MAD TIGER: The Peelander-Z Film!

Final NYC Press Screening/Interviews: MAD TIGER  (Opening in NY at IFC Center May 6) MAD TIGER A film by: Jonathan Yi and Michael Haertlein OFFICIAL SELECTION / WORLD PREMIERE: DOC NYC 2015 FEATURING: Peelander-Yellow: Kengo Hioki , Peelander-Red: Kotaro Tsukada, Peelander-Pink: Yumiko Hioki, Peelander-Purple: Akiteru Ito, Peelander-Green: Akihiko Naruse OPENING THEATRICALLY: New York on May 6 (IFC Center) with a national release to follow New York Press Screening: (RSVP to: emma@eg-pr.com) Tuesday, April 26 at 10:30am at IFC CENTER (323 Avenue Of The Americas) **Filmmakers Jonathan Yi and Michael Haertlein are available for interviews in New York timed to release and by request.** MAD TIGER follows the relationship of two Japanese men, Yellow and Red, who have been best friends and band mates touring the United States in a performance-art punk band called PEELANDER-Z for the last fifteen years. When Red decides to quit, their relationship is tested by life beyond the band. MAD TIGER is a winking, heartfelt portrait of a band that not only captures the energy of their live show but also the guarded introspection and rigid method behind the day-glo stage performance madness. When the band begins to confront forces beyond their control, and members must decide to prioritize their own lives over the band’s future, MAD TIGER builds to an unexpectedly moving crescendo that forces all involved to change and grow. PEELANDER-Z will be touring across the US in Spring 2016 timed to the film’s release. For tour dates please go to: http://peelander-z.com/tour-datez/ Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdfPNRqqHUI

MoosterBlog LOVES Olive Films

We here at MoosterBlog love Olive Films and are looking forward to continuing to support the company with upcoming reviews. If you haven't seen my posts in the past here is a little background info: Olive Films is a boutique theatrical and home entertainment distribution label dedicated to bringing independent, foreign, and classic films to DVD and Blu-ray. Along with MoosterBlog they are excited to announce that May 24th will be the Blu-ray debut of 10 films, including Albert Lewin’s ahead-of-its time classic The Private Affairs of Bel Ami (1946) and French Postcards (1979) with its long-awaited theatrical soundtrack restored. “Albert Lewin was a phenomenal intellectual director, and The Private Affairs of Bel Ami reflects that.,” said Alex Kopecky of Olive Films. “We’re proud to bring such a revered and complex film to Blu-ray, so that cinephiles everywhere can continue to enjoy it.”

THE PRIVATE AFFAIRS OF BEL AMI

Director Albert Lewin is often cited as one of the earliest intellectual directors in Hollywood, spending most of his young adulthood as an English academic. As one might expect, his films were often grossly misunderstood and underappreciated in their time.  Perhaps the best example of this is his 1946 dramaThe Private Affairs of Bel Ami, adapted from Guy de Maupassant’s novel and starring George Sanders and Angela Lansbury. It received near-unanimous negative reviews at its release, most notably from Bosley Crowther of the New York Times, but it is now widely praised by cinephiles. The film echoes many of the recurring themes in the director's work: artists at war with themselves, harmful obsessions, and a fusion of baroque and surreal styles. Lewin’s fascination with aesthetics famously manifests itself in The Private Affairs of Bel Ami with a single Technicolor shot juxtaposed against the rest of the film’s black and white. The Technicolor shot in question is of Max Ernst’s grotesque and disturbing The Temptation of St. Anthony. To find this painting, producers held a contest called the Bel Ami International Art Competition in which 11 artists including Salvador Dalí, Leonara Carrington, Eugene Berman, and Dorothea Tanning participated. They each submitted their version of the often-painted story of St. Anthony, which itself reflects the film’s themes. A jury selected Max Ernst’s, and its presence in the film has gone down in film history as incredibly jarring and powerful.

