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'Railroad Tigers' Starring Jackie Chan Dated for Blu-ray[teaser]Ding Sheng's action flick is heading to Blu-ray in June.[/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Well Go USA is preparing 'Railroad Tigers' for Blu-ray on June 20. In this action-comedy caper harkening back to Jackie Chan's classic Hong Kong films, a railroad worker (Chan) and his ragtag group of freedom fighters find themselves on the wrong side of the tracks when they decide to ambush a heavily armed military train filled with desperately needed provisions. Unarmed and outnumbered, they must fight back against an entire army using only their wits, in a series of a dazzling set pieces and action scenes rivaling anything seen on the big screen. Specs and supplements have not been announced yet. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $29.98. You can find the latest specs for 'Railroad Tigers' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule where it's indexed under June 20. Order the Blu-rayPosted Tue Mar 21, 2017 at 06:00 AM PDT by: -
AT&T Bundles Free Year of HBO with New DirecTV Now Subscriptions[teaser]New subscribers to select DirecTV Now packages can receive HBO for no extra cost.[/teaser] AT&T has announced a special promotion for new subscribers to the company's DirecTV Now streaming TV platform. As part of the deal, new customers who sign up for the "Go Big" or "Gotta Have It" packages before March 30 will receive one free year of HBO included with their service. "With our HBO offer we’re reminding consumers that DIRECTV NOW is the best choice for premium content," said Brad Bentley, executive vice president and chief marketing officer, AT&T Entertainment Group. "Our new DIRECTV NOW customers can stream HBO’s award winning content on virtually any screen, like 'Game of Thrones' and 'Veep' and its popular new series 'Big Little Lies' – all included with their service for a year. Plus, if you pre-purchase 3 months of DIRECTV NOW, you'll get an incredible viewing experience with an Apple TV included." DirecTV Now is a stand-alone streaming platform that provides access to a variety of live channels and on-demand content through several programming packages starting at $35 per month. Here's a rundown of current plans and pricing: - Live a Little – $35 / month (60+ channels)- Just Right – $50 / month (80+ channels)- Go Big – $60 / month (100+ channels)- Gotta Have it – $70 / month (120+ channels) Without the promotion, an HBO subscription costs an additional $5 per month with a DirecTV Now package. Beyond the HBO deal, new DirecTV Now subscribers who sign up for 3 months of pre-paid service on any package before March 30 can also receive a free Apple TV. DirecTV Now is currently available through Amazon Fire TV and Fire TV Stick; Android mobile devices and tablets; iPhone, iPad and Apple TV; Chromecast (Android at launch; iOS in 2017); Google Cast-enabled LeEco ecotvs and VIZIO SmartCast Displays; and Internet Explorer, Chrome and Safari web browsers. In addition, the service will expand to more devices, including Roku streaming players and Roku TV models, Amazon Fire tablets, and Smart TVs from Samsung and other leading brands later this year. Source: AT&TPosted Mon Mar 20, 2017 at 04:45 PM PDT by: -
Amazon Snags Streaming Rights to 'Moonlight' and More Titles from A24[teaser]Director Barry Jenkins' Academy Award winning film will hit Prime Video in May.[/teaser] Amazon has announced an extension of its exclusive content agreement with A24. As part of the deal, Prime Video will continue to be the only premium subscription source for all upcoming A24 films. "We are thrilled to be the exclusive subscription streaming service to offer customers Academy Award winner Moonlight," stated Jason Ropell, VP, Worldwide Head of Motion Pictures for Amazon Studios. "We already have an incredible catalog of films from A24 like Room and Ex Machina that Prime members love to watch and we are happy to extend our relationship to continue to bring Prime members these award winning, prestige films. Collaborating with A24 in addition to creating our own Academy Award winning movies like Manchester by the Sea and The Salesman make Amazon Video a premiere platform for streaming films." A24 films currently available to stream through Prime Video include 'Swiss Army Man,' 'The Lobster,' 'Green Room,' 'The Witch,' 'Ex Machina,' 