Indican Pictures Tabs Nov. 6 For The DVD Debut Of Writer/Director Jordan Horowitz’s Painless

Writer/director Jordan Horowitz’s Painless could continue to work genre-themed film festivals until the crack of doom, but indie filmmakers in competition against him are clapping with glee that his film will be making its way to the home entertainment marketplace on Nov. 6.

Painless is entered in competition at, oh let’s say, Cinequest San Jose Film Festival and it wins.  Or the Filmfestival Kitzbuehel and it wins the coveted “Audience Award” … we could on, it is an impressive list.   

But, Indican Pictures let it be known this past week that genre fans who didn’t  have the luxury of visiting a film festival playing near them — or the limited post-Labor Day theatrical run — will have the opportunity to enjoy Painless on DVD during the first week of November.   For the record, the ARR is 46 days.

Painless is part sci-fi, part mystery and part heartfelt dramatic tale.   It is the story of Henry Long (Joey Klein — The Vow, On the Road, The Other Half, etc.), a brilliant research scientist who now lives a closed-off, near solitary life because he suffers from the rare condition of congenital analgesia, which is a fancy way of saying that he can’t feel pain.

We get a little bit of a backstory that shows how he grew up without ever experiencing pain.   He now must take precautions against burning, scalding himself — is the coffee too hot … what about the soup?    He bundles up against the cold, not knowing if the extra layer is even necessary.

Without the condition, Henry would have a solid career and perhaps even relationship, both emotion and sexual in nature.   But without the sensation of pain, these joys have eluded him, instead he spends his days working on a cure and funds his research by manufacturing drugs for a low-life named Eddie (Tommie Sox).

Henry can be a pest too.   Dr. Raymond Parks (Kip Gilman), a fellow research scientist, is plagued by Henry’s demands for this and that … his opinions are often ignored as he cautions to take it slow, but Henry has other ideas.

Into this hellish world come two people — both of which will alter the life-trajectory that Henry seems destined to be on … alone and “painless.”   The first is a chance meeting with Shani (Evalena Marie — Serena and the Ratts, Splitting Image), who has an exotic, but kind-hearted look about her.   Perhaps she has empathy for Henry.

The other is a fellow researcher, Dr. Andrews (Pascal Yen-Pfister - Nobody's Watching, Sully), who would like to help Henry, for reasons that become clear as the narrative progresses.

Filmmaker Jordan Horowitz’s Painless doesn’t fit into one category or another and that is precisely what it has enjoyed such praise in the limited venues in which it has played thus far.   Nov. 6, on DVD, that universe expands exponentially! 

Arrow Video Tabs Dec. 11 For A 4K Scan Of Director Kevin Reynolds’ Waterworld

Arrow Video, with domestic sales and distribution expertise provided by MVD Entertainment Group, has a new 4K scan (from the original negative) of director Kevin Reynolds’ 1995 futuristic thriller, Waterworld … and Waterworld … and Waterworld planned for Blu-ray release on Dec. 11.   

Kevin Costner is certainly going to be waterlogged with so many Waterworld presentations, but that’s exactly what Arrow Video has planned — three different cuts of the film!

There will be the original theatrical cut, the extended television cut (clocking in at an extra 40 minutes) and the extended European “Ulysses” cut, which includes censored shots and dialogue (171 minutes).  

But wait, there’s more!!!   Arrow Video has also included in this double-disc collection the newly-prepared feature-length making of documentary titled Maelstrom: The Odyssey of Waterworld.   Also counted among the bonus nuggets are a vintage making-of featurette and the featurette titled “Global Warnings,” hosted by film critic Glenn Kenny.  

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Preps Director Jon Turteltaub’s The Meg For A Home Entertainment Launch On Nov. 13

Warner Bros. had one of the most effective theatrical trailers among the summer crop of films.  This was the previews for director Jon Turteltaub’s The Meg … it really sold the film as a “must-see” summer event! 

It begins with little Meiying (Shuya Sophia Cai) playing on the enclosed deck of an immense underwater research facility when suddenly a monstrous shape appears out of the darkness and attempts to swallow her whole … only the reinforced glass stops the beast!    In the aftermath, however, bite marks of an ominous size remain.  

The trailer continues with some additional teases and in the process reveals that the creature is thought to be a Megalodon — a giant — no, make that ENORMOUS — shark that went extinct some $2.5 million years ago!

