"The Blob" , why not Paramount? (1 Viewer)

[Eric Huffstutler]

The Blob is a 1959 Paramount release. Why is the only good print by Criterion and why hasn't Paramount addressed their own movie yet? - Or why didn't Paramount release this film prior to Criterion?

Eric

 

[MarcoBiscotti]

The Criterion disc in excellent and not that expensive at all compared to much of their catalogue. Who cares which studio puts it out as long as it's available.. pick up the CC.

 

[Mark Zimmer]

Paramount early in the life of DVD had no use for sci-fi and horror titles, and had no intention of releasing them. So they licensed it to Criterion. They're still pretty bad about such genre titles in their catalog, but have gotten somewhat better about it. If it were up to Paramount, it never would have been released at all. Criterion did a fine job with it in any event.

 

[Jon Robertson]

Sorry to be contrary, but Paramount had nothing to do with The Blob on DVD. The producer Jack H. Harris regained the rights long ago (I imagine the original distribution deal was for theatrical and television(?) showings for a set number of years only) and thus Criterion licensed it directly from him.

Similarly, Criterion's editions of Walkabout and Fiend Without A Face have, respectively, 20th Century Fox and MGM logos at the start, but the studios' rights to those two films lapsed many years prior to the DVD's issues.

 

[Patrick McCart]

A lot of Criterion's DVD's are of films that were once owned or distributed by other companies. Check out the Avco Embassy logo on The Ruling Class or the RKO logo on The Devil and Daniel Webster.

FYI, The Blob was transfered from the original camera negative for Criterion's DVD.

 

[Craig Beam]

I was listening to the (hysterical) theme from The Blob just the other day, and wondering why the heck I still don't own the DVD.

 

[Kenny Neal]

Here's my review of The Blob on DVD. I definitely agree with the previous posters-- the Criterion disc is fantastic.

 

[Jon Robertson]

Just to reiterate: it's a great disc. The transfer is simply stunning and the two commentaries are superb - the one with Jack H. Harris and Bruce Eder gives a terrific overview of independent genre filmmaking and distribution at that time, while the second with the director Irvin Yeaworth (now sadly deceased) and actor Robert Fields is chock-a-block with terrific anecdotes and reminiscences about the production. The trailer is a hoot ("Starring Steve McQueen - and a cast of exciting young people!") and the stills gallery is a great deal of fun too.

 

[Mark_TS]

Jon-who does own WALKABOUT?
this is overdue for a remaster/restoration in 16:9

 

[Mark Edward Heuck]

WALKABOUT is now owned by Janus Films, one of the primary backers of Criterion. I don't know if the previous edition sold enough to merit revisiting, but I think Janus is a company that will understand the need for upgrading and will do so in the future.

 

[Jeffrey Nelson]

I've got the old Criterion LD...is the DVD transfer considerably better? Was it remastered?

 

[Patrick McCart]

Well, they transfered it from the camera negative, so it SHOULD look better.

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/DVDRev.../the_blob_.htm

It looks brand new.