'Room' and 'Dark Places.' Likewise, 'Moonlight' will be available to stream at no additional cost for Prime Members on May 21. In addition, other upcoming A24 titles set to hit Prime Video later this year include '20th Century Women,' 'American Honey,' 'Free Fire,' 'The Lovers,' and 'It Comes at Night.' Outside of new content from A24, Amazon also recently launched its Spring 2017 Pilot lineup. The pilots include 'The Legend of Master Legend,' 'Budding Prospects,' 'The New V.I.P.'s,' 'The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,' and 'Oasis.' After watching, all viewers will have the option to review each show in order to help Amazon decide which titles get picked up for full seasons. A current Amazon Prime subscription costs $99 per year or $11 per month. Likewise, Prime Instant Video is available as a standalone service for $9 per month. Source: AmazonPosted Mon Mar 20, 2017 at 12:45 PM PDT by: -
'I Am Not Your Negro' Bound for Blu-ray[teaser]The documentary film is coming to Blu-ray in May.[/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Magnolia is preparing I Am Not Your Negro for Blu-ray on May 2. In 1979, James Baldwin wrote a letter to his literary agent describing his next project, "Remember This House." The book was to be a revolutionary, personal account of the lives and successive assassinations of three of his close friends – Medgar Evers, Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr. At the time of Baldwin's death in 1987, he left behind only thirty completed pages of his manuscript. Now, in his incendiary new documentary, master filmmaker Raoul Peck (Sometimes In April) envisions the book Baldwin never finished. The result is a radical, up-to-the-minute examination of race in America, using Baldwin's original words and flood of rich archival material. I Am Not Your Negro is a journey into black history that connects the past of the Civil Rights movement to the present of #BlackLivesMatter. It is a film that questions black representation in Hollywood and beyond. And, ultimately, by confronting the deeper connections between the lives and assassination of these three leaders, Baldwin and Peck have produced a work that challenges the very definition of what America stands for. Specs and supplements have not been announced yet. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $29.98. You can find the latest specs for 'I Am Not Your Negro' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule where it's indexed under May 2. Order the Blu-rayPosted Mon Mar 20, 2017 at 12:00 PM PDT by: -
Roland Emmerich's 'Making Contact' Blu-ray Announced[teaser]The 80s fantasy flick will arrive on Blu-ray in May.[/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Kino is preparing 'Making Contact' for Blu-ray on May 9. From the director of Independence Day and Stargate: The Movie comes the fantasy film Making Contact a.k.a. Joey. Following the death of his father, nine-year-old Joey finds himself at the center of a frightening series of phenomena, including telekinesis, phone calls from beyond the grave and one very sinister ventriloquist dummy with extremely homicidal instincts. But when the authorities arrive to investigate Joey's "gift", they unleash a horrific supernatural that no scientist can comprehend... and only one boy can hope to stop. Specs and a suggested list price have not been announced yet, but supplements will include Original U.S. Theatrical Trailers 1 & 2 and Original German Theatrical Trailer. You can find the latest specs for 'Making Contact' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule where it's indexed under May 9.Posted Mon Mar 20, 2017 at 10:00 AM PDT by: -
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LG 2017 4K HDR Ultra HD TVs Receive Netflix Recommended Designation[teaser]The company's new HDR TVs have been rated for an optimal Netflix experience.