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DARRYL GASKIN RIP
TRIBUTES PAID…
SXSW TAKES OVER LONDON…
…PANEL DISCUSSES BOUTIQUE LABELS…
…”IT’S HAVING TANGIBLE PRODUCTS”
…LABELS PAY TRIBUTE TO CONTEMPORARIES…
…“SPACE FOR PHYSICAL MEDIA AT LANDMARK EVENT”…
…MORE REACTION FROM SXSW LONDON
TORNADO WHIPS UP A STORM
ORLANDO TO BLOOM AGAIN
HIDDEN OUT IN THE OPEN
CRITERION REVEALS AUGUST SLATE…
BFI OFFERS UP THE REST OF Q3 TITLES
GANGS ROAM STORES…
WE COULD GIVE A FIG
SPOTTED OUT AND ABOUT
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TRAILERS OF THE WEEK 
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It was a good week for… Bridget Jones Mad About The Boy off to a strong start on its physical release…
It was a bad week for… Boom or bust for the UK production business according to Variety…
We have been watching… Everything from homegrown premiere Deep Cover, at SXSW London to Lionsgate's Tornado, which is almost a certainty for our top 10 for 2025 come December…
One of the toughest tasks at The Raygun is to report on the passing of familiar names in the industry, but in all cases it's important that we remember the great and pioneering work of many in it, especially those who devoted the best part of their lives to working in the entertainment business and believed passionately in not just the product, but the people in it and the wider industry. So it is with great sadness that we pass on news of the untimely and tragic passing of industry stalwart Darryl Gaskin. Gaskin had been in and around the entertainment industry for almost 40 years, starting at store level for Our Price, then moving on to hmv, then Music Zone, buying at MBL for retailers such as Morrisons and, for some 14 years until 2024, at Music Magpie, where he helped the pre-owned entertainment retailer become a force to be reckoned with. He had recently been working as a consultant, advising, among others, the revitalised Our Price website, coming full circle in his career, as well as retraining in sustainability to soon launch his own business. Like many of the industry's best, he was a fierce advocate of retail in all its forms and loved his films and music. As well as his own achievements, he launched something of an entertainment industry dynasty, with daughter Carys following in her father’s footsteps working on the retail side, before moving on to marketing at the likes of of Manga and Studiocanal; she now works on the games side at Square Enix. A celebration of his life is being held at Adlington Memorial Park, Macclesfield, SK10 4LF on Friday June 20 at 11am, followed by at The Boars Head, Higher Poynton, SK12 1TE from 3pm.
Carys Gaskin paid tribute to her father, telling The Raygun: ”I inherited so much from my Dad, with our shared love of storytelling, countless cinema trips and gigs together all leading to me working in the same industry he did. I was able to present new releases to him over the years, which became somewhat easier after I told his own mother how he would talk over anyone else in the room, leading to a stern dressing down from her ahead of our next (quieter) quarterly presentation... I adored him and will miss him dearly, and I’ll endeavour to keep making him as proud as when he was excitedly introducing me to everyone he could at the BVAs/BASE Awards together 10 years ago. Although he was definitely a thorn in the side of many when it came to pricing and product ranges, I hope many will remember their time with him fondly for the gentle soul he was underneath the tattoos and biker gear.”
Further tribute came from the founder of the new iteration of Our Price, Paul Harris, who said: “We only knew him for just under a year, but in that short time he was an invaluable support – bringing with him a long history in entertainment retail, countless industry friendships, a genuine passion for music, sound business instincts, and real belief in what we were building. What started as him just helping out quickly became obvious: he was perfect to be our COO. Outside of work – or maybe because of it – Darryl, myself and our CTO Matt became friends. He later introduced us to Al Bellis and Walter Gleeson from his Music Magpie days, and they too are now helping us on our mission to reboot OurPrice as the successful, much loved retail brand we all remember. So thank you, Darryl. You were clever, hardworking, funny, smiley, just really easy company and you helped us out of nothing more than kindness and friendship - we miss you.”
