Classic movie site with rare images, original ads, and behind-the-scenes photos, with informative and insightful commentary. We like to have fun with movies!
Archive and Links
grbrpix@aol.com
Search Index Here




Monday, September 28, 2015

Too Fragile For AIP?


Night Tide (1963) A Sleeper Finally Awake on Blu-Ray

A fascinating little art movie that nibbled around edges of American-International's exploitation schedule in 1963, Night Tide was among "Filmgroup" product overseen by Roger Corman, the indie outfit his thumb-of-nose at Jim and Sam's dominance of the cheap-thrill market. Spring 1963 promised a Filmgroup slate to include Battle Beyond The Sun, Dementia 13, and The Terror, each of horror/sci-fi backdrop, or at least to be sold that way by distributing AIP, a strong arm Corman needed for efficient delivery of output to theatres (Nicholson/Arkoff by '63 had exchanges in most keys with strategically placed sales staff headed by Milton Moritz). Presence throughout the marketplace put pressure on AIP to keep pipelines full, but there was only so much Jim/Sam could produce in-house, thus deals with Corman and other lone wolves to supply product for distribution.


Corman was known for an open mind toward challenging content. He'd begun with flesh-and-spurs or bug-eye monsters, but stayed hopeful that he'd rise to acclaim of Euro arties making inroad by the early 60's. Night Tide, written and directed by Curtis Harrington, had dreamy vibe of imports, and but for English dialogue spoke, could almost go out as foreign. Trouble was claw-hammer selling that would lump it with genre co-features and mislead customers who paid for spacemen, goose-bumps, or both. Season hope was hung on The Raven, another Poe adapt that came in like a lion for early '63 dates, prompting Nicholson pledge to "father the orphan season" of February through May with four releases that would include Night Tide. This announcement came 2/4, Night Tide ashore but weeks later in Detroit as second feature to Battle Beyond The Sun, a cut-rate ride to orbit. "$7,000 or near" was adjudged "fair" (Variety) for a single frame the combo lasted at the Adams Theatre, though following week adjustment brought the figure down to $6,000. An oldie pair that followed, The Rack and Africa Ablaze (formerly Something Of Value), did better by a thousand.


From this point, Night Tide was judged largely by company it kept. A March pairing with The Raven did "nice" in Boston, but back-seating Battle Beyond The Sun in Frisco saw a "bare" $3,800 in receipts. Part of trouble was trade labeling of Night Tide as sci-fi, which it was not, plus problem of critics so far overlooking a film that needed ballast from opinion-makers. Closest support of that sort came from Sydney, Australia, its annual festival for "bluebloods" including Night Tide among guest-pics from other countries. Submit to the San Francisco Festival for November 1963, however, dealt a cruel blow, Night Tide rejected by the selection committee, despite a final slate to reach "plateau of dullness," according to Variety. Opening night selection may have put the hex on ones to follow: Columbia's taxing war epic, The Victors, directed by Carl Foreman.


Night's tide might have turned if art housing had embraced it in 1963, or after, when Curtis Harrington got notice for studio films he directed. Like a lot of second features, Night Tide would end up more walked out on than sat through, action audiences put off because it wasn't the thriller they bargained for. Posters should have alerted them, AIP at least honest enough to tender the show as "Eerie, Strange" (which it was), and "Macabre" (an argument could even be made as to that), but teaming Night Tide with Battle Beyond The Sun was a cinch to let down kids whose coin bought most admissions. A sort-of cult developed in wake of AIP's 9-64 packaging of Night Tide for TV syndication, late nights a right format for unique appeal it had. Now there is happily a Blu-Ray from Kino, licensed by writer/historian David (The Dawn Of Technicolor) Pierce, and mastered from the camera negative in correct widescreen ratio. At long last, Night Tide, always in the Public Domain (Filmgroup features were never registered), can be seen to best advantage on Blu-ray.

2 Comments:

Blogger Dave K said...

A late show perennial back in the day, always tucked into the weekend horror double feature. Even as a disappointed 'Monster Kid', I kinda liked the low key artsy vibe.

9:21 AM  
Blogger John McElwee said...

