Full Moon Entertainment Unearths Director Joe D'Amato's Crazy Nights For Release On DVD And Blu-ray On Sept. 07

Full Moon Entertainment, with sales and distribution expertise provided by MVD Entertainment Group, has unearthed the original negative of prolific sexploitation filmmaker Joe D’Amato’s 1979 “documentary,” Crazy Nights, and will be delivering it on both DVD and Blu-ray for the first time on Sept. 7.

To our knowledge this is the first time that D’Amato’s Crazy Nights has been available domestically, with on film, VHS, DVD or Blu-ray.   We have Amanda Lear, whose background as a performer could certainly be the subject of any documentary … throw in Salvador Dali, Bryan Ferry and David Bowie as her “mentors” during this period and that would make quite the story.  

However, she serves here as performance bookends to a series of sexually-charged vignettes that are presented as examples of what is going on at the underground “club scene” during this period.

If the truth be known, D’Amato, who was busy cranking out Emanuelle films at this time (Emanuelle in America, Emanuelle Around the World Emanuelle and the Last Cannibals. etc. … it’s a long list), got access to Amanda Lear and shot an unscripted “documentary” with her singing (“Follow Me” and “Enigma”) and chatting to the camera.   He then mixed that footage with bits and pieces of staged erotica and voilà, a complete movie.

It is reported that when Lear heard about the finished product she filed a law suit … and that’s probably why the film disappeared from view for all of these years.

On Sept. 7, from Full Moon Entertainment, comes the DVD and Blu-ray debut of Crazy Nights (presented as an English-dubbed version) from a new hi-def scan of the original negative.   Come for the songs from Amanda Lear … stay for the show!!

 

 

 

 

Fun City Editions Tabs July 27 For The Blu-ray Release Of Driector Frank Perry' Rancho Deluxe

Fun City Editions has carved out July 27 for the Blu-ray debut of director Frank Perry’s 1975 neo-Western, Rancho Deluxe, starring Jeff Bridges and Sam Waterston.

This is a new 2K restoration from the film’s 35mm interpositive.

Jack (Bridges) and Cecil (Waterston) are modern-day slacker cowboys who pass their time stealing cattle from John Brown’s (Clifton James) B Bar Lazy T Ranch and having sexual encounters with the Fargo sisters, played by Patti D'Arbanville and Maggie Wellman.   It’s a good life, but Brown and his wife, Cora (Elizabeth Ashley) have had enough and take action to bring these good old boys to justice.

When Brown discovers that the two ranch hands, Burt (Richard Bright) and Curt (Harry Dean Stanton) can’t be trusted, he ups the stakes by bringing in a professional, Henry Beige (Slim Pickens) to put an end to the rustling … and an end to those responsible.

Bonus goodies include an unspecified commentary option and video sessions with Jeff Bridges and screenwriter Tom McGuane (Tom Horn, The Missouri Breaks).

 

 

 

New DVD • Blu-ray • 4K Ultra HD Activity For The Period Ending June 25, 2021

 

New DVD Additions

 

101 Films

06/22/21 — Released Diana at Sixty

 

Bridgestone Multimedia (MOD)

06/22/21 — Released Encounter with the Messiah and John Laurens' War

 

CMI Education/PESI Publishing

06/22/21 — Released 2-Day Diabetes Certificate Conference (4 disc set), Adults with High-Functioning Autism and Comorbid Mental Disorders: Motivational Interviewing Tools and Techniques to Enhance the Treatment of Anxiety and Depression (2 disc set), Behavioral Activation for Trauma: Clinical Applications to Reduce Avoidance Behaviors and Re-Engage Your Clients with the World (2 disc set) and Emotional Support Animals: Ethical, Legal and Practical Issues to Consider Before Proving an ESA Letter

 

Cinedigm Entertainment (MOD)

06/22/21 — Released Steps

 

Cleopatra Entertainment

09/07/21 — Set Escape from Area 51

 

