Hell Just Froze Over.... (1 Viewer)

[Jay E]

Excellent news on the transfer for the The Skull!

Does anyone know what the price will be?

 

[Richard--W]

The cover-art has no class and gives no idea of the high-quality films within. Legend needs to work on that.

I'm surprised you haven't heard of THE SKULL, one of the best horror films of the 1960s. It is purely visual cinema, with prolonged sequences in which Peter Cushing (and we) can't tell if it's really happening, or an illusion, or a waking nightmare. These sequences unfold visually without unnecessary dialog. Freddie Francis, one of the great dp's in the history of cinema, brings a photographer's sense of composition to the Skull's off-kilter perspective. I think it's his best work as a director and as a cameraman. It is also one of Cushing's strongest performances. That trashy cover art might sell DVD's but it does not represent the intelligence and inventiveness of this film.

THE DEADLY BEES used to air on television all the time in the 1970s and 1980s. One of Amicus' lesser efforts, but it has style to burn as I recall. PHASE IV is an important sci-fi film from the 1970s, much admired by critics and with a strong cult following. It has something of the clinical tone of Robert Wise's The Andromeda Strain about it. This cover art might mislead buyers into thinking PHASE IV is exploitation. Not true. It takes the high road, and you don't want to miss it.

DESPERATE CHARACTERS and THE POSSESSION OF JOEL DELANEY were popular Shirley McClaine films of the early 1970s and were favorably reviewed at the time. She gives two of the best performances of her career in these films. I saw them both when they were new. Legend has wisely kept the original one-sheet poster art for THE POSSESSION OF JOEL DELANEY. Notice how much better it looks than the other covers.

 

[JeffMc]

I'm not really going to defend the cover art for these Legend releases, but as far as PHASE IV goes, the original poster art looked a lot more like a cheap "exploitation movie" with an ant crawling out of a bloody hole in a human hand. The DVD cover with a simple red ant actually looks classier. That said, I do love the original PHASE IV poster art and would have liked to see it here instead of this re-design.

THE SENDER and STUDENT BODIES are also close to the original poster art as well, and ZPG basically recreates the old Paramount vhs cover.

Paramount didn't do very well with the covers of their own DVD releases so I don't see these Legend covers to be any worse than the usual crappy Paramount photo-shopped covers. OK, maybe THE SKULL cover IS really bad, but it does kind of grab your attention.

 

[Richard--W]

THE MAN WHO COULD CHEAT DEATH is a gothic melodrama from Hammer's best period, more restrained than their better-known genre films. There is no shot in the film of a half face / half skull; I think that idea came from Dr. Phibes.
I prefer the PHASE IV poster showing the lab in the desert, but I agree that the poster showing an ant coming out of a hand is preferable to this ant with the big mouth. I do wish Legend had come up with something different for THE MAN WHO COULD CHEAT DEATH, THE SKULL, and PHASE IV. But the important thing is that Legend is releasing these long-awaited films on DVD for the first time, and there is every indication of good transfers in the correct aspect ratio.

I hope everyone will give HOUDINI and the Shirley McClaine films a try, too.

 

[Jeff Swindoll]

Guess it wasnt an April Fool's Joke after all. Hopefully the floodgates of Paramount's back catalog will open. At least they appear to be providing better quality than when Universal licensed to Goodtimes.

 

[RoyM]

Richard, I will second that DESPERATE CHARACTERS is a marvelous film. Very much in the style of other low key minimalist dramas of the 1970's such as SCARECROW or FIVE EASY PIECES, so anyone who enjoys the more literate style of 1970's era Hollywood films should really pick this one up. I bought it on VHS just a few years ago because I grew tired of waiting for it to come to DVD, which frankly given it's low profile, I wondered if that would ever happen.

I am definitely very excited about several of these releases from Legend Films. Some real gems in that group, and I hope they all sell well.

 

[Bradley-E]

I'm glad Paramount is licensing their catalog titles; between Criterion and Legend there should be a great assortment of titles coming. Hopefully Bugsy Malone, Love with the Proper Stranger, Downhill Racer, and Citizen's Band (Aka Handle With Care) are on the way also.