This pre-launch campaign proved to be very effective as The Meg rolled to a tasty $142 million at the box office.

Word arrived this past week that Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has tabbed Nov. 13 as the street date for a four-SKU helping of this chomp, chomp, chomp adventure feast.   The ARR is 95 days.

Among the home entertainment product options are a stand-alone DVD presentation, a Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack, a double-disc Blu-ray set featuring 3D and 2D viewing options and a 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo Pack selection.

As to the film itself, in a thrilling underwater opening sequence we are introduced to Jonas Taylor (Jason Statham), a deep dive rescue specialist, who fails in his attempt to rescue men aboard a submarine.   He claims — and no one believes him — that some giant (unknown) creature attacked the sub and caused it to eventually implode.

  

Disgraced, Taylor is forgotten … except it is now five years later and his services have suddenly become needed at the “Mana One,” the aforementioned underwater research facility.   It seems that there is a deep-dive vesicle — with three people aboard, including Taylor’s ex-wife, Lori (Jessica McNamee) — that has become stranded near the famed Marianas Trench … the circumstances are eerily similar to what Taylor described five years earlier.

Talk about a small world, ex-wife (how convenient), stranded submersible and an unknown creature lurking in the depths.   The Meg, with that sort of a set up, could have easily gone off of the rails, but filmmaker Jon Turteltaub (who gave us the two National Treasure films) holds it together and keeps the action following at a zippity-zip pace (that way you don’t have to ask too many questions). 

 

The film works … and audiences loved it!

As to bonus treasures, there are just two featurettes included with the home entertainment launch — “Chomp on This: The Making of The Meg” and “Creating The Beast.”

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Selects Nov. 13 For The Release Of DVD And Blu-ray Editions Of Director Albert Hughes’s Alpha

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment’s caveman and wolf saga, director Albert Hughes’s Alpha, will be making its way to the home entertainment marketplace on Nov. 13 as both DVD and Blu-ray product offerings.

Despite a slow start during its mid-August theatrical run, Alpha, fairly strong word of mouth propelled the film to an impressive $35.5 million in domestic box office receipts.   The ARR works out to 88 days.

Bonus goodies common to both the DVD and Blu-ray SKUs consist of two production featurettes — “The Wolf Behind Alpha” and “Boy & Wolf.”

Exclusive to the Blu-ray presentation are a “Director’s Cut” of the film (no information on the additional running time associated with the “Director’s Cut” was provided by Sony Pictures), both an alternative opening and ending (with commentary by Hughes), deleted scenes (also with commentary by Hughes) and two additional featurettes — “Building the World” and “A Hero’s Journey.”

For the period ending September 28, 2018 ... New DVD and Blu-ray selections added to the DVD & Blu-ray Release Report's database

DVD New Additions:

A&E Networks

09/25/18 — Released Ancient Aliens: Season 11, Volume 1 (2 disc set)

Acid Bath Productions (MOD)

09/25/18 — Released Bite School, Killer Waves and Litch

Acorn Media

09/25/18 — Released East West 101: Series 3 (3 disc set), Midsomer Murders: Series 20 (3 disc set) and Sando: Series 1

Arizona Public Media (MOD)

09/25/18 — Released Desert Speaks: Navigating a Desert Island and Desert Speaks: Sea of Cortez - Then and Now

Barlates Body Blitz (MOD)

09/25/18 — Released Barlates Body Blitz Endurance 80 Series

Bayview Entertainment

09/25/18 — Released Leslie Sansone: Walk Your Way Thin: Belly, Buns & Thighs Slimdown, Powerstrike: Forza Samurai Sword Workout and Powerstrike: Forza Samurai Sword Workout 2

Central Home Entertainment

09/25/18 — Released Neerali (Malayalam)

Cinedigm Entertainment

09/25/18 — Released Zhuzhus: Season One (2 disc set)

Cinema Guild

10/23/18 — Sets Claire's Camera (ARR of 228 days; box office: $83,418)

ClassicFlix

09/25/18 — Released Blondie: The Complete 1957 Television Series (4 disc set)

Corinth Films

09/25/18 — Released Chronicles of Melanie (Latvian) and Shepherd (Spanish)

DAR-APP Entertainment (MOD)

