The Original Footage of 1930s Broadway Shows- Page 3
The Original Footage of 1930s Broadway Shows
Whistler
Swing Joined: 1/14/11
#50re: The Original Footage of 1930s Broadway Shows
Posted: 3/3/11 at 11:06pmMiles Kreuger isn't willingly selfish, and he isn't purposely mean, but, as some other who've met him have gently pointed out, he is eccentric. But a lot of people know about his collection and have known about it for a long time, and it will eventually find a more accessible, more secure home. Meanwhile, let Miles enjoy it, as it gives him great pleasure.
#51re: The Original Footage of 1930s Broadway Shows
Posted: 3/3/11 at 11:18pmOh, ok. You have a point. We should all just let him sit at home beating off to the footage while it deteriorates and is lost forever. Good idea, Whistler!
#52re: The Original Footage of 1930s Broadway Shows
Posted: 3/3/11 at 11:29pmIf someone had a collection of lost works of Picasso in their coat closet in a box, you'd want them preserved. Why should these be treated any differently? Once the film deteriorates- that's it, it's gone forever. These should be donated to an institution that can take care of them and make them available to everyone.
"...everyone finally shut up, and the audience could enjoy the beginning of the Anatevka Pogram in peace."
#53re: The Original Footage of 1930s Broadway Shows
Posted: 3/3/11 at 11:35pm
No Kad, Whistler is right. Miles enjoys having them so we should just let him keep them. That's the best thing to do.
I will say I find it amusing though, that these bootlegs are being talked about as treasures and works of art when bootlegs today are considered evil.
#54re: The Original Footage of 1930s Broadway Shows
Posted: 3/3/11 at 11:38pmWait 70 years.
"...everyone finally shut up, and the audience could enjoy the beginning of the Anatevka Pogram in peace."
#55re: The Original Footage of 1930s Broadway Shows
Posted: 3/3/11 at 11:40pmExactly. So ludicrous all the hoopla over them when they are, just as the others, "art".
#56re: The Original Footage of 1930s Broadway Shows
Posted: 3/4/11 at 12:23am
Cheers to the future treasured bootlegs of "The Wedding Singer", gentlemen.
Updated On: 3/4/11 at 12:23 AM
#57re: The Original Footage of 1930s Broadway Shows
Posted: 3/4/11 at 12:27amWell how many of the shows from the 30s and on that were bootlegged sucked? Just because they're old, doesn't mean they're good.
Whistler
Swing Joined: 1/14/11
#58re: The Original Footage of 1930s Broadway Shows
Posted: 3/4/11 at 12:34amMiles Kreuger's collection has been in the same place for a good, long time. That helps protect it. Because it's temperate LA, even without air conditioning, his house is almost climate controlled. He just has to worry about the occasional rain and the leaky roof. And meaning him no harm, he's not young. The collection will be somewhere else, far sooner than later.
#59re: The Original Footage of 1930s Broadway Shows
Posted: 3/4/11 at 12:37amEvil never dies and the film is deteriorating. What's confusing about that to you?
#60re: The Original Footage of 1930s Broadway Shows
Posted: 3/4/11 at 2:10am
Like the Scarecrow, I am much more worried about fire than rain.
And speaking of the Scarecrow, Miles is wrong about having the only footage of Fred Astaire. There is, in a can at the Library at Lincoln Center, a film shot in 1932 by Fred Stone (of Montgomery and Stone, the original Scarecrow and Tin Man from the 1906 musical of The Wizard of Oz) which shows Stone's daughter, Dorothy (get it?) dancing in the lead role in "Gay Divorce." She replaced Clare Luce and her father shot a good deal of the show, including the "Night and Day" number with Fred.
The footage was discovered by "eccentric dance expert" Betsy Batos, who gave it to the Library on the condition that nobody can see it until she completes a documentary film on the dance.
I'm still waiting....
http://www.broadwayworld.com/board/readmessage.cfm?thread=972787#3631451
http://www.broadwayworld.com/board/readmessage.cfm?thread=963561#3533883
http://www.broadwayworld.com/board/readmessage.cfm?thread=955158#3440952
http://www.broadwayworld.com/board/readmessage.cfm?thread=954269#3427915
http://www.broadwayworld.com/board/readmessage.cfm?thread=955012#3441622
http://www.broadwayworld.com/board/readmessage.cfm?thread=954344#3428699
Updated On: 3/4/11 at 02:10 AM
AEA AGMA SM
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/13/09
#61re: The Original Footage of 1930s Broadway Shows
Posted: 3/4/11 at 9:18am
"even without air conditioning, his house is almost climate controlled."
Just because it's a steady climate does not mean that it's the proper climate for storing and preserving film.
If I remember correctly from undergrad photography class long term storage of processed negatives should be in a temperature of 50 degrees or less with relative humidity between 30 and 50 percent. I would imagine that this carries over to the storage of film.
#62re: The Original Footage of 1930s Broadway Shows
Posted: 7/10/12 at 4:28pm
One good note to add to this awful story. The color films were most likely shot on Kodachrome, the only home movie color film available until the 1960s. The great thing about Kodachrome is that it doesn't fade! All those beautiful color films of the 1939 NY World's Fair were shot on Kodachrome and they look great, with no preservation.
