For those who may be interested, I’ve dug up some more information on that DVD of Trapped by the Mormons that I mentioned last night. It looks like it’s been assembled by a small indie label (not unusual in the world of silent film, which is obviously a niche market that the big boys wouldn’t profit from) using 16mm source elements (there’s no known surviving 35mm print of this title). Blaine Gale recorded the score at the recently restored Peery’s Egyptian Theater in Ogden, Utah, rather than The Organ Loft, but the DVD includes a Thomas Edison short with a score by Blaine that was recorded at The Loft.
You can order this DVD here, if you’re so inclined. Click through to view a list of the specs and extras…
- An all-new original score by Blaine Gale
- Recorded in 4.0 surround sound on the Peery’s Egyptian Theater Wurlitzer
- Thomas Edison’s 1905 film “A Trip to Salt Lake” with a score recorded at The Organ Loft
- Feature-length commentary by film historian James D’Arc (curator of the motion picture archives in the Harold B. Lee Library Special Collections at BYU)
- A documentary featuring Chris Hicks (film critic for the Deseret Morning News) and Sean Means (film critic for the Salt Lake Tribune)
- The complete text of the novel “The Love Story of a Mormon” by Winifred Graham (on which the movie was based)
Looks like a nice set for an obscure film with a lot of local interest. Hopefully it’s a professional-looking job and not some amateur “I made it on my Mac!” affair…
I am one of the people that worked on the “Trapped by the Mormons” DVD Along with my Father and Uncle and Blaine Gale. I am here to tell you that you are right it was “Made on a MAC!” but it is a digital transfer from the best possible source available. And yes it may not be as “Beautiful” as some Major Studio releases there was great care taken in making this DVD as Professional as possible. It took a lot of Work using a lot of Programs (not the basic MAC Programs like i-Movie, and i-DVD) Like Final Cut Pro, DVD studio Pro, and Even Apple’s Shake to take the “Shake” out of the film! We care about film that is why we are in business we grew up on it.
So yes it may not be all the way polished as a Big Studio that has all kinds of means to do a project like this but it is not done as a half hearted effort like some of these run of the mill companies!
So watch it enjoy it, remember we do this not to defame the Church but to educate people on some of the history of what We as LDS people have to put up with on a day to day basis but it is still fun to watch.
Brandyn, it appears that I’ve offended you with my remarks. I apologize. I never meant to suggest that your efforts on this project weren’t sincere or of good quality, although I now see how my words — written quickly in between assignments at work and without much editing — could’ve been misconstrued. All I meant was that I hoped this DVD would be nicer-looking than so many of the obscure public-domain movies you find out there on cheap “bargain-bin” discs. From what you describe of your efforts, it sounds like this is not the case (that your DVD looks like one of those bargain-bin jobs), and I was incorrect — not to mention impolite — to imply that it was without seeing the DVD first.
For the record, I am very much looking forward to seeing this DVD. I’m glad that someone cared enough about this film to make the effort to bring it to DVD, and that the people who did are Salt Lake natives associated with a local institution that I love, namely The Organ Loft.
BTW: There’s a fantastic 2005 remake of Trapped that’s made the art-house and film fest circuit and is poised to become a bigger cult classic than the original. Check it out on imdb or at http://www.trappedbythemormons.com