Bayview Entertainment Celebrates The 50th Anniversary Of Director Bruce Brown's On Any Sunday With Newly Enchanced DVD Release On Mar. 22

Bayview Entertainment announced that Bruce Brown’s Oscar-nominated documentary, On Any Sunday, will be getting a 50^th Anniversary special edition DVD release (with a new digitally-enhanced soundtrack supervised by Emmy Award-winner Chris Drozdowski) on Mar. 22.

Bruce Brown was the surf god; the surf dude of film … he would go out and film surfers, turn the material into a feature-length film, add in music and then find as many beach venues that he could and rent theatres (four-wall is what it was called) to exhibit his films. 

In 1965, he hit the motherlode with the release of The Endless Summer, which was picked for national theatrical distribution by Cinema V Distributing (an indie that quickly developed a reputation for cutting-edge films … Putney Swope, Gimme Shelter, The Hellstrom Chronicle, etc.) and became a huge hit.  It put surf dude, Bruce Brown, on the map.

He remembered the iconic scene of Steve McQueen jumping barbed wire fences on a motorcycle in the 1963 film release of The Great Escape, and, as they say, one thing led to another and Bruce Brown ends up tracking down McQueen, asks him about doing a film and the next thing you know he is making a motorcycle documentary with Steve McQueen.

But it gets better, McQueen’s own company, Solar Productions, bankrolls the film and, of course, Cinema V Distributing was all over it — after the success of The Endless Summer — and handles the distribution.   McQueen, motorcycles, and Bruce Brown, it proved to be a winning combination, On Any Sunday was an indie smash hit … and was nominated for the Oscar for Best Documentary, ironically losing out to Cinema V Distributing’s release of The Hellstrom Chronicle.

In other release news this past week from Bayview Entertainment, Mar. 22 will also be street date for the latest entry in the company’s popular “HNN Presents” line of horror films from around the globe.

The directing team of Tilke Hill and David R. Williams, working with actor/writer Aaron Krygier, have come up with a pure 70s/80s splatter throwback in the form of HNN Presents: Rust Belt Driller.

Renn Maxwell (Aaron Krygier) has it all, a following as an artist, a trophy bride, Carol (Jillian Geurts) and a manager, Abel (Stephen Jakiel), who keeps the art sales humming for Renn.   Renn, you see, has a style, a following and his art is, well, creepy.  Unique.

As with any “gifted” artist, Renn is perhaps not always dealing with reality … and as things progress that “reality” goes off the deep end, but sales of this very dark “art” are booming.   You see, Renn is nuts, he gets his “inspiration” from the various murders he commits … and things are starting to get a little too close to home!!

HNN Presents: Rust Belt Driller is a marvelous splatter throwback … indeed, grab your copy of director Abel Ferrara’s The Driller Killer (as any good genre fan certainly has in their film library), pop the popcorn and settle in for a deep red double feature come Mar. 22.

 

 

 

Writer/Director Frank Martinez's Dreaming Hollywood Arrives On Blu-ray And DVD From Cleoplatra Entertainment On Mar. 22

Cleopatra Entertainment, with sales and distribution support provided by MVD Entertainment Group, announced this past week that their September of 2021 domestic distribution acquisition, the film festival delight, writer/director Frank Martinez’s Dreaming Hollywood, will be heading home on Mar. 22 as both DVD and Blu-ray editions.

In the always sunny world of Hollywood, there are thieves, and then there are filmmakers.   They are often one and the same.   This is what would-be screenwriter Raymond Balfi (Turk Matthews) is about to learn … and he won’t be happy.

By any standard, Ray Balfi is a loser, but he has the Hollywood dream of writing a hit screenplay that will earn him millions and allow him to break free of his low-life grifter ways.   He is the new Walter Mitty, a bespectacled nebbish, who has written a script for a major animated production and that will be his ticket out of the rundown tenement he calls home … no longer paying for ladies of the night for dates, the beautiful women of Hollywood will certainly come flocking to him.

But before we go further down the rabbit hole of Ray Balfi and his soon-to-be-Pixar animation smash, we should look back at how Frank Martinez and his producer/actor partner, Turk Matthews, got the inspiration for this indie gem and how it got made.

As Martinez tells it, he was standing in line at a copy store and overheard a conversation between two other customers.   Basically, they were musing as to what assurances did they have that one of the employees wouldn’t make a copy for themselves of what they had turned in … that’s all it took for Martinez to spring into action.

The script came together and then Matthews (who stars as Ray) and Martinez began filming.   Not as you might imagine in a traditional way, but when they had money, they would see who was available and what scenes could be blocked and shot.   A few scenes at a time.

