Pirates (Roman Polanski, Walter Matthau, Cris Campion, May 2025)

[Nitroes]

4260696738793

Pirates (1986) - Official Trailer | Walter Matthau, Cris Campion, Charlotte Lewis Movie HD - YouTube

My favourite pirates film.


It's had a couple of releases (inluding my first ever Steelbook) in France, Italy, Poland and beautiful metalpack bootlegged in Spain.


https://www.jpc.de/jpcng/movie/detai.../hnum/12153295
https://www.grooves-inc.com/pola-ski...101336210.html
https://www.amazon.de/dp/B0DTSPXSMP/

[drush9999]

I already have the Italian BD which is pretty good, presumably the same transfer.
Like Cutthroat Island it's a pirate film flop that is a lot of fun.

[SwissHD]

Originally Posted by drush9999

I already have the Italian BD which is pretty good, presumably the same transfer.

Yes but the Italian is 24fps and has a micro stutter problem.
The Original France Release was in 23,976fps and didnt had that Problem.

Every Release since the France Release that is in 24fps has the micro stutter Problem.

The new German Release is now finally back to the 23,976fps and shouldnt have the stutter problem.

I have seen 3 different Releases of this. Even the German DVD back in 2022 had the stutter problem because it was sourced from the 24fps Master.

That Problem was very annoying for me because i watch on a big screen projected.

[Menteith]

Did the Spanish release also have the Stuttering problem?

[SwissHD]

Originally Posted by Menteith

Did the Spanish release also have the Stuttering problem?

The spanish Blu Ray is a bootleg.
If it has the master in 24fps it will have the stuttering problem for sure.

[drush9999]

I've heard of 24fps stuttering Vs 23.976fps stuff before, and have never had an issue with it on my setup. In fact most Studio Canal releases are bang on 24fps in Europe.

[SwissHD]

Originally Posted by drush9999

I've heard of 24fps stuttering Vs 23.976fps stuff before, and have never had an issue with it on my setup. In fact most Studio Canal releases are bang on 24fps in Europe.

Its an issue only with this Master and i guess its a conversion error. I dont have a Problem with other 24fps movies.
I can reproduce it on all players including the computer drive. Even the 25fps PAL DVD from Pidax has the micro stuttering cause it was done from the 24fps HD Master.

Thankfully the new German Pidax Blu Ray is 23,976 again like the first french release and the micro stuttering is gone.

Pidax is already shipping the blu ray if ordered from their webshop.

[Nitroes]

It's a shame the Cannon version is lost. All the versions I've seen have the French titles.

MGM did have some control of this in US/UK but I'm not sure now. I see StudioCanal's logo has appeared in the last few years before it too.

My original French release still looks beautiful although it's always been a dodgy disc from day 1. Some Blu-ray players take you to the BDV folder or just won't play at all. I did rip it for security but I've since bought the Italy version.

I might get this release will see what people have to say.

[SwissHD]

Originally Posted by Nitroes

It's a shame the Cannon version is lost. All the versions I've seen have the French titles.

The Problem is that nobody wants to invest in that movie anymore.
The French People did the first HD Master back in 2009 thats why it has french credits and all.
And it was the only HD Master ever done for the movie. So every foreign Release used it since then.

After the sexual abuse allegations from charlotte lewis i dont think this will change. In todays times it seems pretty risky to invest in a 4K Master with such things going on for a movie that was even before not that popular.
Alas....there was never been an US Release....not even on DVD!

And only a handful of countrys got a BD Release since the French Disc in 2009.
Some of them were even Bootlegs (first italian Release oder the Spanish one from Resen). And the French label NEVER reissued the Blu Ray. Its oop for ages and you can buy it used on Amazon FR for 140€ and more

It is really not very popular.
I can see why but i still like the movie a lot as a guilty pleasure.

Originally Posted by Nitroes

I might get this release will see what people have to say.

I already have mine because Pidax is already sending the disc out if you ordered from their Shop.

