In this San Diego Comic-Con clip, we hear from a literal roundtable of the best comic book artists in the business, who offer their thoughts on the industry while whipping up some early morning sketches. It's an absolute must watch for any comic fan or hopeful professional, and best of all, it's in 360 degrees.
Monday, July 31, 2017
DC Artist Master Class: Jim Lee, Greg Capullo, Amanda Conner, Tony Daniel, Andy Kubert, John Romita
If you're interested in drawing comics, it always helps to hear from people who are already doing it...and it's hard to think of anyone doing it better than Jim Lee, Greg Capullo, John Romita, Jr., Amanda Conner, Andy Kubert and Tony S. Daniel.
I Remember Seeing The Original On The Big Screen.
Chad Michael Collins Joins Forces with Original Sniper Stars
Tom Berenger & Billy Zane for the Ultimate Sniper Adventure
SNIPER: ULTIMATE KILL
Experience the Excitement At Point-Blank Range
On Blu-ray™, DVD and Digital October 3
CULVER CITY, Calif. (July 31, 2017) –Chad Michael Collins (Sniper: Reloaded, Sniper: Legacy, Sniper: Ghost Shooter) and original Sniper stars Tom Berenger (Sniper, Sniper 2, Sniper 3, Sniper: Legacy,) and Billy Zane (Sniper, Sniper: Reloaded, Sniper: Ghost Shooter) team up together for the first time ever in SNIPER: ULTIMATE KILL, taking aim on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital October 3 from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. In this thrilling new chapter of the enduringly popular military action-adventure franchise, Collins is back as elite Special Ops sniper Brandon Beckett, who joins forces with returning characters Sgt. Thomas Beckett (Berenger) and Richard Miller (Zane) to take on “The Devil,” a deadly sniper working for a powerful Colombian drug cartel who has access to advanced weaponry, including the “impossible bullet.” Directed by returning series’ director Claudio Fäh (Sniper: Reloaded) and co-starring Danay Garcia (TV’s “Fear the Walking Dead,” “Prison Break: Resurrection”) and Joe Lando (TV’s “The Secret Circle,” “Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman”), SNIPER: ULTIMATE KILL is loaded with the kind of explosive action and pulse-pounding suspense fans have come to expect from the Sniper series and action fans-at-large won’t want to miss!
Synopsis: When a brutal Colombian drug cartel begins waging all-out war on the local authorities, elite Special Ops sniper Brandon Beckett is recruited to assist a top Colombian Federal Agent. Calling the shots for the U.S. squad is none other than Brandon’s dad, Sgt. Thomas Beckett, and his boss, Richard Miller. The team comes into the deadly crosshairs of a notorious cartel sniper, with an array of high-tech weaponry at his command, in this intense, military action-thriller.
SNIPER: ULTIMATE KILL was written by Chris Hauty (Sniper: Ghost Shooter, Never Back Down series), based on characters created by Michael Frost Beckner and Crash Leyland. It was produced by David Zelon (Never Back Down series, Soul Surfer). Executive producer is Andrés Calderón.
SNIPER: ULTIMATE KILL has a run time of approximately 93 minutes and is rated R for violence, grisly images, strong sexuality, some graphic nudity, and language.
Saturday, July 29, 2017
Esoteric Hollywood: Sex, Cults and Symbolism In Film Book Review
Jay Dyer's Esoteric Hollywood: Sex, Cults and Symbolism In Film goes up there with some of the best alternative media books out there. I would place it right beside's David Icke's The Biggest Secret in terms of it's scope and the revelations it entails and yet unlike Icke's book, Mr. Dyer's work is not that of a conspiracy researcher. Rather he is kind of like a University Professor teaching his audience or students in esoteric film studies designed to provoke cognitive reflection. I think Esoteric Hollywood: Sex, Cults and Symbolism In Film could be a text book and I would advise anyone with an interest cinema or the media, regardless of which direction you approach it, to buy this book a read it through. Mr. Dyer is incredibly well read based on his references and he truly gives the reader the impression that he knows what he is talking about and that is regardless if you agree with his assessments or not. I really cannot recommend this book highly enough. Film students should read this as well as writing students and anyone interested in the arts. This makes an excellent companion to Christian Vogler's The Writer's Journey as well as The Power of Myth with Joseph Campbell and Bill Moyers. In fact this just might be what I call required reading for humanity. Pick it up and see for yourself now.
