THE RAYGUN NEWSLETTER :: WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 16 2021

POWERHOUSE HEADS TO US…

…STRONG INDICATOR OF UK’S POSITION

Q4 TRAILER UNVEILED

FOLKLORE FOR CHRISTMAS

SQUIDS IN

VHS RULES

ONE FOR THE GOONERS

CATCH PARKLAND’S BUS…

…AS C0MPANY SHEPHERDS IN LFF HIT

BIG DAY FOR PARAMOUNT

PURGE LIVES ON

SECOND RUN PULLS RABBIT OUT OF HAT

WINDOWS TO THE WORLD

ACORN SOLVES NZ MYSTERY

TWEET OF THE WEEK

TRAILERS OF THE WEEK

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During the 90s, as the VHS market was maturing and also during the heady days of the launch of DVD, UK distributors and suppliers led the way in terms of their releases, in developing different ideas and genres and marketing and in uniqueness of marketing. Marketing people from these shores were responsible for huge successes with, say, the Star Wars franchise, so much so that the UK’s work became the blueprint for the rest of the world. Those days are gone, most notably as US studio head offices flexed their muscle in the 2000s and seized back control, leading to less autonomy on these shores. But it’s good to see UK labels are still leading the way, most notably in the boutique imprint front, as their work in identifying more obscure horror and genre films, in restoring them and bringing them to market in gorgeous newly-created packaging complete with informative and hefty box sets, is proving to inspire other suppliers n other territories and also in encouraging companies to forge alliances with them to bring their nous – and titles – to other markets. And so, this week it’s been announced that Powerhouse’s Indicator series, a fine boutique operation that has made its name releasing some fine titles on these shore over the past few years, is heading to the US, following the likes of Arrow Video across the Atlantic. Powerhouse, run by industry stalwarts John Morrissey and Sam Dunn, has released some gorgeous products, not least its lavish Columbia Noir and Hammer box sets, as well as individual titles such as Night Of The Demon, John Carpenter’s Christine and Dennis Hopper’s The Last Movie. Dunn has been a mainstay of the sector for many years, with a CV that takes in the likes of Tartan and the BFI, and has been instrumental in the development of this kind of release. Now it has signed a deal with Distribution Solutions, a division of Alliance Entertainment, to release its product in the US and Canada. Distribution Solutions will look after the sales and distribution of Powerhouse titles, with the partnership set to kick off in January 2022.

Comment on the deal came from Powerhouse’s Dunn, who said: “We’re thrilled to be bringing our unique blend of cult and classic cinema to audiences in the US and Canada in partnership with the fantastic team at Distribution Solutions. We’ve been working hard unearthing and restoring a raft of incredible titles in order to put together a schedule that will surprise and delight even the most adventurous viewer.” Distribution Solutions president Ben Means said: “We are very excited to be in business with Powerhouse Films. Partnering internationally with a film label like Indicator, which has such a driven passion for physical media, helps expand the quality and coverage of classic films we distribute to the US and Canada.” Don’t just take our word for it, by the way. Noted director Guillermo del Toro has become the latest celebrity fan of Indicator titles; he’s on the record as saying; “Indicator lovingly curates and enshrines obscure, precious gems for the obsessive collector and the genre connoisseur.”

The latest thrust of industry activity firing consumers up for Q4 and big forthcoming titles has kicked off in the form of the latest quarterly trailer put together by BASE under the findanyfilm.com banner, and, as the announcement noted, it contains a whole raft of goodies: “Get ready to welcome James Bond back into to your home with No Time To Die, or join Ryan Reynolds in the hilarious action speculator Free Guy! The kids will go barking mad for the mighty Paw Patrol – Movie, or score a slam dunk with the whole family with Bugs and the gang in Space Jam: A New Legacy. Catch up with the latest TV hits to own, with Killing Eve star Jodie Corner in Help, or soak up the sequins and the sparkle of Strictly Come Dancing: Motsi & Anton’s Strictly - The Best. From the high-octane adrenalin-fuelled Fast & Furious 9 to the award-winning drama of The Crown, there is something for everyone this season. So, whether it’s cosy winter nights in, or stocking gifts that will deliver some added festive morning joy, feast your eyes on these perfect gifts coming home for Christmas.” Of course, those paying attention to the proceedings will note that this almost confirms a definite Q4 release for a certain big title currently ruling the roost at cinemas, although there is no official word yet. You can see the trailer here.

