Paramount Home Media Adds Clouds of Sils Maria And Chocolate City To Its DVD Release Schedule

Paramount Home Media Distribution has added a pair of independently produced films to its DVD release line up.  Both films had recent domestic theatrical release runs.

The first of these, writer/director Olivier Assayas’ Clouds of Sils Maria, arrives on July 21.   Domestic ticket sales were $1.8 million and the ARR for that mid-July date works out to 95 days.

Maria Enders (Juliette Binoche) has seen her acting career come full circle and she’s not quite sure how to deal with it.   Two decades ago she leaped to fame as the star of both the play and the subsequent film adaptation of Swiss playwright Wilhelm Melchior’s Maloja Snake.   

She’s an international star; a diva … no more of those hideous big-budget action films for her, please.   She’s a star, S T A R in great big capital letters.   

As Clouds of Sils Maria opens bad news arrives … Melchior has died.   She was to lend her grace and beauty to the acceptance of some sort of award on his behalf, how ironic that he should pick such a day to die.

In his memory, she is offered a role in the remake of the film.  But of course she is too old to play the young woman, so instead she is to play the role of the older woman — the two protagonists are in a love/hate relationship that eventually leads to the older woman’s suicide.  

How hideous.  Add to this a divorce in progress, the return of an old lover and conflicts with her always present assistant, Valentine (Kristen Stewart), and you can readily see that these conflicts (and depression) are about to overwhelm our poor Maria.  Especially with Valentine, where the parallels between the film world of Maloja Snake take on an eerie resemblance to Maria’s own life.

The second film in the mix is the Aug. 4 DVD debut of writer/director Jean-Claude La Marre’s Chocolate City.

A limited theatrical showcase generated ticket sales of $202,696) and the ARR is a swift-to-market 74 days.

Homage is paid to director Steven Soderbergh’s Magic Mike as the hero of our story, Michael (Robert Ri’chard — The Vampire Diaries, A Beautiful Soul, Pastor Shirley, etc.), takes to the same career path as Channing Tatum did as stripper “Magic Mike,” when flipping burgers at the Cafetales Restaurant doesn’t give him the cash to probably entertain his girlfriend.

Add to his stress is news from his mother (Vivica A. Fox) that her hours have been cut and that she is suffering money woes as well.   So when Princeton (Michael Jai White), the owner of Princeton Males — a party club for women (wink wink) — offers him an opportunity to strut his stuff, “Sexy Chocolate” is born!   

He is an instant hit!   The status gained by having legions of screaming women demanding his body does not come without a price.   The conflicts of competition and the jealousy of “star status” can be brutal!

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment's Looney Tunes Rabbits Run Will Make Its DVD Debut On Aug. 4

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment announced this past week that director Jeff Siergey’s animated feature, Looney Tunes Rabbits Run — starring the legendary Bugs Bunny — will be making its DVD debut on Aug. 4.

This all-new adventure features Bugs (voiced by Jeff Bergman) as a New York City cabbie who catches a fare one night, Lola Bunny (voiced by Rachel Ramras), who will change his life.   The two soon find themselves on-the-run when Lola’s newly developed perfume fragrance mutates into a mist that renders the user invisible!   

Also added to the release calendar this week by Warner Bros. are seven TV series that will be served-up as DVD and Blu-ray product offerings during the month of September.

Sept. 1 brings us four-disc Blu-ray and five-disc DVD collections of The Vampire Diaries: The Complete Sixth Season.   All 22 episodes are included in these sets, which also feature over two-hours worth of fan-pleasing bonus goodies.  

There are selected episode commentaries, deleted scenes, a gag reel, a pair of featurettes — “The Vampire Diaries: Good Bite and Good Luck” and “The Vampire Diaries: Best.Reaction.Ever.” — and footage from the 2014 Comic-Con panel.

Streeting on the same date (Sept. 1) is The Originals: The Complete Second Season … Blu-ray (a four-disc collection) and DVD (five-discs) sets will be available for fans to own.

This spin-off of The Vampire Diaries brings the war between vampires and werewolves (and the wild card — witches) to New Orleans, where the city’s “founders” want their turf back. 

Bonus features include The Awakening web series, the featurette titled “The Originals: Always and Forever,” video from the 2014 Comic-Con panel, deleted scenes and a gag reel.

