laureatedvd.com

[Christoph Nestel]

It just would be interesting to know, if any new information is known in the meantime about the footage of this dropped dance routine. Ava Astaire McKenzie mentions in the audio commentary that she has seen it once and at least Hermes Pan had a copy of it. What happened to Pan's inherits after he died ? Have any further resarches been done to locate the sequence ?

Of course at the time the DVD was produced it was not available. For sure Ken would have included it within the special features or even restored to the picture itself. Although it will probably be to late to add it to the actual disc now, it would also make a great extra to any other upcoming disc.

Fred recorded the song for Columbia on Sept 22, 1940, accompanied by Perry Botkin and his Orchestra. So from this we get an idea of how it may have been like on the screen...

[Ken Barnes]

Hi Christoph,

Yes, that film clip with Fred and Hermes Pan certainly must exist somewhere. I'll be seeing Ava next month when she returns from the USA so I'll ask her about it.

There is a chance that we'll be adapting our present version of "Second Chorus" for an American release later this year. So I'll try to get hold of it or, at least, a clip from it.

Thanks for bringing this up. It's something to think about.

Best
Ken

[Christoph Nestel]

Hi Ken,

Thanks for this news. There is another interesting point: how came it, that in the trailer of HOLIDAY INN a few shots from the "Poor Mr. Chisolm"-dance of SECOND CHORUS were used, although the routine had nothing to do with the picture at all ? Obviously, it is the re-release trailer, but the first trailer may have been the same.

If there will be another edition of SECOND CHORUS, please think it over and use the title and end credits right the way they have originally being created in 1940.

Best, Christoph

[Christoph Nestel]

I just came across that a new Region 0 DVD release of SECOND CHORUS by a label "Network Edition" seems to be already available since November 2003 within the UK. www.play.com tells us that the theatrical trailer is included on this disc as well as "outtakes". A reviewer at amazon points out the terrible quality of the film but the complete deleted "Me and the ghost upstairs" number being included.

Has anybody seen the number now, so far ? What is it like ? So how is it possible that the outtake appears on this obviously cheaply produced disc although being absent from the Laureate DVD ? Will we get a second edition by Laureate with good quality and all the extra features or are we to buy this disc to see the ghost and trailer ? It's £ 2.99 at Blackstar, so one won't die to buy. Does anybody know if it's a PAL or NTSC disc ?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0000CDUXL/qid=1079365115/sr=1-5/ref=sr_1_10_5/202-1727853-3457414

http://www.blackstar.co.uk/video/item/7000000083894

[Ken Barnes]

Hi Christoph,

A new Laureate Edition of "Second Chorus" is being planned. It will have the co-operation and participation of Ava Astaire McKenzie and will be released - subject to contract - in the USA/Canada later this year.

The contents and extras are currently under discussion. The print will be the same as the one used in the current U.K. release ( which is digitally transferred from a pristine 35 mm release print ). It is hoped that we will have access to an out take of "Me and the Ghost Upstairs" from the private collection of the late Hermes Pan. This will be by special permission of the Hermes Pan Estate. I can't say how perfect a print this will be since I have not yet viewed it. It is hoped that we will have sufficient material to present both "Second Chorus" and "Royal Wedding" as two-disc editions. Though, in the case of "Royal Wedding" we will be using a different and better print. The existing audio commentaries
will be utilised in both cases.

Meetings will be taking place in London later this month with a representative of the American company who hope to be releasing the product. The deal is still in discussion and not by any means final.

An announcement will be made next month.

Ken B.

[Christoph Nestel]

Hello Ken,


beeing so curious about the Ghost, I have finally bought the DVD and now can bring up the facts Astaire admirers would be interested in to know.


The Ghost is presented as an extra and not included within the main feature. The sequence has a total of 5'26. It would have followed the scene at 10'26 (timecode referring to the Laureate DVD). It starts out with a cross fade from the last scene still in the picture to a night club with Halloween decoration. Fred is wearing a white suit directing the orchestra and singing the lyrics on the band stand first. You'll get some close-ups of Paulette Goddard in between watching him and smiling. Finishing the vocals he starts out to dance amid the audience. The Ghost steps in and they do the routine together on the dancing.


The music is great ! The big band accompaniment is much more swingier than the commercial disc recording with the tune arranged very effectful. But in my opinion the first part is the real highlight of the number, when Fred is doing the vocals. We get right another best example for his high skills on performing a song. The dance routine is quite good but not the special one would have expected. The choreography is fun to watch but also a little clumsy. Hermes Pan looks like a woman dressed up in bed cloths. In fact, the atmosphere is more eerie in the part before the Ghost appears.


But its a fine routine nevertheless, with beautifully photography and lightning. I like it much better than the "Poor Mr. Chisolm" dance at the end (actually I think its a true pity that there was no dance on "Love of my Life" which I would have much prefered). In my opinion the number does a great benefit to the entire film. So, if possible, I definitely would suggest to restore the dance within the main feature as an extended cut. The idea of doing a seamless branching enabling watching the theatrical relaese version or the extended cut also would be a fine idea of bringing this back to the audiences. But if so, I never would watch the film again without the routine. Although an other music number would have been more desperately needed in the second half of the picture, when the script breaks totally apart, its inclusion improves the film's general impression very much. I can't imagine why this piece of good work was wasted although its contribution would have been needed so much within the film.


No idea were the original film elements used here may derive from. The sequence is presented in a low quality, obviously transferred from a video tape source, but watchable. Many rare and hard to get films in my collection have no better quality. So a direct-from-film transfer of the Hermes Pan elements of course would highly exceed what we get here. On the other hand one is happy that such a rarity is included and available probably for the first time at all. I don't think that many prints of it are existing.


