Is Merchant Ivory Productions still in existence? Are they still producing

[Tuesday Afternoon]

period piece films? How would one go about contacting them about an idea for a series of films?

[billyskank]

1. Looks like they might be.

http://www.merchantivory.com/

:hi:

[Tuesday Afternoon]

2. I am not sure. I can't tell if they are still producing full-length films.

I thought they had gone out of production on those. :shrug: Thanks for the link, though. :hi:

How would one go about this. I guess I need to find out if anyone owns the rights to the books, first.

[billyskank]

3. It is a bit vague.

It could be just a tribute to their past glory.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

4. That is the idea that I got. I think they went bust. Not much of a market

for their type of film, sadly. Damn! I have a great idea for a series of films based on a series of novels that take place from the 1850's to the 1950's. Merchant-Ivory would do a wonderful job.

Oh.well.

[billyskank]

5. What we want are explosions, chases, and a sexy hero and leading lady

who cop off with each other about 2/3 of the way through.

= $$$$$$!

[Tuesday Afternoon]

6. we get that in mega doses and still the public begs for more.

~sigh~ :eyes:

[CBHagman]

7. What do you mean, "We," Kemo Sabe?

I know what you're saying, billyskank: The studio execs see the road to financial glory as paved with the dollars of young males who will see a movie more than once, and have no use for sophisticated thrillers, historical drama, literary adaptations, and romantic comedies that don't feature unnatural acts with pastry.

And I've recently talked with a young woman who went through project development hell, and it seems the depressing stories we hear about ignorance in Hollywood are true.

That said, I do see a huge variety in movie releases, thanks partly to Netflix and partly to the good fortune of living in an area with more than one arts theater and an extremely varied and demanding moviegoing audience. So there's still a place for something other than explosions and flatulence jokes.

I was just looking up a recent period comedy, Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, and learned that was financed by Keylight (which I'd never heard of) and distributed by Focus Features. That particular film took about 70 years to make it to the big screen -- no lie.

That's not to discourage the OP, though. I say look at your options.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

8. help a girl out...should I contact Keylight ...?

I don't think any one has purchased the rights to these books. How does a nobody get to be in on the process?

[CBHagman]

10. Here are some links.

First, a disclaimer: I am not in the business.

Second, the reason I mentioned Keylight is its involvement in Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, the 2008 film based on a 1930s British novel.

Here are some links I discovered while searching online. Note that one or two sites won't provide information without a paid (!) subscription. I don't know what to make of that...

http://www.imdb.com/company/co0180591/

http://www.inbaseline.com/company.aspx?company_id=2129841

http://www.soyouwannasellascript.com/Source/managers.cfm?mode=letter&letter=K

[Tuesday Afternoon]

11. thanks for these links ...

I can't afford a subsription so those are out for now.

[JoDog]

14. The Flashman Papers?

[Tuesday Afternoon]

15. good guess but, uhm...no.

Go for it...we can help each other :bounce:

[JCMach1]

9. One of them died a few year back- if you like costumes, watch/buy 'The Tudors'

[Tuesday Afternoon]

12. that is an HBO production, right?

I saw one or two episodes. I do love period productions, no matter the era.

[JCMach1]

13. Showtime I believe but available on dvd

[MrCoffee]

16. I thought they stopped producing after one of them (Merchant?) died.

I'm just pulling that out of my ass, though, I really don't know for sure.

[harmonicon]

17. that's what I had thought as well....

but I just did a minute of internet searching, and it seems that that might not be the case.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merchant_Ivory

Not that I really care (apart from someone dying, which is sad).

[Tuesday Afternoon]

18. I think I am a long way off before contacting them ...

I need to buy the rights to the book series first. Looking for a backer, you interested? :D :shrug:

[harmonicon]

19. I'll give you what I have on hand...

just looking around the desk here, that seems to be two empty camel light packs, and the contents of an ashtray... oh, there's also an empty plastic cup that I brought home from (why?) from the office water cooler. Where should I send them? every little bit helps...

[applegrove]

20. Didn't they do "A Room with a View"? I loved that film.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

21. yes. They did in 1985. Here is a list of their films:

http://www.merchantivory.com/filmography.html

The White Countess 2006
Visit the Official website
Visit the Gallery

Heights (2004)
Visit the Official website

Le Divorce (2003)
Visit the official website
7 MB Quicktime Movie
3.3 MB Quicktime Movie

The Mystic Masseur (2002)


Visit the official website
3.5 MB Quicktime Movie
1.7 MB Quicktime Movie

The Golden Bowl (2001)
Visit the official website
3.2 MB Quicktime Movie
2.1 MB Quicktime Movie

Cotton Mary (2000)
Visit the official website
4.8 MB Quicktime Movie

A Soldier's Daughter Never Cries (1998)


Surviving Picasso (1996)


The Proprietor (1996)

Jefferson in Paris (1995)

1.9 MB Quicktime Movie (Macintosh)
1.6 MB AVI (Windows 95/98/NT)

Feast of July (1995)

In Custody (1994)
1.7 MB Quicktime Movie (Macintosh)
1.3 MB AVI (Windows 95/98NT)

The Remains of the Day (1993)
1.8 MB Quicktime Movie (Macintosh)
1.7 MB AVI (Windows 95/98/NT)

Howards End (1992)
2.4 MB Quicktime Movie (Macintosh)
1.9 MB AVI (Windows 95/98/NT)

Street Musicians of Bombay (1991)

The Perfect Murder (1990)

Mr. and Mrs. Bridge (1990)


1.6 MB Quicktime Movie (Macintosh)
1.5 MB AVI (Windows 95/98/NT)

The Ballad of the Sad Café (1990)

Slaves of New York (1989)
1.6 MB Quicktime Movie (Macintosh)
1.4 MB AVI (Windows 95/98/NT)

The Deceivers (1988)

Maurice (1987)
1.2 MB Quicktime Movie (Macintosh)
1.4 MB AVI (Windows 95/98/NT)

A Room With a View (1985)


The Bostonians (1984)
2.4 MB Quicktime Movie (Macintosh)
2 MB AVI (Windows 95/98)

Heat and Dust (1983)
2.4 MB Quicktime Movie (Macintosh)
1.7 MB AVI (Windows 95/98)

The Courtesans of Bombay (1983)

Quartet (1981)

Jane Austen in Manhattan (1980)

The Europeans (1979)


The Five Forty-Eight (1979)

Hullabaloo Over Georgie and Bonnie's Pictures (1976)

Roseland (1977)

Sweet Sounds (1976)

The Wild Party (1975)

Autobiography of a Princess (1975)

Mahatma and the Mad Boy (1974)

Helen: Queen of the Nautch Girls (1973)

Savages (1973)

Adventures of a Brown Man in Search of Civilization (1972)

Bombay Talkie (1970)

The Guru (1969)

Shakespeare Wallah (1965)

The Delhi Way (1964)

The Householder (1963)

The Creation of Woman (1960)

The Sword and the Flute (1959)

Venice: Theme and Variations (1957)

[applegrove]

22. A tiny part of Mr & Mrs. Bridges was filmed in the neighbourhood where

I grew up.