Shout! Factory's DVD Double Whammy!

Our good friend Michael Schlesinger sent us this important announcement which we felt compelled to share with you, our illustrious readers:

Hi, Everyone,

Yes, it's me, your friendly neighborhood shameless pimp, with another mass e-mail--but this one's big-time!

 [Tuesday, August 17th], Shout! Factory is releasing on DVD Larry Blamire's two latest and greatest, DARK AND STORMY NIGHT and the eagerly-awaited sequel, THE LOST SKELETON RETURNS AGAIN. Both are packed with extras (alas, none involving me--I was out of town) and provide hours of fun viewing for you and your whole family. Or you and your friends if you have no family. Or you and your enemies if you're looking for an excuse to make up with them. Or you and total strangers if you have no family, friends or enemies. (In which case you need to get out more.) Loads of people have been having LOST SKELETON OF CADAVRA viewing parties for years, so here's a perfect opportunity for you to do join in on the comic mayhem.

 Both are available for pre-order now at most major e-tailers; however, if you order directly from shoutfactory.com, you'll get absolutely free an exclusive bonus disc containing all 16 episodes of TALES FROM THE PUB, our much-beloved web series of "eerie" playlets featuring the Bantam Street stock company and hosted by the inimitable Truphen Newben.

 And if for some ungodly reason you still don't own the original LOST SKELETON, why wait? Get it now and watch both SKELETONS back-to-back. It too is available most everywhere; currently deepdiscount.com has the best price.

So slice up some cantaloupe, open up a bottle of cheap mescal and join the dozens and dozens of people who've made The Lost Skeleton a cultural icon.

With love and laughter,
Mike

P.S.: By a remarkable coincidence, the very next day (Aug. 18th) is the tenth anniversary of my maiden writing/producing effort, GODZILLA 2000. It's also still available on DVD, and it includes a feature-length commentary by me that some felt was better than the movie itself. (I guess that's a compliment.) If you don't yet own it, why not toss it into the cart as well?

Shout! Factory's DVD Double Whammy!

ABANDONED -- DVD review by porfle

Melancholy is the feeling I got watching the late Brittany Murphy in her almost-last film appearance.  Never quite a favorite actress of mine, I still liked her in such films as FREEWAY, SIN CITY, and especially the ironically-titled THE DEAD GIRL.  As her penultimate swan song (a final film is currently in post-production), the suspense thriller ABANDONED (2010) isn't exactly memorable, but as a passable time-waster it holds its own quite well.

Brittany plays Mary, whose boyfriend of four months, Kevin (Dean Cain), is going into the hospital for simple knee surgery.  He's one of the last patients admitted into the old hospital as it's being closed down and relocated.  But when Mary returns to Kevin's room after several hours, he's gone and nobody remembers seeing him.  Not only that, but his doctor is on vacation, his nurse apparently never existed, and he isn't listed in any of their records. 

As Mary begins to panic and search the hospital on her own, dubious hospital administrator Markham (Mimi Rogers) and security chief Holloway (Scott Anthony Leet) imply that she's delusional.  Mary's only hope seems to be Detective Franklin (Jay Pickett), who's there for a check-up, although he also suspects that she's imagining the whole thing when a bottle of potent anti-depressants falls out of her purse.  She even starts to doubt her own sanity until she gets a frantic cell phone call from Kevin.  He's hurt, he doesn't know where he is, and he's in big trouble.
 

ABANDONED plays a lot like one of those old ABC Movie of the Week films like "Dying Room Only" with Cloris Leachman as a woman whose husband has mysteriously vanished from a roadside diner without a trace, and also reminds me of Michael Crichton's spooky 1978 hospital thriller COMA with Geneviève Bujold.  Mary's "Twilight Zone"-type predicament gets deeper and more complicated until finally there's a nifty surprise revelation that twists everything into a whole different direction, ending with an exciting action sequence within the dark bowels of the old hospital.  In the meantime, there's plenty of nerve-wracking cat-and-mouse stuff as she eludes her dogged and increasingly hostile pursuers in a desperate search for the missing Kevin.

Direction and production values are meat-and-potatoes stuff and the script is merely adequate, but once things get cranked up the story generates more than enough suspense to sustain interest.  As for plot holes and implausibilities, I try to go along with yarns like this without getting too hung up on such things if they're sufficiently glossed over.  Director Michael Feifer is an old hand at this kind of potboiler, having recently specialized in a number of fairly well-made DTV serial-killer flicks about Ted Bundy, Richard Speck, The Boston Strangler, The BTK Killer, Henry Lee Lucas, and Ed Gein.
 

Feifer has a good cast to work with here--I can imagine him taking special delight in directing a star like Brittany Murphy even though she's not quite at the top of her game here.  (An unfortunate case of "trout pout" caused by too much collagen proves a nagging distraction as well.)  Dean Cain is likable as Kevin, while former Mrs. Tom Cruise, Mimi Rogers, along with Peter Bogdanovich as a slimy psychiatrist intent on proving Mary a nutcase, suffice as possible bad guys for us to hiss.  Jay Pickett (Detective Franklin) is a veteran of several of Feifer's serial-killer flicks, while genre stalwart Tim Thomerson shows up as a genial old codger who gives Mary some emotional support while his wife endures chemotherapy. 

The DVD from Anchor Bay is in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen with 5.1 Dolby Digital sound.  Subtitles are in English and Spanish.  A trailer is the sole extra.

ABANDONED is the film equivalent of a fast-read pulp novel whose only aim is to entertain, and succeeds pretty well in doing so.  As one of our last looks at Brittany Murphy, it's something of a letdown only because we've seen her give better performances in much better movies.


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ABANDONED -- DVD review by porfle

Image Entertainment presents THE TWILIGHT ZONE Season 2 on Blu-ray November 16th

Genies, malevolent machines, Santa Claus and The Devil himself. Get ready for more excursions into the fantastic when Image Entertainment releases The Twilight Zone: Season 2 on Blu-ray November 16th.

All 29 episodes from the legendary series’ second season have been remastered and will be presented in pristine 1080p high-definition and uncompressed PCM audio. In addition, the 4-disc set also includes many of the bonus features from the Definitive Collection DVD release, along with hours of new bonus features, specially created for this Blu-ray™ release. SPR is $99.98, and pre-book is October 19th.

Season Two Episodes

King Nine Will Not Return, The Man in the Bottle, Nervous Man in a Four-Dollar Room, A Thing About Machines, The Howling Man, Eye of the Beholder, Nick of Time, The Lateness of the Hour, The Trouble with Templeton, A Most Unusual Camera, The Night of the Meek, Dust, Back There, The Whole Truth, The Invaders, A Penny for Your Thoughts, Twenty-Two, The Odyssey of Flight 33, Mr. Dingle, the Strong, Static, The Prime Mover, Long Distance Call, A Hundred Yards over the Rim, The Rip Van Winkle Caper, The Silence, Shadow Play, The Mind and the Matter, Will the Real Martian Please Stand Up?, The Obsolete Man.

EXCLUSIVE BLU- RAY FEATURES

--25 New Audio Commentaries, featuring The Twilight Zone Companion author Marc Scott Zicree, author/film historian Gary Gerani, author/music historian Steven C. Smith, author/film & TV historian, Martin Grams Jr., writer/music historian Jon Burlingame, writer Len Wein, writer/producer Joseph Dougherty, writer/producer Matthew Weiner, writer/director Michael Nankin, writer Marv Wolfman, authors/historians Scott Skelton and Jim Benson and writer George Clayton Johnson.
--Interviews with actors Joseph Ruskin and H. M. Wynant.
--Suspense episode “Nightmare at Ground Zero” written by Rod Serling.
--Vintage Audio Interview with director of photography George T. Clemens.
--Vintage Audio Interview with makeup artist William Tuttle.
--15 Radio Dramas featuring Daniel J. Travanti, Jim Caviezel, Jason Alexander, Ed Begley Jr., Fred Willard, Jane Seymour, Michael York, Chris McDonald, Henry Rollins, Stan Freberg and others!

