USA: EXCLUSIVE! Four Flies on Grey Velvet coming to USA DVD

[MarcMorris]

It would seem that MYA Communications have somehow succeeded where others have failed... to announce a legit DVD of Dario Argento's Four Flies on Grey Velvet (Quattro mosche di velluto grigio, 1971), which is now listed as an upcoming title on their distributor Ryko's website.

I'm guessing here but either:

(a) Paramount's output deal with Legend Films has helped to persuade them that it's a worthwhile option, and that MYA have themselves been able to talk Paramount into agreeing some sort of licensing deal. I know I've tried (as have numerous others) with no success.

Let's hope they've really pulled this off, as I know for a fact that this title was tied up in a complex legal wrangle and that Paramount were last year in the process of re-copyrighting it.

(b) My other guess (the most likely) is that Paramount were unsuccessful (or just too plain lazy?) to re-copyright it, and new legal copyright ownership has been granted.

I understand that MYA is being launched by an ex NoShame parter, and they will continue to issue more euro-cult movies on DVD. And of course Door Into Darkness was originally scheduled as a NoShame release.

The next batch, confirmed for a 27 Jan 2009 streete date are:

- Dario Argento's Door Into Darkness: amazon.com
(La Porta sul buio, dir. Luigi Cozzi, Dario Argento, Roberto Pariante & Mario Foglietti, 1972)

- Bread, Love and Dreams : amazon.com
(Pane, amore e fantasia, dir. Luigi Comencini, 1953)

- The Inveterate Bachelor: amazon.com
(I zitelloni, dir. Giorgio Bianchi, 1958)

- The Maniacs: amazon.com
(I maniaci, Lucio Fulci, 1964)

...and on the 24 February 2009, as listed by their distributor Ryko:

- Four Flies on Grey Velvet-> amazon.com
(Quattro mosche di velluto grigio, Dario Argento, 1971)

- A Policewoman in New York-> amazon.com
(La poliziotta a New York, dir. Michele Massimo Tarantini, 1981)

- The Scorpion with Two Tails-> amazon.com
(Assassino al cimitero Etrusco, dir. Sergio Martino, 1982)

[Jonny Rojo]

This is great news! NoShame had a track record for quality so if MYA is indeed their new incarnation we're in for a treat.

[Harold Monroe]

if this comes out in a decent OAR print ill be over the moon. ive got the recent german bootleg release, but if this gets an official release it will be a great start to 2009. wonder what else could be just around the corner?
great, great news

[finishominis]

Wow! I've only just recovered from Noshame's demise - I was so disappointed when Door... was cancelled. It sounds as though they are back with stronger releases than ever. Four Flies...? Amazing!!!

[jacksmith1983]

Needless to say it's phenomenal news that Four Flies seems to finally be getting a legitimate release after all this time. Until I hear a little more detail though I'll continue to hold my breath as this could be a tricky release to get right.

Also looking forward to Door Into Darkness and Sergio Martino's The Scorpion With Two Tails which I've wanted to see ever since clapping my eyes on its superb poster/video artwork in an old issue of Darkside.

edit: see THIS THREAD: USA: Scorpion with Two Tails from MYA

I hope they use that artwork for the forthcoming DVD release.

[Myersfan73]

With a bit of luck this will be a great release. A nice anamorphic print with decent sound would go down well with me. Every version I've seen has suffered from a poor source. I hope they use the original art work for the cover & It can't be 2 hard to get some good extra's together for this. I'll be watching this space.

[the13thman]

I’ll definitely pick up The Scorpion With Two Tails, Door Into Darkness I’ll probably leave unless its significantly better than the German edition.

Four Flies On Grey Velvet I’ll pick up if fully uncut, though some special features would be nice too. Glad its not Legend putting it out as that would guarantee a bare bones release.

[jacksmith1983]

Not to mention Best Buy exclusive for the first six months...

[Someone Weird]

Can't get excited about any of these releases, which I will be passing by - but great news for fans, obviously.

[ecc]

Originally Posted by Myersfan73

With a bit of luck this will be a great release. A nice anamorphic print with decent sound would go down well with me. Every version I've seen has suffered from a poor source. I hope they use the original art work for the cover & It can't be 2 hard to get some good extra's together for this. I'll be watching this space.