09/25/18 — Released Crazy Family, Episode 4, Crazy Family, Episode 5, Dead Family, Episode 1, Dead Family, Episode 2, Dead Family, Episode 3, Dead Family, Episode 4, Dead Family, Episode 5, Helina and Maty the Cat, Episode 2, Truth in the Mirror, Episode 2 and Virus of Helina

Dark Rose Films

09/25/18 — Released Ghost in Corsets

DreamScape Media, LLC

09/25/18 — Released How to Catch a Turkey, Middle Distance, Travel With Kids: Belfast, Travel With Kids: Orlando and Wandering Off

Ear Music

09/25/18 — Released Lynyrd Skynyrd: Live In Atlantic City (DVD/CD Combo Pack)

Eastern Star

09/25/18 — Released Angel Cop: The Complete OVA Series, Devilman: The Complete 1987-1990 OVA Series and Monkey Magic: The Complete TV Series (2 disc set)

Film Movement

09/25/18 — Released Scarlet Diva (Italian)

11/13/18 — Sets Third Murder (Japanese) (ARR of 116 days; box office: $83,350)

FilmRise (MOD)

10/02/18 — Sets Breath (ARR of 123 days; box office: $34,057)

First Run Features

10/02/18 — Sets Strangers on the Earth (ARR of 151 days; box office: $9,518)

Fox Hollow Features, LLC

09/25/18 — Released Grief

Freestyle Digital Media (MOD)

09/25/18 — Released After Louie, Being Black Enough, Beyond the Brink, Demon House, Good Dream and Green Standard

Full Moon - Wizard

09/25/18 — Released Girl Talk Confidential and Ravenwolf Towers

Gravitas Ventures (MOD)

09/25/18 — Released 14 Cameras, American In Texas, Gabe, Ken Foster and White Rabbit

Greenwich Entertainment

09/25/18 — Released The Mountain (ARR of 137 days; box office: $364,429)

HBO Home Entertainment

09/25/18 — Released C.B. Strike: The Series (2 disc set)

Hallmark Channel (MOD)

09/25/18 — Released Love on a Limb

Icarus Films

11/20/18 — Sets Time Regained (French)

Indican Pictures

10/30/18 — Sets Man From Outer Space

Indie Rights, Inc. (MOD)

09/25/18 — Released Desperate Endeavors

KHG InterServ (MOD)

09/25/18 — Released Chaos In Practice and Theory: The Short Films of Allin KHG

Kino Lorber

09/25/18 — Released Farmer's Daughter, Good Times, Great Scout and Cathouse Thursday, Regina (Hungarian), Trapeze and Trip To Bountiful

10/30/18 — Sets Custody (French) (ARR of 123 days; box office: $81,786)

11/06/18 — Sets What Will People Say (Norwegian) (ARR of 116 days; box office: $37,193)

levelFILM (MOD)

09/25/18 — Released Prodigals

Lionsgate Home Entertainment

09/25/18 — Released Gotti (ARR of 102 days; box office: $4,341,754), Hot Summer Nights, Occupation and Row

MVD Entertainment Group

09/25/18 — Released Records Collecting Dust II

12/11/18 — Sets Raven

Martial Arts History Museum (MOD)

09/25/18 — Released Chair Tai Chi for Seniors and Tai Chi for Seniors

Mental Brain Media (MOD)

09/25/18 — Released Bosko Classic Cartoon Collection, Volume 1, Wackiest Cartoons of All Time!, Volume 1: Animation from the 1930s and Wackiest Cartoons of All Time!, Volume 2: Animation from the 1940s

Music Box Films

11/27/18 — Sets Captain (German) (ARR of 123 days; box office: $105,109)

Naxos

09/25/18 — Released Alexander Ekman & Mikael Karlsson: Play, Handel: Xerses (2 disc set), Puccini: La Boheme - Royal Opera House, Shakespeare: Twelfth Night, Talbot: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Verdi: Giovanna D'Arco

PBS Direct

09/25/18 — Released Amazing Human Body, Basquiat: Rage To Riches and Mayo Clinic

PCN Productions (MOD)

09/25/18 — Released PA Books: The Western Delaware Indian Nation and PCN Tours: American Keg

