Icarus Films Prepares The DVD Release Of Director Marc Allégret’s Landmark Presentation Of Lady Chatterley's Lover For Delivery On May 10

Back in February of last year, Icarus Films, working with Les Films du Panthéon, brought to the DVD marketplace a restored presentation of French filmmaker Marc Allégret’s 1927 travel documentary/adventure titled Travels in the Congo.  A fascinating work, a cinematic document … a moment in time.

When you read of Allégret and his rich history of filmmaking, Travels in the Congo simply whets your appetite for more of his film works.   Icarus Films has answered that craving with news this past week that director Marc Allégret’s 1955 film adaptation of D. H. Lawrence’s 1928 novel, Lady Chatterley’s Lover, will be arriving on DVD on May 10.

This was the first film adaptation of Lawrence’s controversial novel — its contents (in complete form) were banned from being published in the United States in 1929 — and Allégret’s film production became the subject of a Supreme Court case when the court ruled in June of 1959 that attempts to ban his film from being exhibited in New York City were a violation of First Amendment rights. 

Other film versions have since followed, but this one was the first, the landmark film adaptation of D. H. Lawrence’s Lady Chatterley’s Lover.

Famed French actress Danielle Darrieux, who lived to be the ripe old age of 100, plays the role of Constance Reid (aka: Lady Chatterley), with Erno Crisa (who made a career of appearing in “sword and sandal” films in the 1960s) playing the part of Constance’s lover, game keeper Oliver Mellors.   Rounding out the cast is Leo Genn as Sir Clifford Chatterley.

This landmark presentation of Lady Chatterley’s Lover is presented in French with English subtitles.

 

 

 

 

MVD Entertainment Group's "Rewind Collection" Blu-ray Debut Of Writer/Director Don Murphy's Monday Morning Arrives On June 21

There’s a new addition to MVD Entertainment Group’s popular “Rewind Collection” Blu-ray line of products heading home on June 21.   This would be none other than the Blu-ray debut of writer/director Don Murphy’s 1990 direct-to-VHS releases of Class of Fear.

What?  A one-shot director with a direct to video release through Monarch Home Video back in 1992 somehow gets the coveted “Rewind Collection” status?

The answer is that there is a method to the madness of MVD with this lost gem being plucked from the dust bin of VHS history and being resurrected for a Blu-ray.   You have to understand who Don Murphy is to connect the promotional dots on this one.

Don Murphy is a very bright guy, who, way back in the 1986 was on the fast track to becoming a high-powered corporate-type attorney.   The education, the grades and connections — Georgetown University, a degree in business, his father ran an ad agency and he was on his way to law school … when he suddenly decided to run away to the circus!  He shifted his grad-studies to USC and its film school.

His classmates were the likes of Bryan Singer (The Usual Suspects, X-Men, Bohemian Rhapsody, etc.) and Jon Turteltaub (While You Were Sleeping, National Treasure, The Meg).   Either while still attending, or shortly thereafter, he produced, directed and wrote Monday Morning, which was finished sometime in 1990, and retitled by Monarch Home Video to Class of Fear when it arrived on VHS two years later.   It would be the only film that he would direct.

Sometime in the early 1990s he optioned a screenplay titled Natural Born Killers from a writer by the name of Quentin Tarantino.   Whoa, what, Quentin Tarantino?   Yes, that Quentin Tarantino!

Murphy then parlayed that option into a producer’s credit on director Oliver Stone’s film production of Natural Born Killers.   He followed that by teaming up with former classmate, Bryan Singer, to produce Apt Pupil in 1998.   A few additional film productions later Murphy hit the motherlode with Transformers … and then Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen … and Transformers: Dark of the Moon … and on … and on.  

You get the picture, from film school to Hollywood power broker.   But he had to start somewhere and that was with Monday Morning, which is exactly why MVD has given this film “Rewind Collection” status.

Monday Morning stars Noah Blake (Teen Witch, Trapper County War … as Brett in the Harry and the Hendersons sitcom) as Bobby, a high school kid who finds himself holding his biology class hostage with a gun.   A gun that has been used to kill a teacher!   Sounds like a pretty crappy day at school for Bobby.

