This just in over at DVD Drive-in:

"Legend Films has licensed a number of library titles from Paramount for DVD release. Of interest to DVD Drive-In readers include THE SKULL, ZPG, THE POSSESSION OF JOEL DELANEY, THE STUDENT BODIES, JEKYLL AND HYDE TOGETHER AGAIN, THE BUSY BODY, THE MAN WHO COULD CHEAT DEATH, PHASE IV, THE DEADLY BEES and THE SENDER. Some of these titles will be available for sale at the Legend Films website as of April 1st, and they will be available for retail everywhere else in June and July in separate batches. Cover art and more information to follow!"

It's great in theory...just hoping they turn out well. And if they do, here's hoping the other big studios follow Paramount's example. Let our cult titles free. :)

THE SENDER!!!

PHASE IV! I'm quivering in ant-icipation!

April 1st?

Hmm...

Well, it is on a Tuesday...

THE BUSY BODY, huh? Can SHANKS -- or RIOT -- be far behind?

Very excited when I saw Phase IV mentioned in the subject (I'm hearing that acoustic bass already) but equally so for ZPG, which I never thought I'd see anyone release. I seem to recall that even many years ago when I first saw it on TV I thought it was crap-but-great - I'm looking forward to the chance to reappraise it. And probably come to the same conclusion.

I've never heard of some of those other films, so will be watching here for recommendations as always.

. . . I am also pleased to see THE MAN WHO COULD CHEAT DEATH (1958) among the titles - this is Hammer/Terence Fisher's version of THE MAN IN HALF MOON STREET (1944), with Anton Diffring, Hazel Court (she who is second only to the great Barbara Shelley) and Christopher Lee . . . I don't believe Paramount had/has the rights to many (is this the only one?) Hammer films from this classic period . . . since I have no knowledge regarding LEGEND FILMS and the quality of their product (PHASE IV needs to be a great transfer), I suppose we just keep our fingers crossed and hope for the best . . .

Judging from their Web site and their past work, Legend Films seems to be a rinky-dink company that spends much of its time ruining old black-and-white movies. I think there's ample reason to be wary of these new Paramount releases.

I don't like what they're doing with their resources, but 'rinky-dink' is probably inaccurate. So far as I know, they do perfectly reasonable digital restoration on the titles in prep for colorizing, and often offer that pre-besmirched version as a viewing option.

. . . the cover art looks pretty good . . . if, as their site implies, LEGEND are the folks who restored the 50th Anniversary Edition of 20 MILLION MILES TO EARTH (1957), I must say they did a nice job on the black and white presentation which is included; I have not looked at the colorized version on the disc, probably never will . . .

http://www.dvddrive-in.com/features/legendfilmspromo.htm

If you ever wondered what a 'New Release' rack at Best Buy would look like if the inmates ever ran the asylum at a movie studio - these releases are as close as you'll get. Just look at those above-the-title billings:

Anton Diffring!
Frank Finlay!
Saul Bass!

Can't you just hear the excitement in the store? "Mommy, there's a new Guy Doleman movie out!!!"

Is Legend the same as Legend House?

I'm psyched about THE POSSESSION OF JOEL DELANEY. ^_^

If I remember correctly, it deals with Perry King gettin' mixed-up bad in the Santeria lifestyle, and his sister, Shirley Maclaine trying to save him. It has an excellent vibe to it with great NYC locations.

Can't Wait!

No, Legend Films and Legend House are completely different companies. That's all I have to say about that.

I can tell you right now that the biggest title is going to be STUDENT BODIES. I get quite a few requests for it and am surprised Paramount let that one go.


marc

Click.

THE SKULL is reviewed at DVD Drive-In but none of the Paramount titles are listed on the Legend Films website yet (you're supposed to be able to order them early here). I'm interested in this and THE SENDER.

Boy, based on those screeenshots, THE SKULL sure looks pale...

I seem to remember hearing that the old Paramount VHS of THE SKULL was missing footage...can anyone confirm this?

Legend Films is the San Diego based company that hosts Mike Nelson's Rifftrax. The last time I was unemployed I actually applied there, even though I had no relevant experience whatsoever [I applied for a Rifftrax position]. They didn't call me in for an interview, in spite of my status as a card-carrying MiSTie. <_<

THE SKULL arrived this afternoon. It's a pretty solid-looking transfer of a good source that's a trifle faded. It looks to me as though they were working from a conformed Techniscope internegative or interpositive, and went about presenting it with a minimum of digital manipulation. The colors may not be vivid, but they've not been over-saturated in an attempt to 'bring them out'.

