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.
For distributor sales, contact Gary Conner at Media Blasters, 212.868.0991, x238. Fax: 212.868.3315.
