Geoffers

I'm a fan of the film Some People (1962) made in my home city of Bristol and starring Kenneth More, Angela Douglas, Ray Brooks, David Hemmings and Anneke Wills. This film is often fondly referenced in the local evening paper and the most common complaint is its unavailability.

It's very rarely on TV - I think the BBC screened it one afternoon in around 1990, and it has never been on video or DVD.

If it's unlikely to get a DVD release via the current owner, I would like to try and licence it myself and make it commercially available. It might not be a big-seller outside of the Bristol area although I think it would make its costs back, but in any case profit is not a motive in this case. In fact, I'd donate any profit to a local charity. I'd go for some extras, maybe interviews with the surviving actors and director, and a here and now look at the locations.

I ran a soundtrack label for a few years, so have some experience of licensing and distribution etc. However, film is a different matter and the most important thing I need to know is who to approach in the first instance.

Some People was made by Vic Films, who also made A Kind of Loving, Billy Liar and Poor Cow etc., but they seem to have disappeared. So, my question is, how can I find out who is the current owner of Some People? It seems possible it might be Canal + - I know they have an office at Pinewood - is there an email address for them?

Fellwanderer

The best I can come up with is this link: Canal + Image UK Ltd (FOCAL) - Iver, Buckinghamshire, UK

Snail mail address is:

Canal Plus Image UK Ltd
Pinewood Studios
Iver
Buckinghamshire SL0 0NH

FELL

All the best
FELL

A signature is no substitute for a life

JamesM

That part of the company handles the archives but they might be able to confirm the ownership of the film.

The people you need to speak to are Studio Canal in France.

Good luck with your efforts. There was a poster on here who for a while was keeping us updated with attempts to release Dance Hall and other Petula Clark films. He said he had reached an agreement to license Dance Hall, which is owned by Studio Canal, but I have not heard from them since.

Darling

Don't know if you saw the above thread and if it helps, but just in case...I came across this U.S. website a while ago. They produce copies of the films listed from videotape masters in their archive, including Some People. The disclaimer on the website reads (noting their assertion regarding public domain):

"The VIDEO BEAT! presents: hard to find 1950s & 1960s rock n roll, hippie, hot rod, bad girl, beatnik, JD, teen and cult movies and tv shows on VHS & DVD. All titles are NTSC and for home use only. All titles are offered on a 'collector-to-collector' basis with no rights given or implied and have been researched and found to be in the public domain. DVD is here! Our DVDs are recorded on top quality Taiyo Yuden DVD-R media and packaged in M-Lock DVD cases."

Geoffers

Many thanks to all. I will try Canal both here and in France and will post any news I get.

AndrewLA

One possible complication, SOME PEOPLE was made in unusual circumstances -- it was designed to raise funds for a couple of charities, The Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme and the National Playing Fields Association. The Duke's organization is a big part of the story. Do they still exist? If so, they might retain some kind of ownership or participation, which would require all kinds of legal clearances for a DVD release, probably more than anyone is inclined to do today for a charming but somewhat forgotten movie. Still, you could try contacting them. If they don't exist any more, things might be even more complicated.

I always remember the girl soaking in the bathtub (Annika Wills?) wearing her jeans, shrinking them to a tight fit...

Steve Crook

Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme
National Playing Fields Association

Steve

Geoffers

Yes, she turned up as an assistant in Doctor Who a few years later and then in The Strange Report with Anthony Quayle. I hadn't realised she was already married to Michael Gough by then, with two young children. She declined to make a second series of Strange Report and retired from acting, still in her twenties. Now living in Devon and making occasional Doctor Who convention appearances. I saw her recently, a little less slim, perhaps, but with the same attractive smile and voice.

Moviefan

As distribution for Some People was handled by Anglo-Amalgamated I'd assume too that Studio Canal hold the rights. I contacted a guy at Pinewood some years ago re getting a copy of an old British Lion film, his name was John Heron I think. It's certainly a film I'd like to see again !

glyn horton

Studio Canal probably do hold it. About ten years ago Weintraub Entertainment produced their 'Best of British' compilation series for video (later shown on daytime BBC) using excerpts from a lot of the films they owned and a clip from 'Some People' appeared in one. The Weintraub collection later went to Lumiere and is now owned by Studio Canal.

penfold

I took the plunge and imported the dodgy DVD - the quality is OK, more ntsc videotape than dvd - but the film is priceless from a Bristol local history point-of-view..the opening shots of the lads working in the timber yards where my first flat would be built, then catching the Mardyke Ferry (Or old man with wooden boat if you prefer)...I could have done with a lot more of that.. shots of Redland/Clifton for the More household (no change) fifties housing estates - Southmead possibly - looking very bleak - great shots inside Filton...some jet prototype being tested - thousands of pounds-worth of British cafe-racers parked out on the Portway...
The film itself is a typical Rock'n'Roll bit of rubbish of course, Ray Brooks and David Hemmings are very good, the rest of the kids a bit wooden; Ken More looking paternally on. You probably know about the frisson that went round Bristol when it was realised that Ken had got particularly close to young Angela Douglas..the future Mrs More...during filming. Ken's pipe-and-cardy ensemble makes the age gap look even bigger than it actually was....the highlight is certainly Anneke Wills in the bath with her jeans on; but Ken's expression does seem to suggest something other than fatherly bemusement, and that Angela may not have been first choice right then. You'd have to see it to see what I mean, though it may be only me projecting the effect Anneke had on me at that point....
Good luck in licensing it; failing that you could try and organise a screening perhaps??

Bit of a Bay Window, what??

A Pemberton

Dont worry Penfold, you are not the only one who noticed that .

I have loaned my copy to people whos memory is rekindled and still remember and mention Kenneth and Angela Douglas goings on, some of them appeared in the youth club scene in the North Bristol youth club where David and Ray get thrown out, which they tell me was Lockleaze youth club.The youth club where the group practice is Filton Parish Church opposite to the then BAC factory works.

penfold

I really got it for a colleague of mine...she was at the rollerskating rink...North Bristol Baths was it??

Bit of a Bay Window, what??

Geoffers

Thanks, I have tried to interest the Watershed in Bristol in a screening. It's the sort of thing they could manage very well. No reply as yet. I've also asked for advice re licensing opportunities.

The housing estates was more likely to be Lockleaze than Southmead, I think. I couldn't quite pin down the location of More's house. It looked like Pembroke Road in Clifton to me, but my tape copy is very faded!!

Incredible to think that Anneke was married to Michael Gough at the time and was already pregnant with her first child by the time Some People premiered.

penfold

That last bit is news to me...I thought Mr Gough came a bit later, ....er, should I rephrase that???
It does look a bit like Pembroke Road...as that's practically where I live, I'll let you know tomorrow.. It certainly does have that painted number on the pillars thing...can you make the number out?? My colleague now has the DVD.

Have you tried the Arnolfini?? Their cinema is now up and running again. The first problem though is locating a print; and it won't necessarily be with whoever owns the rights... there doesn't appear to be one at the NFTVA, at least according to the British Cinema Source Book. I'd suggest locating a print before contacting a venue...the more work you do for them, the more likely they will do the rest.
Good luck...

Bit of a Bay Window, what??