Third Man on the Mountain

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PapiBear
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Third Man on the Mountain

Post by PapiBear »

I can't believe it, but looks like this is a scoop!

DVDPriceSearch.com has just added the 1959 live action Disney classic Third Man on the Mountain to its list of titles due out in September 2004, and it's listed as coming on September 7 by several retailers including Amazon.com! Must be a very recent schedule change or something, because it's not on the UltimateDisney schedule! :oops: Somebody slipped up somewhere, but hey, it's okay! I just wonder what aspect ratio it'll be in!

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/ ... eimprovemz

http://www.dvdplanet.com/product_listin ... ctid=42631

http://www.buy.com//retail/product.asp? ... dcaid=1688

http://www.deepdiscountdvd.com/dvd.cfm?itemid=BVD036537

http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.a ... m=lk_dvdps

http://www.digitaleyes.net/Details.cfm? ... iliate=DPS
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Re: THIRD MAN ON THE MOUNTAIN ON DVD SEPT. 7, 2004!!!

Post by Loomis »

PapiBear wrote:Somebody slipped up somewhere, but hey, it's okay!
That somebody would more than likely me Disney marketing, who I am convinced do not wish to sell any of the items that they are selling unless they contain a virtual safari.
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Post by goofystitch »

I have never seen this film, but am eager to own all of these catalogue titles. Is this the film that Walt Disney used as inspiration for the Disneyland attraction, the Matterhorn? I know that the Yetti wasn't added until later and that the ride was based on a movie. It was either this or "Ten who Dared," which I also need to see.
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Poppins#1
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Post by Poppins#1 »

In defense of Ultimate Disney.com, Disney's press releases of upcoming catalog titles has been very sketchy. Even their own website http://disneyvideos.disney.go.com/ is never updated with the most current information. Amazon is often the first place to break news of a new upcoming releases!

Still I'm happy to hear about this as it's a classic and I'll be happy to get it. We can only hope it will be widescreen and 16x9!
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Post by Mr arrow »

Excellant find papibear!! I too hope it is in widescreen. I have seen it, and the thing that I most remember were many brilliant matte paintings by peter Ellenshaw. It is quite atmospheric in places, but it has hardly seen the light of day in years. I stand corrected, but I think there may have been a clamshell video rental release in the early 80's and that was it. I believe it also 'inspired' the matterhorn ride at disneyland. I dont know why they just cannot tell us what aspect ratio it's going to be up front, what's with all the waiting till the 11th hour to release specs? It would be unthinkable to release this film in anything BUT widescreen, particularly given the subject matter and that it relies heavily on panoramic shots for impact.
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Post by Joe Carioca »

Leonard Maltin said good things about the movie in his book "The Disney Films". I surely would like to watch it, as many other Disney live-action movies which I still haven't seen.
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Post by PapiBear »

Mr arrow wrote:Excellant find papibear!! I too hope it is in widescreen. I have seen it, and the thing that I most remember were many brilliant matte paintings by peter Ellenshaw. It is quite atmospheric in places, but it has hardly seen the light of day in years. I stand corrected, but I think there may have been a clamshell video rental release in the early 80's and that was it. I believe it also 'inspired' the matterhorn ride at disneyland. I dont know why they just cannot tell us what aspect ratio it's going to be up front, what's with all the waiting till the 11th hour to release specs? It would be unthinkable to release this film in anything BUT widescreen, particularly given the subject matter and that it relies heavily on panoramic shots for impact.
Are you absolutely sure about this? IMDB.com doesn't list its OAR, just that it was filmed in 35mm. It's possible that the film was shot open matte on the basis that it might be first shown on the Disney anthology TV series (at the time titled "Walt Disney Presents") - a number of 50s/60s/70s Disney live action productions were not shot with anamorphic lenses and were simply matted to widescreen aspect ratios such as 1.66:1 or 1.75:1 for theatrical showings. If this is the case with Third Man on the Mountain (and we don't know for sure that it is, but it's a possibility), then a 1.33:1 AR video transfer might actually be acceptable.

The tricky part is being able to find out for sure just what aspect ratio some of these live action films were shot in and framed for. Anyone know Scott MacQueen's email address, or someone in the Disney Film Archives?
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Post by Mr. Toad »

Yes excellent find and really one of the better disney live action efforts.

