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HONEYMOON PERIOD FOR BRIDES
'OUT OUT' NOW OUT…
LOVEFILM INKS WARNER DEAL
NETFLIX ON THE PROWL AGAIN
PIRATE JAILED FOR CINEMA OFFENCES
PARENTS TARGETED BY TRUST
A DEVIL OF A RELEASE…
…MAKES FOR STRONG BFI SLATE
A PIERCING NIGHT OUT…
RISE OF THE ROBOTS
NOODLE NEWS
RON'S SCHOOL TRIP
LOVEFILM'S UP AT DAWN
EONE'S UNVEILS FIGURES, APPOINTS
WHO HEADS EAST
FOX, HMV SELL IT IN CODE
RETAILER'S NEW TECHSHOP…
METRODOME HEADS TO WALES
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
EVENTS OF THE WEEK
AT THE MOVIES
SITE OF THE WEEK
TWEET OF THE WEEK
TRAILERS OF THE WEEK
 It Was A Good Week For… Consumers (and anyone releasing Blu-rays) as Asda unveiled its £40 hardware…
It Was A Bad Week For… Anyone whose laptop packed up this week, like ours…
It's been another big week for business announcements, with Netflix continuing to make inroads, but LOVEFiLM striking a major new deal with Warner too. Ahead of that, we'll start with trade this week and leading the pack, in terms of the midweeks from the Official Charts Company, is Universal's Bridesmaids, which made an impressive dash to the altar in its first few days of release after seeing its arrival announced everywhere over the weekend. The title was, as our weekly round up of press coverage on our website shows, the best and widest reviewed ahead of its release, with publicity coups including a fake photo of Prince Harry and Pippa Middleton staged by Alison Jackson earning it news coverage too.
Also on our radar this week, have been the stand-up comedians, both in many of the Sunday glossy supplements and appearing on chat and panel shows across television. Chief among these have been Micky Flanagan and Sarah Milligan, who we seem to have seen more of than anyone else in the past few days. Flanagan's debut release was out this week, Milligan's is out next… 4DVD'S Karla Berry said: "We have worked really closely with both Micky and Sarah to plan their debut DVDs at the end of sell-out nationwide tours, and ensuring high profile TV appearances including Graham Norton, Loose Women and morning breakfast shows, as well as hosting episodes of Live at the Apollo to firmly position them as household names in time for release. We’ve seen fantastic sales for Micky this week with over 22k units sold in just the first four days out-selling many other top comedians, and we are confident Sarah will also launch successfully next week. You’ll continue to see a lot of them on TV, radio and in press features throughout December to ensure their debut DVDs are considered the perfect gift for Christmas."
So, on to the deal news now, and starting with LOVEFiLM. Its deal is both "multi-year" and "multi-layered", taking in digital subscription, download to own and pay per view services as well as Warner's own branded SVOD service, WarnerFilms. It is effectively a second pay window deal, protecting Warner's existing arrangements with BSkyB and enabling LOVEFiLM to also get exclusivity. From the start of December, LOVEFiLM customers will be able to watch the likes of The Dark Knight, The Hangover and Gran Torino as part of its streaming offering. Interestingly, in physical terms, Warner titles will be available via post for rental or sale from LOVEFiLM 60 days after their initial retail release. It also takes in WarnerFilms, which offers 28 movies at any one time on a rolling basis. Warner Bros UK, Ireland and Spain md Josh Berger said: "This significant deal with LOVEFiLM and its parent company Amazon takes a 360 degree approach to delivering Warner Bros.' world class movies across multiple business lines. Now, LOVEFiLM customers will enjoy more ways of enjoying great film content, all with the ease that the service has become known for." Warner's international TV distribution president Jeffrey R Schlesinger said: "The establishment of a second pay window with LOVEFiLM is an important evolution in the way films are made available for viewing in the UK in ever-more convenient ways. Importantly, the structure of the deal ensures that our films continue to retain their value to linear and non linear operators following this window and for the long term." LOVEFiLM ceo Simon Calver added: “This major deal builds on our partnership with Warner Bros. and gives LOVEFiLM members exclusive access to world-class movies across multiple platforms. We are committed to delivering the best entertainment service possible – giving our members the content they want on the platforms of their choice."
