DISTRIBPIX, FILM RESTORATIONS
Video-X-Pix acquires rights to the films of Henry Paris
Video-X-Pix is proud to announce the addition of the first four legendary ‘Henry Paris’ films to its historic collection of golden age adult films.
Made in the mid 1970s by famed director Radley Metzger using the pseudonym ‘Henry Paris’, these films are regarded as being among the greatest adult films ever made.
The films, The Private Afternoons of Pamela Mann (1974), Naked Came the Stranger (1975), The Opening of Misty Beethoven (1976), and Barbara Broadcast (1977), will be added to the Video-X-Pix Platinum Elite collection – the industry gold standard for the re-release of classic adult films of the golden era
By partnering with Radley Metzger, Video-X-Pix will release the ‘Henry Paris’ films in high definition re-mastered form, with a wealth of extras including the first commentaries and interviews that Metzger has done for these films, and a series of material that will shed light on the work of this important ground breaking director.
When asked about the acquisition, Video-X-Pix president Steven Morowitz was very vocal: “We are honored to have been entrusted by Radley Metzger to present these films in their definitive versions. This venture will confirm Video-X-Pix as the pre-eminent company in this market. I am so damn proud of this license deal and partnership with Radley. He is probably the most influential and well known erotic filmmaker of all time, having directed many critically acclaimed features of the 1960s and 70s.
Radley is one of the nicest ‘old school’ guys I have ever met and each time I meet with him, I like him more and more. So far working with him has been nothing but wonderful.
I have not been happy with the way in which the most recent versions of these films have been released to the public. I have been a huge fan of them for years and I am finally going to get my chance to bring them to the 21st century consumer…. and one of my goals is to focus on the mainstream market: I want Henry Paris to be a household name. Toward that end I have been working with several film historians, critics and even fans to help analyze each of these films in order to properly restore them.
A huge point of discontent on the film forums today is the fans’ rejection of original vintage films being cut and re-edited. The fans want to see them uncut, in high-end collector’s editions, with HD transfers, many extras including the involvement of the director, cast and crew. My goal is to restore each of these films, bring a new awareness of these jewels and introduce them to a new audience.”
Speaking about the deal today, Radley Metzger expressed his pleasure saying, ‘It’s exciting to have these titles in the proper hands. I look forward to working closely with Steve during the restoration process’”
The company is also planning public showings of the films and considering striking new 35mm prints for film festivals which will be attended by Radley with appearances by a number of the featured stars. Further details will be announced in 2011.
Started in 2007, the Platinum Elite collection features uncut and re-mastered high definition versions of the films together with a wealth of extras including director and performer commentaries, detailed liner notes, featurettes, and stills from the original production. Currently the Platinum Elite Collection includes Maraschino Cherry (1977), the fifth and final ‘Henry Paris’ film of the series, as well as, Deep Inside Annie Sprinkle (1981), Blonde Ambition (1981), and The Passions Of Carol (1975).
Video-X-Pix was founded in New York in 1965 and soon became the most successful East Coast producer of sexploitation films; for the next thirty years it was one of the biggest adult film production companies in the world. Now, branded Video-X-Pix, it is considered the most prestigious company for the re-issue of classic adult films.
For more information contact Steven Morowitz at 732-446-3700 or 917-575-9148
steven@videoxpix.com
This is great,…a real Christmas present…but I do want to give VCA credit for doing wht they could with the materials at hand. I’d never have seen the movies otherwise, even in fractured form. I can’t wait for the complete, extras-filled editions…box set please!
Congratulations!!! Looking forward to a proper restoration of these classics!
amazing! I just discovered this blog last night, and what fantastic news about the metzger/paris films! i have searched high and low for 20 years for every print from around the world i could lay hands on, trying to get the best-quality, uncut copies i could find. (things like a dutch video version of Misty Beethoven truly uncut, mastered from film and in the proper ratio; and the original late 70’s uncut Quality-X VHS of Marashino Cherry, looking to have been pseudo-telecined off of a projection on a wall.) i am not only looking forward to these being given the red-carpet treatment they deserve, but my mouth waters at the thought that you’ll likely have access to things like the rare soft cut of Misty Beethoven. i’m sure this is the place to confirm something unclear to me for a long time: were all/any of the paris pornos originally shot in 16mm or 35mm?
kudos on the blog and the stunning archival collection!
