Cecil Howard

Can you tell me more about this film, and why is it great ?

[Link]

Also, didn't mean to imply that Babylon Pink was made by Cecil Howard, but is a fine flick nonetheless.

[Link]

The Command Cinema library, a treasure trove of Golden Age porn classics produced by their owner, Cecil Howard, has finally found a DVD distributor in Media Blasters, a Manhattan-based mainstream company.

Howard released all his films on video on his Command Video label, but he never put them on DVD, and several companies over the years have pursued the digital rights to what is perhaps the last major classic porn cache not available on disc.

Howard’s going outside of the adult industry to Media Blasters was something of a surprise, but he said he was convinced it was the right deal. He told AVN.com that after meeting with them he was excited by their concern for preserving the quality of the original 35mm film on DVD.

Media Blasters will be able to make digital transfers directly from Howard’s 35mm camera negatives, which he has kept in pristine shape in storage over the years.

According to CEO John Sirabella, Media Blasters does have a line of adult animation from Japan but most of its catalog is “edgy, trendy” horror films and Asian action movies. The Command deal, he told AVN.com, is “a new idea for us—classics of the adult industry.”

First releases are Babylon Pink (1979), one of the few Command movies not also directed by Howard, and Neon Nights (1981). The BabylonDVD features interviews with director Henri Pachard and Georgina Spelvin, a member of its all-star cast. All Command reissues will include cast and crew interviews and director’s commentary.

Howard’s movies are among the most highly esteemed and awarded products of porn’s Golden Age (late ‘70s to late ‘80s), big-budget productions with well developed scripts and the major stars of the period.

Howard’s Scoundrels won the first AVN Award for Best Film in 1983. He was also named Best Director, winning twice more in that category in 1985 and 1986.

His Command catalog numbers some 47 films, but Howard said there are some he doesn’t want to see reissued. “They’re just old,” he laughed. He has earmarked a selection of “30 to 40 titles tops” for DVD exposure.

Sirabella said that if the Command series works out, they’ll be looking for more classic adult titles to reissue. They want to go far beyond straight digital transfers, cleaning up the masters, restoring quality and adding extras to the DVDs. Howard made it easy for them since he still has everything, from prints to archival materials, in good condition.

Babylon Pink is scheduled for release November 29, with Neon Nights (1981) following sometime in December. Sirabella said they’ll wait to see what happens with the first two releases before firming up a schedule for 2006.

And a more recent piece from XBiz.com...

NEW YORK — Roughly 30 adult classics from legendary producer Cecil Howard’s Command Cinema are slated for transfer to DVD for distribution by Media Blasters.

Until recently, Media Blasters has primarily focused on mainstream products, including cult and horror classics. The company also is well known for distributing Japanese anime titles, including the popular adults-only Bible Black series.

Master Blasters Vice President of Adult Sales Gary Conner told XBiz that the success of Bible Black, which contains explicit animated content, prompted the company to reach out into live-action adult titles, and he was thrilled when Command Cinema chose Media Blasters from a long list of potential suitors to distribute its library of 35mm films.

“We’re going to take a Criterion Collection approach to these DVDs,” Conner told XBiz, referring to Merchant Ivory’s continuing series of mainstream Hollywood classics, which are re-mastered and re-issued in collector’s editions that offer supplemental material and bonus features.

In the case of Command Cinema, Media Blasters will pull the 35mm negatives of roughly 30 treasures of the adult world out of the vaults, repackage them for the digital age with cast interviews, director’s commentaries and other extras, then put them into the hands of porn collectors.

“Our concept was to find the best retrospective adult titles that are all brand new to DVD,” Conner said. “These [Command Cinema] movies are the best of the best. And they have probably the best collection of bonus materials.”

Media Blasters will start slowly, releasing one title in November and one in December. First up is 1979’s “Babylon Pink,” starring Samantha Fox and Vanessa Del Rio, which hits streets on Nov. 29. It will be followed on Dec. 27 by “Neon Nights” with Lysa Thatcher and Veronica Hart.

This is potentially the best news yet for anyone interested in classic porn on DVD.

I always thought it would take a 'mainstream' company to do full justice to the Golden Age, albeit a company who made their name releasing Anime and exploitation films. I'm sure Media Blasters will do a far better job than many of the porn industry scoundrels, who've almost succeeded in ruining otherwise great films with shoddy treatment on DVD. With a few notable exceptions, the porn companies have proven time and again that they don't give a fuck how the classics are presented.

Fortunately Cecil Howard does care, and I wish him and Media Blasters every success with their DVD releases.