Shifting to Sept. 8, we are treated to DVD (a six-disc collection) and Blu-ray (four discs) editions of

Supernatural: The Complete Tenth Season.

All 23 Episodes are featured here.   There are selected commentary options, deleted scenes, a gag reel and not one or two featurettes, but six featurettes, including “The Winchester Mythology: Battling the Mark and The Blade” and “Supernatural Theatre: Staging The 200th Episode.”

Sept. 15 is the street date for Big Bang Theory: The Complete Eighth Season, which is being delivered to fans as two Blu-ray/three DVD Combo Pack.

Lastly, Sept. 22 sees a both Arrow: The Complete Third Season and Flash: The Complete First Season.  DVD and Blu-ray SKUs will be available for both series.

Artsploitation Films To Release DVD And Blu-ray Editions Of Director Jonas Govaerts’ Cub On Aug. 18

Artsploitation Films will be serving up both DVD and Blu-ray editions of Belgian filmmaker Jonas Govaerts’ film festival award-winning horror gem, Cub (aka: Welp), on Aug. 18.

Sam (Maurice Luijten) is a member of a scout troop, run by a trio of nearly incompetent wannabe outdoorsmen, one of which takes great pleasure in humiliating the young teen at every opportunity.   Without parents, he is an outcast.   When you combine the bullying with his loner position within the group you begin to question why he would even bother to subject himself to the misery of a camping trip in the forest with this lot.

Ah, but young Sam has his reasons.   In a tense prologue, we witness a terrified young woman running through the woods, pursued by a mysterious entity.  She eventually falls victim to a snare trap.   

Sam is interested in the local legend of Kai, a feral boy, who just might be the “mysterious entity” that was doing the pursuing.   This is an adventure for him … one of discovery.

After an evening of singing and campfire tales, which include the telling of the scary legend of the local werewolf that haunts the forest that they’ve camped in, Sam gets his wish and spots the feral kid (Gill Eeckelaert), covered in mud and decked out with a creepy wooden mask.   

His efforts to inform his fellow campers of his discovery only meets with ridicule … which is what we expect and that hubris sets in motion an evening of out-and-out terror.

While Kai is creepy, he is not the “real” problem.   His “mentor” (keeper) has plans for the “victim pool” that has dared to camp in this neck of the woods.   The entire forest is his hunting ground, the traps are set and it takes little effort to get this pack of scouts and their leaders to run themselves blindly into what devilish traps await them.   BOO! … and off they go! 

Cub is presented in Flemish and Dutch with English subtitles.

Etiquette Pictures Launches On July 14 With Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack Restoration Of Writer/Director James B. Harris' Some Call It Loving

Etiquette Pictures, from the same creative minds that launched Vinegar Syndrome two years ago, will unveil its unique line of film restorations beginning on July 14 with the Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack debut of writer/director James B. Harris’ 1973 tale of the strange, Some Call it Loving.

Was it an acid trip that inspired this film?  Perhaps.   Some of the eclectic elements included in Harris’ lyrical tale (an adaptation of John Collier’s short story, “Sleeping Beauty” — 1938, Harper’s Bazaar) are a traveling freak show, complete with a sleeping beauty (kisses for a buck), an eccentric (and wealthy) jazz musician, a pair of dancing lesbian nuns, a secluded castle (think: William Randolph Heart’s abode at San Simeon) and Richard Pryor.  Hell of a mix.

The laconic Robert Troy (Zalman King), a wealthy, but lonely jazz musician, happens upon a seedy traveling carnival, where one of the attractions is “Sleeping Beauty,” a young woman named Jennifer (Tisa Farrow) who has fallen into a deep sleep.   For a dollar, you can kiss her.

There is something very creepy about all that.   First, the cleaning, feeding and care of poor Jennifer — to keep her so pristine — leaves one wondering as to how much abuse is heaped upon her when the paying customers have gone home for the day.   Veteran character actor Logan Ramsey (What's the Matter with Helen?, Busted, etc.) is her “doctor” and the same gent that runs the carnival!

And secondly, speaking of paying customers, how unhygienic is it for an endless parade of strangers to be planting long, leisurely, wet kisses on this poor girl?   UGH!