(C) Copyright 2017 By Mark A. Rivera
All Rights Reserved.
Friday, July 28, 2017
Brigsby Bear | Now Playing
Now Playing In Select Theaters
Official Selection - 2017 Sundance Film Festival
2017 Cannes Critics' Week Closing Film
Cast: Kyle Mooney, Beck Bennett, Claire Danes, Mark Hamill, Jorge Lendeborg Jr., Greg Kinnear, Kate Lyn Sheil, Ryan Simpkins, Matt Walsh and Michaela Watkins
Directed by: Dave McCary
Written by: Kyle Mooney and Kevin Costello
Distributor: Sony Pictures Classics
Rating: PG-13
Brigsby Bear Adventures is a children's TV show produced for an audience of one: James (Kyle Mooney). When the show abruptly ends, James's life changes forever, he sets out to finish the story himself and must learn to cope with the realities of a new world that he knows nothing about.
#BrigsbyBear
NEXT WEEK ON USA...
LAW AND ORDER: SVU “She’s a Sinner Marathon” –10:00am- 11:00pm
Fueled by desire, revenge or insanity, these sinful sirens are certainly not to be trifled with. After all, hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. Also, be sure to tune-in to see special behind the scenes footage with Jessica Biel & Bill Pullman from USA's much anticipated new series, The Sinner.
WWE MONDAY NIGHT RAW (LIVE) – 8/7c
WWE Superstars take the stage live in front of thousands in attendance at the PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. RAW Superstars include Kevin Owens, Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, Charlotte, Big Show, Sasha Banks and The New Day.
WWE SMACKDOWN (LIVE) – 8/7c
WWE Superstars take the stage live in front of thousands in attendance at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. SmackDown Live Superstars include John Cena, AJ Styles, The Miz, Becky Lynch, Dean Ambrose, Nikki Bella and Randy Orton.
SHOOTER “Don’t Mess With Texas” – 10/9c
Bob Lee finds Isaac Johnson on his doorstep in West Texas, and learns how Isaac barely escaped an attempt on his life. In DC, Nadine discovers just how much influence Patricia Gregson wields. A traumatized Julie fights to stay strong for her family, while Bob Lee’s longtime enemy hits close to home.
THE SINNER – 10/9c *SERIES PREMIERE*
Starring and executive produced by Jessica Biel, "The Sinner" follows a young mother who, when overcome by an inexplicable fit of rage, commits a startling act of violence and to her horror, has no idea why. Detective Harry Ambrose (Bill Pullman) finds himself obsessed with uncovering the woman's buried motive. Based on Petra Hammesfahr’s book of the same name, the eight-episode crime thriller’s driving force is not the “who” or the “what” -- but the “why.”
SUITS “Divide and Conquer”– 9/8c
Harvey, Louis and Donna must get on the same page – and fast – when Bratton Gould comes after PSL for poaching an attorney. Mike and Rachel struggle to make time for their wedding plans.
Tune-in to see special behind the scenes footage with Jessica Biel and Bill Pullman from USA's much anticipated new series, The Sinner, premiering tonight at 10/9c after Suits.
QUEEN OF THE SOUTH “Sólo el Amor de Una Madre” – 10/9c
An uncharacteristic blunder forces Camila and Teresa to go on the run from hitmen, but on the journey they forge a deeper bond
LAW AND ORDER: SVU “Happy Birthday, Richard Belzer!” –8:00am-6:00pm
Detective John Munch, portrayed by Richard Belzer, was so loved on Homicide: Life on the Street, that NBC moved his character over to SVU. Tune-in as we celebrate the birthday of Mr. Belzer.
Modern Family Friday – 6:00pm-12:30am
If it’s Friday, it means an evening full of Modern Family!
NCIS “On Location Marathon” –11:00am-11:00pm
The NCIS gang has been toiling away all year long catching criminals and cracking cases, but when summer rolls around, they’ll pack up their desks and head out to some exotic locales…for the exact opposite of rest and recovery.
