catlover Posted March 7, 2016 Share Posted March 7, 2016 any one know why are these films no longer shown on t.v.? it must be over twenty years now and even then very little of the pre-code ones were ever on amc. what is the thinking at universal that keeps all of these films except for the small handful they let tcm have now and then, out of the publics sight? any of you know? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TopBilled Posted March 7, 2016 Share Posted March 7, 2016 Supposedly, there are over 700 films that were made by Paramount during these years. It's NBC Universal that is not really pulling these films out of the vault. Paramount, which controls its own library from 1950 onward and also controls the entire Republic library (1935-1959) has been very good about releasing classic titles on home video through subsidiary Olive Films and making many titles available on Amazon Prime. They have also set up their own page on YouTube, which other studios have not done, to make available (for free at this time) many of their post-1950 films as well as many Republic films. So if we do not see the Paramount precodes on TCM, it is because TCM is either not willing to shell out the money to lease them and because NBC/Universal is not pushing them. As for the Universal films from the 30s and 40s, again it has to do with what NBC/Universal is willing to promote. On Hulu, they have a huge part of their classic television library available but not the older films. My guess is they don't want to take the time or make the investment in restoring many films that might have a limited appeal to modern audiences, which is a shame. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrinceSaliano Posted March 11, 2016 Share Posted March 11, 2016 any one know why are these films no longer shown on t.v.? it must be over twenty years now and even then very little of the pre-code ones were ever on amc. what is the thinking at universal that keeps all of these films except for the small handful they let tcm have now and then, out of the publics sight? any of you know? Don't get me started. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midnight08 Posted March 11, 2016 Share Posted March 11, 2016 Most of the Paramount, Universal and even Fox films of the 1930's ARE still in existence and HAVE been transferred from the old nitrate to safety stock. The problem is the only way anyone can watch these films is at a special film festival. Capitolfest is wonderful for showing extremely rare, seldom seen films from Universal and Paramount. Last year their featured star was Nancy Carroll. Several years ago Film Forum had a pre code film festival of Paramount and Fox films. However most of us don't have the funds to travel cross country to attend these festivals. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Kimble Posted March 11, 2016 Share Posted March 11, 2016 In the 1980s isolated Paramount films from the '30s such as Hecht and MacArthur's Soak The Rich (which is terrible, FWIW) and even Sylvia Sidney in Dreiser's Jennie Gerhart turned up on, of all channels, the USA network. USA also showed one of the greatest early sound westerns, Universal's Law & Order with Walter Huston as Wyatt Earp in all but name. I guess they were so desperate for filler programming they'd even show precodes. This was before the rise of the movie buff's worst enemy, the infomercial. Why these films were shown, or why any MCA-owned films were shown at all, I don't know. what NBC/Universal is willing to promote. On Hulu, they have a huge part of their classic television library available Let me know when they add Checkmate or Johnny Staccato. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TopBilled Posted March 11, 2016 Share Posted March 11, 2016 Most of the Paramount, Universal and even Fox films of the 1930's ARE still in existence and HAVE been transferred from the old nitrate to safety stock. And many are on safety stock at UCLA. Here's a listing of the films they've preserved, from a page at the UCLA library website: https://www.cinema.ucla.edu/restoration/feature-films-preserved-ucla The list includes films from all studios. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrinceSaliano Posted March 12, 2016 Share Posted March 12, 2016 In the 1980s isolated Paramount films from the '30s such as Hecht and MacArthur's Soak The Rich (which is terrible, FWIW) and even Sylvia Sidney in Dreiser's Jennie Gerhart turned up on, of all channels, the USA network. USA also showed one of the greatest early sound westerns, Universal's Law & Order with Walter Huston as Wyatt Earp in all but name. I guess they were so desperate for filler programming they'd even show precodes. This was before the rise of the movie buff's worst enemy, the infomercial. Why these films were shown, or why any MCA-owned films were shown at all, I don't know. Let me know when they add Checkmate or Johnny Staccato. You are correct. And another one shown on USA was THE LEMON DROP KID (1934) with Lee Tracy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catlover Posted March 12, 2016 Author Share Posted March 12, 2016 usa also had anything goes(1936)and the light that failed as I still have old vhs recordings of them from that time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midnight08 Posted March 13, 2016 Share Posted March 13, 2016 And many are on safety stock at UCLA. Here's a listing of the films they've preserved, from a page at the UCLA library website: https://www.cinema.ucla.edu/restoration/feature-films-preserved-ucla The list includes films from all studios. And there are also many films preserved and stored at the Library Of Congress, The George Eastman House and MOMA (The Museum Of Modern Art in NYC). I wish these entities would also have a list of films that they've preserved handy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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