 

[Richard--W]

Glad to hear someone shares my appreciation for DESPERATE CHARACTERS. It is a minimalist drama in the best sense, very adult and very unlike traditional Hollywood. It's in the spirit of the 1970s, to be sure, which is perhaps why I like it so much. Shirley McClaine is very good in it. I wish she had more parts like this.Film buffs who like FIVE EASY PIECES, KING OF MARVIN GARDENS, CARNAL KNOWLEDGE, BLUME IN LOVE, etc., will also like DESPERATE CHARACTERS. Many of my favorite dramas of that period are still missing in action; films like LAST SUMMER, PORTNOY'S COMPLAINT, RED SKY AT MORNING etc., all of which were very popular at the time, but are now forgotten.

THE POSSESSION OF JOEL DELANEY doesn't look or feel like a genre horror film, but that's what it is. A similar title, THE REINCARNATION OF PETER PROUD, is still missing in action, although I can't recall if it was Paramount or not. Probably not.

Given the changing times I wonder how consumers and critics will respond to MANDINGO. Showing racism as a means of exposing racism is not an easy tightrope to walk, but audiences in 1975 did not consider MANDINGO to be exploitation. Critics didn't like it, but it was a big hit and played for a long time in some neighborhoods. The sequel, DRUM, was also popular.

The only film I can think of more incendiary than MANDINGO would be THE MAN (1972), starring James Earl Jones as the first African-American Speaker of the House who, through a series of accidents, becomes the first black president. That film was loaded with racist remarks as Jones must rise to the occasion. He's brilliant in it, but audiences may not have much patience with its' language today. I suspect THE MAN will stay missing for a long time.

 

[Jim_K]

DVDAF lists the MSRP at $14.98. The official release date is 6-3-08.

 

[Jay E]

Thanks Jim!

At that price I will be picking up quite a few of these releases.

 

[Jeffrey Nelson]

Not April 1st after all?

 

[Jeffrey:K]

They're supposed to be available for order directly from the Legend website on April 1. The titles become available from other retailers in June and July.

 

[Eric Huffstutler]

For those who missed my post at the CHFB site, here it is:

I heard from Barry Sandrew of Legend about their upcoming Paramount releases and here is what he had to say which hopefully will answer some questions...

"The elements delivered to us from Paramount were either dup negs or IPs so they were the best Paramount has in their vaults. We telecined the titles on a Spirit at HD 1080P. All titles were transferred at their original aspect ratio. The titles went thru several QA passes by Legend, IVC and also by Paramount before authoring. We spared no expense on color correction and restoration. Authoring was done at optimal bit rate for maximum clarity. Price point will be under $10."

Also, the April 1st date is official sales directly from the Legend website and will get wider releases in June and July (batches).

Eric Huffstutler

 

[John Hodson]

I'm getting more optimistic by the day...

 

[John Stell]

I'll be ordering mine directly from the website on April 1st. I've wanted a widescreen version of The Skull for the longest time.

 

[WadeM]

Excellent

 

[Bradley-E]

Has anyone ordered any of the April 1 titles from the Legend Website?

 

[John Hodson]

You can't...yet. Legend say they will be available to order from April 1; be insteresting to see how this works, the current purchasing option for titles already available takes you from their website to Amazon.

 

[Jon Martin]

Am I missing something? Other than an ad on the front page, I can't find out how to order any of these films from the Legend Films website.

I can find other titles, but none of the Paramount titles.

 

[Charles H]

Their website is officially opened, but it's a bit difficult to navigate since it is organized into genres: Horror, Drama, Comedy,Family. Go to the Paramount section and hit one of the horror titles (and it will take you to the horror genre menus. Some very interesting additions. HURRICANE, WON TON TON, THE DOG THAT SAVED HOLLYWOOD, the Martin & Lewis MONEY FROM HOME, THE GIRL ON THE BRIDGE.