What materialized is nothing short of genius.   The film played at a couple of festivals, was noticed by Cleopatra Entertainment and snapped up for distribution.   Dreaming Hollywood is virtually unseen, but don’t let that stop you from seeking it out come Mar. 22.

The backbone of the plot is about Ray Balfi and his moment of inspiration.   He is an ex-con, living in squalor, surrounded by drug dealers, hookers and lowlifes … it’s just a matter of time before he is back in trouble with the law. 

But Ray has a dream, and he turns that into a script which is titled “The Dog’s Meow,” an animated film that will be his ticket out.   It is, by any standard, a horrible script and his 100 (exactly 100) copies that he sends out to studios and producers are all rejected.

He’s also secretly in love with a prostitute named Maureen (Madelyn Allen), who he plans to rescue from drug dealer and pimp, Rudy (Eliot, aka: Mark Eliot).   Maureen is completely oblivious to Ray’s plan, he’s just a customer; one of many.

Rejection after rejection … after rejection.   And then our boy Ray discovers that someone has stolen his idea.   He snaps.   He will find out who, he will have his revenge and he will rescue Maureen from Rudy … it will be the perfect Hollywood happy ending.   He just needs to kill the right person!!

For a movie that was put together on weekends over months, this has a slick look to it that belies its budget.   From the script, to the acting, to the technical elements of cinematography (Adam Brant and Alexander Zingaro), the editing by the filmmaker himself and the music soundtrack (Zocotroco), Dreaming Hollywood is certainly one of the best indie productions to surface in recent memory.   

 

 

 

 

Arrow Video Announces 4K Ultra HD Edition Of Director John Landis' An American Werewolf In London For Release On Mar. 15

Arrow Video, with domestic sales and distribution support provided by MVD Entertainment Group, has a new 4K Ultra HD edition of writer/director John Landis’ summer of 1981 iconic creature feature, An American Werewolf in London, set for genre-fans to savor once again — in all of its 4K glory (or is that gory?) — on Mar. 15.

The 4K film restoration is from the original camera negative.

This was the first film that Landis wrote, but being a nobody in 1969 he couldn’t get it produced, it had to wait.   His first film turned out to be a masterwork; genius and let the world of cinema know that a new auteur had arrived.   Of course, that was his 1973 debut film, Schlock, starring Eliza Garrett (aka: Eliza Roberts) as Blind Mindy and the Schlockthropus (aka: John Landis), with special makeup by another newcomer, Rick Baker, who has been nominated 13 times for Oscars, winning six times … How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Men in Black, The Nutty Professor, Ed Wood, Harry and the Hendersons and An American Werewolf in London.

Which brings us full circle to An American Werewolf in London.  Landis hit it big with Animal House and The Blues Brothers, so suddenly he was able to put into production this film, and turned to Rick Baker, the genius who created the iconic Schlockthropus monster to create the Oscar-winning creature that would be the centerpiece of An American Werewolf in London.

The story goes that Baker needed months to fashion the creature and the transformation process that Landis had envisioned, so that meant that the key cast members, backpacking buddies, David Kessler (David Naughton — Hot Dog … The Movie, Steel and Lace) and Jack Goodman (Griffin Dunne — After Hours, Dallas Buyers Club, Straight Talk), had to be locked-in long before the actual filming commenced in order for Baker to design everything around them. 

That’s not the normal way it usually goes, but it turned out to be genius … the onscreen transformation from human to werewolf was groundbreaking.   

Two unknowns in leading roles, so the film needed at least one familiar name in the credits, so Jenny Agutter came onboard as Nurse Alex Price, and, as they say, the rest was history … An American Werewolf in London was a smash. 

Arrow Video has loaded this 4K Ultra HD edition up with a ton of bonus goodies, including two commentary options, one featuring actors David Naughton and Griffin Dunne, while second is with filmmaker Paul Davis.

Documentary filmmaker Daniel Griffith’s feature-length film, Mark of The Beast: The Legacy of the Universal Werewolf, is include here as a bonus, plus video sessions with both Landis and Baker, outtakes, a massive still library and eight featurettes — “An American Filmmaker in London,” “I Think He’s a Jew: The Werewolf’s Secret,” “The Werewolf’s Call,” “Wares of the Wolf,” “Beware the Moon,” “An American Werewolf in Bob’s Basement,” “Causing a Disturbance: Piccadilly Revisited” and “Making An American Werewolf in London.”