ALSO INCLUDES

--Audio Commentaries by actors Donna Douglas, Don Rickles, William Idelson, Bill Mumy, Cliff Robertson, Dennis Weaver and Shelley Berman.
--Vintage Audio Recollections with Buzz Kulik, Douglas Heyes, Maxine Stuart, George Clayton Johnson and Robert Serling.
--22 Isolated Music Scores featuring the legendary Bernard Herrmann, Jerry Goldsmith, Fred Steiner and others!
--Sponsor Billboards
--Rod Serling Promos for “Next Week’s” Show
And much more!

The Twilight Zone Season 2 Blu-ray
Genre:              Sci-Fi. Television, 60s
Rating: Not Rated
Languages:       English 
Format:            Black and white full-frame (1:33.1)
Audio:              PCM Mono
Subtitles:           English
Year:                1960
SRP :                $99.98
Street Date:      November 16, 2010
Pre-Book:        October 19, 2010
Length:             749 minutes
UPC :                ID6422CUBD
Cat#:                014381642254

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Image Entertainment presents THE TWILIGHT ZONE Season 2 on Blu-ray November 16th

TWILIGHT ZONE: FAN FAVORITES 5-disc Collectible Tin Set coming October 26th from Image Entertainment

On October 26, Image Entertainment will release a collection of the best episodes from one of television’s most influential programs, with The Twilight Zone:  Fan Favorites.   This 5- DVD set contains nineteen classic episodes from the legendary series – over 8 hours of content – housed in a limited edition, collectible tin, and will be available for an SRP of $29.98.

The Twilight Zone: Fan Favorites features the following episodes:

Night of the Meek
The Odyssey of Flight 33       
A Passage for Trumpet
The Invaders                          
Steel                                       
Long Distance Call
Nothing in the Dark               
A Game of Pool                     
I Sing the Body Electric
Time Enough at Last             
Walking Distance                   
The Lonely
Nightmare at 20,000 Feet     
Kick the Can                          
Probe 7-Over and Out
Mr. Dingle the Strong            
The Four of Us are Dying      
Two
The Monsters are Due on Maple Street

The Twilight Zone:  Fan Favorites
Genre:              Sci-fi/Fantasy, Television, 50’s, 60’s
Rating: Unrated
Languages:       English 
Format:            N/A
Audio:              Dolby Digital Mono
Subtitles:           N/A
Year:                1963
SRP :                $29.98
Street Date:      October 26, 2010
Pre-Book:        September 28, 2010
Length:             480 minutes
UPC :                014381670028
Cat#:                ID6700CUDVD

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TWILIGHT ZONE: FAN FAVORITES 5-disc Collectible Tin Set coming October 26th from Image Entertainment

ACCIDENTS HAPPEN -- DVD review by porfle

The story of an accident-prone family trying to struggle by despite some of the worst luck ever, ACCIDENTS HAPPEN (2009) is also the story of how irritating a movie can be when it tries too hard to be moving and funny.

The Conways are a typical American brood on their way home from the drive-in movie one night when a terrible car crash alters their lives forever.  Their young daughter is killed and one of their three sons, Gene, ends up in a lingering coma.  The parents, Gloria (Geena Davis) and Ray (Joel Tobeck), suddenly can't stand each other and split up.  The older son, Larry (Harry Cook), becomes a bitter alcoholic, while Billy (Harrison Gilbertson) tries to cope with his loss by engaging in prankish and sometimes destructive behavior with his best friend Doug Post (Sebastian Gregory).

As it turns out, the Posts aren't that lucky, either, when a stolen bowling ball rolled down the street by Billy causes Doug's dad Tiny (Troy Planet) to fatally crash his car.  The death is ruled a suicide, meaning that Doug's mom Dottie (Sarah Woods) gets no insurance.  Meanwhile, Gloria is on a downward slide made worse by the news that Ray is marrying a blonde ditz named Connie, and as the spectre of the comatose Gene continues to hang over the Conway family, their internal bickering threatens to end in self-destruction.

At first, ACCIDENTS HAPPEN seems to have the same kind of lighthearted fatalism, alternately uplifting and downbeat, that fueled John Irving's "The World According to Garp" and "The Hotel New Hampshire", as funny everyday stuff rubs shoulders with sudden tragedy to create a wry sort of realism.  I like the dreamy slow-motion opening sequence with a young Billy cavorting in the lawn sprinkler while his elderly neighbor, Mr. Smolensky, adds too much gasoline to his barbecue grill and turns himself into a human torch.  It's the film's first accident, one of many, followed quickly by the second when Billy turns to flee and bangs face-first into a flagpole.

The Conway family's car crash is another arresting moment played less as tragedy and more for its bittersweet quality--it's the end of nostalgia for the family (years later Billy will admit he can barely remember his late sister) and an abrupt plunge into brittle reality.  For the rest of the film, we watch as each surviving member of the family tries to cope with this in their own way.

Ultimately, however, regardless of all the quirkiness and eccentricities that are shoehorned into the script, the story and characters just aren't all that interesting.  After a good set-up the film gets less convincing as both the comedy and drama seem forced, while we're often aware that certain scenes are working overtime to "move" us. 

This is made worse by the fact that several of the performances, especially those of the juvenile leads, just aren't that good, while the jumpy crosscutting of certain scenes (such as Gloria's date with Bob and Billy's romantic interlude with Doug's sister, Katrina) lessens the momentum of each.  Director Andrew Lancaster indulges in some clever visuals that occasionally make the film more interesting in a superficial way, yet this only accentuates the drabness of the story itself.

As Gloria, Geena Davis' behavior is supposed to be endearingly offbeat--she's one of those "force of nature" characters--but comes off as just odd most of the time.  She's meant to be funny because she curses like a sailor and says things like "I'm so hungry, I could eat a crowbar and shit a jungle gym" and something equally charming about eating "a shit cake covered with a delicious chocolate sauce." 

Gloria's excessively foul language is meant to be an endearing trait,  but it feels as though the scriptwriter is simply trying to make us laugh with creative obscenities.  Although one of my favorite actresses, Geena Davis never really seems to have a handle on the role, maybe because there isn't one. 

The DVD from Image Entertainment is in 2.35:1 widescreen and Dolby 5.1 surround sound, with English and Spanish subtitles.  Extras include "When Featurettes Happen", "Glorious Gloria", cast and crew interviews, deleted scenes, and a couple of trailers. 

I wanted to like ACCIDENTS HAPPEN after its promising start, but it eventually became less the movie I wanted to see and more of a tiresome effort to pluck my heartstrings and dazzle me with its quirkiness.  Sometimes that works, but in this case, the whole thing is definitely overquirked. 


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ACCIDENTS HAPPEN -- DVD review by porfle

"THE RIG" starring William Forsythe -- coming to DVD October 5th from Anchor Bay Entertainment

Horror can happen anywhere…

WILLIAM FORSYTHE STARS IN THE RIG FROM ANCHOR BAY ENTERTAINMENT

The Fight To Survive Commences October 5th

Beverly Hills , CA – The ocean can be amazing, mesmerizing and beautiful. But for a small group of oil riggers stranded miles offshore, they will soon discover the ocean also holds unimaginable terror. On October 5th, Anchor Bay Entertainment will release the horror thriller The Rig starring William Forsythe (Rob Zombie’s Halloween, The Devil’s Rejects, “Masters of Horror: We All Scream for Ice Cream”) and Art LaFleur (Speed Racer, Field of Dreams) on DVD.  Boasting shocking special effects from the team behind Aliens Vs Predators – Requiem, fans of horror and action can “rig” themselves for new depths of action and adventure. SRP is $26.98, and pre-book is September 8th.

When a tropical storm forces an offshore drilling company to evacuate non-essential personnel from the Charlie oil rig, the small but experienced crew left behind settles in to ride out the storm. Their routine night is interrupted when a crew member goes missing and an extensive search proves futile. Slowly, they discover that a deadly creature is stalking the crew, eliminating them one by one. Surrounded by nothing but raging ocean with no hope of escape, the roughnecks must survive the stormy night with an unrelenting force of death hunting them down. The film also stars Stacey Hinnen (“Modern Family,” “Monk”), Serah D’Laine (Wild Things: Diamonds in the Rough; “ General Hospital ”), Marcus T. Paulk (Red Tails, “Moesha”) and Dan Benson (“Wizards of Waverly Place.”)

