Indican Pictures' A Green Story Streets On June 11

Writer/director Nick Agiashvili’s A Green Story, a docu-drama on the life of Greek immigrant, entrepreneur and Venus Laboratories, Inc. (Earth Friendly Products) founder Van Vlahakis, will be heading to DVD on June 11 courtesy of Indican Pictures.

Filmmaker Agiashvili has assembled an impressive cast to spin the story of this Crete-born chemist who was at the forefront of the early stages of the so-called “green movement” —environmentally-friendly products — who literally started with next to nothing and built a financial empire out of a simple concept.  

Included in the narrative are Billy Zane, Malcolm McDowell, John Billingsley and Shannon Elizabeth, with Ed O'Ross and George Finn playing Vlahakis as various points in his life.

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

Back To 1942 From Well Go U.S.A. On May 14

On May 14, Well Go U.S.A. will deliver DVD and Blu-ray editions of director Feng Xiaogang’s epic World War II fable of power-held and power-lost, Back to 1942.   

 
The ARR is 165 days and the domestic take for the film’s major metro run was $311,952 (a descent number for a foreign language import).   The Blu-ray and DVD launch by Well Go U.S.A. give audiences that were not near selected cinema showcases a chance to catch this magnificently mounted film presentation (product values that match any Hollywood-produced A-list film).

It’s 1942, the world is at war … the Japanese are on the march and the Americans and English are in full retreat all across Asia.   China is being torn to shreds.

It is here, in this chaos, that we are introduced to Master Fan (Zhang Guoli — The Founding of a Republic, A Sign), a regional war lord in the Henan area.   Despite the Japanese invasion and a disastrous famine, he and his underlings continue to live reasonably comfortable lives.   All of this changes when a band of wartime scavengers attack and burn their village — his son is killed and the rest of his family, along with the survivors, are force to flee.  

On the road, he teams up with a fellow villager (Feng Yuanzheng) and his family, but soon their little band is beset by both the forces of Chiang Kai-shek and those of the advancing Japanese army.  It is literally a hell for them on earth as one by one they succumb to the terrors of the day.

Politics, death, treachery and even the word/wrath of God are all faced by Fan as he struggles first to escape his tormentors and then just to survive starvation.   The horrors of war are seen, ultimately, through the eyes and experiences of a single individual.

Also on the docket from Well Go U.S.A. in May are the May 7 DVD and Blu-ray release of The Assassin’s Blade (in Cantonese with English subtitles) and the May 21 Blu-ray and DVD launch of Nightfall (also in Cantonese with English subtitles).

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

DIO: Finding the Sacred Heart From Eagle Rock Entertainment On May 28

On May 28 look for Eagle Rock Entertainment’s Blu-ray and DVD push for DIO: Finding the Sacred Heart – Live in Philly, 1986.

Recorded live at The Spectrum in Philadelphia in June of 1986 as part of the band’s “Sacred Heart” tour, the band delivered a 16-song set — a mix of standards and new material.  Those owning previous editions (on either VHS or DVD) were short-changed with a heavily edited presentation … Eagle Rock Entertainment has fully restored it to its full concert length (in the way it was originally presented) and has topped it off with a new sound mix. 

Included in the mix are “Heaven And Hell,” “Long Live Rock ‘n’ Roll,” and “Man On The Silver Mountain,” plus what was then new material, “Holy Diver,” “Don’t Talk To Strangers,” “Rock ‘n’ Roll Children,” “Sacred Heart,” “Stand Up And Shout,” “Rainbow In The Dark,” and “We Rock.” 

Bonus goodies on both the Blu-ray and DVD SKUs include: “Sacred Heart Tour” featurette, interviews with Ronnie James Dio and Craig Goldy, the “Rock ‘n’ Roll Children” music video and a Behind The Scenes feature.

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

Mill Creek Entertainment Expands May Release Slate

Mill Creek Entertainment loads up in May with an array of DVD and Blu-ray product offerings … all priced for maximum consumer satisfaction.   

Leading the way is the May 14 double-disc Blu-ray release of JFK: A New World Order, an eight-part hi-def look at president Kennedy some fifty years after his death.   Included in this comprehensive collection is a look at his life prior to the presidency, plus the 1960 election, the Cuban Missile Crisis, Berlin, the growing civil rights movement and Vietnam are examined in detail, plus there is a DVD bonus disc that showcases the Nixon/Kennedy debate, the assassination in Dallas, the funeral and the John Ford documentary titled “Vietnam! Vietnam!”  

On the film front, we begin with a five-SKU double-DVD presentation on May 7, all priced at just $9.98 each and all featuring four films (see page 11 for a complete listing).  Included in these priced-to-own collections are such delights as The Return of the Vampire (Bela Lugosi and Nina Foch, 1944), The Revenge of Frankenstein (Peter Cushing, 1958), Mr. Sardonicus (from director William Castle, 1961) and The Brotherhood of Satan (with Strother Martin and L.Q. Jones, 1971).   That’s right, all four of these classic horror collectibles in one double-disc set for just $9.98.

