MovieChat Forums > The Fall of the Roman Empire (1964) Discussion > Hello??? Paramount???

Hello??? Paramount???

posted 20 years ago by Ken K.
13 replies | jump to latest

You own this movie. Or at least you used to. Can't you get it back? We need you to release this classic on DVD, not some fly-by-night company with artifacts throughout the print and whose artwork looks like it was done by three year olds. You know...like your CD release with Columbia Records...class. The Ultra Panavision aspect ratio would be perfect, struck from the 70mm original. The original stereophonic sound masters would also be nice. How about a new interview with Sophia Loren? Christopher Plummer? Omar Sharif? Somebody mentioned a Super 8 film of how it was made. Include it. Wouldn't it be nice to have a 2 disc Special Edition? It's a great film. "Gladiator" was just a knock-off. In a thoughtful manner, this film covered several facets of why the Roman Empire fell. Paramount, where art thou?

[–] P63642003 20 years ago

Hi, Ken K. I think it's highly unlikely that Paramount would want to get back the rights to this film as it was one of their biggest flops in USA/Canada market. Strangely, it was a big success in United Kingdom, Europe and places like Australia & New Zealand where it was distributed by the Rank Organisation of Great Britain. They actually made some money from their distribution of the film. I believe they also had money invested in the production itself so that's maybe why they pushed it so hard in their distibution territories. However it was a success for them so they solely financed Anthony Mann's (the director) next film (The Heroes of Telemark). By the way this film (as well as most of the rest of the Samuel Bronston epics) has been secured for USA/Canada DVD distribution by Buena Vista Distribution (i.e. Walt Disney organistion). When they will do justice to these films by releasing long overdue special edition 2 disc dvd's (or any 1 disc version) is totally unknown. However thses films are available on dvd in Europe, Asia & Australia/New Zealand. I have bought a version from each area and I must say that the best quality is the Australian edition in 2.35:1 ratio with dolby digital stereo with an enhanced print. The colour, sharpness & sound are excellennt. There are however absolutely no extras! It is an all region disc playable in every dvd region but in the PAL colour system. It is the full 183 minute (uncut) version. The European versions (France & Spain) are less sharp, less faithful colour & are not enhanced versions. They have unremoveable subtitles but do have the trailer for the film but not in english (French or Spanish languages depending on the version you buy). The British version is apparently just a transfer of a pan & scan, unsharp, not very colourful VHS version not in any recognisable cinema aspect ratio (apparently a tv print rushed onto dvd to capitalise on Galdiator's popularity). The Asian versions are worse still. The Hong Kong DVD is a full frame (1.33:1) 183 minute version with no extras & unremoveable subtitles. This is the Chinese version available throughot most of Asia in PAL colour system. The Taiwan version is actually a 2 disc VCD (not a DVD) of low quality, very unsharp but featuring the 183 minute version in 2.35:1 aspect ratio. It also has the overture and intermission missing in all the other versions but has unremoveable subtitles & no extras!. It is however in NTSC colour system. I have not yet bought the 3 Bronston films South Korean pack (again in NTSC colour system). I have not heard of a Japanese version but it would also be in NTSC colour syatem iif available..

[–] slim99 20 years ago

A little extra info as regards European versions of this movie.
There is a Greek copy available in 2:35:1 enhanced. It has dolby sound and the subtitles are optional. Picture and sound are fine and there is the theatrical trailer (4 min.) in English. There is also film trivia and a short biography of Anthony Mann, but this is written in Greek script and probably won't be much use to most international viewers. The only problem is that the movie runs at 173 min.
BTW - There is also a fine Greek copy of 55 Days, again in 2:35 enhanced, optional subtitles and theatrical trailer. It runs at 156 min. containing the overture and intermission.

[–] rabbe 19 years ago

This film seems to exist in many versions on European DVD's.
I bought the Universal release in London this July for 2.99 pounds. The transfer is pretty nice looking but 16:9 letterboxed in a 4:3 frame, i.e. non-anamorphic. Sound is normal stereo. No extras except for a trailer of "The Gladiator".

[–] James_Bond_007_218 19 years ago

I purchased on DVD in New Zealand for $15.00 NZ ($10.00 US I think), because I'm a great fan of James Mason.

