Cinema Libre Readies Blu-ray And DVD Editions Of Writer/Director Paul Kampf's Imprisoned For Release On Jan. 07

Cinema Libre announced this past week that both DVD and Blu-ray editions of writer/director Paul Kampf’s Imprisoned will be heading home on Jan. 7.

The film had an ever so brief theatrical showcase right after Labor Day and makes the move to the home entertainment packaged media marketplace with an ARR of 116 days.

Something happened years ago when Dylan (Juan Pablo Raba — The 33, 7 Days in Entebbe, Peppermint), a fisherman by trade, landed in the local prison (Imprisoned was shot in Puerto Rico and makes solid use of both El Morro and San Cristobal) for being involved in an armed robbery.

It’s now 20 something years later and the former warden, Daniel Calvin (played to perfection by Laurence Fishburne), wants revenge for the incident involving Dylan — despite having served his time — and will go to any lengths necessary to make sure that he pays the ultimate price.  There are no lines that he will not cross.

Dylan’s wife, Maria (Juana Acosta — Perfect Strangers, Anna), has a history with the warden, which we learn through a series of flashbacks.   Warden Calvin is, not to make light of it, one nasty SOB and his thirst for vengeance knows no limits … he will do whatever it takes to get justice as he sees it.

Once the frame-up takes place and Dylan finds himself wrongfully convicted, Imprisoned becomes a tick-tock race against time for Maria to prove her husband’s innocence … and with filmmaker Paul Kampf’s script there is absolutely no guarantee that there will be a happy ending.    

Bonus features include a video session with actor Edward James Olmos, a trio of deleted scenes and the featurette titled “Social Impact Filmmaking with Equitas Entertainment Partners.”

Arrow Video's Picks Feb. 04 For A New Blu-ray Edition Of Writer/Director Frank Henenlotter's Brain Damage

Arrow Video, with domestic sales and distribution support provided by MVD Entertainment Group, has a new Hi-Def Blu-ray presentation of writer/director Frank Henenlotter’s 1988 creature feature, Brain Damage, ready for genre fans to enjoy on Feb. 4.

Filmed in New York City in early 1987, Brain Damage reached theatres one year later.   The working title was Elmer the Parasite, but fans of Henenlotter’s brain-feast film know that “Elmer” is really Aylmer (Old English for famous; inspiring and the like), but Elmer will do.   At least that’s what Dr. Ackerman (Theo Barnes) and his wife, Martha (Lucille Saint-Peter), call the little brain sucker, who they’ve been feeding in their apartment when we have that first meet-the-creature moment. 

Living next door is Brian (Rick Hearst, aka: Rick Herbst … after this film he became a soap opera regular with stints on The Young and the Restless, The Bold and the Beautiful, Days of Our Lives and more) and the creature — make that, parasite — takes a liking to him.   A symbiotic relationship develops with Brian hauling Elmer (voiced by John Zacherle) around the city to feast on human brains, while Elmer “feeds” his host with a blue liquid (though a puncture wound in the back of his neck) that sends him on psychedelic trips.

Everything is going along swimmingly until … come on, we can’t give that away, but let’s just say that Brian’s love interest, Barbara (Jennifer Lowry … her career moment), gets a kiss to remember.

Filmmaker Frank Henenlotter had fun with his creature features — Basket Case (1, 2 and 3) and Frankenhooker — before turning his attentions to the business of Something Weird Video.   Indie horror at its best … with a sense of humor.

Bonus goodies on the Blu-ray release of Brain Damage from Arrow Video on Feb. 4 include commentary from Henenlotter, Elijah Drenner’s 2017 documentary titled Listen to the Light: The Making of Brain Damage, five featurettes — “The Effects of Brain Damage,” “Animating Elmer,” “Karen Ogle: A Look Back,” “Elmer’s Turf: The NYC Locations of Brain Damage” and “Tasty Memories: A Brain Damage Obsession — and the animated short film by Harry Chaskin titled Bygone Behemoth. 

Additionally, there is a Q&A session from the 2016 Offscreen Film Festival featuring filmmaker Frank Henenlotter.

