After countless defeats at the hands of the G.I. JOE team, the ruthless COBRA organization has taken a drastic leap towards global domination by joining the ranks of the ancient race of COBRA-LA. When DUKE falls in the line of duty, it’s up to SGT. SLAUGHTER, LT. FALCON, SNAKE EYES and the rest of the G.I. JOE team to prevent SERPENTOR, DESTRO and COBRA-LA’s GOLOBULUS from releasing a deadly spore into the Earth’s atmosphere and devolving the human race.

On July 27, 2010, the original animated G.I. JOE: A Real American Hero – THE MOVIE that has been long out of print will finally debut for the first time in a 2-Disc Blu-ray + DVD combo pack as a Special Collectors Edition from Shout! Factory, in collaboration with Hasbro, Inc.  Featuring the voice talent of Don Johnson, Burgess Meredith, SGT. SLAUGHTER and fan favorites Bill Ratner, Michael Bell and Chris Latta, G.I. JOE: A Real American Hero – THE MOVIE Special Collectors Edition 2-Disc Blu-ray + DVD combo pack contains exciting bonus content including fan-favorite PSAs, printable screenplay with the original movie ending, and audio commentary. The Blu-ray + DVD combo pack edition also offers viewers an exclusive option of viewing the animated movie presentation in widescreen.  G.I. JOE: A Real American Hero – THE MOVIE Special Collectors Edition is the final installment to complete last year’s G.I. JOE: A Real American Hero – The Complete Series DVD box set. The Special Collectors Edition

Blu-ray + DVD combo pack is priced to own at $26.97 and the single disc Special Collectors Edition DVD is available at $16.97 SRP.

G.I. JOE: A Real American Hero – THE MOVIE Special Collector’s Edition

Synopsis

A 40,000-year-old race of snake people resurface, and with help of SERPENTOR, DESTRO, BARONESS and DR. MINDBENDER, they plan to eliminate all of mankind and rebuild COBRA-LA. Once rulers of Earth, the Snake people were driven underground by ice-age temperatures. While in exile, they developed a plant whose spores turn ordinary men into mindless, weak animals. The key to their plan is the G.I. JOE team’s secret project – the Broadcast Energy Transmitter. Only this device generates enough heat so that the spores can mature. Humankind’s very existence depends on the G.I. JOE team, but are they strong and smart enough to fight a warrior race with 40,000 years of experience?

BONUS FEATURES AVAILABLE SPECIAL COLLECTORS EDITION:

Audio commentary with story consultant Buzz Dixon
The final 8 “Knowing Is Half The Battle” PSAs that were not on the G.I. JOE: A Real American Hero – The Complete Series DVD box set.
Original Printable Screenplay –this script was written prior to DUKE’s miraculous recovery and, thus, DUKE is dead.  The script was not altered from this version on paper, but the audio session had an added line where Duke was going to survive the attack.
Art gallery
Blu-ray + DVD Combo Pack Exclusive: Optional 16×9 Widescreen and 4×3 Full Frame Presentations

Coming in May from the BFI….

Kim Newman’s Guide to the Flipside of British Cinema

A special BFI DVD sampler, available from retailers nationwide on 17 May at just £3.99
Cat No: BFIVD878, cert 15

If you’re a fan of classic and cult British films – from Alfie to Performance, from The Devils to Withnail and I – then this indispensable guide to a previously uncharted, alternative history of British cinema is for you…

In an all-new documentary, produced exclusively for the BFI, the UK’s most knowledgeable and well-respected cult film critic, Kim Newman, explores such questions as how the director of Help! and Superman II came to make one of the world’s greatest, but little-known, black comedies, and lifts the lid on which previously unseen British film features Helen Mirren in her debut role.

Along with a selection of original trailers and short films – including one that is exclusive to this release – this is your passport to the exciting and surprising world of the Flipside. All titles can now be seen on DVD and Blu-ray for the first time ever, in the BFI Flipside collection.

•Kim Newman’s Guide to the Flipside of British Cinema (2010, 37 mins); all-new, exclusive documentary
•Carousella (1966, 25 mins): originally banned by the BBFC, this controversial documentary on the lives of a group of striptease artistes was directed by celebrated Hollywood filmmaker John Irvin (Hamburger Hill, Raw Deal)
•Tomorrow Night in London (1969, 5 mins): vibrant and fast-paced tourist board short extolling the virtues, and fashions, of London’s nightlife

Exclusive to this release

•The Spy’s Wife (1972, 27 mins): a modish tale of international intrigue and extra-marital relations with Tom Bell (The L-Shaped Room, Prime Suspect) and Ann Lynn (Screamtime, Separation), directed by Gerry O’Hara (All the Right Noises, The Bitch)
•BFI Flipside trailer reel
•Illustrated booklet with essays and film credits

Dual Format Edition releases for new BFI Flipside titles on 17 May

The BFI’s Flipside DVD & Blu-ray strand continues in its mission to rescue hard-to-find and little-seen British films from obscurity, proudly presenting world premiere releases of two mid-Sixties masterpieces: Gerry O’Hara’s unjustly overlooked Swinging Sixties gem The Pleasure Girls, featuring Francesca Annis, Ian McShane and Klaus Kinski, and an uncensored pre-release cut of Guy Hamilton’s controversial The Party’s Over, starring Oliver Reed and featuring a score by John Barry. Released on 17 May, both titles will be available as Dual Format Editions, containing the Blu-ray and DVD versions of the films and the extras.