NEXT WEEK ON SYFY...
SYFY invites fans to dive in head first to all things sharks - and 'nados! - with a week full of original, shark-tastic programming beginning July 30 and culminating with the worldwide release of SHARKNADO 5: GLOBAL SWARMING on August 6.
5-HEADED SHARK ATTACK – 8/7c *MOVIE*
Shaped like a demented starfish, a monster 5-headed shark terrorizes the open ocean before invading the beaches of Puerto Rico, endangering the once peaceful island paradise. Starring Chris Bruno, Nikki Alexis Howard, Lindsay Sawyer, Chris Costanzo, Jeffrey Holzman.
MISSISSIPPI RIVER SHARKS –8/7c *MOVIE*
Sharks attack a fish rodeo on the Mississippi River, and it is up to a group of locals to stop them. Starring Cassie Steele, Marco St. John, Jason London, Jeremy London, Miles Doleac, Dean West.
FACE OFF: DIVIDE AND CONQUER “Feral Fungi” – 9/8c
The six remaining artists create victims of a fungal virus that turns people into zombies.
TRAILER PARK SHARK – 8/7c *MOVIE*
A tropical storm floods Soggy Meadows trailer park and forces a hungry shark upriver. TRAILER PARK SHARK reunites SHARKNADO’s Tara Reid with her “American Pie” co-star Thomas Ian Nicholas. The film also stars Dennis Haskins, Lulu Jovovich, Clint James.
BLOOD DRIVE “A Fistful of Blood” – 10/9c
Arthur helps a sheriff take back his town from rebel outlaws, only to realize he’s fighting on the wrong side. Grace and Slink have their ultimate showdown. Christopher finally escapes Heart Enterprises, where he learns the world outside is not the world he remembers.
TOXIC SHARK – 8/7c *MOVIE*
A tropical singles retreat takes a terrifying turn when guests realize a poisonous shark is infesting the surrounding water. Not only will this toxic shark rip apart its victims, but it also uses projectile acid to hunt… in and out of the water! Starring Eric Etebari, Kabby Borders, Bryce Durfee, Sean Samuels, Christina Masterson.
KILJOYS “Necropolis Now” – 8/7c
As John faces off with someone from his past, Dutch faces her own personal hell: trapped in a space elevator with a bunch of pompous Qreshis who start mysteriously dying around her one by one.
DARK MATTER “Built, Not Born– 9/8c
A distress call from the Android’s friend, Victor, leads to answers about TWO’s past.
WYNONNA EARP “Forever Mine Nevermind”– 10/9c
Wynonna asks Doc to make an impossible choice. Waverly makes a new friend -- and is terrorized by an old one.
EMPIRE OF THE SHARKS – 8/7c *MOVIE*
Set in a future where most of Earth is covered by water and the only land left is controlled by a warlord who rules with an army of hyper-intelligent sharks, unlucky humans are used as shark food. But when two friends risk their lives to rescue a trapped prisoner, those imprisoned decide to rise against their captor and his legion of bloodthirsty sharks. Starring John Savage, Jonathan Pienaar, Joe Vaz, Camilla Waldman, Brandon Auret, Philip Tan.
SHARKNADO 5: GLOBAL SWARMING – 8/7c *PREMIERE*
As shark-infested storms grow stronger and more complex, the world braces for the inevitable - a global sharknado. This year, the mission gets personal for chainsaw-wielding leader Fin Shepard (Ian Ziering) and his bionic wife, April (Tara Reid), when their young son gets trapped in a sharknado and is transported all over the world. Cameos include Olivia Newton-John and daughter Chloe Lattanzi as brilliant scientists, Fabio as the Pope, Charo as the Queen of England, Porsha Williams as an archeologist, Bret Michaels, Clay Aiken, Chris Kattan, and more.
TNT Programming Alert Week of August 20, 2017
TNT Programming Alert
Week of August 20, 2017
TWO-EPISODE SEASON FOUR PREMIERE: The Last Ship
"In Medias Res" – Sunday, Aug. 20, at 9 p.m. (ET/PT)
Sixteen months after thwarting the coup in America, Nathan James must face yet another global disaster. The question remains, where in the world is Tom Chandler?