Paramount Home Media Tabs Feb. 18 For Avatar: The Last Airbender – The Complete Series - 15th Anniversary Limited Edition Steelbook Collection

Paramount Home Media and Nickelodeon are joining forces on Feb. 18 for the Blu-ray release of the Emmy-winning Avatar: The Last Airbender – The Complete Series - 15th Anniversary Limited Edition Steelbook Collection.

This three-book collection — a nine-disc Blu-ray set — will have a limited production run of just 20,000 units.

All 54 episodes are included in this epic collection — Book One: Water (20 episodes), Book Two: Earth (18 episodes) and Book Three: Fire (16 episodes).

As to bonus goodies, there are 22 selected episode commentaries, over a dozen featurettes, short films and an interview session featuring M. Night Shyamalan.

In other release news this week from Paramount Home Media, director Martin Scorsese’s Shutter Island will be celebrating its 10^th Anniversary with a new 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo Pack release on Feb. 11.

Bonus features include the previously released featurettes titled, “Behind the Shutters” and “Into the Lighthouse.” 

Bayview Entertainment Says Get Fit In The New Year With Two Fitness DVDs On Jan. 7 From Kelly Coffey-Meyer

The holidays are upon us and we all know what that means.  Five pounds, ten pounds … oh my, not 15 (what were you thinking!!!) and a long winter of trying to shed those “holiday” pounds.

No worries, Bayview Entertainment will be teaming up with fitness guru Kelly Coffey-Meyer on Jan. 7 for two new fitness DVD releases that are sure to get you pointed in the right direction (weight-wise that is).

30 Minutes to Fitness: Strong and Lean is actually two different fitness workouts and with Kelly Coffey-Meyer leading the way you know that these will be upbeat and ever so effective.   The first set works with dumbbells (and a barbell and tubing) to tone and strengthen muscle groups.   

Warmed up now?   Get ready for set number two, which focuses on a kickboxing session that not only burns calories, but helps you to tone both your arms and shoulders, but helps slim those hips as well.

Also streeting on Jan. 7 is 30 Minutes to Fitness: Cardio Sculpt Overload, which has Kelly Coffey-Meyer leading you through four different workouts.   Light dumbbells for boxing drills and a little heavier for total body “compound moves.”

As a bonus, you can set your workout session for a basic 30-minute set, or add to the session by 8, 16 and 24 extra workout minutes.   Grab those weights and get ready to burn those calories … and with it the “holiday” pounds.

Retailers Ambush Warner Bros. Home Entertainment With Jan. 7 Order-Taking For Writer/Director Todd Phillips' Joker

It was tough to keep it a secret.   With Best Buy, iTunes and Target all starting to take orders for a Jan. 7 street date over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend and Ingram Distribution’s Videoeta website jumped in to confirm that date, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment got ambushed.   

 With so many outlets running with that first street-date Tuesday in 2020 as the release date for writer/director Todd Phillips’ Joker, starring three-time Oscar nominee Joaquin Phoenix as the title character, who are we to stand in the way of the onrushing mob.  

So Jan. 7 it is, which yields an ARR of 95 days.  Domestic ticket sales are a whopping $326.9 million (an amazing take for an R-rated “Batman” film).

Planned for release are Blu-ray/DVD and 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo Packs, as well as a stand-alone DVD edition.

A masterful film, Joker more or less turns the entire Bruce Wayne mythology on its head.   Thomas Wayne, Bruce Wayne’s father, and his Wayne Enterprises is a corrupt outfit and the Wayne empire is built on the oppression of the poor.   To make it even more madding, Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix’s character), may actually be Bruce Wayne’s illegitimate half-brother who has been denied his birthright.   

Ah, but then again, filmmaker Todd Phillips (best known for The Hangover trilogy), and his co-writer Scott Silver (The Fighter, 8 Mile), have made Arthur Fleck/Joker so delusional that it is difficult to separate what is really real versus Fleck’s interpretation of reality.   

