Icarus Films To Release Documentary FIlmmaker Denis Sneguirev’s Marius Petipa: The French Master Of Russian Ballet On DVD On May 12

Born in France, he had to learn Spanish and Russian to advance his career.   He was a mid-level professional dancer with a talent for seducing women … and being challenged to duels as a result of his romantic proclivities.   In 1847, at just 29 years of age, he found himself in Russia and everything changed.

On May 12, Icarus Films will be releasing on DVD documentary filmmaker Denis Sneguirev’s Marius Petipa: The French Master of Russian Ballet, a fascinating look at the life of this dancer-turned-choreographer.

110 years after his death, Petipa is regarded as the father of classical ballet.  In 1847 he left Paris with a one-year contact with the St. Petersburg Imperial Theatre … he died in St. Petersburg in 1910, an acclaimed master.   During this period he collaborated with none other than Pyotr Tchaikovsky on the productions of such classics as “The Sleeping Beauty” and “The Nutcracker,” plus an 1895 revival Tchaikovsky’s “Swan Lake.”

Marius Petipa: The French Master of Russian Ballet is presented in a combination of French, Russian, Italian and English, with English subtitles where appropriate.

Arrow Video's 4K Film Restoration Of Writer/Director Lucky McKee's The Woman Will Be Available On Blu-ray On May 19

Arrow Video, with domestic sales and distribution expertise provided by MVD Entertainment Group, has a new 4K restoration of writer/director Lucky McKee’s 2011 total creep-out horror flick, The Woman, ready for a Blu-ray push on May 19.

This film made its debut at the Sundance Film Festival in January of 2011 and the buzz was immediate.  Twisted, dark and unrelenting.   

The Woman was then marched out like an arthouse film by working the film festival circuit — genre venues like Texas Frightmare Weekend, Fantasia Film Festival, Boston Underground Film Festival and more. 

A limited theatrical release followed in October and by January of 2012 it was available on DVD as a “Bloody Disgusting Selects” release.  Now out of print.

Which is worse, a woman (played by Pollyanna McIntosh — as Anne in The Walking Dead television series), who is a known member of a group of cannibals (living wild in the woods) or some nut job by the name of Chris Cleek (Sean Bridges — Room, Sweet Home Alabama) who has captured her and has locked her up in a cage in his basement … and in the process has exposed his entire family to mortal danger.

What could possibly go wrong with having a wild woman cannibal in your home?   Doesn’t that question sort of answer itself … plenty, that’s what can go wrong.   The Woman is not for everyone (the squeamish, the faint of heart …) but genre fans are certainly going to flock to this new Blu-ray release from Arrow Video on May 19.

Bonus goodies include not one, but three new commentary options.   One with director Lucky McKee (May, Blood Money, Kindred Spirits) and crew members, Zack Passero (film editor), Andrew Smetek (sound designer) and Sean Spillane (composer); a second with the film’s star, Pollyanna McIntosh and a third featuring film critic Scott Weinberg (eFilmCritic).

There is also a new feature-length behind-the-scenes documentary from Mike McKee titled Dad on the Wall.   Other bonus features include deleted scenes, the vintage featurette titled “Malam Domesticam,” a new video session with actor Lauren Ashley Carter titled “Being Peggy Cleek,” a featurette titled “Meet the Makers” and a short film by film editor Zach Passero titled “Mi Burro.”

Bayview Entertainment Tabs May 12 For The DVD Debut Of Writer/Director Wayne Slaten's Futuristic Dropa

Bayview Entertainment has tagged May 12 as the DVD debut date for writer/director Wayne Slaten’s futuristic thriller, Dropa.

The Cold War, it seems, took a radically different direction is this dystopian tale as the Soviet Union successfully attacked the United States and enslaved what remained.   But there was a weird hitch to the nuclear onslaught, alien beings from antiquity were “hatched,” which were called Dropa and immediately put to work as laborers … this went on for 30 something years, until these creatures unleashed a killer plague upon mankind.

It took five years for the leaders of the “Western Territory” (the old United States) to eradicate the remaining Dropa.   A special unit of killers called The Legion was formed and for all appearances it seems that they were successful in their mission … indeed, five years have passed and things have returned to normal.   “Normal” as things can be in a post-nuclear world run by totalitarians.

It turns out that one of the Dropa has survived (played by Jason Douglas — as Tobin in The Walking Dead series) and is now taking revenge on former members of The Legion.   It falls to Harrison (David Matranga), a retired Legion commander, to track down this alien and be rid of his kind once and for all.

Dropa plays out in one those alternate sci-fi realities.  It blends a noirish mystery thriller in a “future” society (much akin to Blade Runner) that seems every bit as depressing as the thought of alien invaders and viral plagues.

Vinegar Syndrome Sets Apr. 28 Film Restoration Slate

Vinegar Syndrome announced its latest slate of film restorations this past week.   The street date for these new Blu-ray product offerings will be Apr. 28.

Leading the charge is a new 2K film restoration (from the 35mm interpositive) of director Maria Lease’s 1991 horror, with humor, gem, Dolly Dearest … first time on Blu-ray (being released as a Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack). 

Starring Denise Crosby and Sam Bottoms, we first pick up the action when Elliot Wade (Sam Bottoms) takes ownership of the Dolly Dearest Toy Factory in Mexico, which is conveniently located next to an ancient Mayan archaeological site.  

Sure enough, the site is defiled and the demon Sanzia is unleashed and takes up residence in one of the factory’s dolls (think: Chucky … a bit of trivia, the stunt man for the original Child’s Play, Ed Gale, who was also Howard the Duck, is costumed as the Dolly Dearest doll in the live-action scenes).   