PDSD, Inc. – Shami Media

09/25/18 — Released Flower From Heaven 2: Perilous Journey, Holiday, Pathways: Sean's Lament, Save Me From Love, Train Set and Transition

Random Media (MOD)

09/25/18 — Released Retribution

Rarefilmsandmore.com (MOD)

09/25/18 — Released Der Letzte Zeuge (German) and Dersu Uzala (Russian)

Reel Nightmare Entertainment (MOD)

09/25/18 — Released Mr. Cleaver

Samuel Goldwyn Films

10/09/18 — Sets Nancy (ARR of 123 days; box office: $80,115)

Serpent Films (MOD)

09/25/18 — Released 2 Classic Western Movies (2 film set: Boothill Brigade, My Outlaw Brother), 2 Classic Western Movies (2 film set: The Mysterious Rider, The Night Rider), 2 Classic Western Movies (2 film set: The Proud and the Damned, The Tonto Kid), 2 Classic Western Movies (2 film set: Rim of the Canyon, Rock River Renegades), 2 Classic Western Movies (2 film set: Round Up Time in Texas, Southward Ho!) and 2 Classic Western Movies (2 film set: Stampede, The Bushwackers)

Severin Films, LLC

09/25/18 — Released Absurd (Italian) and Anthropophagous (Italian)

Shout! Factory

09/25/18 — Released All Styles, Izzy Gets The F*ck Across Town (ARR of 95 days; box office: $20,208), Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Lost and Found Collection (6 disc set), Police Story: Season 3 (6 disc set) and Super Sentai: Choujin Sentai Jetman - The Complete Series (8 disc set)

Skyline Entertainment

09/25/18 — Released Toybox

Smart Mark Video (MOD)

09/25/18 — Released AAW: Defining Moment - Chicago, IL, AAW: Destination Chicago - Chicago, IL and IWA Mid-South: Ted Petty Invitational 2018, Night 2

Sony Pictures Home Ent.

09/25/18 — Released Fraggle Rock: The Complete Animated Series (2 disc set) and Seagull (ARR of 137 days; box office: $1,252,960)

10/16/18 — Sets Boundaries (ARR of 116 days; box office: $702,230)

Strand Releasing

10/16/18 — Sets Gabriel and the Mountain (Portuguese) (ARR of 123 days; box office: $17,012)

11/06/18 — Sets Cakemaker (Hebrew/German) (ARR of 130 days; box office: $836,678)

TLA Releasing

09/25/18 — Released Malila: The Farewell Flower (Thai)

Tambuli Media (MOD)

09/25/18 — Released Hanka Kung Fu: Bamboo Ring

The Orchard (MOD)

09/25/18 — Released Song of Sway Lake

20^th Century-Fox Home Ent.

09/25/18 — Released 9-1-1: Season 1 (3 disc set) and Gifted: Season One (3 disc set)

10/30/18 — Sets Darkest Minds (ARR of 88 days; box office: $12,684,052)

Universal Pictures Home Ent.

10/16/18 — Sets Unfriended: Dark Web (ARR of 88 days; box office: $8,768,455)

11/06/18 — Sets Papillon (ARR of 74 days; box office: $2,294,630)

12/04/18 — Sets Pope Francis: A Man of His Word (ARR of 200 days; box office: $1,959,910)

Viva Pictures, LLC

10/02/18 — Sets Monster Family (ARR of 235 days; box office: $127,259)

Walt Disney Studios Home Ent.

09/25/18 — Released Freaky Friday

Well Go U.S.A.

10/30/18 — Sets Believer (Korean) (ARR of 144 days; box office: $365,639)

Wild Eye Releasing

09/25/18 — Released Sleepless Nights and Weed Wolf

Blu-ray New Additions:

Acorn Media

09/25/18 — Released Midsomer Murders: Series 20 (3 disc set)

AnimEigo

09/25/18 — Released Bubblegum Crisis

Cinema Guild

10/23/18 — Sets Claire's Camera

Cinetrove International

11/13/18 — Sets Futures Vedettes (Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack) (French)

Ear Music

09/25/18 — Released Lynyrd Skynyrd: Live In Atlantic City

Eastern Star

09/25/18 — Released Marmalade Boy: Complete TV Series Collection (2 disc set), Reborn: Seasons 1 - 4 (2 disc set), Stellvia: Complete Series (4 disc set) and Tetsujin 28: The Complete 2004 TV Series (4 disc set)

