single domestic release vs worldwide release

[sepiatone]

could the way a silent was initially released ensure it's survivability up to the present day? I'll use three of John Barrymore's silents to make the point. DR JEKYLL & MR HYDE was released in many countries all over the world, the first of his films to get such a world wide release and the film is here for us today. But what of the Barrymore film released just before it, THE TEST OF HONOR(1919) and the film released after, THE LOTUS EATER(1921). Those two films are lost, but according to IMDb they were released in only one other country besides the US For comparison:

DR. JEKYLL AND MR HYDE(Paramount) - release schedule
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0011130/rel ... tt_ql_dt_2" target="_blank


THE TEST OF HONOR(Paramount) - release schedule
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0010766/rel ... f_=tt_sa_1" target="_blank

THE LOTUS EATER(Asso. First National) - release schedule
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0012406/rel ... f_=tt+ql_9" target="_blank

[Jack Theakston]

In some cases, yes, this could be said, since with some films, the only-surviving copy exists in another country. However, in the case of DR. JEKYLL & MR. HYDE, the film exists because Paramount's studio print survived the ages and made its way to UCLA.

[boblipton]

I think it likely because when there are prints for foreign as well as domestic releases, there are more prints. More prints gives a higher chance of survival.

Bob

[silentfilm]

I also suspect that the IMDB release data for other nations is incomplete.

The fact that this was a science-fiction/horror title, and it was remade several times meant that it was more likely to be reissued than the other two titles.

[sepiatone]

"Dr.Jekyll..", was there something that could be called an open copyright or something? meaning an open clearance with the estate of Robert Louis Stephenson? now with the new LoC Survival Database we see there were not 3, but 4 versions of Dr. Jekyll, including Barrymore's, that was released in 1920. Perhaps not until cable tv would we see multiple versions of the same story released almost simultaneously.

[boblipton]

"Dr.Jekyll..", was there something that could be called an open copyright or something? meaning an open clearance with the estate of Robert Louis Stephenson? now with the new LoC Survival Database we see there were not 3, but 4 versions of Dr. Jekyll, including Barrymore's, that was released in 1920. Perhaps not until cable tv would we see multiple versions of the same story released almost simultaneously.

Given an 1886 publication date and the 34 year total copyright protection then available -- in the US at any rate -- 1920 was a "good to go" year.

Bob

[sepiatone]

"Dr.Jekyll..", was there something that could be called an open copyright or something? meaning an open clearance with the estate of Robert Louis Stephenson? now with the new LoC Survival Database we see there were not 3, but 4 versions of Dr. Jekyll, including Barrymore's, that was released in 1920. Perhaps not until cable tv would we see multiple versions of the same story released almost simultaneously.

Given an 1886 publication date and the 34 year total copyright protection then available -- in the US at any rate -- 1920 was a "good to go" year.

Bob

thanks, Bob..quite a contrast from the Stephenson clan compared with Mrs. Bram Stoker, she wouldn't let nobody get near 'Dracula'!

[Donald Binks]

I wonder how many people know how to pronounce "Dr.Jekyll" correctly?

It should be pronounced "Geekall" and not with the short "e" sound. (This is how Robert Louis Stephenson himself pronounced it)

Just thought I would throw that in!

[Micromegas]

"Dr.Jekyll..", was there something that could be called an open copyright or something? meaning an open clearance with the estate of Robert Louis Stephenson? now with the new LoC Survival Database we see there were not 3, but 4 versions of Dr. Jekyll, including Barrymore's, that was released in 1920. Perhaps not until cable tv would we see multiple versions of the same story released almost simultaneously.

By my count, 6:

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde with John Barrymore
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde with Sheldon Lewis
Der Januskopf with Conrad Vedit

...and on the lighter side...
(A Burlesque on) Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde with Hank Mann
When Dr. Quackel Did Hide with Charlie Joy
Happy Hooligan in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Zip - Bray animation

Steve

[Rodney]

Well, if you're going to go that route, you'll want to include Stan Laurel's Dr. Pyckle and Mr. Pride.

[JFK]

It should be pronounced "Geekall" and not with the short "e" sound. (This is how Robert Louis Stephenson himself pronounced it)

To cut down on clutter, I've deleted my post: the next entry in this thread repeats my now-deleted post in its entirety.

[Donald Binks]

It should be pronounced "Geekall" and not with the short "e" sound. (This is how Robert Louis Stephenson himself pronounced it)

I've read that as well.
But Stevenson was Scottish.
Was the Jekyll character British, or Scottish?
1. If British, then Stevenson- saying "Geekall/Jeekall" -
might not have been pronouncing it "correctly"-
sort of like a U.S. Southern author- with a Northern character named "Roosevelt"
- pronouncing his/her creation's name as "Roooz uh velt" or "Ruse a velt."
2. Was Jekyll Scottish? If so, then who knows,
Stevenson may still have been saying Jekyll "incorrectly"
- that is, in a manner unique to Stevenson alone.
3. If Stevenson "invented" the Jekyll name
- or if the Jekyll character pronounced his name as "Geekall/Jeekall"-
then there can be little argument that Stevenson pronounced it in the proper fashion.
4. Sometimes real life public figures lose public control of the sound of their own names.
Martin Scorsese pronounces his name as Skɔrˈsɛzi (“Score sezz ee”)
but even folks who work with him don’t.
Dellia Ephron, sister of Nora, revealed on a recent Fresh Air interview
that their family name was pronounced EHF-rihn (“Eff rinn”).
but host Terry Gross proceeded to say it as “Eff-Rahn”
for the remander of the show.

Well, if Robert Louis Stevenson, who wrote the bally thing, didn't know how to pronounce it, I give up! I suppose it's like Bela Lugosi having to accept the mispronunciation of his name when he started working in America (Baylah Loog O Chee)

[Micromegas]

Well, if you're going to go that route, you'll want to include Stan Laurel's Dr. Pyckle and Mr. Pride.

That one was not 1920.

Steve