 Meanwhile, it's been another busy week for Netflix, with two major new announcements from the company ahead of its imminent arrival in the UK in 2012. Firstly it unveiled a multi-year deal that will give Netflix and its customers exclusive streaming for first run films from Lionsgate in the UK and Ireland. Lionsgate titles will appear on Netflix in their pay TV window, meaning forthcoming titles such as The Hunger Games (see trailer, below) and The Expendables sequel will be available with 12 months of theatrical release. When Netflix launches its selection will be boosted by such Lionsgate titles as Saw, The Mechanic and Reservoir Dogs. Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos said: "Lionsgate is an important and successful supplier of television series and movies to us in all of our territories. We are proud to be the exclusive Pay TV home for Lionsgate theatrically-released films in the UK and Ireland. Lionsgate's UK md Zygi Kamasa said: "Netflix is the leading worldwide brand in steaming movies and they have an incredible service in North America. We are very excited to be working with them as they launch their service and bring our movies to audiences in the UK and Ireland."
And within days of this there was more from Netflix too, as it unveiled multi-year agreement with Miramax. The digital streaming deal takes in the vast Miramax catalogue such as Pulp Fiction, The English Patient, Good Will Hunting and Gangs Of New York. Netflix's Ted Sarandos said: " Netflix is proud to be able to offer the unmatched mix of award-winning, independent and commercially successful films Miramax is known for," said Ted Sarandos, Netflix Chief Content Officer. "Miramax films are already favorites of Netflix members in the US and Latin America and we're sure they'll be incredibly popular in the UK and Ireland as well." Miramax ceo Mike Lang added: "We are thrilled to grow our partnership with Netflix as they expand their platform into the UK and Ireland. This agreement further extends our broader international digital distribution strategy, as we continue to offer consumers around the world our extraordinary collection of Miramax films."
While we're talking about rental, we've got some interesting words from Blockbuster's Gerry Butler, talking the Big Blue's 99 pence initiative and the arrival of Netflix over on our website, alongside loads of other features and stories. See www.theraygun.co.uk for more…
To the courts and FACT has been busy again after helping local police trap a pirate who was illegally filming blockbusters in his local Odeon cinema in Salisbury. Matthew Lisett, 32, was given a two year conditional discharge after admitting eight piracy charges relating to illegally camcording four films during preview screenings and selling them online, and others of uploading films illegally online and possessing modified camera equipment. FACT director general Kieron Sharp said: "This conviction was the result of a painstaking investigation by FACT and Wiltshire Police along with Odeon that identified the source of a pirated copies of films that had been recorded by Lisett and uploaded to the internet for downloading, sharing and streaming by millions of people globally. The fact that he was also receiving payment for those recordings is further proof that piracy at this level is an organised criminal activity, with profit as a motive. I would like to commend Wiltshire Police and Odeon for their work in bringing this case to court. This is the fifth conviction in the UK for this type of criminal activity and I am sure it will serve as a warning to others thinking of attempting to record films in UK cinemas."
 More anti-piracy news now and another key battlefield in the ongoing war is far subtler than the courts, involving instead a PR push. And the Industry Trust has launched a new thrust for its campaign aimed at educating parents about how they and their children can download content from the Internet legally and safely, has been taking place over the past week. In the first few days it had achieved more than 170 articles and features ranging from newspapers (The Sun), online (Huffington Post, Yahoo, MSN) and radio (BBC and Sky News). Expect more this weekend, including interviews with ambassador Kym Marsh (Coronation Street) talking about how to download legally and safely, in the likes of the Sunday Mirror's Celebs On Sunday magazine and the Metro. There are also ongoing promotions with Channel 4 and E4 (see here) and Kiss FM (see here).