Film Movement

09/25/18 — Released Scarlet Diva (Italian)

11/13/18 — Sets Third Murder (Japanese)

FilmRise (MOD)

10/02/18 — Sets Breath

Flicker Alley

09/25/18 — Released Man Who Cheated Himself (Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack)

FUNimation

09/25/18 — Released Brave Witches: The Complete Series (2 Blu-ray/2 DVD Combo Pack) (with Ultra Violet Digital Copy), Gintama: Series 3, Part 2 (4 Blu-ray/4 DVD Combo Pack), High School DxD: B or N (2 disc set) (with UltraViolet Digital Copy), Shimoneta (2 disc set) (with UltraViolet Digital Copy), Tokyo Ghoul: Season Two (2 disc set) (with UltraViolet Digital Copy) and WorldEnd: What Do You Do At The End Of The World? Are You Busy? Will You Save Us? (2 Blu-ray/2 DVD Combo Pack) (with Ultra Violet Digital Copy)

Gravitas Ventures (MOD)

09/25/18 — Released 14 Cameras, American In Texas, Gabe, Ken Foster and White Rabbit

Greenwich Entertainment

09/25/18 — Released The Mountain

Icarus Films

11/20/18 — Sets Time Regained (French)

Kino Lorber

09/25/18 — Released Farmer's Daughter, Good Times, Great Scout and Cathouse Thursday, Joaquim Pedro de Andrade: The Complete Films (6 film set: Garrincha: Hero of the Jungle, The Priest and the Girl, Macunaima, The Conspirators, Conjugal Warfare, The Brazilwood Man; plus 8 short films: The Poet of the Castle, The Master of Apipucos, Cat Skin, Improvised and Purposeful, Brasilia: Contradictions of a New City, The Language of Persuasion, Tropical Lane, The Little Cripple) (Portuguese) (3 disc set), Trapeze and Trip To Bountiful

10/30/18 — Sets Custody (French)

Lionsgate Home Entertainment

09/25/18 — Released Gotti (with UItraViolet Digital Copy), Occupation (with UItraViolet Digital Copy) and Row (with UItraViolet Digital Copy)

Music Box Films

11/27/18 — Sets Captain (German)

Naxos

09/25/18 — Released Alexander Ekman & Mikael Karlsson: Play, Handel: Xerses, Leonard Bernstein: Berlioz - Symphonie Fantastique, Puccini: La Boheme - Royal Opera House, Talbot: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Verdi: Giovanna D'Arco

Outhere Music – Alpha Classics

09/25/18 — Released Giovanni Pagliardi: Caligula

PBS Direct

09/25/18 — Released Mayo Clinic

PCN Productions (MOD)

09/25/18 — Released PA Books: The Western Delaware Indian Nation and PCN Tours: American Keg

Sentai FilmWorks

09/25/18 — Released Princess Principal: Complete Collection (2 disc set) and Scum's Wish: Complete Collection (2 disc set)

Severin Films, LLC

09/25/18 — Released Absurd (Italian) and Anthropophagous (Italian)

Shout! Factory

09/25/18 — Released The Bride, Exorcist II: The Heretic - Collector's Edition (2 disc set), Izzy Gets The F*ck Across Town and Quigley Down Under

Smart Mark Video (MOD)

09/25/18 — Released AAW: Defining Moment - Chicago, IL, AAW: Destination Chicago - Chicago, IL and IWA Mid-South: Ted Petty Invitational 2018, Night 2

Sony Pictures Home Ent.

09/25/18 — Released Fraggle Rock: The Complete Series - 35th Anniversary Edition (12 disc set), Principal and Welcome to the Dollhouse

10/02/18 — Sets Maximum Impact

Sony Pictures Home Ent. (MOD)

10/02/18 — Sets Battle in Outer Space

Strand Releasing

11/06/18 — Sets Cakemaker (Hebrew/German)

Warner Bros. Home Ent.

09/25/18 — Released DC Legends of Tomorrow: The Complete Third Season (3 disc set)

Warner Bros. Home Ent. (MOD)

09/25/18 — Released Cyclops and Swarm

10/16/18 — Sets Dracula A.D. 1972

Well Go U.S.A.

10/30/18 — Sets Believer (Korean)