How did this come to be?  Rewind back to his arrival at Oceana High School.   He’s an outsider, his family moves around quite a bit, but he meets a beautiful young woman by the name of Noreen, played by former Gold Metal Olympic Gymnast Julianne McNamara (Saturday the 14th Strikes Back) and they hit it off. 

Things are looking up, until Noreen’s brother, James (Brandon Hooper) gets a whiff of Bobby, who clearly does not measure up to his standards.  His big plan is to bring a gun to school and intimidate this “loser” … things of course go south, dead teacher and Bobby looking guilty as hell!

So, does Bobby walk out of that classroom alive?   June 21 and the “Rewind Collection” debut of Monday Morning on Blu-ray (also available on DVD) from MVD Entertainment Group to find out that answer!!

 

 

Bayview Entertainment Has Director Kieron Hawkes' Piggy And Filmmaker Benedict Mart's Blood Lust Lined For DVD Delivery On May 31

Bayview Entertainment has tales of horror lined up for the DVD marketplace on May 31, so let’s get to it …

First up is the Brit-import from writer/director Kieron Hawkes, his 2014 debut film, Piggy (he has since shifted his directorial skills to series work, including the likes of The Mimic, Fortitude, Ripper Street and Intergalactic).

This is part horror tale, part character study and part revenge thriller.   We meet Joe, just Joe (Martin Compston — Strippers vs Werewolves, Doomsday … as DI Steve Arnott in the Line of Duty television series), an office worker in London, who is socially awkward; reclusive to the point of almost being dysfunctional.  A regular little milquetoast who gets through the night with a shot of whiskey, and another … and another.  Up and at it the next day and no better prepared for it.

That’s your character study set up.   One evening his brother, John (Neil Maskell), is beaten to death by five local thugs and grief, the horror of it, makes him snap, but what can he do, he’s absolutely terrified of the world around him.

And that’s when his childhood buddy, who we come to know as simply Piggy (Paul Anderson — The Revenant, In the Heart of the Sea, The Firm) comes knocking at his door one night with an offer to help Joe set things right.   Stomp this one to death, bludgeon that one, let the blood flow, all with the help and guidance of his friend Piggy.   Joe will have his pound of flesh (and more) and revenge his brother’s murder!!

We leave it to you, on May 31, to sort out if it is Joe or Piggy who is actually on the murder spree.

Also heading home on DVD on May 31 from Bayview Entertainment is director Benedict Mart’s Blood Lust, starring Matt Silver (Fear of Water, The Runner) as Dan, a writer specializing in food and restaurant reviews, who has a traumatic experience when his wife is murdered and he is left for dead.

Ah, so you are thinking revenge thriller, right?   Wrong, the attack has put his job in jeopardy as he has suddenly developed a dislike of meat products, which makes him kind of a one-note food critic … the carrots were yummy, the salad well-turned, and the potatoes were done to perfection.

But this affliction is the least of his worries as he has sought solace after his wife’s death with an online relationship with the mysterious Callie (Rikke Leigh — Toast of London).   She lives on a remote island in southwest England (Cornwall region) where she runs a bed-and-breakfast with her sisters Lydia (Eloise Juryeff — That Good Night) and Tess (Helen Rule — Alchemy, After Melanie).   During one of these online sessions, the romantic mood is broken when a scream is heard in the background and the session is abruptly cut-off.   A text message soon follows … HELP!

Off to the southwest of England goes our food critic Dan to rescue the fair maiden Callie, but is everything there as it seems?   Once there, he meets her sisters and then Callie herself, it is love at first sight … but soon he is sending out distress calls to his friend Ryan (played by C. Thomas Howell) … RESCUE ME!!

Blood Lust is a lyrical horror tale that draws from Greek mythology to spin its tale of “romance” and murder.

 

 

 

 

Arrow Video Preps 4K Ultra HD Edition Of Director Tony Scott's True Romance For Release On June 28

Arrow Video, with domestic sales and distribution expertise provided by MVD Entertainment Group, has a new 4K Ultra HD edition of director Tony Scott’s 1993 pulp fiction thriller, True Romance, lined up for delivery on June 28.

This is a new 4K film restoration of both the original theatrical release cut and the “Director’s Cut” of the film — when initially submitted to the MPAA for a rating’s classification, the film received the dreaded NC-17 rating, which was a no-no for Warner Bros. at the time, so roughly three-minutes were cut to get True Romance the more acceptable R-rating.

