a documentary by Scott Thurman about the Texas State Board of Education, on DVD
Street date: April 30, 2013
DVD SRP: $29.95
New York, NY - April 26, 2013 - Kino Lorber is proud to announce the DVD release ofThe Revisionaries, a documentary by Scott Thurman that examines the controversy surrounding the Texas State Board of Education and the decisions involved in the rewriting of teaching and textbook standards for its students.
The film, which Kino Lorber released theatrically last year, comes to DVD on April 30th with a SRP of $29.95.
With unprecedented access to the 15 people elected as members of the Texas State Board of Education, The Revisionaries offers a behind-the-scenes look at how a small group of local officials decide what should be taught to the next generation of high school students across America.
Once every decade, the highly politicized Texas State Board of Education rewrites the teaching and textbook standards for its nearly 5 million schoolchildren. And when it comes to textbooks, what happens in Texas affects the nation as a whole.
Don McLeroy, a dentist, Sunday school teacher, and avowed young-earth creationist, leads the Religious Right charge. After briefly serving on his local school board, McLeroy was elected to the Texas State Board of Education and later appointed chairman. During his time on the board, McLeroy has overseen the adoption of new science and history curriculum standards, drawing national attention and placing Texas on the front line of the so-called "culture wars."
In his last term, McLeroy, aided by Cynthia Dunbar, an attorney from Houston and professor of Law at Jerry Falwell's Liberty University, finds himself not only fighting to change what Americans are taught, but also fighting to retain his seat on the board. Challenged by Kathy Miller, president of the Texas Freedom Network, and Ron Wetherington, an anthropology professor from Southern Methodist University in Texas, McLeroy faces his toughest term yet.
The Revisionaries follows the rise and fall of some of the most controversial figures in American education through some of their most tumultuous intellectual battles.
16x9, 1.85:1 / 83 minutes / English / Not Rated / Stereo / Color
The Revisionaries
Director: Scott Thurman
Genre: Documentary
Street date: April 30, 2013
DVD SRP: $29.95
About Kino Lorber
With a library of 700 titles, Kino Lorber Inc. has been a leader in independent art house distribution for over 30 years, releasing over 20 films per year theatrically under its Kino Lorber, Kino Classics, and Alive Mind Cinema banners, including four Academy Award® nominated films in the last six years. In addition, the company brings over 60 titles each year to the home entertainment market with DVD and Blu-ray releases as well as digital distribution on all platforms.
Kino Lorber Signs Multi-Year Deal with Artsploitation Films as Exclusive Home Entertainment Distributor for U.S. and Canada
New York, NY - April 4, 2013 - Kino Lorber is proud to announce that it has signed a multi-year agreement with Artsploitation Films as exclusive home entertainment distributor of Artsploitation's label in the U.S. and Canada. Kino Lorber will handle distribution of Artsploitation's catalog and new releases in packaged media (Blu-ray and DVD) and to all major digital platforms.
Artsploitation Films, which specializes in unsettling and provocative films from around the world, plans to release between 12-18 new titles per year, all of which will play the North American festival circuit, and at least half of which are expected to be released theatrically nationwide. Twitch Film has said of Artsploitation: "With so much more on their plate, Artsploitation is doing distribution right....they are acquiring good films and releasing them with care."
Some of Artsploitation's upcoming festival hits include Clip (Rotterdam Film Festival [winner, Tiger Award: Best Film], Toronto International Film Festival, AFI Fest),Vanishing Waves (Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, Fantastic Film Festival [Winner: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Actress], 2012 Sitges Film Festival), Combat Girls (Sao Paulo International Film Festival, Fantastic Fest, Dubai International Film Festival), Animals (San Sebastián International Film Festival, Sitges Film Festival, London Gay and Lesbian Film Festival), and Memory of the Dead(Fantasia International Film Festival, Sitges Film Festival).
The deal was initiated by CEO Richard Lorber and Home Entertainment Vice President Eric D. Wilkinson on behalf of Kino Lorber and negotiated with Ray Murray and Brian Sokel, CEO and Managing Director of Artsploitation.
Ray Murray, former president to TLA Releasing and founder of Artsploitation Films says, "our movies - an unpredictable mix of genre films and cutting edge international dramas - require a knowledgeable and specialized sales company and I know we found it with Kino Lorber, a seasoned expert with such films."
Richard Lorber, President and CEO of Kino Lorber, added, "Artsploitation's line up is an ideal fit with Kino Lorber's distribution focus and cinematic taste. We're delighted to be working with savvy professionals who understand the passion of North American audiences for envelope-pushing world cinema."
About Artsploitation Films:
More than just a genre label, ARTSPLOITATION FILMS seeks intriguing, unsettling, unpredictable and provocative films from around the world. Artsploitation's eclectic tastes knows no boundaries whether it be an Indian hip hop musical, a Serbian coming-of-age-drama or a blood-soaked Swedish horror film.
About Kino Lorber:
With a library of 700 titles, Kino Lorber Inc. has been a leader in independent art house distribution for over 30 years, releasing over 20 films per year theatrically under its Kino Lorber, Kino Classics, and Alive Mind Cinema banners, including four Academy Award nominated films in the last six years. In addition, the company brings over 60 titles each year to the home entertainment market with DVD and Blu-ray releases as well as digital distribution on all platforms. Kino Lorber recently signed an agreement with leading Italian home video company Raro Video to handle physical and digital home entertainment distribution of that company's entire catalog in the US.
New York, NY - March 27, 2013 - Kino Lorber is proud to announce the DVD release of Meet the Fokkens, a film by Rob Schröder and Gabriëlle Provaas, which was an Official Selection at Hot Docs, SilverDocs, and IDFA. The film, which Kino Lorber released theatrically last year, was praised as "Thoroughly entertaining and charming! A good-natured delve into Amsterdam's famous - and infamous - red light district" (Mark Adams, Screen Daily) and "A delightful portrait of good-natured extroverts" (Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News).
Now, Meet the Fokkens comes to DVD, with a street date of April 2, 2013, and a SRP of $29.95.
Meet Louise and Martine Fokkens: 69-year-old identical twins who have worked as prostitutes in Amsterdam's red light district for over 50 years. Louise is newly retired due to arthritis ("I couldn't get one leg over the other"), but Martine carried on, unable to support herself on a state pension.
Between explicit scenes of her daily grind, she and Louise stroll the city in matching outfits, recounting hilariously ribald stories from a lifetime of sex work (discussing a client who was a chaplain, one recalls: "Don't you remember, we even had a little confessional!").
An immensely affectionate portrait of two women who have seen and done everything (and everyone), Meet the Fokkens is a rollicking and revealing look at the world's oldest profession in the 21st century.
16x9, 1.85:1 / 80 minutes / Dutch w/English subtitles / Not Rated / Dolby Digital 5.1 / Color
Meet the Fokkens
Directors: Rob Schröder and Gabriëlle Provaas
Genre: Documentary
Street date: April 2, 2013
DVD SRP: $29.95
About Kino Lorber
Kino Lorber curates high quality, critically-acclaimed films for discerning audiences - delivering the classics of yesterday and tomorrow.
New York, NY - March 8, 2013 - Kino Lorber is proud to announce the DVD release ofFree Radicals: A History of Experimental Film, a documentary by Pip Chodorov which Nicolas Rapold in The New York Times called "...a welcome paean to the unfettered, resourceful creativity of its subject."
Free Radicals: A History of Experimental Film streets on DVD on March 12th with a SRP of $29.95.
This feature-length documentary provides a vivid, eye-opening, and appropriately personal introduction to one of the most important, yet perpetually marginalized, realms of filmmaking: avant-garde cinema.
Achieving the near-impossible task of doing justice in a mere 82 minutes to this incredibly rich, varied, and expansive domain, Free Radicals is as expertly constructed an introduction to the topic as one could hope for, thanks in large part to the film's privileging of rare interviews with some of the most important filmmakers in the avant-garde tradition (including Jonas Mekas, Peter Kubelka, Stan Brakhage, and Hans Richter), and its inclusion of several films in their entirety.
The film's sincere admiration for its subject is best reflected by Chodorov's own description: "I wanted to share a few of the films I love and introduce you to some of the free, radical artists who made them."
16x9 / 82 minutes / English and French w/English subtitles / Not Rated / Stereo / Color
Free Radicals: A History of Experimental Film
Director: Pip Chodorov
Genre: Documentary
Street date: March 12, 2013
SRP: $29.95
About Kino Lorber
Kino Lorber curates high quality, critically-acclaimed films for discerning audiences - delivering the classics of yesterday and tomorrow.
Jean Rollin's Zombie Lake, and Jess Franco's Oasis of the Zombies
Newly mastered in HD from the archival negatives
Street date: February 26th
Blu-ray SRP: $24.95 (each)
DVD SRP: $19.95 (each)
New York, NY - February 22, 2013 - Kino Lorber and Redemption are proud to announce the Blu-ray and DVD releases of two films by masters of horror: Zombie Lake, directed by Jean Rollin, and Jess Franco's Oasis of the Zombies. Both of these cult horror classics come to Blu-ray and DVD mastered in HD from the archival negatives.
Each disc comes with an individual SRP of $24.95 for the Blu-ray and $19.95 for the DVD, and both street on February 26th, packed with special features:
Zombie Lake includes an English dubbed version, alternate (less explicit) versions of two sequences, an alternate English title sequence, original theatrical trailers, and original trailers of other Jean Rollin films available from Redemption.
Oasis of the Zombies includes an English dubbed version, the original theatrical trailer, and original trailers of other Jess Franco films available from Redemption.
Zombie Lake
Directed by Jean Rollin
One of the most bizarre films in the living dead craze of the early 1980s, Zombie Lake feasts without restraint upon the carcasses of a variety of cinematic genres: the WWII picture, the sexploitation film, gore horror, and even the romantic melodrama.
Conceived by one master of erotic horror (Jess Franco) and pseudonymously directed by another (Jean Rollin), Zombie Lake weaves the tale of a contemporary French village haunted by water-logged Nazis slain by the Resistance. With little regard for narrative subtlety, the film veers from the shamelessly exploitive (as when a women's volleyball team skinny-dips in zombie-infested waters) to the tearfully sentimental (depicting a young orphan girl's psychic connection to one of the walking dead). Beneath its garish surface, however, Zombie Lake embraces several themes that run throughout Rollin's body of work, showing that this eclectic artist could not help investing even a playful film such as this with his personal sensibilities.
