Producer Josh on The Gala Show
Added 2024-11-11 18:08:50 +0000 UTCProducer Josh is today's guest on The Gala Show! You can find this cross over episode, where he discusses his theories on modern jewish filmmaking, on Spotify, Apple, or wherever you get your podcasts.
PS: If you like virtual card games (and building doomsday devices), check out Josh's new game Doomsday in the App Store.
Comments
Marc: Thank you for your clarification. The history of these companies can be very confusing - at least to me!
Joseph T. Porter
2024-11-13 06:21:31 +0000 UTCYou summed up the situation pretty well, but you've gotten a crucial detail mixed up. Palomar Pictures *started* as a division of ABC, created by producer Edgar J. Scherick, to make theatrical films; the now-defunct Cinerama Releasing put out those ABC projects. Around 1972, Scherick wanted to break away from the network so that he could put movies through bigger studios, so he got Bristol-Myers-Squibb to be his financial backer. and started farming movies out to 20th and Columbia; ABC would still get the TV premiere rights. As such, Disney only owns the Palomar productions that were made before they broke with ABC, while BMS owns the movies they invested in, which besides HEARTBREAK KID, include the original THE STEPFORD WIVES and SLEUTH, LAW AND DISORDER, and WHATEVER BECAME OF JACK AND JILL. At one time, Paramount was considering buying the library because they had produced the remake of STEPFORD WIVES and they'd just bought the first batch of DreamWorks films which included their remake of HEARTBREAK KID, but that deal fell through. There have been several offers for BMS' film assets, but they have repeatedly turned them down, reportedly either because they wanted too much for the library, or general disinterest, i.e. they're so rich they don't need the money and having to account for all the elements would be a pain in the ass.
Marc Heuck
2024-11-13 04:07:57 +0000 UTCJR: You are most welcome. Thanks to your friend for restoring the film. I’m hoping that you and he could perhaps persuade Bristol Myers-Squibb, since they are not in the movie business, to sell the film to Disney, assuming, of course, that they would want it. I do have doubts about that. You’re right about the film’s darker implications. It’s what gives the film its depth, so much better than the 2007 remake-in-name only.
Joseph T. Porter
2024-11-12 22:30:01 +0000 UTCI thought it was incredible, and so much darker in its implications than the straightforward comedy farce of the screenplay. The screening I saw came from a 16mm print restored by a historian, and presented with Bristol Myers-Squibb's permission. Thank you for listening! - JR
Josh Richmond
2024-11-12 21:03:52 +0000 UTCI very much enjoyed this episode with Josh Richmond. I was especially pleased with the discussion of The Heartbreak Kid (1972). I would like to take this opportunity to discuss and share some aspects of this film. It certainly fits the topic of Modern Jewish Filmmaking. But it didn’t start out that way, in spite of its origins from short story writer Bruce Jay Friedman and screenwriter Neil Simon. In a 1979 Playboy interview, Simon mentioned that the central concept in his screenplay was a guy who marries an attractive woman, then abandons her for another attractive woman, the idea being he would never be happy with anyone. He mentioned that a young and very pretty Diane Keaton gave a great audition for the role of Lila. He also said that the parts of Lenny and Lila were not intended to be Jewish. The wedding sequence at the beginning simply said ‘a wedding’ with no intention of it being a Jewish wedding. That was added by director Elaine May. In Elaine May’s hands the film’s theme became a story of a Jewish man assimilating into WASP society. The part of Lila was wonderfully played by May’s daughter, Jeannie Berlin. Ms. Gala mentions that this film is hard to find. There are reasons for this and, no surprise, the reasons are labyrinthian. In 1972, the film was distributed by 20th Century Fox but was produced by Palomar Pictures International. According to a recent article in the Guardian, the film rights are currently owned by Bristol Myers Squibb, a pharmaceutical company. At present, they have no plans to do anything with the film. The Heartbreak Kid was released on VHS, first on Media Home Entertainment, later on Goodtimes Video at slow speed. At the dawn of the DVD era it was released on the Anchor Bay label. It was one of the first DVDs I purchased. It’s a fair quality print in full frame. I believe they later released a widescreen version. Either way, it’s long out of print. The irony to all of this is that Palomar Pictures was acquired by the American Broadcasting Company (ABC), now owned by the Walt Disney Company and they now own 20th Century Fox. The rights should be fairly easy to get straightened out. According to the Guardian article, an advocacy group called Missing Movies has as its mission to ‘locate lost materials, clear rights and advocate for policies and laws to make the full range of our cinema history available to all.’ The Heartbreak Kid is on their list of missing movies. This is a film that needs to be brought back. Make no mistake, this is one of the great films of the 1970s.
Joseph T. Porter
2024-11-12 18:15:14 +0000 UTCGo Producer Josh!
Gerardo Preciado
2024-11-12 15:14:46 +0000 UTCThat's me! Lotta fun to chat movies at length and have a meeting of the producer minds...thanks Gala for having me, and I love this crew that's already forming on the Patreon, it's exciting to have you with us for S2! -JR
Josh Richmond
2024-11-11 18:48:25 +0000 UTC
