26 The Savage Innocents

[Lino]

The Savage Innocents



Nicholas Ray's epic 1959 film about Eskimo life was unfairly victimised on release, censored at the UK cinema, and neglected by both TV and home video for decades. The Savage Innocents continued Ray's fascination with alternative lifestyles — examining the life of Eskimos and their remoteness from "civilised" values. It represents Ray's first and most ambitious attempt to break free from Hollywood and forge his own route.

Anthony Quinn (La Strada, Zorba the Greek) stars as Inuk, an Eskimo whose daily routine is a constant struggle to survive in one of the most hostile and hauntingly beautiful of climates. As Inuk's family grows in number (and mouths to feed) a new society of white trappers with new weaponry begin to encroach Inuit land, making it harder for Inuk to live. When the clash of cultures results in the accidental death of a missionary, Inuk must use all his skills to keep one step ahead of the two Mounties (Peter O'Toole and Carlo Giustini) determined to bring the killer to justice.

With award-winning colour 'Scope photography by Aldo Tonti (Fellini's Nights of Cabiria, Rossellini's India), The Savage Innocents is one of Ray's most shocking explorations of custom and honour. Adapted by Ray, Franco Solinas (The Battle of Algiers) and Hans Ruesch (author of the controversial 1979 anti-vivisection tract, Slaughter of the Innocents) from Ruesch's best selling novel, Top of the World, and featuring a score by the Italian composer Angelo Francesco Lavagnino (Chimes at Midnight) the film remains as fresh and exotic as the year in which it was released. The Masters of Cinema Series is proud to present The Savage Innocents for the first time on home video in the UK.

SPECIAL FEATURES

• New high definition, progressive, anamorphic transfer
• Full-length audio commentary by critics David Ehrenstein and Bill Krohn
• Promotional material gallery
• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• 24-page booklet replete with copious original promotional materials

[Narshty]

Oh, what a treat! This film is one wild ride.

[Anonymous]

From the official site:

Nicholas Ray's epic 1959 film about Eskimo life was unfairly victimized on release, censored at the UK cinema, and neglected by both TV and home video for decades. The Savage Innocents continued Ray's fascination with alternative lifestyles — examining the life of Eskimos and their remoteness from "civilzised" values. It represents Ray's first and most ambitious attempt to break free from Hollywood and forge his own route.

Anthony Quinn (La Strada, Zorba the Greek) stars as Inuk, an Eskimo whose daily routine is a constant struggle to survive in one of the most hostile and hauntingly beautiful of climates. As Inuk's family grows in number (and mouths to feed) a new society of white trappers with new weaponry begin to encroach Inuit land, making it harder for Inuk to live. When the clash of cultures results in the accidental death of a missionary, Inuk must use all his skills to keep one step ahead of the two Mounties (Peter O'Toole and Carlo Giustini) determined to bring the killer to justice.

With award-winning colour 'Scope photography by Aldo Tonti (Fellini's Nights of Cabiria, Rossellini's India), The Savage Innocents is one of Ray's most shocking explorations of custom and honour. Adapted by Ray, Franco Solinas (The Battle of Algiers) and Hans Ruesch (author of the controversial 1979 anti-vivisection tract, Slaughter of the Innocents) from Ruesch's best selling novel, Top of the World, and featuring a score by the Italian composer Angelo Francesco Lavagnino (Chimes at Midnight) the film remains as fresh and exotic as the year in which it was released. The Masters of Cinema Series is proud to present The Savage Innocents for the first time on home video in the UK.

[Gordon]

From whom did Eureka gain the rights to this film? For years I have wondered who owned the rights. I am a huge Ray fan, but have never had the pleasure of seeing this one. In addition to being a Ray admirer, I am fascinated with Native American/Eskimo cultures, so this will be a real treat.

The film was shot in Technirama (horizontal, 8-perforation, 1.5x anamorphic 35mm) and was originall released in 70mm as well as 4-perf 35mm. Which element was used for the transfer?

Peter O'Toole goes uncredited, as his lines were dubbed in post. It would have been great if his voice could have been restored to the soundtrack, but those tracks are probably long gone.

Have MoC tried licensing Bigger Than Life from Fox?

[antnield]

Have MoC tried licensing Bigger Than Life from Fox?

It's forthcoming from the BFI.

[Gordon]

Have MoC tried licensing Bigger Than Life from Fox?

It's forthcoming from the BFI.

Really? How did I miss this announcement?!

[peerpee]

David Ehrenstein and Bill Krohn recorded the commentary for THE SAVAGE INNOCENTS in LA last week. The website has been updated.

[kinjitsu]

David Ehrenstein and Bill Krohn recorded the commentary for THE SAVAGE INNOCENTS in LA last week. The website has been updated.

Now that should be an interesting commentary. I remember this film as being quite exciting and look forward to seeing it again after so many years, although I don't recall that O'Toole's voice was dubbed.

[peerpee]

The MoC edition will be completely uncut, for the first time in the West.

It has ten extra minutes of footage (Anthony Quinn gets beaten up in a tent!) absent even from the Spanish SUEVIA Films DVD edition of the film (which was previously considered to be "uncut").

[Gordon]

That's great, Nick! Does this mean that the original camera negative was used for the transfer? The film was shot in Technirama, like Spartacus. Were the elements in good shape? From whom were the rights to the film acquired?

Cheers.

[Keaton]

Is this one still coming in jan.?

