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"Fantasia" 1942 pressbook question

(1 of 6)
"Fantasia" 1942 pressbook question
Aug 2, 2012 07:34 PM

Does anyone know why the 1942 RKO pressbook for "Fantasia" was printed in color AND in black & white (I have one of each)?  Was it just a wartime accomodation?   Is there a difference in valuation?

 

Maybe it is just too esoteric a question, but I can't find any comperables to explain it. Thanks.

 

Here are some photos for comparison:

 

 

http://i1101.photobucket.com/albums/g434/moreisbetter1/aFANTASIAc/FANTASIAcol1.jpg

 

http://s1101.photobucket.com/albums/g434/moreisbetter1/afantasiabw/

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"Fantasia" 1942 pressbook question

(5 Replies / 392 Views)
"Fantasia" 1942 pressbook question
Aug 2, 2012 07:34 PM

Does anyone know why the 1942 RKO pressbook for "Fantasia" was printed in color AND in black & white (I have one of each)?  Was it just a wartime accomodation?   Is there a difference in valuation?

 

Maybe it is just too esoteric a question, but I can't find any comperables to explain it. Thanks.

 

Here are some photos for comparison:

 

 

http://i1101.photobucket.com/albums/g434/moreisbetter1/aFANTASIAc/FANTASIAcol1.jpg

 

http://s1101.photobucket.com/albums/g434/moreisbetter1/afantasiabw/

Last Post
by mettendorff (297 ) View Listings
(1 of 5)
Re: "Fantasia" 1942 pressbook question
Aug 6, 2012 09:57 PM

The studio may have felt the original pressbook was insufficient to properly promote the film, and found it necessary to update it.

 

The b/w example has the phrase at bottom about it being an advanced manual based on the early triumphs of the film. Assuming that phrase is not on the color one, I'd suspect the b/w version to have been released later, and contain ads and ideas proven to work best for previous showings. I would expect much of the contents do be different in each of them.

(2 of 5)
Re: "Fantasia" 1942 pressbook question
Aug 7, 2012 12:58 PM

Thanks, paperhut, for the reply.

 

Actually, the B&W example was an expanded version with several additional pages devoted to the exhibitors themselves exhorting them toward aggressive marketing of the film.  Those pages are not in the color example.  The balance of the remaining material is identical with some slight expansion of promotional options.  Layout is quite different, however ~ it was not just a repeat, it was significantly redesigned.  Both have a 1942 copyright date.

 

Despite weeks of online and telephone research, I can find no definitive answer to why there were two fundamentally different pressbooks done or which one is 'the first'.  Maybe it doesn't matter, but it is confusing.

 

Whatever the answer to those questions, I have to believe both are rare.  No example appears in Heritage Auctions historical.database going back to the 1990s, nor are they noted on any other website.  Now the question is, does anyone care?

 

 

(3 of 5)
Re: "Fantasia" 1942 pressbook question
Aug 17, 2012 07:14 PM

check with bruce-aka-movieposter,if he's still here AT ALL. if not,PM me.


Photobucket LET'S GET PORKEYED!!! I HAZ CHOCOLATE TOO!!

(4 of 5)
Re: "Fantasia" 1942 pressbook question
Aug 17, 2012 07:16 PM

aand yes,*I* would care!!! this isn't MY area  for collectibles,but i have friends who would love to see these!!!


Photobucket LET'S GET PORKEYED!!! I HAZ CHOCOLATE TOO!!

(5 of 5)
Re: "Fantasia" 1942 pressbook question
Aug 17, 2012 10:31 PM

Thanks for the love, SWIMBO, even if it is second-hand! 

 

I have had a (very) short conversation with Bruce about this and other pressbooks I have.  Bad timing... I guess he had some auctions ending or something.  Bottom line, he was either whelmed or underwhelmed ~ sure seemed like the latter.. even though most had not appeared in his historical database EVER. Same with Heritage ~ who basically told me to find some braided hemp and void myself in a vertical vector. (It seems they forgot to mention on their website that there is a $5K threshold (by their estimate) for their innards to be tickled and NO, they do not actually provide those evaluations they tout on their webpages.)

 

Had better luck with Bonhams Auctions.  Met with them in person today and they expressed sincere interest and excitement in this material and we are talking about inclusion in their next feature movie memorabilia auction.  But then, they took the time to actually LOOK at what I have....  ;)

 

Of course, like ebay & everyone else in the biz, they will take their healthy cut off the top.  If your friends are sincerely interested in this type of material, they are certainly welcome to contact me.  I will be happy to provide photos if requested.

 

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