France / 1980 / Color / 86 min. / 1.66:1 / In French with optional English subtitles
Blu-ray Features
* Newly mastered in HD from the archival negatives * English dubbed version * Alternate (less explicit) versions of two sequences * Alternate English title sequence * Original theatrical trailers * Original trailers of other Jean Rollin films available from Redemption
DVD Features
* Newly mastered in HD from the archival negatives * English dubbed version * Alternate (less explicit) versions of two sequences * Alternate English title sequence * Original theatrical trailers * Original trailers of other Jean Rollin films available from Redemption
Oasis of the Zombies
Directed by Jess Franco
Once established as a master of the Euro-erotic horror film, Jess Franco continued to explore more traditional modes of filmmaking, setting familiar genres on their ears with his singular brand of reckless creativity. Made during the living dead craze of the early 1980s, Oasis of the Zombies is one of only a handful of motion pictures to explore a most peculiar subgenre of the movement: the Nazi zombie film.
In telling the story of a cache of German gold--lost in the desert, sought by a group of teenagers, protected by the walking dead--Franco demonstrated his characteristic lack of restraint, shamelessly inserting stock footage from a bigger-budget war picture, allowing his camera to dwell on the worm-eaten orifices of the shriveled undead and, of course, lacing the action with his trademark style of lyrical eroticism. The resulting film is a decadent exercise in grindhouse filmmaking that is more audacious than frightening, illuminating one of the more peculiar facets of Jess Franco's uniquely warped cinema.
France / 1982 / Color / 85 min. / 1.66:1 / in French with optional English subtitles
Blu-ray Features
* Newly mastered in HD from the archival negatives * English dubbed version * Original theatrical trailer * Original trailers of other Jess Franco films available from Redemption
DVD Features
* Newly mastered in HD from the archival negatives * English dubbed version * Original theatrical trailer * Original trailers of other Jess Franco films available from Redemption
Zombie Lake
Director: Jean Rollin
Starring: Anouchka, Howard Vernon, Pierre-Marie Escourrou
Genre: Horror
Blu-ray SRP: $24.94
DVD SRP: $19.95
Street date: February 26, 2013
Oasis of the Zombies
Director: Jess Franco
Starring: France Lomay, Jeff Montgomery, Manuel Gelin, Myriam Landson
Genre: Horror
Blu-ray SRP: $24.94
DVD SRP: $19.95
Street date: February 26, 2013
About Redemption
Established in 1992 and rebooted by Kino Lorber in 2012, Redemption Films is dedicated to resurrecting classics of the European cult and horror film -- both the celebrated and the undiscovered -- in deluxe Blu-ray and DVD editions, remastered from the original 35mm elements.
About Kino Lorber
Kino Lorber curates high quality, critically-acclaimed films for discerning audiences - delivering the classics of yesterday and tomorrow.
Kino Classics Releases the 1932 cult classic White Zombie, starring Bela Lugosi,
on Blu-ray and DVD
HD Restoration from Archival 35mm Elements
New York, NY - January 29, 2013 - Kino Classics is proud to announce the Blu-ray and DVD release of the 1932 cult classic White Zombie, starring legendary horror film icon Bela Lugosi in one of his most famous roles. One of the earliest films dealing with the Haitian zombie myth (which would eventually transform into one of the most enduring subgenres of the horror film), White Zombie is a chance for audiences to see Bela Lugosi in one of his finest roles.
The film streets today on Blu-ray and DVD, with a SRP of $29.95 for the Blu-ray and $24.95 for the DVD. Both come mastered in HD from a 35mm fine grain master, and are presented in a dual edition that includes both a digitally-restored version, as well as the raw, unenhanced film transfer (with natural grain intact). This release also features an audio commentary by film historian Frank Thompson. Other special features include "Intimate Interviews" (1932), a 6-minute interview with Bela Lugosi (mastered in HD from 35mm elements), and a 1951 theatrical reissue trailer.
After becoming an overnight success with his starring role in Tod Browning's Dracula, Bela Lugosi struggled to find roles worthy of his acting talent, without parodying his depiction of Bram Stoker's notorious count.
Independently produced by Edward Halperin, White Zombie was one of the rare films that provided Lugosi with just such an opportunity. In spite of its budgetary limitations,White Zombie manages to be a remarkably atmospheric treatment of the Haitian zombie myth, which would evolve into one of the most popular and enduring subgenres of the horror film.
This Kino Classics edition, produced by Holland Releasing, has been mastered in HD from a 35mm fine grain print and is presented in both a digitally restored and an unenhanced version (with the natural film grain intact).
Special Features
*Mastered in HD from a 35mm fine grain master
*Dual edition includes both a digitally restored version as well as the raw, unenhanced film transfer
* Audio commentary by film historian Frank Thompson
*"Intimate Interviews"(1932), a 6-minute interview with Bela Lugosi, mastered in HD from 35mm elements
*1951 theatrical re-issue trailer
U.S. 1932 B&W 67 Min. 1.33:1 2.0 Mono 1920x1080p
White Zombie
Director: Victor Halperin
Genre: Horror
Blu-ray SRP: $29.95
DVD SRP: $24.95
Street date: January 29, 2013
About Kino Lorber
Kino Lorber curates high quality, critically-acclaimed films for discerning audiences delivering the classics of yesterday and tomorrow.
Kino Classics Proudly Releases Josef von Sternberg's THE BLUE ANGEL on Blu-ray
New York, NY - December 4, 2012 - Kino Classics is proud to release THE BLUE ANGEL (1930), the crowning achievement of Weimar cinema, for the first time on Blu-ray. Newly restored in HD from archival 35mm elements by the Friedrich-Wilhelm-Murnau-Stiftung, Josef von Sternberg's THE BLUE ANGEL will become available today, (December 4) with a SRP of $29.95.
An exquisite parable of one man's fall from respectability The Blue Angel stars Emil Jannings (Faust, Othello, The Last Laugh), the quintessential German expressionist actor, as Professor Rath, the sexually repressed instructor of a boys' prep school.
After learning of the pupils' infatuation with French postcards depicting a local nightclub songstress, he decides to personally investigate the source of such indecency. But as soon as he enters the shadowy Blue Angel nightclub and steals one glimpse of the smoldering Lola-Lola (Marlene Dietrich), commanding the stage in top hat, stockings, and bare thighs, Rath's self-righteous piety is crushed.
He finds himself fatefully seduced by the throaty voice of the vulgar siren, singing "Falling In Love Again." Consumed by desire and tormented by his rigid propriety, Professor Rath allows himself to be dragged down a path of personal degradation.
Lola's unrestrained sexuality was a revelation to turn-of-the-decade moviegoers, thrusting Dietrich to the forefront of the sultry international leading ladies, such as Greta Garbo, who were challenging the limits of screen sexuality.
This Blu-ray only contains the original German-language version of the film, presented here with optional English subtitles.
Five masterworks culled from the personal collection of producer David O. Selznick, authorized by the Selznick Estate and preserved by the George Eastman House Motion Picture Department. Includes A FAREWELL TO ARMS (1932), NOTHING SACRED (1937), A STAR IS BORN (1937), BIRD OF PARADISE (1932) and LITTLE LORD FAUNTLEROY (1936).
Blu-ray: $99.95 DVD: $79.95 Street Date: Already available
Alps
(DVD)
Yorgos Lanthimos' follow-up to his Academy Award®-nominee and cult sensation Dogtooth is another darkly comic, absurdist vision of (in)human relationships about a mysterious group that helps mourners get over their losses by impersonating the deceased.
DVD: $29.95 Street Date: December 4, 2012
Pablo Larrain: Director's Set (DVD)
Two films from acclaimed Chilean filmmaker Pabo Larrain (the director of the upcoming No) together in one collection. In TONY MANERO, a middle-aged thug obsessed with the disco king played by John Travolta inSaturday Night Fever splits his time between disco dancing and wreaking mayhem. In POST MORTEM, a morgue clerk's obsession with a burlesque dancer plays out against the violence of Chile's 1973 military coup.
DVD: $44.95 Street Date: December 4, 2012
The Blue Angel
(Blu-ray)
This crowning achievement of Weimar Cinema from master filmmaker Josef von Sternberg tells the story of a college professor's (Emil Jannings) fall from respectability after he becomes obsessed with a cabaret singer (Marlene Dietrich). Newly-restored in HD from archival 35mm elements, restored by the Friedrich-Wilhelm-Murnau-Stiftung.
Blu-ray: $29.95 Street Date: December 4, 2012
Baron Blood
(Blu-ray & DVD)
Bava's sumptuous Technicolor Gothic horror classic about an American student, on holiday in Austria, who recites an incantation on ancient parchment that scares up the spirit of a bloodthirsty ancestor. Mastered in HD from the original negative and featuring bonus material including audio commentary by Tim Lucas, and more!
Blu-ray: $29.95 DVD: $24.95 Street Date: December 11, 2012
The Ultimate Buster Keaton Collection (14-disc Blu-ray set)
All of the Kino Classics Buster Keaton Ultimate Edition releases are now together in one super-sized high definition boxed set. This Blu-ray exclusive set includes all of Kino's "Ultimate Edition" releases of Keaton's silent feature films, the Short Films collection, LOST KEATON (1934-1937) and for the first time on Blu-ray, COLLEGE (exclusive to the box set until 2013).
Blu-ray: $299.95 Street Date: December 11, 2011
Fred & Vinnie
(DVD)
Comedian Fred Stollar is thrilled when his good buddy Vinnie comes to live with him, until he proves to be the world's most maddening roommate! Bonus features include Vinnie's phone messages, Park City TV interview, Angelo's audition tape, deleted scenes and trailer.
DVD: $26.95 Street Date: December 18, 2012
Jason Becker: Not Dead Yet (DVD)
In 1989, Jason Becker was hailed as the next great rock guitarist. But then he was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease and given 3-5 years to live. Now, 22 years later, unable to move or speak, Jason is alive and making music with his eyes.
DVD: $26.95 Street Date: December 18, 2012
The Well-Digger's Daughter (Blu-ray & DVD)
This remake of the 1940 Marcel Pagnol classic tells the story of well-digger Pascal, a widower living with his six daughters in the Provence countryside. When his eldest daughter is impregnated by a young pilot who returns to the frontlines, Pascal is left to deal with the consequences.
Blu-ray: $34.95 DVD: $29.95 Street Date: December 24, 2012
Putin's Kiss (DVD)
Masha is the rising star of Nashi, a youth movement in Russia that pledges unwavering loyalty to Putin. However, when her journalist friend - who is critical of Putin - is the victim of a violent attack, she realizes that she must take a stand. Includes the theatrical trailer and a stills gallery.
DVD: $29.95 Street Date: December 31, 2011
Die Nibelungen: Special Edition (Blu-ray & DVD)
Fritz Lang's monumental two-part saga is an epic retelling of Nordic legend. The saga begins by constructing an enchanted kingdom populated by dragons, magical trolls, and heroic figures defined by rigid codes of honor. After the death of Siegfried, Kriemhild takes ungodly vengeance upon his murderers. Mastered in HD from the new restoration by the Friedrich-Wilhelm-Murnau-Stiftung. Includes 68 min. documentary on the making of the film, original score by Gottfried Huppertz, and German intertitles with optional English subtitles.
