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Showing posts with label AMC. Show all posts
Showing posts with label AMC. Show all posts

Wednesday, February 8, 2017

Shudder to Birth Alice Lowe's "PREVENGE" in North America



Alice Lowe's Horror Comedy "Prevenge" Coming Soon on Shudder

Shudder, The Premium Thriller, Suspense and Horror Streaming Service Backed by AMC Networks, Announces Major Acquisition of Venice and Toronto Film Festival Hit and Directorial Debut of Actress Lowe


NEW YORK, NY (February 8, 2017)  – Shudder announced today that it is acquiring North American rights to Alice Lowe’s pregnancy horror comedy PREVENGE. The film will be available on the premium thriller, suspense and horror video streaming service and play theatrically in New York and Los Angeles from March 24th, shortly after screening at the South By Southwest Film Festival.

PREVENGE marks the directorial debut from Lowe (star and writer of Ben Wheatley’s “Sightseers”), who is a true triple threat, writing, directing, and acting in the film during her own real-life pregnancy.  The film received praise from critics and audiences alike at the Venice and Toronto International Film Festivals, as well as a British Independent Film Award nomination for Best Directorial Debut.

A pitch black, wryly British horror comedy from the mind of Alice Lowe (“Sightseers,” “Hot Fuzz,” “Paddington”),  PREVENGE follows Ruth, a pregnant woman on a killing spree, that’s as funny as it is vicious. It's her misanthropic unborn baby dictating Ruth's actions, holding society responsible for the absence of a father. The child speaks to Ruth from the womb, coaching her to lure and ultimately kill her unsuspecting victims. Struggling with her conscience, loneliness, and a strange strain of prepartum madness, Ruth must ultimately choose between redemption and destruction at the moment of motherhood.

Also featuring a remarkable ‘70s-throwback synth score by Toydrum and starring Gemma Whelan (“Game of Thrones”), Kate Dickie (“The Witch”) and Jo Hartley (“Eddie the Eagle”), PREVENGE was called “Uniquely frightening and funny” by Variety , adding “Lowe’s performance is a marvel.”The Guardian praised it as “gruesomely successful,” saying it “provides a nightmarish satirical twist on post- and antenatal depression.”  The Hollywood Reporter  said Lowe evokes “a kind of deadpan, British kitchen-sink Dario Argento” and praised the film’s “exhilarating disregard for conventional morality.”

PREVENGE is the latest all-rights acquisition for Shudder, following recent premieres of J-Horror franchise mash-up SADAKO VS. KAYAKO, supernatural thriller DEAREST SISTER, suspenseful festival favorite SHREW’S NEST and acclaimed thriller miniseries BEYOND THE WALLS. With multiple exclusives premiering on the service per month alongside a rapidly expanding collection of genre favorites, Shudder is deeply committed to bringing the best of horror and suspense to all of its members.

Shudder GM Linda Pan said: “PREVENGE wowed us with its unique, masterful and darkly comedic take on the fears of an expectant mother and is a fantastic addition to the growing Shudder slate of exclusives. Alice Lowe’s debut shows she is a genuine talent, and we are thrilled to welcome her to the Shudder family.”

Alice Lowe said: “I can’t think of a more perfect home for my other baby, PREVENGE. As a dedicated and genuine horror film fan as well as a filmmaker, Shudder's strong mission to showcase genres within horror made it the only choice for the film.”

PREVENGE was produced by Western Edge Pictures for The Gennaker Group. The deal for the film was negotiated by ICM Partners and XYZ Films for WEP and the Gennaker Group.

About SHUDDER
Shudder is a premium streaming video service, super-serving fans of thrillers, suspense, and horror. Backed by AMC Networks, Shudder has a growing and dynamic selection of thrilling premieres, originals, and exclusives, which complement its impressive library of international and independent films, gripping TV series, and Hollywood blockbuster favourites. Shudder streams ad-free in the US, Canada, UK, and Ireland on the web, iOS, Android, Chromecast, Apple TV, and Roku for $4.99/month or $49.99 with an annual membership. To try Shudder commitment-free for 7 days, visit  www.shudder.com.

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Monday, July 25, 2011

THE WALKING DEAD Special Edition on DVD, Blu-ray and Limited Edition Blu-ray Tin October 4th from Anchor Bay Entertainment


ANCHOR BAY ENTERTAINMENT GIVES YOU A COLLECTION TO DIE FOR WITH THE OCTOBER 4 RELEASE OF AMC’S “THE WALKING DEAD: SEASON 1- SPECIAL EDITION”

Three Versions Available Oozing with Extras Including a Limited Edition Blu-Ray ™ Collector’s Tin!