I'm seeing a good amount of grain (expected since Techniscope is one big optical blow-up), but it's obviously film grain, and moves well. There's a fair amount of speckling, but again, I'm thankful for this, as it also indicates that the transfer's not been over-filtered to compensate.



There's a lot of detail here, and it looks like film. Can't wait to check it out on a good-sized monitor (I've only looked at it briefly on my laptop).

Good job, Legend Films.

I'll probably wait until THE SENDER is available to pick up THE SKULL.

Just finished THE SKULL. This being my first time viewing the title, I want to mention that I think it may well be Freddie Francis' best-directed film. Really intelligent visual sense here, with an engaged use of the wide screen, and extremely fluid blocking of action to camera. The third act's descent into solipsistic possession is so nightmarishly put across, I couldn't help but think of Bava.

Now, how'd the transfer do when upconverted to a 50-inch 1080p display?

Forget what I wrote about fading - I've a feeling the film always looked just like this, and any delicacy in the color is - like the grain - picked up from the blow-up to anamorphic 35mm. Along with that, I have to add that there's a good deal of image instability (jitter, or 'gate weave') visible, but I think that's due to the extra optical step as well. If anybody's got the old VHS handy (or a burn thereof), I'd be curious if that transfer is as wobbly. I'll bet it is.

At any rate, whatever (minor) shortcomings of the presentation there are seem to be down to the source - and that's refreshing, especially for a company I think it can be agreed many of us were skeptical of.

Great job, Legend Films.

Arrgh. I sense another Mobius-generated classic horror blind buy in my future! :)

Anyone know when these films, THE SKULL, POSSESSION OF JOEL DELANEY, Z.P.G. (ZERO POPULATION GROWTH), etc., will be available at other online retailers.

Is 14.95 MSRP, or is Legend offering a discount. Also do they charge $2.95 shipping per disc.

I know it, I'm a cheapskate! :o

Cheap date, too! he, he :P

. . . amazon.com shows June 3rd as the release date for the first batch of these - their price is also US$14.95 (plus sales tax for residents of Washington State, such as ourselves), however, I would guess other online folks will have them for a bit less . . .

Thanks for the link. It appears that the $14.95 Amazon is selling them for is 100% of the MSRP, add tax and shipping vs. buying them at Legend for $14.95 plus $4.95 shipping for the first disc and $2.95 for each additional disc, and it looks like I'll be waiting for someone else to offer them for less online.

There's also a review over at DVD Drive-In of Jacque Demy's THE PIED PIPER (1972), which Legend has added to its list of Paramount film releases. (see link below)

The reviewer calls the film "a dark yet sometimes droll and allegoric mix of fantasy, horror, religion and politics set during the dark ages." Cast includes Donovan, John Hurt, Donald Pleasence, Jack Wild and Diana Dors. I enjoyed Demy's PEAU D'ANE aka DONKEY SKIN - Catherine Deneuve, Jean Marais, Delphine Seyrig, Jacques Perrin, Micheline Presle and others - so this sounds like my cup of tea.


http://www.dvddrive-in.com/reviews/n-s/piedpiper72.htm

Holy crap, that's awesome! Boughted!

I saw it at the Anthology Film Archives in NY last year, with Donovan in attendance. Blogged it, too. Not sure I'd buy it but it won't disappoint if you're sold on the idea of seeing it. Anthology also recently showed a new print of DEEP END...is that/will that be coming?

I remember your tempered praise of the screening well, Bob, and between it and the un-discounted price point I did hesitate before pushing the 'buy' button - but only for a moment.

I'm indeed anxious to see the film for myself, and being an inveterate Donovan fan, the curio factor here is off the charts for me. Also, I was delighted by Legend Film's approach to transferring THE SKULL, and am champing at the bit to take a look at another release from them.

Word was out over at the CHFB that some Target stores already got in The Skull and others for $9.99 each! So, I gave a call to the Target out in Brooklyn and they said they had copies of The Skull. So, I trudged out to Flatbush and... I'm sure you can see where this is going. No Skull. No one there knew anything about it. No one would admit they took my call. No one knew how to do their job.

Maybe one of the employees is possessed by the skull of the Marquis de Suck. Possibly.

:lol: :lol: Thanks, Jeffrey. I just blew Cap'n Crunch all over my computer monitor.

This latest story could have happened in any of our current video stores (Borders, Blockbuster, Best Buy, Circuit City, etc.), stores populated with twentysomething employees who think that "old movies" are from the 1980s.

Bet it kept it's crunch, though.