Blu-ray: $39.95
DVD: $34.95
Street Date: Already Available
Fritz Lang: The Early Works
(3-DVD Collection)
Virtually unseen in the US until this release, the three films in this collection (HARAKIRI, THE WANDERING SHADOW and FOUR AROUND THE WOMAN) were mastered from 35mm elements preserved by the Friedrich-Wilhelm-Murnau-Stiftung, in assocation with numerous international archives.
DVD:$39.95 Street Date: Already Available
About Kino Lorber
Kino Lorber curates high quality, critically-acclaimed films for discerning audiences - delivering the classics of yesterday and tomorrow.
Kino Classics Releases The David O. Selznick Collection, featuring five films mastered in HD from the producer's personal collection, preserved at the George Eastman House Motion Picture Department and authorized by the Selznick Estate
New York, NY - November 8, 2012 - Kino Classics is proud to announce the Blu-ray and DVD release of The David O. Selznick Collection, a box set of Kino's releases of five films culled from the personal collection of producer David O. Selznick preserved by the George Eastman House Motion Picture Department, newly mastered in HD and authorized by the Selznick estate.
The David O. Selznick Collection comes to Blu-ray and DVD on November 13th, with a SRP of $99.95 for the Blu-ray edition and $79.95 for the DVD edition.
This five-disc box set includes the 1932 Paramount version of A Farewell to Arms, directed by acclaimed filmmaker Frank Borzage; the Technicolor productions Nothing Sacred and A Star is Born (both directed by William Wellman); Bird of Paradise, an exotic South Seas adventure starring Dolores Del Rio and Joel McCrea and directed by King Vidor; and the timeless Frances Hodgson Burnett story Little Lord Fauntleroy, starring Freddie Bartholomew and Mickey Rooney.
One of Hollywood's most celebrated moguls, David O. Selznick began his career as a producer at RKO and MGM before establishing his independent production company in 1936, where he produced such acclaimed films as Nothing Sacred, A Star is Born, Gone with the Wind, and Duel in the Sun. His legacy lives on in these timeless classics from Hollywood's Golden Age.
A Farewell to Arms
A ravishing adaptation of Ernest Hemingway's legendary novel, A Farewell to Arms stars Gary Cooper (High Noon) as Lt. Frederic Henry, a young ambulance driver for the Italian army in WWI, more interested in chasing women than the enemy. When seeking cover during an air raid, he encounters Nurse Catherine Barkley (a radiant Helen Hayes), and the world shifts under his feet.
They fall in love, but the war keeps wrenching them apart. These painful separations force Frederic to choose between love and battle, a decision that tests him morally and spiritually, and leads to one of the most rapturously romantic endings of all time.
Directed by the great Frank Borzage, winner of Best Director Oscars® for 7th Heaven (1927) and Bad Girl (1931), A Farewell to Arms was a Best Picture nominee, and one of the crowning achievements of the studio system.
This edition is mastered from an original 35mm nitrate print held in David O. Selznick's personal collection, which Selznick acquired when he secured the rights to the story for his 1957 remake. It presents the film in its full 89 minute running time.
Special Features: Trailers Gallery of Images
Mastered in HD from an original nitrate 35mm print, preserved by the George Eastman House Motion Picture Department.
U.S. 1932 B&W 89 Min. 1.33:1 1920 x 1080p 2.0 Mono
Nothing Sacred
He's an unscrupulous newspaperman eager to exploit the story of a young woman's death by radium poisoning. She knows she's not really dying but can't pass up a free trip to New York with all the trimmings. So begins William Wellman's wonderful black comedy Nothing Sacred, starring Fredric March and Carole Lombard.
Legendary screenwriter Ben Hecht's sharply satirical screenplay, depicting the morbid nature of the scandal-hungry public, is more relevant than ever - with such wonderfully comic lines as, "Doctor, I want to know the worst...we go to press in fifteen minutes!" Wellman keeps the comic pace frantic in one of the screen's cleverest screwball comedies. With a supporting cast featuring some of Hollywood's funniest character actors, including Margaret Hamilton, Charles Winninger and Walter Connolly, Nothing Sacred is nothing less than hysterical.
Mastered in HD from an original Technicolor nitrate 35mm print, preserved by George Eastman House Motion Picture Department.
U.S 1937 Technicolor 73 Min. 1.33:1 2.0 Mono Blu-ray: 1920 x 1080p
Special Feature: Trailers
A Star is Born
From maverick filmmaker William A. Wellman (The Public Enemy, Nothing Sacred) comes the original, timeless tale of Hollywood fantasy and heartbreak: A Star is Born.
Esther Blodgett (Janet Gaynor) comes to Hollywood with dreams of stardom only to have them shattered by a ruthless, cold-hearted town without pity, where the chances of finding fame are one in a hundred thousand. Enter falling (and falling down drunk) movie star Norman Maine (Fredric March), whom Esther meets at a Hollywood party. Maine gets Esther a screen test and she's an instant success, and the publicity machine sets about recreating the small-town girl. But as Esther (reborn as Vicki Lester) rises to celebrity, Norman's stardom plummets, landing him in an alcoholic depression from which true love and Tinseltown fantasy may not be able to rescue him.
Special Features Mastered in HD from an original nitrate 35mm Technicolor print, preserved by the George Eastman House Motion Picture Department Original theatrical trailer Wardrobe test Gallery
U.S. 1937 Technicolor 111 Min. 1.33:1 (Blu-ray: 1920 x 1080p) 2.0 Mono
Bird of Paradise
From legendary Oscar®-winning director King Vidor (The Crowd, Duel in the Sun) comes an exotic tale of romance set in gorgeous Polynesia: Bird of Paradise. Johnny (Joel McCrea) is an intrepid young sailor traveling the South Seas who falls in love with Luana (Dolores del Rio), the beautiful daughter of an island chief. But Luana is betrothed to a neighboring native prince, and is soon to be married. With little thought to the future, Johnny and Luana elope together, searching for paradise in each other's arms. With McCrea at his most dashing and del Rio at her alluring height, Bird of Paradise is a movie of wild eroticism and thrilling adventure, and not to be missed.
Mastered in HD from an original nitrate 35mm print, preserved by the George Eastman House Motion Picture Department
U.S. 1932 B&W 82 Min. 1.33:1 Mono
Little Lord Fauntleroy
John Cromwell's 1936 film version ofLittle Lord Fauntleroy is the definitive rendering of Frances Hodgson Burnett's beloved novel, a heartwarming classic with delightful performances from Freddie Bartholomew and Mickey Rooney. After the death of her husband, the patient Mrs. Errol (Dolores Costello) raises Ceddie (Bartholomew) with much goodwill, but little money. Out of the blue, Ceddie is summoned to England to become heir to the fortune of the Earl of Dorincourt (C. Aubrey Smith), his estranged grandfather, and take the title of Lord Fauntleroy. But there are obstacles: the curmudgeonly Earl refuses to allow Mrs. Errol into his home, and then another young boy claims to be the true inheritor. Only through the intervention of Ceddie's old Brooklyn friends can this mess be put straight.
Mastered in HD from an original nitrate 35mm print, preserved by the George Eastman House Motion Picture Department
U.S. 1936 B&W 101 Min. 1.33:1 2.0 Mono
The David O. Selznick Collection Directors: Frank Borzage, William Wellman, King Vidor, John Cromwell Street date: November 13, 2012 SRP: $99.95 (Blu-ray) $79.95 (DVD)
About Kino Lorber
Kino Lorber curates high quality, critically-acclaimed films for discerning audiences delivering the classics of yesterday and tomorrow.
MASTERPIECE CLASSIC: DOWNTON ABBEY SEASONS ONE & TWO
PBS Distribution’s new limited edition set featuring season 1 and season 2 of this phenomenal program will hit store shelves on October 2, 2012 in special gift-set packaging. The run time of “Downton Abbey Seasons One & Two” is 912 minutes on six discs for the DVD and five discs for the Blu-ray. The SRP for the DVD set is $59.99 and the SRP for the Blu-ray is $64.99, a 25 percent and 28 percent savings respectively from the SRP if both seasons were purchased separately. A brief synopsis of the show is below.
Welcome to Downton Abbey, the splendid ancestral home of the Earl and Countess of Grantham (Hugh Bonneville and Elizabeth McGovern) and their daughters, who live there under the watchful eye of the Dowager Countess (Dame Maggie Smith). The household is a complicated community, with the servants below stairs as fiercely jealous of their ranks as anyone above. From the sinking of the Titanic to the First World War, the secure and ordered world of Downton is rocked as the lives of the inhabitants are shaped by romance, ambition, and heartbreak.
“Downton Abbey Season 2” was just nominated for 16 Primetime Emmy awards, one of which was for Outstanding Drama Series.
AMERICAN EXPERIENCE: THE PRESIDENTS
As the 2012 presidential election continues to heat up, and Americans get ready to head to the polls in November, this new collection of 11 twentieth-century biographiesoffers an intimate and compelling look back at the men who have shaped the modern presidency. Focusing on the intersection of public and private, character and history, these presidential biographies have captivated viewers, delighted teachers, impressed critics, and won virtually every documentary award worth winning.
Featuring “Theodore Roosevelt,” “Woodrow Wilson,” “FDR,” “Truman,” “The Kennedys,” “LBJ,” “Nixon,” “Jimmy Carter,” “Reagan,” “George H.W. Bush,” and the lastest offering from American Experience, “Clinton,” this collection provides an intimate look at many of the men who have held the highest office in the land.
“American Experience: The Presidents” will be available on DVD on August 28, 2012. The running time of the program is 2,310 minutes. The SRP for the DVD is $99.99. The program comes on 17 discs.
SPACE, TIME AND THE UNIVERSE WITH BRIAN GREENE
This new DVD collection brings together two fascinating programs hosted by Brian Greene, professor of physics and mathematics at Columbia University. Both of these programs are based on outstanding books authored by Professor Greene.
“The Elegant Universe” illuminates one of the most revolutionary theories in physics, known as string theory or superstring theory, a startling idea that proposes that the fundamental ingredients of nature are inconceivably tiny strands of energy, whose different modes of vibration underlie everything that happens in the universe. Individual episodes include: Einstein’s Dream, String’s the Thing, and Welcome to the 11th Dimension.