Directed by Paul Holahan
Written by Steven Kane
Based on the Novel by William Brinkley
Created by Hank Steinberg & Steven Kane
"The Pillars of Hercules" – Sunday, Aug. 20, at 10 p.m. (ET/PT)
Having lost their only lead, the crew of Nathan James continues their search for an item that could save the world. Chandler immerses himself in a mission for revenge.
Directed by Reza Tabrizi
Written by Onalee Hunter Hughes
Based on the Novel by William Brinkley
Created by Hank Steinberg & Steven Kane
Will
"Your Houses" – Monday, Aug. 21, at 9 p.m. (ET/PT) – TV-MA-LSV
Will (Laurie Davidson) is shocked to learn of Alice's (Olivia DeJonge) new passion. Haunted by his inability to write, Marlowe (Jamie Campbell Bower) embarks on a self-destructive path. Plague haunts London, and Richard (Mattias Inwood) discovers what he believes in.
Directed by Jonathan Teplitzky
Written by Mark Steilen
Created by Craig Pearce
Animal Kingdom
"You Will Be Gutted" – Tuesday, Aug. 22, at 9 p.m. (ET/PT)
With Smurf (Ellen Barkin) in jail, Baz (Scott Speedman) makes his move to run the family, but his brothers have other plans.
Directed by Larry Teng
Written by Jonathan Lisco
Based on the Australian motion picture Animal Kingdom written by David Michôd
Developed for Television by Jonathan Lisco
Thursday, July 27, 2017
Behind The Mask: The Batman Dead End Story DVD Review
The first time I saw Batman: Dead End was on a bootleg DVD my brother picked up at a sci-fi convention, which were places we would go to usually to shop for cool movies no one had ever seen yet on a video shelf. Back in the 1990s and early 2000s, a company called Creation would have Star Trek Coventions somewhere within New York's Madison Square Garden. Though Star Trek was the main focus of these conventions, which were basically a theater where the guests would speak to the attendees or film trailers were screened and then there was a huge flea market like sales floor where all sorts of costume pieces from a variety franchises and tons of books, comics and videos were sold. Now everything everywhere in every state or country is basically a Comic Con and while I am sure Star Trek conventions still exist, the success of conventions like San Diego Comic Con and New York Comic Con have eclipsed th smaller venues to a point where one has to wonder whether or not having a theme specific convention is still profitable in an environment where the bigger cons yield more exposure and are simulcast on social media for free.
One of the biggest if not truly the mother of all professionally made fan films was and still is Batman: Dead End, but aside from being the first notable short film to present franchises that were and would appear in multi brand event graphic novel spin offs, Batman: Dead End would kind of fade away from the point of view of a Sci-Fi aficionado in Brooklyn, who was unfamiliar with the talent that made the film and the story of how the film would move from a concept to what happened afterwards. Now on DVD and through multiple Video On Demand services, people can learn about the director Sandy Collora, who moved to California from New York with creative dreams and great artistic talent to sculpt and paint things for his employers. After a brief stint working at Stan Winston Studios, Sandy would eventually find himself earning approximately ten thousand dollars a sculpt for the burgeoning collectible market while being mentored by a great artisan in the industry he admired and who saw talent within Sandy.
Finally with $35.000 from his own pocket, Collora went about to make a calling card. By this time he had moved on from making sculpts for statues and toys to directing TV commercials, but was frustrated that no one in Hollywood he wanted to impress was responding to his reel. Eventually, armed with years worth of developed materials he got his film made that early on had Sylvester Stallone and Mark Hammil attached to play Batman and the Joker respectively. While this would ultimately not come to pass, he found his Batman in Clark Bartram and the Joker was played with glee by the late Andrew Koenig, who may be remembered by some as Kirk Cameron's best friend in the 1980s family sitcom Growing Pains and whose father play Chekhov on Star Trek and in it's many incarnations. Notably the now iconic Big Red Predator seen in the film's final moments is what continues to live on through NECA Reel Toys' popular seven inch and quarter scale Predator figure line.