I'm hoping that the SCORPION print will be the miniseries version. The feature version was released on DVD in Italy a couple years ago in an anamorphic widescreen print that did look better than the previous tape releases.

edit: see THIS THREAD: USA: Scorpion with Two Tails from MYA

[MarcMorris]

Here's what we've all been waiting for

Roberto (Michael Brandon) is a young handsome drummer playing in a rock band. For the last week he has been stalked by a mysterious guy with dark sunglasses. Roberto decides to put an end to this and follows his stalker in a deserted theatre. He confronts the man and accidentally kills him.

At the same time, another mysterious stalker, with a weird mask, appears and takes pictures of the accidental murder. For Roberto and his girlfriend Mina (Mimsy Farmer) it's the beginning of a nightmare, and more murders will ensue soon.

Four Flies on Grey Velvet is the last film of Dario Argento's so called "Animal Trilogy". Beside being a true classic of the Giallo genre, this is by far the rarest of Argento's movies, since it had meyer been officially released before, in any form anywhere.

Now Four Flies on Grey Velvet finally returns, fully uncut and with an astounding picture and sound quality. A long and accurate restoration work was made directly on the original negative elements which had remained untouched for more than 30 years.

Get ready to watch Four Flies on Grey Velvet as you have never watched it before!

EXTRA:
Teaser trailer, Original trailer, English opening and closing credits, Extensive poster and photo gallery.

Original title: 4 mosche di velluto grigio
Year: 1971
Country: Italy/France

Directed by: Dario Argento
Written by: Dario Argento, Luigi Cozzi, Mario Foglietti
Cinematography by: Franco Di Giacomo
Original Music by: Ennio Morricone

Cast: Michael Brandon, Mimsy Farmer, Jean-Pierre Marielle, Bud Spencer, Oreste Lionello, Francine Racette, Marisa Fabbri

Aspect ratio: 2.35:1 (16/9) - color
Length: 102 min.
Language: English (original mono), Italian (original mono)

Street Date: February 24, 2009

[Harold Monroe]

i cant quite believe it, but this is looking amazing.
cant wait to see a top draw print of this one.
well done to all concerned.
2009 is gonna be a stunning year for euro-cult, i can feel it

[gax]

its a shame 4 flies is not very good.it would be better if they cut the postman and the private dick out of it

[finishominis]

I like Four Flies a lot: it's a step up stylistically from his first two films, and Argento really started to experiment here - it bridges the gap between Cat... and Profondo... Argento almost always has comic relief scenes in his films , from stammering informers to tap dancing coroners. I guess Italian humour is an acquired taste - especially in films which have such otherwise dark subject matter.

[GIALLO JOE]

What's not to like about 4 Flies. Personally, I love it, it has some great set pieces and I for one appreciate it is finally coming out officially.

[MarcMorris]

Welcome to the forums Giallo Joe!

[Someone Weird]

Originally Posted by GIALLO JOE

What's not to like about 4 Flies

It's boring. I can't get into it at all, though the bit with the postman did make me chuckle.

[WilsonBros]

Well, at least there are one or two things that this forthcoming copy hasn't got that the RM copy has.

I say this because Nick bought me a copy of it for my birthday earlier this year.

It's a bit of a pisser that there's no audio commentary from Michael Brandon - I'm sure he'd do it if he was asked.

Four Flies is a great movie - Bud Spencer is a blast, as it's great to see him as a wise, comedic character that is not the butt of Terence Hill's jokes.

Kev W

[Myersfan73]

Well looks like the extra's are for crap. Hopefully the wait we've had for this film to get to a release, we'll get decent picture and audio.
Marc can you not have another crack at getting it for a UK release? I'm sure your Nucleus films could improve on the extra's front.

[jacksmith1983]

Provided that the film itself is presented in the best fashion possible I cannot say I am especially put out by the relatively meagre slate of extra's.

While I'm not counting my chickens before they've hatched the news that a restoration has been carried out from original negative materials is very encouraging.

What a way to start 2009!