“The Fabric of the Cosmos” is a mind-blowing, new exploration of space, time, and the very nature of reality. Discover why empty space is not empty, at all; how our perceptions have misled us and time may be an illusion; why a hidden realm, where the seemingly impossible is possible, lies just beneath the surface of the everyday world; and how other universes – even copies of you – may exist. Individual episodes include What Is Space?, The Illusion of Time, Quantum Leap, and Universe or Multiverse?.
“Space, Time and the Universe with Brian Greene” will be available on DVD on October 9, 2012. The running time of the program is 420 minutes. The SRP for the DVD is $34.99. The program comes on four discs.
BROADWAY: THE AMERICAN MUSICAL
Available on Blu-ray for the first time in 2012, “Broadway: The American Musical” showcases the entire razzle-dazzle story of this uniquely American art form. Each episode explores a different era in American musical theatre, spotlighting the Broadway shows and songs that defined that period. Featuring on-camera interviews with many of the principals involved in the development of the medium, the series draws on a wealth of rare performance footage and newly-restored film clips. Hosted by Julie Andrews, the six-part series offers the best seat in the house to the greatest Broadway shows of all time.
“Broadway: The American Musical” will be available on Blu-ray October 2, 2012. The running time of the program is 360 minutes. The SRP for the Blu-ray is $39.99. The program comes on three discs.
Special Features: Additional Performances • More than three hours of additional interviews with Broadway composers, directors, and stars • Special Featurette: Wicked: The Road to Broadway
Kino Classics Releases D.W. Griffith's historical drama Abraham Lincoln, starring Walter Huston, on Blu-ray
35mm Restoration by the Museum of Modern Art
New York, NY - November 6, 2012 - Kino Classics is proud to announce the Blu-ray release of D.W. Griffith's acclaimed historical drama Abraham Lincoln, starring Walter Huston in a performance that Mordaunt Hall in his 1930 review in The New York Timescalled "genuinely fine and inspiring".
Abraham Lincoln comes to Blu-ray on November 13th, with a SRP of $34.95 and mastered in HD from a 35mm restoration by the Museum of Modern Art. It includes a special introduction for the 1930 re-release of Griffith's The Birth of a Nation, featuring a conversation between the director and actor Walter Huston, filmed during the production ofAbraham Lincoln.
Released at the dawn of the sound era, Abraham Lincoln was D.W. Griffith's first talkie, and for this important project, he returned to the historical era of his greatest success, The Birth of a Nation. Walter Huston (The Devil and Daniel Webster) stars as the nation's 16th president, following his personal triumphs and tragedies.
Griffith's film depicts this American icon with a sensitivity and grace matched only by John Ford's Young Mr. Lincoln. In addition to depicting the life of a remarkable American president, Abraham Lincoln provides viewers with the chance to see one of the master filmmakers of the silent era working within the new medium of sound film.
Often circulated in inferior versions mastered from 16mm prints, the Kino Classics edition is the most complete version available -- with approximately three minutes of footage missing from other DVD releases. The audio elements of these rediscovered scenes have been lost, and the missing dialogue and sound effects are provided via subtitles.
U.S. 1930 B&W 93 Min. 1.20:1 1920x1080p
Special Features Mastered in HD from the 35mm restoration by The Museum of Modern Art Introduction to The Birth of a Nation, featuring D.W. Griffith and Walter Huston (filmed during production of Abraham Lincoln)
Abraham Lincoln Director: D.W. Griffith Genre: Drama SRP: $34.95 (Blu-ray) Street date: November 13, 2012
About Kino Lorber
Kino Lorber curates high quality, critically-acclaimed films for discerning audiences delivering the classics of yesterday and tomorrow.
Kino Classics Releases Fritz Lang's Die Nibelungen on Blu-ray and DVD and Fritz Lang: The Early Works on DVD
New York, NY - October 25, 2012 - Kino Classics is proud to announce two releases showcasing the work of acclaimed filmmaker Fritz Lang: the Blu-ray and DVD release of his epic Die Nibelungen (consisting of two parts, Siegfried and Kriemhild's Revenge), and Fritz Lang: The Early Works, a three-DVD collection containing three of the master filmmaker's earliest silent films from Germany: Harakiri, The Wandering Shadow, and Four Around the Woman.
Die Nibelungen comes to Blu-ray and DVD in a two-disc special edition on November 6th, with a SRP of $39.95 for the Blu-ray, and $34.95 for the DVD. This edition is mastered in HD from a new restoration produced by the Friedrich-Wilhelm-Murnau-Stiftung. It contains the original 1924 score by Gottfried Huppertz, presented in DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and 2.0 Stereo. Special features include: "The Legacy of Die Nibelungen," a 68-minute documentary on the making and restoration of the film, a film by Guido Altendorf and Anke Wilkening produced by the Friedrich-Wilhelm-Murnau-Stiftung, in cooperation with Filmmuseum Potsdam, and newsreel footage of Fritz Lang on the set of Die Nibelungen.
Fritz Lang: The Early Works also streets on November 6th in a three-DVD edition, with a SRP of $39.95, featuring three of Lang's earliest surviving films made in Germany: Harakiri, The Wandering Shadow, and Four Around the Woman. All three films are presented here with a music score by Aljoscha Zimmermann.
One of the greatest artistic and technical achievements of the German silent cinema, Fritz Lang's DIE NIBELUNGEN is a passionate retelling of Nordic legend, invested with all the resources of the colossal Ufa Studios.
Scripted by Lang and his wife Thea von Harbou (who later collaborated on Metropolis), and originally released as two separate features, the saga begins by constructing an enchanted kingdom populated by dragons, magical trolls, and heroic figures defined by rigid codes of honor.
In the long-underrated second half, the death of Siegfried causes fantasy to devolve into nightmare, as his beloved Kriemhild enacts a vengeance that contaminates everyone in its path--a vengeance as ferocious and uncompromising as anything the cinema has ever depicted.
This edition is mastered in HD from the extensive 35mm restoration conducted by the Friedrich-Wilhelm-Murnau-Stiftung, completed in 2012.
SPECIAL FEATURES * New restoration by the Friedrich-Wilhelm-Murnau-Stiftung
* Original 1924 score by Gottfried Huppertz, presented in DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and 2.0 Stereo
* "The Legacy of Die Nibelungen," a 68-minute documentary on the making and restoration of the film. Produced by the Friedrich-Wilhelm-Murnau-Stiftung, in cooperation with Filmmuseum Potsdam. A film by Guido Altendorf and Anke Wilkening.
* Newsreel footage of Fritz Lang on the set of Die Nibelungen
Germany Color Tinted 1.33:1 1920 x 1080p
SIEGFRIED: 1924 149 Min. KRIEMHILD'S REVENGE: 1925 131 Min.
FRITZ LANG: THE EARLY WORKS (Harakiri, The Wandering Shadow, Four Around the Woman)
Before he gained worldwide renown for such films as Die Nibelungen,Metropolis, and M, Fritz Lang crafted a series of feature films that embody many of the thematic and stylistic trademarks which would come to define his work.
Virtually unseen in the United States until this release, the three films in this collection were mastered from 35mm elements preserved by the Friedrich-Wilhelm-Murnau-Stiftung, in association with numerous international archives.
An adaptation of Madame Butterfly, the tragic romance HARAKIRIindulged Lang's fascination with Asian culture and Orientalist design. Filmed on the outskirts of Berlin, Lang strived for authenticity, and obtained sets and costumes from the Hamburg Anthropological Museum.
Rich in symbolic imagery and striking location photography, THE WANDERING SHADOW was the first collaboration of Lang and Thea von Harbou. It follows a woman who--in the wake of a sex scandal--seeks solitude in the Bavarian Alps. There, she is continually haunted by her past, but soon stumbles upon the one thing she never expected to find: the chance of redemption.
Anticipating such films as Dr. Mabuse: The Gambler and Spies, FOUR AROUND THE WOMAN involves a society woman who must navigate through a complex web of criminal and emotional intrigues.
HARAKIRI
1919 Germany 87 Min. Color Tinted
THE WANDERING SHADOW
1920 Germany 67 Min. Color Tinted
FOUR AROUND THE WOMAN
1921 Germany 84 Min. Color Tinted
All films 1.33:1 Music by Aljoscha Zimmermann
Die Nibelungen Director: Fritz Lang Genre: Fantasy/Silent Blu-ray SRP: $39.95 DVD SRP: $34.95 Street date: November 6, 2012
Fritz Lang: The Early Works (Harakiri, The Wandering Shadow, Four Around the Woman) Director: Fritz Lang Genre: Drama/Silent DVD SRP: $39.95 Street date: November 6, 2012
About Kino Lorber
Kino Lorber curates high quality, critically-acclaimed films for discerning audiences delivering the classics of yesterday and tomorrow.
The Christmas Cult Classic Santa Claus Conquers the Martians comes to Blu-ray and DVD from Kino Classics in time for the holiday season!
Available on Blu-ray and DVD on October 30th
New York, NY - October 15, 2012 - Kino Classics is proud to announce the Blu-ray and DVD release of the holiday cult classic, Santa Claus Conquers the Martians. This holiday film first appeared in 1964 and has become a cult favorite over the years, even being featured on an episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000. Now, it comes to Blu-ray and DVD in a new HD transfer.
This special edition comes packed with bonus features, including a collection of holiday-themed archival rarities (1936-68) including Jam Handy's animated "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," "Howdy Doody's Christmas" (1951), a charity PSA starring Abbott & Costello and Charles Laughton, and vintage theatrical "Season's Greetings" spots, and much more, as well as a trailer and stills gallery. The street date is October 30th, with a SRP of $24.95 for the Blu-ray and $19.95 for the DVD.
Santa Claus Conquers the Martians tells the story of the depressed children of Mars (including one played by an 8-year-old Pia Zadora), who can only be brought out of their funk through the jolly cheer of Old St. Nick. So the Martian leaders travel to Earth and kidnap two local kids and Kris Kringle himself. Brought back to the Red Planet, they are forcibly installed in a factory to make toys. But you can't manufacture happiness, with Santa having to teach his alien overseers the true meaning of Christmas.
Filled with kitschy set design, outrageous costumes and amiable acting, Santa Claus Conquers the Martians is nonstop fun, and is worthy of its status as a holiday staple.
Bonus Features:
* Contains 45 Minute Archival Footage Reel
* Trailer
* Stills Gallery
1.33:1, 1920 x 1080p * 69 minutes * English * Not Rated * Mono * Color
Santa Claus Conquers the Martians Director: Nicholas Webster Genre: Sci-Fi Street date: October 30, 2012 Blu-ray SRP: $24.95 DVD SRP: $19.95
About Kino Lorber
Kino Lorber curates high quality, critically-acclaimed films for discerning audiences delivering the classics of yesterday and tomorrow.