Great news! I have only seen “Barbara Broadcast” uncut on a VHS tape that came out thirty years ago. Please include the softcore version of Misty Beethoven if you have access, and put all of them on Blu-ray!
At first I was excited to hear this news, but then I realized that I own Video-X-Pix’s single-disc DVD release of MARASCHINO CHERRY, and the quality of that disc is awful.
Obviously one can’t expect to find a pristine print of a 40-year-old XXX film, nor can one expect a DVD distributor to sink too much money into producing a quality product for a niche market, but Video-X-Pix didn’t even color-correct the transfer to get rid of that awful magenta cast that plagues old film prints. Even worse, they periodically imposed their company logo in the lower-right corner of the video, like some TV network “bug.”
Steven Morowitz can praise the fans and speak in superlatives all he likes, but unless his company produces these new discs from the best, most complete prints available, presents a clean transfer without company logos imprinted on the picture, and carries out at least the bare minimum amount of restoration work (i.e. color correction), these discs will be no better than the bare-bones VCA releases from a decade ago, and certainly won’t warrant buying them again.
I’m not trying to sound like sour grapes. I AM hopeful that Video-X-Pix will treat this material like the cultural treasure that it is. Let’s just say, I’ll believe it when I see it. There’s your challenge, Steven. Don’t let us down.
Johnny,
we sort of began to address these very issues with our Platinum Elite Collections, all of our films going forward and for the past 2 years, have all been film transfers from 35 mm negatives. Maybe, you could continue to read the blog and see pics/screen grabs of our recent HD transfer of Inside Little Oral Annie.
We have fixed many of the issues with Maraschino Cherry on the 2 disc Platinum Elite version. And I must say that I appreciate your comments and you are right, the original single disc version of Maraschino Cherry was awful, but that is so in the past. And I am not sure that there is another person in the re-issue of classic adult content, that can boast the archive and legacy that I own and operate. I have dedicated myself to this and it is what I do all day and night. This new license deal is amazing and I am excited and anxious to preserve these jewels like the treasure that they are. While I am sure that i will never be able to please everyone, I am sure that the majority of rational thinking people will be pleased with the way in which we approach these films and the extras that will accompany them. And we love all suggestions/comments.
Thank you Johhny
Happy to read about your getting access to Radley Metzger’s “Henry Paris” Collection. As a XXX Film fan I think it only appropriate to box them up and keep them together that way. If you wanna sell them seperately then great more money to you but I think DVD box sets are better. You get the whole collection as it was meant to be.
Metzger’s finest accomplishment was The Image, aka The Punishment of Anne. Will you own the rights to this classic? Seriously, guys, we need the old Distribpix titles, not another tired reissue of Opening of Misty Beethoven.
The Image is still under license to Synapse Films. They will likely be issuing a blu-ray.
Very much looking forward to these,please be sure to ask Radley if you can include the soft cuts of these films as well,i’m pretty sure there’s some footage exclusive to those.Loved your 2 disc Platinum collection release of ‘Maraschino Cherry’, [Johnny believe me it’s a HUGE impovement over the old single disc release !],will this also be making the jump to BLU RAY,[if so can you please remove the watermarks,this was the first of the Platinum Editions,the other P.E releases i believe were not,after consultation with the fans,nice touch !],fingers crossed ! Keep up the good work !
When will you be releasing The private afternoons of Pamela Mann
This is awesome news! I look forward to seeing the discs (got to save up for them) and hopefully reviewing them on my blog. Distribpix…LOVE YA! My only concern…will the Video-X-Pix logo be cropping up throughout the films as on previous discs? That’s my only worry, I’m SO excited about these releases!
October 16, 2011.
Hello….greetings….Steven.
Just received a copy of “Pamela Mann” 2 disc version. It is
fantastic….hope the rest of Henry Paris’ films are restored the same way. Any chance they come in Blu-ray , wondered if it will be any better.
Also, I am looking for Cecil Howard’s “October Silk”….it is
from “Command Video” which is no longer in business. Hope you will
release that in future. Thanks….
Regards,
Bernard Lee