FRENCH POSTCARDS

Fans of the film French Postcards have long been waiting for a DVD or Blu-ray of the film that includes the theatrical version’s beloved soundtrack. Rather than the replacement songs dubbed in for previous releases, Olive Films’ edition features the French language versions of pop songs such as “Do You Believe in Magic” that are integral to the film’s nostalgic atmosphere. French Postcards was directed by Willard Huyck (Howard the Duck) from a screenplay by Huyck and Gloria Katz (American Graffiti) and stars an ensemble of Miles Chapin, Debra Winger, Valerie Quennessen, Blanche Baker, David Marshall Grant, Marie-France Pisier, and Jean Rochefort.

Other Olive Films April Titles ART + FACTS (link)

Blu-ray and DVD debut of Rich Kids (1979), directed by Robert M. Young, starring Trini Alvarado, Jeremy Levy, John Lithgow, Olympia Dukakis, Paul Dooley, David Selby, and Terry Kiser.

Blu-ray debut of Zapped! (1982), directed by Robert J. Rosenthal and starring Scott Baio, Willie Aames, Scatman Crothers, Robert Mandan, Heather Thomas, and Felice Schachter.

Legend of the Lost (1957), directed by Henry Hathaway and starring John Wayne, Sophia Loren, and Rossano Brazzi. Blu-ray debut of The King and Four Queens (1956), directed by Raoul Walsh and starring Clark Gable, Jo Van Fleet, Eleanor Parker, Jean Willes, Barbara Nichols, and Sara Shane.

Blu-ray debut of Iphigenia (1977), directed by Michael Cacoyannis and starring Irene Pappas, Costa Kazakos, and Tatiana Papamoskou.

Blu-ray debut of The Sum of Us (1994), directed by Geoff Burton and Kevin Dowling and starring Russell Crowe, Jack Thompson, Deborah Kennedy, and John Polson.

Blu-ray debut of The Whoopee Boys (1986), directed by John Byrum and starring Michael O'Keefe, Paul Rodriguez, Denholm Elliott, Carole Shelley, Dan O'Herlihy, Eddie Deezen, and Marsha Warfield.

Blu-ray debut of Agent Cody Banks (2003), directed by Harald Zwart and starring Frankie Muniz, Hilary Duff, Angie Harmon, and Ian McShane. Blu-ray debut of Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London (2004), directed by Kevin Allen and starring Frankie Muniz, Anthony Anderson, Hannah Spearritt, Keith David, and Cynthia Stevenson.

In theaters and On Demand on May 6, 2016

ELSTREE 1976 explores the lives of the actors and extras behind one of the most celebrated franchises in cinematic history, which spans from George Lucas’ original A NEW HOPE to J.J. Abrams’ recent record-breaking blockbuster THE FORCE AWAKENS. From the man behind film’s most iconic villain, to the actor whose character was completely cut from the final film, the documentary delves into the eccentric community these individuals have formed and how the Star Wars franchise continues to impact their lives decades later

FORCED PERSPECTIVE: the story of artist Derek Hess

"Few in the art world have the hand of Derek Hess.” -Juxtapoz 

His work has been featured everywhere from the world’s most iconic concert posters and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame to the Louvre in Paris.  

TRAILER: https://vimeo.com/154887225

SYNOPSIS

“Forced Perspective” is an intimate portrait of iconic artist Derek Hess by filmmaker Nick Cavalier. Since he was a young boy, Clevelander Derek Hess has had a “knack” for drawing. As the son of a WWII veteran and professor at the Cleveland Institute of Art, Hess also has had a deep appreciation for the discipline and training necessary for creative growth. Nick Cavalier’s FORCED PERSPECTIVE – evokes Hess’s favored artistic technique of manipulating an object’s size in order to create the illusion of distance. It also traces how these values transformed Hess from an unknown concert poster illustrator at Euclid Tavern into an internationally renowned t-shirt designer, post-hardcore concert organizer, and fine artist. In extensive interviews, Hess opens up about his artistic process as well as his ongoing trials with alcoholism and bipolar disorder. Through his intensely expressive mixed media art, Hess not only works through his demons, but also inspires his fans from around the world to do the same. An impressive tribute to Hess’s oeuvre, Cavalier’s documentary highlights the unique perspective this artist brings to the art world.