The following week, May 14, Mill Creek Entertainment turns up the heat with five double-feature Blu-ray film releases … also priced at just $9.98 each.   For example, Meg Ryan stars in director Jane Campion’s 2003 thriller In the Cut, which is teamed with Charlize Theron, Kevin Bacon and Courtney Love in the 2002 crime drama, Trapped.   Hi-def, priced to sell, two mystery/thrillers, with box office stars for just $9.98 … how could any consumer resist that deal?

Not done yet, also on May 14 are Blu-ray and DVD editions of United States Military: A History of Heroes and a Blu-ray edition of National Parks Exploration Series Presents: America National Parks - An Eagle's View.  Plus there are four DVD kidvid selections — Imagination Station (a four-disc set), Playtime and Lullabies (also four-discs), Wild Animal Baby Explorers: Learn and See and Wild Animal Baby Explorers: Let's Explore.

For more information on these May 2013 product selections, please visit Mill Creek Entertainment’s website at http://www.millcreekent.com/, call Toll-Free: 866-410-9000 or email: sales@millcreekent.com.

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

Things To Come Tops The Criterion Collection's June Release Slate

The Criterion Collection, with sales and distribution expertise provided by Image Entertainment, unveiled its June line up of new DVD and Blu-ray product offerings this past week.

Topping the list is a new hi-def restoration of director William Cameron Menzies’ 1936 landmark sci-fi masterpiece, Things to Come.   Blu-ray and DVD editions will be available on June 18.

Bonus features include commentary from film historian and founder of All Day Entertainment, David Kalat, two expert interviews and a vintage 1936 audio recording of selected elements of H.G. Wells’ 1933 novel “The Shape of Things to Come.” 

Also on the release calendar in June from Criterion is a Blu-ray edition of director Ingmar Bergman's 1957 film release of Wild Strawberries (June 11); DVD and Blu-ray SKUs for Czech filmmaker František Vlácil's Marketa Lazarová (June 18) and the same for Harold Lloyd’s 1923 silent comedy gem, Safety Last (June 18).

Lastly, Criterion will be bringing the epic holocaust documentary, director Claude Lanzmann’s Shoah to both DVD (a six-disc set) and Blu-ray (four-discs) on June 25.

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

Wrong DVD and Blu-ray Debut From Image Entertainment On June 11

Writer/director Quentin Dupieux has a thing for one-word film titles.   First there was Streak (in French, 2007, don’t worry — no one saw it) and then came Rubber (festival circuit in 2010; a small theatrical run in 2011 and then out on both DVD and Blu-ray … a love it or hate it film).   

 
If you’ve had a chance to catch Rubber, then his latest film (also one-word), Wrong, does not come as a surprise.  It all makes sense … Rubber and Wrong.  If Rubber is not part of your film lexicon, then Wrong is going to seem like a production from another planet.  

It’s slated to open theatrically on Mar. 29 (a limited major metro run), with Image Entertainment turning it loose on DVD and Blu-ray on June 11.   This raise-awareness theatrical break technically yields an ARR of a swift-to-market 74 days.

We will say right up front that the film succeeds or fails with the performance of Jack Plotnick — he was amazing in Girls Will be Girls back in 2003 and has been working steady ever since (you just may not recognize him) — Wrong gives him a chance to shine once again in a leading role … a very different leading role.   

To be fully prepared for Wrong, there are a few suggestions (humble suggestions).   First, find a copy of Robert Downey’s 1972 non-sequiturial film gem, Greaser’s Palace and zero in on Allan Arbus’ performance as Jessy.   Both his performance — and the film itself — match up really well with Plotnick’s work in Wrong.

Next, think back to Jack Nance’s appearance (physical appearance) in David Lynch’s 1977 film, Eraser Head, and you’ll have pretty good idea of Plotnick’s look and demeanor in Wrong.   Also, it doesn’t hurt that his world as Dolph Springer can be just as weird as the one Henry Spencer wandered through. 

So there they are, the prep-work; the suggestions to be wired into Wrong.   Find a copy of Rubber and take a gander (out on DVD and Blu-ray) and if you haven’t seen both Greaser’s Palace and Eraser Head, you have until June 11^th to get those checked off the viewing list as well.  With that done, Wrong is going to seem like an old friend and Springer’s world (quest) will all make perfect sense ... this will be a magical film journey. 

Otherwise, just jump right in on June 11 when the DVD and Blu-ray editions of Wrong become available and join Dolph Springer as he embarks upon his serendipitous quest to find his missing dog, Paul.   

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

Eagle Rock's Garbage: One Mile High On May 28

Eagle Rock Entertainment has DVD and Blu-ray editions of Garbage: One Mile High … Live ready for release on May 28.   

Filmed live in Denver at the Ogden Theatre this past October, the group reunited (after a seven year hiatus) for a concert tour in support of their self-distributed album, “Not Your Kind of People.”

This 21-song set features five cuts from that album (“Automatic System Habit,” “Big Bright World,” “Blood For Poppies,” etc.), plus a fan-pleasing blend of hits that include “Stupid Girl,” “Only Happy When It Rains,” “Why Do You Love Me,” “I Think I’m Paranoid,” “Push It,” and “#1 Crush.”

Bonus goodies include five featurettes and the official music videos for both “Big Bright World” and “Blood For Poppies.”

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