Director Terry Gilliam's The Zero Theorem On DVD And Blu-ray From Well Go U.S.A. On Jan. 20

Well Go USA has captured the domestic distribution rights to director Terry Gilliam’s latest film, The Zero Theorem.   If you know your film, then you know that with Terry Gilliam at the helm this will be one hell of a ride … no disappointment there!

Currently in limited theatrical release, the DVD and Blu-ray editions will be ready for home entertainment viewing on Jan. 20, 2015.   The ARR for that mid-January street date works out to 123 days and theatrical ticket sales stand at $219,438.

If you thought that Brazil was a visual feast, then The Zero Theorem will be right up your alley.   It is the world, this time, of the ever so eccentric Qohen Leth (played by two-time Oscar-winner Christoph Waltz — Django Unchained and Inglourious Basterds), a programmer for Mancom.   

He is their ace, but things are not going well for him these days … he’s expecting a mysterious phone call, needs to work from home and “Management” (Matt Damon) believes him to be nuts.   His artificial intelligence therapist, seriously, is named Dr Shrink-ROM  (Tilda Swinton) and “it” finds more and more wrong with him, but nevertheless his assignment, to crack the “Zero Theorem” becomes all-consuming.

There’s a virtual reality world that he visits, complete with a sexy “perfect partner” (Mélanie Thierry), a company insider named Bob (Lucas Hedges), who is ever so supportive and helpful, but he is the son of “Management” so how far can trust be extended?    And then there’s that pesky phone call that will change everything … if it will only come.

This is one of the most imaginative sci-fi films of the year … and will come as no surprise if Waltz is nominated for his über-strange performance in the Best Actor category.   The timing of the release on DVD and Blu-ray suggests just that!

Bonus features include two featurettes — a behind-the-scenes featurette and one devoted to the film’s F/X visuals.

VCI Entertainment Sets Nov. 18 As The Blu-ray Release Date For What The Peeper Saw

VCI Entertainment will be releasing a newly-prepared and fully-restored (with the infamous excised scenes) Blu-ray edition of the filmmaking team of James Kelley and Andrea Bianchi's 1971 salacious thriller, What the Peeper Saw.

A fully-restored, hi-def version — with Britt Ekland in all her glory — will be high up on many a shopping list come Nov. 18.   Previous renditions of this creepy murder mystery were either bootlegs or unauthorized imports … and all without the nude footage, which was trimmed out for the original domestic theatrical release way back in the early 70s.  

Somehow VCI Entertainment has found the original source material and is delivering it to the Blu-ray market place.  Bravo!

Ekland (The Night They Raided Minsky’s, The Wicker Man, Get Carter and Bond Girl Mary Goodnight in The Man with the Golden Gun) plays Elise, the new trophy bride of Paul (Hardy Krüger), who becomes the lust-interest of his 12-year old son, Marcus (played by none other than Oliver! star Mark Lester).   You can almost hear — in your mind — “yes, mum, may I have another … peek!!!”

At any rate, Paul’s previous wife died under mysterious circumstances and the more Elise knows about her deviant stepson the more she begins to suspect that he’s not just a boy with an interest in her anatomy, but a psychotic killer!!

Genesis: Sum Of The Parts On DVD And Blu-ray From Eagle Rock Entertainment On Jan. 13

Eagle Rock Entertainment has selected Jan. 13 as the street date for its first ‘Q1 2015 selection of DVD and Blu-ray editions, which is documentary filmmaker John Edginton’s Genesis: Sum of the Parts.

Phil Collins and Peter Gabriel, along with other members of the iconic British rock group, Genesis — Tony Banks, Mike Rutherford, Steve Hackett and Anthony Phillips — gather for a reunion of sorts to discuss their music and performance history.   With over 300 million albums sold … there is plenty to talk about!

Included here is the BBC broadcast documentary “Together and Apart,” plus an additional 30 minutes of unseen footage.  

Film Chest's Latest Restoration Is Don't Look In The Basement On DVD This Coming Dec. 16

Film Chest’s latest restoration is a good one on three counts.  

First, it is a classic horror treat right from the beginnings of the 1970s “slasher cycle.”   