Some of the best and most exciting animated films in recent years have come out of Irish production studio Cartoon Saloon and the highlights of its output, including an exclusive Blu-ray edition of the excellent Wolfwalkers, arguably its finest outing, has just been announced by Studiocanal adding to its Q4 roster. The Irish Folklore Trilogy is available in a deluxe Blu-ray collector’s edition box, complete with a trio of Cartoon Saloon films along with extras, is due on December 13. The company’s Carys Gaskin said: “The sumptuous animated modern masterpieces from Cartoon Saloon come together in the Irish Folklore Trilogy, featuring The Secret of Kells, Song of the Sea and the exclusive Blu-ray presentation of Wolfwalkers in a limited edition boxset available to order now for this Christmas. With a bonus disc and hours of new special features within a premium rigid slipcase, with a fold out poster and booklet with original concept art from each film as well as an essay from the team behind the Ghibliotheque podcast, this set will be the perfect collector’s item for any fan of the beloved Irish film studio.”

If anyone wants to get a measure of the huge success of Korean streaming hit Squid Game they need look no further than The Guardian, which is devoting almost one feature or story a day to the unexpected big hitter of 2021 (we’ve been tracking The Guardian’s coverage and comparing it to its many Succession features on our world famous Twitter account). And now Netflix has confirmed what we all knew: the series is the streaming service’s biggest debut show ever. It has amassed more than 111 million viewers worldwide, a mammoth figure achieved in less than a month since it first aired. Of course, these being Netflix figures, it doesn’t reveal who switched off after a short while when they realised it was subtitled, but there’s no doubting the show’s massive success…

More streaming news and it’s a sign of the times that back in 2013, Momentum released found footage horror anthology V/H/S on physical formats, including a super-limited, Raygun supported VHS cassette promotional item, turning the title into a huge hit. Now the franchise has returned, this time being backed by subscription video on demand service Shudder, and it’s breaking records for streaming too. For latest sequel V/H/S 94, commissioned by Shudder, has been released onto the service and become its most successful film premiere ever, breaking all viewing records. Shudder general manager Craig Engler said: “V/H/S had been one of the most fun and influential horror franchises of the 2010s, providing a showcase for a new generation of filmmakers like David Bruckner (The Night House), Radio Silence (Ready Or Not) and Ti West (The House of the Devil). When producers Josh Goldblum and Brad Miska told us what they had in mind for V/H/S/94, we knew we had to commission it as a Shudder Original production, and their amazing lineup of directors delivered something truly special. Our members have embraced the film with record-setting viewership numbers, and critics are calling it one of the best horror movies of the year.”

Noah Media Group has made a name for itself in recent years with a series of sporting ad other documentaries released in the run up to Christmas briefly at cinemas and then offering up perfect gifting opportunities for Q4. And the company has this week unveiled its latest release due at cinemas on November 11 and on home entertainment on the 22nd, via Spirit, in the shape of Wenger Invincible. The film is based around the legendary undefeated Arsenal team of the 2003/04 season, with unseen footage and new interviews with Arsene Wenger talking about his football philosophy and time at the club. It also features a whole host of other contributors, including his one time nemesis Sir Alex Ferguson. Commenting on the release, Noah;s Tim Westbey said: “We're very excited to be releasing the feature documentary ARSÈNE WENGER: INVINCIBLE, and have been delighted with the response to the trailer launch with over 1m views across media in 24 hours. Coming from the makers of the acclaimed Bobby Robson: More Than A Manager and Finding Jack Charlton, the film draws back the veil on a truly enigmatic figure who discusses, for the first time, the football ‘addiction’ that was both his driving force and his 'fatal flaw’. Working with our sales partners at Spirit Entertainment, Park Circus and Bitmax we look forward to delivering a memorable campaign.”

Keep an eye out for The Last Bus, the latest release from indie Parkland, which has quietly amassed more than £400,000 at UK cinemas and will become the distributor’s biggest hit since it opened for business more than three years ago. It also represents another step in Parkland’s development, being the first film it acquired at script stage. Starring Timothy Spall as a newly-widowed man taking a journey by bus with his wife’s ashes to their old hometown. It’s the kind of film that still performs very well on DVD too, with the home entertainment launch currently slated for November. Commenting on the release, the company’s Tom Stewart said: "It’s now our most successful theatrical release ever – The Keeper was £397,000. The Last Bus is now over £412,000 with many more bookings to come. It’s great to see the audience for this particular genre return so robustly.”

Also worth keeping an eye on from the same company is London Film Festival hit Shepherd, which had two sold out screenings at the event and will arrive next month on general release with the wind behind it in terms of positive word of mouth. It’s a dark horror film being released under Parkland’s Darland banner and, as the LFF noted: “Loosely inspired by the same true story that formed the basis of Robert Eggers’ The Lighthouse, Owen Russell’s impressionistic exercise in gothic horror is an entirely distinctive work in its own right. Dripping in atmosphere and rich with scares, Shepherd is a chilling meditation on the overwhelming dread of grief and loneliness.” Parkland’s Tom Stewart said: “Shepherd had its World Premier at the Curzon Soho ad was a sellout for both days. We're holding Halloween previews and also a SKY VIP programme of screenings before we release on November 12 at cinemas.” Home entertainment will follow next year…

The latest addition from the newly-revived Scream franchise landed this week as part of a keenly timed campaign leading up to the theatrical release of the new take, which reunites original cast members alongside a whole new bunch of teens, ahead of its release in January 2022. And it’s received interest in the films at just the right time for Paramount, which is giving a 4K release to the original on Monday October 18. The renewed interest in the franchise for its return, coupled with the ultra high definition, gives it double the advantage. It’s part of a spooky slate from the major on Monday, including new to physical home entertainment The Haunting of Bly Manor, a new Star Trek Original Series Steelbook, the 12th and 11th seasons of NCIS LA and Blue Bloods respectively and a new take on The Stand. All in all, the studio has a hefty 11 titles being release on the 18th…

Out in time for Halloween is a strong genre title from Universal, arriving in stores across DVD, Blu-ray, 4K Ultra HD as well as, a week later, in an hmv exclusive Steelbook 4K SKU in the shape of The Forever Purge. The fifth film in the franchise – a box set containing the entire quintet will also appear on DVD and Blu-ray too – it follows in the wake of its successful predecessors. Comment on the release, the company’s senior product manager Emily Evans said: “Our Home Entertainment campaign is focused on targeting core horror/thriller fans and fans of the franchise, including paid social activity and skinned pre-roll activity on Venatus. We are highlighting the filmmaker pedigree (from the producers of The Invisible Man and Halloween) and positioning it as THE film choice this Halloween.”

Australian tale Celia – part coming of age, part folk horror – is acclaimed by those in the know, especially in and around the fringes of horror flicks, as one of the most powerful films of the 80s and, after giving it a new lease of life back in 2008 on its first UK DVD release, indie imprint Second Run is now bringing it to Blu-ray, with the release arriving in stores on Monday October 18. Commenting on the release, the company’s Chris Barwick said: “New this month and making its worldwide debut on Blu-ray is Ann Turner's 1988 cult favourite Celia. A dark tale of childhood's end that deftly mixes elements of horror and coming-of-age drama to create and one of the most praised and chilling films of the 1980s. Having originally released the film on DVD way back in 2008, it's great to see it back and looking better than ever in this new 2K restoration. Our disc also includes an all-new expansive documentary on the film's background and legacy made especially for our release by director Ann Turner.”

Monday October 18 is another busy day for indie imprint Third window, which has a lavish box set and a standalone release slated for their in-store debut, Here’s the company’s Adam Torel on the titles. He said: "Toshiaki Toyoda is a wonderful Japanese director who has been unrepresented in the West for so long, so on October 18 we have eight of his films out to help him get out there. First off we have the box set Toshiaki Toyoda: 2005-2021 which is a follow-up to our box set from a few years ago, Toshiaki Toyoda: The Early Years and covers his more recent titles. The set includes six films in a limited edition Blu0ray Digipak set, with the fantastic Hanging Garden (a precursor to Kiyoshi Kurosawa's Tokyo Sonata) and his experimental Resurrection Trilogy among them. Released on the same day we have standalone Blu-ray reissues of his debut Pornostar and his internationally acclaimed 9 Souls, both of which are fantastic examples of contemporary Japanese cinema.”

And finally in stores on Monday October 18 is another release from Acorn of its Antipodean series The Brokenwood Mysteries, as outlined here by the company’s Helen Squire. She said: “Perennial murder mystery favourite, The Brokenwood Mysteries sees Series 7 out on DVD this week alongside a Series 1-7 boxset. This New Zealand set drama has been compared to Midsomer Murders and it’s certainly that light comedic touch – along with the stunning scenery - that seems to make this such a popular show. Roll on Series 8!”

TWEET OF THE WEEK

TRAILERS OF THE WEEK

Big week for trailers…

https://youtu.be/gKFMzJDT5J4

Get back oil to Disney+…

https://youtu.be/Auta2lagtw4

Dog days…

https://youtu.be/ed3stlG9r3A

Apple’s got Swagger…

https://youtu.be/87A_aLJOY4g