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Rediscovered Crime Film 'Gone with the Pope' Announced for Blu-ray[teaser]The previously unfinished 70s crime flick has been completed for Blu-ray. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Grindhouse Releasing is preparing 'Gone with the Pope' for Blu-ray. An exact release date has not been announced, but the disc is expected to be available in March. Duke Mitchell was an Italian Rudy Ray Moore, a popular nightclub performer, singer, actor, and self-proclaimed "Mr. Palm Springs" whose long-running Martin & Lewis-style comedy act with partner Sammy Petrillo was featured in 'Bela Lugosi Meets a Brooklyn Gorilla.' Mitchell went on to use his talents and show business connections to produce two of the most entertaining films of the Seventies, which he wrote, directed, produced, scored and starred in. 'Gone with the Pope' stars Duke Mitchell as Paul, a gangster with an unholy scheme: to kidnap the pope and charge "a dollar from every Catholic in the world" as the ransom. Shot in 1975 as 'Kiss the Ring,' Gone with the Pope' was unfinished at the time of Duke Mitchell's death in 1981. Sage Stallone and Bob Murawski of Grindhouse Releasing rediscovered Gone with the Pope in 1995 and vowed to save it from obscurity. Academy Award-winning film editor Murawski ('The Hurt Locker,' Spider-Man 1,2 & 3) spent 15 years completing 'Gone with the Pope' from the surviving film elements. Specs, supplements, and a suggested list price have not been detailed yet. You can find the latest specs for 'Gone with the Pope' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under PENDING.Posted Tue Jan 20, 2015 at 12:00 PM PST by: -
Comedy Central's 'South Park: The Complete Eighteenth Season' Blu-ray up for Pre-Order![teaser]The eighteenth season of the hit animated series is now available for pre-order.[/teaser]In an early announcement to retailers, Paramount is preparing 'South Park: The Complete Eighteenth Season' for Blu-ray in 2015. Come on down to 'South Park' with all-new episodes from Season 18. Every episode of this critically-acclaimed and award-winning show is packed with unforgettable moments and hilarious absurdity — from pissed off celebrities to talking towels and crime-fighting kids. Join Kyle, Stan, Kenny and Cartman for all their foul-mouthed adventures! Supplements have not been detailed yet, but the Blu-ray will feature 1080p video and a Dolby TrueHD 5.1 soundtrack. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $39.99. You can find the latest specs for 'South Park: The Complete Eighteenth Season' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under PENDING. Order the Blu-rayPosted Tue Jan 20, 2015 at 10:00 AM PST by: -
'Massage Parlor of Death' Blu-ray NOW Available in Very Limited Quantities[teaser]Richard Mogg's slasher throwback has arrived on Blu-ray and is limited to only 100 units. [/teaser] Sub Rosa Studios Cinema is selling 'Massage Parlor of Death' on Blu-ray which was made available for purchase on January 18. Ruby, an unlicensed massage therapist, has a nasty habit of killing her clients in the most horrific ways. Using the blood of her victims, Ruby attempts to resurrect the deranged spirit of her long-dead lover. But will her newly-hired hooker "employee" throw a wrench (or more) into the mix? You'll have to find out in "MASSAGE PARLOR OF DEATH"... where there are NO HAPPY ENDINGS! The Blu-ray is limited to only 100 units and includes both the Full HD and Downmixed VCR Cuts of the movie. The price for the Blu-ray is $25. You can find the latest specs for 'Massage Parlor of Death' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it is indexed under January 18. Order the Blu-rayPosted Tue Jan 20, 2015 at 09:02 AM PST by: -
Jeff Renfroe's Documentary 'I Am Steve McQueen' Dated for Blu-ray in April[teaser]The legendary movie star is the focus of this documentary hitting Blu-ray in April. Pre-orders are now live. [/teaser]In an early announcement to retailers, Shout Factory is preparing 'I Am Steve McQueen' for Blu-ray on April 14. Steve McQueen will forever be recognized as one of Hollywood's most iconic movie stars. His rugged good looks, bad-boy sexuality and searing charisma set him apart as he grew from a small-town rebel to become the highest paid and most sought-after actor of his generation. He was notorious for challenging authority and lived life for himself. Nicknamed the "king of cool", his volatile yet endearing anti-hero persona was as much a part of who he really was as an individual as the characters he portrayed on-screen. Combining extensive original interviews, including rare interviews with Steve McQueen himself, the best of Steve's major motion pictures and archival footage, the film chronicles McQueen's extraordinary career while focusing on the correlation between his on-screen and off-screen experiences. 'I Am Steve McQueen' tells the incredible life story of this legendary actor, racer and cultural icon. The film features McQueen's family and friends and an all-star cast including Gary Oldman, Pierce Brosnan, Marisa Miller, Ali MacGraw, Robert Vaughn, Randy Couture, Zoe Bell, Kristin Kreuk and Ben Mankiewicz and narration by Robert Downey Jr. Specs have not been detailed yet, but supplements will include: McQueen's Cars, Planes And Motorcycles; The Yucatan – McQueen's Passion Project; and Trailer. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $29.93. You can find the latest specs for 'I Am Steve McQueen' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under April 14. Order the Blu-rayPosted Tue Jan 20, 2015 at 08:00 AM PST by: -