AVAILABLE NOW: http://apple.co/1SixyY8 

MORE: http://www.forcedperspectivefilm.com/

Happy 4/20!

Frank Portman's King Dork Approximately paperback Out Oct. 4!

Dr. Frank (a.k.a. Frank Portman) released the cover of the King Dork Approximately paperback. (Out Oct. 4.) via his Facebook page today. It's going to come with a free download of King Dork Approximately the Album (more info later.) Pre-order here

You can still pick up the KDA cassingle via Mooster Records here

Star Wars Episode II:Attack of The Clones LP Soundtrack

Attack of the Clones

Vinyl Soundtrack LP

I Am Shark is thrilled that the 2xLP gatefold colored vinyl release of the original motion picture soundtrack to Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones is out now and available for purchase at the I Am Shark online store.

Released for the first time ever as a stand alone vinyl album, the limited first pressing (Silver / Transparent Royal Mix) is almost sold out. 

Stream “Across The Stars (Love Theme from Attack Of The Clones)”

from the Star Wars Episode II Soundtrack on YouTube

"Across The Stars (Love Theme from Attack Of The Clones)"

Originally released alongside the movie in 2002, the original motion picture soundtrack to Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones’ 13-track score from legendary composer John Williams has been remastered to maximize the recording’s dynamic range. Continuing with I Am Shark’s innovative variant character color coordination, which saw the vinyl release of the Episode I soundtrack come in 5 different variations, the vinyl release of the Episode II soundtrack premieres fan favorite Jango Fett's own colored vinyl pressing (Silver / Transparent Royal Mix).

Aside from beautifully colored vinyl and the eye catching imagery featured on the gatefold packaging, there are hints of a hidden surprise included in this album.

I Am Shark will soon complete the soundtrack trilogy, following Episodes I (Available Now), and II (Available Now) with the first ever stand alone vinyl pressings of the Star Wars Episodes III soundtrack in the coming months.

Star Wars Episode II: Attack Of The Clones - Track Listing

1. "Star Wars Main Title and Ambush on Coruscant" (3:46)

2. "Across the Stars (Love Theme from Attack of the Clones)" (5:33)

3. "Zam the Assassin and the Chase Through Coruscant" (11:07)

4. "Yoda and the Younglings" (3:55)

5. "Departing Coruscant" (1:44)

6. "Anakin and Padmé" (3:57)

7. "Jango's Escape" (3:48)

8. "The Meadow Picnic" (4:14)

9. "Bounty Hunter's Pursuit" (3:23)

10. “Return to Tatooine" (6:57)

11. "The Tusken Camp and the Homestead" (5:54)

12. "Love Pledge and the Arena" (8:29)

13. "Confrontation with Count Dooku and Finale" (10:45)

NEW RELEASE: UECKERS "Spring Training" EP

Today not only sees the start of Spring Training season for my CHICAGO CUBS but also the annual release from the only baseball punk rock band on MOOSTER RECORDS, THE UECKERS.

The "Spring Training" EP

The dark days of the off season are over and spring training is here again! The Ueckers return with three songs about love, being in a band, and a dystopian future in which the frozen head of Ted Williams is revived to spread the game of baseball like gospel through the land. Don't wait for Opening Day! Get the "Spring Training" EP for yourself or the MVP in your life.

Check it out here:

GO CUBBIES!