The crux of this film is basically how a man with a vision turned it into a reality and subsequently the tidlewave of acclaim that followed, which was overshadowed by his own ego and unwillingness to compromise with the Hollywood studio system and how he eventually would direct the low budget, high production value sci-fi film Hunter Prey, which I think I have seen on Syfy and the new project he is working on entitled Shalow Water.
This is an interesting documentary that one wishes the fan film that inspired it could have been included, but for obvious legal reasons it is not although you can stream it for free on YouTube. The DVD presents Behind The Mask: The Batman Dead End Story in a clear 16 by 9 widescreen aspect ratio with English Two-Chanel Sound. There are no extra features or subtitle options found on the disc.
Definitely worth checking out if one is at all remotely interested in Batman: Dead End, Behind The Mask: The Batman Dead End Story is available now on DVD courtesy of Candy Factory Films and is also available to stream on iTunes, Amazon and Google Play.
(C) Copyright 2017 By Mark A. Rivera
All Rights Reserved.
Tuesday, July 25, 2017
BAYWATCH- extended version comes to 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray August 29th and Digital HD August 15th
DWAYNE JOHNSON AND ZAC EFRON GO BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY IN THE OUTRAGEOUS, ACTION-PACKED COMEDY
BAYWATCH
Raucous Extended Version Hits the Beach August 29, 2017 on 4K Ultra HD™ and
Blu-ray™ Combo Packs
Digital HD Available Two Weeks Early on August 15
HOLLYWOOD, Calif. – The “bawdy, sexy” (Neil Pond, Parade) and “ridiculously fun” (Rachel Smith, FOX-TV) comedy BAYWATCH makes waves with a new extended version, featuring outrageous footage not seen in theaters, on 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack and Blu-ray Combo Pack August 29, 2017 from Paramount Home Media Distribution. Fans can dive in two weeks early on Digital HD August 15.
When a dangerous crime wave hits the beach, legendary Lt. Mitch Buchannon (Dwayne Johnson, The Fate of the Furious) leads his elite squad of badass lifeguards on a mission to prove you don’t have to wear a badge to save the bay. Joined by a trio of hot-shot recruits including former Olympian Matt Brody (Zac Efron, Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising), they’ll ditch the surf and go deep undercover to take down a ruthless businesswoman (Priyanka Chopra, TV’s “Quantico”), whose devious plans threaten the future of the bay.
The BAYWATCH 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray Combo Packs include both the extended and theatrical versions of the film and are loaded with special features, including interviews with the sensational cast, a look at the “Baywatch” legacy, behind-the-scenes footage of the spectacular stunts, as well as deleted and extended scenes. The film also boasts a Dolby Atmos® soundtrack* remixed specifically for the home theater environment to place and move audio anywhere in the room, including overhead.
BAYWATCH Blu-ray Combo Pack
The BAYWATCH Blu-ray is presented in 1080p high definition with English Dolby Atmos (Dolby TrueHD compatible), French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, Portuguese 5.1 Dolby Digital and English Audio Description and English, English SDH, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles. The DVD in the combo pack is presented in widescreen enhanced for 16:9 TVs with English 5.1 Dolby Digital, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital and English Audio Description and English, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles. The combo pack includes access to a Digital HD copy of the theatrical version of the film as well as the following:
Blu-ray
· Extended Version of the film in high definition
· Theatrical Version of the film in high definition
· Bonus Content:
o Meet the Lifeguards
o Continuing the Legacy
o Stunts & Training
o Deleted & Extended Scenes
DVD
- Theatrical Version of the film in standard definition
BAYWATCH 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack
Fans can enjoy the ultimate viewing experience with the 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack, which includes the Blu-ray detailed above, as well as an Ultra HD Disc presented in 4K Ultra HD with English Dolby Atmos (Dolby TrueHD compatible), French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, Portuguese 5.1 Dolby Digital and English Audio Description with English, English SDH, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles. The Combo Pack also includes access to a Digital HD copy of the theatrical version of the film.