Last week saw popular US multi-venue, multi-platform creative festival SXSW London launch, transferring from the US in a new spin-off and film was very much at the heart of its offering, spread across six days. It was woven into the fabric of the event, with a raft of premieres and much discussion, including a panel that discussed boutique Blu-ray labels and why they are “thriving in the digital age”. The Raygun was lucky enough to attend one of the premieres, new London-set Amazon-backed actioner Deep Cover. The film’s a blast – it goes live on Prime Video this week – and added some celebrity glitz to the proceedings, with the attendance (and post screening Q&A) with cast and crew, including Nick Mohammed, Orlando Bloom, Bryce Dallas Howard and director Tom Kingsley and producer Colin Trevorrow. Other premieres at the event included Signature’s The Occupant, due to hit digital in September (see below).
Meanwhile, a panel discussion, Why Boutique Blu-ray Labels Are Thriving In The Digital World, saw panellists Louise Buckler, of Arrow Films, and Chris Holden from Second Sight discussing their respective levels and how they are not only helping sales but also revitalising interest in physical media. The Raygun couldn’t make it in person, but Variety was, noting that Holden said: “I think they’ve been likened to vinyl, with the resurgence of vinyl. There’s that same collectability factor that coupled with quality… streaming a film is never going to have the same quality as a disc, with compression and everything.” Buckler added: “It’s having tangible products. I’ve always been a collector of things. It’s just so much nicer to pick up a nice box, open it up, read the liner notes. It’s a lot of a different experience than just kind of pressing play on streaming. So I think the romanticism of having a physical product, kind of works across vinyl and film.”
Other topics on the agenda according to Variety’s report were International collaborations (“With Mean Streets, that was a collaboration with us and Criterion sharing the restoration costs… We’re all talking to each other all the time. And with bonus materials as well. Often, we’re sharing, co-funding for each of our territories,” said Holden); 4K (Holden: “There are certain things that we could release, and if we just do it on Blu ray now, people are going to be disappointed. We will look at releases now, and we won’t release something… if there’s not a 4K master available.”) and working with directors and talent (as reported here previously, Second Sight is collaborating with Sean Baker on The Florida Project, Arrow has worked with the likes of Donnie Darko and Southland Tales helmer Richard Kelly); engaging with their consumers and looking at websites (Louise Buckler: “It is important to look at those and see what fans are saying and make sure that we’re kind of aligning with what they hope that we’re gonna release.”); their contemporaries, with praise for the likes of Radiance, Powerhouse’s Indicator series, Second Run and 88 Films and, of course, physical media. As Holden was quoted in Variety as saying: “Owning a film in the way that streaming, and even if you bought it online, you don’t have that same feeling.”
Speaking after the event, Arrow’s Louise Buckler told The Raygun: “It was a great experience to be part of the inaugural edition of SXSW London and share the stage with Chris Holden from Second Sight with David Jenkins from Little White Lies leading the discussion as our moderator. During our session we talked about how Arrow and Second Sight approach our releases and schedules, the restoration process, how we navigate working with directors and actors, collector culture and the world of boutique Blu-ray as a whole - including our colleagues and friends at many of the UK based boutique labels and across the globe. It was a fantastic experience to have a full audience at the Rich Mix who were excited to hear us talk about physical media and the processes that go into bringing a film from acquisition and finally into their homes Blu-ray or 4K UHD. A huge thanks to Adam Woodward, Little White Lies, the Rich Mix and the SXSW London team for making the space for physical media to be discussed at such a landmark London event.”
Second Sight’s Chris Holden added: “It was great to join Lou from Arrow to discuss the enduring popularity of physical media in a digital age, and for the inaugural SXSW London to recognise this by hosting a panel discussion. A big thanks to Adam and David at Little White Lies for setting up and the invite, and to SXSW London for giving us the opportunity to sing the praises of a market that continues to go from strength to strength.”
Comment on the premiere at SXSW London came from Signature’s Sab Astley who said: “We were pleased to have The Occupant’s world premiere at the inaugural SXSW London, where director Hugo Keijzer and Ella Balinska conducted some key interviews with press before attending the sold-out screening at Rich Mix of genre fans from London and beyond. We’ve had a great reaction to the film so far with it being called a ‘solid and stirring sci-fi thriller’, and we look forward to UK and Irish audiences experiencing Keijzer’s original sci-fi survival tale in September.”
To the Prince Charles Cinema for a screening of the next big action film from Lionsgate hot on the heels of Ballerina, Tornado. And it lives up to the promise of its trailer too, as John Maclean follows Slow West with what is being pitched as a Scottish Samurai Western – a description it also fully lives up to. Starring Tim Roth, who is wonderfully malevolent, and a whole host of familiar faces, it’s lean and tight, set in barren and freezing cold Scottish moors (director Maclean recalled just how miserable the weather was in the shoot during his introduction), with a group of ne’er-do-wells chasing the eponymous heroine and their stolen loot. Judging by the audience reaction – a very Prince Charles Cinema mix of whooping, hollering and gasps – word of mouth will give it a further boost alongside the strong reviews and it’ll work a treat as a home entertainment proposition, Maclean’s burgeoning reputation among film fans only adds to the action enthusiasts who will lap this up. A sample review from the Radio Times said: "It's a pleasure to have Maclean behind the camera again, and this unusual and grisly tale represents a brand of cinema we could do with seeing more of.” It was good too to see Lionsgate’s Marie-Claire Benson paying tribute to the wonderful PCC after its ongoing battles with its landlord, while eagle-eyed viewers will also note former Our Price video buyer Joe Simpson, who also had key roles at Columbia TriStar, aka Sony Pictures, and MGM, listed in the credits as executive producer…
Over at the Curzon cinema in Mayfair, meanwhile, the distribution arm of the company was hosting a special screening of Orlando to mark its forthcoming 4K UHD and Blu-ray release of Sally Potter’s classic film, due in June 23, as outlined here by the company’s Damian Spandley. He said; “Orlando has been a perennial influence on fashion designers since its premiere in 1991, and we wanted to ensure that the Orlando 4K Ultra HD special edition appealed to audiences interested in the iconic costumes featured in the film. To that end, we commissioned Joana Granero Sánchez of Fashion and Cinema to write an essay for the disc's booklet. Joana suggested getting director Sally Potter, costume designer Sandy Powell, and make-up designer Morag Ross together to celebrate the release of the disc, and we jumped at the chance. What better to celebrate the film than watching it on the big screen at Curzon Mayfair and listening to these supremely talented women discuss their enduring collaboration?”
Meanwhile, Curzon is also currently working on another of its lavish packages to mark the complete works of a noted director, with next up, following on from the likes of Peter Strickland, a new set looking at Michael Haneke, who has long had an association with the distributor. Damian Spandley said: “We’re excited for the release of the Michael Haneke Curzon Collection on Blu-ray, the most ambitious and comprehensive home entertainment release of the acclaimed director to date. It's a project that has been years in the making, of Curzon releasing the great director's films and consolidating his impressive catalogue, from his two Palme d'Or winners to newly restored features from his little seen early TV work. A sweeping theatrical retrospective entitled – Complicit – will play cinemas across the summer to set up the limited edition boxset release in September. The Collection contains Michael Haneke's entire feature filmography (with 12 of the 17 films on blu-ray for the first time in the UK), documentaries, behind-the-scenes featurettes and a booklet with new essays.”
There’s been the usual flow of announcements from boutique labels over the past week, with Criterion first out of the blocks, revealing its August titles. John Partridge, one of the team at Spirit looking after the noted imprint, said: “This August you can holiday around the globe without leaving the comfort of your sofa with the very best of world cinema on 4K from Criterion. First stop on August 4 is Japan, with the 4K UHD release of Paul Schrader’s Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters, a visually stunning portrait of Japanese author and playwright Yukio Mishima. It really is a one-of-a-kind film with an amazing score by Phillip Glass and the 4K remaster has been supervised and approved by Schrader and cinematographer John Bailey. Italy is next with Vittorio De Sica’s Shoeshine. Alongside Bicycle Thieves, Shoeshine is a true masterwork of the Italian neo-realist movement and is as near to perfect as it can be with 100 per cent score on Rotten Tomatoes. See for yourself when it releases on 4K for the first time on August 18. A week later, our final call is Taiwan with a Blu-ray double bill from Edward Yang – A Confucian Confusion and Mahjong. Fans of the directors more well-known works Yi Yi and A Brighter Summer Day will find much to enjoy in these sharply pointed satires - one set in a modern entertainment company and the other on the mean streets of Taipei, where a rogue’s gallery of lowlifes and hustlers struggle to survive. Maybe not the best holiday destination after all!”
Also announcing has been the BFI, revealing its August and September titles. The organisation’s Ben Stoddart said: “Starting with Seven Samurai late last year, the BFI has been able to upgrade several films from its Kurosawa catalogue to both Blu-ray and 4K UHD, all of which have proved hugely popular. The latest to title to join our 4K library will be The Hidden Fortress, which will be released in August (also on Blu-ray). Known by many for its influence on George Lucas’s first Star Wars film, The Hidden Fortress was Kurosawa’s biggest hit to date when it was released and has always been one of our biggest sellers. Later in August another World Cinema classic makes its 4K UHD debut here in the UK, Werner Herzog’s Aguirre, The Wrath of God. Filmed in the Amazonian jungle, the production is almost one of legend, mostly due to the combustible relationship between Herzog and his leading man, the volatile yet charismatic Klaus Kinski….and this was only their first collaboration! The release will feature previously included extras as well as new material further exploring this masterpiece of the New German Cinema movement. Following in September is Herzog’s acclaimed adaptation, Nosferatu the Vampyre. Much discussed recently following Robert Eggers’ box office smash, Herzog’s film is widely considered to be one of the very best Dracula films with a stellar cast that includes Klaus Kinski, Isabelle Adjani and Bruno Ganz. Both Aguirre and Nosferatu will be released on 4K UHD and Blu-ray. Rounding off our Q3 slate is the rarely seen and never-before-released TV series, Object Z on a Blu-ray/DVD dual format release. This vintage six-part Rediffusion sci-fi serial will delight all aficionados of the glorious golden age of British television drama and will appeal to fans of Quatermass, Out of the Unknown and The Twilight Zone.
A couple of big releases from Dazzler this week, with the independent bringing the latest instalment of the ongoing drama Gangs Of London into stores on June 9. The company’s Paul Holland said: “This week bring the release on DVD, Blu Ray and EST of Series 3 of the pulsating Sky drama Gangs Of London. It’s a non stop knuckle ride of violence as grievances break out on the streets of London after a batch of cocaine kills party goers. Gangs Of London has become a real flagship title in the Dazzler catalogue and S3 keeps the momentum at a maximum.”
It’s other biggie this week is the awards-friendly Iranian thriller Seed Of The Sacred Fig. Paul Holland, again, said: “Also out today is the Cannes award winner and Ballon D’Or nominated film Seed Of The Sacred Fig. Having had a theatrical release in 2024, the critical acclaimed Iranian drama regarded as one of the most important films of the year is now available on Blu-ray and DVD. An investigating judge struggles with paranoia amid political unrest in Tehran caused by the death of a young woman. When his gun goes missing, he suspects his wife and daughters, imposing harsh measures that fray family ties.”
We’ll leave with the biggest business story of the week, as Warner Bros Discovery announced it is planning to split the company into two distinct publicly traded companies, The Streaming & Studio Group, taking in Warner Bros. Television, Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group, DC Studios, HBO, and HBO Max and the vast catalogue and libraries of TV and film programming; and Global Networks, taking in its worldwide entertainment, sports and news brands, from “ CNN, TNT Sports in the U.S., and Discovery, top free-to-air channels across Europe, and digital products such as the profitable Discovery+ streaming service and Bleacher Report”. Current president and CEO of WBD David Zaslav, who will serve as president and CEO of Streaming & Studios said: “The cultural significance of this great company and the impactful stories it has brought to life for more than a century have touched countless people all over the world. It’s a treasured legacy we will proudly continue in this next chapter of our celebrated history. By operating as two distinct and optimized companies in the future, we are empowering these iconic brands with the sharper focus and strategic flexibility they need to compete most effectively in today’s evolving media landscape.”
 An Elio Intergalactic Messge Pod on London's Southbank, enabling Disney fans to send a message into space ahead of the theatrical release of the next animated adventure from the studio, Elio, due in cinemas on June 20…
 The Raygun, is 15 years old and continues to report on the home entertainment industry and its ever-changing face. To ensure we can continue to bring you the latest news, opinion and analysis from a business we love and care passionately about, you can support our independent journalism by donating to us via Ko-fi… Thank you.
TRAILERS OF THE WEEK
Wicka-wick-wicked…
New Cronenberg…
Fresh from SXSW and due from Signature…
Originally out in 1994, restored for 2025 by Studiocanal…
Freakier apparently…
We’ve all been on a lost bus, maybe not one as exciting as this…
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