Classic cult shocker BATTLE ROYALE comes to UHD April...

The kids of Third Year Class-B Shiroiwa Junior High School are back, in a brand new UHD restoration of the classic cult shocker BATTLE ROYALE, adapted from the controversial novel by Koushun Takami.

Presenting an alternate dystopian vision of turn-of-the-millennium Japan, Battle Royale follows the 42 junior high school students selected to take part in the government’s annual Battle Royale programme, established as an extreme method of addressing concerns about juvenile delinquency. Dispatched to a remote island, they are each given individual weapons (ranging from Uzis and machetes to pan lids and binoculars), food and water, and the order to go out and kill one other. Every player is fitted with an explosive collar around their neck, imposing a strict three-day time limit on the deadly games in which there can only be one survivor. Overseeing the carnage is ‘Beat’ Takeshi Kitano (Sonatine, Hana-bi, Zatoichi) as the teacher pushed to the edge by his unruly charges.

Playing like a turbo-charged hybrid of Lord of the Flies and The Most Dangerous Game, the final completed work by veteran yakuza film director Kinji Fukasaku (Battles without Honor and Humanity, Graveyard of Honor) helped launch a new wave of appreciation for Asian cinema in the 21st century. Also included in the set is the incendiary sequel Battle Royale II, the directing debut of Kenta Fukasaku (after his father passed away during production), in which a new class of delinquents are recruited by the government to hunt down the survivor of the deadly games of the first film.

Special Features:

4K ULTRA HD LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS

• Brand new 4K restoration of the Original Theatrical Version and Special Edition Director’s Cut of Battle Royale from the original camera negative by Arrow Films, approved by Kenta Fukasaku
• 4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentation of both versions of Battle Royale in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
• High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation of the Battle Royale II: Requiem theatrical cut and the Battle Royale II: Revenge extended cut
• Original 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio and 2.0 stereo audio
• Optional English subtitles
• Original soundtrack CD for Battle Royale [Limited Edition Exclusive]
• Kinji Fukasaku: Man of Rage, an exclusive 120-page monograph on the director by Japanese cinema expert Tom Mes [Limited Edition Exclusive]
• Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new essays by Matt Alt and Anne Billson and archival articles
• Exclusive Battle Royale collectors’ Trump Card set [Limited Edition Exclusive]
• Reversible poster with new artwork [Limited Edition Exclusive]

DISC ONE – BATTLE ROYALE: ORIGINAL THEATRICAL VERSION (4K UHD BLU-RAY)

• Brand new audio commentary by critics Tom Mes and Jasper Sharp
• Coming of Age: Battle Royale at 20, an exclusive new 42-minute documentary about the legacy of Battle Royale
• Bloody Education: Kenta Fukasaku on Battle Royale, a brand new exclusive interview with the film’s producer and screenwriter
• The Making of Battle Royale: The Experience of 42 High School Students, documentary featuring footage from the shooting of the film and cast and crew discussions
• The Slaughter of 42 High School Students, a look behind the scenes of the shoot
• Behind the scenes footage with comments from the cast and crew
• Filming on Set, a look at the shooting of key scenes from the film
• Conducting Battle Royale with the Warsaw National Philharmonic, archive footage of Masamichi Amano conducting the soundtrack rehearsal

DISC TWO – BATTLE ROYALE: SPECIAL EDITION DIRECTOR’S CUT (4K UHD BLU-RAY)

• Shooting the Special Edition, on-location featurette with footage of the cast and crew reuniting for the shoot of the Special Edition
• Royale Rehearsals, featurette on Kinji Fukasaku directing the film’s young cast
• Masamichi Amano Conducts Battle Royale, archive featurette
• Takeshi Kitano Interview, filmed on location with the Japanese star
• The Correct Way to Fight in Battle Royale, instructional video explaining the rules of the game
• The Correct Way to Make Battle Royale: Birthday Version, a new version of the original instructional video made to celebrate Kinji Fukasaku’s birthday
• Premiere Press Conference, preceding the film’s first public screening
• Tokyo International Film Festival Presentation, with footage from the gala screening at the Tokyo International Film Festival
• Opening Day at the Marunouchi Toei Movie Theatre, archive footage of the Japanese opening
• Special Effects Comparison showing how the film’s violent killings were created
• Original Trailers and TV spots
• Kinji Fukasaku trailer reel, a collection of original trailers for Fukasaku’s classic yakuza films from the 70s
• Image Gallery