[/teaser] LG has earned Netflix Recommended status for its 2017 collection of HDR Ultra HD TVs. This marks the third year in a row that the company's 4K lineup has received the designation "It goes without saying that we are incredibly proud that our 2017 TVs are once again being recognized as Netflix Recommended TVs," said David VanderWaal, vice president of marketing, LG Electronics USA. "We are continuing to find ways to give smart TV owners faster, easier access to 4K HDR content and a more enjoyable viewing experience with our TVs." In order to receive Netflix Recommended status, LG's lineup had to pass an evaluation process based on factors like ease of access and speedy performance. And for the first time, LG's new displays include a dedicated Netflix button on their remotes, allowing users to launch Netflix with a single click. Likewise, the TVs come powered by LG's webOS 3.5 smart TV platform, and include support for HDR10, Dolby Vision, and HLG high dynamic range formats. "LG has been an industry leader in delivering excellent Netflix access and performance on their smart TVs," said Scott Mirer, vice president of Device Partner Ecosystem at Netflix. "The Netflix Recommended TVs in LG's 2017 lineup exemplify that leadership, and provide our members with an exceptional Netflix experience." Here's a full rundown of pricing and availability for LG's 2017 OLED and SUPER UHD lineup: LG OLED 55-inch C7 (OLED55C7P) - February, $3,499 LG SIGNATURE OLED 65-inch W7 (OLED65W7P) - February, $7,999 LG OLED 65-inch E7 (OLED65E7P) -March, $5,999 LG OLED 65-inch C7 (OLED65C7P) -March, $4,999 LG OLED 65-inch G7 (OLED65G7P) -March, $6,999 LG OLED 55-inch E7 (OLED55E7P) - May, $4,499 LG SUPER UHD 55-inch SJ8500 - February, $1,999 LG SUPER UHD 75-inch SJ8570- February, $3,699 LG SUPER UHD 65-inch SJ8500 - February, $2,799 LG SUPER UHD 65-inch SJ9500 -March, $3,999 LG SUPER UHD 86-inch SJ9570 -March, $7,999 Source: LGPosted Mon Mar 20, 2017 at 09:30 AM PDT by: -
Olive Films Reveals April 2017 Blu-ray Lineup[teaser]Six titles are coming to Blu-ray in April.[/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Olive Films is preparing 'Walerian Borowczyk: Short Films Collection,' 'Blanche,' 'Goto, Isle of Love,' 'Theatre of Mr. & Mrs. Kabal,' 'The World's Most Beautiful Swindlers,' and 'Ophélia' for Blu-ray on April 25. 'Walerian Borowczyk: Short Films Collection' - Featuring fifteen of Walerian Borowczyk’s (Theatre de Monsieur & Madame Kabal) short films and animated treasures, the Short Films Collection includes: The Concert (1962) aka Le Concert de M. et Mme. Kabal The Astronauts (1959) aka Les Astronautes Angels’ Games (1964) aka Les Jeux des Anges Renaissance (1963) Joachim’s Dictionary (1965) aka Le Dictionnaire de Joachim The Greatest Love of All Time (1978) aka L’Amour Monstre de tous les temps Diptyque (1967) Grandma’s Encyclopedia (1963) aka L’encyclopedie de Grand-Maman Venus on the Half-Shell (1975) aka Escargot de Venus Gavotte (1967) The Phonograph (1969) aka Le Phonograph Rosalie (1966) Scherzo Infernal (1984) A Private Collection Uncensored aka Une Collection Particulière – Uncensored (1973) A Private Collection Short Version aka Une Collection Particulière – Short Version (1973). Specs have not been announced yet, but supplements will include: - Introduction by filmmaker Terry Gilliam- Film is not a Sausage: Borowczyk’s Short Films – Interview program featuring Borowczyk, producer Dominique Duvergé-Ségrétin, assistant André Heinrich and composer Bernard Parmegiani Order the Blu-ray 'Blanche' - Set in medieval France, an elderly noble baron (Michel Simon, L’Atalante) and his much younger bride, the beautiful Blanche (Ligia Branice, Goto, Isle of Love) welcome a visiting King (George Wilson, Les destinées) and his handsome page, Bartolomeo (Jacques Perrin, Cinema Paradiso) to their castle, and sets in motion accusations of disloyalty and marital infidelity, turning what should be a fairytale into a nightmare. Walerian Borowczyk (The Beast), whose stylized vision of a bygone world, is key to the overall look and feel of Blanche, which despite its period surroundings, embraces very modern sensibilities. Blanche, written and directed by Walerian Borowczyk (based on the poem Mazepa by Juliusz Slowacki), features performances by Jacques Perrin (Cinema Paradiso), Denise Péronne (Forbidden Games) and Lawrence Trimble (Meetings in the Forest). Specs have not been detailed yet., but supplements will include: - Introduction by director Leslie Megahey- Ballad of Imprisonment: Blanche – Interview program featuring producer Dominique Duvergé-Ségrétin, assistant director André Heinrich, camera operator Noël Véry and assistant Patrice Leconte Order the Blu-ray 'Goto, Isle of Love' - With Goto, Isle of Love, director Walerian Borowczyk (Blanche) would cement his status as a visual stylist, weaver of erotic tales, and a filmmaker whose work would both confront and celebrate society’s taboos. Goto, Isle of