And that is precisely why the film works so well.   Crazy, violent, but sympathetic in an odd sort of way, Fleck could be all he imagines he is or not.  Victim, hero, anti-hero or insane psychopath … he literally covers all of the bases and in the process Joaquin Phoenix has crafted an Oscar-worthy performance as Batman’s future arch-nemesis.

Wild Eye Releasing Looks To Feb. 11 For The DVD Debut Of Writer/Director József Gallai’s Spirits in the Dark

Wild Eye Releasing, with sales and distribution assistance from MVD Entertainment Group, has tabbed Feb. 11 as the DVD debut date for writer/director József Gallai’s Spirits in the Dark.

An eerie, abandoned (seemingly so) building, where people have vanished before, is the setting for this tale of grief and ghostly apparitions.   

Gil (played by filmmaker József Gallai) has recently lost his wife Stephanie (Beáta Boldog — Gallai’s real life wife, who also produced) during childbirth and now finds himself very much alone.   We learn that the pair enjoyed exploring old abandoned buildings (which seems very odd) and when a mysterious email arrives, complete with a video sequence that seems to suggest the ghost of Stephanie might be lurking in a mysterious — and obviously abandoned — building, it is just too much for Gil to ignore.   

Why the video?  Who is the sender?  Who shot the video?  Questions that any reasonable person might ask, but Gil is all in, hook, line and sinker … and so off he goes in search of the location and soon finds it.   There are hints and clues that things have happened there before, which would have sent any reasonable person scurrying for the exits.   Not Gil, who documents his exploration of the sinister place, and in doing so takes us with him.

Filmmaker József Gallai deftly blends narrative footage with linkage “found footage” to craft a creepy tale of things that go bump in the night.   Spirits in the Dark delivers exactly what it promises … an eerie, ghostly tale of haunted digs and a fool who is hell-bent on exploring such places where reasonable people would avoid like the plague. 

For the period ending November 22, 2019 ... New DVD, Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD selections added to the DVD & Blu-ray Release Report's database

 

DVD New Additions

 

Acorn Media

11/19/19 — Released Taken Down, Series 1 (2 disc set)

Barlates Body Blitz (MOD)

11/19/19 — Released Barlates Body Blitz: Bosu Total Body Fusion and Barlates Body Blitz: Shape It Series

Bayview Entertainment

12/31/19 — Sets 30 Nights of Sex, Captain Orellana and the Possessed Village (Spanish), Chance (Spanish), Citizen Duane, Crackie, Dark Nemesis (aka: The Dark Night), Double Feature: Johnny 100 Pesos/Johnny 100 Pesos: 20 Years and a Day Later (Spanish), Forbidden Girl, Generation Wolf, Girl Gets Girl (Spanish), Innocent Kiss, Pineville Heist and Watercolor Postcards

Big Blind Media

10/22/19 — Released Zen Magic with Iain Moran

10/29/19 — Released Ultimate Self Working Card Tricks (3 disc set)

CBS Home Entertainment (MOD)

11/19/19 — Released America's Next Top Model: Cycle 19 (3 disc set), America's Next Top Model: Cycle 20 (4 disc set), Guest Book: Season 2 (2 disc set) and Salvation: Season 2 (3 disc set)

Camel Productions

11/19/19 — Released Camel: At the Royal Albert Hall

Championship Productions

11/19/19 — Released Don Babbitt's Teaching Progression for the Discus, Don Babbitt's Teaching Progression for the Rotational & Glide Shot Put and Individual Defense: Little Things that Make Big Things Happen

Charles Smiley Presents

11/19/19 — Released Tehachapi Remembered

Creature Feature Videos (MOD)

10/01/19 — Released 3 Fantastic Supermen (English-dubbed), Ambitious Lover (Greek), Angel Above and the Devil Below, Ghost of Kasane Swamp (Japanese), Mansion of the Ghost Cat (Japanese), Marie Poupee (French), Radioactive Dreams, Samurai Pirate (aka: The Lost World of Sinbad) (Japanese), Seven Rebel Gladiators (Italian), Supermen Against the Orient (English-dubbed), Two Gladiators (English-dubbed), Unwed Mother and War Goddess (English-dubbed)

