of Pinocchio. Great? Maybe not great? Sad that there are so many lost to the ages. Many films on this list I would love to see.
I was able to obtain a Super 8 copy The Tunnel a few years back on Ebay (plain boxes -not sure who released it)

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Panayotis A. Carayannis
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posted May 28, 2015 04:59 AM

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I also have a Super 8 copy of THE TUNNEL (THE TRANSATLANTIC TUNNEL).It comes from Niles and is a good copy. I have a std 8 Charley (sic) Chaplin cartoon (CHARLEY ON THE FARM),that was undistinguishedly among the releases of the Atlas Chaplin comedies. I have about six feet of a std 8 silent Our Gang comedy, listed as "unavailable" by Maltin and Bann in their book. (This was used as leader for an amateur travelogue bought by a friend )(!) etc etc

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Dominique De Bast
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posted May 28, 2015 05:28 AM

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I hope, one day, to find a lost film. It must be great to make such a finding.

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Dominique

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Dominique De Bast
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posted September 21, 2015 03:04 AM

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In a documentary about the silent film "Tartuffe" from Murnau, they say it is regarded as a lost film because the original negative is lost. There are only four (known) copies left in the world but none of them is the original German version. Interesting to hear that a "lost" film can sometimes still be viewed (like Tartuffe) even if it is not in its original version. Sadly, I guess most of the "lost" films are completely lost.

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Dominique

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Douglas Meltzer
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posted September 22, 2015 08:40 AM

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The previously lost 1916 Sherlock Holmes film is due out on DVD in a month. Here's an article about its rediscovery.

Doug

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I think there's room for just one more film.....

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Joe Caruso
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posted September 22, 2015 09:47 AM

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and how about the recently discovered BATTLE OF THE CENTURY reel...

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Osi Osgood
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posted September 22, 2015 01:10 PM

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Was that a joke, or have they actually discovered the full "Battle of the Century" comedy? That would be great news for all of us fans of the "Lads" out there!

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"All these moments will be lost in time, just like ... tears, in the rain. "

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David M. Ballew
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posted September 22, 2015 03:39 PM

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Serious as a heart attack, Osi.

The man who announced the discovery (Jon Mirsalis, I think) did so offhandedly, at a gathering of film restoration and archival professionals. He didn't realize what a bombshell he'd dropped-- a showstopper, really. Apparently one great, big, audible gasp went up from the room, very understandably.

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Panayotis A. Carayannis
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posted September 22, 2015 03:50 PM

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I also have a std 8, 5 reel copy of TARTUFFE !

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Dominique De Bast
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posted September 22, 2015 04:21 PM

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Panayotis, where does that copy come from ? That's more than interesting. There is no mention on the documentary about Tartuffe of a standard 8 copy. It is probably the American version. The American version is the one used for the restoration of the film (available on dvd). It suffered from censorship. I didn't understand why Tartuffe didn't take care the second time a trap was set for him as he should have been suspicious after the first experience. The explanation comes from a scene uncut in the Swiss (incomplete) version : he asked Orgon if his wife was aware he was spiying and orgon said no.

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Panayotis A. Carayannis
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posted September 23, 2015 01:17 AM

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Yes ,mine is the American version.

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Dominique De Bast
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posted September 23, 2015 06:04 AM

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You're lucky to own it !

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Dominique

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Joe Caruso
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posted September 23, 2015 08:35 AM

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He's lucky to own so much, incredible collection (library), and I've been also singularly fortunate to have purchased from him now and again - Top man in our profession is Pan - Cheers, Shorty

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Panayotis A. Carayannis
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posted September 23, 2015 10:33 AM

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Thank you both for your kind words!

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