Scott Foley's 'Let's Kill Ward's Wife' Dated for Blu-ray[teaser]The crime comedy will murder Blu-ray with laughs this March. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Well Go USA will be releasing 'Let's Kill Ward's Wife' on Blu-ray on March 3. Everyone hates Ward's wife and wants her dead. Especially Ward (Donald Faison). But when murderous fantasies accidentally get real, Ward and his pals have all new problems: Disposing of the body. Getting away with murder. Making their 3pm tee time. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, a lossless 5.1 soundtrack, and the only supplement is outtakes. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $29.98. You can find the latest specs for 'Let's Kill Ward's Wife' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it is indexed under March 3. Order the Blu-rayPosted Tue Jan 20, 2015 at 05:00 AM PST by: -
Criterion's April Blu-ray Titles Now Available for Pre-Order![teaser]The distributor has revealed its upcoming slate of April releases, including Preston Sturges' 'Sullivan's Travels' and Jean Renoirs' 'The River.' [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Criterion is preparing 'Odd Man Out,' 'Sullivan’s Travels,' 'The River (1951),' 'Le silence de la mer,' and 'The Friends of Eddie Coyle' for Blu-ray throughout the month of April. 'Odd Man Out' (April 14) - Taking place largely over the course of one tense night, Carol Reed’s psychological noir, set in an unnamed Belfast, stars James Mason as a revolutionary ex-con leading a robbery that goes horribly wrong. Injured and hunted by the police, he seeks refuge throughout the city, while the woman he loves (Kathleen Ryan) searches for him among the shadows. Reed and cinematographer Robert Krasker (who would collaborate again on 'The Fallen Idol' and 'The Third Man') create images of stunning depth for this intense, spiritual depiction of a man’s ultimate confrontation with himself. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, an uncompressed English mono soundtrack, and supplements will include: Postwar Poetry, a new short documentary about the film; New interview with British cinema scholar John Hill; New interview with music scholar Jeff Smith about composer William Alwyn and his score; Home, James, a 1972 documentary featuring actor James Mason revisiting his hometown; Radio adaptation of the film from 1952, starring Mason and Dan O’Herlihy; PLUS: An essay by critic Imogen Sara Smith. Order the Blu-ray 'Sullivan’s Travels' (April 14) - Tired of churning out lightweight comedies, Hollywood director John L. Sullivan (Joel McCrea) decides to make 'O Brother, Where Art Thou?'—a serious, socially responsible film about human suffering. After his producers point out that he knows nothing of hardship, Sullivan hits the road disguised as a hobo. En route to enlightenment, he meets a lovely but no-nonsense young woman (Veronica Lake)—and more trouble than he ever dreamed of. This comic masterpiece by Preston Sturges is among the finest Hollywood satires and a high-water mark in the career of one of the industry’s most revered funnymen. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, an uncompressed English mono soundtrack, and supplements will include: Audio commentary from 2001 by filmmakers Noah Baumbach, Kenneth Bowser, Christopher Guest, and Michael McKean; Preston Sturges: The Rise and Fall of an American Dreamer (1990), a 76-minute documentary made by Bowser for PBS’s American Masters series; New video essay by film critic David Cairns, featuring filmmaker Bill Forsyth; Interview from 2001 with Sandy Sturges, the director’s widow; Interview with Sturges by gossip columnist Hedda Hopper from 1951; Archival audio recordings of Sturges; PLUS: An essay by critic Stuart Klawans. Order the Blu-ray 'The River (1951)' (April 21) - This entrancing first color feature from Jean Renoir—shot entirely on location in India—is a visual tour de force. Based on the novel by Rumer Godden, the film eloquently contrasts the growing pains of three young women with the immutability of the holy Bengal River, around which their daily lives unfold. Enriched by Renoir’s subtle understanding of and appreciation for India and its people, 'The River' gracefully explores the fragile connections between transitory emotions and steadfast creation. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, an uncompressed English mono soundtrack, and supplements will include: Archival introduction to the film by director Jean Renoir; Around the River, a 60-minute 2008 documentary by Arnaud Mandagaran about the making of the film; Interview from 2004 with Martin Scorsese; Audio interview from 2000 with producer Ken McEldowney; New visual essay by film writer Paul Ryan, featuring rare behind-the-scenes stills; Trailer; PLUS: An essay by film scholar Ian Christie and original production notes by Renoir. Order the Blu-ray 'Le silence de la mer' (April 28) - Jean-Pierre Melville began his superb filmmaking career with this powerful adaptation of an influential underground novel written during the Nazi occupation of France. An idealistic, naive German officer is assigned to the home of a middle-aged man and his grown niece; their response to his presence—their only form of resistance—is complete silence. Constructed with elegant minimalism and shot, by the legendary Henri Decaë, with hushed eloquence, 'Le silence de la mer' is a fascinating tale of moral ambiguity that points the way toward Melville’s later films about resistance and the occupation ('Léon Morin,' 'Priest;' 'Army of Shadows') yet remains a singularly eerie masterwork in its own right. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, an uncompressed French mono soundtrack, and supplements will include: 24 Hours in the Life of a Clown (1946), Melville’s seventeen-minute first film; New interview with film scholar Ginette Vincendeau; Interview with Melville from 1959; PLUS: An essay by critic Geoffrey O’Brien. Order the Blu-ray 'The Friends of Eddie Coyle' (April 28) - In one of the best performances of his legendary career, Robert Mitchum plays small-time gunrunner Eddie "Fingers" Coyle in an adaptation by Peter Yates of George V. Higgins’s acclaimed novel The Friends of 'Eddie Coyle.' World-weary and living hand to mouth, Coyle works on the sidelines of the seedy Boston underworld just to make ends meet. But when he finds himself facing a second stretch of hard time, he’s forced to weigh loyalty to his criminal colleagues against snitching to stay free. Directed with a sharp eye for its gritty locales and an open heart for its less-than-heroic characters, this is one of the true treasures of 1970s Hollywood filmmaking—a suspenseful crime drama in stark, unforgiving daylight. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, an uncompressed English mono soundtrack, and supplements will include: Audio commentary featuring Yates; Stills gallery; PLUS: An essay by critic Kent Jones and a 1973 on-set profile of actor Robert Mitchum from Rolling Stone. Order the Blu-ray Suggested list price for each Blu-ray is $39.95. You can find the latest specs for all of the titles listed above linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where they're indexed throughout April.Posted Mon Jan 19, 2015 at 01:00 PM PST by: -
James Marsh's Critically-Acclaimed 'The Theory of Everything' Dated and Detailed for Blu-ray[teaser]The story of Stephen and Jane Hawking is planned for Blu-ray in February. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Universal Studios will be releasing 'The Theory of Everything' on Blu-ray on February 17. Based on Jane Hawking's memoir Travelling to Infinity: My Life with Stephen and directed by Academy Award winner James Marsh ('Man on Wire'), the acclaimed film is an unforgettable portrait of a singular marriage and the two exceptional souls who built it. 'The Theory of Everything' is nominated for five Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Adapted Screenplay (screenwriter, Anthony McCarten). Set to the music of Jóhann Jóhannsson, Academy Award nominee and Golden Globe Award® winner for Best Original Score, 'The Theory of Everything' stars Academy Award® nominee and Golden Globe Award winner Eddie Redmayne and Academy Award® nominee Felicity Jones. The duo have dazzled critics and audiences alike with their stunning portrayals of one of the world's greatest living minds and the woman who persevered for love. Once a healthy, active young man, Hawking receives an earth-shattering diagnosis at 21 years of age. With Jane fighting tirelessly by his side, Stephen embarks on his most ambitious scientific work, studying the very thing he now has precious little of—time. Together, they defy impossible odds, breaking new ground in medicine and science, and achieving more than they could ever have dreamed. The Blu-ray/DVD/Digital Copy combo will feature 1080p video, a lossless 5.1 soundtrack, and supplements include: Feature Commentary with Director James Marsh, Becoming the Hawkings, and Deleted Scenes with Optional Commentary by Director James Marsh. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $34.98. You can find the latest specs for 'The Theory of Everything' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it is indexed under February 17. Order the Blu-rayPosted Mon Jan 19, 2015 at 12:00 PM PST by: -
