HK and Cult Film News's Fan Box

Friday, June 30, 2017

Disneynature "GHOST OF THE MOUNTAINS" Available Now on Digital



A Remarkable Behind The Scenes Look At The Making of “Born In China” Capturing the Rarest Animal to Film in the Wild – The Snow Leopard

DISNEYNATURE’S “GHOST OF THE MOUNTAINS”
NOW AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE DIGITALLY & ON DEMAND


Synopsis:    To bring Disneynature’s Born in China to life, filmmakers endure extreme environments to witness stories of some of our planet’s most remarkable animals. Go behind the scenes on one of the team’s most ambitious projects yet – to find and film the elusive snow leopard in China, on the highest plateau on Earth. The air is thin, the weather brutal, the terrain tricky, and the subjects nearly impossible to locate – and even tougher to capture on film. Ghost of the Mountains documents the crew’s historic and groundbreaking journey.

Narrator:        Antoine Fuqua (Training Day, Olympus Has Fallen, The Magnificent Seven)
Director:        Ben Wallis (Born in China, TV Series “Nature” and “Return of the Tribe”)
Producer:         Brian Leith (Born in China, Nature, Wild Canada)

Bonus*:    Hiding Up High - A crew sets out to capture the remarkable migration of the chiru antelope, the highest-altitude migration in the world.

Disneynature: Get Inspired, Get Involved - Connect with nature and make a difference for wildlife with help from Disneynature and the Disney Conservation Fund.

Disneynature Dolphins Sneak Peek - Dive into a spectacular undersea world with Echo in this first look at Disneynature’s upcoming new adventure.


Release Date:    June 30, 2017
Product Skus:  Digital HD/SD, Disney Movies Anywhere  & On Demand
Run Time:      78:04 (feature only)
Rating:          G in U.S., CE & CF
Aspect Ratio:    1:78
Audio:          5.1 Dolby
Languages:     English, French Parisian, Spanish
Subtitles:          English SDH, French and Spanish

Social:           
Facebook: Facebook.com/Disneynature
Twitter: twitter.com/Disneynature
Instagram: http://instagram.com/disneynature
Website:  Nature.Disney.com

ABOUT “BORN IN CHINA”:
Narrated by John Krasinski (“13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi,” NBC’s “The Office,” “Amazon’s “Jack Ryan”), Disneynature’s newest true-life adventure film “Born in China,” journeys into homes on Digital, Blu-ray™ Combo Pack (Blu-ray+DVD+Digital) and On-Demand on August 29. 

“Born In China” transports audiences to some of the world’s most extreme environments of China where few people have ever ventured to witness wildly intimate and adorable moments in the lives of three animal families - a doting panda bear mother, a 2-year-old golden snub-nosed monkey, and a mother snow leopard. It is the seventh theatrical release from Disneynature, which brings the world’s top nature filmmakers together to share wildlife stories that engage, inspire and educate. The breathtaking footage and high-definition quality picture is captivating for audiences of all ages and is a must-add to the in-home collection.

ABOUT DISNEYNATURE:
Disneynature was launched in April 2008. Its mission is to bring the world’s top nature filmmakers together to share a wide variety of wildlife stories on the big screen in order to engage, inspire and educate theatrical audiences everywhere. Walt Disney was a pioneer in wildlife filmmaking, producing 13 True-Life Adventure motion pictures between 1948 and 1960, which earned eight Academy Awards®. The first seven Disneynature films, “Earth,” “Oceans,” “African Cats,” “Chimpanzee,” “Bears,” “Monkey Kingdom,” and “Born in China” are seven of the top eight highest overall grossing feature-length nature films to date, with “Chimpanzee” garnering a record-breaking opening weekend for the genre. Disneynature’s commitment to conservation is a key pillar of the label and the films empower the audience to help make a difference.

ABOUT DISNEY MOVIES ANYWHERE (DMA):

Disney Movies Anywhere (DMA) is an engaging and family-friendly cloud-based digital movie service that makes it easy to buy Disney, Pixar, Marvel and Star Wars movies once and watch them anywhere. Viewers can enjoy their digital movies from the comfort of their living room and across multiple mobile platforms by simply adding the free DMA app or channel to their devices, such as iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Android mobile phones and tablets, Android TV, Amazon’s Fire tablets, Fire TV and Fire TV Stick, Roku, and Xbox 360, and connecting to their DMA account with participating providers including iTunes, Amazon Video, VUDU, Google Play, Microsoft Movies & TV and Fios by Verizon. DMA users can explore Disney’s library of over 450 digital movies, discover hours of new and exclusive short-form content, redeem Digital Movie codes found in eligible Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars product, and earn Disney Movie Rewards points with every digital purchase.

©2017 Disney
*Bonus features may vary by retailer


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Thursday, June 29, 2017

FEED THE LIGHT -- Blu-ray Review by Porfle



It's a real pleasure to see directors and cinematographers these days who not only work in black and white but seem to revel in the unique qualities and possibilities of the medium.

Swedish director Henrik Möller's nightmarishly dark FEED THE LIGHT, aka "Lokalvårdaren" (2015) has been described as "Lovecraftian", which it most definitely is, but visually it's also very "Lynchian" in its bleak and exquisitely evocative use of disturbingly surreal black and white imagery a la ERASERHEAD, with only a few splashes of color for emphasis. 

As Möller himself describes the plot, "In brief you can say that it's about a warehouse in the harbor where mysterious things happen to the cleaning personnel.  There is something wrong with the light."  (That's putting it mildly.)


To clarify that a bit, distraught mother Sara (Lina Sundén) has lost custody of her daughter Jenny to her abusive husband Jon (Patrik Karlson), and in order to try and steal her back, she seeks custodial employment in the same mysterious building where he works. 

Things seem "off" immediately.  The only managerial personnel consists of a stiff, cruel woman (Jenny Lampa) named Chefen but known in hushed tones as "The Boss."  The only other people roaming the dim, dreary hallways are a surly cleaning crew to which Sara is assigned, with the special instruction, "Always keep the silver dust swept up." 

It isn't long before Sara realizes that there's something strange and malevolent about the light inside the building--the silver dust, in fact, seems to fall from the light fixtures themselves.  Before the story's done, a bizarre source of light within the bowels of the lowest basement level will hold the horrible secret of the building's seemingly impenetrable mystery.

 

Until then, Sara engages in a furtive search for Jenny that keeps us in bewildered suspense from the very start, encountering both hostile coworkers and the increasingly intimidating Boss (who keeps in her office, seemingly as a pet, an unkempt naked man who seems to think he's a dog). 

Her only allies are an outwardly sympathetic crew foreman (Martin Jirhamn), who may or may not be on her side, and, surprisingly, her ex-husband Jon, whom she finds in decidedly decrepit condition after having spent some non-quality time in the lower level trying to get to the bottom of the mystery himself.

With their help and advice, and despite their warnings, Sara's quest to venture into the first basement (and eventually, of course, into the lowest, creepiest sub-basement) becomes a horrific journey into the paranormal in which nothing is as it seems.


Doors and entire hallways appear out of nowhere, while an unseen force seems to guide her along through the dark, mazelike corridors.  She encounters what appears to be Jenny, but is it?  Most disturbingly, there's a fleeting shadow creature reminiscent of those sleep-paralysis phantoms, only this one is more aggressively hostile.

It reminds me of the creature in the "Outer Limits" episode, "It Crawled Out of the Woodwork", of which I still have shuddery childhood memories.  Other chilling images bring to mind the scarier episodes of "The X-Files" (mainly the ones about the black oil).  

Moreover, the use of extremely limited resources in an imaginatively cinematic way reminds me of HARD REVENGE MILLY, a futuristic action-revenge thriller that also takes place mainly in one empty building and works wonders with very little.


Mainly, though, it's a unique film experience that will nourish the morbid-leaning genre fan's hunger for both the Lovecraftian and the Lynchian, whose subtle twists of reality suddenly give way to jarring images of horror.

The Blu-ray from Intervision is in 1080p full HD resolution with 2.0 audio (Swedish with English subtitles).  Extras include a making-of featurette, a director interview entitled "The Lovecraft Influence", and the film's trailer.

Brilliantly told, with excellent performances, the mood and atmosphere of FEED THE LIGHT surround the viewer like a dense fog, as we feel our way uncertainly toward an ending that is both disorienting and truly haunting.


Buy it at Severin Films

Watch the Trailer




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Breaking Glass Acquires Atellar Cult Indie "SPACESHIP" From SXSW Award-Winning Director Alex Taylor (KIDS MIGHT FLY)



 BREAKING GLASS TAKES A RIDE ON "SPACESHIP"

Cult Indie Drama’s Theatrical Roll-Out Begins this November
North American VOD/DVD to Follow


Philadelphia, PA, June 28, 2017--Breaking Glass Pictures has acquired North American rights to Alex Taylor’s critically-acclaimed directorial debut SPACESHIP. Breaking Glass acquired North American rights to the film in June in a deal negotiated between Breaking Glass CEO Rich Wolff and Bill Straus of Bridge Independent. Breaking Glass is planning a limited theatrical followed by a DVD/VOD release this November.

Described as “a psychotropic daydream” (Total Film) that offers “a unique experience of sound & vision” (Smells Like Screen Spirit), SPACESHIP held its world premiere at SXSW and its European premiere at the BFI London Film Festival.

The film stars Alexa Davies (A Brilliant Young Mind), Tallulah Haddon (‘Taboo’), Lara Peake (How to Talk to Girls at Parties), Lucian Charles Collier (Lords of Chaos), Antti Reini (‘Vares’), and singer/songwriter Annabel Allum. In addition to its stellar cast, SPACESHIP also incorporates bewitching cinematography mixed with an eclectic soundtrack of musicians and bands including Annabel Allum, Appaloosa, Best Coast, Sunless 97 and East India Youth.

SPACESHIP was developed, financed and produced under Creative England’s iFeatures banner, supported by BBC Films and the BFI, with National Lottery. Executive producers are Christopher Moll, Steve Jenkins, Christopher Collins and Tristan Goligher (producer of Oscar-nominated 45 Years). Other titles from the iFeatures slate include the international festival hit 'Lady Macbeth’, which will see a US release on July 14 through Roadside Attractions. The film is proudly produced by Nicola Bowen and Olivier Kaempfer, of Belly Productions and Parkville Pictures (Appropriate Behavior, The Miseducation of Cameron Post) respectively.

SPACESHIP follows teenage cyber-goth Lucidia, whose mother died mysteriously seven years ago in the family swimming pool. Her father, Gabriel, is an archaeologist who can't move on. When Lucidia disappears in an apparent alien abduction, Gabriel is forced to confront her strange outsider friends and meets Tegan, a girl obsessed with unicorns and black holes. Emotional and audacious, the story is told from multiple points of view in an intriguing ride through a constellation of characters who are pulled together by teenage gravity, surrounded by adults who also feel the same irresistible pull as they orbit their own elusive identities, all looking for a universe to call their own.

The film is written and directed by Alex Taylor. Taylor is a SXSW award-winning director whose first short, KIDS MIGHT FLY, won a Special Jury Prize in 2010. He was chosen as a Screen International "Star of Tomorrow" (2013) and The Independent's "One to Watch" (2014). In 2016, Taylor presented the World Premiere of his debut feature film SPACESHIP.

“Sometimes the world looks at us like we're an alien life-form come to screw over the planet, and I spent several weeks hanging out with a bunch of these extraterrestrials who cut their skin and drew smiley faces with their blood - this film is for them”, said writer/director Alex Taylor.

“I was inspired to make films by directors who had guts. Gus Van Sant, Larry Clark, Harmony Korine, Gregg Araki, Todd Solondzwho - all directors who did things other filmmakers wouldn’t dare”, continued Taylor. “American cinema has always felt more like my spiritual home than anywhere else, and to be invited to show Spaceship in the US is mind-blowing.”

“Alex Taylor's feature debut has successfully opened the cinematic door to an incredible alternate universe, that happens to be right here on earth”, said Michael Repsch, SVP of Distribution & Sales at Breaking Glass. “Spaceship is science fiction, punk, coming-of-age, and, most importantly, a fresh viewing experience - we could not be more excited to share Alex's vision.”

SPACESHIP

Genre: Drama
Running Time: 90 Min.
Rating: NR
Language: English

Cast: Alexa Davies, Tallulah Haddon, Lara Peake, Lucian Charles Collier,
Antti Reini, Annabel Allum

Director: Alex Taylor
Written by: Alex Taylor
Producers: Nicola Bowen, Olivier Kaempfer
Executive Producers: Christopher Moll, Steve Jenkins, Chris Collins, Tristan Goligher
Line Producer: Roslyn Hill

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Level 33 Entertainment Announces Release of "GRANNY OF THE DEAD" Hilarious New Horror Movie From the Director of "Sharknado"



LEVEL 33 ENTERTAINMENT ANNOUNCES RELEASE OF

"GRANNY OF THE DEAD"

HILARIOUS NEW HORROR MOVIE BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE DIRECTOR OF SHARKNADO


Los Angeles (CA) – Level 33 Entertainment announced today the official release of award-winning horror film GRANNY OF THE DEAD in the United States and Canada.  The film stars Marcus Carroll (Monstrum), Abigail Hamilton (The Hatching, Let’s Be Frank), Oliver Ferriman (“Torchwood”), William Huw (Ferris & The Fancy Pigeon), and Sabrina Dickens (Is This Now, Cruel Summer). GRANNY OF THE DEAD hits select theaters and all On Demand platforms including Amazon, DISH, iTunes, Google Play, Microsoft, Verizon FIOS and VUDU beginning on July 14, 2017.

GRANNY OF THE DEAD was written, directed and produced by multiple festival award winner Tudley James (Down the Dark Road, Trackdown) and Executive Produced by Anthony C. Ferrante, Director of the incredibly successful horror-comedy franchise SHARKNADO. The film was an Official Selection of the Fangoria, Shriekfest, Fright Night and Marbella International Film Festivals and was honored as the Best Feature Film at the UK’s Camarthen Bay Film Festival.

In GRANNY OF THE DEAD, regular guy Ed (Marcus Carroll) awakes one morning to find that his Grandma (Abigail Hamilton) has become one of the living dead. Trapped in his home, Ed struggles to handle the situation. When he discovers the rest of the town’s elderly have also been infected by the zombie plague, Ed must enlist his friends and become a hero to keep his house zombie free, stay alive and save the day.

             The Official Trailer for GRANNY OF THE DEAD


Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/grannyofthedeadmovie/
Twitter: @Grannyofthedead

LEVEL 33 ENTERTAINMENT
Los Angeles based Level 33 Entertainment is an entertainment company dedicated to redefining the landscape for independent film distribution.  Level 33 provides innovative sales, marketing and distribution services for feature films and entertainment content, delivering a flexible and transparent distribution solution for all platforms including Theatrical, Home Entertainment, Digital and Broadcast.  Other current titles from Level 33 Entertainment include 1 NIGHT with Anna Camp and Justin Chatwin, WALK OF FAME starring Scott Eastwood and Malcolm McDowell, and the acclaimed sports documentary THE FOUNDERS.

www.level33entertainment.com
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/Level33entertainment
Twitter:  @Level33_ent


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43rd Annual Saturn Awards Winners



ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY AND 10 CLOVERFIELD LANE LEAD WINNERS AT 43RD ANNUAL SATURN AWARDS
 

TV Winners Include “Westworld,” “The Walking Dead,” “Riverdale” and “Outlander;” “Bionic Man” Lee Majors, Akiva Goldsman Among Special Achievement Honorees

Robert Holguin (President)
Dr. Donald A. Reed (Founder)


BURBANK, Calif. – June 28, 2016 – The 43rd Annual Saturn Awards celebrated the best and the brightest in genre entertainment tonight, with Lucasfilm/Disney’s Rogue One: A Star Wars Story capturing three statuettes in the Film Category, tying with Paramount’s science fiction thriller 10 Cloverfield Lane. One of the entertainment industry’s most highly-anticipated evenings, the yearly gathering of the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films also bestowed Saturn gold to such television favorites (and previous Saturn Award vets) as AMC’s “The Walking Dead,” HBO’s “Westworld,” CW’s “Riverdale” and “Supergirl” and Starz’ “Outlander.” Hosted by fan favorite Sean Gunn (Guardians of the Galaxy 1 and 2), the festivities took place at the legendary Castaway in Burbank, California.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story won Best Science Fiction Film, Best Director (Gareth Edwards), and Best Special Effects (John Knoll, Mohen Leo, Hal Hickel, Neil Corbould), while the psychological thriller 10 Cloverfield Lane nabbed Best Actress (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) and Best Supporting Actor (John Goodman) honors in addition to Best Thriller Film. Two Saturn Awards each went to Marvel’s mind-bending epic Doctor Strange (Best Comic-to-Film Motion Picture; Best Supporting Actress Tilda Swinton), Disney’s The BFG (Best Production Design Rick Carter & Robert Stromberg and Best Editing Michael Kahn), and Lionsgate’s La La Land (Best Independent Film and Best Music Justin Hurwitz). Additional film winners include Best Horror Film to Don’t Breathe (Screen Gems/Sony), Disney’s The Jungle Book for Best Fantasy Film, the space race saga Hidden Figures (Fox) tapped as Best Action/Adventure Film, Pixar/Disney’s Finding Dory hooked Best Animated Film and Amazon/Magnolia’s The Handmaiden for Best International Film. Ryan Reynolds’ crowd-pleasing performance as the ultra-sarcastic superhero Deadpool won for Best Actor, with Tom Holland’s appearance as everyone’s friendly neighborhood Spider-Man in Marvel’s Captain America: Civil War earning recognition for Best Performance by a Younger Actor.

The small screen always scores big at the Saturn Awards and tonight was no exception. The unstoppable walkers of AMC’s global TV phenomenon “The Walking Dead” proved just as invincible last night, garnering three Saturn Awards for Best Horror TV Series, Best Actor on Television (Andrew Lincoln), and Best Guest Star on Television (Jeffrey Dean Morgan). HBO’s “Westworld” 21st century reboot outdrew the competition for two awards: Best Science Fiction TV Series and Best Supporting Actor on Television (Ed Harris). In a rare tie, Best New Media TV Series was split between “Marvel’s Luke Cage” and the retro hit “Stranger Things,” both on Netflix. 2017 also saw a new Saturn Award inaugurated in the Television category: Best Animated TV Series, won by Disney XD/Lucasfilm’s “Star Wars Rebels.” Other acting winners in the Television categories include Candace Patton (CW’s “The Flash”) for Best Supporting Actress on Television, and Millie Bobby Brown (“Stranger Things”) for Best Younger TV Actor.

Lee Majors, cherished by millions of fans as the iconic “Bionic Man” from the 1970s TV series “The Six Million Dollar Man”, received the Academy’s Lifetime Achievement Award, presented by his fellow co-star Bruce Campbell from the cult favorite Starz series “Ash vs. Evil Dead.” For a career spanning almost a quarter century, Oscar-winning writer/producer/director Akiva Goldsman (A Beautiful Mind) was cited with the rarely given Visionary Award. The Filmmakers Showcase Award was presented the writing/producing team Rick Silver and Amanda Jaffe, for their continuing support and contributions to high quality genre entertainment including the critically-acclaimed Apes film series reboots (Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and this summer’s upcoming War for the Planet of the Apes), Jurassic World, and Disney’s live-action Mulan. The outrageous and irreverent Heavy Metal Magazine – celebrating its 40th anniversary this year – won a Special Recognition Award and KJ Apa of the CW’s “Riverdale” received the Breakthrough Performance Award.


The full list of winners at the 43rd Annual Saturn Awards:
 
FILM AWARDS
Best Science Fiction Film: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (Lucasfilm / Walt Disney Studios)
Best Comic-to-Film Motion Picture:  Doctor Strange (Marvel / Walt Disney Studios)
Best Fantasy Film:  The Jungle Book (Walt Disney Studios)
Best Horror Film: Don’t Breathe (Screen Gems/Sony)
Best Action/Adventure Film: Hidden Figures (Fox)
Best Thriller Film:  10 Cloverfield Lane (Paramount)
Best International Film:  The Handmaiden  (Amazon / Magnolia)
Best Animated Film:  Finding Dory  (Pixar / Walt Disney Studios)
Best Independent Film:  La La Land (Lionsgate)

Best Actor: Ryan Reynolds (Deadpool)
Best Actress:  Mary Elizabeth Winstead (10 Cloverfield Lane)
Best Supporting Actor:  John Goodman (10 Cloverfield Lane)
Best Supporting Actress:   Tilda Swinton (Doctor Strange)
Best Performance by a Younger Actor:  Tom Holland (Captain America: Civil War)

Best Director: Gareth Edwards (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story)
Best Writing:  Eric Heisserer (Arrival)
Best Production Design: Rick Carter & Robert Stromberg (The BFG)
Best Editing:  Michael Kahn (The BFG)
Best Music:  Justin Hurwitz (La La Land)
Best Costume: Colleen Atwood (Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them)
Best Make-Up: Monica Huppert & Joel Harlow (Star Trek Beyond)
Best Special Effects:  John Knoll, Mohen Leo, Hal Hickel, Neil Corbould (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story)

TELEVISION AWARDS
Best Science Fiction TV Series: Westworld (HBO)
Best Horror TV Series: The Walking Dead (AMC)
Best Action/Thriller TV Series:  Riverdale (The CW)
Best Fantasy TV Series: Outlander (Starz)Best Presentation on Television:  11.22.63  (Hulu)
Best Superhero Adaptation Television Series:  Supergirl  (The CW)
Best New Media TV Series:  Marvel’s Luke Cage (tie)  & Stranger Things (Netflix)
Best Animated TV Series*:  Star Wars Rebels  (Disney XD/Lucasfilm)
Best Actor on Television:  Andrew Lincoln (The Walking Dead) 
Best Actress on Television:  Melissa Benoist (Supergirl)
Best Supporting Actor on Television: Ed Harris (Westworld)
Best Supporting Actress on Television: Candice Patton (The Flash)
Best Younger TV Actor: Millie Bobby Brown (Stranger Things)
Best Guest Star on Television: Jeffrey Dean Morgan (The Walking Dead)
   
HOME ENTERTAINMENT AWARDS
Best DVD/BD Collection Release: Frankenstein: Complete Legacy Collection (Universal)
Best DVD/BD Television Series Release: Hannibal: The Complete Series Collection (Lionsgate)
Best DVD/BD Classic Film Release: Time After Time (Warner Archives)
Best DVD/BD Special Edition:  Phantasm Remastered (Well Go USA)
Best DVD/BD Release: Tales of Halloween (Epic Pictures)

Best Local Stage Production:  A View From the Bridge (Ahmanson Theatre)

SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS FROM THE ACADEMY OF SCIENCE FICTION,
FANTASY & HORROR FILMS


The Life Career Award: Lee Majors
The Visionary Award: Akiva Goldsman
The Filmmakers Showcase Award:  Rick Jaffa & Amanda Silver
Special Recognition Award:  Heavy Metal Magazine
The Breakthrough Performance Award: KJ Apa (Riverdale)

(*) Inaugural Award for category

For more information about the Saturn Awards and the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror, visit http://www.saturnawards.org http://www.youtube.com/c/OfficialSaturnAwardsChannel , and https://twitter.com/SaturnAwards1



THE SATURN AWARDS ORGANIZATION
(Presented by The Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films)
334 West 54th Street, Los Angeles, California 90037
(323) 752-5811   mailto:saturn.awards@ca.rr.com
(honoring the best in genre entertainment)


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Wednesday, June 28, 2017

"STAR WARS REBELS: Complete Season Three" on Blu-ray August 29th



The Ghost crew is on a collision course with destiny as the action brings them closer to Rogue One and the original Star Wars trilogy in Star Wars Rebels: Complete Season Three, available on Blu-ray™ and DVD August 29th

BURBANK, California, June 28, 2017 –– Star Wars Rebels: Complete Season Three delivers all 22 action-packed episodes of the hit CG animated series’ third season, plus exclusive, never-before-seen bonus material on Blu-ray™ and DVD! The story threads begin to tighten in this thrilling season of Star Wars Rebels, drawing connections to The Clone Wars, Rogue One and the original Star Wars trilogy into the series’ epic storyline. Available August 29, Star Wars Rebels: Complete Season Three delivers some of the most critically-acclaimed Star Wars storytelling to date, with engaging characters, harrowing conflicts, and spectacular space battles on par with those seen in the films.

Having established a secret base on Atollon, the Ghost crew, now led by a more powerful Ezra, strengthens the Rebel fleet by acquiring new resources and recruits eager to stand against the Empire.  However, the Imperial efforts to eliminate the Rebellion are now being led by the coldly analytical Grand Admiral Thrawn, whose strategic, tactical and cultural insights make him a threat unlike any they have faced before. Ezra and Sabine must take on new roles and challenges as the Rebels prepare for their biggest mission yet – a direct assault on the Empire.

Star Wars Rebels was created by Dave Filoni (Star Wars: The Clone Wars), Simon Kinberg (“X-Men: Days of Future Past”), and Carrie Beck. The Lucasfilm Animation production is also executive-produced by Filoni and Kinberg.

Featuring the voices of Freddie Prinze Jr. (“I Know What You Did Last Summer”) as Kanan, Vanessa Marshall (TV’s “Young Justice”) as Hera, Steve Blum (“The Boxtrolls,” “Cowboy Bebop”) as Zeb, Tiya Sircar (“The Good Place,” “Master of None”) as Sabine, Taylor Gray (TV’s “Bucket and Skinner’s Epic Adventures”) as Ezra, Dee Bradley Baker (“American Dad,” “Phineas and Ferb”) as Captain Rex and David Oyelowo (“Selma” and “The Butler”) as Agent Kallus.

Bonus Features:

Blu-ray:

⦁    Return To Mandalore 
Explore where Mandalore fits within the Empire’s regime – and whether Sabine can unite her people against the Imperial forces.

⦁    Thrawn: A Legend Reborn
Learn Thrawn’s significance in Star Wars lore, and what the future may hold for this memorable villain.

⦁    Apprentices to Outcasts: Kenobi And Maul
Track two adversaries who’ve clashed throughout Star Wars history, and find out why the time was right to conclude their story.