DISC THREE – BATTLE ROYALE II: REQUIEM (BLU-RAY)

• Bloody Graduation: Kenta Fukasaku on Battle Royale II, an exclusive brand new interview with the director and screenwriter of Battle Royale II
• Behind the Scenes of Battle Royale II, on-location featurette during the film’s shoot
• Rehearsals footage of the auditions and pre-production rehearsals
• War and Struggle, featurette of the cast discussing their thoughts on war
• Alternate Piano Scene
• The Recording of the Music Score, archive footage of Masamichi Amano and the Warsaw National Philharmonic Orchestra
• Opening Gala with The Orchestra, featuring a public introduction by the director and main cast
• Battle Royale II Premiere, a featurette on the film’s first screening at the Marunouchi Toei Movie Theatre
• Trailers and TV spots
• Image gallery

DISC FOUR – BATTLE ROYALE II: REVENGE (BLU-RAY)

• A Tribute to Kinji Fukasaku, featuring scenes of Kinji Fukasaku on the location of Battle Royale II
• Kinji Fukasaku’s 73rd Birthday: A Speech by Kenta Fukasaku, paying public tribute to his father

DISC FIVE – BATTLE ROYALE (SOUNDTRACK CD)

• CD featuring the complete score to Battle Royale by Masamichi Amano and the Warsaw National Philharmonic Orchestra

Pre-order the UHD Box Set from Amazon.co.uk

Pre-order the BD Box Set from Amazon.co.uk

Psychological horror EVIE enters post-production

Brit indie feature film EVIE, starring Holli Dempsey (Derek, After Life), Michael Smiley (Luther, Kill List) and Jay Taylor (Donkey Punch, Manhunt), has just wrapped a four week shoot on locations in Yorkshire and the Llyn Peninsula, Wales.

 

Directed by Dominic Brunt (Before Dawn, Bait,) and Jamie Lundy (marking his feature film debut). the brooding psychological horror thriller centres on Evie (Dempsey), who has been burdened with a dark secret for most of her life. 

Witness to a family tragedy when they were younger and ripped from an idyllic life by the sea, both Evie and her older brother Tony (Taylor) were put into care. Twenty years later they are reunited, but something terrible from their past follows…

The film also stars Honey Lundy, Liam McMahon, Joanne Mitchell and Danny-Lee Brunt.

Dominic Brunt said today: “I was drawn to the allegorical aspects of the story and the stunning locations of Yorkshire and the Llyn Peninsula. I’d known Jamie Lundy as a brilliant stills photographer and knew that his skills would be borne out as a director and I very much enjoyed the experience of co-directing with such an exceptional talent. It was also a fantastic opportunity to work with my producer wife Joanne Mitchell again. For myself, I wanted to expand on my fascination for natural storytelling and placing horror within an everyday context. Evie is very much a psychological thriller with a wicked horror twist in its tale.”

Jamie Lundy added: “For most filmmakers, I’m sure it’s safe to say that most will never forget shooting their first feature film, for both the good reasons and the bad. For me, Evie was not only my debut film, but an emotional experience I will never forget. Producing a film in normal circumstances is of course very difficult but producing it in a global pandemic was tougher than we expected. I can only give credit to our amazing producer and the crew who started and finished the production with no Covid cases. Evie is something very special and celebrates great British landscapes, great British acting and great British filmmaking.”

EVIE is a Paper Clip Pictures & Mitchell-Brunt Films Production, produced by Joanne Mitchell and exec-produced by Jamie Lundy. Written and directed by Jamie Lundy and Dominic Brunt. Associate Producer is Julie Foy and DOP is Edward Ames. Prosthetic make-up is by Shaune Harrison.