EWTN

06/22/21 — Released @ Home with Jim & Joy: Jim and Joy Pinto Answer Viewer Calls, Questions, And E-Mails Live From the Pinto House, @ Home with Jim & Joy: Stephanie Gray Connors responding with compassion and truth in the presence of profound suffering, and the fallacies of assisted suicide, Called to Communion, EWTN Live: Fr. Fabryl Kornel and Peter Heltai the International Eucharistic Congress in Budapest, Hungary in September 2021, Journey Home: Dan Teller - Convert from Judaism, Women of Grace: Fr. Joseph Wolfe - Teaching Moments with Mother Angelica, Women of Grace: Susan Brinkmann - New Age Questions and Answers and  World Over with Raymond Navarro

 

Elvis DVD Collector/ Movie Store (MOD)

06/22/21 — Released Doctor Desire, Expectations and Indecent Exposure

 

Giant Interactive (MOD)

06/22/21 — Released Baby Einstein Classics: Seasons 3 & 4

 

Gravitas Ventures (MOD)

06/22/21 — Released Blue Magic: How Viagra Changed the World, Clairevoyant, Miracle Fishing: Kidnapped Abroad, Sweet River and White Demise

 

Hope of the World (MOD)

06/15/21 — Released Anchored and God by God

06/22/21 — Released Abba and Above All Things: The Brightest

 

I-Cine

06/22/21 — Released Nghich Thien Ky An (12 disc set)

 

Image Entertainment

06/22/21 — Released Balthazar Series 3 (2 disc set)

 

Just for the Hell of It (MOD)

06/22/21 — Released Deadly Game, Deadly Illusion and Middle Age Crazy

 

Kino Lorber

06/22/21 — Released Bill Traylor: Chasing Ghosts, Lullabies with Love and War Tapes

 

Level 33 Entertainment (MOD)

06/22/21 — Released Broken Mirrors and Coming from Insanity

 

Lionsgate Home Entertainment

06/22/21 — Released Siberia

 

Movie Buffs Forever (MOD)

06/22/21 — Released Shadow Conspiracy (ARR of 8,908 days; box office: $2,154,540)

 

PBS Direct

06/22/21 — Released Halifax: Retribution (2 disc set), Human: The World Within (2 disc set) and Nature: The Leopard Legacy

 

Rarefilmsandmore.com (MOD)

06/22/21 — Released Clive of India, Gladiators of Rome (Italian), Once Upon a Time (silent-1922) and Speedy (silent-1927)

 

Samuel Goldwyn Films

06/22/21 — Released Man Who Sold His Skin (Arabic) and Tunnel (Norwegian)

 

Scorpion Releasing

06/22/21 — Released For Those Who Think Young

 

Severin Films, LLC

06/22/21 — Released Invaders of the Lost Gold, Strike Commando and Strike Commando 2

08/24/21 — Sets Overboard

 

Shout! Factory

06/22/21 — Released Double Feature (2 film set: What the Heart Wants, Before My Very Eyes)

 

Showtime Networks, Inc. (MOD)

06/22/21 — Released L Word Mississippi: Hate Sin

 

Strand Releasing

06/22/21 — Released Adam (Arabic)

 

TLA Releasing

06/22/21 — Released Bare

 

The High School Sports Network (MOD)

