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Re: mysterious island 1973 mini series

From: Brian Taves <btav~at~loc.gov>
Date: Mon, 25 Jul 2005 19:53:21 -0400 (EDT)
To: Jules Verne Forum <jvf~at~Gilead.org.il>

It would be highly unusual, and very costly, to release different versions
of a work depending on the country in question. That means an entire new
soundtrack mix, for example. Contrary to Tom, this is most likely to have
to do with the contracts underlying the production and international
financing rather than any narrative uncertainties among those making the
film (Writer-Directors Juan Antonio Bardem and Henri Colpi were
individuals with long and esteemed reputations).

For some reason, it appears that distributors in various countries were
given the perogative to go back to a rough-cut negative and recut as they
wished. The only equivalent in the US was the state rights system in the
silent era through the 1930s, in which a distributor bought regional
rights and then could recut the film any way he chose that he felt would
maximize sales.

As for the whole question of adaptation, a book and a film, or a
miniseries, are not equivalent, demanding different narrative length,
structure, and characterizations. Members of this forum often decry the
introduction of romantic elements in Verne, but the fact is that in order
to finance and sell a film, it must appeal to a broad audience (such as
bringing in female concerns and viewers, as in the Harryhausen version).
Or the film must have a star--and consequently Nemo's role was built up in
1973 for Omar Sharif.

LC does not have the 1941 version of MI; it is available from time to time
on video from private distributors. LC's film collection is for study
toward research that will result in publications or new films, and
occasional screening at preservation festivals.

On Fri, 22 Jul 2005, thomas mccormick wrote:

> I'm not sure the conclusion of my previous email (below) was clear, since I
> was in a rush when I wrote it. My point was: the 1973 TV adaptation of
> Mysterious Island is a hodgepodge, in my opinion. So to the question, "Why
> do the different (English, French, Spanish, German) versions of this
> adaptation tend to add and subtract different scenes?", the answer seems to
> be "because the producers of it were not clear about what they were trying
> to do." Their treatment of the "robinson" theme (desert island theme) is not
> bad, but they have very little idea what to do with Nemo or what his
> function in the story is.
>
> I have a question for Brian Taves: Does L. of C. have a film library where
> one may actually view some of the more obscure films of Verne novels, such
> as the 1941 Russian version of Mysterious Island?
>
> Tom
>
> >From: "thomas mccormick" <tom_amity~at~hotmail.com>
> >Reply-To: Jules Verne Forum <jvf~at~Gilead.org.il>
> >To: jvf~at~Gilead.org.il
> >Subject: Re: mysterious island 1973 mini series
> >Date: Fri, 22 Jul 2005 18:14:46 +0000
> >
> >Brian and other friends of Verne,
> >
> >In my view, film adaptations of Mysterious Island tend to resemble the man
> >in the Freshman English essay who "mounted his hourse and rode off in all
> >directions". Often, producers who want a "thriller" pick on poor Verne and
> >use one of his voyages extraordinaires as its slim basis. And Mysterious
> >Island is a frequent victim because Captain Nemo is a convenient character
> >to hang fantastic and futuristic elements onto, so that the producer is
> >content with just about any result as long as it IS fantastic and
> >futuristic. As I said before, this 1973 version doesn't veer quite as
> >careeningly from Verne as some of the other adaptations do, since it doesn
> >explore the "desert island" theme more or less the way Verne's novel does,
> >though it also takes a few weird liberties. But its producers have no idea
> >what to do with Nemo or with some of the other themes. Which explains why
> >the different versioins keep adding and subtracting elements. This version,
> >I jfear, is a hodgepodge.
> >
> >Tom
> >
> >>From: Rfbagby~at~aol.com
> >>Reply-To: Jules Verne Forum <jvf~at~Gilead.org.il>
> >>To: jvf~at~Gilead.org.il (Jules Verne Forum)
> >>Subject: Re: mysterious island 1973 mini series
> >>Date: Fri, 22 Jul 2005 08:09:59 -0400
> >>
> >>In a message dated 7/21/2005 8:59:02 PM Eastern Daylight Time, Brian Taves
> >><btav~at~loc.gov> writes:
> >> >Has anyone discovered the reasons for the wide discrepancies in versions
> >> >of the 1973 miniseries and feature?  It seems to go well beyond the
> >>scope
> >> >of what might happen with a coproduction.
> >>REPLY: While I don't know the Why of this, Brian, I know that one fan's
> >>website on this title began with the assumption all versions were national
> >>editions of a Master Copy, but on beginning to total up those "wide
> >>discrepencies" ultimately concluded there is no more a "true" 1973
> >>MYSTERIOUS ISLAND than, say, an authoritative SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON text.
> >>
> >>This adaption (in at least the copy I've got) has some interesting
> >>parallelisms to the 1951 serial (coincedental, surely!), notably Nemo
> >>explaining his presence as due once more to Radioactive Minerals in the
> >>island used as fuel for the NAUTILUS. It is also among the few adaptions
> >>to have Nemo wear a turban (as will the coming Patrick Stewart take). Even
> >>more curiously, it has some elements of CARPATHIAN CHATEAU, a borrowing
> >>acknowledged when the castaways finally meet Nemo and find him watching
> >>"home movies" -- he explains he bought this technology from an "inventor
> >>named Orfanik"!
> >>While I concur this is not one of the great adaptions, I think one of the
> >>reasons MYSTERIOUS is one of Verne's most filmed titles (if, ahem, not
> >>necessarily plots) is precisely its ability to absorb contemporary
> >>concerns and iconography -- from the 1929's mulling over the Russian
> >>Revolution (and the introduction of sound!) to the 1951 serial which is
> >>when Nemo went nuclear (and yes, fights space aliens!) to the
> >>"Harryhausen" version (which fits into the 60's Giant Monster cycle as
> >>much as its Verne boom). In short, each version is to studied as much as a
> >>mirror of its era as an adaption of Verne.
> >>Ross
> >
Received on Tue 26 Jul 2005 - 02:53:30 IDT

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