Hitchcock find - any chances for Who?

[chrissouth]

News just in. About half of a Hitchcock film The White Shadow has just been found in New Zealand in a cache of prints held by the NZ Archive. You can read about it here:

www.inquisitr.com/132191/alfred-hitchcock-lost-movie-the-white-shadow/

Now, it would be incredible to suggest a Who print is floating around in this cache, so I won't even bother.

What this does highlight though is that even a large, reputable archive may be holding on to unclassified, rare material for any number of reasons. This amazing find throws into doubt the continual claims that many state archives (including NZ and Australia) have their holdings completely catalogued. I immediately read the article and thought longingly whether any Who may be languishing in a similar state, and that we really shouldn't give up hope.

After all, Metropolis last year, a rare Hitchcock this year, all extremely unlikely finds. Why not some Who?

[Rob Moss]

It's not impossible, but given the massive number of film prints ever made, and the relatively tiny number of now missing Dr Who film prints ever made that aren't accounted for, we really are talking microscopically small chances here.

[Rob Hutchinson]

Aug 4, 2011 12:23:11 GMT Rob Moss said:

It's not impossible, but given the massive number of film prints ever made, and the relatively tiny number of now missing Dr Who film prints ever made that aren't accounted for, we really are talking microscopically small chances here.

yes and when you take into account that only 10-15%* of all the silent films made are estimated to have survived it seems that one or two of those missing are much more likely than DW to turn up from time to time. Never mind though I always say anything rediscovered is a cause for celebration... so here's to the new/old Hitchcock

*source: www.silentera.com/lost/index.html

[JeffL]

Not to throw water on this but this amazing find was one of several movies from the 1920's that were found in New Zealand in a late projectionist's personal collection.

[Deleted]

Aug 13, 2011 0:55:06 GMT JeffL said:

Not to throw water on this but this amazing find was one of several movies from the 1920's that were found in New Zealand in a late projectionist's personal collection.

In the coming years I think we will see many more things come out of the woodwork as people pass on, and there collections are sold etc.