Life & death of colonel blimp

[Rathdown]

Does anyone know if "Blimp" is going to make the round of art houses here in the USA?

 

[skyvue]

It may have already done so. It played NYC's Film Forum for two weeks in late November.

 

[dhermann1]

Ha. Now they tell me. I love that movie.

 

[Rathdown]

The film went into limited release in the UK earlier this month....

 

[Worf]

Well it was another classic example of how a fine British film ran afoul of "The Man" and was held back from release or butchered to the point where we're JUST beginning to see the unaltered original prints. I love this film as well and to see England in glorious technocolor is just first rate. Wouldn't mind seeing it on the big screen.

Worf

 

[Rathdown]

Well it was another classic example of how a fine British film ran afoul of "The Man" and was held back from release or butchered to the point where we're JUST beginning to see the unaltered original prints. I love this film as well and to see England in glorious technocolor is just first rate. Wouldn't mind seeing it on the big screen.

Worf

I beg to differ.

The film was shot in 1943 and released in 1943. The release print was virtually identical to the rough cut which was screened by the war office (as were all war-themed films in Britain at that time) and the British Board of Film Censors. Early in the production Churchill did voice a personal objection to the film as he felt it portrayed the British General Staff in a less than favourable light (it has also been suggested that he felt the character of Clive Candy was a parody of himself). Both of these objections were made before either Churchill or his staff viewed the film; it is unknown if Churchill ever saw the finished film, which is really besides the point. US distributors saw the film in May of 1943, but were uncertain if it would appeal to US audiences and initially passed it by. Eventually the film was picked up, and in March of 1945 it went into general release in the USA, first screening in New York City. While a critical success in America (and the UK) it was not a huge box office success in the 'States, despite being shot in Technicolour©. Generally it was felt that it's lack of success was down to three things: (1) audiences were tiring of "war movies"; (2) the picture was "too British"; and (3) the picture was too long -- the release print was 168 minutes long at a time when most features ran 85-100 minutes.

In common with many other films, The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp was eventually cut down to 90 minutes for release on television. Far from reaching the point where we are "JUST beginning to see the unaltered original print", Blimp has enjoyed years of playing in art houses, and in the 1980s a fully restored version met with critical and box office success when it enjoyed a limited released in the UK. The most recent restoration has resulted in a crystal clear print that brings the film back to its original glory.

Like yourself, I can't wait to see it (again) on the big screen.

 

[Worf]

I beg to differ.

The film was shot in 1943 and released in 1943. The release print was virtually identical to the rough cut which was screened by the war office (as were all war-themed films in Britain at that time) and the British Board of Film Censors. Early in the production Churchill did voice a personal objection to the film as he felt it portrayed the British General Staff in a less than favourable light (it has also been suggested that he felt the character of Clive Candy was a parody of himself). Both of these objections were made before either Churchill or his staff viewed the film; it is unknown if Churchill ever saw the finished film, which is really besides the point. US distributors saw the film in May of 1943, but were uncertain if it would appeal to US audiences and initially passed it by. Eventually the film was picked up, and in March of 1945 it went into general release in the USA, first screening in New York City. While a critical success in America (and the UK) it was not a huge box office success in the 'States, despite being shot in Technicolour©. Generally it was felt that it's lack of success was down to three things: (1) audiences were tiring of "war movies"; (2) the picture was "too British"; and (3) the picture was too long -- the release print was 168 minutes long at a time when most features ran 85-100 minutes.

In common with many other films, The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp was eventually cut down to 90 minutes for release on television. Far from reaching the point where we are "JUST beginning to see the unaltered original print", Blimp has enjoyed years of playing in art houses, and in the 1980s a fully restored version met with critical and box office success when it enjoyed a limited released in the UK. The most recent restoration has resulted in a crystal clear print that brings the film back to its original glory.

Like yourself, I can't wait to see it (again) on the big screen.

Thanks for clearing that up. My conspiracy nut friends told me the film was butchered and delayed because it made some germans look positively human at a time when Churchill and Bomber Harris were trying to kill as many as they could "figuratively" get their hands on. I'm glad to be set straight and will no longer repeat the rumors. It's just that after what happened to "A Clockwork Orange", I put nothing past the Board of Censors.

Worf

 

[AntonAAK]

It's just that after what happened to "A Clockwork Orange", I put nothing past the Board of Censors.

Worf

Sorry Worf but that's conspiracy theory too. A Clockwork Orange was never banned by the British Board of Film Censors, who issued it an X (18) certificate in 1971. It was withdrawn from distribution, in the UK only, by Kubrick himself and was re-released with an 18 certificate in 2000 after Kubrick's death.

 

[Worf]

Sorry Worf but that's conspiracy theory too. A Clockwork Orange was never banned by the British Board of Film Censors, who issued it an X (18) certificate in 1971. It was withdrawn from distribution, in the UK only, by Kubrick himself and was re-released with an 18 certificate in 2000 after Kubrick's death.

Man I'm just a fount of misiinformation today. My bad, thanks for the additional knowledge.

Worf