New Theatrical Release Output Stalls In January

The Home Entertainment world revolves around movies.   Sure, there are lots of other product options — Special Interest, Sports, KidVid, and on and on – but the big money is to be found in those gems mined from the theatrical market place.  

It is still early, but if the January release trends at the local multiplex don’t begin to pick up some steam as we move toward a winter thaw and into the glories of spring, 2013 is starting to show all the signs of gearing up to head off of a cliff.  

The question is: Are we at the end of a cycle and about to head in the other direction, at least in terms of new theatrical releases?

The last time the industry pulled a u-turn of this nature was during the summer of 2008, which, also corresponded to the financial markets heading off of a cliff of their own.   Not to say that there is a connection, but it does give one pause to think about what all of the little lemmings are lining up to do.

From the peak of 650 films opening theatrically to the bottom, roughly two-and-half years later, 140 films simply disappeared off of the annual theatrical release schedule.   Mainly little films, where producers and their partners concluded that it wasn’t worth the money to open the film theatrically, even with a digital projection option (not having to bear the cost of 35mm prints).

The current doldrums could have several — and very reasonable — explanations.  

First, there could be tardy reporting (or none at all) from some minor/indie theatrical releases that may have played a venue or two during the month (they could come late to the party and the numbers would be revised upward).   These films and their backers might not part of a reporting service … or the gross was so dismal that it would be a negative in announcing it.

Secondly, the holdover performance of the Christmas-season films could be a blocking factor in opening up screens.   Weather also has to be considered.  But these are usually factored in when release schedules are set months in advance. 

Whatever the reasons, January is currently tracking at a dismal annual output of just 420 films.   You would have to retreat all the way back to 2002 to match such levels.   

As we said, it is early yet and much could happen in the weeks and months ahead to bring the annual output projection back into the 580 to 620 range.   Stay tuned.

Dead In France From Breaking Glass Pictures On Mar. 26

The Brits seem to have a feel; a certain flair for black comedy.   They seem to have their own unique brand.  Sir Alec Guinness had a rich history of comedy on the black side.  Peter Sellers had his share too.   

Guy Ritchie has made something of an art form out of it with Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch.   American filmmakers tend to be linear; the French, lyrical … but the Brits make more cerebral; complicated, detailed and nuanced black comedies.   Martin McDonagh’s In Bruges in another great example.

Now comes writer/director Kris McManus’ Dead in France, out on DVD from Breaking Glass Films on Mar. 26.   It is one sweet black comedy, filled with double-dealers, a hitman — a hitwoman too to be fair — a femme fatale and whole lot of missing money. 

Charles (Brian Levine) is something of a blue collar hitman.   He could be a smart guy for all we know, but he’s spent all of his formative years whacking people.   He hasn’t really developed much interest in anything else … you have an assignment, you do it.   He’s a professional.

He’s piled up some doe for retirement and has left for the south of France and a place on the Mediterranean to sort things out.   It is here that the wheels begin to come off … and the fun begins.

What makes the film work is the dialog.   Dead in France is one of those little films where you would love to know the backstory.   Levine, who hasn’t much in the way of film credits, teams up with McManus (only his second film) and they deliver a gem.

To download this week's complete edition of the DVD and Blu-ray Release Report: DVD & Blu-ray Release Report

CJ Entertainment's Black Eagle Soars To DVD On Mar. 12

It has been called South Korea’s Top Gun.   In many ways director Kim Dong-won’s Black Eagle (aka: Soar Into the Sun) is a superior film, at least technically speaking.   

The high-flying action arrives in the domestic market on Mar. 12 from CJ Entertainment — both with its original Korean language (with English subtitles) and as a separate English-dubbed viewing option.

Remember, Top Gun is 1986 film technology and there has been light speed changes in the nearly two decades since filmmaker Tony Scott sent Maverick and Iceman aloft to spar with MIGs at mach speed.

There’s another little edge that Black Eagle has in making it a tad more compelling.   While Cruise and Kilmer battled “generic” MIGs, unless you’ve been living the life of an eggplant, the tensions between South Korea and Kim Jong-un’s medieval dictatorship to north are very real.   Stuff that happens here could actually happen.

