lzcutter
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Posts posted by lzcutter
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CineSage,
Thanks for the post! I thought it would have been done in an optical printer versus in the actually editing of the shot.
Also, loved your take on the budget. In today's world of big budget films, we tend to forget that back then, 3 mil was alot of money to make a film.
What exactly was the reason that Capra chose to build the sets instead of using existing buildings on another lot?
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Fred,
In the LA Times article about "It's a Wonderful Life", the writer says that Capra and the editor created the optical zoom in the editing room by removing frames.
My background in editing is from the mid-1970s on. With your background in news and editing, I was hoping you could answer a question for me:
Wouldn't that optical zoom have been created on an optical printer and not by removing frames in the workprint or the negative? I would think a zoom created by removing frames wouldn't be very smooth whereas one created in an optical printer would be.
Any help, greatly appreciated.
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Victor,
One thing that helps alot of us is, before we hit the post message button, to copy (control + c) the post.
That way if the post fails to go through, we can open a new message window, paste (control + v) our original post into the new window and hit the button again.
Repeat as many times as necessary until it posts.
Hope this helps!
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There was an article in the LA Times yesterday on the production of "It's a Wonderful Life".
The big reveal was the scene in the bar when Jimmy Stewart asks for God's help. Capra and the crew had everything set. No one was prepared for what happened next.
In the first take, Jimmy Stewart began and to everyone's astonishment (including Capra's) broke down and cried. Everyone was surprised at the depth that Stewart had plumbed that emotion for the camera. Everyone knew it was the take to print.
The only problem? Capra and the camera crew had not set up for a close up. The camera was no where near a close up. Stewart was spent emotionally and most doubted that if he could redo the scene for the necessary closeup there was no way it would be as raw and gutsy as what they had just witnessed.
So, in one of those rare "we'll fix it in editing" that actually worked, Capra and the editor had an optical zoom placed so that the shot ended on the close up of Stewart.
At LA Observed today, Kevin Roderick, author of America's Suburb (A History of the SFValley), talks about the shooting of the scene where Stewart runs down the main street of Bedford Falls in the snow. That scene, like most of the film, was shot on the RKO location ranch that was here in the San Fernando Valley:
"all that fake snow was created on a hot June day in 1946 on the RKO location ranch just outside the Sepulveda Dam basin. The film's mythical Bedford Falls covered four acres of the ranch north of Burbank Boulevard between Balboa and Louise. The trees lining the streets? Encino oaks, transplanted for the film. For the autumn scenes the leaves were knocked off, and for the winter scenes where Stewart stumbles through the snowy town, the trees were coated with white plaster. The rest of 'Bedford Falls' was covered in different kinds of fake snow ? gypsum window sills, car tracks formed with crushed ice, and an innovative mix of foamite, soap and water sprayed out of high-pressure nozzles, according to The It's A Wonderful Life Book by Jeanine Basinger. Look for Stewart sweating in his heavy overcoat ? you know what summers are like in the Valley.
The RKO ranch covered 110 acres (kept trimmed by a herd of goats let loose to munch grass and weeds) and featured a Paris street for the original Hunchback of Notre Dame, a western street, a New York street, an airplane hangar and the mansion for The Magnificent Ambersons. RKO sold off the ranch in 1953 for a subdivision of homes that is just west of the soccer fields at Balboa Recreation Center. "
For more on the LA Times article:
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BHFan,
Costco often has great deals on box sets of classic films and tv series.
Their price is often below Amazon and other retailers.
And they have had a wonderful selection of classic films and boxed sets of classic films this fall.
On another note, I wish that the James Bond box sets were in chronological order. Would have been a great gift for Mr Cutter, but alas, no deal.
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"The Good Shepard" with Matt Damon. It's the story of the CIA and its roots.
Mr Cutter and I traveled over the hill last evening to see this at the ArcLight in Hollywood.
It was a sold out crowd (on the Saturday evening before Christmas!!). The next performance at 8:00 was sold out too!
Very good script by Eric Roth (Forrest Gump, academy award I believe).
Wonderful performances by Matt Damon, Robert DeNiro, William Hurt, especially Alec Baldwin, John Turturro and Angelina Jolie.
I didn't realize until the end it was directed by DeNiro.
A tad lengthy but worth it.
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I brought this one back to include the introduction of Fagin in "Oliver!"
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****,
Here's the link to the info you seek:
http://forums.tcm.com/jive/tcm/thread.jspa?threadID=93141&tstart=15
Happy Holidays!
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Tess,
The singer's name is Robinella.
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SPTO,
Margaret Sullavan took an overdose of barbituates and died in 1960. Her marriage to Leland Hayward, the agent, had unraveled and she had suffered numerous bouts of depression. She may have also suffered a nervous breakdown.
I don't think she died in obscurity given her high profile marriages. She was working up until the mid-1950s
Her daughter Brooke Hayward chronicled the story of her family in her autobiography "Haywire". Her sister Bridget and her brother Bill both suffered from mental problems and spent time under doctor's care in an institution.
Bridget, who was good friends with Peter Fonda, committed suicide as well. Peter Fonda named his daughter Bridget after her.
