Kino's DVD of The White Hell of Pitz Palu-Out Of Print?

Tastypotpie · Post by **Tastypotpie** » Fri Jul 08, 2011 10:38 am

So, last year I noticed that this title had disappeared from Kino's mail catalogs. They're still selling their other Riefenstahl films, but why not this one? Rights expire or something? Anyone know of any reissue plans?

(On a hunch, I ordered a copy last December from Wallmart's website. It was around 15 bucks. I'm now seeing copies go for 120 on amazon. )

Sandy B · Post by **Sandy B** » Fri Jul 08, 2011 11:01 am

I've been looking for a copy, but at at $89 or so, that's a bit out of my price range. Hope it will be re-issued again.

ColemanShedman · Post by **ColemanShedman** » Fri Jul 08, 2011 11:05 am

I can't imagine paying that much for a dvd...unless it was of The Day the Clown Cried.

ColemanShedman · Post by **ColemanShedman** » Fri Jul 08, 2011 11:15 am

"American version" available from Grapevine for 15 bucks.

http://grapevinevideo.com/White_Hell_of_Pitz_Palu.html

sc1957 · Post by **sc1957** » Fri Jul 08, 2011 12:47 pm

Sometimes you have to dig sideways in the Kino Web site to find a title you know they should have. I can find Pitz Palu by searching for Leni Riefenstahl, then going to the Storm Over Mount Blanc page, and scrolling to the bottom of that page. In the "You Might Also Like" section, there's a link to Pitz Palu:

The missing link

But it is curious that they drop the primary link on some titles.

Sandy B · Post by **Sandy B** » Fri Jul 08, 2011 3:00 pm

Thank you Coleman Shedman and sc1957 for the information and links.

KINO is no longer distributing "The White Hell of Pitz Palu." However, Grapevine is and my order is on the way.

Best, sandy

ColemanShedman · Post by **ColemanShedman** » Fri Jul 08, 2011 4:56 pm

Found Limo version at a site called International Historic Films for 30 bucks. They already shipped it.

WaverBoy · Post by **WaverBoy** » Sun Jul 10, 2011 5:30 pm

Sandy B wrote:Thank you Coleman Shedman and sc1957 for the information and links.

KINO is no longer distributing "The White Hell of Pitz Palu."

Not true; you can order it at the link posted above, and now below:

http://www.kino.com/video/item.php?product_id=907

ColemanShedman · Post by **ColemanShedman** » Mon Jul 11, 2011 7:39 am

Weird....googled it and got this:

http://www.kino.com/video/item.php?film_id=783

It's a mystery.

Kevin2 · Post by **Kevin2** » Mon Jul 11, 2011 8:09 am

Testing the link that shows the DVD as available, when clicking on the "buy now" links, the shopping cart remains empty.

ColemanShedman · Post by **ColemanShedman** » Mon Jul 11, 2011 8:13 am

The fact that it doesn't seem to be available anywhere else is a clue too. Although this site seems to have it in stock for 30 bucks:

http://www.ihffilm.com/dvd106.html

Sandy B · Post by **Sandy B** » Mon Jul 11, 2011 3:30 pm

When I called KINO last week to place the order for "The White Hell of Pitz Palu, the man answering the phone said KINO had a copyright issue and was no longer distributing the movie until the issue is worked out.

We even joked that KINO should someday issue a G.W. Pabst box set. I didn't think to ask the man for his name. To me, a Pabst box set would be a wonderful assortment of movie.

So, I'm under the impression that there really is a problem with the distribution rights. I hope it can be resolved in the very near future as with all other silent movies that are being blocked because of copyright issues.

Gagman 66 · Post by **Gagman 66** » Mon Jul 11, 2011 3:34 pm

I wonder how much longer that THE MAN WHO LAUGHS and other Universal Silents will be in print from Kino. The contracts they had with the studio seem to have expired awhile ago.

ColemanShedman · Post by **ColemanShedman** » Mon Jul 11, 2011 3:38 pm

Sandy, did you still want the silent version? Try the other link I posted. They seem to still have copies. Also, let me know what you think of the sound version

ColemanShedman · Post by **ColemanShedman** » Wed Jul 13, 2011 9:41 pm

Got mine today....last time I checked they still showed it in stock.

http://www.ihffilm.com/dvd106.html

Spiritus · Post by **Spiritus** » Wed Jul 13, 2011 11:34 pm

I might be alone in this,,, but hasn't any one noticed what an awfully boring picture it is? I really wouldn't want a copy if you handed me one.
sp
well maybe if you handed me one......

Murnau · Post by **Murnau** » Thu Jul 14, 2011 1:12 am

I watched The White Hell of Pitz Palu a couple of days ago and I thought it was boring too. Especially the first half, where the people are in the cabin, paces much too slow. The movie gets better when they start climbing but not enough. There were a couple of beautiful shots (especially one where rescuers walk in the night with torches and lanterns). Maybe the second try will help me to like this more but I'm very sceptic about that.

I didn't like The Holy Mountain either.

Post by **Christopher Jacobs** » Thu Jul 14, 2011 1:19 am

It's nice to look at. I have an old VHS of the restored version with original German titles (most of which are easy enough to decipher after three years of high school German) and never really felt the need to order the DVD version, which might be a little sharper but not really enough to induce me to watch it multiple times. Now if it ever comes out on Blu-ray, especially if it has the German intertitles with optional English subtitles, I'd probably get it again. The photography would really benefit from the clarity of Blu-ray, so all of the visual details can keep your attention while the story moves along just as slowly. Some films really need to be seen with the sharpness they had when originally released in order to get a sense of why people found them so impressive at the time. Poor quality dupes may be adequate if the story and acting are especially compelling, but a simple romantic melodrama like WHITE HELL OF PIZ PALU relies on its spectacular outdoor imagery for its impact. The dupey cutdown American release with the soundtrack is barely tolerable.

--Christopher Jacobs
http://hpr1.com/film
http://www.und.edu/instruct/cjacobs
http://www.und.edu/instruct/cjacobs/Old ... BluRay.htm

Jonathan · Post by **Jonathan** » Sat Jul 16, 2011 1:00 am

When I first got interested in silent films in the 1970s, I used to talk about them with an aunt (born around 1908) who'd seen many of them on their first UK release. As far as I could tell, she'd been a pretty average moviegoer, and there was no evidence her tastes extended much beyond routine British and American films (even in the sound era).. except that the one silent film that stood out in her memory as extraordinarily powerful after nearly half-a-century - she hadn't seen any of it since - was The White Hell of Pitz Palu....

Incidentally, her other most vivid memory of moviegoing in the 1910s & 20s was sometimes getting cheap seats on the rear side of the screen and holding up a small mirror (which she had to bring) to read all the titles. Anyone else of heard of that?

ColemanShedman · Post by **ColemanShedman** » Sat Jul 16, 2011 8:00 am

Never heard of it but that's a great story.