Olive Films to Release Roger Corman's Controversial and Censored Drug Film The Trip (1967)

Olive Films to Release Roger Corman's Controversial and Censored Drug Film The Trip (1967) Olive Films, a small company dedicated to bringing independent, foreign, and classic films to life, is excited to announce the titles that are slated for a Blu-ray/DVD release on March 22, 2016. These titles include 1967's controversial drug film The Trip, which is surrounded by fascinating stories of filmmaking and censorship. "The Trip functions today as an importnat relic of countercultural thought and the rise of The New American Cinema," said MArketing Director Bradley Powell. "Its themes surrounding drug use, free love, and spirituality, while existing in new iterations, most certainly linger on today. Seeing as the film debuted the same year as Jimi Hendrix's first LP, a fitting question to ask yourself when discussing this cult classic is: Are You Experienced?"

In The Trip, director Roger Corman brings us on a psychedelic, acid-fueled odyssey, written by Jack Nicholson and starring Peter Fonda, Bruce Dern, Dennis Hopper, and Susan Strasberg. To prepare for the film, the entire cast and crew (excluding Bruce Dern) drove to Big Sur and took LSD together. The film brilliantly shows us the characters' hallucinations through in-camera techniques rather than in post-production. Some of these techniques include strobe lights altered to synchronize with the cameras' frame rates, lights shone through dishes of dye and watch-crystals, and leftover props reused from Corman's earlier films. Studio censorship inflicted significant anti-drug changes upon The Trip, a film that the artists intended to be a non-judgemtnal tale of drug exploration. At the film's beginning, American International Pictures added scrolling text that branded the film as a warning about the dangers of experimental drug use. In an additional change, they added a black crack over Fonda's face in the final image, leaving the impression of LSD "shattering" his psyche. With these alterations, they hijacked the film's theme of a tolerant exploration and turned it into a judgmental warning. Still, its depiction of drugs proved so sensational that it received further trouble from the censors, especially in the UK, where it was banned until 2003. The Olive Films Blu-ray and DVD will not feature the beginning advisory text nor the cracked screen. In that way, it will be closer to the artists' original intentions.

Frankenstein Takes the Wheel with Malcolm McDowell in ROGER CORMAN’S DEATH RACE 2050

LEGENDARY FILMMAKING ICON, ROGER CORMAN RETURNS
TO PRODUCE THE MOST EPIC DEATH RACE EVER
AS PRINCIPAL PHOTOGRAPHY BEGINS IN PERU

ROGER CORMAN’S
DEATH RACE 2050
 
MALCOLM MCDOWELL STARS IN THE SENSATIONAL ACTION-PACKED FILM 
DEBUTING ON BLU-RAY^™, DVD AND DIGITAL HD
IN 2016 FROM UNIVERSAL PICTURES HOME ENTERTAINMENT

An outrageous action-packed film and reboot of the original Death Race 2000, Roger Corman’s Death Race 2050 began filming February 8 in Peru. Filled with the full-throttle mayhem and black-hearted humor, this all-new film drops the flag on a phalanx of automotive gladiators who earn points for killing pedestrians — and their fellow drivers.Roger Corman’s Death Race 2050 is an original release from Universal 1440 Entertainment, a production entity of Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. The film will be available exclusively on Blu-ray^™, DVD and Digital HD in 2016.

In the decades since well-known independent film pioneer and Academy Award^® winner Roger Corman first put the iconic anti-hero Frankenstein into the driver’s seat in Death Race 2000, this over-the-top cult classic has hurtled headlong toward cinematic immortality. Among the most enduring of the prolific producer’s legion of memorable films, Death Race 2000 has inspired a growing fan base that continues to propel the popular franchise as it marks the 40th anniversary of its original release.

“This is an amazing opportunity for me and millions of Death Race 2000 fans to experience the intensity, thrills and dark humor of the original, fueled by a terrific young cast, spectacular vehicles and side-splitting action, literally” said Corman, the trailblazing writer, director and producer. “Roger Corman’s Death Race 2050 puts the pedal to the metal to bring this enduring franchise to a whole new level.”

