Biblical-Roman-Egyptian epics not yet on Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[mark brown]

Are the negatives availabLe and in good shape?

 

[OliverK]

I read somewhere that the films are owned by a French banking consortium who presumably license them out on a territory by territory basis. Blu-ray releases all seem to give copyright to Samuel Bronston Productions Incorporated. A Google search gives no information about that name as a current company. Harvey Weinstein must have paid a very hefty amount to obtain US rights in perpetuity.

The owners last I heard preferred to remain anonymous and they are still represented by Euro London films.

I would not be surprised if the ownership has changed a bit over the years but it does not really matter as Euro London films would be the ones to talk to about future work.

 

[OliverK]

The questions are - who owns the international rights to El Cid and Fall of the Roman Empire, and are the OCNs still available? When last I heard, Harvey Weinstein was holding onto the domestic rights with impunity (just as he's doing with Kevin Smith's Dogma) and is content to let it fallow.

The negatives for the Bronston productions should all remain in the same location somewhere in the UK.

Weinstein is not really of special importance as the company may at most hold the rights for the US and Canada so any remaining rights for releases on shiny discs or streaming would not affect the creation of new masters.

The tricky part is that ALL the rights holders already released these moves from existing (subpar) masters and it will be difficult to find a way to make them pay again for better masters in order to justify the financial outlay of going back to the negatives.

 

[Brent Reid]

Pardon me if this has already been brought up, but I was browsing the Film Foundation website for potential Warner Archive restorations and found mention of a restoration/preservation of Demetrius and the Gladiators performed in association with Disney (Disney was specified rather than Fox like its predecessor, The Robe). Anyone know when this restoration/preservation was performed as I didn’t see a date listed when I clicked on the title to try to find more information (mind you, I don’t at present expect a release of any kind given its with Disney, I’m just curious about the whole thing). If this has been brought up before, please disregard this post.

A decent but unrestored 2k scan from 2008 of a preservation element was released on BD by Twilight Time in the US, Rimini Editions in France and bootleggers Resen in Spain.

 

[Konstantinos]

A decent but unrestored 2k scan from 2008 of a preservation element was released on BD by Twilight Time in the US

I have this blu-ray and I think it has some audio sync issues.

 

[Douglas R]

I have this blu-ray and I think it has some audio sync issues.

I don't recall any synch issues but the picture quality is disappointing. Assuming the TT master is the same as the French disc which I have.

I saw this theatrically as a reissue around about 1959. Confusingly, I saw The Robe as a reissue at the same cinema a year or two later! To my young eyes they both looked amazingly spectacular.

 

[Brent Reid]

Any perceived sync issues were limited to one or two specific players. While this transfer has room for improvement, it's by far the best available and will remain so indefinitely, due to it being a Fox film now owned by Disney.

 

[Ed Lachmann]

Some welcome news in the relatively bleak new release desert of this beloved genre. Pre-orders are being taken for the late June Deaf Crocodile release of Aleksandr Ptusko’s final epic film Ruslan and Ludmila (’72). Just ordered mine and can't wait. Check it out here:

Deaf Crocodile

shop-deafcrocodile.company.site

 

[Capt D McMars]

Some welcome news in the relatively bleak new release desert of this beloved genre. Pre-orders are being taken for the late June Deaf Crocodile release of Aleksandr Ptusko’s final epic film Ruslan and Ludmila (’72). Just ordered mine and can't wait. Check it out here:

Deaf Crocodile

shop-deafcrocodile.company.site

Yes, very cool news, I was able to get in on the Kickstarter, and looking forward to this Amazing boxset. Although I do have Sampo and Ilya, the new packaging allows me to gift the older editions to friends!!

 

[RolandL]

Samson AKA Sansone from 1961 is on Amazon Prime and looks a lot better than the version on YouTube.

 

[Bartman]

I'm looking forward to Charlton Heston's Anthony & Cleopatra on Prime, never seen it before!

 

[richardburton84]

I'm looking forward to Charlton Heston's Anthony & Cleopatra on Prime, never seen it before!

I thought Heston’s Antony and Cleopatra was a decent film, but one could definitely tell he had a low budget to work from, with a lot of stock footage scattered throughout (mostly from Cleopatra (1963), though there’s also footage from Ben-Hur, Helen of Troy, and at least one background shot from The Robe). I also found Hildegard Neil’s Cleopatra nothing to write home about. Pretty much the best thing about the film was the John Scott score.

 

[johnmcmasters]

Not sure if this has been mentioned previously, but the Australian company, Umbrella, has released deluxe and standard blu-ray editions of "Hercules Returns" which is a What's-Up-Tiger-Lily sort of thing with scenes used from the peplum, "Samson and His/The Mightly Challenge". Both editions have as an extra an SD English language version of the complete film intact. PS Looks like the deluxe version is unavailable so it must've sold out -- guessing as it just says "out of stock."?

