|
HMV SPREADS THE GOOD NEWS FAR AND WIDE…
…AS DEADPOOL SAVES COMIC BOOK FILMS
BEAVERS IS A DAM FINE FILM…
…AS DUKE MITCHELL READIES FOR NEXT FEST
SECOND SIGHT THIMBS A LIFT TO FRIGHTFEST
STRANGERS INTRODUCED ON DISC…
…AS FALL GUY CRASHES INTO STORES
SHAUN CELEBRATES
STUDIOCANAL READIES RELEASES
ARROW’S SNAGS THE LAST VIDE STORE…
…AND UNVEILS OCTOBER SLATE
TANKS FOR THE MEMORIES…
…AS EUREKA REVEALS ITS AUTUMN
FACT TARGETS ILLEGAL STREAMERS
TRAILERS OF THE WEEK
 If you can't read this newsletter or see the ads, please click here.
It was a good week for… hmv’s news about Blu-ray and DVD sales made for plenty of coverage after it was announced, leading to a wave of interest in physical media…
It was a bad week for… Anyone who’s been saying superhero films are dead…
We have been watching… We saw Deadpool & Wolverine and it’s easy to see why it’s performing so well, but the most packed cinema was for our trip to see I Saw The TV Glow…
The comments from hmv abut the state of physical media and notably DVD and Blu-ray, have spread far and wide since we reported them on the Raygun newsletter and among those further trumpeting disc-based formats as outlets picked up on the story was ERA’s Kim Bayley. She appeared on Gethin Jones’ show on BBC Radio 5 to talk about the return of physical visual media. She told listeners: “I think those people who really love a movie and want to watch it again and again and again… They want to have it in the best possible quality and they want to know its always going to be available to them. On streaming services, things don’t stay there forever, they jump in and out of different services, they’re licensed for a certain amount of time. So, if you really love Terminator 2, like me, you want to have t2 in your collection. There are huge numbers of DVDs available, 128000 different titles which massively eclipses the 21,000 titles that are available digitally. All of our consumer research shows us that young kids are also buying DVD and 4K Blu-rays. The younger generation have everything available on a streaming service, of course they use Netflix and Spotify for music, but when they really want to have something they’re prepared to pay for it and put it in their collection. I think the younger generation are buying DVDs as well as my parents… Credit to hmv, they’ve realised some people always want to browse physical stores and walk out with a movie they want in their hands. DVDs are definitely here to stay. People love physical formats, they love to collect and that’s why they’re still here.” You can listen to it here.
Superhero films are dead. Long live superhero films. While many commentators, critics and box office analysts have been ruminating over the future of comic book adaptations and both DC and Marvel’s recent woes, many pronouncing the waning box office clout of caped crusaders, Deadpool & Wolverine, the latest Marvel outing, has been breaking all kinds of records. And its success has shown that maybe, just maybe, there’s life left in big costumed character franchises. It has shattered numerous records in its first two weekends on release – both in the US and the UK and rest of the world. These include such milestones as the biggest opening weekend of 2024 on both sides of the Atlantic, the biggest ever R-rated opening in the US and rest of the world, and, in the US, the highest July opening of all-time and the sixth biggest opening ever. Records continued to fall in its second weekend, with its worldwide haul standing at $824 million on the morning of Monday August 5, its UK total currently at more than £33 million. Moreover, Disney is now pressing its own Inside Out 2 to become the year’s highest grossing film, all of which has helped the studio – which has come under fire from investors for both its Marvel and animated fare – become the first to pass the $3 billion mark in global box office revenue for 2024.