The original theatrical trailer has a running time of 1'39, it is in much better condition and presented in a quite proper quality here. The main feature gives us a view, how excellent the Laureate presentation is. It comes from an old, worn and faded theatrical print sometimes in deplorable condition with many jumps and defects (even within the Astaire/Goddard dance). The sound is rather noisy. The main titles are (almost) intact, but the end credits are missing. The transfer may be quite ok, but the film source is too bad to enable tidy fun to watch. Obviously no restoration has been done at all (which woud have meant doing a puzzling from different prints). You feel like sitting in a small cinema watching an old print somebody excavated from an attic.


Best, Christoph

[Ken Barnes]

Dear Christoph,

Thanks for your very thorough description of "Me and the Ghost Upstairs" -
Right now, as I write this, an associate of mine is collecting a source copy from Hermes Pan's heirs in Los Angeles ( this has been arranged for us by Ava ). We will be viewing it next week and, if the quality is good, we'll see if it cuts cleanly into the picture.

I agree it would be nice to see the sequence in contetx. I'll report on this late next week when I've seen the condition of the print. Not only will it hold interest for Astaire collectors but also for fans of Johnny Mercer and Artie Shaw.

Once again, many thanks for this.

Ken

[Terry Pearson]

Hi, Christoph ... thanks for pointing out the existence of that Second Chorus DVD. I placed my order on Amazon - they quoted delivery as possibly August 2005(!) ... adding that it may not even be available then! Two days later ... it was delivered!

However, on visiting Amazon today, I see an 'ONLY ONE COPY IN STOCK' warning has appeared ... so anyone interested should make haste! The Ghost may be about to disappear!

As a lifelong Astaire-fan, I was delighted to have the opportunity to view a 'new' item, regardless of mere technical quality. Astaire and Pan looked to be having fun - and yes, the orchestration is better than the commercially released recording.

So - what next? Any chance someone will find 'If Swing Goes, I Go Too'? Now that would be something!

Best wishes to all, Terry (UK)

[Ryan]

Hi Terry! Yes that would be something, so would finding the Trestle Dance from The Sky's the Limit.

[Ken Barnes]

My colleague was not able to get the copy of "Me and The Ghost Upstairs" last week. But he'll be in Los Angeles later this month - so hopefully we'll have it soon.

Ken

[James L M]

Hi Ken

Have you thought about approaching Artie Shaw to do an audio commentary? Are some of the crew still alive, Elaine May (screenwriter), Edward Montagne (the asst director who later became a tv producer/director) and Robert Stillman (associate producer and also assistant director on the film)?

[Ken Barnes]

What a good suggestion. Artie Shaw was interviewed recently for a full length documentary ( and he was very lucid indeed ). I'll put this - and your other suggestions - to the American company. Let's see if they go for it.

Thanks

[James LM]

If a commentary is recorded it will make it the oldest film to an original cast or crew member, beating the ones Michael Powell recorded for Col Blimp and Black Narcissus, the oldest Hollywood one being with Celeste holm for Gentleman's Agreement (1947). Unless you recorded commentary with Jane Wyatt for Capra's Lost Horizon(1937) or Whale's "One More Night", Kitty Carlisle for A Night at the Opera (1935) or the Bing Crosby starrer "She Loves Me Not" (1934), Fay Wray for King Kong (1933) or Capra's "Dirigible" (1931) or Barbara Kent for The Flesh and The Devil (1926).

[Ken Barnes]

Thanks James for your comments. While we will soon be preparing our new edition of "SECOND CHORUS" - which will include ( hopefully ) a pristine print of "Me and The Ghost Upstairs " - we will try to obtain an interview with Artie Shaw. But this may not be feasible in view of the expense involved ( we understand that Mr. Shaw's fee may be prohibitive ). However, we will try to negotiate - but don't expect too much.

We are also hoping to film an interview with Kim Novak for the new expanded USA edition of "The Man With The Golden Arm." But this,too, is dependent on the resulting expense. So it's a case of fingers crossed.

[JamesM]

I would say that it would be much more worthwhile paying for an audio commentary over a video interview with Artie Shaw. I would be curious to know how somebody is approached for such an appointment. Is is direct or through the agent? Could it be that the agent has outpriced the artist without giving any consideration for the artist's interest in the project or wanting to make such a recording for posterity.

I believe that commentaries involve a previous night's viewing followed by single recording session during the playing of the film (with occasional pauses being made for anecdotes to be finished to cover gaps and replace words the artist comes to realise were inacurate or inappropriate). I believe that the suggested Equity payments for commentaries (here in the UK) is a minimum payment of £125 per recording session with a further payment of the same made with the sale of up to 3000 DVDs within the first three years and then 50% of the same figure being paid per 3000 DVDs or every three years of the sale of the DVD. This method of payment may be similiar to that in practice in the US. This lessons the initial cost and makes the cost of the commentary be dictated by the successful sale of the DVD making it a much safer bet. It is not as though Mr. Shaw would be inundated with more lucrative requests to record commentaries as he only made one other feature film for which it would be appropriate to record a commentary, that being Dancing Co-Ed (1939) starring Lana Turner, Richard Carlson and Ann Rutherford (who is still with us). He wrote the songs for the Marx Bros' The Big Store but iboth Tony Martin and Virginia Grey would be much more suitable candidates to record a commentary for that film, but I doubt they have (I do not know the details of the new R1 7 film boxset of Marx Bros films).

Did you have any luck in finding out if those crew members were still alive?