The Ghost of Sierra de Cobre a.k.a. The Haunted

[Greg H]

Sounds awesome! Landau is great! Sadly I dont know if it exists, its a bit hit and miss from this era...................

[Daniel O'Brien]

Martin Landau supposedly has a print of 'Ghost', or did at some point. I don't know how accurate this information is, but the late Jason Robards owned a videotape of 'Noon Wine', which proved to be the only surviving copy (the original mastertape was wiped for reuse, a sadly familiar story). Even supporting actors could order 16mm prints of TV shows they appeared in for private screenings (and maybe as an early form of showreel). Strother Martin gave a striking early performance in an episode of 'Gunsmoke' ('Cooter') and asked for his own print.

[filmnoir2007]

I have that episode of Gunsmoke but sure wish I had some leads for this.

[Daniel O'Brien]

filmnoir2007 said:

I have that episode of Gunsmoke but sure wish I had some leads for this.

This is a long shot, but is there any way of contacting Landau via his agent? He might confirm whether or not he has a print, or if this claim is just internet rumour.

[ericgrayson]

OK, first time poster here, but some new info:

I am a film collector/historian and I researched this show a little several years ago. Joe Stefano said it was the best thing he ever did.

This show is NOT lost, although you might now know it. It was shot as a pilot for a prospective series and did not sell. Stefano also did a pilot for "The Unknown," which was a different version of the Outer Limits episode "The Forms of Things Unknown." It didn't sell either.

In 1997 (or so) an original 16mm print went up on eBay. It was in the original Villa Di Stefano cans. It was purchased by a reclusive collector in LA for a large sum. He will not allow it to be shown. This is not a rumor. I know the gentleman's name, but for niceness sake, I would rather not post it in a public forum.

Stefano said that there was a longer feature version of this cut for European release, but he recalled not liking it and didn't see it after the original cut (forgive me, this is from long-ago memory). He thought it probably was around somewhere, but the lost pilot was what he wanted to see again.

Apparently, Martin Landau does NOT have a print (at least he didn't some years back). Ironically, Vera Miles DID have a print of The Forms of Things Unknown and this is apparently the print that has been bootlegged to video.

I am looking for more information about this show, so if anyone has more details, please let me know.

I have some pending new information about the show's status, concerning a second print, but it is definitely in the rumor stage at the moment, so I will wait to post until I can get it confirmed.

By the say, l am for real as well. Feel free to Google my name with "film" and see for yourself.

Eric Grayson

[gileshill]

What's wrong with the UCLA copy?

cinema.library.ucla.edu/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?v1=1&ti=1,1&SEQ=20100614180543&Search%5FArg=haunted%20stefano&SL=None&Search%5FCode=GKEY%5E&CNT=50&PID=vRauyvkofRc9cnDenWXv5sJERzzw&SID=2

It has the alternative HAUNTED title but is listed as being the pilot and doesn't run over 60 min, so unlikely to be a feature length reedit even for a B picture. A VHS viewing copy is available for researchers and interested parties similar to the BFI arrangement. The people who went there to watch THE AVENGERS: GIRL ON A TRAPEZE when that was found can explain more if they are still posting here.

[ericgrayson]

Tis cool, did not know this existed at UCLA. It didn't as of a few years ago. That's 3 separate prints I'm now aware of. Seems there was a brief run of these in the 60s. Stefano had been to UCLA (within walking distance from his house, he said), and searched then, and he hadn't seen it.

Eric

[gileshill]

Hi Eric

Glad to learn it's not some duff reedit because it's always a shame when something is only accessible in compromised form like half of Orson Welles' movies. I would presume the title varied due to conflicting projects appearing at the same time as this particular print was made?

The UCLA database I think received an upgrade only a very few years back which is when online searchers started to stumble across missing material, like Big Dave on this forum finding 1 and a third lost Avengers. If Stefano was searching before that time then it's probably not surprising he couldn't find it, especially with the variant title. I'm guessing you'll be in touch with UCLA so maybe you could give them a prod to add the Sierra Cobre title to the record. It would be awful to think the lack of this was the only reason Stefano missed out on seeing it before he died.

The UCLA record mentions United Artists funding the same as Outer Limits so perhaps somewhere in the current MGM vaults is a 35mm original with the wrong title?

[ericgrayson]

I can now safely report that I found the third print of The Haunted and that it is now in my possession. I don't know if I can post stills or not here... I'm a newbie on this board.
My understanding is that it was funded by CBS, not ABC (despite what I thought earlier), separately from Outer Limits, although that doesn't mean it isn't in the vault. The copyright is also with Villa Di Stefano productions, which means that UA might not even own it, even if they have the negative in their vaults. I believe that Mrs. Stefano is still living, and I will give her a call to see if she'd like a copy of this. It is my understanding that she owns the rights to the show, and I figure that she'd like to see it!

[ericgrayson]

OK, guys, I still get private messages about this one all the time. Good news! (I don't get on here often, as you see). Kino-Lorber has picked up The Haunted/Ghost of Sierra de Cobre as a double feature disc. My print of The Haunted is the one on the disc and I provide the commentary for it.

I've been working with people for years to get this out legally and it's been a real challenge. The story is that film collectors are hoarders and won't let people see stuff. The actual fact is a little different: sometimes rights problems hold things up for years, and there's nothing you can do about it.

I thank the people at Kino for pushing this through. I'm sure it was difficult.