Love is a tale of infidelity, revenge, and repressed love, both chaste and illicit, starring Pierre Brasseur (Port of Shadows) as Goto III, an unstable and jealous dictator married to the beautiful Glossia (Ligia Branice, Blanche). Unbeknownst to Goto III, Glossia is carrying on an affair with one of his guards, the handsome Lieutenant Gono (Jean-Pierre Andreani, The Story of O). Also lusting after the dictator’s wife is Grozo (Guy Saint-Jean, The Killing Game), a petty thief who, by winning the confidence of Goto III, plans to win Glossia for himself. Simmering passions will boil over on the isle, leading to a surprising denouement. Shot in haunting shades of black & white and color by cinematographer Guy Durban (Immoral Tales), Goto, Isle of Love is written for the screen by director Borowczyk with additional dialogue by Dominique Duvergé. Specs have not been detailed yet, but supplements will include: - Introduction by artist and Turner Prize nominee Craigie Horsfield- The Concentration Universe: Goto, Isle of Love – Interview program featuring actor Jean-Pierre Andréani, co-writer Dominique Duvergé-Ségrétin, cameraman Noël Véry and camera assistant Jean-Pierre Platel Order the Blu-ray 'Theatre of Mr. & Mrs. Kabal' - Walerian Borowczyk’s (Blanche) Theatre of Mr. & Mrs. Kabal is a glimpse inside the weird and wonderful world of the theatrical Kabals. The henpecked Mr. Kabal, prone to ogling young females through his binoculars, is never quite beyond the reach of the statuesque and domineering Mrs. Kabal who flutters about (quite literally when butterflies appear inside of her stomach) in a connubial reign of terror. Although it may not always be le beau mariage, Mr. and Mrs. Kabal are nonetheless made for each other. The years-in-the-making feature length animated film from the controversial director of Goto, Isle of Love and Immoral Tales, featuring the voice talents of Pierre Collet (Greed in the Sun) and Louisette Rousseau (War of the Buttons), is akin to other Borowczyk animated works such as The Astronauts, Renaissance and Angels’ Games. Specs and supplements have not been detailed yet. Order the Blu-ray 'The World's Most Beautiful Swindlers' - The World’s Most Beautiful Swindlers combines the talents of top-tier directors and actors from the world of American, French, Italian and Japanese cinema in an entertaining tale of sensational swindles taking place around the globe. Claude Chabrol (Le Boucher) directs L’Homme qui vendit la Tour Eiffel, Jean-Luc Godard (Breathless) directs Le Grand escroc, Ugo Gregoretti (Ro.Go.Pa.G) directs La Feuille du Route, and Hiromichi Horikawa (Kuroi Gashu: Aru sarariman no shogen) directs Les Cinq Bienfaiteurs de Fumiko. The eclectic cast of actors includes Jean Seberg (Breathless), Academy Award nominee Catherine Deneuve (Indochin – 1993), Jean-Pierre Cassel (Murder on the Orient Express), Francis Blanche (Monsieur Gangster) and Ken Mitsuda (Sansho the Bailiff). Lending their considerable talents behind the camera are cinematographers Raoul Coutard (Breathless), Tonino Delli Colli (The Good, the Bad and the Ugly), Asakazu Nakai (Ran) and Jean Rabier (The Umbrellas of Cherbourg). NOTE: The Amsterdam segment, A River of Diamonds (directed by Roman Polanski), which was featured in original theatrical release of The World’s Most Beautiful Swindlers, has been removed from presentations of the film at the request of the director. Specs and supplements have not been detailed yet. Order the Blu-ray 'Ophélia' - Claude Chabrol (Le Boucher) directs the inspired-by-Shakespeare cinematic gem Ophélia, starring Alida Valli (The Third Man). Ivan (André Jocelyn, Les Cousins), a high-strung and intense young man of means, suspecting that his mother, Claudia (Valli), and Uncle Adrian (Claude Cerval, Belle de Jour) are responsible for the death of his father, sets out to reveal their foul deed. Imagining himself a modern day Hamlet, Ivan goes about wooing Lucy (Juliette Mayniel, Eyes Without a Face), the beautiful daughter of his parents’ groundskeeper, convincing her to become the de facto Ophelia of the piece. Concocting a clever ruse to unmask the accused, Ivan’s fever dream of revenge takes a unexpected turn in Ophélia, Claude Chabrol’s witty and darkly comic reinterpretation of Shakespeare’s classic tragedy, Hamlet. Ophélia, directed by Claude Chabrol from a screenplay by Chabrol, Paul Gégauff and Martial Matthieu, features stark black & white cinematography courtesy of Jean Rabier (Chabrol’s Le Boucher and Madame Bovary, Jacques Demy’s The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, Agnès Varda’s Cleo from 5 to 7) and a haunting score by Pierre Jansen (Le Boucher, The Lacemaker). Specs and supplements have not been detailed yet. Order the Blu-ray Suggested list price for each Blu-ray is $29.95. You can find the latest specs for all of the titles listed above linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where they are indexed under April 25.Posted Mon Mar 20, 2017 at 08:00 AM PDT by: -