06/225/21 — Released 2021 CHSAA 3A Girls Soccer Semifinals #1, 2021 CHSAA 3A Girls Soccer Semifinals #2, 2021 CHSAA 4A Boys Lacrosse Championship, 2021 CHSAA 4A Boys Lacrosse Semifinals #1, 2021 CHSAA 4A Boys Lacrosse Semifinals #2, 2021 CHSAA 4A Girls Lacrosse Championship, 2021 CHSAA 4A Girls Lacrosse Semifinals #1, 2021 CHSAA 4A Girls Lacrosse Semifinals #2, 2021 CHSAA 4A Girls Soccer Semifinals #1, 2021 CHSAA 4A Girls Soccer Semifinals #2, 2021 CHSAA 5A Boys Lacrosse Championship, 2021 CHSAA 5A Boys Lacrosse Semifinals #1, 2021 CHSAA 5A Boys Lacrosse Semifinals #2, 2021 CHSAA 5A Girls Lacrosse Championship, 2021 CHSAA 5A Girls Lacrosse Semifinals #1, 2021 CHSAA 5A Girls Lacrosse Semifinals #2, 2021 CHSAA 5A Girls Soccer Semifinals #2, 2021 CIF Central Coast Section Div. I Baseball Final, 2021 CIF Central Coast Section Div. III Baseball Final, 2021 CIF Central Coast Section Track And Field, 2021 CIF San Diego Section Div. I Baseball Final, 2021 CIF San Diego Section Div. II Baseball Final, 2021 CIF San Diego Section Div. II Softball Final, 2021 CIF San Diego Section Div. III Baseball Final, 2021 CIF San Diego Section Div. III Softball Final, 2021 CIF San Diego Section Div. IV Baseball Final, 2021 CIF San Diego Section Div. IV Softball Final, 2021 CIF San Diego Section Div. V Baseball Final, 2021 CIF San Diego Section Open Div. Baseball Final, 2021 CIF San Diego Section Open Div. Softball Final, 2021 CIF-SDS Div. I Boys Water Polo Final, 2021 CIF-SDS Div. I Girls Water Polo Final, 2021 CIF-SDS Div. II Boys Water Polo Final, 2021 CIF-SDS Div. II Girls Water Polo Final, 2021 CIF-SDS Div. III Boys Water Polo Final, 2021 CIF-SDS Div. III Girls Water Polo Final, 2021 CIF-SDS Open Division Boys Water Polo Final, 2021 CIF-SDS Open Division Girls Water Polo Final, 2021 IHSA 1A Girls Soccer 3rd Place Game, 2021 IHSA 1A Girls Soccer Championship, 2021 IHSA 2A Girls Soccer 3rd Place Game, 2021 IHSA 2A Girls Soccer Championship, 2021 IHSA 3A Girls Soccer 3rd Place Game, 2021 IHSA 3A Girls Soccer Championship, 2021 IHSA 4A Baseball 3rd Place Game, 2021 IHSA 4A Baseball Championship, 2021 IHSA 4A Baseball Semifinals #1, 2021 IHSA 4A Baseball Semifinals #1, 2021 IHSA 4A Baseball Semifinals #2, 2021 IHSA Boys Lacrosse 3rd Place Game, 2021 IHSA Boys Lacrosse Championship, 2021 IHSA Boys Volleyball 3rd Place Game, 2021 IHSA Boys Volleyball Championship, 2021 IHSA Boys Volleyball Semifinals #2, 2021 MHSAA Div 1 Baseball Championship, 2021 MHSAA Div 1 Girls Soccer Championship, 2021 MHSAA Div 1 Softball Championship, 2021 MHSAA Div 2 Baseball Championship, 2021 MHSAA Div 2 Softball Championship, 2021 MHSAA Div 3 Baseball Championship, 2021 MHSAA Div 3 Softball Championship, 2021 MHSAA Div 4 Baseball Championship, 2021 MHSAA Div 4 Girls Soccer Championship, 2021 MHSAA Div 4 Softball Championship, 2021 MPSSAA 2A Boys Lacrosse Championship, 2021 MPSSAA 2A Girls Lacrosse Championship, 2021 MPSSAA 4A Boys Lacrosse Championship, 2021 MPSSAA 4A Girls Lacrosse Championship, 2021 WIAA Div 2 Girls Soccer Semifinals #1 and 2021 WIAA Div 2 Girls Soccer Semifinals #2

 

The Teaching Company, LLC

06/22/21 — Released Brain-Based Guide to Communicating Better, Crimes of the Century: A Selective History of Infamy (2 disc set), Great Tours: A Guided Tour of Ancient Egypt (4 disc set) and Mathematics of Everyday Life (2 disc set)

 

Unearthed Films

06/22/21 — Released Hanger

 

Universal Pictures Home Ent.