Some product news now, and a little birdie told us this last week, although the official announcement was delayed, but we are delighted to confirm that The Devils, Ken Russell's masterpiece which has never been officially available on DVD in the UK before, is set to make its bow in 2012, via the BFI. The organisation is "thrilled" at the news, which will see this landmark title, eagerly awaited by film fans everywhere, arrive in its original UK X certificate format on March 19. The BFI recently secured a deal for its release and is currently putting together a slew of extras for the Oliver Reed and Vanessa Redgrave shocker, which follows the hysteria that descends on a town – and convent – in 17th century France. Among those contributing will be film critic (and former video trade press staffer) Mark Kermode, who said: "Ken Russell is one of Britain's greatest living filmmakers and The Devils remains his most incendiary work – an extraordinary and impassioned depiction of the unholy marriage of church and state which is as relevant today as it was when the film was first released." Head of video publishing at the BFI Sam Dunn said: " We are absolutely delighted to be able to announce the DVD premiere release of this extraordinary film. The Devils is one of the greatest British productions of all time, and our special edition will not only feature the longest version of the film ever to have been released on DVD, but will also include a host of new and exciting extra features." More on those special features soon, but seeing as it is coming via the BFI, we can assume it's in safe hands and they will be of exemplary quality…
The Devils will not be the only shocking title due from the BFI in the first part of 2012. It will round off this year with a package that includes a first ever UK DVD (or Blu-ray for that matter, as it's coming in a Dual Format Edition) for Pasolini's Medea, a brutal and uncompromising Greek mythological featuring Maria Callas in her only film role. The slate also includes A Bigger Splash (another Blu-ray premiere), the David Hockney film released to tie in with a mammoth retrospective at the Royal Academy in January; more from its wonderful Flipside imprint, including Her Private Hell, Britain's first narrative sex film, that will boast a healthy amount of extras (including a look at the world of nude modelling in the 60s). There's also more controversy with the UK DVD premiere release of The Erotic Films Of Peter De Rome, Britain's answer to Kenneth Anger. Sam Dunn said: "We've got a fantastic and diverse range of releases lined up for Q1, all of which share in common the fact that they're the very best in their field. Whether that's world cinema (Pasolini), opera stars (Maria Callas), British artists (A Bigger Splash), boundary-pushing cinema (Peter de Rome), or, of course, one of the greatest and most controversial British film of all time, directed by one of our greatest directors (Ken Russell's The Devils)."
US television giant HBO is gearing itself up for a busy 2012 and it kicked its activity up a gear this week with the launch of the award-winning drama Mildred Pierce, starring Kate Winslet. The Emmy-winning five part miniseries will be released on November 28 and HBO's UK and international arms marked the event with a Mildred-themed evening at the Connaught in Mayfair. Assorted journalists and retailers were treated to an evening that included cake decorating, free hair styling (yes, we appreciate the irony of that) and a musical interlude. Coverage has already started appearing online and on Twitter from the likes of Heat, operatic boy band Blake were also in attendance. The release presages a period of intense activity for HBO's home entertainment arm which will see some of the best of its output arriving on these shores, much of it, like the acclaimed Boardwalk Empire and Game Of Thrones, arriving on the back of hugely popular transmission on Sky's new Atlantic channel. As HBO's international md Jill Baird said on Tuesday at the event: "This year we've gone from strength to strength in the UK, 2012 will be our most exciting ever." For more on HBO's excellent line-up, keep your eyes peeled for a special Raygun preview…
 Our correspondent Alex Kidd was at the premiere, among other events, this wee
Also due on November 28 is the latest in the Transformers franchise, Dark Of The Moon and Paramount and agency Eulogy have put together an interesting promotion at the Science Museum to tie in with the release. The Robotville event at the venue will be showing off the latest in cutting edge real-life robot design and will feature 20 state of the art automatons. The latest outing in the Transformers franchise will be sponsoring the event and as well as screening behind the scenes footage of the event, there will also be an eight feet tall replica statue of Optimus Prime made from KRE-O Lego. The event kicks off in the week of release, running from November 30 to December 4.