Second, the film deftly blends its horror with a clever whodunit tale that will leave you guessing, even as the end credits roll.    

And lastly, it stars Playboy Cover Girl, Rosie Holotik … talk about your “horror eye-candy!!” 

Of course the film in question is director S.F. Brownrigg’s 1973 indie horror gem, Don't Look in the Basement, which will be available in all of its newly restored DVD glory just in time for Christmas on Dec. 16.

Olive Films' Fugly! To DVD And Blu-ray On Jan. 13

There will be laughs aplenty on Jan. 13 as Olive Films brings the DVD debut Kevin Hart’s The Big House: The Complete Series and both DVD and Blu-ray editions of director Alfredo De Villa’s moment-of-crisis comedy, Fugly!, starring John Leguizamo.

Kevin Hart must downsize from his Malibu digs when his father is sent off to the “Big House” for some funky financial dealings.   Off he goes to stay with his poor relations in Philadelphia (not exactly Malibu).

Yvette Nicole Brown, Keith David and Faizon Love co-star.

John Leguizamo stars in Fugly! as comic sensation Jesse Sanchez, who has an unexpected crisis in his life (an OMG moment), which gives him a different prospective on just how messed up he’s become.    

He suddenly realizes just how much he has tossed away over the years while climbing to the top, including love and friendships, and now he feels that is time for him to put it all back together again (and that won’t be easy).

But for Jesse, there’s no “wall” between his “real” life and his stage work, so his efforts at both romance and comedy blend into heartfelt feelings and performance art, which creates some terrific comedy bits.

Rosie Perez, Radha Mitchell, Griffin Dunne and “Brat Pack: alum Ally Sheedy co-star.

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Prepares Blu-ray Edition Of American Gigolo For Feb. 24 Delivery

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment continues to mine its rich library of cinematic treasures with a series of announcements this week that will see both DVD and Blu-ray product offerings plucked from this gold mine of films.

Streeting on Feb. 24 will be a newly prepared Blu-ray edition of writer/director Paul Schrader’s 1980 sexually-tinged murder thriller, American Gigolo, starring Richard Gere in his breakout performance as Julian, a boy-toy for rich women.  

When he meets Michelle (Lauren Hutton) he actually begins to “fall in love,” but a nasty — and very twisted — murder occurs and he becomes the number suspect.   Watch poor Julian squirm … it’s delicious!

On the same date, Feb. 24, director Frank Darabont’s 2001 cinema-history drama, The Majestic, starring Jim Carrey, Martin Landau and Laurie Holden, will be getting a Blu-ray push as well.

On the DVD front, a four-film collection of pre-code films will be available on Nov. 18 in the latest edition of the studio’s popular “Forbidden Hollywood” promotional banner.   Included in Forbidden Hollywood, Volume Eight are Blonde Crazy (1931, James Cagney and Joan Blondell) Strangers May Kiss (1931, teaming Robert Montgomery with Norma Shearer), Hi, Nellie (1934, with Paul Muni and Glenda Farrell) and Dark Hazard (1934, Glenda Farrell returns with Edward G. Robinson and Genevieve Tobin … plus Sidney Toler).

Breaking Glass Pictures Has Director Dana Schroeder's Alien Rising Ready For DVD On Jan. 20

Breaking Glass Pictures will open the New Year with the Jan. 20 DVD debut of director Dana Schroeder’s sci-fi thriller, Alien Rising.

If you’re a genre fan, then you just know in your heart of hearts that with the name Lance Henriksen in the cast credits this is one sweet sci-fi entry that is more than worth just a look-see.   You will not be disappointed.

On a remote island (research station) Federal Agent Lisa Morgan (Amy Hathaway — Joyride, The Client, etc.) finds herself assigned to help with the understanding of “alien” technology.   Boy, is that an understatement … she’s only heard rumors about a derelict spacecraft, etc. etc.

It seems that the good Colonel that is in charge of the facility (played by Henriksen) has more than just the technology gleaned from the alien craft, he has two of the passengers on ice … and these ETs are not happy about that!

Bonus features for this action-sci-fi/thriller — which features a very cool alien creature (and nice f/x) — includes a making-of featurette.