THE RIG DVD
Street Date:                  October 5, 2010         
Pre-book:                     September 8, 2010
Cat. #:                          DV22012
UPC:                            0 1313 22012-9 0
Run Time:                     94 minutes
Rating:                          R for bloody creature violence, language and sexuality/nudity
SRP:                            $26.98
Format:                        Anamorphic Widescreen (1.78:1)
Audio:                          Digital 5.1
Subtitles:                       Spanish, English SDH

Bonus Features:           
Audio commentary with Director Peter Atenscio and Producer James D. Benson
Behind-The-Scenes Featurette
Trailer

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"THE RIG" starring William Forsythe -- coming to DVD October 5th from Anchor Bay Entertainment

"Rocky Horror Picture Show" 35th Anniversary Edition on Blu-ray October 19

AN ABSOLUTE PLEASURE... FOR 35 YEARS

New High Definition Transfer Of Time Warp Cult Classic Debuts On Blu-ray Disc October 19

LOS ANGELES, CA. (Aug. 4, 2010) –Let’s do the Time Warp again!

Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment celebrates the 35th anniversary of the pop culture phenomenon The Rocky Horror Picture Show with the Blu-ray Disc debut on October 19. The greatest cult film of all time and still in limited release, The Rocky Horror Picture Show is the longest-running theatrical release in film history.

A divine film adaptation from Richard O’Brien’s British musical horror comedy/rock opera, produced by Lou Adler and Michael White, The Rocky Horror Picture Show features revered performance by Tim Curry (Clue, Home Alone) as a bizarre and self-proclaimed “sweet transvestite from Transsexual, Transylvania,” and Susan Sarandon (Dead Man Walking, Thelma and Louise) and Barry Bostwick (“Spin City”), as Brad and Janet, a couple who find themselves lost on a cold, rainy night. The madcap, musical mayhem begins when the couple takes refuge in the castle of Dr. Frank-N-Furter as he is about to unveil his greatest creation – and have a bit of fun with his reluctant guests.

Boasting a newly-restored high definition transfer and 7.1 audio sure to make fans shiver with an-tic-i-pation, the anniversary edition Blu-ray truly brings the Midnight experience home wtih exclusive new content including Rocky-oke: Sing It!, Picture-In-Picture Shadowcast Performance, Vintage Callback Track (Unrated), Prop Box, Shadowcasting documentary, as well as exclusive new content including BD-LIVE: Live Lookup™ Powered by IMDb®, Photo Galleries, as well as Deleted Scenes, Audio Commentary and more. For a limited time, The Rocky Horror Picture Show: 35th Anniversary will be packaged in a collectible 24-page book featuring legendary photography from Mick Rock, best known for his iconic shots of rock and roll artists. Rock served as the chief photographer on the film.

Arriving in time for Halloween, The Rocky Horror Picture Show: 35th Anniversary Blu-ray Disc will be available for the suggested retail price of $34.99 U.S. / $37.99 CAN. Pre-book is September 8.

Selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the United States National Film Registry for being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant,” the film gained notoriety as a midnight movie when audiences began participating with the film in theaters. The film has entered the pop culture lexicon for its many iconic and memorable scenes, including the song “The Time Warp” which has been covered by handfuls of artists and the often quoted phrase, “Dammit, Janet.”

The Rocky Horror Picture Show: 35th Anniversary Blu-ray Disc release is just one aspect of Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment’s yearlong campaign to honor the studio’s 75th birthday. This year the division will debut several select fan-favorites on Blu-ray for the first time ever including The Sound Of Music 45th Anniversary Edition, William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet, Moulin Rouge!, The Last of the Mohicans and the Alien Anthology.

Blu-ray Specs: (Catalog # 2270701)
--Restored Picture – Brand New 4K/2K Master From The Original Camera Negatives
--The Midnight Experience: The Late Night, Double Feature, Picture-in-Picture
--Show *, Vintage Callback Track (Unrated), Prop Box, Trivia Track
--BD-LIVE**: Live Lookup™ Powered by IMDb®
--Rocky-oke *: Sing It!
--Don’t Dream It, Be It: The Search for the 35th Anniversary Shadowcast, Part I
--An-tic-i-pation: The Search for the 35th Anniversary Shadowcast, Part II
--Mick Rock (A Photographer)
--Mick Rock’s Picture Show (A Gallery)
--Pressbook and Poster Gallery
--Audio Commentary by Richard O’Brien and Patricia Quinn
--Deleted Musical Scenes and Outtakes
--Alternate Credit Ending and Misprint Ending
--Rocky Horror Double Feature Video Show
--Beacon Theater, New York City
--“Time Warp” Music Video

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 Corporation, a News Corporation company. Representing 75 years of innovative and award-winning filmmaking from Twentieth Century Fox, TCFHE is the worldwide marketing, sales and distribution company for all Fox film and television programming, acquisitions and original productions on DVD, Blu-ray Disc Digital Copy, Video On Demand and Digital Download. The company also releases all products globally for MGM Home Entertainment. Each year TCFHE introduces hundreds of new and newly enhanced products, which it services to retail outlets from mass merchants and warehouse clubs to specialty stores and e-commerce throughout the world.

Follow Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment on Twitter @FoxHomeEnt

THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW: 35th ANNIVERSARY BLU-RAY DISC
Street Date: October 19, 2010
Pre-book Date: September 8
Screen Format: Widescreen
Audio: English 7.1 DTS HD Master Audio
Subtitles: English, French and Spanish
U.S. Rating: R
Total Run Time: 100 minutes
Closed Captioned: Yes



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"Rocky Horror Picture Show" 35th Anniversary Edition on Blu-ray October 19

Image Entertainment pacts with New Films International for titles including CHAIN LETTER

IMAGE ENTERTAINMENT RECEIVES CHAIN LETTER AND MORE IN LATEST DEAL WITH NEW FILMS INTERNATIONAL


CHATSWORTH, CA– Image Entertainment, Inc. (OTC: DISK .PK) announced today an output agreement to exclusively distribute all theatrical New Films International/New Films Cinema titles in the U.S. and Canada. The deal covers all DVD , digital, television, Pay-Per-View and VOD rights to all New Films current and future titles. The announcement was made jointly by Nesim Hason, President of New Films International and Bill Bromiley , Chief Acquisitions Officer of Image Entertainment.

The output deal includes Chain Letter, starring Nikki Reed (the Twilight franchise) and Betsy Russell (Saw III , Saw IV).  New Films Cinema will release Chain Letter in the U.S. theatrically this October with multi-million dollar p&a backing on over 400 screens. Their previous theatrical release, The Lightkeepers starring Academy Award® winner Richard Dreyfuss and Golden Globe® nominee Blythe Danner, opened in Los Angeles on May 7th, and played in fifteen U.S. markets.

“We are looking forward to working on these exciting films with New Films International.” commented Bromiley.  “Their strong support of their theatrical titles creates a perfect synergy with our efforts in the home entertainment, VOD , and digital television arena.”

“We are excited to have a partner like Image Entertainment to help us continue to successfully move forward in the domestic theatrical market place. Image’s capability and reputation is unmatched and we are thrilled to be in business with them,” remarked Hason.

“We’ve long admired what Image has been able to accomplish in today’s competitive market place and we are looking forward to a long, prosperous partnership,” said Izak Saul, General Manager.

