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Author Topic: Porgy And Bess at the Zeigfeld in NYC Mitchell Dvoskin Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1869 From: West Milford, NJ, USA Registered: Jan 2001 posted 09-28-2007 08:31 AM                     There was a rare public screening of Porgy & Bess last night at the Zeigfeld Theatre in New York City. They ran an original release 35mm mag stereo IB Tech print, and wow, it was a treat to see it on the Zeigfeld's huge screen. Having never seen it before, I enjoyed Gershwin score and was surprised by how many songs I recognized but did not know that they originated in Porgy. On the plus side, it is always a treat to see a classic film at the Zeigfeld, a huge single screen theatre with a curtain and 70mm capabilities, and the mag stereo was spectacular. They ran film reel to reel, with perfect changeovers. On the minus side, the film was shown mostly out of focus, and they started the second reel with what looked like the film gate being open. The other issue with the presentation was that the notch filter that is supposed to remove the control tone from the mag surround track was either missing or not functioning, because we here the 15k tone throughout the film. Overall, however, it was a really enjoyable evening.  |  IP: Logged Bill Gabel Film God Posts: 3873 From: Technicolor / Postworks NY, USA Registered: Jan 2002 posted 09-28-2007 11:07 AM                     quote: because we have the 15k tone throughout the film. You mean the 12kHz tone, don't you. They were missing the cat. 93 card from the MPU for these screenings.  |  IP: Logged Frank Angel Film God Posts: 5305 From: Brooklyn NY USA Registered: Dec 1999 posted 09-28-2007 07:14 PM                        Mitch, was that focus evenly across the entire frame or focus in some areas and out in others? We ran this title 3 years ago and some reels had enough VS to cause it to be impossible to focus evenly across the whole frame. Could be same thing happening to this print. I would imagine that the print we ran has probably been junked as by now that warp would be enough to cause it not to run. At the time we ran it, it was said to be the only existing original mag/IBT print out of the UCLA archive -- so much for reliable information. It is great to hear that it still exists in this awesome format. I am hoping the focus issue is human error and not VS.  |  IP: Logged Mike Heenan Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1896 From: Scottsdale, AZ, USA Registered: Mar 2000 posted 09-28-2007 11:39 PM                     I'd assume for a film of this rarity, you'd get up and complain about the focus issue wouldn't you?  |  IP: Logged Stephen Furley Film God Posts: 3059 From: Coulsdon, Croydon, England Registered: May 2002 posted 09-29-2007 03:59 AM                     quote: Bill Gabel You mean the 12kHz tone, don't you. They were missing the cat. 93 card from the MPU for these screenings. The filters are not perfect; I've often heard 12kHz. tone in the past. These days that's probably at the limit of my hearing anyway. It's only recently that I've realised how much of the top end I've now lost, and it's happened over just a few years. The Cat.93 cards are not easy to obtain; I managed to get one from Boston Light & Sound a few years ago. Mitchell, are you still involved with the Loew's Jersey? I see they are just starting this year's season of events. If you can get them to finish installing the DP-70s they could run this print there  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 09-29-2007 08:15 AM                     You can even hear the 12khz tone in some scenes of L.O.A. where they used the sound from that format. Mark  |  IP: Logged Christian Appelt Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 505 From: Frankfurt, Germany Registered: Dec 2001 posted 09-29-2007 08:42 AM                     There exists a vintage 70mm Todd-AO print of PORGY AND BESS (original version with small subtitles in German), I believe it was shown at the London National Film Theatre some years ago. Image was dark red when I saw it the last time, but amazing sharpness and mag sound. The guy who owns the print told me that it has been shown at a film festival in the U.S., (maybe Seattle?) six or seven years ago IIRC. I really would like to see new 70 prints of that one, but there seems to be some trouble with parts of the 65mm original negative. In my opinion, Preminger made good use of Todd-AO in P&B and, in a totally different way, when he did EXODUS. Maybe the movie with greatest number of visible camera shadows showing nice Super Panavision cameras.  |  IP: Logged Frank Angel Film God Posts: 5305 From: Brooklyn NY USA Registered: Dec 1999 posted 09-29-2007 06:20 PM                        There was allot of litigation nonsense with it being withdrawn from distribution for many years by the Gershwin estate -- seems they were of the mind that since they didn't like the film, no one should see it. Typical aristocratic bullcrap mindset. So maybe they saw the light recently (or more likely they got paid lots and lots of money) and agreed to let it be shown here at the Zeigfeld. Mitchell, do you recall if it was still under the Samuel Goldwyn's logo? I wonder if they are releasing theatrically. Sidney Poitier, it is rumored, who at first said he loved doing the film, later changed his mind; the change came after many in the black community were very upset with the vision of a black man on his knees for an entire film, as well as the sleazy nature of the Sammy Davis Jr. Sportin Life drug dealer character (which I think was a great role played deliciously by Davis). Evidently enough disapproval and pressure were brought to bare on Poitier that he eventually would denounce the film and join the Gerswhins in the move to get it squashed. Maybe he should have been more upset about the bad dubbing -- the awfully obvious transitions between his voice and Robert McFerrin who dubbed him. In fact, the whole film is a veritable dubbing fest -- nearly EVERYONE's dubbed except, I think, the great Pearl Bailey. Anyone know if it is yet on DVD? Seeing as how it has a commercial theatrical release at the Zegfield, perhaps it means that finally the Gerswhins who opposed it have relented (or died) and it may finally get the DVD release it deserves, now in HD! It's a very flawed film, but has much going for it and certainly should be made available for the public to decide if they like it or not.  |  IP: Logged Claude S. Ayakawa Film God Posts: 2738 From: Waipahu, Hawaii, USA Registered: Aug 2002 posted 09-29-2007 11:45 PM                        I did get to see "PORGY & BESS" in 35mm IB mag stereo at the long defunct Princess Theatre in downtown Honolulu during it's first run many years ago and enjoyed it very much. Like many, I am also waiting for the day when the Gershwin estate gives in and permit Columbia to release the movie on DVD -Claude  |  IP: Logged Mitchell Dvoskin Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1869 From: West Milford, NJ, USA Registered: Jan 2001 posted 10-01-2007 08:53 AM                     The print in question came from a private collector from California, and was licenced for exhibition by The Samual Goldwyn company and the Gershwin estate. We were told that a representative of the Gershwin estate was present in the theatre to gauge the public's reaction to it.  |  IP: Logged John Wilson Film God Posts: 5438 From: Sydney, Australia. Registered: Dec 1999 posted 10-01-2007 10:06 AM                     I hope their reaction was good...maybe then they'll see reason and release it.  |  IP: Logged Jack Theakston Master Film Handler Posts: 411 From: New York, USA Registered: Sep 2007 posted 10-01-2007 11:15 PM                     I was at the same screening as Mitchell, and had to get up several times to complain about the focus. While the film was enjoyable, I was not thrilled with the presentation. Not only did they not filter the surround tone out, there was no surround. Focus was extremely poor, partly due perhaps to the print and the theater's optics, but partly due to the operator (there were reel changes where it took up to a minute for the projectionist to focus). Reel 2 started with the gate open (oops)! There was effort put into it (curtain cues, general roadshow stuff), but it was a fairly lackluster performance for an upscale venue as the Ziegfeld.  |  IP: Logged Frank Angel Film God Posts: 5305 From: Brooklyn NY USA Registered: Dec 1999 posted 10-02-2007 03:58 AM                        Again, knowing how badly mag IBT prints can warp, the focus COULD have been a print problem. And of course it could have very well be as you say, someone who, union or not, didn't know the focusing knob from the threading light switch.  |  IP: Logged Tim Reed Better Projection Pays Posts: 5246 From: Northampton, PA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 10-02-2007 06:08 AM                       I wouldn't be a bit surprised if the focus shifts were due to warpage of the mag print.  |  IP: Logged Robert Throop Master Film Handler Posts: 412 From: Vernon, NY USA Registered: Jun 99 posted 10-02-2007 07:55 AM                     quote: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I wouldn't be a bit surprised if the focus shifts were due to warpage of the mag print. I ran a 3 track mag print of "Jesus Christ Superstar" many years ago that was so warped you had to ride the focus for about the first half of each reel. We marked the focus knob to reset focus. Bob  |  IP: Logged

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