Beverly Hills, CA – “The Walking Dead, AMC’s hit original series that Entertainment Weekly hailed as the “best new show on TV”, gets a new release on Blu-ray™ and DVD this fall that’s sure to wake the dead!  Anchor Bay Entertainment proudly releases the AMC® original series “THE WALKING DEAD: SEASON 1 – SPECIAL EDITION” on October 4, 2011.  Available in three versions (Special Edition DVD, Special Edition Blu-ray and Limited Edition Blu-ray Collector’s Tin), each set contains all six episodes of the first season and is loaded with NEW behind-the-scenes featurettes, audio commentaries, extra footage and the fan-requested black and white version of the pilot episode.  In addition to the Blu-ray special edition, a limited edition collector’s tin contains an exclusive wearable zombie mask from NECA designed by the series own make-up artist, Greg Nicotero.  The first 100,000 units of the Blu-ray and Limited Edition Collector’s Tin together includes an EXCLUSIVE Cryptozoic “The Walking Dead” trading card.

In each version, all six episodes contain audio commentaries including award-winning Producer/Writer/Director Frank Darabont, Executive Producer Gale Anne Hurd, Executive Producer/Writer Robert Kirkman, Producer Denise Huth, Actor Andrew Lincoln, Special Effects Make-Up Artist/Consulting Producer Greg Nicotero and many more!  A breakdown of each release follows:

All three versions include the following NEW extras:

Pilot Episode:  The B&W Version
Audio Commentaries On All 6 episodes
We Are The Walking Dead
Bring Out The Dead:  KNB And The Art of Making Zombies
Digital Decay:  The VFX of The Walking Dead
No More Room in Hell:  The Walking Dead Phenomenon
Adapting The Dead
Killer Conversations:  Frank Darabont & Greg Nicotero
Each version includes bonus features from the previous release of “The Walking Dead: Season 1” on DVD that contained the following:

The Making of The Walking Dead
Inside The Walking Dead:  Episodes 1 – 6
A Sneak Peek with Robert Kirkman
Behind The Scenes Zombie Make-Up Tips
Convention Panel with the Producers
The Walking Dead Trailer

Extra Footage includes:

Zombie School
Bicycle Girl
On Set with Robert Kirkman
Hanging with Steven Yeun
Inside Dale’s RV
On Set with Andrew Lincoln

AMC's hit "The Walking Dead," which broke ratings records in its first season reaching more Adults 18-49 than any other drama series in the history of basic cable television,* returns for its second season this Fall. The series is based on the comic book series written by Robert Kirkman and tells the story of the months and years that follow after a zombie apocalypse. It follows a group of survivors, led by police officer Rick Grimes, played by Andrew Lincoln ("Teachers," Love Actually), who travel in search of a safe and secure home. Shot on location in Atlanta, the series also stars Jon Bernthal ("The Pacific," The Ghost Writer) as Shane Walsh, Sarah Wayne Callies ("Prison Break") as Lori Grimes, Laurie Holden ("The Shield," Stephen King's The Mist) as Andrea, Jeffrey DeMunn (Stephen King's The Mist, The Green Mile) as Dale, Norman Reedus (“The Conspirator”) as Daryl, Steven Yeun ("The Big Bang Theory") as Glen, Emma Bell (The Bedford Diaries) as Amy and Chandler Riggs (Get Low) as Carl Grimes. Season two of "The Walking Dead" is executive produced by three-time Academy™ Award nominee Frank Darabont, Gale Anne Hurd, Kirkman, David Alpert, and Glen Mazzara and AMC Studios. Greg Nicotero

*Source: The Nielsen Company.  Live+SD. 1/1/93-12/5/10.  A18-49, AA(000).  M-Sa 8P-11P, Su 7P-12A.  General Drama.  Ad Supported Cable.  Entire Series Original Premiere Series Airings Only.

Based on the popular Image Comics’ comic book written by Robert Kirkman, the series premiered on AMC Fearfest Halloween night and immediately became the most watched drama series in cable’s history with 3.5 million viewers. It has thrilled (and chilled) both critics and audiences with its groundbreaking take on the living dead lore.  Season 2 of “The Walking Dead” premieres on AMC this fall. 