A terrifying horror film that will leave audiences wondering if modern technology is really as safe as we think it is, Chain Letter was directed by Deon Taylor and written by Taylor and Michael J. Pagan. When high school senior Jessie Campbell (Reed) and her tight-knit group of friends begins to receive a series of foreboding email chain letters, they have no idea the terror that awaits them.  With a warning that if they break the chain, they will lose a life, the seemingly harmless email turns deadly when one-by-one the friends that do not forward the chain letter are hunted down and gruesomely killed by horror’s newest villain: the Chain Man. In addition to Reed (Twilight, New Moon, Thirteen), the film stars Michael J. Pagan (How Stella Got Her Groove Back, Nite Tales:The Movie), Noah Segan (Deadgirl), Matt Cohen (Boogeyman 2), Cody Kasch (“Desperate Housewives”), Betsy Russell (Saw III , Saw IV), Cherilyn Wilson (“90210”), Brad Dourif  (Alien, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest), Keith David (Crash, Barbershop), with Michael Bailey Smith (The Hills Have Eyes) as the killer.

The deal was negotiated by Michael Bayer and J. Beck for Image Entertainment; Nesim Hason, President of New Films International negotiated for New Films. 

About Image Entertainment

Image Entertainment, Inc. (OTCQB: DISK) is a leading independent licensee and distributor of entertainment programming in North America, with approximately 3,000 exclusive DVD titles and approximately 340 exclusive CD titles in domestic release and more than 450 programs internationally via sublicense agreements.  For many of its titles, the Company has exclusive audio and broadcast rights and has digital download rights to over 2,100 video programs and approximately 400 audio titles containing more than 5,600 individual tracks.  The Company is headquartered in Chatsworth , California .  For more information about Image Entertainment, Inc., please go to www.image-entertainment.com.

About New Films

New Films International is a full service distribution and production company servicing the worldwide market place. New Films Cinema is the U.S. theatrical release entity. Acquiring, distributing, and marketing feature films and television series, New Films offers a wide variety of genres with A-list talent and a film library which is home to hundreds of titles. As a company on the rise, NFI also produce’s and co-finances a substantial amount of their own content. The company was founded in 1996 by Nesim Hason, a successful foreign markets distributor who had established himself within the film industry in multiple capacities starting in 1980.  Nesim has been committed to bridging the distance between the United States and the rest of the world by consistently striving to blend both foreign and American cultures and introducing American films to the foreign marketplace and distributing commercial projects which appeal to the movie-goer.

Image Entertainment pacts with New Films International for titles including CHAIN LETTER

"JIMI HENDRIX: THE GUITAR HERO" on DVD and Digital Download September 14th from Image Entertainment

THERE HAD BEEN NO ONE LIKE HIM. THERE HAS BEEN NO ONE TO EQUAL HIM.

IMAGE ENTERTAINMENT PRESENTS "JIMI HENDRIX: THE GUITAR HERO"

Electrifying DVD and Digital Download September 14

Chatsworth, CA – Coming out of nowhere to stun – then inspire – the music world, he would be known as the master of the electric guitar.  He came into his own during the late 1960’s, when it seemed that there was a new music idol born every day.  But there was only one Jimi Hendrix and years after his untimely death, his genius is still among us. This September marks the 40th anniversary of the passing of rock’s greatest guitarist. On September 14th Image Entertainment releases Classic Artists’: Jimi Hendrix: The Guitar Hero, narrated by Slash (Guns N Roses, Velvet Revolver) – a musician whose own rock skills have not gone unrecognized.

Less a biography than the first film to focus on the music itself and the impetus of the master who created it, Classic Artists’: Jimi Hendrix: The Guitar Hero features new and exclusive interviews with some of the greatest names in classic and contemporary rock music, as well as iconic images and rare archival footage.  Available at an SRP of $19.98 for the DVD , the film will also be available via digital download.  Pre-book is August 17th.

Classic Artists’: Jimi Hendrix: The Guitar Hero looks at the career of Jimi Hendrix - from playing backup guitar for Little Richard to making headlines with his history-making performances at the Monterey Pop Festival and Woodstock .  Through the words of Jimi’s family and a collection of contemporaries and admirers, including Dave Mason (Traffic), Eric Clapton and Ginger Baker (Cream), Eric Burdon (The Animals), Mick Taylor (Rolling Stones), Paul Rodgers (Bad Company) and Bev Bevan (ELO) – the myth falls away and Jimi Hendrix is brought to life once more.  Moving beyond the icon, Classic Artists brings alive the image and music that Jimi Hendrix evoked from his very soul, using the instrument, as, he put it, as his “personal diary.” This style evoked a home-grown and raw, uncensored sensuality, which indeed was his nature and that of his music, as if he were his own muse.

Classic Artists’: Jimi Hendrix: The Guitar Hero is a complete vision of an immortal talent.  Jimi Hendrix had seven songs placed on Rolling Stone’s recent “500 Greatest Songs Of All Time;” they also ranked him #1 on their list of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time. Jimi Hendrix is the Guitar Hero:  to those who saw him play and to those who will always be influenced by his unique style and passion.

Bonus features on Classic Artists’: Jimi Hendrix: The Guitar Hero DVD include:

--Henry Diltz' 8mm Silent Footage: "The Monkees"
--"Jimi Hendrix Experience" at the Marquee - "Hey Joe"
--Collectible 20-page booklet
--Extended Interviews
--Photo Galleries

About Image Entertainment:
Image Entertainment, Inc. (OTCQB: DISK) is a leading independent licensee and distributor of entertainment programming in North America, with approximately 3,000 exclusive DVD titles and approximately 340 exclusive CD titles in domestic release and more than 450 programs internationally via sublicense agreements.  For many of its titles, the Company has exclusive audio and broadcast rights and has digital download rights to over 2,100 video programs and approximately 400 audio titles containing more than 5,600 individual tracks.  The Company is headquartered in Chatsworth , California .  For more information about Image Entertainment, Inc., please go to www.image-entertainment.com.

Classic Artists’: Jimi Hendrix: The Guitar Hero - DVD
Genre:             Music, Special Interest, Rock, Documentary
Rating: Not Rated
Languages:       English 
Format:            Anamorphic Widescreen (1.78:1)
Audio:              Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo
Subtitles:           N/A
SRP:                $19.98
Street Date:      September 14, 2010
Pre-Book:        August 17, 2010
Length:             109 minutes
UPC :                014381324822
Cat#:                ID3248ISDVD

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"JIMI HENDRIX: THE GUITAR HERO" on DVD and Digital Download September 14th from Image Entertainment

On Blu-Ray, Everyone Will Hear You Scream--ALIEN ANTHOLOGY on Blu-ray October 26

The Ultimate Collection Featuring All Four ALIEN Films Hatches On
Blu-ray from October 25 With Never-Before-Seen Bonus Material And The Debut Of The Exclusive and Groundbreaking Interactive Experience, MU-TH-UR Mode

Fans Have A Chance To Board The Nostromo During Comic-Con At Booth #3528 And Enter The Hibernation Chamber Of The Doomed Intergalactic Crew


LOS ANGELES, CA (July 15, 2010) – Sometimes, the scariest things come from within. Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment presents one of the most successful and terrifying film franchises of all time when the ALIEN ANTHOLOGY debuts on Blu-ray for the first time ever from October 25 internationally and on October 26 in North America. All four ALIEN films have been reinvigorated for an intense Blu-ray high-definition viewing experience. The release also marks the debut of MU-TH-UR Mode, a fully interactive companion that takes the extensive materials in the ALIEN ANTHOLOGY and puts them in the user’s hand – connecting fans to special features on all six discs and instantly providing an index of all available ALIEN content, including over 60 hours of special features and over 12,000 images.

The ALIEN ANTHOLOGY is a truly unique home entertainment experience. For the first time ever, the studio has united the material from every home video release of the ALIEN saga including the 1991/1992 laserdisc releases, the 1999 “Legacy” release and 2003’s groundbreaking ALIEN QUADRILOGY release into one complete Blu-ray collection. The set also includes two versions of each film and over four hours of previously unreleased exclusive material such as original screentests of Sigourney Weaver prior to filming the original ALIEN, unseen deleted scenes, thousands of still photographs from the Fox archives, the previously unseen original cut of “Wreckage and Rage: The Making of ALIEN3,” and much, much more.

The ALIEN ANTHOLOGY will be available for a suggested retail price of $139.99 U.S. / $179.99 Canada. Prebook is September 22.