Paul Nicholas' 'The Naked Cage' Blu-ray Up for Pre-Order[teaser]The 1986 action drama also known as 'Wild Cage' is coming to high-definition in May.[/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Scream Factory is working on 'The Naked Cage' for Blu-ray on May 2. From the director of Chained Heat comes a new tale of survival behind bars! Michelle (Shari Shattuck, Arena) is young and pretty… and in prison for someone else's crime. Soon, the naive newcomer is making enemies in all the wrong places. Diane, a kinky warden, wants to maneuver Michelle into her plush private "pleasure room." The sadistic guard wants to pay her a visit in solitary confinement. And a ruthless, psychotic fellow inmate just wants to see her dead. As a full-blown cell block riot explodes around her, Michelle plunges into a desperate, deadly confrontation with the treacherous foe that can prove her innocence – or destroy her life! Specs have not been detailed yet, but supplements will include Original Theatrical Trailer. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $27.99. You can find the latest specs for 'The Naked Cage' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it is indexed under May 2. Order the Blu-rayPosted Mon Mar 20, 2017 at 06:00 AM PDT by: -
Samsung Highlights Release of QLED Ultra HD TV Lineup with Launch Event Video[teaser]Check out this launch event video for Samsung's 2017 home theater product lineup.[/teaser] To mark the launch of its 2017 QLED Ultra HD TVs and the upcoming release of several new AV products, Samsung has posted a showcase video detailing its next-gen home theater lineup. The collection includes the Q9 QLED Ultra HD TVs, Q8 QLED Ultra HD TVs, and Q7 QLED Ultra HD TVs; The Frame lifestyle display; the MS750 Sound+ Soundbar; and the M9500 Ultra HD Blu-ray player. The QLED series displays have been certified as Ultra HD Premium, offer accurate reproduction of the DCI-P3 color space, and are capable of presenting 100 percent color volume, allowing the TVs to produce all colors at any brightness level. In addition, QLED peak luminance is rated between 1,500 and 2,000 nits, and the sets include HDR10, HDR10+, and HLG high dynamic range support. These color and brightness performance improvements are a result of the displays' new metal quantum dot materials which can "express deep blacks and rich detail regardless of how light or dark the scene is, or whether the content is being played in a brightly lit or darkened room." Likewise, the QLED series also includes several design and usability improvements as well, including a transparent "Invisible Connection" cable, through which all of the peripheral devices can be gathered and connected to the TV, a "no-gap wall-mount," and two TV stand options. Finally, the displays also offer Samsung's updated smart TV platform with its Smart Hub interface and Smart Remote. Check out the launch event video below for even more details on the QLED TVs and Samsung's new 2017 home theater lineup! And here's a full rundown of pricing for the currently available QLED Series Ultra HD TVs: 55" Class Q7F QLED 4K TV - $2,500 65" Class Q7F QLED 4K TV - $3,500 75" Class Q7F QLED 4K TV - $6,000 55" Class Q8C Curved QLED 4K TV - $3,500 65" Class Q8C Curved QLED 4K TV - $4,500 In addition, the flagship Q9 QLED TV will be available for purchase next week in 65-inch and 75-inch sizes. Likewise, an 88-inch Q9 model will be available this summer. Meanwhile, the M9500 Ultra HD Blu-ray player will start shipping in April for a suggested list price of $399; The Frame lifestyle display is set to launch in the spring in 55-inch and 65-inch models; and the MS750 Sound+ Soundbar will be available in the summer. Source: Samsung (YouTube)Posted Fri Mar 17, 2017 at 01:00 PM PDT by: -