10/22/19 — Released Agent Joe Walker: Operation Far East (English-dubbed), Death Trip (English-dubbed), Die Unbekannte (German), Man Who Laughs (English-dubbed), Mystic (silent-1925), Rasputin, Damon der Frauen (German), Sodom and Gomorrah (silent-1922) and Unheimliche Geschichten (German)

11/19/19 — Released Bloodmoon, Fatal Bond, Island of Lost Girls (aka: Three Golden Serpents), Love, Lust and Ecstasy (English-dubbed) and Screamtime

Down Poor Pictures (MOD)

11/19/19 — Released Robert Bradley's Gunfighters, Straw Dog's End and Worst Thing: Bonus Collection

EWTN

11/19/19 — Released @ Home with Jim & Joy: Father William Saunders - Celebrating Advent and Christmas and @ Home with Jim & Joy: Jim and Joy Pinto Answer Viewer Calls, Questions, And E-Mails Live From the Pinto House

Eagle Rock Entertainment

11/19/19 — Released Sarah Brightman: Hymn

Gravitas Ventures (MOD)

11/19/19 — Released Anyone Home?, Love Dot Com: The Social Experiment, Pipe Dreams, Pretty Little Stalker, Stay Out Stay Alive and Unknown Tour

Grupo Kaps

10/29/19 — Released Dani DaOrtiz and Woody Aragon: D&W (3 disc set)

Hallmark Channel

11/19/19 — Released Wedding at Graceland

Hope of the World (MOD)

11/12/19 — Released Keys to Your Calling

11/19/19 — Released Secrets of the Mind

I-Cine

11/19/19 — Released Ky An Bao Thanh Thien (12 disc set)

Indie Rights, Inc. (MOD)

11/19/19 — Released Donovan Reid

Iron Power Publishing (MOD)

11/19/19 — Released 48 Carols in the Falling Snow

Kino Lorber

11/19/19 — Released Diabolically Yours (French), Faithful Man (French),Farewell, Friend (French), Holy Man, Intimacy and Un Flic (French)

Level 33 Entertainment (MOD)

11/19/19 — Released Kiwi Christmas

Light Source Studios (MOD)

11/19/19 — Released Vampire Abstracta

Lionsgate Home Ent.

11/19/19 — Released American Dreamer

MGM Home Entertainment

11/19/19 — Released Handmaid's Tale: Season Three (4 disc set)

MPI Home Video

11/19/19 — Released Vai

Magnolia Home Entertainment

11/19/19 — Released Cold Case Hammarskjold (ARR of 95 days; box office: $104,965)

12/03/19 — Sets Raise Hell: The Life And Times of Molly Ivins (ARR of 95 days; box office: $687,107)

Merge Soft Productions

11/19/19 — Released Secret Life of Cars

Movie Detective (MOD)

11/12/19 — Released Cause, A Cause D'Une Femme (French), Il Pleut sur Santiago (French), La Chatte (French) and No Sun in Venice (French)

11/19/19 — Released Aux Deux Colombes (French), Between Yesterday and Tomorrow (German), Tres Tristes Tigres (Spanish) and Tridtsat Tri (Russian)

Music Box Films

12/10/19 — Sets Piranhas (Italian) (ARR of 130 days; box office: $23,184)

Newt’s Classic Movie Store (MOD)

11/05/19 — Released Hungry Hill

Oscilloscope Laboratories

12/17/19 — Sets Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father - 10th Anniversary Edition

PBS Direct

11/19/19 — Released Flint's Deadly Water and Life From Above (2 disc set)

PCN Productions (MOD)

11/19/19 — Released 2019 PIAA 1A Field Hockey Championship, 2019 PIAA 2A Field Hockey Championship, 2019 PIAA 3A Field Hockey Championship and PA Books: Little Italy in the Great War

Paramount Home Media

12/03/19 — Sets Killman (ARR of 95 days; box office: $291,477)

02/11/20 — Sets Gunsmoke: The Complete 18th Season and Gunsmoke: The Complete 19th Season

Purple Pudding Pictures (MOD)