 

 

 

Paramount Home Entertainment Tabs Mar. 22 As The Release Date For 50th Anniversary 4K Ultra HD Collection Of The Godfather Trilogy

Hard to believe, but one of the greatest films of the 20^th Century, auteur filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola’s Best Picture-winner in 1972, The Godfather, celebrates its 50^th Anniversary this year.

To mark this milestone, Paramount Home Entertainment has selected Mar. 22 for the 4K Ultra HD debut of this iconic classic.   But wait, the party continues as Paramount has gone the extra mile and made this a collection that also includes the 4K Ultra HD debut of The Godfather, Part II and the recently re-edited presentation of The Godfather, Part III, which is included here as a 4K Ultra HD edition as well and titled The Godfather, Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone.

Bonus nuggets include an introduction to The Godfather by Coppola, the featurettes titled “Full Circle: Preserving The Godfather” and “Capturing the Corleones: Through the Lens of Photographer Steve Schapiro,” plus before-and-after restoration comparisons.

In addition, vintage material from previous DVD and Blu-ray versions are also included with this magnificent 50^th Anniversary collection.

 

Universal Pictures Home Entertainment Picks Feb. 22 As The Street Date For Director Ridley Scott's House Of Gucci

Universal Pictures Home Entertainment will be teaming up with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer on Feb. 22 for the home entertainment packaged media launch of director Ridley Scott’s film adaptation of the Sara Gay Forden’s 2001 tell-all book, House of Gucci.

The ARR from theatrical debut to home entertainment rollout is 88 days and domestic box office receipts currently stand at $50.1 million.

This tale of intercine warfare in the famous Italian fashion giant, Gucci, stars Lady Gaga as the devious (and ultimately murderous) Patrizia, Al Pacino as the patriarch, Aldo Gucci, plus Jerry Irons, Jared Leto and Adam Driver as other members of the family.  

Planned for distribution are a stand-alone DVD edition, plus a Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack buying option.

Bonus features are a trio of featurettes — “The Rise of the House of Gucci,” “The Lady of the House” and “Styling House of Gucci.”

 

 

Undercrank Productions' Latest Marion Davies Silent Film Classic – Zander The Great — Will Be Available On Feb. 1 As Both DVD And Blu-ray Selections

Undercrank Productions announced this past week that their fifth silent film restoration starring the legendary Marion Davies will be heading home on Feb. 1 as both DVD and Blu-ray editions.  

The latest is director George W. Hill’s 1925 film release of Zander the Great, teaming Marion Davies with Harrison Ford (not that Harrison Ford) in a Western adventure.  This new 2K film restoration is from the surviving 35mm nitrate print, with Undercrank’s Ben Model delivering a newly composed organ score.  

The other four Marion Davies films remastered and released by Undercrank Productions are: Little Old New York, When Knighthood was in Flower, The Bride’s Play and Beauty’s Worth.

 

 

New DVD • Blu-ray • 4K Ultra HD Activity For The Period Ending January 07, 2022

 

New DVD Additions

 

Asian Cult Cinema (MOD)

12/07/21 — Released Bitter Honey (Japanese), Frankenstein's Kung-Fu Monster (aka: Super Riders '75) (Taiwanese) and Iron Blood Guard: Alien Invasion (Cantonese)

 

Buck Cody (MOD)

12/14/21 — Released Spy Smasher (12 chapter serial)

12/21/21 — Released Masked Marvel (12-chapter serial)

01/04/22 — Released Alias John Preston and Spider

 

CMI Education/PESI Publishing

01/11/22 — Sets Motivational Interviewing: Evidence-Based Interventions to Improve Client Engagement and Accelerate Behavioral Change (2 disc set) and Transgender & Gender Non-Binary: Advanced Practice Gender-Affirming Interventions to Help Clients Live an Authentic Life (2 disc set)

 

Code Red Entertainment

01/04/22 — Released Naked Ape

 

Decal Releasing, LLC

01/04/22 — Released Stop and Go

 

Decal Releasing, LLC (MOD)

01/04/22 — Released Together (ARR of 130 days; box office: $213,425)

 

Elvis DVD Collector & Movie Store (MOD)

01/04/22 — Sets Diary of a High School Bride, Egypt by Three, Flame of Love, Going Steady, I Sell Anything, Massacre, Phantom Speaks and Silent Call

 

Exploration Films

01/04/22 — Released Divided Hearts of America

 

Hallmark Entertainment

01/04/22 — Released Her Pen Pal, If I Only had Christmas, Nashville Christmas Carol, Sand Dollar Cove, Time for Us to Come Home for Christmas and USS Christmas

 

I-Cine

01/04/22 — Released Bo Doi Cong Ly (10 disc set) and Quy Coc Tu (17 disc set)

 

ITN Distribution

01/04/22 — Released Amityville Scarecrow, My Bloody Birthday and Spider in the Attic

 

Image Entertainment

01/04/22 — Released Djinn (ARR of 235 days; box office: $124,644) and Superdeep (Russian)

 

Kino Lorber

01/04/22 — Released Rich and Strange and Shake Hands with the Devil

 

Liberation Hall

05/10/22 — Sets RoboCop: The Series (5 disc set)

 

Lionsgate Home Entertainment

01/04/22 — Released Zeros and Ones

 

Lost Maples Productions (MOD)

01/04/22 — Released His Stretch of Texas Ground

 

Nathan Hall (MOD)

01/04/22 — Released I, Portrait and Model Behavior

 

Onesmedia (MOD)

01/04/22 — Released Bachelor Father, Common Law, Discarded Lovers, Extravagance, Free Soul, Frisco Jenny, Gold Diggers of 1933, Hatcher Man, I Sell Anything, Kept Husband, Lady Killer, Man of the World, Party Husband, Registered Nurse, Search for Beauty, Ten Cents a Dance, Wet Parade and Young America

12/21/21 — Released After Tomorrow, Age of Consent, Big City Blues, Employees' Entrance, Hot Saturday, I Married a Witch, Imitation of Life, Ladies in Love, Man Wanted, Secrets of the French Police, They Call it Sin, Unholy Love and When Ladies Meet

 

Paramount Home Ent.

03/22/22 — Sets Dexter: New Blood (4 disc set)

 

Paramount Home Ent. (MOD)

01/04/22 — Released Accused and Escape from L.A.

 

Random Media (MOD)

01/04/22 — Released Robert Scheer - Above the Fold

 

Rarefilmsandmore.com (MOD)

12/28/21 — Released Talvistota (Finnish), Third Part of the Night (Polish), True Nature of Bernadette (French), Valiant is the Word for Carrie and War Gods of the Deep

 

Screen Media

01/04/22 — Released Black Friday

 

Showtime Networks (MOD)

01/04/22 — Released L Word Generation Q Season 2 (4 disc set) and Work in Progress: Season 2 (2 disc set)

 

Smart Mark Video (MOD)

01/04/22 — Released F1rst Wrestling: Unleashed - Minneapolis, MN, F1rst Wrestling: Wrestlepalooza 18 - St. Paul, MN, H2O Wrestling: Merry F'n Christmas Night 1, 2021 - Williamstown, NJ, H2O Wrestling: Merry F'n Christmas Night 2, 2021 - Williamstown, NJ and IWA Mid-South: Guess Who's Back - New Albany, IN

 

Sportsvideos.com MOD)

01/04/22 — Released Sprints and Relays Tips and Techniques

 

Syndicado MOD)

01/04/22 — Released A.Rtificial I.Mmortality

 

Vermont Movie Store MOD)

01/04/22 — Released Scapegoat

 

 

 

 

New Blu-ray Additions

 

Acid Bath (MOD)

01/04/22 — Released Hack Job: 10 Year Anniversary, James Balsmo Film Collection (2 film set: Catch of the Day, Catch of the Day 2) (2 disc set), James Balsmo Film Collection (2 film set: I Spill Your Guts, Killer Waves) (2 disc set), James Balsmo Film Collection (2 film set: Mind Melters, Mind Melters 2) (2 disc set)Killer Waves, Sexy Time and Trailers of James Balsamo

 

Code Red Entertainment

01/04/22 — Released Naked Ape

 

Collector’s Heaven (MOD)

01/04/22 — Released Ghostbusters: Afterlife, Hawkeye: Season One, Hot in Cleveland: The Complete Series (4 disc set), Siren: The Complete Series (3 disc set) and Ted Lasso: Seasons 1 & 2

 

Decal Releasing, LLC

01/04/22 — Released Together

01/11/22 — Sets Spencer

01/18/22 — Sets The Last Son

 

Elvis DVD Collector & Movie Store (MOD)

01/04/22 — Released Devil's 8, Mean Johnny Barrows and Some Girls Do

 

Flicker Alley

01/04/22 — Released Cinema of Discovery: Julien Duvivier in the 1920s (9 silent film set: Red Head (1925), The Agony of Jerusalem (1927), The Wedding of Mademoiselle Beulsmans (1927), Mother Hummingbird (1930), The Whirlwind of Paris (1928), The Miraculous Life of Thérèse Martin (1929), The Mystery of the Eiffel Tower (1928), The Divine Voyage (1928), Ladies' Paradise (1930)) (5 disc set)