Criterion's June 2017 Blu-ray Titles Now Available for Pre-Order![teaser]The distributor has revealed its upcoming slate of June releases, including Sam Peckinpah's 'Straw Dogs' and Alfred Hitchcock's 'The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog.'[/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Criterion is preparing 'Ugetsu,' 'They Live by Night,' 'The Marseille Trilogy,' 'The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog,' and 'Straw Dogs' for Blu-ray throughout the month of June. 'Ugetsu' (June 6) - Having refined his craft in the silent era, Kenji Mizoguchi was an elder statesman of Japanese cinema—fiercely revered by Akira Kurosawa and other younger directors—by the time he made Ugetsu. And with this exquisite ghost story, a fatalistic wartime tragedy derived from stories by Akinari Ueda and Guy de Maupassant, he created a touchstone of his art, his long takes and sweeping camera guiding the viewer through a delirious narrative about two villagers whose pursuit of fame and fortune leads them far astray from their loyal wives. Moving between the terrestrial and the otherworldly, Ugetsu reveals essential truths about the ravages of war, the plight of women, and the pride of men. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, an uncompressed Japanese mono soundtrack, and supplements will include: - Audio commentary by filmmaker, critic, and festival programmer Tony Rayns- Kenji Mizoguchi: The Life of a Film Director (1975), a 150-minute documentary by Kaneto Shindo- Two Worlds Intertwined, a 2005 appreciation of Ugetsu by filmmaker Masahiro Shinoda- Process and Production, a 2005 interview with Tokuzo Tanaka, first assistant director on Ugetsu- Interview from 1992 with cinematographer Kazuo Miyagawa- Trailers- An essay by film critic Phillip Lopate (Blu-ray and DVD) Order the Blu-ray 'They Live by Night' (June 13) - Legendary director Nicholas Ray began his career with this lyrical film noir, the first in a series of existential genre films overflowing with sympathy for America’s outcasts and underdogs. When the wide-eyed fugitive Bowie (Farley Granger), having broken out of prison with some bank robbers, meets the innocent Keechie (Cathy O’Donnell), each recognizes something in the other that no one else ever has. The young lovers envision a new, decent life together, but as they flee the cops and contend with Bowie’s fellow outlaws, who aren’t about to let him go straight, they realize there’s nowhere left to run. Ray brought an outsider’s sensibility honed in the theater to this debut, using revolutionary camera techniques and naturalistic performances to craft a profoundly romantic crime drama that paved the way for decades of lovers-on-the-run thrillers to come. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, an uncompressed English mono soundtrack, and supplements will include: - Audio commentary featuring film historian Eddie Muller and actor Farley Granger- New video interview with film critic Imogen Sara Smith- Short piece from 2007 with film critic Molly Haskell, filmmakers Christopher Coppola and Oliver Stone, and film noir specialists Alain Silver and James Ursini- Illustrated audio interview excerpts from 1956 with producer John Houseman- PLUS: A new essay by film scholar Bernard Eisenschitz Order the Blu-ray 'The Marseille Trilogy' (June 20) - In the 1930s, Marcel Pagnol, a leading light of the Paris theater, set out for new horizons as a filmmaker in his native Provence. His early masterpieces Marius, Fanny, and César mix theatrical stagecraft with realistic location photography to create an epic love story from the fabric of everyday life. Gruff, sentimental César (music-hall star Raimu) owns a waterfront bar in the old port of Marseille, where his son, Marius (Pierre Fresnay), wipes down tables and dreams of a life at sea. The prosperous, middle-aged sailmaker Panisse (Fernand Charpin), wanting to wed Marius's sweetheart, Fanny (Orane Demazis), sets up a generation-spanning romantic triangle, the story of which unfolds in a series of fateful twists in the films of The Marseille Trilogy, which first earned Pagnol his place in cinema history. "If Pagnol is not the greatest auteur of the sound film," critic André Bazin wrote, "he is in any case something akin to its genius." The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, an uncompressed French mono soundtrack, and supplements will include: - New introduction by filmmaker Bertrand Tavernier- New interview with Nicolas Pagnol, writer-director Marcel Pagnol’s grandson- Segments of Marcel Pagnol: Morceaux de choisis, a 1973 documentary series on Pagnol’s life and work- Short documentary on the Marseille harbor by Pagnol- Archival interviews with actors Orane Demazis, Pierre Fresnay, and Robert Vattier- Pagnol’s Poetic Realism, a new video essay by scholar Brett Bowles- French television clip about the restoration of the trilogy- Theatrical rerelease trailer- More!