Oscar®-winning director Fernando Trueba (Belle Epoque, Calle 54) and Spain’s renowned artist and designer Javier Mariscal celebrate the music and culture of Cuba with an epic story of love, passion and heartbreak: CHICO & RITA Oscar® nominated for Best Animated Feature in 2012 - featuring a red-hot soundtrack by five-time Grammy®-winning Cuban musician and composer Bebo Valdés, with the music of (and animated cameos by) jazz legendsThelonious Monk, Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Tito Puente, Chano Pozo, and others. The Limited Edition Collector’s Set includes Blu-ray and DVD discs, an audio CD of the full-length Latin Grammy®-winning soundtrack, and a 16-page excerpt from The New York Timesbestselling graphic novel based on the film. Product info: http://bit.ly/Pba1br
The 2012 Academy Award®-nominated animated film, A CAT IN PARIS: Dino is a cat that leads a double life. By day he lives with Zoë, a little girl whose mother is a detective in the Parisian police force. But at night Dino sneaks out the window to work with Nico – a slinky cat burglar with a big heart, whose fluid movements are poetry in motion as he evades captors and slips and swishes from rooftop to rooftop across the city skyline. With the voices of Academy Award®-winner Marcia Gay Harden (“Mystic River”), Academy Award®-winner Anjelica Huston(“The Royal Tenenbaums”) and Matthew Modine (“The Dark Knight Rises”), A CAT IN PARISis a delightful animated adventure, perfect for both adults and children – a witty and stylish “animated noir” with a jazzy soundtrack featuring Billie Holiday and a thrilling climax on top of Notre Dame cathedral. Product info: http://bit.ly/SDrjZv
In 10 years, Red vs. Blue has become what could be considered the most loved, watched and quoted web series ever. From tank romances to alien offspring, buddy clubs, knock-knock jokes and laser faces, this is the sci-fi comedy that paved the way for an entire generation of online video, while audiences around the world joined in the laughter. RVBX: TEN YEARS OF RED VS. BLUE marks the first time the entire series has been available on Blu-ray. The 14-disc boxed set is a collection of the full first 10 seasons of Red vs. Blue, with newly re-mastered surround sound audio, plus additional videos and miniseries, hours of special features, interviews and behind-the-scenes footage. Product info: http://bit.ly/PQDinN
The second documentary in Gary Hustwit’s design trilogy (Helvetica, Urbanized),OBJECTIFIED is at last on Blu-ray. A feature-length film about our complex relationship with manufactured objects and, by extension, the people who design them, OBJECTIFIED looks at the creativity at work behind everything from toothbrushes to tech gadgets and the designers who re-examine, re-evaluate and re-invent our manufactured environment on a daily basis. Features interviews with Paola Antonelli (Museum of Modern Art, New York), Jonathan Ive(Apple, California), Karim Rashid (New York), Rob Walker (New York Times Magazine), Dan Formosa (IBM’s first PC), and many of the world’s most influential product designers. Product info: http://bit.ly/Px8ZRp
NEW BOX SETS:
For the first time ever, all 54 episodes from the first season of the popular Anime television series, Digimon, are available in the 8-disc collector’s set: THE OFFICIAL DIGIMON ADVENTURE SET, THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON. The set, which includes the four story arcs of the classic series, is the official North American release -- licensed in partnership with Toei Animation. The set also includes an exclusive 36-page character guide booklet featuring the seven original characters, plus Kari, and a digital photo gallery featuring over 40 behind-the-scenes sketches. Product info: http://bit.ly/QGYbRB
TeenNick’s top rated television series, H2O: JUST ADD WATER, follows three very different girls facing everyday teen problems with an added twist – they’re mermaids with incredible powers derived from water. For the first time ever, all 78 episodes (3 seasons) of the popular series are available in one 12-disc set, plus nearly 5 hours of exclusive bonus material, including a never-before-released behind-the-scenes featurette and three 90-minute specials.Claire Holt and Phoebe Tonkin, currently starring in the CW’s Vampire Diaries, star as Emma and Cleo, with Cariba Heine as Rikki. Product info: http://bit.ly/RBkCdS
RVBX: TEN YEARS OF RED VS. BLUE- see above.
NEW TITLES:
Inspired by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn’s groundbreaking book, HALF THE SKY: TURNING OPPRESSION INTO OPPORTUNITY FOR WOMEN WORLDWIDE takes on the central moral challenge of the 21st century: the oppression of women and girls worldwide. This is an unforgettable journey with six actress/activists (America Ferrera, Diane Lane, Eva Mendes, Meg Ryan, Gabrielle Union and Olivia Wilde) and New York Times journalist Kristof, who meet some of the most courageous individuals of our time doing extraordinary work to empower women and girls everywhere. These are stories of heartbreaking challenge, dramatic transformation and enduring hope. HALF THE SKY is a passionate call-to-arms, urging us not only to bear witness to the plight of the world’s women, but to help to transform their oppression into opportunity. Out future is in the hands of women, everywhere. Product info: http://bit.ly/Wl7ieT
What is preventing us from having more energy, an ideal body and beautiful, younger-looking skin? Do diets really work and how do we live a healthier lifestyle? From the creators of the best-selling documentary Food Matters comes a hard-hitting film certain to change everything you thought you knew about food and nutrition. HUNGRY FOR CHANGE exposes secrets the diet, weight loss and food industries don’t want you to know about strategies designed to keep you coming back for more. A companion book by the filmmakers James Colquhoun and Laurentine ten Bosch, HUNGRY FOR CHANGE: Ditch the Diets, Conquer the Cravings, and Eat Your Way to Lifelong Health, is now available in hardcover. Product info:http://bit.ly/SqCZVE
From Academy Award®-nominated director Daniel Raim (The Man on Lincoln’s Nose),SOMETHING’S GONNA LIVE is an intimate portrait of life, death, friendship and the movies, as recalled by some of Hollywood’s greatest cinema artists: renowned art directors Robert Boyle (North by Northwest, The Birds), Henry Bumstead (To Kill a Mockingbird, The Sting) and Albert Nozaki (The War of the Worlds, The Ten Commandments), storyboard illustratorHarold Michelson (The Graduate, Star Trek: The Motion Picture), master cinematographersHaskell Wexler (Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Medium Cool) and Conrad Hall (In Cold Blood, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid). These prolific artists have worked on a total of 400 films, garnering 25 Academy Award® nominations and 8 wins. Product info:http://bit.ly/Wg0Zcu
Narrated by actor and motorcycle enthusiast Ewan McGregor (Star Wars), FASTEST captures a pivotal moment in the MotoGP world championship. Chasing his tenth world title, the legendary Valentino Rossi runs into the toughest challenge of his life: a wave of ferociously fast young riders, a horrific, leg-shattering crash at the Italian grand prix, an agonizing comeback forty-one days later in Germany, and the question every rider – even the greatest of all time – must face: Who’s fastest now? Product info: http://bit.ly/KvxJN4
Co-founded in 1956 by visionary teacher Robert Joffrey and dancer Gerald Arpino, The Joffrey Ballet began as a DIY company of six dancers touring the United States in a borrowed station wagon but quickly grew into one of the world’s most exciting and prominent ballet companies.JOFFREY: MAVERICKS OF AMERICAN DANCE shows the full history of the Company from its founding to the present. Narrated by Tony® and Emmy® Award winner Mandy Patinkin and directed by Bob Hercules (Bill T. Jones: A Good Man), the film features rare excerpts from many seminal Joffrey works including Astarte, Trinity and Billboards, as well as breakthrough collaborations with choreographers Twyla Tharp (Deuce Coupe), Kurt Jooss (The Green Table) and Leonide Massine (Parade). Product info: http://bit.ly/O5V6xN
Beginning with Allen’s childhood, WOODY ALLEN: A DOCUMENTARY chronicles the trajectory and longevity of Allen’s career, from his work as a TV scribe, standup comedian and frequent TV talk show guest, to a writer-director averaging one film-per-year for more than 40 years. Director Weide covers Allen’s earliest film work in Take the Money and Run, Bananas, Sleeper, and Love and Death; frequent Oscar®favorites such as Annie Hall, Manhattan, Crimes and Misdemeanors, Husbands & Wives, Bullets Over Broadway, and Mighty Aphrodite; and his recent globetrotting phase with Match Point, Vicky Cristina Barcelona and his latest success, Midnight in Paris. Features interviews with: Antonio Banderas, Josh Brolin, Penelope Cruz, John Cusack, Larry David, Mariel Hemingway, Scarlett Johansson, Julie Kavner, Diane Keaton, Martin Landau, Louise Lasser, Sean Penn, Tony Roberts, Chris Rock, Mira Sorvino, Naomi Watts, Dianne Wiest, Owen Wilson, Dick Cavett and Martin Scorsese
FAMILY & KIDS:
Elmo is a household name worldwide. Children of all ages know the furry red monster and his friendly high-pitched voice, but few people would recognize his creator, Kevin Clash, if they passed him on the street. Determined to be on Sesame Street from a very early age, Clash never lost sight of his dream until he made it a reality. BEING ELMO: A PUPPETEER’S JOURNEY is the story of Clash’s startling rise to prominence as the creator of Elmo, fueled by a lifelong commitment to the art form, a string of fortuitous events, and the support of his family and colleagues. Narrated by Whoopi Goldberg, the film features extensive interviews with Clash and many talented puppeteers, including Frank Oz (“Miss Piggy,” “Bert”), Caroll Spinney (“Big Bird,” “Oscar the Grouch”), Martin P. Robinson (“Telly Monster,” “Mr. Snuffleupagus”), Fran Brill (“Prairie Dawn,” “Zoe”), and Bill Barretta (“Dr. Teeth,” “Rowlf the Dog”), and Rosie O’Donnell. Product info: http://bit.ly/QGYiwE
Kino Lorber, Inc. and Redemption Films pay homage to the actress Lina Romay with Jess Franco's erotic thrillers
Female Vampire and Exorcism
Street date: October 16
New York, NY - October 4, 2012 - Kino Lorber, Inc. announces a new partnership with Eurociné (Paris) for North American distribution of its library of cult classics, highlighted by the erotic thrillers of Spanish-born director Jess Franco. Films will be released on Blu-ray and DVD on the Redemption Films label, as well as other digital platforms. Mastered in HD from archival 35mm elements, the films will be offered in deluxe editions with a carefully curated selection of special features.
For years, Franco has been a favorite of Euro horror enthusiasts -- for the dreamlike tone of his films and the sheer audacity with which he indulges his morbid sexual curiosity. With the release of these Blu-ray editions, Kino Lorber brings Franco to a wider audience, and places him alongside Mario Bava and Jean Rollin in the pantheon of cult directors ripe for rediscovery.