Out from Paramount this week was the animated sequel Kung Fu Panda 2. And DreamWorks and Paramount took over London's Chinatown on Sunday to mark the launch. They were lining up a mammoth 1,288 bowls of cooked noodles in a bid to set a new Guinness World Record for the biggest line of noodles ever… And after a two hour marathon effort, completed by Po himself, who finished off the last bowl, an adjudicator ruled the record had been achieved. Paramount marketing director Lesley Henry said: "Kung Fu Panda 2 is the best animated movie of the year and what better way to celebrate the launch of the DVD and Blu-ray than breaking a World Record. Fans of the movie will know that Po’s dad, Mr.Ping, runs a noodle restaurant so attempting to beat the world record for the longest line of bowls of noodles was a challenge we simply couldn’t resist."
Back to Warner and the campaign for Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 2 is now starting in earnest ahead of its December release. We've already seen the pre-order FSDUs in our local supermarket and this week Warner has launched an initiative with Sainsbury's offering the chance for one lucky school to receive a visit from star Rupert Grint, who will take part on a Q&A and hand-deliver copies of the Blu-ray, due out on December 2. For more see here.
To the new Westfield Stratford City shopping centre over to the east of London for the premiere of the new Twilight film, Breaking Dawn Part 1. As we at The Raygun strolled up the red (or rather white) carpet at the event hosted by eOne, now a seasoned veteran of releasing films from the saga, we couldn't help but notice among the screaming fans and press were representatives from LOVEFiLM, for the movie subscription service was streaming the whole event live over the Internet to scores of its customers. Its coverage included interviews with the stars and talent from the film was well as other celebrities arriving. LOVEFiLM editor Helen Cowley said: "It is testament to the popularity of The Twilight Saga that a full broadcast operation is in place to simply capture the moment the stars arrive and walk into the premiere. Hundreds of fans will be hoping to get a glimpse of lead actor Robert Pattinson and we're excited to extend that experience to thousands more around the world who will be able to scream at the stars from the comfort of their own living rooms." You can see some of its coverage here.
 It's been a busy week for eOne. Just ahead of the premiere, the company unveiled its latest financial figures. The ever-growing international operator, which continues to expand into new territories, said that profit before tax in the six months to the end of September 2011 was up 121 per cent from the previous year to more than $30 million. The value of its expanding library was set at $350 million. President and ceo Darren Throop said: "These solid results validate the Group’s commitment to content acquisitions, productions and effective distribution across major territories in multiple formats. I am very pleased with the momentum of the Group which, alongside the strength of our teams, means that Entertainment One continues to attract key partners, product and talent to each of our divisions." The company has also appointed experienced film industry veteran Sally Caplan to the role of managing director of its international film division. She was most recently at the UK Film Council and her CV includes stints at the likes of Icon and Momentum.
Also at Westfield in Stratford, expect to see the Twihards replaced by Doctor Who fans on Monday as 2 entertain gears up for the release of the complete sixth season box set of the Timelord's adventures. The current incarnation, Matt Smith, along with his on-screen assistants Amy and Rory, aka Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill, will be on hand at the centre for two major events. Firstly the trio will be signing copies of the boxset at HMV's new store there, while later that afternoon they will be taking part in a Q&A with presenter Jo Whiley in the gallery area of the swish new mall. The Raygun will be on hand at the event along with our junior correspondent, full report on the website and newsletter next week.
More from HMV now and it's been a busy week for the retailer, for as well as readying itself for the Good Doctor's arrival on Monday, the company has also been unveiling a couple of initiatives. Firstly, the retailer has, in conjunction with Fox, announced a major virtual shop launch. The shop can be accessed via QR codes scanned from Fox outdoor sites and, powered by HMV's app, enables consumers to buy Fox Blu-ray and DVD releases such as Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes, X-Men: First Class and the Star Wars Complete Saga Blu-ray. The outdoor sites will be appearing in London, Manchester, Leeds, Nottingham, Bristol, Glasgow and Edinburgh. Fox md Robert Price said: "We're entering the busiest gifting season of the year when consumers are stretched for time and on the go with their mobile phone in hand. With our virtual shop, we've created new distribution points that previously didn't exist, allowing consumers to instantly shop for everyone on their Christmas list – just by using their mobile. It's a convenient and easy experience for shoppers, and by leveraging HMV's user-friendly mobile site, Fox is able to present its Christmas offerings in a fast, yet cost effective manner." HMV's marketing and e-commerce director Mark Hodgkinson added: "We always look to enable our customers to discover and consume entertainment content in the way that best suits them, and, in an increasingly multi-channel world shaped by mobile technology, we see this innovative partnership with Twentieth Century Fox as a great new way to connect with film fans."