About AMC
AMC reigns as the only cable network in history to ever win the Emmy® Award for Outstanding Drama Series three years in a row, as well as the Golden Globe® Award for Best Television Series - Drama for three consecutive years.  Whether commemorating favorite films from every genre and decade or creating acclaimed original programming, the AMC experience is an uncompromising celebration of great stories.  AMC's original stories include “Mad Men,” “Breaking Bad,” “The Walking Dead,” “The Killing” and “Hell on Wheels.”  AMC further demonstrates its commitment to the art of storytelling with AMC’s Docu-Stories, a slate of unscripted original series, as well as curated movie franchises like AMC’s Can’t Get Enough and AMC’s Crazy About.  Available in more than 97 million homes (Source: Nielsen Media Research), AMC is owned and operated by AMC Networks Inc. and its sister networks include IFC, Sundance Channel and WE tv.  AMC is available across all platforms, including on-air, online, on demand and mobile.  AMC: Story Matters HereSM.

About Anchor Bay Entertainment
Anchor Bay Entertainment is the home entertainment division of Starz Media, LLC. It includes the Anchor Bay Films and Manga Entertainment brands. It distributes feature films, children’s entertainment, fitness, TV series, documentaries, anime and other filmed entertainment on DVD and Blu-ray™ formats. Headquartered in Beverly Hills, CA, Anchor Bay Entertainment has offices in Troy, MI, as well as Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia. Starz Media (www.starzmedia.com) is a controlled subsidiary of Liberty Media Corporation attributed to the Liberty Starz tracking stock group.

THE WALKING DEAD: SEASON 1 - SPECIAL EDITION Blu-Ray™
Street Date:                 October 4, 2011         
Pre-book:                   September 7, 2011
Cat. #:                         BD23097
UPC:                           0 1313 23097-9 8
Run Time:                    292 Minutes
Rating:                         Not Rated
SRP:                            $59.99
Format:                       Widescreen (1.78:1) 1080p
Audio:                         English Dolby TrueHD 5.1/French Dolby Surround 2.0
Subtitles:                     English and Spanish

THE WALKING DEAD: SEASON 1 – SPECIAL EDITION DVD
Street Date:                October 4, 2011         
Pre-book:                  September 7, 2011
Cat. #:                        DV23096
UPC:                          1313 23096-9 9
Run Time:                   292 Minutes
Rating:                        Not Rated
SRP:                           $49.98
Format:                       Anamorphic Widescreen (1.78:1)
Audio:                         English Dolby Digital 5.1/French Dolby Surround 2.0
Subtitles:                     English and Spanish

THE WALKING DEAD: LIMITED EDITION COLLECTOR’S TIN (Blu-ray™ ONLY)
Street Date:                 October 4, 2011         
Pre-book:                   September 7, 2011
Cat. #:                        BD23505
UPC:                          0 1313 23505-9 2
Run Time:                   292 Minutes
Rating:                        Not Rated
SRP:                           $89.99
Format:                       Widescreen (1.78:1) 1080p
Audio:                         English Dolby TrueHD 5.1/French Dolby Surround 2.0
Subtitles:                     English and Spanish
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Sunday, February 20, 2011

THE WALKING DEAD: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON -- DVD review by porfle


Doing a continuing series about a group of characters struggling to survive a zombie apocalypse is such a cool idea it's a wonder nobody's ever done it before.  Frank Darabont (THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION, THE GREEN MILE) must've thought so too, so he and producer Gale Anne Hurd (THE TERMINATOR, ALIENS) have adapted the graphic novel "The Walking Dead" into an AMC television series that should have horror fans lurching through the streets in undead ecstasy.

Anchor Bay's two-disc set THE WALKING DEAD: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON contains the initial six episodes, which use George Romero's 1968 classic NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (along with a large dash of Stephen King's "The Stand") as a launching point for a whole new saga.  Darabont's intent was to stick close to the Romero vibe, with shambling, non-athletic zombies and an emphasis on the (living) human conflicts occurring amidst the carnage.  No punches are pulled on either front, as the visuals are exceedingly graphic and the stories are filled with dramatic tension and surprises.