Without a doubt the 40-year partnership of Jess Franco and Lina Romay was one of the most provocative director/actor, husband/wife collaborations in contemporary cinema. For Franco, the horror film was a vehicle through which he could explore his darkest sexual fantasies, and in the mysterious and sensual Romay he found an exhibitionist who not only indulged his every cinematic whim, but did so with absolute confidence and bravado. They remained lovers and collaborators up until Romay's untimely death in February of 2012, at the age of 57.
Lina Romay and Anna Watican in FEMALE VAMPIRE
Eulogizing the actress, Video Watchdog editor Tim Lucas wrote, "No other woman gave quite as much of herself to the fantastic cinema as Lina Romay...Theirs was an ideal meeting of exhibitionist and voyeur, both giving generously to one another in one of cinema's most provocative love stories." In one of the highlights of the release, Franco speaks frankly of his relationship with Romay in the poignant featurette, "Destiny in Soft Focus," filmed especially for this edition.
Daniel Lesoeur, head of Eurociné, commented, "We are happy to provide Kino Lorber the opportunity to make our films available to American audiences in their original versions, remastered from the 35mm negatives, and we look forward to a long and rewarding association."
Jess Franco in EXORCISM
Female Vampire comes to Blu-ray and DVD on October 16th, mastered in HD from the original film elements, with a SRP of $29.95 for the Blu-ray and $24.95 for the DVD. It is presented in French with optional English subtitles, or an English dubbed soundtrack. Special features include the extended erotic version (Female Vampire, 100 min.), the standard horror version (Erotikill, 70 min., presented in English only), "Destiny in Soft Focus: Jess Franco Remembers Female Vampire," a new documentary by Elijah Drenner and David Gregory, "Words for Lina," a tribute by co-star Jean-Pierre Bouyxou, produced by Daniel Gouyette, and the original theatrical trailer.
Exorcism also streets on October 16th, with a SRP of $24.95 for the Blu-ray, and $19.95 for the DVD. This edition contains both the extended erotic version (Exorcism, 97 min.) and the standard horror version (Demoniac, 69 min), as well as original theatrical trailers.
Female Vampire
"One of the most erotic and transgressive works in the horror genre." -- Tim Lucas, Editor of Video Watchdog
Includes the Complete Alternate Version:Erotikill
Channeling his deepest libidinal desires and darkest fears into films, with no apparent concern for narrative convention or the boundaries of mainstream taste, Jess Franco is a cinematic iconoclast. And Franco was never better than when working with his wife, Lina Romay (1954-2012), a haunted waif who would go to any extreme to assure that the director's wildest imaginings were brought to the screen without compromise.
Their most highly-regarded collaboration,Female Vampire stars Romay as the mysterious Countess Irina Karlstein, a beautiful vampiress who feeds on victims at their moments of sexual climax. Because she destroys those whose essence she consumes, Irina is doomed to a life of solitude, wandering through the Western Coast of Europe in a dreamlike state, shrouded in a lush musical score by Daniel White.
This Redemption edition includes the extended erotic version (Female Vampire), as well as the shorter horror version (Erotikill), in which Irina draws her liquid sustenance from more conventional parts of the human anatomy.
Special Features * Mastered in HD from the original film elements. * French with optional English subtitles or English dubbed * Extended erotic version: Female Vampire (100 min.) * Standard horror version: Erotikill (70 min., English only) * "Destiny in Soft Focus: Jess Franco Remembers Female Vampire," a new documentary by Elijah Drenner and David Gregory * "Words for Lina," a tribute by co-star Jean-Pierre Bouyxou, produced by Daniel Gouyette * Original theatrical trailer
Spain 1973 Color 2.35:1 1920 x 1080p Not Rated
Exorcism
Includes the Complete Alternate Version: Demoniac
A gleefully sordid grindhouse gem punctuated with disarming moments of visual eloquence, Exorcism is a quintessential Jess Franco film that takes the director's idiosyncratic sexual obsessions and folds them within the trappings of the conventional horror film.
Made during the height of the demon possession film craze, Exorcism stars Franco's wife and muse, the incomparable Lina Romay, as a performance artist who stages faux satanic rituals for the gratification of the Parisian elite. When a defrocked priest with a penchant for S&M (Franco) witnesses one of Anna's erotic spectacles--and mistakes it for an actual black mass--the moral crusader launches a one-man Inquisition upon the sexually liberated women of Paris. The film has been released in various forms, under numerous titles.
This disc includes both the extended erotic version of the film (Exorcism), as well as a shorter, less explicit horror version with alternate footage (Demoniac).
Special Features * Extended erotic version: Exorcism (97 min.) * Standard horror version: Demoniac (69 min.) * Original theatrical trailers
1975 Color 1.66:1 1920 x 1080p Not Rated
Female Vampire
Director: Jess Franco
Genre: Horror
Blu-ray SRP: $29.95
DVD SRP: $24.95
Street date: October 16, 2012
Exorcism
Director: Jess Franco Genre: Horror Blu-ray SRP: $24.95 DVD SRP: $19.95 Street date: October 16, 2012
About Kino Lorber
Kino Lorber curates high quality, critically-acclaimed films for discerning audiences - delivering the classics of yesterday and tomorrow.
About Redemption
Established in 1992 and rebooted by Kino Lorber in 2012, Redemption Films is dedicated to resurrecting classics of the European cult and horror film -- both the celebrated and the undiscovered -- in deluxe Blu-ray and DVD editions, remastered from the original 35mm elements.
About EuroCiné Established in 1937, Eurociné is the oldest independent film studio in France. Over the course of its 85-year history, the company produced and licensed films in a variety of traditional genres, but it was during the 1960s and '70s that Eurociné began to explore new cinematic territory. Under the leadership of Daniel Lesoeur (son of Marius Lesoeur, one of the company's earliest producers) Eurociné delved into erotic and horror films -- making it possible for Jess Franco to innovate the hybrid genre of erotic horror that has become his trademark, and has become a favorite among cineastes worldwide.
Alive Mind Cinema announces DVD release of Being in the World, a documentary by Tao Ruspoli inspired by the philosophy of Martin Heidegger.
New York, NY - September 20, 2012 - Alive Mind Cinema is proud to announce the DVD release of Being in the World, a film by Tao Ruspoli inspired by the philosophy of Martin Heidegger and featuring conversations with leading philosophers, such as Hubert Dreyfus, on the meaning of life and happiness.
Being in the World won Best Documentary at the 2010 Vail Film Festival, won the Audience Award at the Brooklyn International Film Festival, and was an Official Selection at the Berkeley Film Festival in 2010. Now, this documentary comes to DVD from Alive Mind Cinema, with a street date of October 9th, and a SRP of $29.95.
Ten years after graduating with a degree in Philosophy from UC Berkeley, filmmaker Tao Ruspoli returned to visit his one-time professor, world-renowned philosopher Hubert Dreyfus.
That visit led to meetings with a whole generation of philosophers whom Dreyfus had taught, which subsequently sparked the inspiration for this film.
Inspired by the philosophy of Martin Heidegger, Being in the World raises the question of whether we have forgotten what it means to be authentic in today's technological age, and proceeds to answer this question by taking a journey around the world to meet a whole host of remarkable individuals, including Manuel Molina, the legendary poet and flamenco master; Leah Chase, affectionately known as the Queen of Creole Cuisine; and Hiroshi Sakaguchi, a master carpenter from Japan.
By showing how these modern day masters approach life from within their chosen fields, Ruspoli's film celebrates the ability of human beings to find meaning in the world through the mastery of physical, intellectual, and creative skills.
1.85:1, 16x9 / 81 mins / English and Spanish w/English subtitles / Not Rated / Color
Being in the World Director: Tao Ruspoli Genre: Documentary SRP: $29.95 Street date: October 9, 2012
About Alive Mind Cinema
Specializing in documentaries in the areas of enlightened consciousness, secular spirituality and culture, Alive Mind Cinema seeks to provide audiences with intellectually provocative films that deliver the "aha" response of a transformative experience.
About Kino Lorber
Kino Lorber curates high quality, critically-acclaimed films for discerning audiences delivering the classics of yesterday and tomorrow.
Kino Lorber Releases Gerhard Richter Painting, a documentary by Corinna Belz, on Blu-ray and DVD
Street date: September 25th
"A must see...one of the most important living painters shows how he does it." - The Hollywood Reporter
"Fascinating. Mr. Richter remains an excellent subject, serious and purposeful but also unexpectedly good-natured." - Rachel Saltz, The New York Times
**** "Mesmerizing!" - Joshua Rothkopf, Time Out New York
New York, NY - August 30, 2012 - Kino Lorber is proud to announce the Blu-ray and DVD release of Gerhard Richter Painting, a documentary by Corinna Belz that offers unprecedented insight into the life and work of one of the greatest artists of our time.
This acclaimed documentary, which Kino Lorber released theatrically earlier this year, comes to Blu-ray and DVD on September 25th, with a SRP of $34.95 for the Blu-ray, and $29.95 for the DVD. It is currently available for prebook.
The film will also be available digitally on iTunes, Amazon Instant Video, and Vudu.com.
The Blu-ray and DVD editions come packed with special features, including "Gerhard Richter and Art Historian Benjamin HD Buchloh in Conversation" (23 min.); "Fragments of Conversation: Curator Hans-Ulrich Obrist Meets Gerhard Richter" (10 min.); "Gerhard Richter Prepares for Munich Exhibition 'Abstract Paintings'" (9 min.); an interview with filmmaker Corinna Belz (BD-ROM access only); and trailers.
Legendary German painter Gerhard Richter granted filmmaker Corinna Belz access to his studio in the spring and summer of 2009, where he was working on a series of large abstract paintings. In quiet, highly concentrated images, the documentary provides a fly-on-the-wall perspective of the very personal, tension-filled process of artistic creation.
Richter is his own worst critic, destroying multiple canvases before his remarkable creative spirit takes hold, and the astonishing final compositions emerge. "Painting is another form of thinking," Richter once said, and Gerhard Richter Painting takes that premise seriously, exposing for the first time how he translates his thoughts onto a blank canvas. Beautifully shot and endlessly revealing, it "artfully and convincingly immerses us into the world of one of the greatest [painters], painting." (Village Voice)
Special Features
* Gerhard Richter and Art Historian Benjamin HD Buchloh in Conversation (23 min.)
* Fragments of a Conversation: Curator Hans-Ulrich Obrist Meets Gerhard Richter (10 min.)
* Gerhard Richter Prepares for the Munich Exhibition "Abstract Paintings" (9 min.)
