American Film Theatre

Poster for the American Film Theater release of Galileo (1974–75)

The American Film Theatre was a limited run series of film adaptations of stage plays, produced by Ely Landau.^[1] Two seasons were produced from 1973 to 1975. The 14 films were contracted to be exhibited in 500 theaters in 400 cities, admission based on subscription to the entire series.^[2] By design, these were not films of stage productions — they were plays "translated to the film medium, but with complete faithfulness to the original play script."^[3]

The films were released on DVD in 2003 by Kino International and again in 2008 as a boxed set.

The films

1973–74 season

• A Delicate Balance (1973). Edward Albee's play was directed by Tony Richardson.
• The Homecoming (1973). Harold Pinter's play was directed by Peter Hall.
• The Iceman Cometh (1973). Eugene O'Neill's play was directed by John Frankenheimer.
• Luther (1973). John Osborne's play was directed by Guy Green.
• Lost in the Stars (1974). The Kurt Weill-Maxwell Anderson musical was directed by Daniel Mann.
• Rhinoceros (1974). Eugene Ionesco's play was directed by Tom O'Horgan.
• Butley (1974). Simon Gray's play was directed by Harold Pinter.
• Three Sisters (1970). U.S. release by AFT in 1974. Anton Chekhov's play was directed by Laurence Olivier and John Sichel.

1974–75 season

• The Maids (1974). Robert Enders was credited as the producer.
• The Man in the Glass Booth (1975)
• In Celebration (1975)
• Galileo (1975)
• Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well and Living in Paris (1975)
• Philadelphia, Here I Come (1975). This film was not released during the 1974–75 season, but was included in the DVD releases of 2003. It was not specifically produced for the American Film Theater, and appears to have been released in Ireland around 1970.^[4][3] John Quested both produced and directed the film.

References

1. Barrett, Michael (July 17, 2008). "Canon Fodder: American Film Theatre". PopMatters. Review of The American Film Theater Complete 14 Film Collection DVD set.
2. "Wide World of Entertainment: The Dick Cavett Show (Katharine Hepburn Interview, Pt. 1) (TV)". October 2, 1973. Summary only; not accessible online.
3. Benson, Raymond (April 16, 2009). "Remember...The American Film Theater". Cinema Retro. Archived from the original on 2013-06-01.
4. Rockett, Kevin; Gibbons, Luke; Hill, John (2014). Cinema and Ireland. Routledge. p. 112. ISBN 9781317928584. The 1970s and 1980s saw a number of Irish-themed films being made in Ireland by foreigners. Brian Fiel's well-known play, Philadelphia, Here I Come (John Quested, 1970) ...

External links

• American Film Theatre (US) at the Internet Movie Database