[Link]

Edited by - Yankey Doodel on 11/10/2005 7:54:53 AM

[Link]

http://realboogienights.com

[Link]

http://realboogienights.com

[Link]

Some golden age movies were undoubtedly shot (or at least, presented) in a rectangular aspect ratio. I say ‘definitely’ because current or previous releases have presented them as such and, given the shoddy approach to transferring these films for home-viewing, I can’t imagine anyone going to the trouble of matting the image at that stage. In the case of something like Fiona On Fire , where the current release is a composite of at least three sources, very little of the film is in the correct aspect ratio but there is clear evidence that it was originally shown at 1.85:1 (or whatever it is). Metzger's hardcore movies were widescreen, as were at least some of Damiano's. Having said that, I have watched numerous movies from this period and failed to spot any evidence of cropping, suggesting the academy ratio (1.33:1) is correct. This is hardly scientific but, without referring to the original theatrical prints, establishing the correct aspect ratio is actually quite difficult.

I have read (albeit I can't remember where) that films shot on 16mm have a native aspect ratio of 1.33:1, and if true, that would certainly be relevant here. I assume the camera fundamentally establishes the aspect ratio, but we also need to consider the possibility of matting during either replication or projection. I can certainly remember watching one of Svetlana’s movies on disk and wondering if the full-frame presentation was actually ‘open-mat’, and thus achieved its (basically) square ratio by revealing redundant information top and bottom rather than cropping the sides.

Can anyone with a technical bent, or anyone who frequented adult theatres, help?

Edited by - sdc on 11/25/2005 4:00:15 PM

[Link]

Yes, maybe this should be a new thread -- no doubt there are others who know the story better (not to mention those who actually shot the movies). My head threatens to explode if I think too hard about all the variables that go into screen size!

http://realboogienights.com

[Link]

I'l tell you my key list -- Neon Nights and Star Angel at the top, followed by Firestorm I & II, then Snake Eyes. BTW, Brian De Palma had to get permission from Howard to use the title Snake Eyes for his own movie with Nicholas Cage! (You can't normally own a title, but because Howard had made Snake Eyes II it was a 'series' and he had legal copyright on the title -- something like that)

http://realboogienights.com

[Link]

Like you, Media Blasters/Kitty Media is also very excited about our upcoming releases of Command's BABYLON PINK and NEON NIGHTS. And we're equally pleased, as we hope you will be too, to be able to bring you full-blown special editions of these classic films.

First, the 2-DISC BABYLON PINK is just days away from completion and I thought I'd whet your appetite with some details about it, as well as the upcoming NEON NIGHTS.

BABYLON PINK
DISC 1:

VIDEO
Digitally remastered from the original negative. (If your eyes are accustomed to your worn VHS and DVD-Rs, you're in for a pleasant surprise.)
1.33:1 (full frame) original aspect ratio

AUDIO
Brand New English 5.1 Surround Sound
English Mono

EXTRAS:
*Theatrical Trailer
*Audio Commentary #1: Producer Cecil Howard
*Audio Commentary #2: Writer/Director Henri Pachard
*Outtakes - Nearly 50 minutes' worth (!)

DISC 2 EXTRAS:
*BABYLON PINK: Cable TV Version
*Brand new, revealing, on-camera interviews with director Henri Pachard, cinematographer/editor Roberta Findlay and star Eric Edwards
*BABYLON PINK Still gallery (loads of them from Cecil's vaults!)
*Cecil Howard VHS Cover Art Gallery
*NEON NIGHTS Trailer
*Trailers for other Raincoat/Exploitation Digital releases

As we speak, NEON NIGHTS (also 2 discs) is taking shape nicely as well. Video and Audio will be just like on BABYLON. Extras will include:
*New interviews with Eric Edwards, Veronica Hart, Jamie Gillis and cinematographer Chuck Smith
*Audio Commentary with Cecil Howard
*Theatrical Trailer
*Outtakes
*Cable TV Version
*Extensive Photo gallery

So, that's what we're looking at for these two releases. Of course, we're hoping they do really well because if they do, we can hopefully apply these special-edition standards to many more Cecil Howard films. Since we're in a holding pattern pending the performance of these releases, we haven't made any decisions as to what to follow these up with. That's where you come in. If you have some suggestions as to what Cecil Howard films you'd like to see next, we'd love to hear them. So post away and your feedback will be duly noted. And if you have any questions, I'll do my best to provide answers. Thanks for your time, input and support.