- PLUS: An essay by film critic Michael Atkinson and excerpts from Pagnol’s memoirs Order the Blu-ray 'The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog' (June 27) - With his third feature film, The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog, Alfred Hitchcock took a major step toward greatness and made what he would come to consider his true directorial debut. This haunting silent thriller tells the tale of a mysterious young man (matinee idol Ivor Novello) who takes up residence at a London boardinghouse, just as a killer who preys on blonde women, known as the Avenger, descends upon the city. The film is animated by the palpable energy of a young stylist at play, decisively establishing the director’s formal and thematic obsessions. In this edition, The Lodger is accompanied by Downhill, another 1927 silent exploration of Hitchcock’s “wrong man” trope, also headlined by Novello—making for a double feature that reveals the great master of the macabre as he was just coming into his own. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, a new score by composer Neil Brand, performed by the Orchestra of Saint Paul's, and supplements will include: - Downhill, director Alfred Hitchcock’s 1927 feature film starring Ivor Novello, in a 2K digital restoration with a new piano score by Brand- New interview with film scholar William Rothman on Hitchcock’s visual signatures- New video essay by art historian Steven Jacobs about Hitchcock’s use of architecture- Excerpts from audio interviews with Hitchcock by filmmakers François Truffaut (1962) and Peter Bogdanovich (1963)- Radio adaptation of The Lodger from 1940, directed by Hitchcock- New interview with Brand on composing for silent film- PLUS: Essays on The Lodger and Downhill by critic Philip Kemp Order the Blu-ray 'Straw Dogs' (June 27) - In this thriller, arguably Sam Peckinpah’s most controversial film, David (Dustin Hoffman), a young American mathematician, moves with his English wife, Amy (Susan George), to the village where she grew up. Their sense of safety unravels as the local men David has hired to repair their house prove more interested in leering at Amy and intimidating David, beginning an agonizing initiation into the iron laws of violent masculinity that govern Peckinpah’s world. Working outside the U.S. for the first time, the filmmaker airlifts the ruthlessness of the western frontier into Cornwall in Straw Dogs, pushing his characters to their breaking points as the men brutalize Amy and David discovers how far he’ll go to protect his home—culminating in a harrowing climax that lays out this cinematic mastermind’s eloquent and bloody vision of humanity. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, an uncompressed English mono soundtrack, and supplements will include: - Audio commentary from 2003 by Stephen Prince, author of Savage Cinema: Sam Peckinpah and the Rise of Ultraviolent Movies- Mantrap: “Straw Dogs”—The Final Cut, a 2003 documentary about the making of the film, featuring cast and crew- Sam Peckinpah: Man of Iron, a 1993 documentary about the director featuring actors Kris Kristofferson, Jason Robards, Ali MacGraw, and many others- New conversation between film critic Michael Sragow and filmmaker Roger Spottiswoode, who worked as one of the editors on the film- New interview with film scholar Linda Williams about the controversies surrounding the film- Archival interviews with actor Susan George, producer Daniel Melnick, and Peckinpah biographer Garner Simmons- Behind-the-scenes footage- TV spots and trailers- PLUS: An essay by scholar and critic Joshua Clover Order the Blu-ray Suggested list price for each single disc Blu-ray is $39.95. Suggested list price for the 3-Disc 'Marseille Trilogy' is $99.95. You can find the latest specs for all of the titles listed above linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where they're indexed throughout June.Posted Fri Mar 17, 2017 at 01:00 PM PDT by:
