Italian Sword and Sandal films

[Jobla]

Originally Posted by vortexx

I know Kino scrapped their Goliath and the Vampires release, but has anyone else released it in HD?

No. The film is only available in relatively poor-quality transfers. It has not been released by a major label on home video, not even in Europe. No major label VHS, DVD, or Blu-ray.

[SMOOT]

Originally Posted by Jobla

No. The film is only available in relatively poor-quality transfers. It has not been released by a major label on home video, not even in Europe. No major label VHS, DVD, or Blu-ray.

While I'm not much of a fan of the sword and sandal films, I would really like to own a restored Goliath and the Vampires.

[Beckford]

Glad to see that Mark Forest's "Son of Samson" is coming. Love those Egyptian peplums. Would also like to see Blu-rays on "Cleopatra's Daughter"(Debra Paget, Ettore Manni) and "The Lion of Thebes" (Mark Forest, Yvonne Furneaux). Ideally in good widescreen prints with the original Italian versions (subtitled) as options. I can dream, can't I?

[hanshotfirst1138]

Originally Posted by Jobla

Apparently so. VCI planned to release HERCULES, but at least two different entities have a claim to ownership. The rights probably reside in Europe.

Damn. I got the Retromedia widescreen DVD, and it’s almost unwatchable. I bet that Bava’s cinematography looks amazing with the right transfer.

[Jobla]

Originally Posted by hanshotfirst1138

Damn. I got the Retromedia widescreen DVD, and it’s almost unwatchable. I bet that Bava’s cinematography looks amazing with the right transfer.

There is a Japanese Blu-ray of HERCULES that is overall the best transfer of the film that I have seen. However, it is not English-friendly, no English audio or subtitles.

[Mikezilla3k]

Originally Posted by Jobla

There is a Japanese Blu-ray of HERCULES that is overall the best transfer of the film that I have seen. However, it is not English-friendly, no English audio or subtitles.

Yes, along with Hercules Unchained.



The collection should be in the OP at least. Also, isn't Hercules Unchained straight up Public Domain in the US? See that 1958 is in a rights quandary right now, which makes Unchained being PD even odder.

[hanshotfirst1138]

Originally Posted by Jobla

There is a Japanese Blu-ray of HERCULES that is overall the best transfer of the film that I have seen. However, it is not English-friendly, no English audio or subtitles.

The German DVD I have of Unchained doesn’t look much better. Damn, these need remasters!

[Jobla]

As I mentioned in the Kino thread, a friend of a friend has reported that the new Kino release of SON OF SAMSON is in fact the longer Italian cut, complete with a "Continental" (topless) image which is not present in the US theatrical version.

He also reports that the transfer has a full-length English audio track.

I can't wait!

[Jobla]

Originally Posted by hanshotfirst1138

The German DVD I have of Unchained doesn’t look much better. Damn, these need remasters!

Of the two Japanese Blu-rays, HERCULES appears to be high definition, while HERCULES UNCHAINED looks more like upscaled standard definition.

HERCULES UNCHAINED, being the original Italian version, has a fun shot that never appeared in the US theatrical version. As Ulysses drives the wagon along the Italian coast, a bevy of ten beautiful young women all wave to him as he passes by. None of them are topless, but this brief shot wasn't included in the US edit.

That reminds me of the German Blu-ray of Steve Reeves' THIEF OF BAGHDAD, which presents the original Italian cut. There's a brief scene of four or five beauties beckoning Reeves to the lair of the evil queen. Again, no topless imagery, but that transitional bridge was not shown in the US.

[sa5150]

Originally Posted by Jobla

No. The film is only available in relatively poor-quality transfers. It has not been released by a major label on home video, not even in Europe. No major label VHS, DVD, or Blu-ray.

Anything on Goliath and the Vampires ? I'm really surprised no one.... not even Germany has it on blu-ray yet

[Jobla]

No news on GOLIATH AND THE VAMPIRES. Either the existing film elements are in poor condition, or the rights holders are not willing to make the film elements available.

[sa5150]

Originally Posted by Jobla

No news on GOLIATH AND THE VAMPIRES. Either the existing film elements are in poor condition, or the rights holders are not willing to make the film elements available.

Watched bloody pit of horror , that was wild ... could have used just a little more nudity from those hot model babes , Otherwise very classy .

Was there anything cut out of the blu-ray Italian cut ? It's also missing the "Deep Scarlet" a featurette running 25:00 and its not on youtube anymore , Does it add to anything ? Because I did watch the extra on the blu-ray that pretty much covers the whole movie .

[Jobla]

No, I think that the Italian version is pretty close to the US cut of BLOODY PIT OF HORROR. Different versions have had snippets that varied from print to print, but not in terms of sex or violence.

There is one thing that apparently only appeared in the French release print of HORROR. A scene with three of the models was shot topless for the French version. There is an Easter Egg on the region B Artus Films DVD that has roughly 14 or 17 seconds of the topless footage, but no soundtrack for that footage at all.

French versions of genre films in the late 1950s/early-mid 60s sometimes had topless scenes or variations that weren't shown anywhere else.

[sa5150]

Originally Posted by Jobla

No, I think that the Italian version is pretty close to the US cut of BLOODY PIT OF HORROR. Different versions have had snippets that varied from print to print, but not in terms of sex or violence.

There is one thing that apparently only appeared in the French release print of HORROR. A scene with three of the models was shot topless for the French version. There is an Easter Egg on the region B Artus Films DVD that has roughly 14 or 17 seconds of the topless footage, but no soundtrack for that footage at all.

French versions of genre films in the late 1950s/early-mid 60s sometimes had topless scenes or variations that weren't shown anywhere else.

wow , it says it on dvd compare "Easter eggs:Arrow left from "Virgins for Alain Petit" for two alternate nude angles (0:24)"

Long OOP . I wonder if that footage can be found online ? I doubt youtube would have it.

[sa5150]

Originally Posted by Jobla

No, I think that the Italian version is pretty close to the US cut of BLOODY PIT OF HORROR. Different versions have had snippets that varied from print to print, but not in terms of sex or violence.

There is one thing that apparently only appeared in the French release print of HORROR. A scene with three of the models was shot topless for the French version. There is an Easter Egg on the region B Artus Films DVD that has roughly 14 or 17 seconds of the topless footage, but no soundtrack for that footage at all.

French versions of genre films in the late 1950s/early-mid 60s sometimes had topless scenes or variations that weren't shown anywhere else.

Do you know what the deleted scenes are from the DVD Special Edition from Something Weird ? Does this have what that French dvd had maybe ?

[Jobla]

Generally, footage that has been cut from prints of BLOODY PIT OF HORROR tends to center around two scenes: the group of people entering the locked castle, and scenes of the models and the photographers taking pictures among the castle's torture devices.

The topless footage only appears in the French version of the film, so American, British, and Italian prints don't have it. The Something Weird DVD did not have it. The other national release versions have the scene with the women clothed.

To the best of my knowledge, the only source for the (silent) topless footage is the Artus Films PAL DVD. You might check YouTube, maybe somebody posted it there?