⦁    The Original Rebel: Saw Gerrera Returns – Extended
Meet the Original Rebel. This exclusive extended version features Forest Whitaker discussing the character he brings to life in both Rebels and Rogue One.

⦁    Five Audio Commentaries 
Featuring Dave Filoni (Executive Producer), Justin Ridge (Supervising Director), Killian Plunkett (Art Director), Keith Kellogg (CG Supervisor) and Joel Aron (Lighting and FX Supervisor)

⦁    All DVD Bonus (see below)

DVD:
⦁    A Rebel Alliance
Discover how the formation of the Rebel Alliance in Rebels ties into the Rogue One timeline – and the exciting story possibilities that lie ahead for season 4.

⦁    Rebels Recon
Go behind the scenes with the cast and crew in 19 entertaining and information-packed episode recaps!

Disc Specifications:
Release Date:        August 29, 2017
Format:            Blu-ray (3-Disc) & DVD (4-Disc)
Rating:            TVY7 FV; CE: PG; CF: G (Bonus Material Not Rated)
Run Time:        Approximately 485 minutes (not including bonus)
Closed Captioned:    Yes
Aspect Ratio:        1:78 (Widescreen)
Audio:             5.1 Dolby Digital
Languages/ Subtitles:    English, French, German & Spanish

About the TV Show:
The fourth and final season of Star Wars Rebels will premiere this fall on Disney XD.

About the Walt Disney Studios:
For over 90 years, The Walt Disney Studios has been the foundation on which The Walt Disney Company was built. Today, the Studio brings quality movies, music and stage plays to consumers throughout the world. Feature films are released under the following banners: Disney, including Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar Animation Studios; Disneynature; Marvel Studios; Lucasfilm; and Touchstone Pictures, the banner under which live-action films from DreamWorks Studios are distributed. The Disney Music Group encompasses the Walt Disney Records and Hollywood Records labels, as well as Disney Music Publishing. The Disney Theatrical Group produces and licenses live events, including Disney on Broadway, Disney On Ice and Disney Live!

About Lucasfilm Ltd.:
Lucasfilm Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is a global leader in film, television and digital entertainment production. In addition to its motion-picture and television production, the company's activities include visual effects and audio post-production, cutting-edge digital animation, interactive entertainment software, and the management of the global merchandising activities for its entertainment properties including the legendary STAR WARS and INDIANA JONES franchises. Lucasfilm Ltd. is headquartered in northern California.


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HARDBODIES -- Movie Review by Jason Hernandez



HARDBODIES (1984) makes a play for the topless record of 1984 and has serious ambitions of breaking the all-time bikini record for a movie. You can't say that it doesn't have a point.

This is your regular 80s "rot your brain" buns-in-the-sun beach sex comedy, but with one crucial difference. It replaces the usual young virgins on the make with three schlubby 30-50-something divorced guys on the make.


One's fat, one's bald and one's just creepy. There are 90,000 nearly naked women on this beach, jogging, skating, suntanning and bending over a lot—and NONE of them will give the time of day to our schlubs.

Enter a slick young guy (Grant Cramer) who gets five phone numbers thrown at him every time he steps out to get a hot dog for lunch. Our schlubs witness his magic and pay him to share his secrets.

Along the way, breasts are freed from their bikini top prisons, asses wiggle, we see the ultimate 80s electronic sex palace bed, all-girl rock band Vixen get in several songs during their pre-metal new wave days ("Computer Madness" is the best) and everybody gets lucky.


ONLY PROBLEM: About two-thirds of the way through, the makers figure out that they don't know how to end it. So, they have one of the schlubs suddenly be possessed by Bob from Twin Peaks and turn into a jerk who needs to be stopped.

It's a little jarring, but our brains have been turned off for almost an hour at that point and we'll accept anything. We're like a drunk eating tacos from a truck at 3 AM. As long as the world keeps spinning and the beaches are safe for hot girls in about four square inches of clothing, we're good. I'm good.

And HARDBODIES is almost good.




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Tuesday, June 27, 2017

LIFE OF SIGNIFICANT SOIL -- Movie Review by Porfle



If you took GROUNDHOG DAY, removed the comedy, and replaced Bill Murray with a young couple whose relationship is on its last legs and in need of some serious revising, you'd have something like the romantic drama LIFE OF SIGNIFICANT SOIL (2016).

Charlotte Bydwell is Addison, an aspiring dancer whose aspirations have dissolved into the malaise that is her relationship with Conor (Alexis Mouyiaris), an irresponsible, self-centered manchild who takes her for granted.

Con wants the stability of his life with Add, while maintaining a steady sex life with Jackie (Anna Jack), a ditzy blonde who lives in the apartment downstairs and has a sad unrequited love for him.


The GROUNDHOG DAY premise kicks in when Con and Add start reliving the same day over and over again, beginning with their air-conditioner conking out every morning and Add finding out, via a home testing kit, that she's pregnant. 

Eventually they catch on to what's happening--even, in one of the more interesting scenes, visiting a doctor to find out if there's some medical cause--and, after accepting it as a fact, discover it to both accentuate the things that are wrong between them and also give them a chance to work them out.

Unfortunately, Con's irresponsibility and Add's dissatisfaction present seemingly insurmountable obstacles for their continued coexistence, with Add repeatedly trying to leave him while he begs her to stay. 

Regardless of what they do, however--including Add getting an illicit abortion and then waking up later to find Con missing and presumed in bed with Jackie again--everything resets itself in the morning (including her pregnancy) and the same day must be played out yet again with varying results.


Writer/director Michael Irish, in his feature debut, gives the direction and photography a sort of artsy hand-held casualness that fits the low-key material.  LIFE OF SIGNIFICANT SOIL isn't a comedy, although it has its sadly amusing aspects, nor does it veer into heavy drama, though sadly dramatic it often is. 

Instead, there's a sort of resigned existentialism and wistfully meta melancholy running through the story, during which the characters engage in much introspection and contemplation of their lot in life.  Add, especially, yearns for something more, yet is continually reticent to leave the dependant Con and venture into the unknown. 

All of this must sound like chick-flick hell to some, yet LIFE OF SIGNIFICANT SOIL is surprisingly watchable and engaging if you settle into it just right.  While the ending doesn't exactly blow the doors off the place, it's just oddly effective enough to leave me a bit wistful and contemplative myself.

Buy it at Amazon.com
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"PRISON BREAK" Event Series - Now Available on Blu-ray and DVD



FIRST IT WAS A PRISON.  NOW, IT’S A NATION.

“Prison Break” Event Series Arrives on Blu-ray and DVD June 27


“Prison Break” returns as a special event series with its most adrenaline-fueled storyline ever! Although he was buried seven years ago, pictures from a Yemen prison reveal that Michael Scofield (Wentworth Miller) may still be alive, which sends shock waves through everyone he knows.