06/22/21 — Released American Pie 9-Movie Collection (9 film set: American Pie, American Pie 2, American Wedding, American Pie Presents: Band Camp, American Pie Presents: The Naked Mile, American Pie Presents: Beta House, American Pie Presents: The Book of Love. American Pie Presents: Girls' Rules) (5 disc set), Smokey and the Bandit: 7-Movie Outlaw Collection (7 film set: Smokey and the Bandit, Smokey and the Bandit II, Smokey and the Bandit, Part 3, Bandit: Bandit Goes Country, Bandit: Bandit Bandit, Bandit: Beauty and the Bandit, Bandit: Bandit's Silver Angel) (4 disc set) and Tremors: 7-Movie Collection (7 film set: Tremors, Tremors 2: Aftershocks, Tremors 3: Back To Perfection, Tremors 4: The Legend Begins, Tremors 5: Bloodlines, Tremors: A Cold Day in Hell, Tremors: Shrieker Island) (5 disc set)

 

Vermont Movie Store (MOD)

06/22/21 — Released Bengal Brigade, Bodyline (3 disc set) and Kansas Raiders

 

Vertical Entertainment

06/22/21 — Released Death in Texas

 

Warner Bros. Home Ent.

09/07/21 — Sets Zack Snyder's Justice League (2 disc set)

 

Well Go U.S.A.

06/22/21 — Released Paper Tigers (Mandarin)

 

Wild Eye Releasing

06/22/21 — Released Blood Harvest, Conjuring Curse, Grim Woods and House of Pain

07/06/21 — Sets Ashcroft Entity, Broadcast Dead and Hawaiian Ghost Stories

07/06/21 — Sets Going for Golden Eye, Jack Vs Lanterns and Reunion Massacre

 

Xenon Pictures

06/22/21 — Released About Face: Jewish Refugees in the Allied Forces

 

Zeus Video (MOD)

06/22/21 — Released Bad Man of Brimstone, Bank Shot, Bob Mathias Story, Cheap Detective, Christmas Party,  Cobweb, Confession (French), Court Jester, Easiest Way, FM, Gas-Oil (aka: Hi-Jack Highway), Gay Falcon, Gøngehøvdingen (Danish), Good Earth, Good News, Goodbye Again, Green Years, Hardcore, Hula (silent-1927), Jezebel, Kid Brother (silent-1927), Kiss of the Vampire, Kisses for My President, Lady With a Past, Legend of the Holy Drinker (Italian), Light in the Piazza, Love with the Proper Stranger, Maverick, Mister Roberts, Pete 'n Tillie, Ramrod, Red Stallion, Show Boat and Sleeping Beauty

 

 

 

New Blu-ray Additions

 

CDWA Records (MOD)

06/22/21 — Released Earthless: Live in the Mojave Desert

 

Cleopatra Entertainment

08/27/21 — Sets Escape from Area 51

 

Code Red Entertainment

06/22/21 — Released Strangeness

 

Collector’s Heaven (MOD)

06/22/21 — Released Dark Shadows: The Complete Series (15 disc set)

 

FUNimation

06/22/21 — Released No Guns Life: Season Two (2 disc set) (with Digital Copy) and Smile Down the Runway: The Complete Season (2 disc set) (with Digital Copy)

 

Gravitas Ventures (MOD)

06/22/21 — Released Blue Magic: How Viagra Changed the World, Clairevoyant, Miracle Fishing: Kidnapped Abroad, Sweet River and White Demise

 

J&R Adventures

06/15/21 — Released Joe Bonamassa: Now Serving Royal Tea - Live from the Ryman

 

Kino Lorber

06/22/21 — Released Career Opportunities, CB4, Half Baked and Reason I Jump

 

Lionsgate Home Entertainment

06/22/21 — Released Siberia (with Digital Copy)

 

PCN Productions

06/15/21 — Released 2021 PIAA 1A Baseball Championship, 2021 PIAA 1A Softball Championship, 2021 PIAA 2A Baseball Championship, 2021 PIAA 2A Softball Championship, 2021 PIAA 3A Baseball Championship, 2021 PIAA 3A Softball Championship, 2021 PIAA 4A Baseball Championship, 2021 PIAA 4A Softball Championship, 2021 PIAA 5A Baseball Championship, 2021 PIAA 5A Softball Championship, 2021 PIAA 6A Baseball Championship and 2021 PIAA 6A Softball Championship