The ALIEN ANTHOLOGY is just one aspect of Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment’s yearlong campaign to honor the studio’s 75th birthday. This year the division will debut several select fan-favorites on Blu-ray for the first time ever including The Rocky Horror Picture Show, William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet, Moulin Rouge!, The Last of the Mohicans and The Sound of Music.

DISC ONE: ALIEN
1979 Theatrical Version
2003 Director’s Cut with Ridley Scott Introduction
Audio Commentary by Director Ridley Scott, Writer Dan O’Bannon, Executive Producer Ronald Shusett, Editor Terry Rawlings, Actors Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt, Veronica Cartwright, Harry Dean Stanton and John Hurt
Audio Commentary (for Theatrical Cut only) by Ridley Scott
Final Theatrical Isolated Score by Jerry Goldsmith
Composer’s Original Isolated Score by Jerry Goldsmith
Deleted and Extended Scenes
MU-TH-UR Mode Interactive Experience with Weyland-Yutani Datastream

DISC TWO: ALIENS
1986 Theatrical Version
1991 Special Edition with James Cameron Introduction
Audio Commentary by Director James Cameron, Producer Gale Anne Hurd, Alien Effects Creator Stan Winston, Visual Effects Supervisors Robert Skotak and Dennis Skotak, Miniature Effects Supervisor Pat McClung, Actors Michael Biehn, Bill Paxton, Lance Henriksen, Jenette Goldstein, Carrie Henn and Christopher Henn
Final Theatrical Isolated Score by James Horner
Composer’s Original Isolated Score by James Horner
Deleted and Extended Scenes
MU-TH-UR Mode Interactive Experience with Weyland-Yutani Datastream

DISC THREE: ALIEN3
1992 Theatrical Version
2003 Special Edition (Restored Workprint Version)
Audio Commentary by Cinematographer Alex Thomson, B.S.C., Editor Terry Rawlings, Alien Effects Designers Alec Gillis and Tom Woodruff, Jr., Visual Effects Producer Richard Edlund, A.S.C., Actors Paul McGann and Lance Henriksen
Final Theatrical Isolated Score by Elliot Goldenthal
Deleted and Extended Scenes
MU-TH-UR Mode Interactive Experience with Weyland-Yutani Datastream

DISC FOUR: ALIEN RESURRECTION
1997 Theatrical Version
2003 Special Edition with Jean-Pierre Jeunet Introduction
Audio Commentary by Director Jean-Pierre Jeunet, Editor Hervé Schneid, A.C.E., Alien Effects Creators Alec Gillis and Tom Woodruff, Jr., Visual Effects Supervisor Pitof, Conceptual Artist Sylvain Despretz, Actors Ron Perlman, Dominique Pinon and Leland Orser
Final Theatrical Isolated Score by John Frizzell
Deleted and Extended Scenes
MU-TH-UR Mode Interactive Experience with Weyland-Yutani Datastream

DISC FIVE: MAKING THE ANTHOLOGY
In addition to over 12 hours of candid, in-depth documentaries, you now have the ability to go even deeper into Alien Anthology history with nearly five hours of additional video Enhancement Pods created exclusively for this collection, presenting behind-the-scenes footage, raw dailies and interview outtakes from all four films. At topical points in the documentaries, you may access these pods to enhance your experience, or watch them on their own from the separate Enhancement Pod index.

The Beast Within: Making ALIEN
-Star Beast: Developing the Story
-The Visualists: Direction and Design
-Truckers in Space: Casting
-Fear of the Unknown: Shepperton Studios, 1978
-The Darkest Reaches: Nostromo and Alien Planet
-The Eighth Passenger: Creature Design
-Future Tense: Editing and Music
-Outward Bound: Visual Effects
-A Nightmare Fulfilled: Reaction to the Film
Enhancement Pods

Superior Firepower: Making ALIENS
-57 Years Later: Continuing the Story
-Building Better Worlds: From Concept to Construction
-Preparing for Battle: Casting and Characterization
-This Time It’s War: Pinewood Studios, 1985
-The Risk Always Lives: Weapons and Action
-Bug Hunt: Creature Design
-Beauty and the Bitch: Power Loader vs. Queen Alien
-Two Orphans: Sigourney Weaver and Carrie Henn
-The Final Countdown: Music, Editing and Sound
-The Power of Real Tech: Visual Effects
-Aliens Unleashed: Reaction to the Film
Enhancement Pods

Wreckage and Rage: Making ALIEN3
-Development Hell: Concluding the Story
-Tales of the Wooden Planet: Vincent Ward’s Vision
-Stasis Interrupted: David Fincher’s Vision
-Xeno-Erotic: H.R. Giger’s Redesign
-The Color of Blood: Pinewood Studios, 1991
-Adaptive Organism: Creature Design
-The Downward Spiral: Creative Differences
-Where the Sun Burns Cold: Fox Studios, L.A. 1992
-Optical Fury: Visual Effects
-Requiem for a Scream: Music, Editing and Sound
-Post-Mortem: Reaction to the Film
Enhancement Pods

One Step Beyond: Making ALIEN RESURRECTION
-From the Ashes: Reviving the Story
-French Twist: Direction and Design
-Under the Skin: Casting and Characterization
-Death from Below: Fox Studios, Los Angeles, 1996
-In the Zone: The Basketball Scene
-Unnatural Mutation: Creature Design
-Genetic Composition: Music
-Virtual Aliens: Computer Generated Imagery
-A Matter of Scale: Miniature Photography
-Critical Juncture: Reaction to the Film
Enhancement Pods
MU-TH-UR Mode Interactive Experience to Access and Control Enhancement Pods

DISC SIX: THE ANTHOLOGY ARCHIVES
ALIEN
Pre-Production
-First Draft Screenplay by Dan O’Bannon
-Ridleygrams: Original Thumbnails and Notes
-Storyboard Archive
-The Art of Alien: Conceptual Art Portfolio
-Sigourney Weaver Screen Tests with Select Director Commentary
-Cast Portrait Gallery

Production
-The Chestbuster: Multi-Angle Sequence with Commentary
-Video Graphics Gallery
-Production Image Galleries
-Continuity Polaroids
-The Sets of Alien
-H.R. Giger’s Workshop Gallery

Post-Production and Aftermath
-Additional Deleted Scenes
-Image & Poster Galleries

Experience in Terror
Special Collector’s Edition LaserDisc Archive
The Alien Legacy
American Cinematheque: Ridley Scott Q&A
Trailers & TV Spots

ALIENS
Pre-Production
-Original Treatment by James Cameron
-Pre-Visualizations: Multi-Angle Videomatics with Commentary
-Storyboard Archive
-The Art of Aliens: Image Galleries
-Cast Portrait Gallery

Production
-Production Image Galleries
-Continuity Polaroids
-Weapons and Vehicles
-Stan Winston’s Workshop
-Colonial Marine Helmet Cameras
-Video Graphics Gallery
-Weyland-Yutani Inquest: Nostromo Dossiers

Post-Production and Aftermath
-Deleted Scene: Burke Cocooned
-Deleted Scene Montage
-Image Galleries
-Special Collector’s Edition LaserDisc Archive
-Main Title Exploration
-Aliens: Ride at the Speed of Fright
-Trailers & TV Spots

ALIEN3
Pre-Production
-Storyboard Archive
-The Art of Arceon
-The Art of Fiorina

Production
-Furnace Construction: Time-Lapse Sequence
-EEV Bioscan: Multi-Angle Vignette with Commentary
-Production Image Galleries
-A.D.I.’s Workshop

Post-Production and Aftermath
-Visual Effects Gallery
-Special Shoot: Promotional Photo Archive

Alien3 Advance Featurette
The Making of Alien3 Promotional Featurette
Trailers & TV Spots

ALIEN RESURRECTION
Pre-Production
-First Draft Screenplay by Joss Whedon
-Test Footage: A.D.I. Creature Shop with Commentary
-Test Footage: Costumes, Hair and Makeup
-Pre-Visualizations: Multi-Angle Rehearsals
-Storyboard Archive
-The Marc Caro Portfolio: Character Designs
-The Art of Resurrection: Image Galleries

Production
-Production Image Galleries
-A.D.I.’s Workshop

Post-Production and Aftermath
-Visual Effects Gallery
-Special Shoot: Promotional Photo Archive

HBO First Look: The Making of Alien Resurrection
Alien Resurrection Promotional Featurette
Trailers & TV Spots

ANTHOLOGY
Two Versions of Alien Evolution
The Alien Saga
Patches and Logos Gallery
Aliens 3D Attraction Scripts and Gallery
Aliens in the Basement: The Bob Burns Collection
Parodies
Dark Horse Cover Gallery
Patches and Logos Gallery
MU-TH-UR Mode Interactive Experience

For international release dates and product information, contact your local Twentieth Century Fox office.

Follow TCFHE on Twitter @foxhomeent

ALIEN ANTHOLOGY
Street Date: October 26, 2010 
Prebook Date: September 22, 2010
Screen Format: ALIEN: Widescreen 2.35:1
ALIENS: Widescreen 1.85:1
ALIEN3: Widescreen 2.35:1
ALIEN RESURRECTION: Widescreen 2.35:1
Audio: ALIEN: English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, English 4.1 Dolby Surround, English Dolby Surround, French 5.1 DTS, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, Portuguese 5.1 Dolby Digital
ALIENS: English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, English 4.1 Dolby Surround, English Dolby Surround, French 5.1 DTS, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, Portuguese 5.1 Dolby Digital
ALIEN3: English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, English, French 5.1 DTS, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, Portuguese 5.1 Dolby Digital
ALIEN RESURRECTION: English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, English, French 5.1 DTS, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, Portuguese 5.1 Dolby Digital
Subtitles: English, French, Spanish, Portuguese
U.S. Rating: R
Total Run Time: 1020 Minutes
Closed Captioned: Yes

Buy it at Amazon.com

On Blu-Ray, Everyone Will Hear You Scream--ALIEN ANTHOLOGY on Blu-ray October 26

Cult Classics on Blu-ray and DVD Combo August 3

HEADLINED BY THE BLU-RAY DEBUT OF ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK, TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX AND MGM HOME ENTERTAINMENT UNBUCKLES AN ARRESTING COLLECTION OF UNFORGETTABLE "CULT CLASSICS"

Arriving On Blu-ray And DVD August 3, In Partnership With The Latest Edition Of The Rough Guide To Cult Movies -- Street Date:  August 3, 2010

Launch Highlights:
Some are so bad they’re good, some are the icons of their genres, and others are just a whole lot of fun; the studio’s Cult Classics includes exploitative, impactful and memorable films that have stood the test of time.

Among the most highly-anticipated releases in the collection is the Blu-ray debut of John Carpenter’s sci-fi adventure Escape From New York. Starring Kurt Russell as soldier-turned-criminal Snake Plissken, the film launched Russell’s career as an action star and continues to earn fans nearly 30 years after its release.

Also premiering on Blu-ray is the dark thriller Kalifornia, starring Brad Pitt as a vicious killer.

Timed with the August 1 release of the latest edition of The Rough Guide To Cult Movies, which offers cult movie enthusiasts a blend of essential trivia and informed opinion. Films featured in the book are noted with an asterisk below. For more information, visit www.roughguides.com/cultmovies.

Blu-ray + DVD Combo Priced at $24.99

Escape From New York*  99 min
Fargo*  98 min
Kalifornia  118 min

Blu-ray Priced at $19.99

Robocop*  103 min
The Terminator*  108 min
The Usual Suspect*  106 min

Blu-ray Priced at $29.99

The Boondock Saints*  108 min
Donnie Darko*  245 min

Blu-ray + DVD Combo Priced at $19.99

Rollerball  194 min

Blu-ray Priced at $34.99

This Is Spinal Tap  99 min

DVD Priced at $26.98

The Commitments  118 min

DVD Priced at $19.98 

Bubba Ho-Tep  92 min
Return Of The Living Dead*  114 min
The Last House On The Left  84 min

DVD Priced at $14.98

The Adventures Of Buckaroo Banzai Across The 8th Dimension*  103 min
The Beach  119 min
The Believers  116 min
Boys Don’t Cry*  116 min
A Bucket Of Blood *  66 min
Killer Klowns From Outer Space*  88 min
Mad Max*  88 min
Sid & Nancy*  112 min
This Is Spinal Tap Special Edition  83 min
Troll/Troll 2 Double-Pack  178 min
Where’s Poppa  82 min

DVD Priced at $9.98

Kissing Jessica Stein  97 min
Miller’s Crossing*  115 min
UHF  97 min

* Featured in the latest edition of The Rough Guide To Cult Movies

CULT CLASSICS BLU-RAY DISC DEBUT SYNOPSES:

Escape From New York (1981) – New Two-Disc Blu-ray + DVD Combo Pack
Hailed as “stylish and scary” (Los Angeles Times) and “dark and dangerous” (Newsweek), this fast-paced and furiously entertaining thriller stars Kurt Russell as notorious outlaw and former Special Forces war hero Snake Plissken. The world is ravaged by crime and the entire island of Manhattan has been converted to a walled prison where brutal prisoners roam. But when the U.S. President crash-lands inside, only Plissken can bring him back.

Kalifornia (1993) – New Two-Disc Blu-ray + DVD Combo Pack
Excitement, adventure and unimaginable terror await on the road to California in this chilling psychological thriller starring Brad Pitt, Juliette Lewis, David Duchovny and Michelle Forbes. When urban intellectuals Brian (Duchovny) and Carrie (Forbes) set out on a cross-country trip to research a book about serial killers, they share the ride with a couple they barely know, Early Grace (Pitt) and his girlfriend, Adele (Lewis). Locked in a car hurtling westward, the four travelers struggle to find some common ground. But when they finally do connect, Early’s violent nature abruptly emerges, and the terrified Brian and Carrie realize that they don't need to go very far to learn about ruthless killers.

Follow TCFHE on Twitter @foxhomeent

Cult Classics on Blu-ray and DVD Combo August 3

505 Games Reveal Official "Grease: The Game" Website

505 Games Reveal Official Grease: The Game Website and Final Pink Lady Diaries Video

Fans Can Now Pre-Order Grease: The Game and Celebrate Summer Nights with the Pink Ladies and T-Birds

505 Games today unveiled the official Grease: The Game website in conjunction with the last video in the Pink Lady Diaries series. Players can check it out for all things Grease, including videos, screenshots and downloads such as wallpapers and emoticons.

In the final Pink Lady Diary, the T-Birds and Pink Ladies face off as they play Grease: The Game on the DS and Wii. As everyone shows off their moves, younger players are introduced to the fun of Grease, while life-long devotees relive the fun of Greased Lightnin' in the ultimate party game. Coming to Wii and DS on August 24, Grease: The Game features fun pick-up-and-play mini-games for up to eight players, and delivers an exhilarating and interactive experience that will ignite Grease fever to last through the summer nights. Fans of the franchise can engage in singing and dancing to their favorite tunes from the original movie for a gaming experience the whole family can enjoy!

To access the official Grease: The Game website, please go to:
http://www.greasethegame.com

About Grease: The Game (Wii, DS)
Grease: The Game for Nintendo Wii is loaded with mini-games that let players sing the movie's iconic songs, dance the hand jive hop, race down Thunder Road, fight for Sandy's affections and have fun at the fair with Frenchy, Kenickie, Rizzo and the rest of the Greasers. Compatible with a Wii Balance Board and up to two USB microphones, up to eight players can compete in two teams for musical domination at Rydell High in party mode. The DS and DSi versions of the game will test players' rhythm skills as they tap to the beat of 10 beloved "Grease" songs as they follow Sandy and Danny on their high school journey. Players can also use the camera function of the Nintendo DSi™ to get in the game by uploading their face to their favorite character.

505 Games Reveal Official "Grease: The Game" Website

"Media" Con 2010 day 2

my first thought is how do kids carry around heavy backpacks full of books?  that is an unpleasant experience!

anyway, the second day was about the same as the first, though I ventured down to the 2000+ numbers and that's where the mass media crap was- movies, tv shows and video games that had little or nothing to do with any fantastic elements, even by the loosest definition.  I mean, really, Showtime is a sponsor so we get "Nurse Jackie" and "Californication" posters all around (and on the buses, with their "biff", "bam" and "pow" slogan that went out in the late 60s, get with the times people)?

yes, that is a glommer

but there were cool things all around in the less crowded section- that being the comic books.  saying "less crowded" might make it seem like there was no one there, but the place was still full.  perhaps "quieter" part might be a better term.

I looked at toys and movies- still lots of bootlegs out there, by the way- and some books.  working at my pal's place I got two Essentials for $10, which was quite nice.  and since he lives in SD, I can go down to his place and get more later on.  yay!  send me your orders!

overall I really don't miss going to the Con.  in years past the last day was usually quite melancholy for me, as I knew it would be another year until I was back with "my people".  well, some of them are still my people, but I bet 80% aren't these days.

"Media" Con 2010 day 2

"MIRRORS 2" on Blu-ray Disc and DVD October 19

THE DEAD LIVE ON, WAITING FOR VENGEANCE IN THE TERRIFYING SEQUEL TO THE
GRAPHIC HORROR THRILLER

"MIRRORS 2" On Blu-ray And DVD October 19 Including Into the Mirror,
The Original Award Winning Korean Film On Which Mirrors Was Based,
Available In The U.S. For The First Time Ever!


LOS ANGELES, CA (July 22, 2010) – Just in time for Halloween, the highly-anticipated, heart-pounding sequel Mirrors 2 debuts exclusively on Blu-ray and DVD October 19 from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment. When Max, a recovering addict, takes a job as a nighttime security guard, he begins to see visions of a young mysterious woman in the store’s mirror. The terrifying results push audiences to the edge-of-their-seats in this white-knuckle horror film directed by Spanish filmmaker Victor Garcia (Return to House on Haunted Hill, El Ciclo). Included with both the Mirrors 2 Blu-ray and DVD release is Into the Mirror, the original Korean film in which the contemporary horror classic is based, about a series of gruesome deaths in a department store all involving mirrors.

In Mirrors 2, the grisly slaughters continue after a young woman is brutally murdered in front of a mirror that is a portal to the world of the undead. Embarking on a murderous rampage, one by one she stalks the men and women responsible for her horrific death, exacting bloody revenge by dismembering and eviscerating the guilty. They can’t run, they can’t hide and they can’t look in the mirror because inside the mirrors the dead live on...waiting for vengeance.

Mirrors 2 boasts an impressive ensemble cast including Nick Stahl (Terminator 3, “Carnivàle”), William Katt (Alien vs. Hunter, “The Greatest American Hero”), Emmanuelle Vaugier (“CSI: NY”) and Christy Carlson Romano (voice of “Kim Possible”). Available as a single-disc DVD, Blu-ray/DVD combo pack and DVD 2-pack including the original Mirrors for the suggested retail price of $22.98 U.S., $29.99 U.S., $34.98 U.S. and $26.98 CAN, $32.99 CAN and $39.98 CAN respectively, each configuration features Into the Mirror.


Single-Disc DVD Contents: (Catalog # 2267151)
 
Side One 
Mirrors 2
Bonus Features
The Other Side: Making Mirrors2
Keeping it Real: The Visual and Special Effects of Mirrors 2
Deleted Scenes
Side Two
Into the Mirror (Original Korean Film)
Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack Contents: (Catalog # 2267158)

Disc One (Blu-ray)
Mirrors 2
Bonus Features
The Other Side: Making Mirrors 2
Keeping it Real: The Visual and Special Effects of Mirrors 2
Deleted Scenes
Blu-ray Exclusive: Picture in Picture; Watch Mirrors 2 with the Woman in the Mirror

Disc Two (DVD)
Side One
Mirrors 2
Bonus Features
The Other Side: Making Mirrors 2
Keeping it Real: The Visual and Special Effects of Mirrors 2
Deleted Scenes
Side Two
Into the Mirror (Original Korean Film)

DVD 2-Pack Contents: (Catalog # 2267393)

Disc One
Mirrors feature film
Bonus features include:
Extended Unrated cut of the film
Reflections: The Making of Mirrors featurette
Behind The Mirror featurette
Deleted Scenes (with optional commentary by director Alexandre Aja)
Inside The Mirror Alternate Ending

Disc Two
Side One
Mirrors 2
Bonus Features
The Other Side: Making Mirrors 2
Keeping it Real: The Visual and Special Effects of Mirrors 2
Deleted Scenes
Side Two
Into the Mirror (Original Korean Film)

MIRRORS 2
Street Date: October 19, 2010
Prebook Date: September 8, 2010
Screen Format: Widescreen (Aspect Ratio 16x9, 1.78:1)
Audio: English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio
Korean Dolby Sound – Into the Mirror
Subtitles: English, Spanish & French (BD/DVD)
U.S. Rating: Unrated
Total Run Time: 1:30 minutes (Feature Only, BD/DVD)
Closed Captioned: Yes

"MIRRORS 2" on Blu-ray Disc and DVD October 19

DOLPH LUNDGREN IS THE KILLING MACHINE coming to DVD October 19th from Anchor Bay Entertainment

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE HUNTER BECOMES THE HUNTED?

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – Dolph Lundgren Is The Killing Machine – directed by and starring Dolph Lundgren (The Expendables, Universal Soldier, Rocky IV) – is a tale about flying too close to danger and what happens when you get burned. Anchor Bay Entertainment brings the action to home entertainment audiences on October 19th.

A thrilling ride through dark identities, dangerous countries and daring hopes, Dolph Lundgren Is The Killing Machine also stars Stefanie von Pfetten (Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief), Samantha Ferris (Grace, “Supernatural”), and Bo Svenson (Inglourious Basterds, Walking Tall).  Dolph Lundgren Is The Killing Machine will be available on DVD for an SRP of $26.98. Pre-book is September 22nd.

Dolph Lundgren Is The Killing Machine is the story of Edward Genn (Lundgren) – a Soviet-era sleeper agent and trained assassin living in America .  Working under the code name “Icarus,” Edward is stealthy and fearless: cloaked within the shadows, the ability to kill with extreme discretion his specialty.  But times have changed, the borders of Europe have been redrawn…and Edward is ready to break with his dark past.

With a new identity, Edward is prepared to distance himself from the world of assignations and assassinations; he is ready to re-introduce himself to his wife and daughter. Edward may be determined to forget, but there are others who still remember Icarus, The Killing Machine…and they will do anything to destroy him. Dolph Lundgren Is The Killing Machine is the story of a man defending his future against his sinister past.  Ready for a life of peace, Edward has one more battle to fight.


The Killing Machine DVD
Street Date:                 October 19th, 2010
Pre-book:                    September 22, 2010
Cat. #:                         DV22220
UPC:                           0 1313 22220-9 7
Run Time:                   88 minutes
Rating:                         R
SRP:                           $26.98
Format:                       Anamorphic Widescreen (2.35:1)
Audio:                          Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles:                     English & Spanish
Bonus Features:         Behind The Scenes Featurette; Trailer

Buy it at Amazon.com

DOLPH LUNDGREN IS THE KILLING MACHINE coming to DVD October 19th from Anchor Bay Entertainment

CHILL -- movie review by porfle

I'd seen a couple of adaptations of H.P. Lovecraft's "Cool Air"--about a doctor who cheats death but must remain in an artificially-cooled environment to preserve his reanimated body--but I'd never read the original story. So in order to make an informed comparison, I gave it a quick read before watching CHILL (2007). Sure enough, there are elements of Lovecraft's elegant short story in there somewhere, but they're buried beneath quite a bit of sludge.

Sam (Thomas Calabro, "Melrose Place") is an aspiring but penniless young writer who gets a job in a butcher shop. The owner, a Dr. Muñoz (Shaun Kurtz), lives in the back where it's always nice and cold. He tells Sam that the reason for this is that he has an ultra-rare skin disease, but it doesn't take us long to figure out that the guy's dead--or, rather, undead--and, with the help of his similarly living-dead henchman Tor, has been attacking and kidnapping local hookers and other victims to supply him with fresh skin to patch himself up with. So when Sam discovers a few of them hanging around the meat locker, he may be next in line.

Kurtz tries to be mysterious and creepy as Dr. Muñoz, but with his vague resemblance to Jeff Daniels he mainly comes off as a somewhat comical doofus. As our hero, Sam, Calabro is barely there most of the time. Even HELLRAISER's Ashley Laurence, as Sam's love interest Maria, seems to spend most of the film in a daze. The only performance worth noting comes from veteran actor James Russo--as a sleazy cop who's stalking Maria, he manages to jazz up a few scenes here and there, but his character doesn't really go anywhere. The rest of the cast is less than impressive.

There are a couple of fairly good makeup effects and some pretty bad ones, but overall the occasional violence and gore are rather blah. Although writer-director Serge Rodnunsky manages to get through the quieter scenes without knocking anybody out with the camera, the direction and editing of the chase and attack sequences are just plain bad. People run and run through empty city streets while Muñoz and Tor seem able to simply pop up wherever they want to at will. Worst of all is the film's climax, which features some of the most wince-inducingly bad digital effects I've ever seen. As for the musical score, it isn't bad for the most part, but during the more frenetic scenes it's about as grating as having someone shove a bucket over your head and beat on it with a frying pan.

At the end, CHILL tries to pull the rug out from under us with a series of surprise twists that just get dumber and dumber. Suffice it to say, Dr. Muñoz and Tor aren't the only dead people walking around--it's a "he's dead, she's dead" free-for-all before the final fadeout. In fact, you might want to check yourself out, because after sitting through this flick you might be dead, too.

Buy it at Amazon.com

CHILL -- movie review by porfle

The Most Anticipated Horror DVD of the Year, "Night of the Living Dead: Reanimated", Coming July 27th, Plays Opening Night San Diego Comic Con

"Night Of The Living Dead: Reanimated" on DVD July 27 - A Mixed Media Re-interpretation of the Greatest Zombie Film of All Time

Over 100 artists reanimate the timeless classic
Screening announced as part of San Diego Comic Con's opening night festivities

Wild Eye Releasing and MVD Visual are pleased to announce the release of Night Of The Living Dead: Reanimated for North American distribution on July 27th.

Rondo Award-nominated as Best Independent Horror Feature, Night Of The Living Dead: Reanimated is a collaborative artistic mash-up of George Romero's cult classic. Nearly 150 International artists and animators chose their favorite scenes and re-envisioned them through their own artwork, with no restrictions on style, media or process - resulting in an eclectic 'art show' interpretation of the seminal 1968 film, all placed over the original's audio.

With work ranging from oil paintings to comic illustrations and sock puppets to CGI and stop-motion - NOTLD:R not only pays the respect due to this most important work in horror history, but encourages viewers to experience the film in a brand new light that bursts with the humor and horror of a new generation of artists.

"This DVD is like a portable horror or zombie convention," observes Wild Eye's Rob Hauschild. "We wanted to recreate the experience that fans have had around the country, where they've enjoyed NOTLD:R at film fests, on horror host TV shows, at zombie-themed events, and pop culture gatherings like the upcoming screening during Comic-Con's opening night."

The screening will take place on Thursday July 22nd at 9:30pm in Room 5AB at Comic-Con. Directly following the screening, contributing artists will hold a panel discussion covering their varied media and involvement in NOTLD:R. They will also be taking questions, giving away NOTLD:R schwag and signing autographs. Confirmed panelists include: John Chesnut and Josh Barnett (claymation and cut-out animation), Jacquelyn Bond (watercolor paintings), Grant Fuhst (mixed-media artwork), Sean Williams (hand drawn animation), Zina Lahr (toy modification/ experimental animation), Brad Uyeda (stop-motion animation), Anthony Amos (digital animation), and Eric Schock (comic book illustration).

The extras-saturated Special Edition disc confirms the comparison to the fun of attending a major con, with the two commentaries serving as "panel talks." The first track spotlights NOTLD:R organizer/curator Mike Schneider as he shares behind-the-scenes secrets to this unique project . A second commentary features NY Times bestselling author Jonathan Maberry, the multiple Stoker-winning transmedia zombie scribe whose body of work includes Marvel Zombies, Patient Zero and The Dragon Factory. 

There's also the hour-plus "Zombie Encounter," an actual panel that sees Maberry joined by other experts on the undead phenomenon such as David Barr Kirtley, John Joseph Adams (The Living Dead) and Stoker-winner Dr. Kim Paffenroth (Gospel of the Living Dead).

Paffenroth's presence as a respected academic underscores the DVD's broad appeal. The cultural and technological trends that enabled the 'mass collaboration' of NOTLD:R is fascinating to many, so it was important that the DVD provide insights into process, not just product. To this end, it includes several different making-of videos. For example, Flash animator Mike Boas guides viewers through the process of rotoscoping Johnny and Barbara by showing you his active desktop firsthand.

Extensive information on all of the individual NOTLD:R contributors is available on the DVD, as well as extended versions of some of their favorite scenes, several short films, as well as DVD-ROM content, and even some of their comics. Viewers also get a scrollable gallery of production stills, focussing on the artists and their dark and sometimes humorous but always compelling visions.

Over Two Hours of Bonus Features:

o Special horror host introduction from Count Gore De Vol
o Commentary with curator horror author Jonathan Maberry
o 'Making of NOTLD:R' commentary track
o NOTLD:R artist call-in commentaries
o Coloring Book contest entries
o Alternate/ Deleted scenes
o Short films
o Horror comics and related horror art
o Trailers
o Behind the Scenes: Animation Processes
o The Zombie Encounter Panel discussion video
o "Night of the Living Box Art" video
o and more…

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The Most Anticipated Horror DVD of the Year, "Night of the Living Dead: Reanimated", Coming July 27th, Plays Opening Night San Diego Comic Con

Julie Benz stars in "HELD HOSTAGE" Coming to DVD September 14th From Image Entertainment

"You’ve got one chance of keeping her alive!”

A VICTIM OF A CRIME, FORCED TO BREAK THE LAW

Based on the Shocking True Story -- Set Free on DVD on September 14

Chatsworth, CA – Taken captive, threatened with death, forced to take part in a robbery:  surely this would be the ultimate nightmare.  But what if this was just the beginning?   What if no one believed your story?  On September 14,  Image Entertainment releases Held Hostage, the tense and thrilling film based on victims’ advocate Michelle Renee’s memoir, “Held Hostage: The True Story of a Mother and Daughter's Kidnapping.” A visceral portrait of what it takes to survive against insurmountable odds, Held Hostage will be available on DVD for an SRP of $27.98.

Michelle Estey (Julie Benz, Saturn® and Satellite® award winner, nominee Screen Actors Guild® award, “Dexter”) is a single mother and a bank manager, living with her young daughter Breea (Natasha Calis, “Impact,” “Alice”).  One fateful night, masked gunmen break into their home, binding both of them with duct-tape… and wiring them with explosives.   They give Michelle an unnerving ultimatum:  cooperate in a bank heist, or she and Breea will die by the explosive controls in their captors’ hands. 

After the robbery, Michelle and her daughter are left unharmed, but they are not yet out of danger. Neither the police nor her colleagues accept Michelle’s frightening story.  The facts remain in the dark while details of her abusive past come to light – as Michelle is informed, “it’s called dirtying the victim.”  

A true story of suspense and terror, Held Hostage is also a portrayal of a woman’s honesty and courage.  Michelle is ready for the fight of her life – for both herself and for her daughter.

Held Hostage - DVD
Genre:             Drama, Feature Film
Rating:             Not Rated
Languages:       English 
Format:            Anamorphic Widescreen (1.78:1)
Audio:              Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles:           English, Spanish
Year:                2009
SRP :                $27.98
Street Date:      September 14, 2010
Pre-Book:        August 17, 2010
Length:             86 minutes
UPC :                014381661828
Cat#:                JOP6618 DVD

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Julie Benz stars in "HELD HOSTAGE" Coming to DVD September 14th From Image Entertainment