Our hero, Robert, buys her.  Is that even legal?   Technically, she is an “attraction,” so maybe there is some little loophole there about buying and selling “attractions,” and the human being part is skipped over.   It is a noble act, of course, on his part.

No matter, he takes her home to his ocean-view castle, where Scarlett (Carol White — Daddy’s Gone A-Hunting, Poor Cow, The Fixer, etc.), who appears to be the source of Robert’s wealth, resides with her faithful servant and lover, Angelica (Veronica Anderson).  

Soon Jennifer awakes and Robert learns that beauty is, indeed, only skin deep.  Which is the whole point of Collier’s short story.

As to Robert’s castle-mate, Scarlett, her fetishes appear to be without bounds as diversions include dressing up with Angelica and performing as tap-dancing nuns.  With a wide-awake Jennifer at hand, how soon before she too joins in?

And then there’s Jeff (played by Richard Pryor), who is a Robert’s only real friend.   His character speaks volumes about how drugs are bad … how ironic.

Bonus features for Some Call it Loving include commentary from director James B. Harris, outtakes with commentary and two newly prepared interview sessions featuring Harris and cinematographer Mario Tosi (Carrie, Sybil, MacArthur, etc.).

Indican Pictures' Popovich and the Voice of the Fabled American West Arrives On DVD On June 30

Indican Pictures announced this past week that the directing team of Jerry and Mike Thompon’s Popovich and the Voice of the Fabled American West will be making its domestic DVD bow on June 30.

This Dove “Family Approved” comedy stars the real-life Gregory Popovich as an ex-circus performer with the heart of a lion.   

If you have a dog or a cat as a family member (and you know what that means), then this film should be in your a must-see queue.   It is not just for kids, but for pet-lovers everywhere.

In real-life Gregory Popovich runs the Popovich Comedy Pet Theater and this film sort of mirrors his actual life, but takes some poetic licenses in the telling of it.  

Over the years Gregory Popovich has rescued countless dogs and cats and put them to work as performers in his various shows (both domestic and touring).   When they “retire” from their acting career they live at his ranch-like home.  At any given time he has a couple-dozen working performers in his show.  

He also does lectures on animal care and raises funds for animal shelters … he has a heart of gold.

In the film, he plays sort of a down-out-version of himself and is struggling to rescue cats and dogs.   As in real-life it has a happy ending!

The Western Classics Double Feature: Apache Chief And Bandit Queen Heads To DVD On July 21 Courtesy Of VCI Entertainment

VCI Entertainment announced this past week that the DVD release titled Western Classics Double Feature: Apache Chief and Bandit Queen has been added to its release calendar for delivery to retail on July 21.

The Lippert Pictures double feature kicks off with director Frank McDonald’s 1949 film release of Apache Chief, which offers a slightly different take on the traditional Western of the immediate post-war period.  The story is told from the POV of rival Apache tribesmen.   

Young Eagle (Alan Curtis), a young man of peace and good will, is thrust into a power vacuum when the tribal chief (Trevor Bardette) dies and his son, Black Wolf (Russell Hayden), assumes leadership and begins slaughtering both his own people and settlers in the area.  It falls to Young Eagle, with the help of Lieutenant Brown (Tom Neal of Detour fame), to put an end to Black Wolf’s reign of terror.

The co-feature is director William Berke’s 1950 film release of The Bandit Queen.   Barbara Britton (as Pamela North in the Mr. & Mrs. North television series, plus such films as Champagne for Caesar, They Made Me a Killer, So Proudly We Hail!, etc.) stars as Zarra Montalvo, the daughter of a Spanish Land Grant land owner, who witnesses the murder of her parents.   

 The local law, Sheriff Harden (Barton MacLane), is in on the land-grab scheme, so Zarra adopts the persona of Lola Belmont and teams with Joaquin Murietta (Phillip Reed — Unknown Island, Song of the Thin Man, etc.) — the Robin Hood of El Dorado — to take revenge and bring her parent’s killers to justice … one way or another!

Breaking Glass Pictures Selects July 7 For The DVD Debut Of Director Nathan Silver’s Uncertain Terms

There is an old proverb that says, “In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.”   Robbie (David Dahlbom) might embellish that to read, “In the house of the pregnant teens, the 30-something king also wears a heavy crown.”  

