MGM

Blu-Ray Round Up: MGM Releases Wave of Modern Horror Classics

BrianTT — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 07:16:28 -0600

CHICAGO – Start planning your Halloween marathon now. Last week, we highlighted the Universal wave of titles that included greats like “Shaun of the Dead” and “Army of Darkness” and we’re back with another wave of modern horror classics, including Oscar winners “Silence of the Lambs” and “Misery”.

The Blu-Ray Round-Up, HollywoodChicago.com’s regular column that highlights synopsis, tech details, and special features for titles that might otherwise fall through your Blu-Ray buying cracks, doesn’t usually play favorites, but every good horror fan should have “Manhunter,” “Silence,” “Child’s Play,” and “Misery” in their collection. Whether or not you need to own the “Wrong Turn” films is something only you can decide.

All five titles were released last week, September 15th, 2009. Both “Child’s Play” and “Misery” are presented in a BD/DVD combo pack with both HD and standard versions of the film.

“Child’s Play”

Photo credit: MGM/Fox

Synopsis: “The “chills come thick and fast” (Los Angeles Times) as voodoo and terror meet within an innocent-looking doll inhabited by the soul of a serial killer who isn’t ready to die. From the Director of Fright Night comes a “clever, playful” (The New York Times) and stylish thriller with “excellent special effects” (Leonard Maltin) and heart-pounding suspense guaranteed to scare! After 6-year-old Andy Barclay’s (Alex Vincent) babysitter is violently pushed out of a window to her death, nobody believes him when he says that “Chucky,” his new birthday doll, did it! Untilthings start going terribly wrong dead wrong. And when an ensuing rampage of gruesome murders lead a detective (Chris Sarandon) back to the same toy, he discovers that the real terror has just begun’the deranged doll has plans to transfer his evil spirit into a living human beingyoung Andy!”

“Child’s Play” stars Catherine Hicks and Chris Sarandon. It was written by Don Mancini and John Lafia and Tom Holland and directed by Holland. The film is presented in 1080p widescreen with a 1.85:1 aspect ratio and accompanied by an English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track, Dolby Surround track, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital track, and French Surround track. The film is rated R.

Special features on “Child’s Play” include Audio cmmentary with Alex Vincent, Catherine Hicks, and Chucky designer Kevin Yagher, Audio commentary with producer David Kirshner and screenwriter Don Mancini, Scene-specific Chucky commentaries, “Evil Comes in Small Packages 3,” “Chucky: Building a Nightmare,” “A Monster Convention,” “Introducing Chucky: The Making of Child’s Play,” Original Theatrical Trailer, and Still Photo Gallery.

“The Hannibal Lecter Collection”

Photo credit: MGM/Fox

Synopsis: “Witness the birth of evil in spine tingling clarity, as the eerie and intense Hannibal Lecter Anthology captures Manhunter, The Silence Of The Lambs and Hannibal together on stunning Blu-ray Disc for the first time. Manhunter, the intense thriller from writer-director Michael Mann (Heat, Public Enemies), first introduced the world to the cunning, unforgettable serial killer, Dr. Hannibal Lecter. The psychological horror continues in The Silence Of The Lambs with Oscar winner Anthony Hopkins (The Elephant Man, Nixon) as the sophisticated murderer, alongside Oscar winner Jodie Foster (Maverick, Contact) as FBI agent Clarice Starling, who liaisons with the killer in order to solve a murder case. Lastly, Hopkins is “perverse perfection” (Rolling Stone) in his reprisal of the role of Dr. Lecter in Hannibal, as he comes out of hiding to draw FBI agent Clarice Starling (Julianne Moore; Boogie Nights) into a high-stakes battle that will test her strength, cunning and loyalty.”

“Manhunter” stars William Petersen, Joan Allen, Kim Greist, Brian Cox, Dennis Farina, Stephen Lang, and Tom Noonan. It was written and directed by Michael Mann. The film is presented in 1080p widescreen with a 2.35:1 aspect ratio and accompanied by an English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital track, and French 5.1 Dolby Digital track. The film is rated R.

“The Silence of the Lambs” stars Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, Scott Glenn, and Ted Levine. It was written by Ted Tally and directed by Jonathan Demme. The film is presented in 1080p widescreen with a 1.85:1 aspect ratio and accompanied by an English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital track, and French 5.1 Dolby Digital track. The film is rated R.

“Hannibal” stars Anthony Hopkins, Julianne Moore, Ray Liotta, Frankie R. Faison, Giancarlo Giannini, and Francesca Neri. It was written by David Mamet and Steven Zaillian and directed by Ridley Scott. The film is presented in 1080p widescreen with a 1.85:1 aspect ratio and accompanied by an English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital track, and French 5.1 Dolby Digital track. The film is rated R.

None of the films include any special features.

“Misery”

Photo credit: MGM/Fox

Synopsis: “Novelist Paul Sheldon (Caan) doesn’t remember the blinding blizzard that sent his car spinning off the road. Nor does he remember being nursed back from unconsciousness. All he remembers iswaking up in the home of Annie Wilkes (Bates)a maniacal fan who is bent on keeping her favorite writer as her personal prisoner for the rest of his “cock-a-doodie” life!”

“Misery” stars James Caan, Kathy Bates, Frances Sternhagen, Richard Farnsworth, and Lauren Bacall. It was written by William Goldman and directed by Rob Reiner. The film is presented in 1080p widescreen with a 1.85:1 aspect ratio and accompanied by an English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital track, and French 5.1 DTS track. The film is rated R.

Special features include Audio Commentary by Director Rob Reiner, Audio Commentary by Screenwriter William Goldman, “Misery Loves Company,” “Marc Shaiman’s Musical Misery Tour,” “Diagnosing Annie Wilkes,” “Advice For the Stalked,” “Profile of a Stalker, “Celebrity Stalkers,” and “Anti-Stalking Laws”.

“Wrong Turn”

Photo credit: MGM/Fox

Synopsis: “An indescribable nightmare begins when a group of young friends is stranded on an isolated road deep in the Appalachian hills of West Virginia, with no hope of rescue. Desperate and fearing for their lives, the horror surges as they find themselves relentlessly pursued by a force of evil beyond their imagination!”

“Wrong Turn” stars Desmond Harrington, Eliza Dushku, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Jeremy Sisto, and Kevin Zegers. It was written by Alan McElroy and directed by Rob Schmidt. The film is presented in 1080p widescreen with a 1.85:1 aspect ratio and accompanied by an English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track, Spanish Dolby Surround track, and French 5.1 Dolby Digital track. The film is rated R.

Special features include Commentary by Director Rob Schmidt and Stars Desmond Harrington and Eliza Dushku, Deleted Scenes, “The Making of Wrong Turn,” “Eliza Dushku: Babe in the Woods,” “Stan Winston,” “Fresh Meat: The Wounds of Wrong Turn,” and Original Theatrical Trailer.

“Wrong Turn 2: Dead End”

Photo credit: MGM/Fox

Synopsis: “This chilling sequel to the surprise hit film returns to the woods of West Virginia; a backdrop for the new reality television show “The Apocalypse: Ultimate Survivalist.” As the contestants compete in various challenges to test their physical and mental prowess they soon find themselves in a fight for their lives as they are stalked and hunted by a family of mutant, inbred cannibals.”

“Wrong Turn 2: Dead End” stars Erica Leerhsen, Henry Rollins, Texas Battle, and Kimberly Caldwell. It was written by Turi Meyer & Al Septien and directed by Joe Lynch. The film is presented in 1080p widescreen with a 1.78:1 aspect ratio and accompanied by an English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track, Spanish Dolby Surround track, and French 5.1 Dolby Digital track. The film is not rated.