BAYWATCH Single-Disc DVD
The single-disc DVD is presented in widescreen enhanced for 16:9 TVs with English 5.1 Dolby Digital, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital and English Audio Description and English, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles. The disc includes the theatrical version of the film in standard definition.
http://www.TheBaywatchMovie.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BaywatchMovie
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BaywatchMovie
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/BaywatchMovie
iTunes: http://paramnt.us/GetBaywatchNow
Amazon: http://paramnt.us/BaywatchBlu-ray
Sony Pictures: Celebrate The 40th Anniversary Of Steven Spielberg's Landmark Sci-Fi Classic "CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND"
Celebrate The 40th Anniversary Of Steven Spielberg's Landmark Sci-Fi Classic "CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND"
Theatrical Re-release hits theaters September 1
CULVER CITY, Calif., July 25, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Sony Pictures will celebrate the 40th anniversary of legendary director Steven Spielberg's epic science fiction adventure CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND with a series of special events. As a highlight of the celebration, the film has been restored and remastered in 4K and will be returning to the big screen in the United States and Canada. The Director's Cut will receive an exclusive 1 week engagement in theaters across the country starting September 1, as well as a World Premiere in the Venezia Classici section of the Venice International Film Festival. Park Circus will distribute the film in international territories to follow.
"The release of Close Encounters ushered in a new way of approaching science fiction that has influenced countless filmmakers in the decades since," said Adrian Smith, President, Domestic Distribution for Sony Pictures Releasing. "We couldn't be happier to celebrate its 40th anniversary by introducing it to a new generation of film fans through this special engagement."
Richard Dreyfuss (Jaws), Teri Garr (Tootsie), Melinda Dillon (A Christmas Story) and acclaimed French film director François Truffaut star in the story of a group of people who attempt to contact alien intelligence. Nominated for eight Academy Awards®, including Best Director (Spielberg) and Best Supporting Actress (Dillon), CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND won for Best Cinematography (Vilmos Zsigmond) with Frank E. Warner taking home a Special Achievement Award for sound effects editing.
CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND is presented with an all-new 4K restoration. The film was fully restored from the 35mm original camera negative, thereby utilizing in 4K the full resolution, detail and color depth inherent in the film.
Synopsis:
After an encounter with U.F.O.s, a line worker feels undeniably drawn to an isolated area in the wilderness where something spectacular is about to happen.
Written and directed by Steven Spielberg, CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND was produced by Julia Phillips and Michael Phillips.
CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND has a run time of approximately 135 min (1977 Theatrical Version), 132 minutes (1980 Special Edition), and 137 minutes (1997 Director's Cut). The film is rated PG for some intense sci-fi action, mild language and thematic elements.
Monday, July 24, 2017
KEN BURNS AND LYNN NOVICK PRESENT THE LANDMARK DOCUMENTARY SERIES “THE VIETNAM WAR”
KEN BURNS AND LYNN NOVICK PRESENT THE LANDMARK DOCUMENTARY SERIES
“THE VIETNAM WAR”
“THE VIETNAM WAR” airs on PBS September 17 – September 21 &
September 24 – September 28. Check local listings
Available on DVD and Blu-ray September 19th
Arlington, Va. – July 24, 2017 – PBS Distribution announced today it is releasing the new documentary series directed by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick THE VIETNAM WAR on DVD and Blu-ray September 19, 2017, coinciding with its PBS airing. In an immersive narrative, Burns and Novick tell the epic story of the Vietnam War as it has never before been told on film. THE VIETNAM WAR features testimony from nearly 100 witnesses, including many Americans who fought in the war and others who opposed it, as well as Vietnamese combatants and civilians from both the winning and losing sides (see clips here).
Ten years in the making, the series brings the war and the chaotic epoch it encompassed viscerally to life. Written by Geoffrey C. Ward, produced by Sarah Botstein, Novick and Burns, it includes rarely seen, digitally re-mastered archival footage from sources around the globe, photographs taken by some of the most celebrated photojournalists of the 20th century, historic television broadcasts, evocative home movies, and revelatory audio recordings from inside the Kennedy, Johnson and Nixon administrations.
The run time of the program is approximately 1080 minutes on 10 discs. The SRP for the DVD is $99.99 and $129.99 for Blu-ray. There are over 100 minutes of extra bonus footage, including a 45-minute preview program, 2 pieces on contemporary lives of 2 of the participants, and bonus content. The program will also be available for digital download.