Andrew Lincoln stars as Rick Grimes, a lanky Atlanta, Georgia sheriff's deputy who awakens from a coma to find the world ravaged by an undead armageddon.  The first episode, "Days Gone Bye", is probably the all-out creepiest of the bunch--it's like the ultimate "Twilight Zone" episode, with a dazed Rick wandering through the ruins of his hometown which is littered with rotting, partially-devoured corpses.  The fact that a good number of them are walking around and trying to eat him adds to the nervous tension this episode bristles with.
 

Luckily, Rick hooks up with a guy named Morgan (London-born Lennie James, OUTLAW) and his young son, living in a barricaded house.  Morgan's dead wife is one of the zombies (known here as either "walkers" or "geeks") that surround the house, but he doesn't have the heart to put her down.  The scene in which she staggers up to the front door and stands there, seemingly aware that he's inside, reminded me of a similar eerie moment in the Richard Matheson adaptation THE LAST MAN ON EARTH. It finally dawned on me later that Vincent Price's character in that movie was also named Morgan.

"Guts" finds Rick in Atlanta, where his hopes that the "authorities" will have things under control are dashed when he's overrun by hundreds of walkers and barely escapes with his life in a thrillingly suspenseful sequence.  Here, he meets a group of survivors who take him to their encampment outside of town.  To his joyous surprise, his wife Lori (Sarah Wayne Callies) and son Carl are there, along with his former partner Shane Walsh (Jon Bernthal), who is the group's leader.  Thinking Rick dead, the headstrong Shane has staked a claim on Lori and Carl which he's reluctant to relinquish, a situation that will lead to growing complications as the season progresses. 

"Tell It to the Frogs" and "Vatos" find Rick leading a group back to Atlanta to rescue Merle (genre fave Michael Rooker), a violent racist whom they'd been forced to leave handcuffed on a rooftop during their escape.  Merle's little brother Daryl (Norman Reedus, who played "Scud" in BLADE II) is another hothead with an anger management problem, which makes him an asset in their frequent bouts with the walkers but a big liability as a team player.  At one point, Rick and young pizza-delivery guy Glenn (Steven Yeun) must hack a corpse to pieces and cover themselves with gore in order to pass unmolested among the undead.  This is the one scene in the series that's so over-the-top it almost invites laughs as the two sneak around in their blood-encrusted overcoats with severed limbs hanging from around their necks.
 

"Wildfire" deals with the aftermath of a terrifying zombie attack on the encampment and brings up an issue from the Romero films--what to do with friends and loved ones who have been bitten and, once dead, are doomed to return.  Rick comes up with a plan to pack up and travel to a military base for protection, hoping that their scientists are close to a cure.  In "TS-19", the final episode of the season, the survivors' hopes are raised when they reach the installation but are soon dashed by new revelations.  Shane's obsession with Lori takes a dark turn, while suicidal despair infects various members of the group.  An explosive finale leaves their final fate as doubtful as ever.

Once I started watching THE WALKING DEAD it was like eating potato chips--I couldn't stop until I'd scarfed the whole thing.  True-blue George Romero stuff all the way, it explores all the fascinating avenues of the premise set forth in NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD and its sequels with up-to-date effects, sharp writing, and the combined talent of some great filmmakers.  The estimable Darabont's enthusiasm for the project is one of its main assets, as is the incredible make-up artistry of Greg Nicotero and his team. 

While always in service to the story, the gore effects match or surpass just about anything we've seen on the big screen and are often jaw-dropping.  Delightfully hideous zombies chow down on their victims amidst gouts of blood and guts while the good guys blast, dismember, and behead them.  In one scene, an abused wife (Melissa McBride) makes sure her "walker" husband is good and dead by braining him repeatedly with a pickaxe until his head looks like a taco salad.  One of Rick's first "geek" encounters is with a female torso so desiccated that he, and we, are shocked to find it still horribly ambulatory.  Time after time, this cable-TV series serves up gore effects that might easily get a feature film stamped "X."


Production values are first rate, and scenes of zombies by the hundreds swarming through ravaged city streets have an epic quality that's impressive.  As for the cast, they're all on their best game.  In addition to those already mentioned, multitalented IronE Singleton is T-Dog, who clashes with brothers Daryl and Merle.  Laurie Holden (THE MIST, "The X-Files") and Emma Bell (FROZEN) play close-knit sisters Andrea and Amy, trying to protect each other as circumstances conspire to separate them.  Old-school character actor Jeffrey DeMunn has one of his best roles ever as the group's wise old sage, Dale.  As Rick, British actor Andrew Lincoln is a believable, non-glamorous lead who, with the right beard, might even make a convincing Abraham Lincoln.  After getting used to him in character, it's somewhat of a shock hearing him speak in his native accent in the bonus features.