[–] Gooper 19 years ago

I gambled on a Hong Kong edition, issued by Bo-ying. Quite frankly, I was pleased. No extras, no overture or intermission, but presentation was perfectly acceptable. Print used was from the Rank Org. No problem with subtitles, which can be de-selected, and they remain off. Just seeing this picture for the first time in widescreen was a revelation. As Ultra Panavision 70 is the widest of the wide, with original aspect ratio at 2.76:1, the 2.35:1 aspect here looks impressive enough. (See the American Widescreen Museum for tech explorations: http://www.widescreenmuseum.com/index.htm). Color was a trifle faded, and a scratch or two were the only significant flaws. Running time clocked at 180 minutes even. Not sure if this is complete, or if the 188 minutes quoted as the maximum run time includes overture and intermission music. Given the track record of DVD editions for this type of glorious production (which apparently has become the domain of enthusiasts only), I was glad to have the film at all. For the first time, I was able to savor the title sequence as it should be seen, though zoom-in resolution is not that good. If this edition is still far from what we'd like to have, it is nevertheless a vast improvement over my first viewing of it on the ABC Sunday Night Movie in 1970, cut, and with ad interruptions (it still ran till midnight!). One of the screen's greatest epics is at least accessable here, with its basics intact.

[–] froske1 19 years ago

Do you mean the Australian DVD is region free? I've got the Spanish version.

God is real unless declared integer.

[–] The_Dying_Flutchman 19 years ago

I've got the Swahili version. It's unlikely we'll see the Moravian version in our lifetime.

Nothing exists more beautifully than nothing.

[–] P63642003 19 years ago

Yes, froskel the Australian version is region:0 which means that it can be played in ALL DVD regions except that it is in the PAL (European format) of tv colour. It is properly cahptered with exactly 33 chapters and runs a full 185 minutes WITHOUT the 1 minute pretitle and 3 minutes intermission music. I have these extra and apparently rare segments on a Taiwan VCD version of the film. This is the full, uncut version of the film. The aspect ratio is 2.35:1 which is acceptable although the original 2.76:1 aspect ratio would be slightly better. The picture and sound are the best I've seen so far though I have not yet seen the Greek, South Korean and Japanese versions (the latter 2 are in NTSC clour tv system). It seems anywhere but USA can produce a version of this film on dvd which is a great pity because if they put their minds to it the USA version would definitely be the best quality version.
Regards,p63642003.

[–] lidlownbrandproduct 19 years ago

"The British version is apparently just a transfer of a pan & scan, unsharp, not very colourful VHS version"

Bizarre. I bought the region 2, UK edition a few years ago (2000), and it's not pan and scan. It's maybe not in the widest possible screen-but it's not pan and scan.

[–] Lone_Wolf_and_Cub 19 years ago

Mysteries and riddles...the Universe is a strange place, but no doubt it has something to do with economics.

One of the finest films ever produced, and I can’t get a DVD version that represents the majesty of the accomplishment that is “The Fall of the Roman Empire” – someday, someday...

Query: of the three given “writing credits”, I wonder which one wrote the opening scene between Marcus Aurelius (Alec Guinness) and Timonides (James Mason) – an incredible scene, one of many to follow.
_____________
Go Go Gojira!

[–] RivenWinner 19 years ago

I am amazed at how this film, as well as several others that you have mentioned (El Cid, 55 Days..) have not yet been released on DVD. I think the problem here is that these movies are still held by their original independent company who made them. Samuel Bronston Productions, in conjunction with some other company, made these and some other movies, all which have not yet been released on R1 DVD (all that cheap crap doesnt't count).

I'm rather amazed that a Hollywood company has not tried to seek out the rights to the films for home video distribution. With the stupid new formats coming soon, perhaps we shall see these films on DVD in the near future....who knows.

It is a shame though.

Come on Warner Bros, give us our Blade Runner Special Edition

[–] waynec50 19 years ago

I would also like to get this and the other Sam Bronston epics on DVD, but since the studios make so much money on brainless junk, I suppose there's no incentive to issue intelligent classics. Great ideas for extras, hope we'll see this soon.

[–] Uberhamster 19 years ago

Quite right, and it wouldn't be the first time. According to the IMDB (and the LDDB) there has already been a laserdisc with 5.1 soundtrack in 1997.

Rumour has it there is an Italian release with 40 minutes of raw footage as bonus material but I cannot verify that.