“The Vietnam War was a decade of agony that took the lives of more than 58,000 Americans,” Burns said. “Not since the Civil War have we as a country been so torn apart. There wasn’t an American alive then who wasn’t affected in some way — from those who fought and sacrificed in the war, to families of service members and POWs, to those who protested the war in open conflict with their government and fellow citizens. More than 40 years after it ended, we can’t forget Vietnam, and we are still arguing about why it went wrong, who was to blame and whether it was all worth it.”
“We are all searching for some meaning in this terrible tragedy. Ken and I have tried to shed new light on the war by looking at it from the bottom up, the top down and from all sides,” Novick said. “In addition to dozens of Americans who shared their stories, we interviewed many Vietnamese on both the winning and losing sides, and were surprised to learn that the war remains as painful and unresolved for them as it is for us. Within this almost incomprehensibly destructive event, we discovered profound, universal human truths, as well as uncanny resonances with recent events.”
THE VIETNAM WAR features new, original music written and recorded by Academy Award-winning composers Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. The film also features new music arranged and performed by Grammy Award-winning cellist Yo-Yo Ma and The Silk Road Ensemble. It is the first time Burns and Novick have worked with Reznor and Ross, as well as with Ma and The Silk Road Ensemble. Additional music in the film was composed by David Cieri and Doug Wamble, both of whom are longtime collaborators with Florentine Films.
The series also features more than 120 popular songs that define the era, including tracks from The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, Simon & Garfunkel, Janis Joplin, Ben E. King, Phil Ochs, Donovan, Johnny Cash, Barry McGuire, Buffalo Springfield, The Byrds, Otis Redding, Santana, Joni Mitchell, Nina Simone, The Temptations, Booker T. and the M.G.s, Pete Seeger and more.
The film will be accompanied by an outreach and public engagement program, providing opportunities — facilitated by public television stations — for communities to participate in a national conversation about what happened during the Vietnam War, what went wrong and what lessons are to be learned. In addition, there will be a robust interactive website and an educational initiative designed to engage teachers and students through multiple platforms, including PBS LearningMedia.
Viewers are encouraged to join the conversation: #VietnamWarPBS
THE VIETNAM WAR rounds out a trilogy of Florentine Films’ exploration of American wars that began with Burns’s landmark series, THE CIVIL WAR (1990), followed by Burns and Novick’s acclaimed seven-part series about World War II, THE WAR (2007).
Accompanying the series will be a companion book — written by Geoffrey C. Ward, with an introduction by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick — that will be published by Alfred A. Knopf, Burns’s longtime publisher, on September 5.
Funding for THE VIETNAM WAR is provided by Bank of America; Corporation for Public Broadcasting; PBS; David H. Koch; The Blavatnik Family Foundation; Park Foundation; The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations; The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation; The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation; National Endowment for the Humanities; The Pew Charitable Trusts; Ford Foundation Just Films; Rockefeller Brothers Fund; and
Members of The Better Angels Society:
Jonathan & Jeannie Lavine, Hal & Diane Brierley, Amy & David Abrams, John & Catherine Debs, Fullerton Family Charitable Fund, The Montrone Family, Lynda & Stewart Resnick, The Golkin Family Foundation, The Lynch Foundation, The Roger & Rosemary Enrico Foundation, Richard S. & Donna L. Strong Foundation, Bonnie & Tom McCloskey, Barbara K. & Cyrus B. Sweet III, The Lavender Butterfly Fund.
THE VIETNAM WAR is a production of Florentine Films and WETA, Washington, DC. Directed by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick. Written by Geoffrey C. Ward. Produced by Sarah Botstein, Lynn Novick and Ken Burns.
About WETA
WETA Washington, DC, is one of the largest producing stations of new content for public television in the United States. WETA productions and co-productions include PBS NewsHour, Washington Week, The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize, The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song, Latino Americans and The Italian Americans; documentaries by filmmaker Ken Burns, including The Civil War, Baseball, The National Parks: America’s Best Idea, The Roosevelts: An Intimate History and The Vietnam War; and productions by Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates, Jr., includingFinding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. (Season Three), Black America Since MLK: And Still I Rise and Africa’s Great Civilizations. WETA presentations include Martha Stewart’s Cooking School, Pati’s Mexican Table, Sara’s Weeknight Meals, Globe Trekker and Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood. Sharon Percy Rockefeller is president and CEO. The WETA studios and administrative offices are located in Arlington, Virginia. More information on WETA and its programs and services is available at www.weta.org. On social media, visit www.facebok.com/wetatvfm on Facebook or follow @WETAtvfm on Twitter.