A heavy crown indeed is the lot in life for our hero in director Nathan Silver’s latest film-festival favorite, Uncertain Terms.   It will be heading to the DVD market place courtesy of Breaking Glass Pictures on July 7.

His marriage to Mona (Caitlin Mehner), is falling apart, so Robbie retreats to his aunt Clara’s (effectively played by Cindy Silver … the director’s mother) for a fortnight to figure things out.   This decision might not be the right choice for him at this point in his life as his aunt runs Gottlieb’s Home for Girls, a safe-house for pregnant teens, who all face uncertain futures.   

They are scared, overwhelmed and vulnerable … the safety that Clara offers them (five residents at a time) might just be the last quiet moments in their lives for sometime to come.   Precious moments to reflect; to prepare … and Robbie might be a distraction that will be difficult for them to overcome.

Robbie acts as sort of a handyman around the place and we get backstory glimpses of his tumultuous and alcohol-fueled life with Mona … this too is a time for him to reflect and prepare for what comes next in his life.   

Soon, however, as we might expect, he becomes an object of affection for one of the teens.   He’s the mature man … the dreamy lifeboat.   To his credit, he handles the unwanted attention with a maturity and understanding that comes as even a surprise to him.

It is one of the other young women, Nina (India Menuez), with whom he begins to bond.   Tender, quiet moments of reflection.   But lurking and always ready to smash this tranquility is the would-be father of her child, Chase (Casey Drogin), a frightful bully with a hair-trigger temper.   A future with him, for Nina, would be one of emotional pain and violence.   

This is what our “30-something king” is faced with.  Robbie’s conflict as a husband in a failing marriage, a protector figure and, more importantly, as simply a human being every bit as vulnerable as Clara’s pregnant teens, draws us in.   Uncertain Terms, with wins at the Edinburgh International Film Festival and the Memphis Indie Film Festival last year, and the Sarasota Film Festival this year (among others), is well worth a look-see when it arrives on DVD from Breaking Glass Pictures on July 7.

Bonus features include commentary from writer/director Nathan Silver (who is joined by several cast members).

Arrow Video To Release A Restored Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack Edition Of Writer/Director Buddy Cooper’s 1985 Slasher Classic, The Mutilator

Arrow Video, with sales and distribution expertise provided by MVD Entertainment Group, has selected Sept. 29 as the street date for a Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack edition of writer/director Buddy Cooper’s 1985 slasher classic, The Mutilator.

A tragic accident has left a father (Jack Chatham) and his son (Matt Mitler), both named Ed, estranged.   The father’s hatred for his son has grown exponentially over the years until it has now reached the breaking point!   

He’s going to kill him and has come up with a plan to do just that!   It begins with a simple phone call, come out to the beach house and lock it up for the winter.   That sets everything in motion.

It’s going to be easy, when Ed, Jr. gets there Big Ed will simply murder him.  But as luck would have it — for slasher fans — the son hits upon a plan to use his trip out there to have his friends along for the entire weekend.   Imagine this lunatic’s delight — when he awakens from a drunken stupor — to discover that Ed, Jr. has brought his friends with him!!   

It’s the classic “victim pool!”  The Mutilator presents us with a nice blend of sweet young things, Pam (Ruth Martinez), Linda (Frances Raines — Breeders, Bad Girls Dormitory) and Sue (Connie Rogers) and their horny young stud companions, Ralph (Bill Hitchcock) and Mike (Morey Lampley).  And if that isn’t enough to satiate his slasher desires, the curious also feel his deadly wrath.

Bonus features include both the R-rated and an uncut viewing option for the film, newly prepared video sessions with members of the cast and crew and the featurette, “The Mutilator Locations Visit.”

Icarus Films Teams With The KimStim Collection For The Sept. 1 DVD Release Of Documentary Filmmaker Belinda Sallin’s Dark Star: H.R. Giger’s World

Icarus Films and the KimStim Collection have teamed for the Sept. 1 DVD debut of documentary filmmaker Belinda Sallin’s Dark Star: H.R. Giger’s World.

A continuing arthouse run has generated ticket sales of $37,639 and the ARR for the Sept. 1 release date works out to 102 days.