Special features include “More Blood, More Guts: The Making of Wrong Turn 2,” “Making Gore Look Good,” “On Location With P-Nut,” and Cast & Crew Audio Commentaries.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Hookup: Pristine DVD Sets of Classic Films Up For Grabs For United Artists Film Festival in Chicago

HollywoodChicago.com — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 00:13:54 -0600

CHICAGO – As our giveaways continue to grow in popularity, what we give away continues to sweeten, too. In this HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film, three lucky winners will be hooked up with our sweetest giveaway yet: a complete DVD set of 20 of the greatest classic films in recent memory.

These DVDs encapsulate some of the most uncontested and cherished films of the last several decades. Titles include “West Side Story,” “Raging Bull,” “Rain Man,” “Rocky,” “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang,” “Carrie,” “Some Like it Hot,” “Fiddler on the Roof,” “Die Another Day,” “In the Heat of the Night” and many more.

So why these now? On March 11, 2008, we announced a classic film celebration coming to Chicago called the United Artists 90th Anniversary Film Festival, which will take place at the historic Music Box Theatre at 3733 N. Southport Ave. from April 4 to 10, 2008 and then again from May 9 to 15, 2008.

Several of the films above and others of similar caliber are being brought back into the theater for this limited engagement on the occasion of 90 years of film for MGM and United Artists. United Artists says the Chicago festival, which will comprise the largest catalog event in video history, is leading up to the public release of many of these titles on DVD.

We have partnered with the festival to offer three lucky winners their own classic DVD package of all 20 films. They are all collector, special, decade or anniversary edition DVDs. The full list of these titles follows:

“Battle of Britain” (collector’s edition)
“The Apartment” (collector’s edition)
“A Bridge Too Far” (collector’s edition, two discs)
“Carrie” (25th anniversary edition)
“Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” (special edition, two discs)
“Die Another Day” (special edition)
“Fiddler on the Roof” (decade’s collection)
“Fistful of Dollars” (collector’s edition)
“For A Few Dollars More” (collector’s edition)
“Get Shorty” (collector’s edition, two discs)
“The Great Escape” (special edition, two discs)
“In the Heat of the Night” (40th anniversary edition)
“Invasion of the Body Snatchers” (collector’s edition)
“Judgment at Nuremberg” (special edition)
“New York, New York” (30th anniversary edition)
“Raging Bull” (collector’s edition, two discs)
“Rain Man” (special edition)
“Rocky” (collector’s edition)
“Some Like it Hot” (collector’s edition)
“West Side Story” (special edition, two discs)

All you have to do for a chance to win is click “Add new comment” at the bottom of this article and respond with your favorite film among that list of 20 and a compelling reason why. That’s it! We’ll then randomly select a winner. To be eligible, you must be a registered HollywoodChicago.com user. If you don’t already have an account, create one quickly and easily here.

Also to be eligible, we must have your e-mail address. We have e-mail addresses on file once you’re an active user. When we randomly select the three winners for this HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film, we will e-mail you to request your mailing address. We will then mail you your brand-spanking new classic DVD sets. This giveaway closes on April 7, 2008. Good luck!

The dates and films playing as part of the United Artists 90th Anniversary Film Festival at the Music Box follow.

United Artists 90th Anniversary Film Festival (part one): April 4 to 10, 2008
“Raging Bull”: April 4, 2008 (new print)
“Bananas”: April 4, 2008
“The Good, the Bad and the Ugly”: April 5, 2008
“West Side Story”: April 6, 2008
“Kiss Me Deadly”: April 7, 2008
“Some Like it Hot”: April 7, 2008 (new print)
“The Killing”: April 8, 2008
“The Manchurian Candidate”: April 8, 2008
“The Night of the Hunter”: April 9, 2008
“Midnight Cowboy”: April 10, 2008
“Network”: April 10, 2008

“James Bond” series (part two): May 9 to 15, 2008
“Dr. No”
“Goldfinger” (new print)
“From Russia With Love”
“Thunderball”

By ADAM FENDELMAN
Editor-in-Chief
HollywoodChicago.com
adam@hollywoodchicago.com

United Artists 90th Anniversary Film Festival Coming to Chicago’s Music Box Theatre in April

HollywoodChicago.com — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 12:13:24 -0600

CHICAGO – Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Home Entertainment (MGMHE) on Tuesday announced the launch of an 18-month global celebration that promises to culminate into the largest catalog event in video industry history. Some of the best films the world has seen are touching down in Chicago as part of the proceedings.

What has been coined the United Artists 90th Anniversary Film Festival will be featured at the Music Box Theatre at 3733 N. Southport in Chicago beginning in April 2008.

“West Side Story” in 1961.
Photo credit: United Artists

“Rich in history and devoted to creating powerful, quality films, United Artists was formed in 1919 by Mary Pickford, Charles Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks and D.W. Griffith to encourage progressive filmmaking [and to give] each star the authority and autonomy to create the films about which they were most passionate,” the statement on Tuesday said.

“Goldfinger” in 1961.
Photo credit: United Artists

The statement continued: “The studio responsible for creating some of the finest films of all time including iconic film franchises ‘Rocky,’ ‘Pink Panther’ and ‘James Bond’ [along with] critically acclaimed and award-winning features ‘Raging Bull,’ ‘Some Like it Hot,’ ‘West Side Story,’ ‘Annie Hall,’ ‘Midnight Cowboy’ and ‘Rain Man’ contains a library of nearly 1,000 feature films and boasts more than 80 Academy Award-winning classics.”

“Raging Bull” in 1980.
Photo credit: United Artists

The films below will show on the following dates at Chicago’s Music Box Theatre:

United Artists 90th Anniversary Film Festival (part one): April 4 to 10
“Raging Bull”: April 4 (new print)
“Bananas”: April 4
“The Good, the Bad and the Ugly”: April 5
“West Side Story”: April 6
“Kiss Me Deadly”: April 7
“Some Like it Hot”: April 7 (new print)
“The Killing”: April 8
“The Manchurian Candidate”: April 8
“The Night of the Hunter”: April 9
“Midnight Cowboy”: April 10
“Network”: April 10

“James Bond” series (part two): May 9 to 15
“Dr. No”
“Goldfinger” (new print)
“From Russia With Love”
“Thunderball”

By ADAM FENDELMAN
Editor-in-Chief
HollywoodChicago.com
adam@hollywoodchicago.com

Stallone Sports Aggrandized Violence, Weak Storyline in ‘Rambo’ Revival

HollywoodChicago.com — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 10:32:28 -0700

CHICAGO – The best quality about the fourth “Rambo” is its “Rambo” authenticity. The worst quality about the fourth “Rambo” is its “Rambo” authenticity.

Unlike the previous three, which released every three years in the 1980s (“First Blood” in 1982, “Rambo: First Blood Part II” in 1985 and “Rambo III” in 1988), “Rambo” exactly two decades later featured some commonalties and also broke some new ground.

Sylvester Stallone – who’s now 61 years old, and though he shows it, still looks the buff part – of course starred in all of them as John Rambo. In addition to starring in the films in 1982, 1985 and 1988, Stallone was also a scribe. The films were all directed by other talents (Ted Kotcheff, George Cosmatos, Peter MacDonald, respectively).

Click here to read Adam Fendelman’s full review
of “Rambo” in our reviews section!

Click here for our full “Rambo” image gallery!

Comprehensive Film Release Schedule Through 2008

HollywoodChicago.com — Tue, 01 May 2007 17:37:00 -0600

Updated: 5/1/07 11:39 p.m.
I have compiled as many upcoming films from as many studios as possible as I can currently confirm through 2008.

Lions Gate Entertainment
“Away From Her”: May 4, 2007
“Delta Farce”: May 11, 2007
“Captivity”: May 18, 2007
“Bug”: May 25, 2007
“Hostel Part II”: June 8, 2007
“Fido”: June 15, 2007
“BRATZ”: Aug. 10, 2007
“Good Luck Chuck”: Aug. 24, 2007
“Ladron Que Roba Al Ladron”: Aug. 31, 2007
“Trade”: Sept. 7, 2007
“Earth”: Fall 2007
“War”: Sept. 14, 2007
“3:10 to Yuma”: Oct. 5, 2007
“The Eye”: Oct. 12, 2007
“Saw IV”: Oct. 26, 2007
“Foodfight!”: Nov. 16, 2007
“Thomas Kinkade Presents the Christmas Cottage”: Dec. 14, 2007
“Tenderness”: Fall 2007
“Why Did I Get Married”: Feb. 2008
“College”: March 14, 2008
“Borderland”: Coming
“Five Fingers”: Coming
“Forbidden Kingdom”: Coming
“A Jazz Man’s Blues”: Coming
“Right At Your Door”: Coming
“Teeth”: Coming
“Tulia”: Coming

New Line Cinema
“Hairspray”: July 20, 2007
“The Time Traveler’s Wife”: Shooting begins Aug. 2007
“Rush Hour 3”: Aug. 10, 2007
“Shoot ’Em Up”: Sept. 7, 2007
“Mr. Woodcock”: Sept. 21, 2007
“Rendition”: Oct. 12, 2007
“Martian Child”: Oct. 26, 2007
“Love in the Time of Cholera”: Nov. 16, 2007
“The Golden Compass”: Dec. 7, 2007
“Pride and Glory”: Jan. 4, 2008
“Semi-Pro”: Feb. 29, 2008
“Inkheart”: March 19, 2008
“Be Kind Rewind”: April 4, 2008
“Journey 3-D”: Aug. 8, 2008
“Ghosts of Girlfriend’s Past”: Coming

Warner Bros.
“Lucky You”: May 4, 2007
“Ocean’s Thirteen”: June 8, 2007
“Nancy Drew”: June 15, 2007
“License to Wed”: July 4, 2007
“Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix”: July 13, 2007
“No Reservations”: July 27, 2007
“The Invasion”: Aug. 17, 2007
“Micahel Clayton”: Sept. 14, 2007
“The Brave One”: Sept. 28, 2007
“Trick ’R Treat”: Oct. 5, 2007
“Fred Claus”: Nov. 9, 2007
“I Am Legend”: Dec. 14, 2007

Paramount Pictures
“Shrek the Third”: May 18, 2007
“Transformers”: July 4, 2007
“Hot Rod”: Aug. 3, 2007
“Stardust”: Aug. 10, 2007
“Untitled Farrelly Bros. Project”: Oct. 5, 2007
“Stop Loss”: TBD
“Bee Movie”: Nov. 2, 2007
“Beowulf”: Nov. 16, 2007
“Things We Lost in the Fire”: Fall/Holiday 2007
“Sweeney Todd”: Dec. 21, 2007 (limited); Jan. 11, 2008 (wide)

Sony Pictures
“Spider-Man 3”: May 4, 2007
“Surf’s Up”: June 8, 2007
“Superbad”: Aug. 17, 2007

Warner Independent Pictures
“Introducing the Dwights”: July 4, 2007
“December Boys”: Sept. 14, 2007
“In The Valley of Elah”: Sept. 21, 2007
“Rails and Ties”: Dec. 21, 2007

Rogue Pictures
“The Strangers”: Summer 2007
“Balls of Fury”: Sept. 14, 2007

Focus Features
“Evening”: June 29, 2007
“Talk to Me”: July 13, 2007 (limited)

Fox Atomic
“28 Weeks Later”: May 11, 2007
“The Comebacks”: Aug. 24, 2007

Fox Searchlight
“Waitress”: May 2, 2007
“Once”: May 28, 2007
“Day Watch”: June 1, 2007
“Joshua”: July 6, 2007
“Sunshine”: Fall 2007

Black Diamond Pictures
“September Dawn”: June 22, 2007

MGM
“The Flying Scotsman”: May 4, 2007
“Home of the Brave”: May 11, 2006 (limited)
“Mr. Brooks”: June 1, 2007
“Rescue Dawn”: July 4, 2007

By ADAM FENDELMAN
Editor-in-Chief
HollywoodChicago.com
adam@hollywoodchicago.com