Determined to rescue his brother, Lincoln (Dominic Purcell) enlists C-Note’s (Rockmond Dunbar) help. Meanwhile, Michael’s wife Sara (Sarah Wayne Callies) has remarried. And even if this biggest break-out yet is possible, is Michael the same man he was?

Also starring Robert Knepper and Amaury Nolasco, this action-packed series has more plot twists than ever. Catch all nine explosive episodes here, along with a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the event series.

Additionally fans can pickup the “Prison Break” Collector’s Set Blu-ray featuring all five seasons chronicling Michael and Lincoln’s entire journey.



“Prison Break” Event Series Blu-ray & DVD Special Features Include
⦁    A Return Home: The Making of “Prison Break” Event Series

“Prison Break” Collector’s Set Blu-ray Special Features Include

⦁    Seasons One through Four and Event Series
⦁    Audio Commentaries
⦁    Alternate / Deleted Scenes
⦁    Making of “Prison Break”
⦁    If These Walls Could Speak
⦁    Beyond the Ink
⦁    Behind-the-Scenes Featurettes & Interviews
⦁    The Plan, The Execution and The Bullet
⦁    Director’s World
⦁    Fade Out: The Final Episode

“Prison Break” Event Series Disc Specifications

Street Date:         June 27, 2017
Prebook Date:    May 24, 2017
Screen Format:     Widescreen 1.78:1
Audio:         English DTS-HD-MA 5.1 (Blu-ray)
English 5.1 DD (DVD)
Subtitles:        English / French / Spanish (Blu-ray & DVD)
Total Run Time:    Approximately 390 minutes
Rating:        TV-14
Closed Captioned:     Yes

“Prison Break” Collector’s Set Blu-ray Disc Specifications
Street Date:         June 27, 2017
Prebook Date:    May 24, 2017
Screen Format:     Widescreen 1.78:1
Audio:         English DTS-HD-MA 5.1 (Blu-ray)
Subtitles:        English / French / Spanish (Blu-ray)
Total Run Time:    Approximately 3844 minutes
Rating:        TV-14
Closed Captioned:     Yes

ABOUT TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX HOME ENTERTAINMENT

Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, LLC (TCFHE) is a recognized global industry leader and a subsidiary of Twentieth Century Fox Film. TCFHE is the worldwide marketing, sales and distribution company for all Fox film and television programming, acquisitions and original productions as well as all third party distribution partners on DVD, Blu-ray™, 4K Ultra HD, Digital HD, and VOD (video-on-demand). Each year TCFHE introduces hundreds of new and newly enhanced products, which it services to retail outlets and digital stores throughout the world.



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David Bowie & Trevor Jones' Iconic "LABYRINTH" Soundtrack To Be Released On Special Limited Edition Colored Vinyl On August 4 via UMe



DAVID BOWIE & TREVOR JONES’ ICONIC LABYRINTH SOUNDTRACK TO BE RELEASED ON SPECIAL LIMITED EDITION COLORED VINYL PRESSINGS ON AUGUST 4 VIA UMe

1500 COPIES EACH OF GREEN & LAVENDER VINYL ONLY AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVELY AT UDISCOVER

HIGH QUALITY 120-GRAM BLACK VINYL RECEIVING SECOND PRESSING DUE TO POPULAR DEMAND


Los Angeles – June 27, 2017 – David Bowie and Trevor Jones’ iconic soundtrack to Jim Henson’s mesmerizing and enduring fantasy classic, Labyrinth, will be released on limited edition green and lavender vinyl on August 4 via UMe. Limited to 1500 copies of each worldwide, the special colored vinyl variants are available exclusively at UDiscover and now available for pre-order. Additionally, a second pressing of the album on high quality 120gm black vinyl will be made available the same day due to popular demand following the incredible response from the album’s release on May 12, which marked the first time the album has been released on vinyl since its original 1986 release. Long out of print, the album was remastered at Capitol Studios and includes the faithfully replicated original jacket and artwork, including the original EMI America logo and the printed inner sleeve featuring photos of Bowie from the film. Pre-order Labyrinth here: https://UMe.lnk.to/LabyrinthLP

Praised by film critics and moviegoers alike for its astonishing imagery and distinct characters, Labyrinth has been celebrated for being wildly ahead of its time. Directed by Jim Henson and executive produced by George Lucas, the film, which stars David Bowie as Jareth, The Goblin King, is full of memorable creatures brought to life by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop™, working closely with acclaimed artist and conceptual designer Brian Froud.

In a 1986 interview with Movieline, Bowie recalled his first meeting with Henson to discuss the film: "Jim Henson set up a meeting with me while I was doing my 1983 tour in the States, and he outlined the basic concept for Labyrinth and showed me some of Brian Froud's artwork. I'd always wanted to be involved in the music-writing aspect of a movie that would appeal to children of all ages, as well as everyone else, and I must say that Jim gave me a completely free hand with it. The script itself was terribly amusing without being vicious or spiteful or bloody, and it also had a lot more heart than many other special effects movies. So I was pretty well hooked from the beginning.”

Described by The Atlantic as “101 minutes of Bowie rock opera and Hensonian spectacle,” Labyrinth was the second major soundtrack that Bowie worked on, falling between his 16th and 17th studio albums, Tonight and Never Let Me Down. He wrote and recorded five original songs for the film, including "Underground,” “As The World Falls Down” and “Magic Dance” with its famous oft-repeated opening: “You remind me of the babe/What babe? The babe with the power/What power? The power of voodoo/Who do? You do/Do what? Remind me of the babe.” All songs were performed by Bowie except “Chilly Down” which was sung by Charles Augins, Richard Bodkin, Kevin Clash, and Danny John-Jules, the actors who voiced the ‘Firey' creatures in the film. In the aforementioned interview with Movieline around the film and soundtrack’s release, Bowie revealed an obstacle he encountered while recording. “With ‘Dance Magic’ - the song for Jareth and the baby, sung by them and the goblins in the castle throne room - I had problems,” Bowie explained. “The baby I used in the recording studios couldn’t, or wouldn’t, put more than two gurgles together, so I ended up doing the baby-gurgle chorus myself! It’s an up-tempo song, and visually exciting.”

The 12-track soundtrack is rounded out with Trevor Jones’ memorable score. The synth-based instrumentals, described by All Music Guide as “synthesizers blended cautiously into orchestral ensembles to provide a suitably ethereal tone,” represent pivotal moments from the film and include “Into the Labyrinth,” “Sarah” “Hallucination,” “The Goblin Battle,” “Thirteen O'Clock” and “Home at Last.” Jones and Henson previously worked together on the live action fantasy classic, “The Dark Crystal.”