You said you have the Italien Eagle Release right?
So that release has the micro Stutter Problem. I have it myself.
At some point the Master was conversed from 23,976fps (original French Disc) to exactly 24fps.
And something went wrong with that.
Since then it had micro stuttering.

Example:
On the new Pidax Blu Ray you can go to timecode 1:29:57 (should be around the same mark on the Eagle Blu Ray).
Its the Scene on the ship when Don Alfonso is about to walk away with the letter in the hand. As soon as he starts walking you can see a stutter on the italian Eagle Blu Ray.
And those stutters happen frequently.
Thankfully its gone on the new Pidax Blu Ray. Its also in 23,976fps again like the original French Release.

The Stuttering even was present in Pidax own DVD Release from 2022. Altough it was of course in 25fps the disc was done from the 24fps Master and therefore "imported" the micro Stutters.
On a big screen i have MASSIVE Problems with it.

Thats why i wasnt satisfied with the Italian Eagle Blu Ray or the German DVD.

And no...its not my equipment. I tested it on 4 different players and Displays. My Projector, my TV, my Computer and another TV.
Its baked in the Master.
If you cant see it than youre a happy person

Back to the Pidax Blu Ray:
So thankfully NO Stuttering anymore.
The only negative thing about the Pidax Blu Ray i can say is that they sadly used only a BD-25.
And it shows a little in terms of compression. But only if you compare it on still pictures. If you watch both Releases in Motion you cant tell the difference.

Here is a Comparison between the Italian Blu Ray and the new German Pidax one:
https://slow.pics/c/dmuarZng

Nothing to write home about because what you see in motion is more important than what you can spot on a still picture comparison.
The compression on the pidax blu ray is....well....not bad enough to spot problems in motion if you compare both Blu Rays which i did.

But yes...if they had used a BD-50 that could have been avoidable!

Thats the only gripe i have.
Well...also that they didnt do subtitles for the French Making of. But that doesnt affect the movie experience of course.

[DMRI2006]

Originally Posted by Nitroes

MGM did have some control of this in US/UK but I'm not sure now. I see StudioCanal's logo has appeared in the last few years before it too.

I've also wondered about this, because it's odd this movie hasn't been released in the U.S. in years and years. Possibly since the VHS era. Was there ever a legit Region 1 DVD release?

I suspect Cannon was just a theatrical distributor on the movie in the U.S. and their (and subsequently MGM's) involvement lapsed way, way back and there's some tangled mess of rights involved with licensing it domestically. Lots of different entities and foreign money went into the production of it.

Otherwise, even with the movie's dubious reputation, between Polanski and Matthau's names -- and the genre getting a spark with the Disney movies -- you'd have imagined one of the boutique labels would've put it out long ago.

[Nitroes]

Originally Posted by DMRI2006

I've also wondered about this, because it's odd this movie hasn't been released in the U.S. in years and years. Possibly since the VHS era. Was there ever a legit Region 1 DVD release?

I suspect Cannon was just a theatrical distributor on the movie in the U.S. and their (and subsequently MGM's) involvement lapsed way, way back and there's some tangled mess of rights involved with licensing it domestically. Lots of different entities and foreign money went into the production of it.

Otherwise, even with the movie's dubious reputation, between Polanski and Matthau's names -- and the genre getting a spark with the Disney movies -- you'd have imagined one of the boutique labels would've put it out long ago.

Always loved the film seen it in an empty cinema never undestood the negativity. My favourite pirate film I did really like Gore Verbinski's but none of the crappy remakes.

Cannon's name still appears on the copyright of the music in some countires so I've always assumed they (MGM) own some home video rights. I think the rights may have went to Heron Communications (Media Home Entertainment) for a while but I just don't know for sure where they might reside now. If StudioCanal have it in most European countries I'd assume they got them off Cannon when Canal+ Image took control of most of Cannon's Secreen Entertainment catalogue.