* An Interview with Director Corinna Belz (BD-ROM access only)
* Trailers
* Presented in DTS HD Master Audio 5.1
2012 / Germany / 97 min. / color / 1:85:1 / 1080i / not rated / in German with English subtitles
Gerhard Richter Painting Director: Corinna Belz Genre: Documentary Blu-ray SRP: $34.95 DVD SRP: $29.95 Street date: September 25, 2012
About Kino Lorber
Kino Lorber curates high quality, critically-acclaimed films for discerning audiences - delivering the classics of yesterday and tomorrow.
Kino Lorber Releases Three Films, newly mastered in HD, by Acclaimed Italian Horror Filmmaker Mario Bava on Blu-ray and DVD: Hatchet for the Honeymoon, Black Sunday and Lisa & The Devil (with The House of Exorcism).
Street date: September 18th
New York, NY - August 24, 2012 - Kino Lorber is proud to announce the release of three films by the master of Italian giallo film, Mario Bava: Hatchet for the Honeymoon (1970), Black Sunday (1960), and Lisa and the Devil (1973). The latter was re-cut and reissued as The House of Exorcism, and both films are included on this double-feature disc.
Each film comes to Blu-ray and DVD with special features and mastered in HD from original elements.
"It has been a privilege to revisit the films of Mario Bava and to create new HD masters that showcase his distinctive visual style to maximum effect," said Kino Lorber Vice President and Executive Producer Bret Wood.
"We are especially grateful to International Media Films and Euro London Films Ltd. for allowing us access to the archival 35mm film elements, and we look forward to remastering additional titles in the Bava canon."
The street date for each of these films is September 18th.
Hatchet for the Honeymoon comes mastered in HD from the original 35mm negative, and includes an audio commentary track by Tim Lucas (Mario Bava: All the Colors of the Dark), the original theatrical trailer, and original trailers of other Bava films. The Blu-ray SRP is $24.95, and the DVD SRP is $19.95.
Black Sunday comes to Blu-ray and DVD with a SRP of $24.94 for the Blu-ray and $19.95 for the DVD, mastered in HD from a 35mm archival print. Special features include audio commentary by Tim Lucas, the original trailer, and trailers of other Mario Bava films.
Lisa and the Devil and The House of Exorcism come in a special double feature edition, with a SRP of $29.95 for the Blu-ray and $24.94 for the DVD. Both films were mastered in HD from the original 35mm negatives. Special features include an audio commentary on Lisa and the Devil by Tim Lucas; audio commentary on House of Exorcism by producer Alfredo Leone and actress Elke Sommer; "Bava on Bava: An Interview with Lamberto Bava" (by Daniel Gouyette); original theatrical trailers; original trailers of other Bava films; and a House of Exorcism radio spot.
THE FILMS
Hatchet for the Honeymoon (1970)
Seven years after innovating the grisly Italian genre known as giallo, Mario Bava returned to the form to create one of its deliriously frightening examples: Hatchet for the Honeymoon (Il rosso segno della follia ).
Stephen Forsyth stars as John Harrington, the head of an affluent fashion house, who harbors an uncontrollable bloodlust for women in bridal veils. Only by murdering a succession of them, each in a grisly manner, can he delve deeper into his subconscious and bring to light the primal scene that spawned his very specific homicidal fetish. With its director doubling as cinema- tographer, Hatchet is one of Bava's most visually sumptuous films.
Special Features:
Mastered in HD from the 35mm negative
Audio commentary by Tim Lucas, author of
Mario Bava: All the Colors of the Dark
Original theatrical trailers from this other Bava films
Italy 1970 Color 88 Min. 1.78:1 1920 x 1080p 2.0 Mono
Black Sunday (1960)
In one of the most auspicious directorial debuts in movie history, Mario Bava bridged the gap between the gothic horror picture and the European art film withBlack Sunday (aka La maschera del demonio or The Mask of Satan). Made in 1960 and now considered a cult classic, it continues to reverberate through the cinema, inspiring and influencing new generations of filmmakers.
In an absolutely mesmerizing performance, Black Sunday stars Barbara Steele as Asa Vajda, a beautiful woman tortured and executed as a witch--but not before pronouncing a curse upon those who have condemned her, a curse that is fulfilled some 200 years later.
Special Features:
Mastered in HD from an archival 35mm print
Audio commentary by Tim Lucas, author of Mario Bava: All the Colors of the Dark
Original theatrical trailers from this other Bava films
Italy 1960 B&W 87 Min. 1.66:1 1920 x 1080p 2.0 Mono
Lisa and the Devil and The House of Exorcism(1973)
Regarded as Mario Bava's most personal and unconventional film, Lisa and the Devil (Lisa e il diavolo) is a diabolical thriller flavored with the dreadful imagery and tormenting logic of an endless nightmare.
Elke Sommer stars as a tourist in Spain who, upon seeing the image of a bald, grinning devil in an ancient fresco, wanders away from her group and finds herself drawn into a confounding labyrinth of mystery--lured ever deeper by a mysterious figure (Telly Savalas) who may in fact be the fresco's Satan made flesh.
After some distributors found Lisa and the Devil too mystifying for release, producer Alfredo Leone (with Bava's uncredited assistance) hired veteran actor Robert Alda, shot additional scenes, and transformed Lisa into The House of Exorcism, capitalizing on the popularity of demon possession films. While sharing much of the same material, the films have come to be looked upon as two distinct entities, beautifully illuminating the stylistic diversity of the Bava/Leone partnership.
Special Features:
Audio commentary on Lisa and the Devil by Tim Lucas, author of Mario Bava: All the Colors of the Dark
Audio commentary on The House of Exorcism by producer Alfredo Leone and actress Elke Sommer
"Bava on Bava: An Interview with Lamberto Bava" (by Daniel Gouyette)
Original theatrical trailers from this other Bava films
House of Exorcism radio spot
Lisa and the Devil
Italy 1973 Color 95 Min. 1.78:1 1920 x 1080p 2.0 Mono
The House of Exorcism
Italy 1974 Color 91 Min. 1.78:1 1920 x 1080p 2.0 Mono
Hatchet for the Honeymoon (Redemption)
Director: Mario Bava
Genre: Horror
Street date: September 18, 2012
Blu-ray SRP: $24.95
DVD SRP: $19.95
Black Sunday (Kino Classics)
Director: Mario Bava
Genre: Horror
Street date: September 18, 2012
Blu-ray SRP: $24.95
DVD SRP: $19.95
Lisa and the Devil / House of Exorcism Double Feature (Kino Classics)
Director: Mario Bava
Genre: Horror
Street date: September 18, 2012
Blu-ray SRP: $29.95
DVD SRP: $24.95
About Kino Lorber
Kino Lorber curates high quality, critically-acclaimed films for discerning audiences - delivering the classics of yesterday and tomorrow.
KINO LORBER RELEASES EARLY STANLEY KUBRICK FILMFEAR AND DESIRE ON BLU-RAY AND DVD
New York, NY - August 6, 2012 - Kino Lorber Inc. announces the release of Stanley Kubrick's rarely-seen first feature film, FEAR AND DESIRE, newly restored by the Library of Congress.
The event marks a major milestone for Kubrick aficionados as, in the years since its original release in 1953, FEAR AND DESIRE has rarely screened to the public, and has never been given a proper video release in any format.
This film has been restored at the Library of Congress Packard Campus for Audio Visual Conservation in Culpeper, Virginia, and will debut on Blu-ray and DVD on October 23, 2012.
Shown from left: Virginia Leith, Frank Silvera.
"It's both the mission and privilege of the Packard Campus to preserve the breadth and depth of America's film, video, and sound recording heritage," said Mike Mashon, Head of the Library of Congress Moving Image Section. "Yet preservation is only a means towards making these treasures more accessible. We're pleased that FEAR AND DESIRE can now been seen but also well protected for generations to come."
"Kino Lorber is immensely grateful to the talented team at the Library of Congress for brilliantly restoring such a key work in the history of American cinema," said Kino Lorber CEO Richard Lorber.
"We're honored to participate in the process of making sure this seminal film of a 24-year-old Stanley Kubrick will now be widely available-an inspiration for film students and a thrill for film lovers everywhere."
ABOUT THE FILM
An existential war film that is often compared with Kubrick's PATHS OF GLORY (1957)-among three Kubrick films selected for the Library's National Film Registry-and FULL METAL JACKET (1987), FEAR AND DESIRE follows a squad of soldiers who have crash-landed behind enemy lines and must work their way downriver to rejoin their unit.
In the process, they encounter a peasant girl (Virginia Leith) and tie her to a tree, where she is tormented by a mentally unbalanced soldier (future director Paul Mazursky). Before making their escape, the soldiers determine the location of an enemy base and formulate a plot to assassinate its commanding officer.
Independently financed, and shot by a skeleton crew - with Kubrick controlling almost every aspect of production - FEAR AND DESIRE was conceived as a European-style art film, cloaked in the guise of a Hollywood war picture. Kubrick described the film to distributor Joseph Burstyn as allegorical and poetic. "A drama of 'man,' lost in a hostile world-deprived of material and spiritual foundations-seeking his way to an understanding of himself, and of life around him."
Burstyn acquired the film for distribution, and released it along with such art house fare as Roberto Rossellini's THE MIRACLE, Morris Engel'sLITTLE FUGITIVE, and Luis Bunuel's EL BRUTO.
While it did receive some favorable notices, Kubrick's film was often dismissed as being too pretentious, and quickly disappeared from the screen. In 1971, Kubrick told writer Alexander Walker, "The ideas we wanted to put across were good...but we didn't have the experience to embody them dramatically."
"It was very important to have this experience and to see with what little facilities and personnel one could actually make a film," Kubrick said, "This experience and the one that followed with KILLER'S KISS, which was on a slightly more cushy basis, freed me from any concern again about the technical or logistical aspects of filmmaking."
Shown: Paul Mazursky
Though Kubrick has dismissed the film as "a bumbling amateur film exercise," the film has had its champions, even from its initial release.Variety called FEAR AND DESIRE, "a literate, unhackneyed war drama, outstanding for its fresh camera treatment and poetic dialogue." Author and critic James Agee reportedly took Kubrick out for a drink to offer encouragement to the young filmmaker.
"The need for encouragement of fresh talent and its fairly common concomitant, the audacity of youth, was never made more pointed than inFEAR AND DESIRE, the drama fashioned by a tiny group of young, independent film makers," wrote A.H. Weiler in The New York Times in 1953, "For, in essaying a dissection of the minds of men under the stress of war, Stanley Kubrick, 24-year-old, producer-director-photographer, and his equally young and unheralded scenarist and cast, have succeeded in turning out a moody, often visually powerful study of subdued excitements."
It is remarkable that FEAR AND DESIRE exists today, in any form. As Kubrick found his voice as a filmmaker, he grew more self-conscious about his early work, and preferred that it remain buried in the past. On those rare occasions when a print would surface, Kubrick took measures to halt-or at least limit-public screenings of the film.