Deluxe:

Hercules Returns Collector's Edition (Blu-Ray +Book +Rigid case +Slipcase +Poster +Artcards) (1993)

Hercules Returns is the story of Brad McBain (David Argue, Razorback), a frustrated employee of Australia’s largest cinema chain. Brad decides to quite his job and sets about re-opening the Picture Palace, a disused cinema in the Melbourne suburb of St Kilda, to show classic old films.An act of...

shop.umbrellaent.com.au

Standard:

Hercules Returns (Blu-Ray) (1993)

Hercules Returns is the story of Brad McBain (David Argue, Razorback), a frustrated employee of Australia’s largest cinema chain. Brad decides to quite his job and sets about re-opening the Picture Palace, a disused cinema in the Melbourne suburb of St Kilda, to show classic old films.An act of...

shop.umbrellaent.com.au

This is the description of the deluxe edition:

Worldwide premiere of Umbrella's restoration from 35mm materials of Hercules Returns on Blu-ray! Includes the english dub of the original Italian film 'Samson and His Mighty Challenge'.

Only available from the Umbrella webstore, the Hercules Returns Collector's Edition includes:

• • 48 page bound book - A Collection of Behind-The-Scenes, Experiences & Art
  • Custom designed outer rigid slipcase
  • Custom design slipcase
  • 8 artcards
  • A3 reversible poster
  • Limited Edition Numbered release

Starting off in the late 80s as a live comedy show from the Melbourne troupe Double Take, re-voicing B-grade masterpieces such as Astrozombies and Gene Autry, Hercules Returns is the screen adaptation of the popular show.

Cinematographer David Parker (Malcolm) makes his directorial debut, with a screenplay by original Double Take star Des Mangan, also known for his curation of Cult Movies on SBS Australia, and featuring the voice talents of the original Double Take team.

Move over Mystery Science Theatre, this classic riff from the Double Take team will have you in stitches!

Hercules Returns is the story of Brad McBain (David Argue, Razorback), a frustrated employee of Australia’s largest cinema chain. Brad decides to quite his job and sets about re-opening the Picture Palace, a disused cinema in the Melbourne suburb of St Kilda, to show classic old films. An act of the sabotage on the opening night sees their first film, the 1964 Italian film Samson and His Mighty Challenge, swapped out for a non-subtitled print. As a desperate measure, Brad rallies his projectionist Sprocket (Bruce Spence, Mad Max II) and publicist Lisa (Mary Coustas, TVs Acropolis Now) to improvise voice-overs for the entire film, with hilarious results, to avert disaster.

Director: David Parker

Cast: Bruce Spence; David Argue; Mary Coustas; Michael Carman

 

[Ed Lachmann]

I'd buy Samson and His Mighty Challenge, good or bad, without the corny weak comedy version. but not this. Of course, that included original movie is in disappointing SD! A really good comedy team could re-voice Citizen Kane and turn it into a goofus laugh riot too. From what I see in the trailer this ain't no Tiger Lilly, not by a long shot. Pass.

 

[Stefan Andersson]

FOTR is re-released in French cinemas Aug. 14 by Solaris Distribution:

LA CHUTE DE L'EMPIRE ROMAIN • Solaris Distribution

Un film de Anthony Mann.

www.solaris-distribution.com

Webpage says 188 mins.

 

[richardburton84]

If the trailer on that link is indicative of what will be shown on the 14th, I’m not too thrilled since it looks like the same mediocre transfer that’s been making the rounds since at least 2008 and does not give me hope that a new restoration has been performed. On a side note, I was not a fan of that musical accompaniment with just a repetitive drum beat instead of that great Tiomkin score.

 

[Konstantinos]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pharaoh-Blu-ray/dp/B0D9M31SJZ

I still haven't seen this film that has been mentioned a couple of times.
The thing is that the existing restoration is awful, since it has been DNRed to death!
I don't suppose Second Run would present anything else..

 

[OliverK]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pharaoh-Blu-ray/dp/B0D9M31SJZ

I still haven't seen this film that has been mentioned a couple of times.
The thing is that the existing restoration is awful, since it has been DNRed to death!
I don't suppose Second Run would present anything else..

I have the German Blu-ray and indeed it looks quite unbearable to me.

 

[OliverK]

If the trailer on that link is indicative of what will be shown on the 14th, I’m not too thrilled since it looks like the same mediocre transfer that’s been making the rounds since at least 2008 and does not give me hope that a new restoration has been performed. On a side note, I was not a fan of that musical accompaniment with just a repetitive drum beat instead of that great Tiomkin score.

There is a pretty good chance that this will be something else than the so-called HD master that was done ages ago on behalf of Miramax.

It is quite impossible to present that kind of quality on the big screen so it may either be that there are a few 35mm prints or somebody finally worked on a new master.

If there is no new prints and no new master then King of Kings, 55 Days at Peking or Circus World would be much better choices for a theatrical re-release from existing digital assets.

 

[Capt D McMars]

I have the German Blu-ray and indeed it looks quite unbearable to me.

I bought the French Blu ray...it could have been better but miles above the dvd!!