11/05/19 — Released Mossy Rock

11/19/19 — Released Overripe

Rarefilmsandmore.com (MOD)

11/19/19 — Released Haie und Kleine Fische (German)

Resolution Group International, LLC (MOD)

11/19/19 — Released Ethical Protector, Volume 1: Tactical Maneuver & Protector Ethics, Ethical Protector, Volume 2: Tactical Movement & Protector Techniques, Ethical Protector, Volume 3: Tactical Ground Defenses and Escapes and Ethical Protector, Volume 4: Conflict Communicator Verbal Resolution Skills

SM Productionz

10/29/19 — Released Gumbelievable and Juan Capilla: Repair

Samuel Goldwyn Films

11/26/19 — Sets Fiddler: A Miracle of Miracles (ARR of 95 days; box office: $547,531)

Screen Media

11/19/19 — Released Memory: The Origins of Alien (ARR of 46 days; box office: $31,378)

Smart Mark Video (MOD)

11/19/19 — Released Black Label Pro: McWrestling - Crown Point, IN, DreamWave Wrestling: Dream On - LaSalle, IL, H2O Wrestling: Hardcore Halloween 2 – Williamson, NJ, H2O Wrestling: Matt Tremont & Danny Havoc's Deathmatch Extravanza 2 - Williamstown NJ, IWA Mid-South: I Want it All – Jeffersonville, LVAC: Let's Hang Out - Spooky Edition - Bethlehem, PA, IN, Pro Wrestling Trainwreck: Hold My Beer & Off the Rails - Memphis, TN, Pro Wrestling Trainwreck: No Ring No Rules No Fucks Given & Mark Madness - Memphis, TN and Pro Wrestling Trainwreck: So You Think You Can Memphis & Kornet Tribute Event - Memphis, TN

Sony Pictures Home Ent.

12/17/19 — Sets Where's My Roy Cohn? (ARR of 88 days; box office: $688,557)

The Video Beat (MOD)

11/19/19 — Released American Music: From Folk to Jazz, 1966, Kid Sentiment (English dubbed) and Nobody Waved Good-Bye

20^th Century-Fox Home Ent. (MOD)

11/19/19 — Released Das Boot: The Complete First Season (3 disc set)

Universal Pictures Home Ent.

01/07/20 — Sets Countdown (ARR of 74 days; box office: $24,331,355)

Warner Bros. Home Ent. (MOD)

11/19/19 — Released Kominsky Method: The Complete First Season

Well Go U.S.A.

11/19/19 — Released Divine Fury (Korean) (ARR of 95 days; box office: $102,913)

Zondervan

11/05/19 — Released Survival Guide for the Soul

11/19/19 — Released New Testament in Its World Video Lectures: An Introduction to the History, Literature and Theology of the First Christians (4 disc set) and Rhythms of Renewal

Blu-ray New Additions

 

Aniplex of America

11/19/19 — Released Fate/Stay Night: Heaven's Feel II. Lost Butterfly and Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai: Complete Set (2 disc set)

Camel Productions

11/19/19 — Released Camel: At the Royal Albert Hall

Cleopatra Entertainment

02/25/20 — Sets Verotika (Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack) (with bonus CD)

Creature Feature Videos (MOD)

10/01/19 — Released Horror Hospital

11/19/19 — Released Compartiment Tueurs (Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack) (French) and Spermula (Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack) (French)

FUNimation

11/19/19 — Released Fruits Basket: Season 1, Part 1 (2 Blu-ray/2 DVD Combo Pack) (with Digital Copy), Full Metal Panic: Invisible Victory (2 disc set), Harukana Receive: The Complete Series (2 disc set) (with Digital Copy), Hyouka: The Complete Series (4 disc set) and Recovery of an MMO Junkie: The Complete Series (2 disc set)

Indie Rights, Inc. (MOD)

11/19/19 — Released Donovan Reid

Kino Lorber

11/19/19 — Released Diabolically Yours (French), Faithful Man (French),Farewell, Friend (French), Holy Man, Intimacy, Someone Behind the Door and Un Flic (French)