Richard York,
Media Blasters / Kitty Media

[Link]

It sounds like Christmas has arrived early this year! I will be ordering Babylon Pink as soon as it's available, my first adult DVD purchase in over three years.

One question about the Neon Nights DVD. Will you be releasing the film in a completely uncensored version? I seem to remember there was a scene involving some fisting, and that type of material has been removed from many other Golden Age classics in recent years.

If you decide to release other Cecil Howard films in future, then my vote would be for Platinum Paradise.

[Link]

Fantasex
Farewell Scarlett
Final Sin
Firestorm
Heat Wave
Jail Bait
October Silk
Snake Eyes

[Link]

Almost all of Howard's films are good, but here is the sequence in which I'd like to see the next films come out:

PLATINUM PARADISE (my #1 favorite Howard film, and the theme song is a classic)
FIRESTORM (OK, this has to tie with PP for my favorite Howard film)
SCOUNDRELS
SPITFIRE
STAR ANGEL
FOXTROT
SNAKE EYES
DANGEROUS STUFF

I feel Howard really hit his stride directly after the success of BABYLON PINK. FANTASEX is interesting, but is really a Roberta Findlay film, she directed it and let him take credit for it (according to her). I'd like to see FAREWELL SCARLETT because of Terri Hall, one of my personal favorites, and GEORGIA PEACH is supposed to be great.

Edited by - joplinfantasy on 11/30/2005 7:01:09 PM

[Link]

My wish list includes:
Firestorm - great performance by Joanna Storm as the blind girl.
Snake Eyes - great Laurie Smith performance
Star Angel - Anything that Angel was in should be on DVD.
Georgia Peach aka "Peach Fuzz" - I never saw this, but I've heard it's very hot.
Platinum Paradise - Kandi Barbour
October Silk
Spitfire

Thanks again, you guys!

[Link]

I don't know if the fisting scene was included in the theatrical version of NEON NIGHTS (it's not typical of Howard's style and he didn't mention it), but the Command Video tape I have doesn't feature it. BABYLON PINK's tape did feature new dubbing which added "I'm 18" to two scenes featuring Georgette Sanders (same with PLATINUM PARADISE in Hillary Summers' scene with Bobby Astyr). The DVD does not include this additional dialogue, thankfully, it's completely uncut and adds more footage I don't remember seeing to a few scenes.

By the way, fans of PLATINUM PARADISE or those who have never seen it should know that the Cecil Howard cover art gallery features pretty much the entire uncut theme song playing over the images. Play it on repeat and blast it through your house!

[Link]

The story behind the NEON NIGHTS fisting scene and Cecil Howard's official stance on it is as follows:

The scene in question (which amounted to just a few seconds) occurred when, as Cecil Howard puts it, "Jamie Gillis got a little carried away." Howard was never comfortable with the scene as he felt it was inappropriate and inconsistent with his tastes and vision, a stance which he maintains to this day. The scene did end up in a very early cut of the film (and possibly a couple of theatrical prints) which was submitted to West Coast theaters where it was rejected and returned. That was enough for Howard to snip the scene and never look back. So the NEON NIGHTS DVD will include an abbreviated version of this scene, and is to be considered the DEFINITIVE DIRECTOR'S CUT, which is precisely what these releases are all about. It is our wish and goal to respect the creative decisions made by Cecil Howard and hope that you will, too.

Keep the suggestions for future releases coming!

Richard York,
Media Blasters / Kitty Media

Edited by - ryork on 12/1/2005 1:35:44 PM

[Link]

Will you include the excised footage as an outtake?

[Link]

Congratulations on your involvement with the new DVDs and I hope these are the first of many.

[Link]

That said...had Cecil Howard expressed the will to have the fisting scene included..what would Media BLasters have done ?
I can't help thinking that CH's Director's Cut probably made things a lot easier for MB
Not that I'm complaining !

[Link]

Richard York,
Media Blasters / Kitty Media

[Link]

What's the latest news on the Neon Nights DVD? Any plans to include the fisting sequence as an outtake?

[Link]

Command/Media Blasters have done a great job all the way around with this release. The print is in amazing shape. There are some artifacts and signs of deterioration in a few places but in honesty it looks amazing.

If you are a fan you'll have to pick this up, it's worth the premium price tag.

[Link]

I still have an Adult DVD Empire Magic 8ball coupon, which expires on the 31st. That, plus their free shipping and 15% Kickbacks rebate is starting to make this movie look like a very good deal. I know ADE is closed for the holiday, but I think I'll go place my order shortly.

[Link]

http://realboogienights.com

[Link]