If we had it on TV down here, I don't remember. Actually, I was glad to see it for the first time on such a nice Blu-Ray, which I highly recommend.

9:58 AM  

Post a Comment

<< Home

grbrpix@aol.com
  • December 2005
  • January 2006
  • February 2006
  • March 2006
  • April 2006
  • May 2006
  • June 2006
  • July 2006
  • August 2006
  • September 2006
  • October 2006
  • November 2006
  • December 2006
  • January 2007
  • February 2007
  • March 2007
  • April 2007
  • May 2007
  • June 2007
  • July 2007
  • August 2007
  • September 2007
  • October 2007
  • November 2007
  • December 2007
  • January 2008
  • February 2008
  • March 2008
  • April 2008
  • May 2008
  • June 2008
  • July 2008
  • August 2008
  • September 2008
  • October 2008
  • November 2008
  • December 2008
  • January 2009
  • February 2009
  • March 2009
  • April 2009
  • May 2009
  • June 2009
  • July 2009
  • August 2009
  • September 2009
  • October 2009
  • November 2009
  • December 2009
  • January 2010
  • February 2010
  • March 2010
  • April 2010
  • May 2010
  • June 2010
  • July 2010
  • August 2010
  • September 2010
  • October 2010
  • November 2010
  • December 2010
  • January 2011
  • February 2011
  • March 2011
  • April 2011
  • May 2011
  • June 2011
  • July 2011
  • August 2011
  • September 2011
  • October 2011
  • November 2011
  • December 2011
  • January 2012
  • February 2012
  • March 2012
  • April 2012
  • May 2012
  • June 2012
  • July 2012
  • August 2012
  • September 2012
  • October 2012
  • November 2012
  • December 2012
  • January 2013
  • February 2013
  • March 2013
  • April 2013
  • May 2013
  • June 2013
  • July 2013
  • August 2013
  • September 2013
  • October 2013
  • November 2013
  • December 2013
  • January 2014
  • February 2014
  • March 2014
  • April 2014
  • May 2014
  • June 2014
  • July 2014
  • August 2014
  • September 2014
  • October 2014
  • November 2014
  • December 2014
  • January 2015
  • February 2015
  • March 2015
  • April 2015
  • May 2015
  • June 2015
  • July 2015
  • August 2015
  • September 2015
  • October 2015
  • November 2015
  • December 2015
  • January 2016
  • February 2016
  • March 2016
  • April 2016
  • May 2016
  • June 2016
  • July 2016
  • August 2016
  • September 2016
  • October 2016
  • November 2016
  • December 2016
  • January 2017
  • February 2017
  • March 2017
  • April 2017
  • May 2017
  • June 2017
  • July 2017
  • August 2017
  • September 2017
  • October 2017
  • November 2017
  • December 2017
  • January 2018
  • February 2018
  • March 2018
  • April 2018
  • May 2018
  • June 2018
  • July 2018
  • August 2018
  • September 2018
  • October 2018
  • November 2018
  • December 2018
  • January 2019
  • February 2019
  • March 2019
  • April 2019
  • May 2019
  • June 2019
  • July 2019
  • August 2019
  • September 2019
  • October 2019
  • November 2019
  • December 2019
  • January 2020
  • February 2020
  • March 2020
  • April 2020
  • May 2020
  • June 2020
  • July 2020
  • August 2020
  • September 2020
  • October 2020
  • November 2020
  • December 2020
  • January 2021
  • February 2021
  • March 2021
  • April 2021
  • May 2021
  • June 2021
  • July 2021
  • August 2021
  • September 2021
  • October 2021
  • November 2021
  • December 2021
  • January 2022
  • February 2022
  • March 2022
  • April 2022
  • May 2022
  • June 2022
  • July 2022
  • August 2022
  • September 2022
  • October 2022
  • November 2022
  • December 2022
  • January 2023
  • February 2023
  • March 2023
  • April 2023
  • May 2023
  • June 2023
  • July 2023
  • August 2023
  • September 2023
  • October 2023
  • November 2023
  • December 2023
  • January 2024
  • February 2024
  • March 2024
  • April 2024
  • May 2024
  • June 2024
  • July 2024
  • August 2024
  • September 2024
  • October 2024