I’ve been trying to find a couple of musicals for years. I’ve searched TV guides, hoping someone would show ‘em, I’ve searched for video tapes, laser discs, DVDs, etc. Nothin’
The two musicals that I can’t find are:
“Knock On Wood” with Danny Kaye. This one actually showed up on AMC or Turner about two years ago. The one time I didn’t check. All of Kaye’s other movies are available, why not this one?
The other, which I’ve not only never seen, but most books on movie musicals only barely acknowledge the existance of is:
“Where’s Charlie” (aka “Charlie’s Aunt”) with Ray Bolger. I know it was filmed, because I have hard, physical proof: A old, bootleg album which I found used where someone just dumped the entire film onto vinyl, from opening credits, to closing credits. And the IMDB admits it exists!
Anyone know why these two haven’t been circulated/shown/released? Or have I just missed 'em?
Well, if you’ve already checked around (and it sounds like you’ve been pretty thorough), I doubt you’ll find any practical help.
But I’ll share what I’ve recently found out in general:
For the last year or so I’ve been trying desperately to fill in the chinks of my film experiences, largely inspired by Jonathan Rosenbaum’s list of the top100 American films (written in reaction to the AFI’s lame-ass list/rental advertisement of a couple years ago). This list has gotten me reaching deeper and farther into film history than I’ve ever gone before. Unfortunately, abou 20% of it is not available on tape or disc, so I just have to search eBay, google, etc., and just keep looking till I find an opportunity to see some of them. In the interim, a couple of them have been rereleased, and I’ve compiled a list of the ones that are only available projection and I’m trying to get a local film group to run a mini-festival so I can see them.
Anyway, you’d be surprised what’s not available out there. My video rental store (Seattle’s Scarecrow Video, about the best in the world) requires a deposit to rent a tape that’s unavailable for replacement, and Fargo, for god’s sake, requires a $150 deposit because even it’s not available.
Thanks for the link to the interesting essay, lissener…and for the reminder of how intensely aggravating it is not to be able to see Nicholas Ray’s BIGGER THAN LIFE (1956), starring James Mason and Walter Matthau, after all the amazing things I’ve heard about it.
At the risk of plugging publications I write for, subscribe to either Classic Images (a monthly) or Films of the Golden Age (4x a year). They both have ads from LOTS of video dealers who sell films you can’t find on TV or through the usual chain video stores. Log on to http://www.classicimages.com for details.
If they’re not being released, it may be due to some sort of legal problem with the estate of the writers, etc. Example, the movie of “Porgy and Bess” is not available anywhere because the director’s estate is currently trying to keep it from being shown. (Apparently there’s some sort of problem regarding compensation.) Only reason I know this is that last year, at the Seattle International Film Festival, someone found an old German copy that was privately owned and was able to show that. The film itself was in English, but subtitled in German. Very interesting!
Meanwhile, keep looking. Sometimes you can find bootleg videos on Ebay or other auction sites – that where I found a movie for Spouse that he’d wanted for years (which is NOT yet out on video, by the way). Just be prepared to pay huge bucks if you REALLY want it.
Yup, got the CD. The music is great (the folks who did “Once on this Island”. One of 'em, Lynn Ahrens, also wrote a bunch of the better “Schoolhouse Rocks”) The big problem with “Seussical” is that, like Cecil said in his classic column about Is The Wizard of Oz" an allegory for the Populist Movement?, “…the aggregate makes no sense”. All the individual bits of “Seussical” are wonderful, but the story seems like a fairly desperate attempt to cram as much Seuss into one musical as possible, regardless of whether or not it makes sense. (And they left out the Oobleck!)
caircair: That’s the sort of information I wanted for the two musicals…if there’s a legal issue or what. (I didn’t know about Porgy and Bess!)
Sorry, Fenris. I misunderstood your intent and ended up giving you info you didn’t need. Wish I knew about the two you’re asking about, but don’t have a clue. Actually, you’ve brought up a good question – I’ll post a new thread on “Movies which are currently unavailable you wish would be released”
Don’t be sorry! It was interesting information and exactly the sort I wanted! (Plus Porgy and Bess is another “lost musical” so it fits the OP perfectly)! I was just using your post to point out the specific info I wanted (my OP was obviously unclear, since most of the info has been on how to find the movies, not on what’s happened to them…not that the “how to find” info was unwelcome or anything )
BTW: Lissner, I meant to mention, that is one interesting alternate list (except that he includes “Meet Me In St Louis” but doesn’t include “The Court Jester” or “Singing in the Rain”!!?) Anyway, I’m going to check out some of the movies he lists
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