 The wait is over as Monday August 5 sees the Blu-ray release of one of the most talked about films of the year, the rather wonderful Hundreds Of Beavers. We’ve been raving about it here and it really is one of 2024’s most enjoyable – and surreal – outings. Low budget but wildly inventive and hugely innovative, Monday’s release from Lightbulb is the latest in a journey that saw it debuting at the Duke Mitchell Festival, run by our old pals Alex Kidd and Evrim Ersoy, in 2023, and this year becoming a bona fide phenomenon. What’s more, the Blu-ray is a real treat too, with the film not only standing up to repeat viewing, but also in its excellent commentary track provided by cast and crew. Their sense of enthusiasm and fun shines through and it is a great insight into the world of zero budget filmmaking and seems as much fun to record as it is to listen to (The Raygun’s Tim Murray has also reviewed it in his physical media coverage for the new issue of the excellent Film Stories magazine). Commenting on the film’s journey so far, Lightbulb’s Matthew Kreuzer said: ““Hundreds Of Beavers has been an absolute joy to work on and it’s wonderful to see the UK and Irish box office continue to perform with new bookings and encores being confirmed every week. It’s not often you get to work on such a unique and entertaining film like HOB, so long may the success continue in cinemas, on digital platforms and on Blu-ray, bringing a massive smile to the great British public.”
Hundreds Of Beavers, as noted above, made its debut at the Duke Mitchell Fest in London in 2023, with the organisers, the aforementioned former hmv staffer (now at Sony) Alex Kidd and programmer and producer Evrim Ersoy, saying this ahead of its UK premiere: “Slaying audiences wherever it’s been shown, Mike Cheslik’s unhinged epic is the lovechild of Harold Lloyd and Guy Maddin – a film that needs to be experienced to be believed in its scope of silliness and insanity. Combining the best of silent slapstick with outrageous visual gags, HUNDREDS OF BEAVERS is a silent epic that has won the love of audiences all across the world as well as critical acclaim from filmmakers and journalists alike.” So maybe enterprising distributors and film fans should keep an eye on what the Duke Mitchell is promising for its 2024 event. Running from Sunday August 11 through to August 14, it features two major film premieres at the Prince Charles Cinema in London opening and closing the proceedings – the first is Off Ramp, following two individuals heading to the Gathering of Juggalos event before getting waylaid, and Interstate, from Jean-Luc Herbulot, director of Saloum, a horror with echoes of The Hitcher. Sandwiched in between those are two nights at the King and Queen pub in Fitzrovia, with a selection of old trailers tapes, VHS oddities and loads more. More details here https://thedukemitchell.uk/dukefest-2024/, we'll see you down the front… ]
Of course, the Duke Mitchell crew also host an event at FrightFest, which brings us on neatly to the latest news from this year’s Pigeon Shrine-sponsored event due to take place over the weekend. For the organisation has scored a coup in securing a special screening of one of the most eagerly anticipated restorations from a boutique label in the prime Friday night slot (August 23). For it is slated to air the new 4K restored version of classic video favourite The Hitcher. The Rutger Hauer thriller has been on the wants list of collectors for some time and after disappearing from the shelves and is an oft-requested title worthy of this treatment, while Second Sight’s remaster release has long been mooted. The exclusive airing of the new remaster, overseen by director Robert Harmon, comes as the classic film is nearing release after Second Sight announced a September 30 bow for the all-singing, all-dancing 4K and Blu-ray limited edition set (it’s also available in separate 4K and BD SKUs). As ever, the FrightFest screening will provide the perfect launchpad for the title. Comment came from Second Sight’s Chris Holden, who said: “The reaction to the release announcement has been incredible. Fans have patiently waited for several years as the restoration faced several obstacles along the way and it’s one we wanted to be 100% happy with. We’re really thrilled to team up with our friends at FrightFest to premiere the restoration on the big screen ahead of the release on September 30. It’s always a fantastic event and the perfect home to showcase the work that’s been done.” FrightFest co-director Paul McEvoy added: "
We are absoultely ecstatic to be World Premiering the FIVE years in the making fully restored version of the seminal cult thriller The Hitcher from the fabulous team at Second Sight Films. The FrightFest screening at the iconic, state of the art Odeon Leicester Square will be an electrifying, memorable and unmissable experience."
