KING'S SPEECH HITS THE MILLION MARK
HMV MOVES ON
MAN UNITED GO FOR GOLD
BAFTAS GIVE LIFT TO TV TITLES…
…AND ADD TO THE KILLING'S KUDOS
MORE CANNES DEALS
EONE PUBLISHES FIGURES…
…AND BACKS GNOME ENTERTAINMENT
EVENT RUNS LIKE CLOCKWORK
UPSIDE DOWN REACHES LOFT-Y HEIGHTS
SHADOWY RELEASE FROM 2E
OFF TO MCM…
CAMERON REVEALS DVD COLLECTION
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
RELEASE OF THE WEEK – ORANGES AND SUNSHINE
AT THE MOVIES
SITE OF THE WEEK
TWEET OF THE WEEK
TRAILERS OF THE WEEK
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 It Was A Good Week For… 2 entertain's Stuart Snaith, who saw 2e titles pick up numerous BAFTAs and then got a name check in the Rev acceptance speech…
It Was A Bad Week For… See Saw, the TV streaming company is to shutter in June… And so it came to pass that after last week's flurry of King's Speech-related news from The Raygun, Momentum's record-breaking British blockbuster did pass the 1 million mark… Congratulations to the company for its impressive performance with what is now Momentum's biggest selling ever DVD release. What's also worth noting is how far the story spread, as newspapers such as The Sun picked up on the story, helping to celebrate the film's success…
It seems as if, after a few stories in the broadsheet business pages, it's been a much quieter week for retailer HMV, as it awaits the ratification of its sale of Waterstone's (see last week's newsletter), the restructuring of its loans and, going forward, concentrating on the HMV multi-channel business. As all that happens, we noted with interest comments from ceo Simon Fox this week. over in games trade magazine MCV. He said: "I look forward to putting that stuff behind us, getting our heads down, getting out of the headlines and moving forward in a positive way." He also said the retailer's digital offering will "evolve" into offering films and games alongside music.
Although the football season may have finished some weeks ago for many (just ask the industry's West Ham fans about that), this Saturdays sees the culmination of the club season, with the Champions League Final between Barcelona and Manchester United being held at Wembley. It will, naturally be followed by an end of season release from Sir Alex Ferguson's Premier League champs, but this year will be something different, as it will mark the first release under a new deal for the club. In a wide-reaching global deal, which obviously has one eye on the club's international fanbase, Man United has signed with New York-based Bombo Sports, the company that produced the theatrically-released Beyond The Promised Land. Bombo has inked sales and distribution deals with A&E in the UK, parts of Europe and Australasia. All of which means that Go Entertain, which looks after A&E in the UK, will be handling the releases over here. The five year deal will see Bombo planning at least four new films a year, and will also take in the 40 plus strong back catalogue. Go's Neil Harrington said: "Bombo has some fantastic productions in the pipeline and we are really looking forward to bringing a fresh approach to the Manchester United brand." Man United commercial manager James White said: "Manchester United is proud to partner with Bombo in creating exciting content offerings for our loyal, global fanbase. We're very excited about the 2010/11 Season Review DVD, which we hope will be the first of many compelling programmes for Red Devils all around the world." And Bombo's Bob Potter added: "As part of our deal with Manchester United, Bombo is delighted to be able to team with A&E and and GoEntertain. We are particularly excited to kick off our relationship with the Season Review for such an historic season."
 So, to the BAFTAs, where the great and the good from the world of television were on hand to pick up awards for their efforts. And it gave a timely boost to DVD releases. Unlike the film BAFTAs or Oscars, where many of the winners have yet to make it to the shelves, most of the big awards on Sunday were given to programmes that were already out on DVD and Blu-ray (Rev aside, which is due in November). Those included titles from 2 entertain (which had the lion's share of BAFTAs, thanks to the likes of Sherlock, The Trip, Rev, Getting On, Eric And Ernie), 4DVD (This Is England, Misfits and surprise winner The Only Way Is Essex), ITV Studios Home Entertainment (The Road To Coronation Street) and Universal Playback (Any Human Heart). 2 entertain's Brian Hill said: "Events such as the BAFTAs are a great way to propel properties back in to the public consciousness, and celebrate our content. Also, ahead of its release in Q4, it was great to see Rev get the plaudits it deserved at the recent awards and in the re-commissioning of another series, which is due to air this autumn.”
