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GOG runs only occasionally on TCM and is available as a "streaming only" offering on NetFlix. Actually, the NetFlix version is marginally better than the print shown on TCM, looking not quite as battered, but it's surprising that both venues are showing a color print as it was thought for many years that color prints of this film no longer existed.
A number of years back I cleaned up that HOLLYWOOD RHAPSODIES LP for a friend and was astonished to find that
the "Love Theme from GOG" had been immortalized on vinyl! Surprising to see that now it's actually made it to CD.
Sukman had a long running relationship with producer Tors, doing GOG, RIDERS TO THE STARS, BATTLE TAXI and UNDERWATER WARRIOR in the 50's and then returning in '66 to do AROUND THE WORLD UNDER THE SEA. He also worked on Tors' COWBOY IN AFRICA tv series in '67-'68.
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Dan, you're probably right as to when GOG last ran on TCM. It's actually one of those films that shows up once in a blue moon . . . like another Tors production, MAGNETIC MONSTER. As I said, the print that ran once on TNT and maybe once or twice on TCM is a bit of a mess, full of scratches and speckling throughout.
Drop me a line at sturges47@earthlink.net if you haven't seen it recently. Or, check it out on NetFlix Streaming.
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GOG is the first studio-licensed feature restoration to be released on Blu-ray from the 3-D Film Archive. It was certainly our most challenging restoration to date. The region A 3-D Blu-ray will be released on March 1, 2016 by Kino Lorber.
This 1954 MGM/United Artists feature was lost in 3-D for nearly five decades. We have just completed a shot by shot restoration using the only existing elements: a 35mm interpositive of the right side and a completely faded 1954 Pathe color release print of the left. This restoration clip shows before and after comparisons of the raw scans to our final restored left/right masters.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LS4ugGmU15Y
Every individual shot required six levels of painstaking correction by Archive Technical Director Greg Kintz. They include stereoscopic vertical alignment; color restoration; left/right panel matching; image stabilization; left side flicker reduction/detail restoration and dirt/damage clean-up by Thad Komorowski. http://www.thadkomorowski.com/portfolio/digital-restoration/
GOG was beautifully photographed by Lothrop B. Worth with the Natural Vision camera, the same rig used on such 3-D classics as HOUSE OF WAX, THE CHARGE AT FEATHER RIVER, BWANA DEVIL, and the now lost TOP BANANA with Phil Silvers. http://www.3dfilmarchive.com/lost-3-d
GOG was released very late in the 3-D cycle and had only five known 3-D playdates, all in southern California in June and July of 1954: Los Angeles, Hollywood, Van Nuys and two theaters in Bakersfield. The Blu-ray marks the first wide 3-D release.
It was sold by United Artists to TV syndication in September 1956 and was only seen in murky, flat, black and white full frame 16mm prints for the next several decades. The first TV broadcast in color was on WTBS cable in the early 1980's and was transferred from a worn and washed-out 16mm print.
GOG was lost in 3-D until the missing 35mm left side was found by Bob Furmanek in 2001. The full story of this important discovery is told in the commentary track which also includes production history from science-fiction/horror historian Tom Weaver and music expert David Schecter from Monstrous Movie Music: http://www.mmmrecordings.com/index.html
The disc includes trailers for other 3-D Film Archive restorations, a production short on the history of GOG and its restoration plus archival interviews with GOG director Herbert L. Strock and DP/Natural Vision co-creator Lothrop B. Worth.
Click here to watch the original trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Haw0Ua-tG0
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Bob, since you didn't mention it, can I assume the Blu-Ray contains ONLY the 3D version and not also the "flat" version of the film as per your release of DRANGONFLY SQUADRON? Thank you again for that one. (It was a great time machine back to the early show on WMAQ in Chicago in the 50's when the station fit the film into a 90 minute 4:30 spot by just lopping off the first 10-15 minutes of the film.)
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Thanks, if you don't have a 3-D system, the Blu-ray will play one side of the film flat so you can still view the restoration on your player. This is true of any 3-D Blu-ray release.
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MGM has a 35mm M&E track but there were no funds to pay for a transfer. They also have a negative on the trailer but money was not available.
Every available penny on this project went into making the film look as good as possible. Our usual 3-D restoration timeline on a feature is three months. This took five!
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