‘Mystery of Picasso’ Resurfaces; Take-Home Halloween Haunts; A Prince Among Coming Attractions

Vestron Video plans to release in December a videocassette of one of the strangest movies ever made--”The Mystery of Picasso” (1955), which had largely vanished since creating a stir at the 1956 Cannes Film Festival.

This documentary, produced and directed by Henri-Georges Clouzot, consists of Pablo Picasso painting 15 pieces, which, due to an agreement between artist and film maker, were destroyed at the end of filming. (A sculpture, called “Centaur,” did survive, however). So the only way to see them is too see this film, which, of course, makes it quite special. It’s fascinating, even for those who don’t know much about art, to watch the master at work. Clouzot was lauded for fashioning an intriguing work out of something that might have been deadly dull.

This documentary was recently revived on the art-house circuit (it played locally last winter) after being out of distribution for a quarter of a century. Vestron is releasing “The Mystery of Picasso,” which runs 85 minutes, on Dec. 17. For $69.95, art lovers can own 15 Picassos.

HORROR: One of the more memorable horror meetings was the 1943 clash between the Wolfman (Lon Chaney Jr.) and Frankenstein’s monster (Bela Lugosi) in “Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman.” Now it seems more camp than scary. MCA just released it at $39.95.

Apparently many people don’t remember “Scream for Help,” which was released to theaters a year ago and didn’t exactly make a big splash. Karl-Lorimar’s advertising campaign for this grisly thriller reads as if it’s a new movie that was made exclusively for the home-video market.

The only big name in the production is producer-director Michael Winner, who’s known for “Death Wish.” On the 1-10 Scare Scale, members of the Horror Buffs Society rate it a 7.

“Black Christmas” (1975) is scarier. A recent $59.95 Warner Video release, it’s one of those small, sleeper movies that, through the years, has been elevated to cult classic. It’s a good candidate for Halloween night. In it, a deranged killer is holed up in the attic of a college sorority house. Slowly, he wipes out the women who decided not to go home for Christmas. The most chilling sequences aren’t really the murders but the killer’s conversations with himself. Hard-core horror fans who’ve seen this one many times warn that it’s not one to see late at night by yourself.

Two candidates for the Schlock Hall of Fame--”Billy the Kid vs. Dracula” (1966) and “Jesse James Meets Frankenstein’s Daughter” (1965)--were just released by Embassy at $59.95 each.

NEW RELEASES: For children, romantics and those who appreciate the art of cartoons, Disney’s “Sleeping Beauty” is the cassette of the month. . . . If you like to watch Pierce Brosnan--as legions of women do--you might like Paramount’s “Nomads.” It probably won’t matter that critics downgraded the supernatural thriller for being convoluted and farfetched. . . . “Eight Million Ways to Die,” just released by CBS/Fox, is about a drunken former cop who stumbles onto a drug ring. Though it has a great cast--Jeff Bridges and Rosanna Arquette--and is the work of a noted director--Hal Ashby--critics dismissed it as muddled.

Media’s “Murphy’s Law,” a cop thriller starring Charles Bronson, is the big release this week. . . . HBO/Cannon’s “Highlander” also makes it debut. Sean Connery and Christopher Lambert star in this suspense tale (some called it outlandish) about two medieval Scotsmen settling an ancient grudge in modern Manhattan.

Next week: “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom,” “Police Academy 3: Back in Training” and “At Close Range,” which stars Sean Penn and Christopher Walken.

OLD MOVIES: With Monkeemania upon us, now may be just the right time for “Head” (RCA/Columbia). The Monkees made the loony comedy in 1968, following the demise of their TV show.

Film buffs have always been interested in this one because it was directed by Bob Rafelson. Two years later he directed “Five Easy Pieces,” which was not only one of the best movies of 1970, but it also made Jack Nicholson a star.

“Head” was filmed during the height of the psychedelic era, when many films were made to appeal to those knee-deep in the drug culture. The movie is considered a trifle but, the buffs insist, it shows early signs of Rafelson’s stylistic excellence.

COMING MOVIES: This year’s movie bomb of the year award goes--uncontested--to George Lucas’ super-expensive “Howard the Duck.” Critics called it a turkey, and the box-office grosses were chicken feed.

So why are industry insiders speculating that “Howard” may soar in the home-video market when MCA releases it Jan. 15? Since hardly anyone saw it, insiders are saying that a costly, heavily promoted, so-bad-it’s-funny flop like this might attract buyers and renters out of morbid curiosity value.

February will belong to “The Karate Kid, Part II,” which, at $111 million, is one of this year’s top grossers. Due on Jan. 29 from RCA/Columbia, it’s sure to do terrific business.

Movies about lesbian love affairs generally don’t attract large audiences. Despite the generally positive critical response, “Desert Hearts” is no exception. It lured a small movie audience and, in the home-video market--Vestron is putting it out Dec. 17--it is expected to sell and rent modestly.

“Sweet Liberty,” the satire about movie-making starring Alan Alda and Michael Caine, should benefit from Alda’s popularity on TV’s “MASH,” now a big syndicated hit. It’s due from MCA on Dec. 4. . . . On Dec. 30, Media is releasing “Invaders From Mars,” a remake of the 1953, 3-D, B-picture. It’s quite superior to the original, which is a cult classic.

CHARTS

(Compiled by Billboard magazine)

TOP VIDEOCASSETTES, RENTALS

1--”Down and Out in Beverly Hills” (Touchstone).

2--”Out of Africa” (MCA).

3--”Pretty in Pink” (Paramount).

4--”F/X” (HBO/Cannon).

5--”Gung Ho” (Paramount).

6--”Wildcats” (Warner Bros.).

7--”Runaway Train” (MGM/UA).

8--”Murphy’s Romance” (RCA/Columbia).

9--”9 1/2 Weeks” (MGM/UA).

10--”Young Sherlock Holmes” (Paramount).

TOP VIDEOCASSETTES, SALES

1--”Jane Fonda’s New Workout” (Karl-Lorimar).

2--”The Sound of Music” (CBS-Fox).

3--”The Music Man” (Warner Bros.).

4--”Alice in Wonderland” (Disney).

5--”Jane Fonda’s Low Impact Aerobic Workout” (Karl-Lorimar).

6--”Alien” (CBS-Fox).

7--”Out of Africa” (MCA).

8--”Amadeus” (HBO/Cannon).

9--”Jane Fonda’s Workout” (Karl-Lorimar).

10--”Kathy Smith’s Body Basics” (JCI).