Lionsgate Home Entertainment

11/19/19 — Released American Dreamer (with Digital Copy)

MGM Home Entertainment

11/19/19 — Released Handmaid's Tale: Season Three (4 disc set)

Meridian Releasing Group (MOW)

11/19/19 — Released Parched

Merge Soft Productions

11/19/19 — Released Secret Life of Cars

Mill Creek Entertainment

02/04/20 — Sets Hudson Hawk, No Mercy, Unspeakable Kimmy Schmidt: The Complete Series (8 disc set), Vibes and When a Stranger Calls

02/25/20 — Sets Return of Ultraman: The Complete Series (6 disc set) (with Digital Copy)

Neuland Project

11/19/19 — Released Neuland (Blu-ray/CD Combo Pack)

Oscilloscope Laboratories

12/17/19 — Sets Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father - 10th Anniversary Edition

PCN Productions (MOW)

11/12/19 — Released 2019 PIAA Boys 1A Soccer Championship, 2019 PIAA Boys 2A Soccer Championship, 2019 PIAA Boys 3A Soccer Championship, 2019 PIAA Boys 4A Soccer Championship, 2019 PIAA Girls 1A Soccer Championship, 2019 PIAA Girls 2A Soccer Championship, 2019 PIAA Girls 3A Soccer Championship and 2019 PIAA Girls 4A Soccer Championship

11/19/19 — Released 2019 PIAA 1A Field Hockey Championship, 2019 PIAA 2A Field Hockey Championship, 2019 PIAA 3A Field Hockey Championship and PA Books: Little Italy in the Great War

Scorpion Releasing

11/19/19 — Released Delivery Boys

Screen Media

11/19/19 — Released Memory: The Origins of Alien

Severin Films, LLC

11/19/19 — Released Boys Next Door and Perils of Gwendoline in the Land of Yik Yak

Shout! Factory

11/19/19 — Released Abbott & Costello: The Complete Universal Pictures Collection (29 film set: One Night in the Tropics, Buck Privates, In the Navy, Hold That Ghost, Keep 'Em Flying, Ride 'Em Cowboy, Pardon My Sarong, Who Done It?, It Ain't Hay, Hit the Ice, In Society, Here Come the Co-Eds, The Naughty Nineties, The Time of Their Lives, Buck Private Comes Home, The Wistful Widow of Wagon Gap, Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstain, Mexican Hayride, Abbott & Costello Meet the Killer, Abbott & Costello in the Foreign Legion, Abbott & Costello Meet the Invisible Man, Comin' Rround the Mountain, Lost in Alaska, Abbott & Costello Go to Mars, Abbott & Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Abbott & Costello Meet the Keystone Cops, Abbott & Costello Meet the Mummy, The World of Abbott & Costello) (15 disc set), American Me, Chuck Berry: Hail! Hail! Rock 'n' Roll, Fan and Rock 'n' Roll High School: 40th Anniversary Edition

Smart Mark Video (MOD)

11/19/19 — Released Black Label Pro: McWrestling - Crown Point, IN, DreamWave Wrestling: Dream On - LaSalle, IL, Pro Wrestling Trainwreck: Hold My Beer & Off the Rails - Memphis, TN, Pro Wrestling Trainwreck: No Ring No Rules No Fucks Given & Mark Madness - Memphis, TN and Pro Wrestling Trainwreck: So You Think You Can Memphis & Kornet Tribute Event - Memphis, TN

Sony Pictures Home Ent.

11/19/19 — Released Jawbreaker: 20th Anniversary Edition

12/17/19 — Sets Where's My Roy Cohn?

Sony Pictures Home Ent. (MOD)

11/19/19 — Released 3000 Miles from Graceland and Whole Nine Yards

Universal Pictures Home Ent.

11/19/19 — Released Cricket on the Hearth, Little Drummer Boy, Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol and Scarface

01/07/20 — Sets Countdown (Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack) (with Digital Copy)

Warner Bros. Home Ent. (MOD)

11/19/19 — Released Kominsky Method: The Complete First Season

Well Go U.S.A.

11/19/19 — Released Divine Fury (Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack) (Korean)