Among the biggest BAFTA winners was The Killing, the bona fide post-Wire television phenomenon that has wowed TV viewers on BBC4 and the BBC's iPlayer, and is on the verge of shifting 20,000 box sets (with a £60 RRP) in its first eight weeks on DVD courtesy of Arrow's recent release. It picked up the prestigious international award, ahead of some big name US programmes. It has given the release another boost in terms of sales. And as Arrow's Tom Stewart noted: "We're delighted and gobsmacked… and to happen at such an early stage, with Channel 4 about to broadcast the remake, Season 1 to be re-broadcast in August, Season 2 in November and not to mention Season 3 going into production this Autumn, The Killing is set to become a very highly successful franchise in its own right."
 We announced Arrow inking the deal to acquire The Killing after one of its successful market trips and the independent had another busy time at the most recent market at the Cannes Film Festival. With a packed slate going forward, the company is being very selective, however it has picked two more disaster films following Meteor Storm's UK success – NY Tornado and Volcano Disaster, as well as even more Scandinavian goodies in the shape of The Kings Of Devil's Island, a prison-based film starring Stellan Skarsgard and the $15 million crime series Van Veeteren. Scroll down to our Trailers Of The Week section to have a closer look at Devil's Island, and there are more announcements are due from the company shortly.
Network Releasing has also announced a raft of titles it has acquired for UK theatrical and home entertainment release. Its basket includes The Wild Hunt (Lord Of The Rings meets Lord Of The Flies as a fantasy re-enactment game goes wrong); US indie Return, which offers a new twist on the soldier coming home from a tour of duty tale and stars Linda Cardellini; Franco-Chilean tale Bonsai and the Bulgarian language film Ave, which was screened in the Critics' Week at the festival. Network md Tim Beddows said: "We are excited about the deals we have made as we continue to grow our film arm and Network Releasing as a home for alternative independent cinema."
Another company tying up a wealth of post-Cannes deals was eOne, with the independent unveiling a raft of titles it has acquired for the UK, and oits other territories. Its haul includes Pompeii, directed by Paul WS Anderson; the Taylor Hackford helmed Jason Statham starrer Parker; Ken Loach's latest Angel's Share, Tarzan 3D and Lay The Favourite, featuring the likes of Bruce Willis, Rebecca Hall and Catherine Zeta-Jones and directored by Stephen Frears. Its acquisitions total, taking in rights for features in the UK, US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, Germany, France, Scandinavia, Benelux and South Africa, topped 50 features. The company has further pacted on a deal that will see it release two to four films a year in the UK from the production and financing company recently launched by experienced head David Linde, which will be run by him and other Hollywood names.
 Also from eOne: the company has this week unveiled some excellent results for the year ending March 2011. These saw revenue up 12 per cent from the previous year to $752.9 million and profit before tax up almost 40 per cent to $51.8 million. The year saw the company release a whopping 121 films at cinemas across its territories, while further growing its television side and, in a key move, furthering its output deal with Summit Entertainment. This year will see the likes of One For The Money, The Killer Elite and the next Twilight instalment, Breaking Dawn Part 1, all arriving at cinemas. President and ceo Darren Throop said: "“We are very pleased to announce these positive results. Our strategic focus on film and television content acquisition and distribution across multiple territories has proven effective in making Entertainment One the prominent choice for independent content producers."
Meanwhile, as the company was announcing those figures, it was also working hard on the imminent launch of Gnomeo & Juliet on DVD and Blu-ray in the UK. We've already featured eOne's marketing plans for the release, but this week it pulled a great publicity stunt for the animated family feature, after organising a protest about the banning of gnomes from the Chelsea Flower Show outside this year's event. You can see the photographic evidence on our website, while eOne's Sayoko Tietz said: "This was a great stunt to kick-off our event size campaign for Gnomeo & Juliet. Through the stunt we achieved fantastic coverage in the Daily Express, Daily Mirror and numerous online sites." See pictures on our website
More event activity, and The Raygun was lucky enough to be at an event hosted by purehmv for its members this week, which saw Malcolm McDowell, Chrstiane Kubrick (Stanley's widow) and producer Jan Harlan take to the stage at the Soho Hotel for a "money can't buy" Q&A and screening of A Clockwork Orange. As noted last week, it was part of a publicity tour to support Warner's Blu-ray release of the Stanley Kubrick Visionary Filmmaker Collection. For more, see our website.
 Also on our website this week: we've got some trailers ranging from the ridiculous (Eyeborgs) to the sublime (The Great White Silence), taking in Lake Mungo, as well as our weekly round-ups of screenings we've been to by our correspondent Alex Kidd and the weekend's press home entertainment press coverage. And we've also taken a look at boxing films…
Revolver is continuing with its work on the excellent Creation Records documentary Upside Down after the film's initial release. Last week's NME featured a whopping 10 page front cover feature on the label, all tied in to the film and featuring plugs and mentions aplenty about the title. It's part of further initiatives which will include a special monthly Upside Down night at London's seminal 100 Club, which will air the film and feature guest DJs and bands. The first event, on June 8, will feature seminal Creation band The Loft and DJ Mark Gardner from Ride. Revolver's Hollie RIchmond said: "We're pleased to be supporting this fantastic film and are confident that the summer festival season, which sees the film playing at Glastonbury, will continue to generate much excitement about Upside Down amongst music fans." See you down the front…
Back to our television screens now, and one TV programme that we're currently hooked on is The Shadow Line, which is halfway through its run on BBC2. There we were again last night (it airs on Thursday), pulled in by a number of compelling performances from a fantastic cast in the crime series, penned and directed by Hugo Blick (who wrote, among other things, Marion And Geoff). What we're trying to work out is who is scarier, Rafe Spall's crime family hothead, or the more mysterious Stephen Rea as a ruthless killer. The series has won critical plaudits (plus audience figures) and is due on DVD and Blu-ray from 2 entertain on July 4. 2 entertain's product manager, Katie Waters said: “The wonderful heritage behind the writing and production team, make The Shadow Line a really exciting property for us. The success of Sherlock highlights that there is a real market for great quality dramas - which this certainly is.”
We've already featured this weekend's MCM Expo event down in the heart of east London's Docklands area, and have covered it previously too (see here: ). We'll be down there having a look at the event this weekend, talking to the UK exhibitors, but in the meantime, give credit where it's due and let's congratulate organisers on the impressive PR coup that saw them get a page three lead story in the Daily Star this week…
 We don't know about you, but here at The Raygun, we're obsessed with other people's DVD collections, so we, like a fair few others on the Internet, spent a large proportion of the past week looking at prime minister David Cameron's DVD collection, which featured in the background of one of the many publicity shots of the Camerons and the Obamas during the presidential visit this week. Take a look at it here. There's some 24 in there, Lost, Band Of Brothers, Mad Men and True Blood (although the Camerons tend to tire after the first season, either that or they're not really watching them). There's British TV in there too – Doctor Who and Merlin chief among them. Good to see the old Star Wars VHS in there as well. And we personally love the idea of Dave and Sam settling down for a cosy night in after a hard day's politicking and watching either Eastbound And Down (HBO) or Family Guy… What we don't like however, is the completely random way in which they are filed. How can you expect him to run the country if he can't alphabeticise his collection? Last bit of weekend reading material, and we love the fact that Sky Movies has spent a fortune educating people about buying into their services rather than, say, DVD and then promptly does a survey asking consumers which star they'd like to… watch a DVD with. I think that's what they call a "fail" on this Internet thing they have these days… Read more here.
Been to Cannes? Let us know what Cannes 2011 signified for you and your company, by contributing to our Postcards From Cannes feature… Email us your thoughts on this year's event to the usual address, for imminent publication on our website…
 QUOTE OF THE WEEK
"I understand and agree with the goal of the legislation, to protect intellectual property and combat commerce in counterfeit goods, but I am not willing to muzzle speech and stifle innovation and economic growth to achieve this objective. At the expense of legitimate commerce, [the legislation] takes an overreaching approach to policing the Internet when a more balanced and targeted approach would be more effective. The collateral damage of this approach is speech, innovation and the very integrity of the Internet."
One step forward, two steps back, as new US legislation which could block copyright flouting websites from outside the US and stop credit card companies and advertisers doing business with sites that illegally distribute TV shows passes another hurdle in the US senate – but one senator, Ron Wyden, quoted above, promises to fight it on free speech grounds…
RELEASE OF THE WEEK
Oranges And Sunshine garnered plenty of coverage on its initial theatrical release, thanks to its compelling tale of one woman's struggle to uncover the scandal of British children forcibly deported to Australia, for a childhood of hard labour. And Icon is planning to reheat that interest for its July 25 home entertainment release of the film, based on a bestselling book that recounts this real-life story. It boasts impeccable pedigree, starring Emily Watson, directed by Jim Loach, whose dad is British film legend Ken, a raft of four star reviews and a theatrical performance that exceeded expectations. Icon will be teaming with the book's publishers for cross-promotional activity as part of a campaign that includes press advertising in the quality press and mid-market tabloids. Icon's Andrea Skinner said: "We'll be broadening the film's appeal as much as possible, appealing to women who enjoy an emotional but uplifting tale, and of course, emphasising the compelling true story aspect."
 AT THE MOVIES Predictable, yes, but the fourth instalment in the Pirates Of The Caribbean franchise, On Stranger Tides, swept the competition aside on its way to an impressive opening haul that topped the £11 million mark, making it the year's biggest opener. It was part of a global haul that almost hit the $350 million mark… Other new entries in the UK box office top 10 included Lionsgate's Blitz (£266,148) and Win Win from Fox, which took £155,463. Also worth noting was Revolver's impressive start for sports doc Fire In Babylon, which took more than £100,000 as part of an impressive round of screenings ahead of its June home entertainment release.
Meanwhile, due out at cinemas this weekend is The Hangover Part 2 and in perhaps the week's most amusing tale, certainly in legal terms. Because, after a last minute court bid, the film nearly didn't make it to cinemas, as a tattoo artist – the one responsible for the design that graces Mike Tyson's face – claimed that the design that features on one of its stars faces, infringed his copyright. He wanted to have the film's release halted while the case was heard, but eventually the judge relented, allowing Warner's heavily marketed worldwide release to go ahead. But the case will still be heard in full…
Another belter of a story on the legal side also loosely involved Warner, as both the studio and fellow giant MGM were named in a suit brought by Charles Bronson's estate. It surrounds two of his "lesser known" films, Telefon and St Ives. According to his estate, but studios have failed to pay monies owed from DVD, home entertainment and television sales for the two titles. The suit alleges that only 20 per cent of royalties were paid. We could make some remark that the losses are said to run into hundreds of dollars, but that would be unnecessarily snide about Mr Bronson.
If anyone's been to any of those Kidrobot stores (there's one in Earlham Street in London's Covent Garden, then they should recognise the Ugly Dolls, a kind of plush whose title is a bit of a giveaway for what they look like (see here). Our junior correspondents have some at home, and they're ace, so we welcomed the news this week that animation genius Chris Meledandri's Illumination and Universal are set to make an animated film of their adventures. It will join a slate that includes an Addams Family stop-motion film helmed by Tim Burton and adaptations of Ricky Gervais' Flanimals and Dr Seuss' The Lorax. Its hits so far are Despicable Me and Hop.
SITE OF THE WEEK
Not so much a site of the week, rather an App Of The Week this time round, as we pass on our congratulations to former Fox sales supremo David Stevens, now running app producer Big Ideas. The company's film-related Say What You See (part-Where's Wally, part-Empire style picture quiz), where you have to spot movie titles cryptically pictured in large images, was the number one downloaded app in the UK and Ireland, with more than 500,000 downloads and was also in the top 10 grossing apps chart too. Stevens said: "‘it’s great to see one of our apps selling so well, it’s a testament to the quality of the product and our marketing skills that the App can gain cut through to be the biggest seller, whilst also leveraging the Freemium model to generate a top 10 grossing slot off the back of it’s now extremely large player base. We’re really excited about the future of the concept and with a range of standard and licensed canvas’ to come, Say What You See is a developing brand that we’re proud to own.’ Pick it up at Apple's App Store here.
TWEET OF THE WEEK
We spent far too long following David Cameron's DVD collection (see above), for starters. Oh, and we also review every film we watch… Follow us on www.twitter.com/theraygun
TRAILERS OF THE WEEK
We're not even going to say what this is, so as not to spoil the surprise, but this one has spread like wildfire this week…
Oh, and it's also spawned this one too:
Mentioned above, a Cannes pick up from Arrow:
New Transformers trailer:
Strong-looking creepy horror fare, due from High Fliers in the summer:
And here's a clip from the Cannes winner:
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