 Other releases which landed on Monday August 5 include The Strangers – Chapter 1, more terror from Lionsgate as its home invasion thriller arrives across physical formats. It’s the first in a planned three film trilogy helmed by legendary director Renny Harlin, with two further outings set to follow in its wake. Lionsgate’s Imogen Dodds said: “We are thrilled to announce the Home Entertainment release of The Strangers - Chapter 1 on 5th August, following its tremendous success at the UK Box Office. Fans can now experience the suspense and terror at home, with the film set to be available on DVD, Blu-Ray, and 4K UHD. Make sure to check your locks before watching.”
There’s the first of the summer blockbusters landing on physical media this week too, as Universal’s The Fall Guy, which essentially heralded the start of the summer season with its theatrical release, lands in stores. Commenting on the release, Universal’s Stephen White said: “We’re thrilled to be releasing The Fall Guy on DVD, Blu-ray and 4K with an Extended Cut (featuring Ryan Gosling on a unicorn!) plus over an hour of bonus content exclusive to our release which delves behind the scenes into the world of being a stuntman.”
Sticking with Universal, but looking further ahead, and how time flies… If, like us, you still think of Edgar Wright’s zomromcom Shaun Of The Dead as a "new" film, you’ll be amazed to hear that the movie, starring Simon Pegg and pal Nick Frost as the two north Londoners fighting off zombie hordes in and around Crouch End by, among other things, flinging vinyl albums at them, is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. And to mark the occasion, Universal has announced plans to give a theatrical re-release to the title, which will return to screens in Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos on September 27 (the UK re-release is being preceded by a similar US re-release a month ahead of this). Moreover, it is, as hinted at here on The Raygun previously after being teased by the major studio, being followed by a new special 4K anniversary edition from Universal, complete with a raft of as yet waiting to be announced special features. And the theatrical re-release will be the perfect curtain-raiser to the anniversary home entertainment release. Commenting on the anniversary, director Edgar Wright said: "Twenty years ago, the worldwide release of Shaun of the Dead changed my life forever. Its reception since then has continued to be incredible, largely due to the passionate fans who have championed it with cricket bats aloft. Now, as we celebrate its bloody 20th anniversary with a brand-new Dolby Atmos and Vision remastered version, I’m beyond excited for everyone to experience it once again on the big screen—the way it was always meant to be seen: large, loud, and with quite a lot of red on it.” Universal’s John Partridge said: “That brand new Dolby Vision and Atmos remaster will be making its way to home ent in a new 20th Anniversary 4k standard and Steelbook special edition. How's that for a slice of fried gold?”
 It’s a busy time for Studiocanal, with a raft of releases due on Monday August 5 and beyond, with further announcements made in the last few days for forthcoming titles too. Monday sees the release of a brace of titles under its Vintage Classics Collection banner. Both boast some classic names, from Diana Does and Glynis Johns in The Weak And The Wicked to Herbert Lom, Sylvia Sims and Melvyn Hayes in No Trees In The Street, both are 1950s, realist British classics. The former looks at women in and out of prison as they attempt to reintegrate with society following jail terms, the latter a woman struggling to keep her young brother away from a life of crime in London’s East End. There have been a further brace of announcements from Studiocanal for forthcoming titles from its vast library too, with September releases slated for two wildly different titles. First up comes Nikita, the stylish 90s French thriller from Luc Besson (a huge video hit back in the day from the Palace Video imprint). It arrives on September 23 in a sumptuous 4K restored, three-disc, extras-laden edition. It’s followed by The Third Man, due in a 4k restoration and given a theatrical release on September 6 ahead of an autumn release for a 75th anniversary collector’s edition. Finally, in the new release world, Studiocanal also has a brace of creature features, with Something IN The Water arriving as a home premiere release on August 5, followed by Blu-ray and DVD on September 9. And skin-crawling horror Sting – definitely not for arachnophobes – spins its web in stores on Blu-ray and DVD on August 19.