Checkout the film's official Twitter page

 

 

DISCOVERY OF WITCHES - Series Two coming to Blu-ray, DVD & Digital

Dazzler Media proudly presents the unmissable Sky original, A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES : SERIES 2, available to own on Blu-ray, DVD & Digital from 12th April.

The brand new second series sees Diana and Matthew hiding in time, now in the fascinating and treacherous world of Elizabethan London. Here they must find a powerful witch to help Diana master her magic and search for the elusive Book of Life. In the present day, however, their enemies have not forgotten them.

Based on Shadow of the Night, the second book in author Deborah Harkness’ best-selling All Souls trilogy, A Discover of Witches is back for an unmissable, fantasy-filled and thrilling new season. 

Series Two of A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES is released to UK Blu-ray, DVD & Digital from 12th April

Also available as part of A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES: SERIES 1&2 Boxset on Blu-ray & DVD from 12th April

View the Trailer on YouTube.

Pre-order the Series 2 BD from Amazon.co.uk

Pre-order the Series 2 DVD from Amazon.co.uk

Pre-order the Series 1&2 BD Box-Set from Amazon.co.uk

Pre-order the Series 1&2 DVD Box-Set from Amazon.co.uk

 

10 Question with Jayne Wisener - star of THE HEIRESS

As supernatural horror film THE HEIRESS goes on digital release this month, lead actress Jayne Wiseman talks about her love of singing, coping with lockdown and her new period drama, Glow & Darkness.

Q) You star in a new British supernatural horror film, THE HEIRESS. Tell us how you got the part and what is was about the script that appealed to you.

I worked with David Wayman a few years ago and he mentioned me to Chris when they were discussing the project. Chris reached out me and we had a great chat about the project. I was really excited about the concept. I love supernatural horror in general and this was something I’d not quite seen before. 

Q) What did you find most demanding about playing Anna?

I found the role came quite naturally to me. Weirdly I was even five weeks pregnant when we started filming! I have a sister too so I understand the dynamics of a close female bond. The hardest thing was probably trying to change my accent to sound as much like Candis as possible! 

Q)You’ve worked in the horror genre before. Tell us about your part in Boogeyman 3.

That was a very small role right at the end of the movie. But it was fun to be a part of!

Q) Your first movie role was playing Johanna Barker in Tim Burton’s Sweeny Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Quite a career entry! Looking back, how do you reflect about the whole experience?

The entire experience was phenomenal. Everything completely incredible and I’m so grateful. I was very young though and spent a lot of time feeling very overwhelmed and insecure. I wish I had lived in the moment and allowed myself to enjoy it more than I did! 

Q) You enjoyed a three-year stint in the popular BBC Northern Ireland drama series 6 Degrees. What were the highlights for you?

Oh I adored doing that show. I got to live and work in Belfast with an incredible cast and crew who became such great friends. 

Q)You were born in Ballymoney and grew up in Coleraine. Have your Northern Irish roots continued to be important to you in terms of your career choices?

I have always jumped at every opportunity to work in Northern Ireland. I just love home. So much so that I actually moved back this year! 

Q) You’ve said you’re really proud of playing Lauren, the feisty schoolgirl in The Inbetweeners. Tell us more.

I was a fan of the show when it originally aired. It has since become a huge cult comedy with a massive following worldwide. Over ten years later, it continues to appeal to new generations of young people. I am so proud to have been a part of it. 

Q) You’re also a singer and have appeared in many successful musicals, such as Northern Ireland Opera’s co-production of Kiss Me, Kate. How do you plan to carry on with that part of your career?

I love singing and I really miss it when I don’t do it. Hopefully, I will have more opportunities to sing in the future. The pandemic has completely destroyed live theatre which devastates me. As soon as I’m asked to sing on a stage again I’ll savour every second. 

Q) How have you coped with lockdown?

I’ve been kept fairly busy during lockdown as I have a 2 year old son. I did struggle massively with my mental health last year during the initial lockdown to be honest. However, on the whole I have been very lucky. I live at home now so I’m able to bubble with family. But I do miss a lot of people terribly.

Q) Finally, what’s next for you?