[peerpee]

That's the plan, yes. This and ASSASSINATION on Jan 23rd.

[peerpee]

Disc and sleeve completed just before Xmas. Booklet completed on New Year's Day. On target for release 23 January, 2006 (with ASSASSINATION).

[htdm]

When do you sleep?

[Gordon]

DVD Beaver Review

Gorgeous! Although Gary notes a few instances of moire, but as ever with MoC, this looks like a winner and I am greatly looking forward to seeing this film again and this time with it's original Technirama compositions and 15 minutes not present in the version I must have seen as wide-eyed schoolboy back in 1988 on TV. Back then, I didn't know Peter O'Toole from Pete Townshend, so it will be interesting to see how the dubbing of the Irish legend strike me now.

May I take this opportunity to bring to your attention, Phil Kaufman's 1974 Inuit film, The White Dawn adapted from James Houston's novel by Martin Ransohoff and Thomas Rickman and is a greatly overlooked and underappreciated film shot on location within the Arctic Circle, "1,600 miles straight north from Montreal" as Kaufman states in his DVD introduction with real Inuits and a real Warren Oates. It is, in many ways a unique and authentic landmark in American Cinema up to that time (the Inuit speak in their own tongue and are subtitled) and it is a superb companion piece to The Savage Innocents. The DVD recieved scant reviews at the time of its release, but it is a superb package: Kaufman intro and full-length commentary; retrospective featurette and a fascinating piece on Inuit life by the famous anthropologist and Berkeley Professor, Nelson Graburn.

DVD Savant Review

It's great to have these two Inuit films in my collection at last.

[Lino]

DVDTimes review

[Cinéslob]

Is the moir'eeing that occurs in this release due to poor source elements, à la Scandal?

[peerpee]

There was no moiré in SCANDAL because it was desaturated before it was encoded.

I haven't seen any examples of moiré in THE SAVAGE INNOCENTS. Moiré is the unsightly colour rainbow that can occasional be produced from black and white patterns such as herringbone, and is often associated with black and white films.

[Cinéslob]

There was no moiré in SCANDAL because it was desaturated before it was encoded.

Sorry, addled phrasing on my part; I was referring to how Shochiku left you in the lurch with their crumby 1080i transfer of Scandal.

I haven't seen any examples of moiré in THE SAVAGE INNOCENTS. Moiré is the unsightly colour rainbow that can occasional be produced from black and white patterns such as herringbone, and is often associated with black and white films.

Ah, goodo - another MoC title to add to the shopping list.

[Matango]

I wonder if royalties are due to Bob Dylan because Ehrenstein and Krohn break into a few bars of The Mighty Quinn at the end of their commentary?

[Matango]

I was quite disappointed with the commentary. Too much obvious narration of events. There was enthusiasm but they took quite a few digs at the movie, with Krohn even checking himself at one point, saying "we kid because we love" or something similar. Krohn needs to do his homework on Britain, too. He says the missionary has a Scottish accent so must be a Presbytarian, when the accent is clearly Italian; and he refers to Britain as The Emerald Isles. And David Ehrenstein (continually giggling at his own comments) says that Christopher Plummer is British (he's Canadian of course). Minor points, I know, but these and others started adding up pretty fast. Some more background on the character actors would have been nice too. (Andy Ho, Yvonne Shima and Anthony Chin (uncredited) all showed up the next year playing very different roles in The World of Suzie Wong, for example)

[Gordon]

Wind Across the Everglades was independently produced by Schulberg Productions (the film's screenwriter Budd Schulberg and producer Stuart Schulberg) but there was a falling out and Ray was fired before principle photography was complete and Budd Schulberg finsihed the film and junked a lot of Ray's material. Schulberg Productions didn't produce any other films. Was there ever a VHS? Warner distributed it in 1958 and they might hold the negatives, etc. Like The Savage Innocents, another almost-lost Ray film that needs resurrecting.

I am actually quite surprised that Sony released Bitter Victory. I, too feel that it is superior to The Savage Innocents, but I don't have the DVD.

It is likely that Warner will release On Dangerous Ground this year as part of their third Noir box, which is a triple-boon: one of Ray's best; one of Robert Ryan's best performances, and one of the best and most unusual Noirs. It may actually be an anti-Noir film, as the shift in location, mood and the outlook/behaviour of the main character goes against the conventions of the genre. Seeing The Wild Bunch again recently, it is amazing how much Ryan could convey with just the slightest eye movements and shifts in body language - damn, he was good.

[viciousliar]

I love him best in Act of Violence, where Mary Astor also gets a stellar chance to shine in a secondary part, and she makes the most of every second of her screen time. It's also supposedly coming up in one of WB's future noir boxes, and deservedly so - it remains an "undiscovered" gem - the ending is wonderfully uncompromising. I've seen this movie on TCM, and the source elements are in pristine condition, meaning it will transfer exceptionally well to the DVD format, as a well-preserved noir always will, if given a meticulous transfer, as I'm sure it will.

[Matango]

Macao is an old favourite of mine, too, although I suppose it would have to be as the place is only an hour from here by boat. I first saw it on an odd rental VHS double-bill with The Bounty Killer with Dan Duryea. When it came out on its own on VHS it was one of the few tapes I ever saw that had special features...intro, making of, etc. Would make a great MoC DVD.

[Gordon]

I have yet to see Macao. The Éditions Montparnasse transfer looks weak. Warner might release it at some point, but I'd much rather see Sternberg's Paramount silent films on disc before that.