Margaret Sullavan was briefly married to Henry Fonda and William Wyler before marrying Leland Hayward.
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I saw this film at the movie theatre (The Opera House Theatre) inside the old Bonanza Hotel in Las Vegas when it was first released and it has been at least thirty some odd years since the last time I saw it.
For years I had a hard time understanding why this film took "Best Picture" for 1968 but now, older and wiser, I can perhaps see why.
The set design, the lighting, the dancing, the performances, the art direction, the cinematography and the direction, it is all there and done so beautifully.
I am glad that all these years later to see that the film really does hold up to the test of time.
I can imagine what it must have been like to see on the stage and then see how the movie opened many scenes up.
Which brings me to my question for you musical lovers. Was there some advancement in stage technology in the 1960s that made it possible to sink sets easier?
The scene when the crowd is pursuing Bill Sykes and the staircase starts to sink into the mud and then in "Paint Your Wagon" the whole town sinks and I believe both these plays were staged about the same time on Broadway.
So that has me curious and I am hoping some one can throw some light on this for me.
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Ditto
Message was edited by:
lzcutter because for some reason this posted twice
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Kyle,
Caught the "Into the Trees" promo again this afternoon after Oliver!.
Glad I got to see it again as it doesn't look like the cutting has been altered. I'm now sure the close up of the little boy in the tree was in the original version as well.
Now, if we could just figure out who did the voice over originally!
I love this promo.
"Being but men, we walked into the trees"
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To verify what was said about Sinatra, Lawford, Kennedy and Monroe I suggest you watch the movie "The Rat Pack" starring Ray Liotta as Sinatra.>>
Bartlett,
You said that if we wanted to verify your quote about JFK's description of MMonroe, we should watch a made for cable movie.
I responded that it was a movie and should not be taken as 100% historical fact.
We are not discussing the many tragedies of the 1960s but your post regarding MM and JFK and his description of MM.
As for senior bashing, I still fail to see the bashing.
I called you progressive because I don't know many women of any age and certainly not my age or older who talk about MM in such terms.
As for sharing this thread with your granddaughter on Christmas, I hope your granddaughter is at least over 21.
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N,
That was little Liza Minnelli with her mom and co-star Van Johnson.
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Kyle,
It certainly looked like the same kid from the original version, though the close up may be a new addition. Am hoping to see it again this weekend because the strings of lights with the photos of the stars seemed different too. Maybe there was different inflection when Freeman did the narration or perhaps his reading of it ran long.
I think the original voice over was done by some one like Keith David, Delroy Lindo or Dennis Haysbert (but definitely not Dennis H). That voice always made me think of an old jazz musician for some reason.
The only reason I can think of for them changing it would be that the contract specified only a certain number of airings.
Very puzzling.
LMSU
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Kyle,
I caught the "Into the Trees" promo this evening. I think you are right about the new narration. I don't think it was Morgan Freeman doing the voice over when this Holiday promo originally aired.
Don't know who did the original voice over (I remember the voice being a lower register for some reason) but this is one of the most beautiful promos TCM has ever produced.
"But being just men, we walked into the trees"
Lynn aka LMSU
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BHFan,
I'm not sure if it's a rights issue or what, but for some reason the Sims version is not aired very much (especially considering how much the Reginald Owen version is aired).
I would love to see TCM air both versions and the musical version "Scrooge" with Albert Finney. It may sound weird but it really is a good movie and Finney is quite good in the title role.
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Megg,
We've had "White Christmas" twice since Thanksgiving (a TCM premiere that many here have been wanting for the last few years). Last Sunday, TCM aired "A Christmas Story". When I first started watching TCM back in the day, they used to run "A Christmas Story" three or four times on Christmas Eve.
In addition to SPTO's list, TCM is airing:
Oliver at 12:15 pm 12/23 (all times PST)
All Mine to Give at 3:00 pm 12/23
Little Women (K.Hepburn version) at 5:00 pm 12/23
Holiday Affair at 1:30 am 12/25
Hope this helps round out your family's Holiday viewing choices!
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This thread should give you the details you are looking for:
http://forums.tcm.com/jive/tcm/thread.jspa?threadID=93141&tstart=0
Happy Holidays!
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To verify what was said about Sinatra, Lawford, Kennedy and Monroe I suggest you watch the movie "The Rat Pack" starring Ray Liotta as Sinatra.>>
It was a made for cable movie produced by HBO. Like all movies, it is a combination of fact, fiction and dramatization. Just because the movie presented the story that way does not necessarily mean that it is accurate and the same goes for the dialogue.
I saw the movie when it first aired on HBO and have to tell you, I don't remember that line. Doesn't mean it wasn't uttered in the movie. Also, doesn't mean that JFK actually said it either.
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If you think that, what do you say about Gina Lollobrigida, Jane Russell, Mamie Van Doren and Mae West? >>
Well, I can't recall any of them referring to MMonroe or any other co-star as a "****".
Remembering the Fallen
in General Discussions
Posted
Larry,
What great news! I'm glad Ralph is doing well and I hope that one of these days he makes his way back here. Please give him my best!