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Author
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Topic: Grizzly Adams from a different angle ...
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Osi Osgood
Film God
Posts: 10204
From: Mountian Home, ID.
Registered: Jul 2005
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posted October 17, 2009 10:20 PM
Though I'm still looking for this optical feature, I thought I'd ask if this film was released by another company.
On this very forum, a long time ago, a Walton release was reviewed ... "When the North Wind Blows". This was one of many wilderness films made by the very successful (during the 70's) film company, Sunn Classics.
My question is :
If Walton released "When the North Wind Blows" (in conjunction with Viacom, or it was from Viacom negatives), and this was a Sunn Classics release, did Walton also release "The Life
and Times of Grizzly Adams"?
Inquiring OSI's want to know!
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"All these moments will be lost in time, just like ... tears, in the rain. "
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Thomas Murin, Jr.
Master Film Handler
Posts: 260
From: Lanoka Harbor, NJ, USA
Registered: Sep 2009
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posted October 18, 2009 09:59 AM
Osi, while I cannot answer your question, I do have some info you might find interesting.
Grizzly Adams was first released in 1974. This version has almost no spoken dialogue but relies on narration from a Burl Ives sound alike.
When the movie was successful enough to trun into a TV series, it was decided to re-release the thearical movie (around early 1977). However, they had to make a few changes: The narration had to be re-recorded with Dan Haggerty's voice (to be consistent with the series) and a scene with Adams meeting his adult daughter was removed.
Only the original 1974 release has ever been made available for home video. I have both a VHS and Beta of it. The revised version has not been seen since it premiered on TV the week before the TV series started. It is not available in syndication. Even (very) rare late night TV showings are of the 1974 version.
What I'm saying is that it's very likely the Super 8 version is of the 1974 version. That one is enjoyable enough but if you've never seen it it may be too different from what you are used to seeing.
Still, I hope you find it. I know you're looking for an optical print but do you know if a magnetic version was made? If so, I'd be interested in that! Much luck to you in your search!
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My crummy Deviant Art account. Read my poetic tribute to the internet comic strip Ozy & Millie and view my crappy attempts at art.
http://cougartiger.deviantart.com/
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Osi Osgood
Film God
Posts: 10204
From: Mountian Home, ID.
Registered: Jul 2005
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posted October 18, 2009 12:47 PM
Thanx 4 the Xtra info fellas!
Yes, the optical feature is the 1974 version. I had heard of the basically "made for TV" 1977 version of the same movie. From what I have read, they got rid of the reuniting with his adult daughter because they wanted this to be a part of the continuing storyline of the TV series, and was used, in fact for that last Grizzly Adams movie, "The Capture of Grizzly Adams" in which he goes back to the town to finally stand trial, (and his daughter is still a child instead of a teenager). He is found guilty and is to be executed. His bear "Ben" is also shot and killed, (it turns out that it was another bear, as Ben re-appears near the end of the film. Ben has almost nothinbg to do in this movie).
The "Capture of Grizzly Adams" was quite different from the TV series, in that it was certainly harder edged, (Grizzly Adams running around with a gun!) and I personally liked it.
Now, interestingly, the 1976 Sunn Classic Feature, "The Adventures of Frontier Fremont", also starring Dan Haggerty, had moere in line with the "Grizzly Adams" TV show than the original feature. It also had the extra drawing power of the fella who would play "Mad Jack" on "Grizzly Adams", that being Denver Pyle.
This feature was also released overseas on Super 8. I had to go to Italy to find a print of it and except for a slight Kodak SP fade to it, (starting to turn brown), it is a fun watch.
Back to the optical feature. I really liked that version, though the person is obviously not Dan Haggerty nararrating. The film was basically shot silent, with no dialogue, and it was just dubbed. It must have been largerly quite cheap and easy to make.
This 1974 optical feature has a very nice image, without the dupey look that the usual Sunn Classic magnetic prints have.
I compared a DVD of the 16MM version of this with the same frames from the optical print, (a scene with flowers for instance. In the optical sound Super 8 print, you can clearly see the flowers going back into the distance ... on the DVD 16MM print, the flowers are just a undiscernible "mush"
), and the optical print wins hands down.
This is probably due to the print being from a first run from the first year of release master print.
I already have a print of this on optical sound Super 8 but sadly, the blacks are brownish red. The colors are still fairly good, (the daytime scenes tend to be better, for obvious reasons)
but I would love to find a print of this that is unfaded.
This may be a real trick though. It appears that this particular Eastman that was used for these prints was the inferior Eastman. As we all know, some Eastman stock from the mid seventies had held up perfectly. This one hasn't. I have only seen two prints of this, and they are both faded.
So, I still hold out hope in finding this with good color.
Though I would love to find a magnetic sound feature print of this, that would be OK, but I would prefer the optical version.
I'm sure that some EX collector has one sitting in the basement somewhere and I just need be patient ...
... and being that it truly ius the LAST desired film, I can be patient!
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"All these moments will be lost in time, just like ... tears, in the rain. "
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Osi Osgood
Film God
Posts: 10204
From: Mountian Home, ID.
Registered: Jul 2005
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posted August 15, 2012 12:28 PM
Yes I did, and I am curious, though wary, as it does appear to be quite faded.
Hey folks, you all deserve to be in the know as to the "reel" reason as to why I want a good color print of this original release from 1974 ...
I am not without my contacts when it comnes to this title. This super 8, while being super 8, is comparable to the 16mm prints that are out there, but I have a whole agenda for this.
I have been in "conversations" with a certain actor of this classic wildlife film, and I have plans to release this on DVD with ...
1. Original 1974 dialogue
2. With renewed dialogue from the actor
3. Commentary with myself and the actor talking about the making of the film.
4. Documentary on the "restoration" process for this DVD release, showcasing how, even though super 8, it will be a frame by frame "telecine" with the image slightly scrubbed, (not getting rid of the film grain mind you). There will be the obvious "before and after" look at the film.
and this shows just how much I love this film ...
I have always disliked the original soundtrack, (except for the beginning song and the final song, "Maybe", which was the theme for the TV show), so I remade on my Roland XP60 the soundtrack and it sounds really good and more of a "Wild" feel instead of the "synth" sounding track from the 70's. I'd love to locate Thom Pace (the fella who did the original songs), and see if he's like to re-record his vocals.
All this has actually been in the planning stages from three years on up until now. I hope the "folks involved" will still be kicking by the time were able to go in production.
THAT'S how much I LOVE this film!
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"All these moments will be lost in time, just like ... tears, in the rain. "
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Osi Osgood
Film God
Posts: 10204
From: Mountian Home, ID.
Registered: Jul 2005
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posted August 16, 2012 01:34 PM
That's so cool. I have another fine lady over in the UK searching for a print of this title!
Yes, it's not the highest rated film. This film is more about a time in my life when, just like this film, life was innocent and you just wanted to get away from it all and live the "primitive' life, (gee, I have never lost that mentality, actually).
Besides, these wildlife film are never rated all that high, so I never go by ratings. I have a copy on super 8 of "The Adventures of Frontier Fremont (also very rare and magnetic sound) and that one is given three out of four stars, and I don't find it any better than "Grizzly". The only difference is that it takes place in more locations than just the mountains.
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"All these moments will be lost in time, just like ... tears, in the rain. "
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