Thanks to the preservation efforts of the Library of Congress, Kino Lorber, Inc. can share with the world FEAR AND DESIRE, fresh from the 24-year-old mind of the man who would become the most influential filmmaker of his generation
About Kino Lorber:
With a library of 700 titles, Kino Lorber Inc. has been a leader in independent distribution for over 30 years, releasing over 20 films per year theatrically under its Kino Lorber, Kino Classics, Redemption Films, Horizon Movies and Alive Mind Cinema banners.
In addition, the Company brings over 60 titles each year to the home entertainment market with DVD and Blu-ray releases as well as digital distribution.
Teacher Don't Teach Me Nonsense & Berliner Jazztage '78
KINO LORBER MAKES AVAILABLE RARE DOCUMENTARY AND CONCERT FILM OF NIGERIAN MUSICIAN FELA KUTI AS A DOUBLE FEATURE DVD
"Fela Kuti is an inspiration."
- Jay-Z
"Imagine Che Guevara and Bob Marley rolled into one person and you get a sense of Nigerian musician and activist Fela Kuti."
- Herald Sun, February 2011
For Immediate Release
New York, NY - August 3, 2012 - Kino Lorber is proud to announce the release of a double feature DVD containing two rarely seen works featuring Nigerian musician, composer, multi-instrumentalist, and human rights activist Fela Kuti.
This one-of-a-kind Fela Kuti DVD brings together the 1984 documentar Teacher Don't Teach Me Nonsense, as well as the concert film Berliner Jazztage '78, considered by many to be the best live footage of Fela Kuti ever captured on film.
Kino's FELA KUTI DOUBLE FEATURE disc is currently available with a SRP of $24.95.
As a pioneer of Afrobeat and a seminal figure in the history of world music, Fela Kuti has created an outstanding artistic body of work that continues to influence newgenerations of musicians and fans. His political activism ignited revolutions in Africa and his music inspired generations around the world.
Teacher Don't Teach Me Nonsense(1984) is a rarely-seen documentary, mixing candid interviews of Fela Kuti with selected live segments from his stirring performances. Examining his life, music, and political views - this feature serves as an important guide for anyone yearning to learn more about a transformative artist in the history and development of African music.
Originally broadcast on German and Nigerian television, Berliner Jazztage '78 (1978) is some of the best live footage of Fela Kuti ever captured on film. As a headliner of the prestigious German music festival, Fela takes the stage with Afrika '70 and captures the hearts of the audience with a raucous, high-energy, exciting musicalperformance.
Almost all modern music owes something to the work of Fela Kuti, and the movement that he founded. This essential double feature captures his genius at the peak of his power and popularity.
Teacher Don't Teach Me Nonsense
1.85:1 / 59 mins / English / Mono / Not Rated / Color
Director: Dennis Marks
Berliner Jazztage '78
1.85:1 / 87 mins / English / Mono / Not Rated / Color
Director: George Grunitz
About Kino Lorber
Kino Lorber curates high quality, critically-acclaimed films for discerning audiences - delivering the classics of yesterday and tomorrow.
Kino Classics Announces Blu-ray and DVD Release of Louis Feuillade's silent serial Les Vampires in a 2-disc set authorized by Gaumont Studios and restored by The Cinémathèque Française Street date: August 14th
New York, NY - July 24, 2012 - Kino Classics proudly announces the Blu-ray and DVD release of Louis Feuillade's Les Vampires, the landmark silent serial that stars Musidora in her iconic performance as Irma Vep. This edition from Kino Classics is mastered in HD from the 35mm restoration produced in 1996 by the Cinémathèque Française, under the supervision of Feuillade's grandson, Jacques Champreux.
Les Vampires comes to Blu-ray and DVD on August 14th, in a 2-disc set containing all ten chapters (more than 6 1/2 hours) of Feuillade's serial. The SRP for the Blu-ray is $39.95, while the SRP for the DVD is $34.95. Both are currently available for prebook.This edition features a musical score compiled and performed by the Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra.
The undisputed master of the espionage serial, Louis Feuillade (Fantomas) crafted films with labyrinthine plots and unforgettable characters that influenced multiple generations of filmmakers.
Comprised of ten episodes, and clocking in at nearly seven hours in duration, Les Vampires is an unqualified masterpiece. It follows journalist Philippe Guerande (Edouard Mathe) in his efforts to expose a vast criminal organization known as the Vampires. Joined by a comical sidekick, Mazamette (Marcel Levesque), and often competing against a rival gang lord (Fernand Herrmann), Guerande dethrones a succession of the Vampires' Grand Masters. But most evasive of all is the Vampires' muse, a seductive assassin who performs her job with deadly grace: Irma Vep (Musidora).
Authorized by the Gaumont Studios, this edition was mastered in HD from the 35mm restoration produced in 1996 by the Cinematheque Francaise, under the supervision of Feuillade's grandson, Jacques Champreux.
France 1915-16 B&W 417 Min. 1.33:1 1920x1080p 2.0 Stereo
Les Vampires
Written and Directed by Louis Feuillade
With Édouard Mathé, Marcel Lévesque,
Musidora, Jean Aymé, Fernand Herrmann
Chapters: Episode 1: The Severed Head Episode 2: The Deadly Ring Episode 3: The Red Cryptogram Episode 4: The Spectre Episode 5: The Corpse's Escape Episode 6: The Eyes That Mesmerize Episode 7: Satanas Episode 8: The Lord of Thunder Episode 9: The Poison Man Episode 10: The Bloody Wedding
Blu-ray SRP: $39.95 DVD SRP: $34.95 Street date: August 14, 2012
About Kino Lorber
Kino Lorber curates high quality, critically-acclaimed films for discerning audiences - delivering the classics of yesterday and tomorrow.
Kino Classics Announces the Blu-ray releases of Derek Jarman's debut feature, Sebastiane, and his Shakespeare adaptation The Tempest
New York, NY - July 20, 2012 - Kino Classics is proud to announce the Blu-ray releases of two films by acclaimed filmmaker Derek Jarman: Sebastiane, his feature film debut which Derek Malcolm in The Guardian called "an exceptionally promising first feature... Striking and original"; and his adaptation of Shakespeare's The Tempest, which The London Times praised as "Full of magic and surprises... The most truly spectacular British film in years."
Sebastiane comes to Blu-ray on August 7th, with a SRP of $29.95. The Tempest also comes to Blu-ray on August 7th, with a SRP of $29.95, and includes three short films by Derek Jarman as bonus features: A Journey to Avebury, Garden of Luxor, and Art of Mirrors. Both are currently available for prebook.
Both films represent the work of one of Britain's finest filmmakers, widely recognized as a pioneer and key figure in the independent and queer cinema scene worldwide.
Derek Jarman's (Caravaggio) feature film debut (co-directing with Paul Humfress), Sebastiane is a "one of a kind" (Time Out London) historical drama which lays bare the latent homoeroticism that has always lurked beneath the glossy surface of Hollywood biblical epics. Telling the story of the martyrdom of St. Sebastian in the same way that Italian Renaissance painters used the image of Sebastian to eroticize the male nude, Jarman depicts both earthly lust and spiritual yearning with "an honesty and directness that's the absolute opposite of camp." (The Guardian).
Stripped of rank and exiled to a remote Sardinian outpost, Roman soldier and suspected Christian Sebastian becomes the object of his commanding officer's aggressive desire. As Sebastian turns his back on his fellow soldiers in favor of his own mystical longings, his sun-bleached Mediterranean idyll becomes a psycho-sexual hothouse where lust sets the stage for a shocking tableau of death and martyrdom
Audaciously spoken in Latin and supported by one of cult composer Brian Eno's best music scores, Sebastiane is both a milestone of British independent film and a pioneering work of queer cinema.
1976 * U.K. * 85 min. * Color * 1.66:1 * 1920x1080p * Mono * Not Rated In Latin with optional English subtitles
Shot on location at the ancient and ghostly Stoneleigh Abbey, The Tempest is DerekJarman's (War Requiem) acclaimed 1979 film adaptation of William Shakespeare's final great play.
It is the story of Prospero the magician, who lives with his nubile daughter on an enchanted island and punishes his enemies when they are shipwrecked there. Essentially a study of sexual and political power in the guise of a fairy tale, in Jarman's hands, The Tempest becomes an original and dazzling spectacle mixing Hollywood pastiche, high camp, and gothic horror. The film recalls the innocent homoeroticism of Pasolini's versions of classics, while its lush sense of decor and color is worthy of Minnelli.
The master stroke in The Tempest is the finale, a wedding feast designed and choreographed as a full-scale production number, with the veteran black musical comedy star Elisabeth Welch wafting her way through a chorus line of hunky sailors as she belts out "Stormy Weather." It is one of the great scenes in contemporary British cinema.
SPECIAL FEATURES
Three rare short films by Derek Jarman: A Journey to Avebury (1971) Garden of Luxor (1972)
Art of Mirrors (1973)
1979 * U.K. * 95 min. * Color * 1.33:1 * 1920x1080p * Mono * Not Rated Sebastiane Director: Derek Jarman Genre: Drama Street date: August 7, 2012 Blu-ray SRP: $29.95
The Tempest Director: Derek Jarman Genre: Drama Street date: August 7, 2012 Blu-ray SRP: $29.95
About Kino Lorber
Kino Lorber curates high quality, critically-acclaimed films for discerning audiences - delivering the classics of yesterday and tomorrow.
Zombie Lake
A Farewell to Arms
A Star is Born
Little Lord Fauntleroy
Exorcism
Ten years after graduating with a degree in Philosophy from UC Berkeley, filmmaker Tao Ruspoli returned to visit his one-time professor, world-renowned philosopher Hubert Dreyfus. 
question of whether we have forgotten what it means to be authentic in today's technological age, and proceeds to answer this question by taking a journey around the world to meet a whole host of remarkable individuals, including Manuel Molina, the legendary poet and flamenco master; Leah Chase, affectionately known as the Queen of Creole Cuisine; and Hiroshi Sakaguchi, a master carpenter from Japan.
Black Sunday (1960)
(1973)
Derek Jarman's (Caravaggio) feature film debut (co-directing with Paul Humfress), Sebastiane is a "one of a kind" (Time Out London) historical drama which lays bare the latent homoeroticism that has always lurked beneath the glossy surface of Hollywood biblical epics. Telling the story of the martyrdom of St. Sebastian in the same way that Italian Renaissance painters used the image of Sebastian to eroticize the male nude, Jarman depicts both earthly lust and spiritual yearning with "an honesty and directness that's the absolute opposite of camp." (The Guardian).
Jarman's (War Requiem) acclaimed 1979 film adaptation of William Shakespeare's final great play.