Doesn't really matter as we have lots of Blu-rays it's just a shame people who don't import don't know about a very enjoyable non-CGI pirates film.

I don't think the Polanski kerfuffle would stop a release in the UK and USA. Just can't imagine it.

[DMRI2006]

Originally Posted by Nitroes

Always loved the film seen it in an empty cinema never undestood the negativity. My favourite pirate film I did really like Gore Verbinski's but none of the crappy remakes.

Cannon's name still appears on the copyright of the music in some countires so I've always assumed they (MGM) own some home video rights. I think the rights may have went to Heron Communications (Media Home Entertainment) for a while but I just don't know for sure where they might reside now. If StudioCanal have it in most European countries I'd assume they got them off Cannon when Canal+ Image took control of most of Cannon's Secreen Entertainment catalogue.

Doesn't really matter as we have lots of Blu-rays it's just a shame people who don't import don't know about a very enjoyable non-CGI pirates film.

I don't think the Polanski kerfuffle would stop a release in the UK and USA. Just can't imagine it.

Yeah, it's not that, because people are still putting out Polanski catalog on Blu-Ray here. And yet I don't get why it hasn't been released since VHS in the U.S. The sheer physical production of the film makes it worthwhile, it has a classic Hollywood star, and the genre had a huge revival obviously. With the PoC movies being so hugely successful we seemed to get a remaster of everything in the genre -- even CUTTHROAT ISLAND!

I picked up the Italian Blu-Ray for cheap from Rarewaves (was only $11), and I had the French disc from way back. They're all the same transfer and could use a remaster, but it's still better than VHS obviously lol.

[Nitroes]

There's 2 italy releases mind:


2020


2014

Pretty sure I have both (those dates are in my files) but I've not compared them.

[mrkoernchen]

Quadrifoglio is an infamous italian Bootleg Label.

[James Luckard]

Originally Posted by DMRI2006

I've also wondered about this, because it's odd this movie hasn't been released in the U.S. in years and years. Possibly since the VHS era. Was there ever a legit Region 1 DVD release?

I suspect Cannon was just a theatrical distributor on the movie in the U.S. and their (and subsequently MGM's) involvement lapsed way, way back and there's some tangled mess of rights involved with licensing it domestically. Lots of different entities and foreign money went into the production of it.

Otherwise, even with the movie's dubious reputation, between Polanski and Matthau's names -- and the genre getting a spark with the Disney movies -- you'd have imagined one of the boutique labels would've put it out long ago.

Nope, it hasn't been released in the US since the days of VHS.

I can only assume the US rights situation must be unclear, otherwise some boutique label would have done it at some point.

[DMRI2006]

Originally Posted by James Luckard

Nope, it hasn't been released in the US since the days of VHS.

I can only assume the US rights situation must be unclear, otherwise some boutique label would have done it at some point.

Agree James. They probably reside with Tarak Ben Ammar or whoever as the movie was funded with a lot of international money from different places.

Cannon's involvement was only a distributor on the movie in the U.S. (and whatever other territories), they put nothing into the production otherwise. I'd imagine that distribution expired many years ago.

In the Wikipedia quote it says Cannon outbid DEG and MGM to distribute the movie domestically. Golan himself said '"We make mistakes. Pirates was one of them. ... We will lose $1 million or $2 million. ... It hurts. It teaches us a very big lesson that we should not even take for distribution a picture which we don't have all the rights."

[Nitroes]

MGM did put money into the film but Ben Ammar bought them out during production IIRC.

The film had a lot of production problems every week nearly it was on the front page of Screen International magazine for months. I seem to remember them saying a 'source' said Ben Ammar paid $2m to MGM.

[Nitroes]

Spain getting another release:




https://www.amazon.es/dp/B0FB1C11DB/

[Douglas R]

The only Polanski film which I struggle to get through!

[drush9999]

Weird how this C-Tier Polanski gets so many re-releases. I like the movie, but don't love it.