Tweet Bring On The Nitrate Decomposition

I am at this moment attending the Toronto film society's annual trip to Rochester New York called "Raiding The Vaults". We have seen some good and Interesting films so far. One however was a real turkey. It is Kay Fwancis' last movie called "Wife Wanted". When the lights went up, my wife and I whispered in unison "What a piece of crap!" It has terrible acting, is full of plot holes, and seems to last twice as long as it's 70 minute running time. Kay zombies through the picture in gowns that look like the hangers were left in them and wearing hats that look like traffic cones.

It occurred to me that with so many thousands of missing films it would be wonderful magic if we could just say "bring on the nitrate decomposition" while viewing the terrible ones and one of the missing classics we all want to see would suddenly appear to take its place. Which films would you like to become sticky goo inside film cans, and why?

[silentfilm]

Tops on my list would be Larry Semon's Wizard of Oz (1925). However, we can't appreciate the good ones without seeing the bad ones. Any many bad films still have a good performance by an actor, or cover an interesting topic, so I'm of the opinion to save everything.

Also, if discussions on this forum have told me anything is that one man's PASSION OF JOAN OF ARC is another man's THE GENERAL. Or vice versa.

Aside from denying folk the chance to see particular films, it would also create a mystique around those which remained unseen. I, too, disliked the Semon WIZARD OF OZ* (although I've only watched it mute), but I wouldn't want anyone to forgo the pleasure (or otherwise) simply because I and others did not care for the film. And presumably it was liked by some people at the time.

*My Good Lady was returning from seeing a friend when the film was finishing, her comment being along the lines of "What rubbish are you watching now?" I had no reply to that one. There are many films which I have no desire to see or to watch again, but if others wish to, let them.

Clearly there are plenty of films of little or no interest or value, but the ideal would be to have them preserved and made available.

Doctor Who. The effort that's gone into it its recovery ludicrous compared to more deserving British television in terms of acting, dialogue, story writing, and significance. The search has led deep into Africa and has also brought up audio recordings of all missing episodes. Lost colour signal has been recovered from microscopic dots.
It's all a bit sad considering that other, better series do not get anything like the same attention.

Bob probably will disagree. But hey, you asked.

Doctor Who. The effort that's gone into it its recovery ludicrous compared to more deserving British television in terms of acting, dialogue, story writing, and significance. The search has led deep into Africa and has also brought up audio recordings of all missing episodes. Lost colour signal has been recovered from microscopic dots.
It's all a bit sad considering that other, better series do not get anything like the same attention.

Bob probably will disagree. But hey, you asked.

What makes you think that? pauses for reaction shot

The reason I use the Doctor Who logo is my preferred owl image won't fit.

I'm glad to see anything and everything recovered and restored. If Who is sought after by the BBC, it is because they know they can get some return on the money they spend.

Bob

Doctor Who. The effort that's gone into it its recovery ludicrous compared to more deserving British television in terms of acting, dialogue, story writing, and significance. The search has led deep into Africa and has also brought up audio recordings of all missing episodes. Lost colour signal has been recovered from microscopic dots.
It's all a bit sad considering that other, better series do not get anything like the same attention.

Bob probably will disagree. But hey, you asked.

What makes you think that? pauses for reaction shot

The reason I use the Doctor Who logo is my preferred owl image won't fit.

I'm glad to see anything and everything recovered and restored. If Who is sought after by the BBC, it is because they know they can get some return on the money they spend.

Bob

Oh, tbh I was watching vintage Doctor Who this very evening.
I'm playing the devil's advocate a bit. But that is what this thread is about, essentially, right? At least I sincerely hope no-one is seriously suggesting to let any films be destroyed.

I don't think I would want to lose anything even if it was crappy, but if I could wave a magic wand and make "The Show Off" in the same grotty condition that "Beggars of Life" is in whilst making "Beggars of Life" all nice and sharp again, I would do that.

Oh hang on, I thought of one. "Tanned Legs" reduced to a fragmentary state as long as one of the fragments is the complete "You're Responsible" number in exchange for a complete "Gold Diggers of Broadway"

There are a few modern day pictures that I have endured for want of a better expression, which I would like the "Mission Impossible" statement applied to - the one that goes ...."this tape will self-destruct in five seconds".

I'd nominate STOP THAT CAB! with Sid Melton, but I'm afraid it MAY have been shot on safety stock. Will vinegar syndrome do??

I agree on above post---many of the Lippert and later Hal Roach comedy features were pretty insufferable!

Back to WIFE WANTED (1946). This Monogram drama was produced by Kay Francis and directed by Bowery Boys
often-director Phil Karlson. It could only have been worse if done by PRC, which was out of business by 1946.
I do have a very colorful original one-sheet for this movie.

I like some of the Lippert stuff, particularly things like Hollywood Varieties. It's not particularly distinguished film-making, but it's a decent recreation of a vaudeville show -- the same reason I enjoy all those early Vitaphone shorts.

Of course, there's not a film that one person thinks is awful that someone else won't think is great.

PRC wasn't out of business -- it was merged into Eagle-Lion under Ben Krim, so it survived as United Artists and, under some interpretations, as Orion. But yeah, PRC was pretty dire.

Bob

Anything with the Taxi Boys will suffice.