Acquisition news and Arrow has announced the rather apt acquisition of Canuxploitation flick The Last Video Store, about a cursed VHS cassette tape that leads viewers to a dimension where horror fantasy has become reality. It’s left to video store staff to save the world and the film has wowed audiences at festivals ahead of what is likely to be, as Arrow noted, “a December 2024 release on digital in the UK, US and Eire and a deluxe collector’s edition Blu-ray in the UK, US and Eire as part of its celebrated Arrow Video brand”. Arrow acquisition manager Cameron Waaler said: “The Last Video Store is a magnificent throwback to the 80’s horror films that we at Arrow all love and admire so it was a no brainer to acquire it. We are delighted to be able to work with both Cody and Tim to present this wonderful film to the UK and the US.” Directors Cody Kennedy and Tim Rutherford added: "Arrow Video is a staple of contemporary video stores and collector's shelves. Our love letter to those places couldn't have a better home."
Meanwhile, Arrow has also unveiled its titles due for October release (as ever, it used the lat Friday of the month to make its announcement. Here’s the company’s Dean Lawson, who said: “We revealed our October 2024 slate and as we enter the busiest quarter of the year with a slew of horror delights. First up on October 7 is Exorcist II: The Heretic on Blu-ray and The Exorcist III on 4K UHD. Face your demons and revisit these singular entries in the Exorcist series. On October 28, dive into the sinister and darkly humorous world of Trick ‘r Treat, written and directed by Michael Dougherty. Get ready for the scariest Halloween of your life, available in both 4K UHD (for the first time globally) and Blu-ray, and remember, always check your candy!. Also coming on October 28 is a seven-film Limited Edition blu-ray collection: J-Horror Rising. Vengeful ghosts, young women with supernatural abilities, investigative narratives, a terror of technology, and an ominous aura of urban alienation and isolation mark the wave of horror and mystery films that emerged in Japan at the turn of the millennium, collected here just in time for Halloween.”
 More forthcoming announcements from the world of boutique labels and we’ve got an update from Eureka Entertainment, outlining its release schedule for October. While the month sees the label continuing to mine a rich seam of titles from the world of martial arts and kung fu, there’s also something a bit out of the ordinary and more recent fare in the shape of a Blu-ray bow for 1995 comic book adaptation Tank Girl complete with a wealth of extras. (Those with long memories will, of course, know that Tank Girl was co-created by Jamie Hewlett, brother of former Fox home ent sales and marketing director Simon Hewlett, most recently seen at Universal heading up its international theatrical marketing team. Comment on the titles due came from Eureka’s national accounts manager Marcus Garwood. He said: “Post-apocalyptic science fiction and righteous vengeance are the two themes for our October 2024 line-up here at Eureka Entertainment. Rolling over the post-apocalyptic science fiction horizon first is the bona fide 1995 cult classic Tank Girl. Brought to the screen by director Rachel Talalay (Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare) and starring Lori Petty (Point Break) in its title role, Tank Girl is adapted from the hit comic strip created by Alan C. Martin and Jamie Hewlett. With a supporting cast from Naomi Watts (Mulholland Drive), Malcolm McDowell (A Clockwork Orange) and legendary gangsta hip-hop emcee Ice-T, plus a soundtrack featuring tracks from the likes of Bjork, Bush, Hole, Portishead and Iggy Pop, it is not hard to see why this is a firm film favourite for many. This collector's edition of the film sees it appearing on Blu-ray for the first time in the UK. It's a real collectors piece, encased in a limited edition hardbound slipcase featuring new artwork by Tank Girl cover artist Greg Staples. Disc extras are plentiful and include Not a Bedtime Story – A new interview with artist Greg Staples on Tank Girl from page to screen, Girl U Want – A new appreciation of Tank Girl with film scholar and fan Lindsay Hallam. The set is completed with a limited edition collector’s booklet featuring new writing on Tank Girl by genre film experts Stacey Abbott and Kieran Foster. Early pre ordering is advised as soon as this one becomes available.”