Quentin Tarantino supplied the script, which puts the film, chronologically-speaking, between Reservoir Dogs (January of 1992 Sundance premiere) and Pulp Fiction (May of 1994 Cannes Film Festival debut).   Seen together, it becomes very clear that by September of 1993 this Tarantino chap would be a force of nature … a pure auteur.   Given his status as a filmmaker now, it is unlikely that any cuts would have been made to the original edit … but that was then, this is now.

When you talk about “all-star” casting, True Romance has among its cast members the likes of Christian Slater and Patricia Arquette, who get top-billing.  There are also, James Gandolfini (only his third film … as a mobster who has a knock-down, blood-spattering fight with Arquette), Dennis Hopper (as Slater’s father), Gary Oldman, Val Kilmer, Brad Pitt, Christopher Walken, Samuel L. Jackson, Tom Sizemore, Chris Penn, Bronson Pinchot and Saul Rubinek.

That said, this 4K Ultra HD edition from Arrow Video comes loaded with extras, including four separate commentary options.   There is one with director Tony Scott (Top Gun, Beverly Hills Cop II, Crimson Tide, etc.), a second featuring Tarantino, a third with film critic Tim Lucas and finally, Clarence and Alabama (Christian Slater and Patricia Arquette) provide their own insights with the fourth commentary option.

There is also a newly-prepared scene-specific commentary option featuring Elliot and Lee (actors Bronson Pinchot and Saul Rubinek), plus there are newly-minted video sessions with costume designer Susan Becker, editor Michael Tronick, composers Mark Mancina and John Van Tongeren and author Larry Taylor (“Tony Scott: A Filmmaker on Fire”).

A massive still gallery, deleted scenes (with optional commentary) and an alternate ending (with optional commentary) are also counted among the bonus features.

There will also be a Blu-ray edition from Arrow Video on June 28 with all of the same bonus materials.

 

 

 

 

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Brings Channing Tatum's Dog To Market On May 10

MGM will be teaming up with Warner Bros. Home Entertainment on May 10 for the home entertainment packaged media launch of writer/director Reid Carolin’s feel-good tale, Dog, starring and co-directed by Channing Tatum, who is teamed with scene-stealer Lulu.

The ARR comes in at 81 days and domestic box office receipts were a solid $57.9 million.

Planned for release are a Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack and a stand-alone DVD edition.   These are both movie-only releases.

 

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Tabs May 10 For The Home Entertainment Packages Media Launch Of Director Ruben Fleischer's Uncharted

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment announced this past week that director Ruben Fleischer’s treasure-hunt blockbuster, Uncharted, starring Mark Wahlberg, Tom Holland and Antonio Banderas, will be heading home on May 10 as a three-SKU selection.

The ARR works out to 81 days and domestic box office revenues were a toasty $133.6 million.

Planned for distribution to the home entertainment packaged media marketplace are Combo Pack editions for both the 4K Ultra HD (with Blu-ray) and Blu-ray (with DVD) formats, plus a stand-alone DVD product-offering.

Bonus features, which are exclusive to the 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray SKUs, include commentary from director Ruben Fleischer (Venom, Zombieland), deleted and extended scenes and a half-dozen featurettes — “Becoming Nathan Drake,” “Big Action Breakdown: C-17 Globemaster,” “Charting the Course: On Set with Ruben Fleischer,” “Never a Dull Moment: Stunts & Action,” “The Buddy System” and “Villains, Backstabbers & Accomplices.”

The DVD edition includes the featurette titled “The Buddy System.”

 

 

Director Tony Scott's Beverly Hills Cop 2 Celebrates Its 35th Anniversary On May 17 With A New 4K Ultra HD Edition From Paramount Home Entertainment

Paramount Home Entertainment will be celebrating the 35^th Anniversary of director Tony Scott’s Beverly Hills Copy II, starring Eddie Murphy as Axel Foley, on May 17 with the release of a 4K Ultra HD edition.

This appears to be a movie-only release.

In other home entertainment packaged media release news from Paramount this past week, mark June 14 on your calendar for the DVD arrival of Billions: Season Six.   All 12 episodes are presented on the four-disc SKU.