The pop-up shop concept, meanwhile, is one the retailer has been toying with in Q4 in recent years, its offering this time reflects the company's recent shift over in to a more technologically-themed offering, but is still selling Blu-ray and DVDs. The location is at One New Change, a new shopping development in the heart of the City of London. The techshop opened this week and its contents includes Apple gear, tablets, MP3 players, speaker docks, accessories and the all-important headphones. Head of technology Ewan Pinder said: " HMV's remit has always been to give its customers the widest-possible access to music, film and games, however they want to discover and enjoy them. So our move into personal technology products, including through this new-style store, is actually a very natural next step for us that supports our continuing transformation into a broad-based entertainment brand. Headphones, in particular, are really taking off in a big way, and are set to be among the 'must-have' gift items this Christmas."
Talking of premieres, as we were earlier, and independent Metrodome has scored something of a coup in securing the attendance of The Prince Of Wales for its forthcoming premiere of Resistance. The film, set in Wales, looks at an alternate history where the D-Day invasion failed and the Nazis have arrived in the UK. It stars, among others, Andrea Riseborough and Michael Sheen. Prince Charles will attend the premiere on Monday in Abergavenny, ahead of its theatrical opening a week today and later arrival on DVD and Blu-ray.
 QUOTE OF THE WEEK
"More and more UK homes are now equipped to enjoy the full benefit of high-definition Blu-ray discs and we're pleased to be offering Blu-ray players at the lowest price in the market." Asda's Wayne Steenson as the retailer launched the £40 Blu-ray player which should give the format a significant Q4 boost…
EVENTS OF THE WEEK
After last year's launch of The Pacific, HBO returned to the fray with an excellent bash for Mildred Pierce (see above). And we were also lucky enough to witness the Twilight phenomenon first hand at the premiere for Breaking Dawn Part 1. Our ears are still recovering from the screaming…
AT THE MOVIES
Immortals and Arthur Christmas went at it hammer and tongs, but the might of the former finally outdid the cuteness of the latter, with only a few thousand pounds between them at the top of the UK box office charts. Immortals took almost £1.7 million, the latest Aardman Animation just a little less. The only other new entry in the top 10 was the Johnny `Depp starrer The Rum Diary, which took more than £600,000 on its bow.
Anyone see the Vue show on Channel 4 last night? The last episode in the series previewed some of 2012's more eagerly awaited films and, nestling in there, was Interview With A Hitman. The Luke Goss-starring thriller, written and directed by Perry Bhandal and due for release via Kaleidoscope, has an interesting back story too. Kaleidoscope md Spencer Pollard first met Bhandal when he was lecturing at the Met Film School, beginning a relationship that has seen him funding Bhandal's film. Pollard said: "Kaleidoscope raised the whole finance for the film, which was shot in Newcastle in September of this year and has been pre-selling the film like the proverbial hotcake at the recent AFM." The film is due at cinemas in Q3 2012, ahead of its eventual home entertainment release.
We've already mentioned Doctor Who, what with the complete sixth series boxset due out next week, but the other big news of the week surrounds the potential forthcoming Doctor Who film. The Timelord's adventures are said to be in development, with David Yates, at the helm for the last four Harry Potter films, at the helm. Yates told Variety: " We're looking at writers now. We're going to spend two to three years to get it right. It needs quite a radical transformation to take it into the bigger arena."
SITE OF THE WEEK
We've recently been enjoying our regular emails from agency Oink, and clicking through and reading its blog too, have a look over here http://www.piggy.co.uk/
TWEET OF THE WEEK
Follow us on www.twitter.com/theraygun…
TRAILERS OF THE WEEK
Probably the most talked about trailer of the week…
More on the latest from Pixar
New Robert De Niro drama…
Scrat's back…
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