The life and art of the H.R. Giger, who is perhaps best known to American audiences for his work with Ridley Scott on the landmark movie, Alien (he won the Oscar for Best Visual Effects), is the subject of Sallin’s film, who had access to the artist during his last days.   These short interview sessions are mixed in with an examination of his unique art and vintage shots of the younger man.

Bonus features included with the DVD release of Dark Star: H.R. Giger’s World are extensive photo gallery of Giger’s works and a making-of documentary.

Cinema Libre To Release Dusty's Trail: Summit of Borneo On DVD This Coming Aug. 25

Documentary filmmaker Catherine Jayasuriya’s insightful film on the devastating effects of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), Dusty's Trail: Summit of Borneo, will be making its DVD debut courtesy of Cinema Libre on Aug. 25.

Dusty Brandom suffers from Duchenne, he’s 20-years old and the progression of the disease all but guarantees that his days are numbered.   DMD is caused by a genetic defect and currently there is no cure, but that doesn’t stop those — the afflicted, their families and friends — from celebrating life and looking forward to the day when research unlocks a cure.

The film follows Dusty’s daily battles with the DMD, interviews with experts on the disease, coupled with testimonials from those who lives have been impacted by DMD.    

These segments are intercut with the chronicling of events leading up to the annual assault on Mt. Kinabalu in Borneo … hikers gather from around the world to pay tribute to the boys (and young men) by climbing the rugged 13,435-foot high mountain.  In doing so they raise both awareness and funding for the fight against DMD.

Dusty's Trail: Summit of Borneo is not a “disease of the week” movie; pity me, pity me, but a celebration of life, an awareness builder and an inspirational tale all combined into a heartfelt presentation.  

Midnight Releasing Announces The July 14 DVD Release Of A Director’s Cut of Writer/Director Thomas L. Phillips’ Sanctuary: Quite a Conundrum

Midnight Releasing will be delivering a director’s cut of writer/director Thomas L. Phillips’ Sanctuary: Quite a Conundrum to the DVD world on July 14.

Tabitha (Erin Cline — Cam Girl, The Housewife Slasher) and Mimi (Sasha Ramos — Sex Drive) are nihilists in every sense of the word.  Of privilege, without cares or incentive … butterfly wings are to be plucked, just for fun.

Tabitha and Mimi decide to throw a party!   That’s a skill, I guess.  With Mimi, who is smokin’ hot, you just have that feeling that if she’s involved — party or no party — things will get properly weird in no time.   

Sure enough, after a quickie with a pirate (well, not really a pirate, but just some middle-aged guy with an eye patch), some booze and some “Jesus Bingo,” the pirate returns (naked) and blows his brains out (who’s gonna fish him out of the pool?).  

Soon, his distraught wife shows up and is eventually tied to a chair (who did that?) and from that point on things start to get strange … and then stranger!  

Sanctuary: Quite A Conundrum is an emotional joyride, in the kinkiest sense, that is blessed with some gut-busting dialog, quirky performances and more twists and turns than a garter snake on a hot stove.

Released last August by Midnight Releasing, this “director’s cut” version provides an even clearer vision of Phillips’ evening of fun (and horror).   Bonus features include a gag reel and filmmaker commentary.

Cinema Guild Selects June 23 For The Domestic DVD Debut Of The Zeitgeist Films Of Zero Motivation

M.A.S.H. and Catch 22 have met their match with writer/director Talya Lavie’s award-winning comedy, Zero Motivation.  

Zeitgeist Films, with domestic sales and distribution provided by Cinema Guild, has tabbed June 23 for this Israeli comedy about women — bored women, at that — doing their duty as film clerks for the IDF is some remote desert outpost. 

 

The ARR comes in at an even 200 days and domestic ticket sales from its limited arthouse run (following the film’s festival circuit run) were $101,713.

The winner of 2014 Tribeca Film Festival for Best Narrative Feature, plus the coveted Nora Ephron Prize, Zero Motivation is every bit as funny as both M.A.S.H. (the Korean War) and Catch 22 (World War II) and manages to deliver that humor without conflict or politics.   

Zero Motivation, presented in Hebrew, with English subtitles, includes the following bonus features — a making-of featurette and two short films from Israeli filmmaker Talya Lavie.  These are: The Waitress (2000, animated) and The Substitute (2006, the original short film version of Zero Motivation).