Elliot and his wife, Marilyn (Denise Cosby), along with their children move into a house nearby, visit the factory (which is closed) and little Jessica (Candace Hutson — perhaps best known as Molly in the Evening Shade TV series) asks if she can have one of the dolls to take with her … eeny, meeny, miny, moe, you guessed it, she picks the Sanzia-possessed Dolly Dearest doll.

People die, Jessica becomes possessed and archaeologist Karl Resnick (played by Rip Torn) fills us in on the backstory of the evil Sanzia.   More people die, an army of Dolly Dearest dolls arise and things for the Wade family look bleak!! 

If filmmaker Maria Lease hadn’t injected some pretty funny moments into Dolly Dearest, the film would have been just another Child’s Play rip-off, and that’s why this horror tale is so much fun … and why it works.

Bonus features include a pair of featurettes — “Playing with Dolls” and “Dressing the Part.”

Also on the Apr. 28 film restoration release calendar from Vinegar Syndrome are a new 2K restoration (from the 35mm interpositive) of director V.V. Dachin Hsu’s 1990 good-guy vampire tale, Pale Blood (Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack), starring George Charkiris, Wings Hauser and Pamela Ludwig; a 2K restoration of director Mario Azzopardi’s 1980 (maybe 1979) unhinged writer tale, Deadline (Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack), teaming Stephen Young with Sharon Masters, and the three-film collection titled Forgotten Gialli: Volume One (Blu-ray only … included are: Trauma, Killer is One of 13 and The Police are Blundering in the Dark).

The Criterion Collection Announces Its June Of 2020 DVD And Blu-ray Release Calendar

The Criterion Collection announced its June of 2020 DVD and Blu-ray release calendar this past week.   Topping the list is a new 4K film restoration of director Edward Sedgwick’s 1928 silent comedy classic, The Cameraman, starring Buster Keaton.

The hilarious hijinks of the world’s worst newsreel cameraman, Buster Luke Shannon (Buster Keaton in his last silent film), arrives on both DVD and Blu-ray from Criterion on June 16.

The release of The Cameraman is actually a double feature presentation from Criterion.   His following film, also directed by Edward Sedgwick, Spite Marriage, was Keaton’s first “talking picture.”   This is a new 2K restoration.

As to bonus features, both The Cameraman and Spite Marriage come with commentary — the former featuring a vintage 2004 commentary from author Glenn Mitchell (“A-Z of Silent Film Comedy: An Illustrated Companion”) and the later features a vintage commentary from film historians John Bengtson and Jeffrey Vance.

Other bonus goodies include a new documentary by Daniel Raim titled Time Travelers, a 2004 documentary titled So Funny It Hurt: Buster Keaton & MGM and a new video session with author James L. Neibaur (“The Fall of Buster Keaton: His Films for MGM, Educational Pictures and Columbia”).

Also making its way to both DVD and Blu-ray on June 23 is writer/director Céline Sciamma’s Portrait of a Lady on Fire.

This new theatrical release arrives with an ARR of 200 days.  Domestic box office receipts for this Golden Globe Best Foreign Language Picture nominee and César Awards nominee for Best Picture are an impressive $3.8 million.

Bonus features for this French-language import include a newly-prepared video session with filmmaker Céline Sciamma (Tomboy) and film critic Dana Stevens, a 2019 Cannes Film Festival interview with cinematographer Claire Mathon (César Awards winner for Best Cinematography) and a 2019 video session with artist Hélène Delmaire on the paintings used in the film.

Rounding out the June release calendar from Criterion are … An Unmarried Woman (June 9 … directed by Paul Mazursky; nominated for Best Picture and Best Actress for Jill Clayburgh), The Tokyo Olympiad (June 2) and director Elem Klimov’s Come and See (June 30).

Writer/Director Stella Meghie's The Photograph On DVD And Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack From Universal Pictures Home Entertainment On May 12

Universal Pictures Home Entertainment will be moving writer/director Stella Meghie’s romantic drama, The Photograph, from theatrical venues to the home entertainment packaged media marketplace on May 12.

The ARR works out to 88 days and domestic box office revenues topped out at $20.6 million.

Co-starring Issa Rae (Little, The Hate U Give) and Lakeith Stanfield (Selma, Straight Outta Compton, Get Out, etc.), The Photograph will be available as both DVD and Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack selections.

As to bonus features, there are a trio of featurettes — “Shooting The Photograph,” “Culture in Film” and “The Film Through Photographs.”

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Picks Apr. 21 For The Home Entertainment Packaged Media Rollout Of Bad Boys For Life

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has selected Apr. 21 as the street date for a three-SKU helping of the directing team of Adil (aka: Adil El Arbi) and Bilall’s (aka: Bilall Fallah) blockbuster action comedy, Bad Boys for Life, starring Will Smith and Martin Lawrence.

The ARR works out to 95 days and domestic box office receipts were a delightful $204.3 million.

Planned for release are Combo Pack editions for both the Blu-ray (with DVD) and 4K Ultra HD (with Blu-ray) formats, plus a stand-alone DVD edition

Bonus features common to all SKUs include extended scenes, alternate scenes, outtakes and a blooper reel.

The Combo Pack editions includes a trio of production featurettes — “Ride or Die: Making Bad Boys for Life,” “Partners in Crime: Behind-the-Scenes” and “It’s About Time” — plus there might be additional bonus features as the street date approaches.