The BFI’s Flipside titles are all newly-mastered to High Definition from original film elements, and presented with rare and fascinating special features, including previously unavailable short films, documentaries and interviews, many of which are preserved in the BFI National Archive. Each title comes in collectable numbered packaging and is accompanied by an extensive illustrated booklet with insightful contributions from special guest writers, often including the filmmakers themselves.

The Pleasure Girls (Gerry O’Hara, 1965)

When Sally (Francesca Annis) moves to London to pursue a modelling career, she moves in with Angela (Anneke Wills, Doctor Who) and Dee (future Hammer girl Suzanna Leigh) and discovers the world of the carefree bachelor girl in Swinging London. Over one weekend – filled with parties, blossoming friendships, and romantic encounters with Keith (Ian McShane) and Nikko (Klaus Kinski) – the vivacious girls learn about life’s pleasures and pains.

Shot on location, with intelligent dialogue and lively performances from its young ensemble cast, this ground-breaking drama bears all the hallmarks of director Gerry O’Hara’s (That Kind of Girl, All the Right Noises) assured style.

Special features:
•Feature presented in both High Definition and Standard Definition
•Alternative complete export cut (Blu-ray only, 86 mins)
•Export version scenes (DVD only, 13 mins)
•Original theatrical trailer
•The Rocking Horse (James Scott, 1962, 25 mins): an atmospheric short about a romantic encounter between a teddy boy and an artist, shot on location in London’s West End
•The Meeting (Mamoun Hassan, 1964, 10 mins): a young woman’s unconventional brief encounter with a mysterious lover
•Illustrated booklet featuring contributions by Gerry O’Hara, Professor Sue Harper, and Mamoun Hassan

The Party’s Over (1963-1965)

Written by Marc Behm (Charade, Help!) and scored by the legendary John Barry (Zulu, Thunderball, Diamonds are Forever), this controversial film originally fell foul of the British censors, forcing director Guy Hamilton (Goldfinger, Diamonds are Forever, Battle of Britain) to remove his name from the credits, but is now finally made available in a never-before-seen uncensored pre-release version.

Enigmatic young Melina (Louise Sorel) has fallen in with a group of Chelsea beatniks, catching the attention of the gang’s defiant leader Moise (Oliver Reed), but inviting scorn and jealousy from the group’s other members, including Moise’s lover Libby (Ann Lynn). But wild and drunken partying has terrible consequences, and when Melina’s fiancé Carson (Clifford David) begins investigating, the shocking truth is revealed.

Special features:
•Presented in both High Definition and Standard Definition
•Alternative theatrical release cut (Blu-ray only, 92 mins)
•Alternative theatrical release sequences (DVD only, 18 mins)
•The Party (R A Ostwald, 1962, 16 mins): a time-capsule short about an art school get-together, with drinking, dancing and romance
•Emma (Anthony Perry, 1964, 12 mins): an expressive meditation on the loss of innocence and the certainty of death, from the producer of The Party’s Over
•Illustrated booklet featuring contributions by Guy Hamilton, Andrew Roberts, William Fowler and Vic Pratt

BFI Dual Format Edition titles retail at £19.99 each. The next Flipside releases will be Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush (Clive Donner, 1968) and Bronco Bullfrog (1969) by Barney Platts-Mills in September 2010.

Technical details

The Pleasure Girls (Flipside 010) Cat no: BFIB1086 / UK / 1965 / Cert 15 / black and white / English language / Optional subtitles for the hearing-impaired / 85 mins / Original aspect ratio 1.66:1 / / Disc 1: BD25 / 1080p / 24fps / PCM mono audio (48k/16-bit) / Disc 2: DVD9 / PAL / PCM mono audio (48k/16-bit)

The Party’s Over (Flipside 011) Cat no: BFIB1057 / UK / 1963-1965 / Cert 12 / black and white / English language / Optional subtitles for the hearing-impaired / 95 mins / Original aspect ratio 1.66:1 / / Disc 1: BD50 / 1080p / 24fps / PCM mono audio (48k/24-bit) / Disc 2: DVD9 / PAL / PCM mono audio (48k/16-bit)

About the BFI Flipside strand
Developed from its popular monthly screening slot at BFI Southbank, the BFI’s Flipside series on DVD and Blu-ray is designed to revisit and reappraise British films that have slipped through the cracks of cinema history – films that were overlooked, marginalised, or undervalued at the original time of release, or sit outside the established canon of recognised classics. Much of the material is drawn from the BFI National Archive.