The 2-disc DVD from Anchor Bay is in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen with Dolby Digital 5.1 sound.  Subtitles are in English and Spanish.  Extras include the half-hour documentary "The Making of 'The Walking Dead'", six behind-the-scenes webisodes, a visit with graphic novel author Robert Kirkman, a look at the makeup effects, a Comic Con panel with cast and producers, a trailer, and other assorted featurettes. 

With more time to develop its characters and situations and some first-rate filmmakers at the helm, THE WALKING DEAD: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON makes a lot of the recent living-dead films seem anemic in comparison.  For fans of both hardcore zombie horror and riveting serial drama, this is the good stuff.


Street date 3-8-11

Buy it at Amazon.com:
DVD
Blu-Ray

2nd season review
3rd season review
4th season review
5th season review



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Thursday, January 6, 2011

THE WALKING DEAD arrives on Blu-ray and DVD March 8 from Anchor Bay Entertainment






“THE BEST NEW SHOW ON TV” – ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY

ANCHOR BAY ENTERTAINMENT RELEASES “THE WALKING DEAD: The Complete First Season” ON DVD AND BLU-RAY™  MARCH 8, 2011



Beverly Hills , CA – Take a walk on the undead side, as the groundbreaking, genre-bending AMC® original series “THE WALKING DEAD” rises again when Anchor Bay Entertainment releases the Blu-ray™ and DVD of the hit show that wowed both critics and audiences. The SRP for the March 8 release is $49.99 for the Blu-ray™, and $39.98 for the DVD. Pre-book is February 9th. Both the “THE WALKING DEAD: The Complete First Season” Blu-ray™ and DVD contain all 6 episodes of the first season on a 2-disc set and are packed with special behind-the-scenes featurettes and insightful extra footage.

Nominated for a Golden Globe® for Best Television Series - Drama, “THE WALKING DEAD: The Complete First Season” breathes new life into the zombie genre as it unfolds a post-apocalyptic saga that follows a group of survivors, led by police officer Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln, Love Actually), who searches for a safe haven and, hopefully, a new home, far from the undead that now roam the earth hungry for human flesh.  Each episode explores the challenges of life in a world overrun by zombies, and the toll it takes on the survivors who now find themselves going to extremes just to see another day. In this horrific world gone mad, each turn brings new surprises and dangers, as the survivors try to regain some semblance of a normal life.

“THE WALKING DEAD” is based on the popular Image Comics’ comic book written by Robert Kirkman. The series premiered on AMC Fearfest Halloween night and immediately became the most watched drama series in cable’s history among Adults 18-49 with 3.5 million viewers. It also gained a following among critics (from People to Vanity Fair) who have hailed it as one of the best new series of the year.

DVD and Blu-ray™ bonus features include:

Featurettes:
The Making of THE WALKING DEAD
Inside THE WALKING DEAD: Episode 1-6
A Sneak Peek with Robert Kirkman
Behind The Scenes Zombie Make-Up Tips
Convention Panel With Producers
THE WALKING DEAD Trailer

Extra Footage:
Zombie School
Bicycle Girl
On Set With Robert Kirkman
Hanging With Steven Yeun
Inside Dale’s RV
On Set With Andrew Lincoln

“THE WALKING DEAD: The Complete First Season” Blu-ray™
Street Date:                  March 8, 2011
Pre-book:                     February 9, 2011
Cat. #:                          BD22647
UPC:                            0 1313 22647 9-0
Run Time:                     292 Minutes
Rating:                          Not Rated
SRP:                            $49.99
Format:                        Anamorphic Widescreen (1.78:1) 1080p
Audio:                          Dolby TrueHD 5.1
Subtitles:                       English and Spanish

“THE WALKING DEAD: The Complete First Season” DVD
Street Date:                  March 8, 2011
Pre-book:                     February 9, 2011
Cat. #:                          DV22646
UPC:                            0 1313 22646 9-1
Run Time:                     292 Minutes
Rating:                          Not Rated
SRP:                            $39.98
Format:                        Anamorphic Widescreen (1.78:1)
Audio:                          Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles:                       English and Spanish


Buy it at Amazon.com:
DVD
Blu-Ray
Share/Save/Bookmark