Marcus Garwood continued with the rest of the Eureka October line-up, saying “Righteous vengeance next as the first lady of kung fu cinema: the inimitable Angela Mao, stars in Jeong Chang-hwa's 1977 action packed gem Broken Oath. A Hong Kong take on Japan’s Lady Snowblood, Broken Oath is one of Angela Mao’s very best films – and boasts action choreography orchestrated by Hsia Hsu (Drunken Master) and Yuen Woo-ping, one of the most respected stunt coordinators in both Hong Kong (The Magnificent Butcher) and Hollywood (The Matrix). The film appears here on Blu-ray for the first time anywhere in the world from a brand new 2K restoration. Encased in a limited edition o-card slipcase featuring new artwork by Grégory Sacré (Gokaiju) with disc extras including (amongst others) a brand new audio commentary by East Asian film expert Frank Djeng (NY Asian Film Festival), plus a limited edition collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by film writers Leon Hunt and Yvonne Tasker, this is another essential purchase for all Angela Mao and action fans."
We’ll end with news from FACT and the anti-piracy organisation has been working with its partners such as Sky to “combat illegal streaming and the use of unlawfully modified Firestick devices”. July saw it ending a month-long intensive campaign which saw FACT and police targeting individuals involved in giving consumers unauthorised access to film, TV and sports channel. Some 40 operators were investigated and given warnings and cease and desist letters. Those investigated, ranging from London, South East England, West Midlands, North West, North East, North Wales and Scotland, were told to pack up or face prosecution. The official announcement from FACT further noted: “Three warrants were also served leading to the arrest of a 42-year-old man in Nottingham, a 51-year-old man from Widnes and a 52-year-old man in Stockton-on-Tees. Digital devices and ‘fully loaded’ smart TV devices or Firesticks were also seized from the addresses and are currently undergoing forensic examination by FACT.” More than 3,000 listings and social media posts offering illegal IPTV subs or loaded illegal Firesticks, were also removed. Comment came from FACT’s Kieron Sharp who said: “These measures underscore the serious consequences of engaging in such illicit activities. We thank the police services involved for their invaluable assistance in this operation, particularly Cheshire, Nottinghamshire and the North East Regional Crime Unit for executing the warrants. The rise in illegal IPTV operators using modified Firesticks to unlawfully access premium content is a growing concern. This not only infringes upon copyright laws but deprives content creators and distributors of their rightful earnings and disrupts the economic balance of the creative industry. FACT and our partners are steadfast in our commitment to disrupt these criminal operations. This is just the start of our enforcement efforts, with more actions planned.”
SPOTTED OUT AND ABOUT…
No-one, we thought after spotting these two, is celebrating marketing and promotional activity for films at theatrical or home entertainment much these days, so here we go with a possibly irregular look at things we've seen while out on our travels… Here's a Borderlands bus and some Beetlejuice activity on the London underground… Send your pix to the usual email address…
  TRAILERS OF THE WEEK
P…p…p…p… Pick up a penguin…
Blur, part two, the full thing…
Due from Bulldog…
Great trailer this…
THE OBLIGATORY GDPR BIT
You're on The Raygun newsletter mailing list, which has been running for eight years, because you requested it, have been recommended to us or sent us emails. You can unsubscribe at any time, if you're daft, using the link elsewhere or by emailing as below. But of course, you don't want to do that, do you? We don't share your information with anyone else, we don't like cookies and we're the good guys. We care because you do…
To subscribe to The Raygun newsletter, please email info@theraygun.co.uk
with subscribe in the subject matter
To unsubscribe, email info@theraygun.co.uk with unsubscribe in the subject
line
For editorial or advertising queries, contact tim@theraygun.co.uk
The Raygun,
31 Corrib Court,
49 Crothall Close,
London N13 4BG
|
 | Powered by YMLP.com | |
| | ||