About PBS Distribution
PBS Distribution is the leading media distributor for the public television community, both domestically and internationally, extending the reach of these programs beyond broadcast while generating revenue for the public television system, stations, and producers.
PBS Distribution offers a broad range of high quality content in multiple formats including DVD, Blu-ray, digital download, and digital streaming. PBS International offers factual content for broadcast, cable, and satellite services internationally. The PBS Distribution catalog includes films from Ken Burns, documentaries from award-winning series such as NOVA, FRONTLINE, AMERICAN MASTERS, NATURE, and AMERICAN EXPERIENCE, dramas from MASTERPIECE, as well as films from independent producers and popular children’s programming.
THE VIETNAM WAR: A FILM BY KEN BURNS AND LYNN NOVICK
Street Date: September 19, 2017
Genre: Documentary
Run Time: Approximately 1080 Minutes on 10 discs
SRP: DVD $99.99, Blu-ray $129.99
Format: DVD & Blu-ray
KICK-ASS – Starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Nicolas Cage – Available on 4K Ultra HD for the First Time October 3
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
Director and cowriter Matthew Vaughn (Stardust, Kingsman: The Secret Service, X-Men: First Class) flips the superhero genre on its head in Kick-Ass, arriving on 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack (plus Blu-ray™ and Digital HD) October 3 from Lionsgate. Adapted from the comic-book franchise of the same name written by Mark Millar, Golden Globe® winner Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Best Supporting Actor, Nocturnal Animals, 2017) brings the colorful teenage hero to life alongside Oscar® winner Nicolas Cage (Best Actor, Leaving Las Vegas, 1995) and Chloë Grace Moretz. Revisit the hilarious action comedy in four-times the resolution of Full HD with the Kick-Ass 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack, available for the suggested retail price of $22.99.
OFFICIAL SYNOPSIS
Dave Lizewski (Taylor-Johnson) is an ordinary teenager who goes unnoticed in high school until he takes a chance to “do something” and dons a mask and becomes “Kick-Ass” to fight real-life crime. Bruised and beaten and without any real super powers, he is saved by a father-daughter duo (Cage as “Big Daddy,” Moretz as “Hit-Girl”) who know all the right moves and have a vendetta against a vicious crime lord, D’Amico (Mark Strong). After a fiery internet storm of publicity for Kick-Ass, D’Amico wants to meet the masked man, and his son (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) dons a costume of his own and becomes “Red Mist” to befriend him and get in his father’s good graces. The story comes to a head when D’Amico succeeds in luring the crime fighters to his home and ass-kicking destruction ensues.
CAST
Aaron Taylor-Johnson Godzilla, Nocturnal Animals, Avengers: Age of Ultron
Christopher Mintz-Plasse Role Models, Superbad, Neighbors
Mark Strong Sherlock Holmes, Kingsman: The Secret Service, Stardust
Chloë Grace Moretz Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising, Hugo, (500) Days of Summer
and Nicolas Cage Lord of War, National Treasure, Ghost Rider
4K ULTRA HD SPECIAL FEATURES
- “A New Kind of Superhero: The Making of Kick-Ass” 4-Part Documentary
- “It’s On! The Comic Book Origin of Kick-Ass” Featurette
- Audio Commentary with Writer-Director Matthew Vaughn
- Marketing Archive
BLU-RAY/DIGITAL HD SPECIAL FEATURES
- Ass-Kicking Bonus View Mode (Blu-ray Disc Exclusive) – Synchronous with the feature film, this innovative multi-media presentation incorporates video and audio commentary, behind-the-scenes clips and illustrative graphics with Co-Writer/Producer/Director Matthew Vaughn, plus cast and crew providing an all-access perspective on Kick-Ass
- “The Art of Kick-Ass” Gallery