For American audiences, Jung Ji-Hoon (aka: Rain) is at least familiar to them if they caught Speed Racer.   He draws the lead here as the hot-shot pilot who has the flying skills, but lacks discipline (sound familiar).   He’s good … he hits all the right notes.

Yoo Joon-sang is his competition and Shin Se-kyung is the eye-candy love interest, but the real draw for Black Eagle are the action sequences, especially the tight flying stunts through downtown Seoul.

To download this week's complete edition of the DVD and Blu-ray Release Report: DVD & Blu-ray Release Report

Image Entertainment Has The Wicked For DVD On Apr. 30

As every genre-fan knows, you need teens, even college-age kids, to do stupid things.  It is part of the process — don’t throw rocks at the witches’ house.  So they throw rocks at her house.   If they don’t, there’s not much of a movie.

Word arrived this past week that Image Entertainment has secured the DVD distribution rights to director Peter Winther’s The Wicked, which is set for retail delivery on Apr. 30.

Every kid growing up in Summerset (filmed in around the Detroit area) knows the little not-so nice nursery rhyme:

“Season of the Equinox,

the witch besets her kill.

One less soul in the town to know,

taken against their will.”

It’s local folklore that the old creepy house — out in the creepy woods of course — is home to a 400-year old witch (played by Cassie Keller — an interesting screen resume that includes topless roles in both A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas and Hostel: Part III … is that typecasting?), who stays forever youthful by eating little children.   

So when little Amanda (Caitlin Carmichael — Backlight, Lizzie, etc.) goes missing from her bedroom, the local teens quickly jump to the conclusion that it is the work of the legendary witch.

Now there is another little twist to the legend.   If you throw rocks at the witches’ house, hit it, but don’t break any windows, then she can’t get you.   Of course there’s no witch, it’s a teen do-or-dare thing (usually involving alcohol and sex), so when Zack (Justin Deeley — best known as Austin in the update 90210 television series) and three of his friends go out to toss a few stones at the old place it’s pretty much akin to a little foreplay with the girls.  

Toss in a snoopy brother and a misplaced pebble — oops — and a half-dozen kids from Summerset are about to find out that something wicked this way truly comes.   Not all will survive the night!

To download this week's complete edition of the DVD and Blu-ray Release Report: DVD & Blu-ray Release Report

 

New Theatrical Announcements Heading To DVD and Blu-ray, Jan. 26 Update

Anchor Bay Entertainment

01/22/13 — Released Officer Down (ARR of 4 days; box office: $1,184) DVD and Blu-ray

03/12/13 — Sets This Must be the Place (ARR of 130 days; box office: $142,242) DVD and Blu-ray

03/26/13 — Sets Killing Them Softly (ARR of 116 days; box office: $14,938,570) DVD and Blu-ray

Eros

01/08/13 — Released Khiladi 786 (Hindi) (ARR of 32 days; box office: $352,684) DVD only

01/22/13 — Released Son of Sardar (Hindi) (ARR of 67 days; box office: $713,754) DVD only

First Run Features

04/09/13 — Sets Orchestra of Exiles (ARR of 165 days; box office: $24,710)

Indomina Media

02/26/13 — Sets Holy Motors (French) (ARR of 130 days; box office: $612,200) DVD and Blu-ray

Lionsgate Home Entertainment

03/26/13 — Sets The Collection (ARR of 116 days; box office: $6,842,058) DVD and Blu-ray

PBS Direct

04/23/13 — Sets Central Park Five (ARR of 151 days; box office: $273,747) DVD and Blu-ray

20^th Century-Fox Home Ent.

03/12/13 — Sets Hitchcock (ARR of 109 days; box office: $5,788,209) DVD and Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack

* ARR - Asset Rollover Rate: The number of days between a film's initial theatrical debut and its subsequent release on DVD and/or Blu-ray.

To download this week's complete edition of the DVD and Blu-ray Release Report: DVD & Blu-ray Release Report

20th Century-Fox Home Entertainment To Release Skyfall On Feb. 12

20^th Century-Fox Home Entertainment will be moving quickly to place the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film production of the latest installment of the long-running 007 film franchise at retail on Feb. 12.   Technically speaking, they would seem to already be beyond the pre-book for this one.