 

Paramount Home Entertainment

07/27/21 — Sets 54: The Director's Cut (with Digital Copy), Boy in the Striped Pajamas (with Digital Copy), Clerks (with Digital Copy), Great Raid (with Digital Copy), Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (with Digital Copy), My Left Foot (with Digital Copy) and Venom (with Digital Copy)

 

SRS Cinema

06/22/21 — Released War of the God Monsters (Korean)

 

Scorpion Releasing

06/22/21 — Released For Those Who Think Young

 

Severin Films, LLC

06/22/21 — Released Invaders of the Lost Gold, Strike Commando and Strike Commando 2

08/24/21 — Sets Overboard

 

Shout! Factory

06/22/21 — Released Human Nature and Hunter Hunter

 

Smart Mark Video (MOD)

06/15/21 — Released IWA East Coast: Masters of Pain, 2021 - Charleston, WV

 

Sony Pictures Home Ent.

06/22/21 — Released Unholy (Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack) (with Digital Copy)

 

Unearthed Films

06/22/21 — Released Hanger and Hanger: Collector's Edition (2 disc set)

 

Universal Pictures Home Ent.

06/22/21 — Released Umbrella Academy: Season One (3 disc set)

 

Vinegar Syndrome

07/27/21 — Sets Alien from L.A. and Surf II (2 disc set)

 

Warner Bros. Home Ent.

09/07/21 — Sets Zack Snyder's Justice League (2 disc set) (with Digital Copy)

 

Warner Bros. Home Ent. (MOD)

07/13/21 — Sets Objective Burma

07/20/21 — Sets I Wouldn't be in Your Shoes, Step by Step and Take Me Out to the Ball Game

 

Well Go U.S.A.

06/22/21 — Released Paper Tigers (Mandarin)

 

 

 

 New 4K Ultra HD Additions

 

 

Paramount Home Entertainment

09/14/21 — Sets Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters (4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo Pack) (with Digital Copy)

 

Warner Bros. Home Ent.

09/07/21 — Sets Zack Snyder's Justice League (2 4K Ultra HD/2 Blu-ray Combo Pack)

 

 

 

 

 

           

 

 

Writer/Director Tommy Wirkola's Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters Gets A 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo Pack Push From Paramount Home Entertainment On Sept. 14

Paramount Home Entertainment announced this past week that a new 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo Pack edition of writer/director Tommy Wirkola’s 2013 updating of the classic Brothers Grimm fairytale, Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters, will be heading home on Sept. 14.

This was one of those weird and wonderful surprises.  The film wrapped up production in June of 2011 and then went into the post-production phase, which would normally yield a theatrical release date either during the Thanksgiving/Christmas holiday period of that year, or perhaps in the spring of 2012. 

Paramount subsequently announced in the trades that this Jeremy Renner and Gemma Arterton (Quantum of Solace, Clash of the Titans, etc.) fantasy/horror tale — with Hansel and Gretel now as adult witch-hunters for hire — would open theatrically in March of 2012.   It didn’t happen, which is usually not a good sign.

There was apparently a decision made to further delay the film’s release so that Renner’s other big-budget flicks, director Joss Whedon’s The Avengers (May of 2012) and writer/director Tony Gilroy’s The Bourne Legacy (August of 2012) could build up momentum for Wirkola’s film.

The strategy worked like a charm as Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters generated worldwide box office receipts five times its production costs.  

It is unclear at press time if the companion Blu-ray disc contains the Unrated cut version of the film, however bonus features are likely to include the previously release featurettes titled “Reinventing Hansel & Gretel,” “The Witching Hour” and “Meet Edward the Troll.”

In other release news from Paramount Home Entertainment this past week, seven additional films from the Miramax library have been added to the July 27 Blu-ray release calendar (all include Digital Copy).   These are: My Left Foot, 54: The Director’s Cut, Clerks, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, Venom and The Great Raid: Unrated Director’s Cut.