Labyrinth celebrated its 30th anniversary last year and the film and soundtrack have only grown in popularity since its release on June 27, 1986. Last year, a newly restored 4K version of the movie was released back in theaters with a limited engagement theatrical run in the United States giving fans the opportunity to see it back on the big screen. On September 20th, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment released the film on Blu-ray, next-generation 4K Ultra HD™, and as a multi-format 30th Anniversary Collector’s Edition complete with unique “mirrorbox” packaging that included a mini replica of the film’s climactic and iconic final scene. All versions include a host of all-new bonus content and a gorgeous 24-page Digibook filled with rare photos and a look behind the scenes.

LABYRINTH OST TRACK LISTING

SIDE 1
1. Opening Titles Including Underground
2. Into The Labyrinth
3. Magic Dance
4. Sarah
5. Chilly Down
6. Hallucination

SIDE 2
1. As The World Falls Down
2. The Goblin Battle
3. Within You
4. Thirteen O’Clock
5. Home At Last
6. Underground



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Matt Sconce's "ALTAR" Commands Tribute on Digital HD



Matt Sconce's Altar Arrives on Digital HD
Found Footage Festival Hit Now Available on All Platforms

"a found footage film well worth watching" --Found Footage Critic

   
Los Angeles, CA-- Movie Heroes Studios has partnered with Distribber for the nationwide VOD release of Matt Sconce's Altar.  A group of old friends take a trip down memory lane in the Sierra Nevadas which ends in a bloody fight for survival. 

Since its premiere at the Northern Virginia International Film Festival, Altar has picked up almost two dozen awards on the festival circuit, including 4 for Best Feature, 2 Best Actress Awards for Stefanie Estes and 2 for Best Director.  After a limited theatrical release, Altar is now available on iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, Xbox, PlayStation Network, and on Hulu as of July 1st.


 Sconce (Stricken) directed from a script he penned.  Stefanie Estes, Jesse Parr, Brittany Falardeau, Deep Rai, Jessica Strand and Tim Parrish star as the unfortunate group of former classmates.

Altar is the terrifying story of a group of college classmates who get lost driving to a reunion campout in the Sierra Nevada mountains. After stopping for the night, they stumble onto something darker and must escape the evil they've unleashed. Not only are their lives in danger, but their immortal souls as well.

Order Altar on iTunes
Order Altar on Amazon Instant

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"THE FOREIGNER" With Jackie Chan -- Trailer, One-Sheet, and Images



JACKIE CHAN IN
"THE FOREIGNER"

In Theatres October 13, 2017

The Foreigner, starring Jackie Chan and Pierce Brosnan, is a timely action thriller from the director of "Casino Royale."

The film tells the story of humble London businessman Quan (Chan), whose long-buried past erupts in a revenge-fueled vendetta when the only person left for him to love -- his teenage daughter -- is taken from him in a senseless act of politically-motivated terrorism.


In his relentless search for the identity of the terrorists, Quan is forced into a cat-and-mouse conflict with a British government official (Brosnan), whose own past may hold clues to the identities of the
elusive killers.
     
Facebook.com/ForeignerMovie
Instagram.com/ForeignerMovie
Twitter.com/ForeignerMovie
#ForeignerMovie

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Monday, June 26, 2017

A BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO SNUFF -- Movie Review by Porfle



A BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO SNUFF (2016) is like comedy-revenge porn for all the poor, hapless victims--especially the pretty girls--who were snuffed in torture porn flicks over the years.  The catch: the killers are just pretending this time, but the victim doesn't know that.  And when she gets away...

The pretend-killers are aspiring (and perspiring) actors Dresden and Dominic, brothers from the sticks who just can't catch a break in Hollywood.  In desperation, the less stable one, Dresden (Joey Kern, SUPER TROOPERS, ROSENCRANTZ AND GUILDENSTERN ARE UNDEAD), hatches a plan in which they hold a fake casting call, kidnap the most promising actress in the bunch, and film a fake snuff film that will (in Dresden's clouded mind) win first prize in a film contest and make them famous.

All they have to do, he figures, is to take it to the brink and then reveal that it's all fake to the actress, who will then thank them for the opportunity for fame.  Weak-willed brother Dominic (Luke Edwards, MOTHER'S BOYS, AMERICAN PIE 2) protests at first but eventually agrees, and all goes according to plan...until Dresden starts to take it all a little too seriously, and before Dominic knows it, he--and their unwilling actress--are caught up in an honest-to-goodness real snuff film.


Naturally, this would be horrible if we took it seriously for a second, but it's practically a live-action cartoon, so that's not really a problem.  (Not at first, anyway.)  There are some very amusing setpieces such as the actress audition montage ("Could you do that again, only this time do it as though you were a good actress?")

Naturally, the last one is THE one, and is she ever--Jennifer (Bree Williamson, "One Life to Live", "General Hospital") is the perfect gorgeous, self-confident, outgoing babe to help elevate these guys' piece-of-crap film project into something at least marginally watchable.  BEGINNER'S GUIDE itself isn't a laugh riot, but it doesn't really try to be. It's just a consistently smart and amusing spoof that's sharply-done and fun to watch.

But that's the first half.  The thing is, once they actually kidnap Jennifer and their whole plan is put into motion, things start to get real.  Maybe even too real to be funny, depending on your tolerance level.


It's hard to maintain a premise like this as a funny ha-ha joke when we're seeing a couple of psychotic-acting guys (and let's face it, Dresden really is a psycho, while Dominic's insipid acquiescence to him is bad enough in itself) and a terrified girl whom we've learned to like. 

And yet, as the film gets more violent, I begin to realize that director Mitchell Altieri is messing with me and my expectations big-time.  Is it a harmless gore-movie spoof?  Is it a funny (but in a really sick way) torture porn flick?  Does it really even know what it is?  My final answer: all of the above.

After the initial "Dresden goes too far" sequence, the movie doesn't really lighten up again until Jennifer gets away (I'm only revealing what the trailer already shows, so no spoiler here) and turns the tables on her captors in a big, bloody way.  Which, by this time, is uncomfortable in a traditional torture-porn kind of way but with an off-kilter premise that keeps twisting one way and then the other.


Technically, it's a mix of conventional photography and "found footage" style which works pretty well most of the time.  Performances are outstanding, totally manic and intense, with Bree Williamson a very dynamic Jennifer and Joey Kern giving us a Dresden who grows more despicably unhinged and narcissistic by the minute. 

A BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO SNUFF wants to keep us off-balance, uncomfortable, and wondering what the hell we're watching, and in that respect, it succeeds.  I think gorehounds and torture porn aficionados will especially enjoy it, as well as those who prefer their humor dark and demented.  I had mixed feelings at the end, but was glad I watched it because it's definitely a trip. 