The latest press release from Magnolia Home Entertainment: 

Maggie Grace Stars In A Modern, Erie Twist On A Classic Tale, MALICE IN WONDERLAND, Arrives On Blu-ray Disc and DVD May 11 From Magnolia Home Entertainment

An explosive twisted thriller, MALICE IN WONDERLAND follows American law student Alice (Maggie Grace- Lost, Taken), who after being knocked down by a London taxi, finds herself miles from anything familiar and very out of her element.  With the cab driver Whitey, the two begin a dark and dangerous journey home, attempting to dodge the violent underworld full of gangsters, pimps and prostitutes, and avoid a shadowy group determined to take Alice captive. Engulfed in this distorted world, the duo soon realizes the only way out is to fight for their freedom. 

——————————————————————————–
From The Company That Brought You The Protector And Ong Bak Comes The Epic Sea Quest, LEGEND OF THE TSUNAMI WARRIOR Arriving On Blu-ray Disc And DVD May 11 From Magnolia Home Entertainment Under The Magnet Releasing Label

“Expect to find enough action, adventure, melodrama, and magic for an entire trilogy.”
- eFilmcritic.com

Filled with sorcery, swordplay and a touch of romance,  a battle on the high seas for coveted ocean treasures  rages between a rebel Prince, Black Raven Pirates, the Queen and a village orphan gypsy.   Boasting a $20 million-plus production budget and packing a whirlwind of action sequences and amazing marine cinematography, while merging realistic Thai boxing with Hong Kong style stunts,   LEGEND OF THE TSUNAMI WARRIOR opened the 2008 Bangkok International Film Festival and was an official selection at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival.

——————————————————————————–

There Is No Escape When TIDAL WAVE Crashes On Blu-ray Disc And DVD May 11 From Magnolia Home Entertainment Under The Magnet Releasing Label

“Thoroughly entertaining…”
- Variety
 
“Grand in scale…”
-San Francisco Chronicle
 
“Whips up a satisfying tempest of visual and special effects…”
-The Hollywood Reporter

One of the most expensive and highest-grossing productions in Korean history, TIDAL WAVE brings to the screen a mighty sea of CGI and special effects creating unprecedented sequences of destruction. When seismic activity detects an impending mega-tsunami is barreling towards the picturesque shores of a tourist-packed sliver of a beach resort, the oblivious vacationers aren’t even going to know what hit them. As a marine geologist races to alert the authorities, he encounters his ex-wife and the daughter he never knew he had, just as the massive wave heads their way at 500 mph.
 

From Animeigo’s website:

 Two new licenses:

Samurai Vendetta: A Chronicle of Pale Cherry Blossoms (Hakuoki), directed by Kazuo MORI and starring Raizo ICHIKAWA and Shintaro KATSU. The film that made Katsu a star, it is a tragic tale of two swordsmen whose clans are embroiled in a blood feud, and who vie for the same woman. Betrayal, dishonor and death ensue.

Shinsengumi Chronicles: I Want To Die A Samurai (Shinsengumi Shimatsuki), directed by Kenji MISUMI and starring Tomisaburo WAKAYAMA (under his alias, Kenzaburo JO) and Raizo ICHIKAWA. Raizo stars as a honest man who joins the Shinsengumi out of admiration for its leader, Isami KONDO (Wakayama), and because he wants to die as a samurai.

More details, such as release dates, when Animeigo has them firmed up.

The Master of the Full-Moon Cut Returns - Available Winter 2010

Edo, the capital of Japan, has degenerated into a tangled web of political intrigue and personal vice. Nemuri Kyoshiro, the half-breed son of a Japanese noblewoman raped by a Christian missionary, lives only for the moment, amused by the chaos that surrounds him. But those who decide to use him for their own ends soon discover that they have made a fatal error! For Kyoshiro wields the fabled Musou-Masamune blade, and is master of the most subtle and deadly technique in all of swordplay, the Full-Moon-Cut. All those who challenge him must face… the Sleepy Eyes of Death!

Included in the second box set are: Sword of Fire (Nemuri Kyoshiro Enjyo-ken), Sword of Satan (Nemuri Kyoshiro Masho-ken), The Mask of The Princess (Nemuri Kyoshiro Tajo-ken), and Sword of Villainy (Nemuri Kyoshiro Burai-ken)

•One of the most iconic and longest-running samurai film series of all time.
•Starring the incomparable Raizo Ichikawa, “The James Dean of Japan”.
•Based on the writings of legendary novelist Renzaburo Shibata.
•Films 5-8 in a 12-part film series. The Blind Menace (Shiranui Kengyo) - Available May 2010

The Blind Menace (Shiranui Kengyo) - Available May 2010

Before he portrayed the legendary blind swordsman, Zatoichi, Shintaro Katsu played Suganoichi, a blind court masseur with a dark side. An outcast since birth, he learned from a young age that the only way to get ahead was to take advantage of others. Now an expert con-artist with a heart of coal, Suganoichi is on a vile quest for power, and everyone else will suffer along the way!

•The film that inspired the Zatoichi series.
•Starring the legendary Shintaro Katsu.
•A must see of all fans of the Zatoichi series!