Midnight Movies: From the Margin to the Mainstream

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MIDNIGHT MOVIES:

FROM THE MARGIN TO THE MAINSTREAM

Pushing the Boundaries November 13^th on DVD

BURBANK, CA – In 1970, a Mexican Western opened at the Elgin Theater in New York City. Due to its “uniqueness,” theater management decided that the film would only be shown at midnight. The film was Alejandro Jodorowsky’s surrealist classic El Topo, and what started as a cautious experiment in alternative cinema soon became a cultural phenomenon. Relive the glory years when movies offended sensibilities and challenged audiences!

On Tuesday, November 13^th, Starz Home Entertainment releases the Starz Originals documentary Midnight Movies: From the Margin to the Mainstream on DVD. Exploring the anything-goes era of 1970s cult films and their continuing influence on pop culture and modern society, Midnight Movies: From the Margin to the Mainstream promises an unforgettable trip down a Memory Lane strewn with flesh-eating ghouls, transvestite extraterrestrials, reggae masters, alienated stepfathers with big hair and probably the most famous “eating” scene in motion picture history! SRP is a palatable $19.97 and pre-book is October 11^th

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Based on the book by noted film scholar and documentary filmmaker Stuart Samuels, Midnight Movies: From the Margin to the Mainstream focuses on the six low-budget films released between 1970 and 1977 that not only defined the midnight movie phenomenon, but ultimately transformed the way we watch and make movies: Jodorowsky’s El Topo, George Romero’s landmark horror film Night of the Living Dead, John Waters’ ode to bad taste Pink Flamingos, Perry Henzell’s outlaw reggae classic The Harder They Come, David Lynch’s disturbing Eraserhead and, perhaps the film that truly defined the genre and redefined audience participation, The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

Featuring startling clips (including the infamous ending shot of Pink Flamingos), rare archival footage and revealing reminiscences with the films’ directors, distributors, exhibitors and supporters, including John Waters, David Lynch, Roger Ebert, George Romero, Richard O’Brien, Alejandro Jodorowsky, Perry Henzell, and many more, Midnight Movies: From the Margin to the Mainstream details the surprising stories behind the movies that defied mainstream America – by reinventing cinematic sensibilities. In this cinematic netherworld, nothing is sacred – and everything is shocking!

Midnight Movies: From the Margin to the Mainstream premiered in August 2005 on the Encore premium cable channel to immediate critical acclaim. The Hollywood Reporter called the film “an affectionate glimpse into those countercultural times,” while The Guardian proclaimed “this is a documentary that makes you regret the loss of the midnight movie culture.” Matt Roush from TV Guide declared it “entertaining,” while Giant Magazine said “this documentary explains how without these iconic, low-budget flicks we wouldn’t have ‘ South Park ,’ Kill Bill or even Jaws.”

MIDNIGHT MOVIES: FROM THE MARGIN TO THE MAINSTREAM

Street Date: November 13, 2007

Catalog #: P3004

UPC : 0 1313 83004-8 5

Run Time: 86 Minutes

Rating: Not Rated

SRP : $19.97