James MacArthur did a really nice job in this one. His best Disney acting performance in my opinion.
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Post by Mr arrow »

PapiBear wrote
Are you absolutely sure about this? IMDB.com doesn't list its OAR, just that it was filmed in 35mm. It's possible that the film was shot open matte on the basis that it might be first shown on the Disney anthology TV series (at the time titled "Walt Disney Presents") - a number of 50s/60s/70s Disney live action productions were not shot with anamorphic lenses and were simply matted to widescreen aspect ratios such as 1.66:1 or 1.75:1 for theatrical showings. If this is the case with Third Man on the Mountain (and we don't know for sure that it is, but it's a possibility), then a 1.33:1 AR video transfer might actually be acceptable.
You could very well be right! Although I was always under the impression it was similar aspect ratio to swiss family robinson. Im certainly looking forward to it all the same.
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Post by Chernabog »

goofystitch wrote:Is this the film that Walt Disney used as inspiration for the Disneyland attraction, the Matterhorn? I know that the Yetti wasn't added until later and that the ride was based on a movie. It was either this or "Ten who Dared," which I also need to see.
:twisted:
Yes it is this film that inspired Walt to make the Matterhorn in Disneyland.
And yes, the YETI was added later! 8)

This film is set in Europe
Ten Who Dared is set in USA.
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Post by goofystitch »

Thanks, Chrenabog. I knew it was one of these two films. Matterhorn is one of my favorite rides, so now I really want to see this movie!
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THIRD MAN ON THE MOUNTAIN

Post by Disney Guru »

Finally I have been waiting forever. This is one of my favorite movies. James MacArthur the star of the movie and I are E-Mail Pen Pals. And I have pesterd him about this movie so much. This is a grand movie. I am so glad that I didn't dish out a lot of movieto get the 80's Clamshell Release.
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Third Man on Mountain - the DVDSavant review

Post by abbatazappa »

http://www.dvdtalk.com/dvdsavant/s1331moun.html

The last paragraph was particulary sobering, and I'll quote it here for those not following the link:

"Disney's DVD of Third Man on the Mountain is a good show, no matter what the quality of the presentation. But this DVD doesn't respect Walt Disney's old standard of never releasing anything of less than optimum quality. Even individual distribution prints were carefully checked for flaws.

The widescreen (at a minimum 1:66) feature has been mastered from what looks like an old flat video transfer that may be slightly Pan-scanned. The left and right sides sometimes seem tight. That would be forgiveable if the print itself looked better. It's soft and dirty with bland colors, the kind of transfer we remember on VHS tapes from the 1980s. The show is an excellent family film of the kind that cautious parents always say they're looking for, so by all means, don't skip this one; just don't expect it to come up to anybody's idea of an acceptable Disney standard.

There are also no extras. Disney put so much care and thought into the entertainments he personally supervised, that it's a shame that the modern Disney organization has so little respect for his legacy."

Right on, Glenn!
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Post by Luke »

Unless this "Savant" has actual theatrical prints, documentation, or some kind of confirmation from someone who does, his speculation that the film was framed for 1.66:1 or wider is just that: speculation.
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Third Man

Post by Disney Guru »

I love my dvd of Third Man On The Mountain. The whole movie is so cool. I am glad I didn't dish out $50+ for the VHS like I had planned to before the DVD came out. This is one of the best Disney movies ever and James MacArthur shines as usual in the role. Also famed Michael Rennie was good in this movie to. It was also so cute that it had Hellen Hayes, and James actual wife as a cameo in this movie.
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"Third Man on the Mountain"

Post by justcuttinhair »

well! it's been a yucky day here in NC, so I decided to put in another classic Disney film, that I have yet to see. Today was "Third Man on the Mountain" from 1958. Very good film! This film was the inspiration for the Matterhorn at Disneyland.
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Post by kbehm29 »

I have always wanted to check that movie out, and never have. Maybe this will provide me with the inspriation to finally do it!
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pretty good

Post by justcuttinhair »

well...i am not sure what demographic Disney aimed to market this too upon it's release. I would say that boys and men older than 10 would get into this film. It comes from that enjoyable time in Disney's live action film period, whenever the film was all about enjoyable entertainment for everybody. This was before the live action films began to get overly comical and downright ridiculous. The handsome and young James MacArthur makes a good job out of his first film for Disney..he would be in Kidnapped, Willie and the Yank, and the fabulous Swiss Family Robinson. Janet Munro would would appears in 4 Disney productions total, also makes the most of her first screen appearance. The special effects and matte paintings by Peter Ellenshaw..are surprisingly good for the time period. Look out for Helen Hayes in a brief cameo( she was James MacArthur's mother in real life).
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