02/11/22 — Sets Repeat Performance (Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack)

 

Fred the Blu-ray Dog (MOD)

12/21/21 — Released Hawkeye: Season 1

01/04/22 — Released Cobra Kai: Season 4

 

FUNimation

01/04/22 — Released Aesthetica of a Rogue Hero: The Complete Series (2 disc set), Devil is a Part Timer: Season 1 (2 disc set) and One Piece: Season 11 Voyage 6 (4 disc set)

 

Image Entertainment

01/04/22 — Released Djinn and Superdeep (Russian)

 

Kino Lorber

01/04/22 — Released All My Sons, China, Crime of the Century, Double Door, Golden Earrings, Rich and Strange and Shake Hands with the Devil

 

Liberation Hall

05/10/22 — Sets RoboCop: The Series (5 disc set)

 

Lionsgate Home Entertainment

01/04/22 — Released Zeros and Ones (with Digital Copy)

 

Movies R U.S.A. (MOD)

01/04/22 — Released Amazing Stories, Annette: The Complete Series,  Back to the Outback, Battle of the Stars, Bloodrayne Trilogy (3 film set: Bloodrayne, Bloodrayne 2: Deliverance, Bloodrayne 3: The Third Reich) (3 disc set), Brotherly Love: The Complete Series, Bruised, Cowboy Bebop: The Complete Series,  Crossing Swords: Seasons 1 & 2, Degrassi Junior High School: Season 1, Dinosaurs: The Complete Series (4 disc set), Falling, Fantasy Island, Fargo: Season 4 (2 disc set), Girl from Tomorrow: The Complete Series (2 disc set), Glass, Hanna: Season 3 (2 disc set), I Can Only Imagine, Little Monsters, Lock and Key: Season 2, Only Murders in the Building: Season 1,  Pixar Short Films Collection 3 (11 animated short films: Bao, Lou, Piper, Sanjay's Super Team, Riley's First Date?, Lava, The Radiator Springs 500 1/2, Party Central, The Blue Umbrella, The Legend Of Mor'du, Partysaurus Rex, Mini-Movie: Marine Life Interviews, Mini-Movie: Miss Fritter's Racing Skoool), Saint Maude, Secret Agent Dingledorf and His Trusty Dog Splat, Seinfeld: The Complete Series (4 disc set), Sing 2, Sleeping with Danger, Spinning Out: Season 1, Transformers Unicron Trilogy (3 series set: Transformers: Armada, Transformers: Energon, Transfomers: Cybertron) (3 disc set), Wheel of Time: Season 1, Witcher: Season 2 and X-Men: Dark Phoenix

01/11/22 — Sets Eternals

 

Nathan Hall (MOD)

01/04/22 — Released I, Portrait, Model Behavior and Revenge of the Gweilo

 

Paramount Home Ent.

03/22/22 — Sets Dexter: New Blood (4 disc set)

03/29/22 — Sets Ordinary People

 

Paramount Home Ent. (MOD)

01/04/22 — Released Freedom Writers

 

Screen Media

01/04/22 — Released Black Friday

 

Sentai Filmworks

01/04/22 — Released Canaan (2 disc set) and My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom (2 disc set)

 

Shoreline Entertainment (MOD)

01/04/22 — Released 3 Weeks to Daytona, Arc, Art Ache, August (Farsi), Baby Doll, Bizzare: A Circus Story, Bodkin Ras, Body and Soul: An American Bridge, Crash Burn Love, Crooked and Narrow, Dreams Never Had, Perfect Pickup, Wackersdorf (German), Wedding in New York (Spanish), West of Brooklyn, When I Become a Butterfly (Farsi) and Zombie King

 

Smart Mark Video (MOD)

01/04/22 — Released F1rst Wrestling: Unleashed - Minneapolis, MN and F1rst Wrestling: Wrestlepalooza 18 - Minneapolis, MN

 

Sony Pictures Home Ent. (MOD)

01/25/22 — Sets Colombiana, Parker, Surf's Up, This is the End and Wild Things

02/08/22 — Sets Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City (with Digital Copy)

 

 

New 4K Ultra HD Additions 

Shout! Factory

02/15/22 — Sets Howling (4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo Pack)

02/22/22 — Sets Alligator (4K Ultra HD/2 Blu-ray Combo Pack)

 

Sony Pictures Home Ent.

02/08/22 — Sets Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City (4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo Pack) (with Digital Copy)

 

Warner Bros. Home Ent.

02/22/22 — Sets Green Mile (4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo Pack) (with Digital Copy)