Tech Specs

Runtime: 87mins
Format: 1:78 HD
Sound: Dolby SR
Country: USA
Language: English
Website: www.IndicanPictures.com
Genre: Horror


Release Date: June 23, 2017 (Theatrical, Los Angeles) & July 11th, 2017 (VOD, DVD)

The film’s official trailer

More details on the film are available at Indican Pictures:

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Thursday, June 22, 2017

THE TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JOHNNY CARSON: JOHNNY AND FRIENDS FEATURING STEVE MARTIN, ROBIN WILLIAMS & EDDIE MURPHY -- DVD Review by Porfle



"Will you welcome..." Johnny would usually say when introducing his next guest.  Over the years there were countless "Will you welcome"s on "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson", some who would remain in relative obscurity, and others who would parlay their once-in-a-lifetime chance at fame all the way to stardom.

Time-Life's 3-disc DVD collection THE TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JOHNNY CARSON: JOHNNY AND FRIENDS FEATURING STEVE MARTIN, ROBIN WILLIAMS & EDDIE MURPHY is about three of those who became superstars in the field of comedy--Steve Martin, Robin Williams, and Eddie Murphy--thanks in large part to their early exposure with Johnny on his classic late-night talk show which is now such an integral part of television legend. 

Johnny, of course, was no stranger to either television or comedy, having labored in both fields since the 50s as host or co-host of various comedy, variety, and game shows such as "Carson's Cellar" and "Who Do You Trust?" before finally replacing Jack Paar as host of "The Tonight Show" in 1962.


Each show began with an opening monologue, which was basically a new stand-up routine every night.  It was here that Johnny really proved himself, getting more mileage out of bad jokes than most comics do with hilarious ones. In fact, his style was to willfully tell bad jokes--even telegraph them as being bad, building audience expectation--and then mine their groaning response for humor until he had them rolling in the aisles. 

It was a totally unique comic style and sensibility that set Johnny apart from all other stand-up comics, and he excelled at it night after night.  His loyal announcer and sidekick Ed McMahon, of course, played along beautifully, adding dry asides here and there in order to invite a sarcastic response from Johnny (often a mock threat to terminate his employment).  To which Ed would respond, naturally, with his trademark belly laugh.

The show was, importantly, for everyone, regardless of their political persuasion.  Johnny did get in some topical jabs here and there, but they weren't really all that caustic and he generally kept things goodnatured, unlike the profane, rabidly partisan hacks of today's late night shows. In other words, Johnny had something called "class", a quality in short supply on TV these days.


During the nine new-to-retail episodes in this Time-Life set, Johnny gives us old viewers some of our favorite bits such as "Stump the Band" and "The Mighty Carson Art Players." (Alas, there are no visits from either Art Fern, Karnak the Magnificent, or Aunt Blabby.)  Flamboyantly-dressed bandleader Doc Severinsen and his sometime stand-in Tommy "Mr. Excitement" Newsom come in for their usual ribbing, while Johnny and Ed play off each other like the seasoned pros that they are.

Disc one features three appearances by Steve Martin, beginning in 1976 with a stand-up that lets us see young Steve in his banjo-playing, "happy feet" prime.  A 1982 show finds movie-star Steve pushing his film DEAD MEN DON'T WEAR PLAID, and in 1991 a slightly more staid, reserved Martin talks about his starring role in FATHER OF THE BRIDE.  Each appearance is loaded with plenty of comedy in his familiar style. 

Other guests include the always beloved James Stewart, a spaced-out Karen Black, Sylvester Stallone (circa ROCKY III), comic Cathy Ladman, and singer Leon Redbone.  Some of the classic commercials of the era (if you choose to watch them--the DVD gives us a choice) include "Coke Adds Life", the "NesTea Plunge", and the little guy who wants to talk to us about...diarrhea.  In a 1982 segment Johnny jokes about upcoming TV shows such as "Silver Spoons" and "Knight Rider."


Disc two is a trio of hit-and-run appearances by the always hyper-frenetic Robin Williams, who would blow into the studio like a gale force wind and never let up.  Whether in 1984 or in his two 1991 shows, Robin is a non-stop whirling dervish of gags, voices, and flailing physical comedy that dominates not only his time with Johnny but that of the other guests as well.  It was as though he had no "off" switch, and was always dialed up all the way to eleven. 

Even fellow kooky improv comic Jonathan Winters barely gets a word in while sitting there with Robin. Other guests don't stand a chance, including good sport Phyllis Newman, dulcet-toned Steve Lawrence, and southern-fried Park Overall.  While Johnny does manage to converse with them in minimal terms, their presence is pretty much just another excuse for Robin to go wild.  His fans will be ecstatic, of course.

Disc three finds breakout "Saturday Night Live" player Eddie Murphy on his blazing rocket to fame, with all three appearances occurring in 1982 but already plotting a quick trajectory to superstardom. 

Eddie's first shot on the show is brash but in a controlled way--his ego has yet to become overinflated, and there's still a hunger in his clearly ambitious attitude.  He's already at ease and in his element in the stand-up spots, wowing the audience with his sharp humor and confidence.  He handles his time talking with Johnny well, too, easily getting laughs and charming both host and audience without breaking a sweat.  (Not that we can see, anyway.)


His second appearance is much more confident, and his stand-up features a bold use of the "N" word in an innovative and borderline abrasive way that has the audience in a tizzy of laughter.  By now, Johnny's regard for him has clearly grown, and by his third show, the cocky, brash, super-confident Murphy is getting a "superstar" ovation from the audience.

Other guests on this disc include McLean Stevenson and Wayne Rogers of TV's "MASH", boxer Randall "Tex" Cobb, Albert Hague of "Fame", and singer Angela Bofill. 

Watching this 3-disc set, I can't help but be filled with that old warm glow of nostalgia for a time when we could turn on the TV and watch Johnny and company every weeknight.  THE TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JOHNNY CARSON: JOHNNY AND FRIENDS FEATURING STEVE MARTIN, ROBIN WILLIAMS & EDDIE MURPHY gives both old and new fans of the show a chance to relive those times, courtesy of some of Johnny's funniest and most outrageous guests, and tune in to that unique vibe all over again. 


PROGRAM INFORMATION

Format: DVD/3 Discs
Running Time: 499 minutes
Genre:  TV DVD/Comedy
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Audio: Stereo
Original Commercials: On/Off

Street Date: July 4, 2017

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Universal Announces "JURASSIC WORLD: FALLEN KINGDOM" In Theaters June 22, 2018



JURASSIC WORLD: FALLEN KINGDOM

IN THEATERS JUNE 22, 2018


Official website
http://www.jurassicworld.com/

Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/JurassicWorld/

Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/jurassicworld/

Twitter
https://twitter.com/JurassicWorld

#JurassicWorld


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