So there's a good chance that the color films will hold up.
#63re: The Original Footage of 1930s Broadway Shows
Posted: 7/10/12 at 4:33pm
Miles started transferring the film to DVD, I believe. He's an assh*le but at least he understands the need to do that.
And not everything he has is the only copy. Just wait until you guys see what I just uncovered for the next BROADWAY: THE GOLDEN AGE film.
Seriously, you're gonna drop your glass of water on the floor, shattering it like I did when I saw it.
morosco
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/10/04
#64re: The Original Footage of 1930s Broadway Shows
Posted: 7/10/12 at 4:52pm
BROADWAY: THE GOLDEN AGE
When will this be out? So anxious!
#66re: The Original Footage of 1930s Broadway Shows
Posted: 7/10/12 at 5:04pm
^Is it the second act of Carrie? 
#67re: The Original Footage of 1930s Broadway Shows
Posted: 7/10/12 at 5:06pmLol. No but it does in fact exist!
#68re: The Original Footage of 1930s Broadway Shows
Posted: 7/11/12 at 1:00am
I get the feeling everyone here seems to think Miles Kreuger has the unlimited resources to digitally preserve his archives, or that possible contributors are beating his door down to do so. It's doubtful. Even the Library of Congress probably wouldn't guarantee more than storage space. When even companies like Rodgers and Hammerstein answer to Dutch concerns who couldn't care less about such history, who here can complain? Who here is willing to maintain a Kickstart account for such a purpose? Who here is ready to write a check?
(the sound of crickets chirping)
I thought so.
Well-well-well-what-do-you-think-of-that-I-have-nothing-here-to-pay-my-train-fare-with-only-large-bills-fives-and-sevens....
Updated On: 7/11/12 at 01:00 AM
#69re: The Original Footage of 1930s Broadway Shows
Posted: 7/11/12 at 10:17amIt doesn't cost that much; a scanner can be had for $60, and film can be transferred to DVD very cheaply (every family I know has done that with their old home movies). This only leaves out large items (like posters), which might be more difficult to preserve.
#70re: The Original Footage of 1930s Broadway Shows
Posted: 7/11/12 at 11:50am
I have some of his released video clips on my YouTube and have linked to them before. By any chance, do any of you know if he has more footage of the original Broadway production of Show Boat?
I'd pass out if he does.
He lives in L.A.? Is eccentric and has mounds of old, rare stuff? Would he happen to live near West Hollywood?
I ask because my older brother has known an "eccentric, older" man with a "very large, rare Broadway collection" who lives near WeHo for years. In fact, this man is the reason I was listening to the Carrie soundboard waaaaay back in the day, before most of the world got it thanks to the proliferation of digital copies and the internet. It would be absolutely insane if that man is Miles Kreuger; I've read his Show Boat book from cover to cover God-knows-how-many-times.
I'd happily volunteer to help him preserve his collection if I could. Free of charge and without sneaking away with anything, even if my hand will twitch at everything Show Boat.
This is California--that collection is an earthquake away from being totally pulverized!!
Recreation of original John Cameron orchestration to "On My Own" by yours truly. Click player below to hear.
#71re: The Original Footage of 1930s Broadway Shows
Posted: 7/11/12 at 12:09pm
I get the feeling everyone here seems to think Miles Kreuger has the unlimited resources to digitally preserve his archives, or that possible contributors are beating his door down to do so. It's doubtful. Even the Library of Congress probably wouldn't guarantee more than storage space.
That's such ludicrously self-defeating rationalization.
He's nothing more than a crazy old man hoarding his possessions, muttering to himself, "My precious! My precious!" while the films deteriorate.
How about:
The UCLA Film Archive
The NYU Dept of Film Studies
Columbia Univeristy
The Museum of the City of New York
The possibilities are endless. The only impediment is his selfishness.
What if his apartment caught fire?
What systems does he have in place to protect them from a heat wave in the summer, like this one, or indoor heating in the winter?
What if his house caught fire? (Did I say that already?)
WHAT IF HIS HOUSE CAUGHT FIRE?
Crazy old man. "My precious! My precious!"
sbflyfan
Broadway Star Joined: 4/12/07
#72re: The Original Footage of 1930s Broadway Shows
Posted: 7/13/12 at 12:34pm
And not everything he has is the only copy. Just wait until you guys see what I just uncovered for the next BROADWAY: THE GOLDEN AGE film.
Seriously, you're gonna drop your glass of water on the floor, shattering it like I did when I saw it.
Does it have anything to do with "A Little Night Music"?
"I'm seeing the LuPone in Key West later this week. I'm hoping for great vocals and some sort of insane breakdown..." - BenjaminNicholas2
#74re: The Original Footage of 1930s Broadway Shows
Posted: 7/13/12 at 2:31pmMe too, how frustrating that next to nothing of the original Night Music staging seems to have been filmed (damn the Tonys for not featuring it that year--though Pippin got a slot--at least I think that was the same year).
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