Hal Walker's 'At War with the Army' Announced for Blu-ray[teaser]The classic musical comedy starring Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis will enlist on Blu-ray this spring. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Kino Classics is working on 'At War with the Army' for Blu-ray on March 24. After their supporting roles in My Friend Irma and My Friend Irma Goes West, At War with the Army was the first film starring the legendary duo of Dean Martin (Artists and Models) and Jerry Lewis (Scared Stiff)... they went on to co-star in thirteen more comedies becoming Paramount Pictures new comedy team and box office champs. Lewis is a hapless bungling private and Martin is his bossy first sergeant and ladies man with the crooner's voice. Together the duo is thrown into a series of classics gags and routines and some great musical pieces. Directed by Hal Walker (Road to Utopia, Sailor Beware), one of the few directors to work both with Martin & Lewis as well as with Hope & Crosby. Specs and supplements have yet to be revealed, but the suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $24.95. You can find the latest specs for 'At War with the Army' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it is indexed under March 24. Order the Blu-rayPosted Mon Jan 19, 2015 at 10:00 AM PST by: -
'Pollyanna: 55th Anniversary Edition,' '101 Dalmatians II: Patch's London Adventure,' & 'Old Yeller' Exclusive Disney Movie Club Blu-rays[teaser]All three titles will only be available through the Disney Movie Club in February. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Disney/Buena Vista will be offering 'Pollyanna: 55th Anniversary Edition,' '101 Dalmatians II: Patch's London Adventure,' and 'Old Yeller' on Blu-ray exclusively via the Disney Movie Club on February 10. 'Pollyanna: 55th Anniversary Edition' - Young orphan Pollyanna (Hayley Mills) believes life's most difficult problems can always be surmounted by a positive attitude and pragmatism. But when she moves in with her dour aunt (Jane Wyman), she is introduced to a range of disheartened folks who challenge her upbeat outlook. Not to be discoura… Moreged, she sets to work spreading hope and good cheer. However, when an inspired doctor (Richard Egan) leads the community in a campaign in opposition to her aunt, Pollyanna's goodwill is strained. '101 Dalmatians II: Patch's London Adventure' - Pongo and Perdita's pup, Patch, who is not satisfied being just one of 101, gets the chance to meet his TV hero, Thunderbolt, the "One-Of-A-Kind Wonderdog." When Thunderbolt's trusty sidekick Lightning reveals that the show's producers are on the lookout for a new star, Thunderbolt — with Patch in tow — struts out into the real world to perform acts of heroism. And when puppy-obsessed Cruella DeVil returns, it's Patch and Thunderbolt's teamwork and friendship that will save the day. 'Old Yeller' - While Jim Coates (Fess Parker) is off on a cattle drive, his wife, Katie (Dorothy McGuire), and sons, Travis (Tommy Kirk) and Arliss (Kevin Corcoran), are left behind on their Texas ranch. When a runaway dog named Old Yeller causes damage in one of their fields, Travis tries to drive him away. Howev… Moreer, Travis and Katie both warm to Old Yeller when he saves Arliss from a bear attack. As Travis and the brave and faithful dog grow closer, concern grows about an outbreak of rabies. Also in case you missed them, a few Disney Movie Club exclusives were also made available last year: 'The Love Bug,' 'Herbie Ride Again,' 'The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes,' & 'The Apple Dumpling Gang.' You can find the latest specs for 'Pollyanna: 55th Anniversary Edition,' '101 Dalmatians II: Patch's London Adventure,' and 'Old Yeller' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where they're indexed under February 10.Posted Mon Jan 19, 2015 at 09:00 AM PST by: -
'The Alvin Show' Will Sing Blu-ray a High-Pitched Tune in March[teaser]The classic animated series starring the Chipmunks is heading to Blu-ray later this year. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Bagdasarian is working on 'The Alvin Show' for Blu-ray on March 10. Following the incredible popularity of the novelty record "The Chipmunk Song", this animated series about the singing rodents was created. Manager David Seville spends his days taking care of his young chipmunk charges, Alvin, Simon and Theodore, as they regularly get into one type of trouble after another. Included in each episode was a cartoon featuring inventor Clyde Crashcup and his assistant, Leonardo. Specs and supplements haven't been revealed yet, but the suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $24.99. You can find the latest specs for 'The Alvin Show' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it is indexed under March 10. Order the Blu-rayPosted Mon Jan 19, 2015 at 08:00 AM PST by:
