The Bootleg Files: Doom of Dracula

Posted on August 6, 2021 by Phil Hall

BOOTLEG FILES 775: “Doom of Dracula” (8mm reissue of sections from the 1944 “House of Frankenstein”).

LAST SEEN: On YouTube.

AMERICAN HOME VIDEO: None.

REASON FOR BOOTLEG STATUS: No perceived commercial value.

CHANCES OF SEEING A COMMERCIAL DVD RELEASE: Not likely.

In the years before video cassette recorders invaded living rooms in the late 1970s and early 1980s, movie lovers who wanted to own copies of their favorite films relied on portable projectors that screened the 35mm or 70mm Hollywood theatrical fare in the much smaller 16mm, 9.5mm, 8mm and Super 8 formats.
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The Bootleg Files: Frank Sinatra Hosts ‘The Tonight Show’

Posted on July 23, 2021 by Phil Hall

BOOTLEG FILES 774: “Frank Sinatra Hosts ‘The Tonight Show’” (1977 episode with Sinatra filling in for Johnny Carson).

LAST SEEN: On YouTube.

AMERICAN HOME VIDEO: None.

REASON FOR BOOTLEG STATUS: There might be a problem with music clearance rights.

CHANCES OF SEEING A COMMERCIAL DVD RELEASE: I wish it would be released.

Frank Sinatra did not give many interviews – he certainly didn’t need the publicity, nor did he welcome questions about his personal life that he considered to be intrusive. But there was one time in Sinatra’s life when he had the opportunity to be the one asking the questions – and, believe it or not, he was very good at it.
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The Bootleg Files: Springtime for Clobber

Posted on July 9, 2021 by Phil Hall

BOOTLEG FILES 773: “Springtime for Clobber” (1957 animated short by the notorious Gene Deitch).

LAST SEEN: On YouTube.

AMERICAN HOME VIDEO: None.

REASON FOR BOOTLEG STATUS: It fell deep into the proverbial cracks.

CHANCES OF SEEING A COMMERCIAL DVD RELEASE: None, thank goodness.

Most film buffs may recall animator Gene Deitch as the inheritor of the Popeye and Tom and Jerry cartoon franchises – as well as being the man responsible for the worst additions to those respective, long-running series. He also created the egregious 1966 animated feature “Alice of Wonderland in Paris,” which I included in my book “The Greatest Bad Movies of All Time.”
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The Bootleg Files: The First Martin and Lewis Reunion

Posted on July 2, 2021 by Phil Hall

BOOTLEG FILES 772: “The First Martin and Lewis Reunion” (1958 segment from Eddie Fisher’s television show).

LAST SEEN: On YouTube.

AMERICAN HOME VIDEO: Uncertain if this was ever part of a documentary.

REASON FOR BOOTLEG STATUS: No one bothered to clear the rights.

CHANCES OF SEEING A COMMERCIAL DVD RELEASE: We’ll discuss this below.

One of the most dramatic moments on 1970s television occurred during the 1976 broadcast of Jerry Lewis’ Labor Day weekend telethon on behalf of the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Frank Sinatra was on stage with Lewis making a donation to the fundraiser and then he announced that he had a friend offstage that he wanted to have join him. The friend was Dean Martin and viewers were watching what they thought was the first reunion between the former comedy team partners in 20 years.
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The Bootleg Files: WALTER

Posted on June 25, 2021 by Phil Hall

BOOTLEG FILES 771: “W*A*L*T*E*R*” (1984 television pilot).

LAST SEEN: On YouTube.

AMERICAN HOME VIDEO: None.

REASON FOR BOOTLEG STATUS: No perceived commercial reissue value.

CHANCES OF SEEING A COMMERCIAL DVD RELEASE: Unlikely.

In 1979, Gary Burghoff decided it was time to step away from his Emmy Award-winning role as Corporal Radar O’Reilly on the long-running television series “M*A*S*H*.” Burghoff was the only actor in the 1970 film version “MASH” to transition to the television series, and after a decade he became tired of playing the character after seven seasons.
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The Bootleg Files: SuperMark vs. Batmark!

Posted on June 18, 2021 by Phil Hall

BOOTLEG FILES 770: “Supermark vs. Batmark!” (2021 one-man parody of superhero flicks).

LAST SEEN: On YouTube.

AMERICAN HOME VIDEO: None.

REASON FOR BOOTLEG STATUS: An obvious parody of trademarked properties.

CHANCES OF SEEING A COMMERCIAL DVD RELEASE: Unlikely.

On New Year’s Eve 2018, Connecticut real estate broker Mark Pires was sitting alone in his office was reviewing his sales efforts for the year that was coming to a close.
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The Bootleg Files: The Calgon ‘Ancient Chinese Secret’ Commercial

Posted on June 11, 2021 by Phil Hall

BOOTLEG FILES 769: “Calgon ‘Ancient Chinese Secret’ Commercial” (1970s commercial that made an extraordinary impression).

LAST SEEN: On YouTube.

AMERICAN HOME VIDEO: None.

REASON FOR BOOTLEG STATUS: No commercial reissue value.

CHANCES OF SEEING A COMMERCIAL DVD RELEASE: Maybe in an anthology of vintage commercials, but that’s unlikely.

During the 1970s, Asian Americans received minimal screen time on television. The series “Hawaii Five-O.” “Kung Fu” and M*A*S*H* kept its Asian American actors in supporting roles while giving the leads to White actors, while comic actors Pat Morita and Jack Soo were also stuck in supporting parts in “Happy Days” and “Barney Miller,” respectively. (Morita scored the lead in a sitcom called “Mr. T and Tina,” but that effort was so atrocious that it was canceled after five episodes.) There was an animated Hanna-Barbera series “The Amazing Chan and the Chan Clan” based on the Charlie Chan mysteries, but a mix of White and Asian American actors did the voice performances (including a young Jodie Foster).
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