The ARR for the Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack (with Digital Copy) and DVD editions of Skyfall works out to a zippity-quick to market sprint of just 95 days.   

 The only other films grossing in excess of $300 million at the box office to make the move this quickly from their respective theatrical venues to the home entertainment package media arena are filmmaker Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland (88 days; 2010) and the third installment of the Transformers film franchise, Transformers: Dark of the Moon (91 days; 2011).

This past weekend Skyfall hit $301 million in domestic ticket sales; perhaps that milestone was the trigger point for the announcement … we suspect that key retail outlets already had the word.

Once again Daniel Craig nails the Bond character.   Tough, even ruthless, resourceful and always intelligent.  He sells it … Craig can be 007/James Bond as long as his body lets him (expect him back in 2014).

Not only is Skyfall a monster theatrical hit, but it has five Oscar nominations, including Best Song, Adele’s “Skyfall” (plus two for sound and one each for Original Musical Score and Cinematography) and the script from the writing team of Robert Wade and Neal Purvis (their fifth Bond) — who are joined by three-time Oscar nominee John Logan — does an excellent job of returning the James Bond character to his Scottish roots.

As to bonus goodies, there are four featurettes on the DVD edition.   The Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack adds in ten additional featurettes, plus two separate commentary options — one featuring director Sam Mendes (Best Director Oscar-winner for American Beauty … his first Bond film) and the second showcases veteran 007/James Bond film producer Barbara Broccoli (daughter of Cubby Broccoli), who is joined by fellow 007/James Bond film producer Michael G. Wilson (his 13^th film) and production designer Dennis Gassner (Oscar-winner for his work on Bugsy in 1991, plus three addition Oscar nominations … his second 007/Bond film, having handled similar duties on Quantum of Solace). 

Also added to the release schedule this week from 20^th Century-Fox Home Entertainment is director Andy Fickman’s Parental Guidance, teaming Billy Crystal with Bette Midler and Marisa Tomei.

Slated for delivery on Mar. 26 are DVD and Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack (with Digital Copy) SKUs.   The ARR is a quick-to-market 91 days.  Ticket sales came in at a nice clip of $67.7 million.

Bonus features include commentary from director Andy Fickman (She’s the Man, You Again, etc.) and Billy Crystal, plus there are deleted scenes with optional commentary from Fickman.   

Exclusive to the Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack are a gag reel and a featurette titled “FXM Productions Presents: In Character with Billy Crystal, Bette Midler and Marisa Tomei.”

To download this week's complete edition of the DVD and Blu-ray Release Report: DVD & Blu-ray Release Report

Wheeler and Woolsey RKO Comedy Classics Collection From Warner Home Video On Feb. 26

Warner Home Video announced today that a four-disc, nine-film collection showcasing the comedy antics of Bert Wheeler and Robert Woolsey will be available to own on DVD on Feb. 26.   The set is titled Wheeler and Woolsey RKO Comedy Classics Collection.

Included in the collection are:  Half Shot At Sunrise (1930, with Dorothy Lee — an early co-star for the comedy duo), Hook, Line and Sinker (1930, also with Lee), Cracked Nuts (1931, again co-starring Dorothy Lee), Caught Plastered (1931, with Lee plus Jason Robards, Sr. and Charles Middleton), Hold 'Em Jail (1932, with Betty Grable in an early film role … others in the cast include Edgar Kennedy, Roscoe Ates, Robert Armstrong and another Wheeler and Woolsey regular, Edna May Oliver), Hips, Hips, Hooray (1934, Lee is joined by Thelma Todd and Ruth Etting), The Nitwits (1935, Betty Grable returns), Mummy's Boys (1936, co-starring Barbara Pepper) and High Flyers (1937, a stellar cast that includes Lupe Velez, Jack Carson, Margaret Dumont and Marjorie Lord).

To download this week's complete edition of the DVD and Blu-ray Release Report: DVD & Blu-ray Release Report