Unfriended On DVD And Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack From Universal Studios Home Entertainment On Aug. 11

The use of various social media platforms (Skype, Facebook, etc.) are used quite effectively by director Levan (Leo) Gabriadze in the Universal Studios Home Entertainment release of Unfriended.   DVD and Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack editions are planned for Aug. 11.

The ARR is 116 days and domestic ticket sales were a nice $32.4 million.

In what plays out as a murder mystery — as opposed to an out-and-out slasher film — we watch as a handful of teens desperately try to figure out who is taken revenge on them for an ill-advised video posting that led to the suicide of one of their friends.

Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment Tags Sept. 15 As The Release Date For DVD And Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack Editions Of Cinderella

Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment is the first studio to announce a post-Labor Day theatrical hit for delivery to the home entertainment market place as both DVD and Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack SKUs.   The film in question is Cinderella and the street date will be Sept. 15.

Having opened in March of this year, that mid-September release date yields a very long-in-the-tooth ARR of 186 days.   

 It is rare these days to see a major studio asset held up for six months, but Disney knows from experience that a July or August release will not maximize sales as the target audience will be busy elsewhere … best to wait until school is in full cycle after Labor Day, the traditional close to summer.

Ticket sales for this live-action rework of one of the studio’s animation treasures were a robust $198.8 million.

Bonus features include the theatrical companion animated short film, Frozen Fever, an alternation opening sequence and over 12 minutes of deleted and alternate scenes.

In other release news this week from Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment, Aug. 18 will mark the Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack debut of Walt Disney Animation Studios Short Films Collection.  Included here are a dozen animated shorts that have been produced between 2000 and 2015.

These are (in chronological order): John Henry — 2000, directed by Mark Henn and previously available as part of the 2002 compilation titled Disney’s America Legends. 

Lorenzo — 2004, directed by Michael Gabriel and nominated for an Oscar as Best Short Film, Animated.   It was featured as part of the theatrical release of Raising Helen.

The Little Matchgirl — 2006, directed by Roger Allers … previously released in October of 2006 on both DVD and Blu-ray as a bonus feature with The Little Mermaid.

How to Hook Up Your Home Theater — 2007, co-directed by Kevin Deters by Stevie Wermers-Skelton … Goofy stars in this “throw-back” animated short film that was released theatrically with National Treasure 2 in December of 2007.

Tick Tock Tale — 2010, directed by Dean Wellins … had a few film festival screening during the fall of 2010 and then disappeared.   

Prep & Landing: Operation Secret Santa — 2010, also co-directed by Kevin Deters by Stevie Wermers-Skelton.   Made its debut on television as a bumper to the December special broadcast of A Charlie Brown Christmas.

The Ballad of Nessie — 2011, directed by Stevie Wermers-Skelton.   Released theatrically in July as a bumper to the theatrical release of Winnie the Pooh.

Tangled Ever After — 2012, co-directed by Nathan Greno and Byron Howard.  Was a bumper short to the 3D re-release of Beauty and the Beast in 2012 and has been released on both DVD and Blu-ray as part of the Cinderella: Diamond Edition push later that year.

Paperman — 2012, directed by John Kahrs and it was the Oscar-winner for Best Short Film, Animated.   It made its theatrical debut as a bumper-short to Wreck-It Ralph in November of 2012.

Get A Horse! — 2013, directed by Lauren MacMullan … a Mickey Mouse “throw-back” animated short film that was released theatrically as a bumper to Frozen during Thanksgiving of 2013.

Feast — 2014, directed by Patrick Osborne and it too won the Oscar for Best Short Film, Animated.   It was released theatrically as an animated short bumper to Big Hero 6 in November of last year.

And lastly we have Frozen Fever, which is also being released as a bonus nugget with the aforementioned Cinderella on Sept. 15.   Directed by Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee, this was the companion animated bumper short film to the theatrical launch of Cinderella in March of this year.  It is, therefore, Oscar-eligible.

Bonus features included with the release of Walt Disney Animation Studios Short Films Collection include intros from the various filmmakers, a featurette titled @DisneyAnimation: A Short Story on Shorts and the bonus animated short film Runaway Brain … a Mickey Mouse throw-back cartoon directed by Chris Bailey released as a bumper to George of the Jungle in 1997 and was Oscar-nominated in the Best Short Film, Animated category.