I recently finished filming a nice role, playing Beatrice of Burgundy, in the upcoming medieval TV drama series ‘Glow & Darkness’ about the life of Francis of Assisi.  I’m looking forward to that being aired. Aside from that, I’m continuing with self tapes and hoping that the entertainment industry returns to some version of normal in the near future! 

THE HEIRESS is out now and available to download from all major platforms including iTunes, Amazon & SKY Box Office.

 

British thriller THE DARKNESS - coming to Digital May

Brand new British horror The Darkness, from director Tharun Mohan (Baby, Purgatory State of Mind) is set to chill you to the bone. This darkly gripping thriller follows a young couple whose escape to Ireland becomes a deadly dance with demons, death and deception and makes its UK premiere on Digital this May from Reel2Reel Films.

Spanning one hundred years, and filled with mythology and folklore we start in the present day where writer Lisa (Amelia Eve – The Haunting Of Bly Manor, Enterprice) and entrepreneur David (Cyril Blake – The Waiting Game, ZList) are desperate for a brief escape from their hectic London lives. 

They take up residence in an old remote home in Ballyvadlea, Ireland, where Lisa has plans to start writing her new book and David has a business plan to work on…but the house has other ideas.

When strange things start to occur Lisa uses her investigative skills and discovers a memoir of a woman called Niav (Katherine Hartshorne – Happiest Day, Chaos In The Spectrum) and delves deep into the past. But unlocking long closed doors has awoken a dormant evil spirit…and now the nightmare begins.

As the couple find themselves embroiled in a century long mystery of possessions, changelings and witchcraft, their only hope of help comes in the form of a strange priest named George. Can they escape the demonic entity and the dark past deep in the walls of this terror filled domain?

The Darkness is a must-see haunting creep-filled chiller, released on Digital Monday 3rd May.

 

THE NIGHT - Official Artwork & Trailer

You’ll be praying for check out time this April, as Vertigo Releasing announces the arrival of the fright-packed chiller THE NIGHT, on Digital this April.

Checkout the poster below...

After a night out with friends, an exhausted married couple, Babak (Shahab Hosseini), Neda (Niousha Noor) and their baby take shelter in the grand, but eerie Hotel Normandie. Throughout a seemingly endless night, mysterious disturbances ruin their night’s rest as Babak and Neda soon realize they’re locked-in with a malevolent force that hungers for the dark secrets they’ve kept from one another.

Filmed in an LA hotel actually alleged to be haunted, which makes The Shining’s Overlook seem positively welcoming; THE NIGHT is an outstanding debut feature from writer/director Kourosh Ahari, featuring fantastic lead performances from Shahab Hosseini (A Separation), and Niousha Noor (Here and Now), with an ending M. Night Shyamalan would kill for.  

View the trailer below..

If you were glued to Netflix’s The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel, be sure to make your reservations now for a night with THE NIGHT. You’ll jump right out of your complimentary bathrobe and never want to spend a night away from home again.

THE NIGHT is released to Digital outlets from 2nd April by Vertigo Releasing.

Poster and trailer revealed for new Canadian thriller THE OAK ROOM

From the distributor that brought you Sator & Disappearance at Clifton Hill, Lightbulb Film Distribution is delighted to share the poster and trailer for a new claustrophobic thriller, THE OAK ROOM, which is coming to Digital Download from April 26.

View the poster below...

During a raging snowstorm, a drifter (RJ Mitte) offers to settle a debt with a grizzled bartender by telling him a story. The night's events quickly spiral into a dark tale of deceit, mistaken identity and shocking violence.

Following its world premiere at Fantasia, the UK premiere took place at Grimmfest in October.

THE OAK ROOM is a sinister thriller from Black Fawn Films (the team behind I’ll Take Your Dead and Vicious Fun). Directed by Cody Calahan (Let Her Out) the film stars RJ Mitte (Breaking Bad), Peter Outerbridge (V-Wars) and Ari Millen (Orphan Black).

View the trailer below...

 

THE OAK ROOM will be released on digital download from April 26 in the UK, from April 27 in Canada (Black Fawn Distribution) and from April 28 (also Lightbulb Film Distribution) in Australia and New Zealand.