Roger Corman’s Death Race 2050 stars Manu Bennett (The Hobbit franchise) as Frankenstein, as well as Malcolm
McDowell (A Clockwork Orange) as the Chairman, Burt Grinstead (“NCIS”), Marci Miller (Viper), Folake Olowofoyeku (The Beaver), Anessa Ramsey (Footloose), Yancy Butler (Hard Target) and Charlie Farrell (Cantar).

The film is directed by G.J. Echternkamp (Hard Candy) directs from a script by Matt Yamashita (Sharktopus vs. Pteracuda) and G.J. Echternkamp, and produced by Roger Corman (Death Race 2000) and Luis Llosa (Anaconda).

SYNOPSIS
In the not-too-distant future, America is controlled by an all-powerful corporate government that keeps the masses placated with violent virtual-reality entertainment. The event of the year is the Death Race, where a motley assortment of drivers compete in a cross-country road race, scoring points for running down pedestrians and killing each other. The reigning champion and popular favorite is half-man, half-machine Frankenstein — but little does he know he’s taken on a rebel spy as his co-pilot.

DAVID BOWIE COMIC BOOK PAYS TRIBUTE TO THE ICONIC SINGER

After his untimely death earlier this month, David Bowie left behind more than a legacy of memorable songs, but bequeathed an indelible imprint on popular culture as well. Storm Entertainment captures this spirit in a new tribute comic book biography released this week.

Tribute: David Bowie, available in both print and digital, follows the enigmatic artist's innovative career from his through early days as David Jones through his ever-changing metamorphoses into a rock god, tortured artist, thin white duke and blinded prophet. 

Written by Mike Lynch and Michael L. Frizell with art by George Amaru and Vincenzo Sansone, the book pays homage to  one of the most influential artists any generation, constantly reinventing himself while defying convention. The one-shot features three collectable covers by Sansone, David Frizell, and Graham Hill.  

The book builds on the previously published Fame: David Bowie and completes his life story. Fans of Bowie will recognize his transformation from the iconic Ziggy Stardust to Aladdin Sane to pre-punk Berliner to the The Thin White Duke and even in his star turn as the Goblin King in the 1986 movie "Labyrinth."

"Bowie should not be remembered for his multiple personas, but rather for his desire to push musical and artistic boundaries," said writer Michael Frizell. "He was on the forefront of so many musical movements; psychedelic, glam, Krautrock, funk, grunge, and his latest post modern masterpiece and farewell gift Black-Star. 

Storm Entertainment president Darren G. Davis added, "I hope readers come away with not simply a sense of the richness of his life, but how he influenced practically every artist that came after; regardless of genre."

The “Tribute” series serves as a pop culture companion to Storm Entertainment’s successful “Female Force,” “Political Power,” “Orbit,” and “Fame” series. The biography comic form allows Storm’s talented writers to delve into the history of certain newsworthy figures and explore what shaped them. Storm Entertainment’s biographical comic books have been featured on CNN, Politico, Roll Call, The Today Show, FOX News, and in People Magazine among thousands of others.

“Tribute: David Bowie” is available on your e-reader from iTunes, Kindle, Nook, Wowio, ComiXology, DriveThru Comics, Google Play, My Digital Comics, Overdrive, Iverse, Biblioboard, Flipkart, ComicBin,Axis360,  Blio, Entitle, Comicblender, Kobo and wherever eBooks are sold. Print copies can be ordered exclusively at ComicFleaMarket.com. 

Print copies of Tribute: David Bowie can be ordered starting at $3.99 at Comic Flea Market by going towww.comicfleamarket.com

Storm has published well-received tribute biographies of other musicians, John Lennon, George Harrison, Whitney Houston, Amy Winehouse, Kurt Cobian, Jerry Garcia and more. 

You can download this title on ComiXology, DriveThru Comics, Google Play, My Digital Comics, Overdrive, Iverse, iTunes, Kindle, Biblioboard, ComicBin, Nook, Kobo and wherever eBooks are sold.