THE INCREDIBLE MELTING MAN, DVD availability...

Has anyone seen the PAL region DVD release of William Sachs' THE INCREDIBLE MELTING MAN on the CMV label? I know there's also a Vipco disc of the film but CMV's version claims to be uncut and in anamorphic widescreen, so I'm assuming that would be the preferable one to have. It's also got really cool cover art...

I know that MELTING MAN had been slated as a region 1 release at one time, I believe as an MGM Midnite Movie. But since the demise of that label, there are no current NTSC release plans for it, am I correct?

That's the German version, right? If so, it's a great looking disc and is the US theatrical version. Still hoping for unrated version some day.

I had not heard of a version other than the U.S. release. Any info on differences?

It is currently owned by MGM/Sony.

We actually HAD the license for it from producer Max Rosenberg, who sold it to us a few years ago.

We paid him. He offered us nothing but old theatrical prints. After that, I knew there was something fishy, so I called my buds at MGM who promptly told me that he didn't have the license... they did... and they held all materials.

MGM promptly delivered to me signed documents that proved he had licensed them the film back in the early-mid 1990s.

Max gave us back our money and died a few weeks later.

MGM/Sony may put this title out eventually, I'm told, but they are the legal license holders. They have a beautiful anamorphic master that they created for foreign markets (it's the one used for the German DVD release). I'm sure that, if it ever DOES come out stateside, that this master is the one that will be used.

This post has been edited by Don May Jr on Apr 30 2006, 07:39 AM

I'm reasonably certain that the theatrical version is the most complete one released to date. Based on having read the script and having seen dozens of production stills, it would seem that a few extra bits of gore were filmed but scrapped due to ratings concerns. Whether they survive is anyone's guess.

A great copy of this has been streaming on Netflix for a long time and I watched it last night. I'm pretty sure I saw this as a kid as I knew about stuff before it happened, but I'll be damned if I could remember most of it. It is about as deliciously sleazy as the title suggests and Rick Baker's effects work is definitely the highlight (the saga of the traveling severed head is hilarious). I do love that if such a high level escapee is roaming the countryside that the military's only recourse is to send one General and a doctor after him. And the cameo by Rainbeaux Smith was awesome.

So, is the MGM-MOD of THE INCREDIBLE MELTING MAN (1978) the complete version? - seems to contain lots of gore. It looks very good, actually excellent, so I suspect it comes from the anamorphic master Don mentions.

http://www.amazon.com/Incredible-Melting-M...25273396&sr=1-1

This post has been edited by Wade Sowers on Dec 30 2011, 01:34 PM

What is the point of this being Ann Sweeny's third attempt at pregnancy after two miscarriages? Is the implication that her husband's work with other returning astronauts somehow caused it? It seems like a subplot with no payoff.

It's from the lovely and goopy HD remaster from 2008.

I think it's just supposed to be one more damned thing to worry about.