Introducing THE DEAD DUCK'S DUCK HUNT!

The internet is a huge and nearly infinite place, filled with the bulk of humanity's knowledge... and cat photos.... and lots and lots of porn... and viral videos... and memes... and, well, you get the idea. Because of all the info floating around out there, a lot of stuff gets overlooked, especially on Youtube (trust me on that, I know from experience).

Case in point, tonight I was introduced to a newly started web-series called THE DEAD DUCK'S DUCK HUNT, an odd little show that focuses on cult, horror, and exploitation films. It's weird, but I definitely dug it, and think some of you frequent readers and cult film fanatics will dig it too. Thus far "The Dead Duck" has two videos out there on the Youtube. The first covers numerous Shout! Factory DVD releases (mainly their awesome selection of Roger Corman Cult Classics), and the second gives a brief overview of the films of Lucio Fulci!

Give the Dead Duck's Duck Hunt a little love by watching the videos below. If you like what you see, be sure to give them a thumbs up, subscribe and/or comment on the videos, and share them too! I know these guys would love to hear what you have to say, plus they could use the extra traffic!

New DVDs & Blu-rays for 03/26/2013!

Holy Hell! Your bank accounts are about to take an ass-whoopin' this week fellow hoarders of digital versatile discs and Blu-rays! Mill Creek has unleashed numerous bargain-priced double feature Blu-rays and Scream/Shout! Factory are hitting us with some awesome new stuff, including a new MST3K DVD set and two new Horror classics hitting Blu-ray for the first time ever! Scroll down and see what's new this week!




NEW TO DVD & BLU-RAY
Bangkok Revenge
The Collection
From Beyond (Collector's Edition - DVD/Blu-ray combo)
Phantasm II (Collector's Edition)



NEW TO BLU-RAY
Best of the Best 3: No Turning Back
Dead Collections
Dead Sushi
Futureworld
Hollow Man / Hollow Man 2
Jezebeth
Star Trek: Enterprise - Season One
Terminator Anthology
When a Stranger Calls / Happy Birthday to Me



NEW TO DVD
6 Dead Souls
Alleycat (Remastered Widescreen Edition)
Angels Brigade (a.k.a. Seven from Heaven, Angels' Revenge)
Animus
Bad Meat
Bled White
Bloodline: Vengeance From Beyond
Darkest Corner of Paradise
Deadly Karma
Death From Above
The Death Wheelers
Dinosaur Project
Discipline
The Frankenstein Theory
Ichi: The Killer Pack
Johnny Sokko and His Giant Robot: The Complete Series
Kill the Ugly TV
Loved Ones
Mad Cowgirl (Gourmet Edition - 3D & 2D)
Mystery Science Theater 3000: Volume XXVI
Population 2
Possession in Japan
Sexsquatch: The Legend of Blood Stool Creek
Stagnight of the Dead
To Live and Die in Hollywood
Virtual Weapon
Zombie Genocide: Legion of the Damned

'Ender's Game': first poster for epic alien invasion movie

Silver Screen Saucers

Summit Entertainmenthas released the first poster for Ender's Game, the hotly anticipated big screen adaptation of Orson Scott Card’s bestselling sci-fi novel...

 

The film – which stars Asa Butterfield, Ben Kingsley, Harrison Ford, Hailee Steinfeld, Abigail Breslin, and Viola Davis – hits theaters and IMAX on November 1. It’s plot reads as follows:

“In the near future, a hostile alien race called the Formics have attacked Earth. If not for the legendary heroics of International Fleet Commander Mazer Rackham (Ben Kingsley), all would have been lost. In preparation for the next attack, the highly esteemed Colonel Hyrum Graff (Harrison Ford) and the International Military are training only the best young minds to find the future Mazer.

Ender Wiggin (Asa Butterfield), a shy but strategically brilliant boy, is recruited to join the elite. Arriving at Battle School, Ender quickly and easily masters increasingly difficult challenges and simulations, distinguishing himself and winning respect amongst his peers. Ender is soon ordained by Graff as the military’s next great hope, resulting in his promotion to Command School. Once there, he’s trained by Mazer Rackham himself to lead his fellow soldiers into an epic battle that will determine the future of Earth and save the human race.”

 

Hailee Steinfeld and Asa Butterfield in Ender's Game (2013).

 

Quickie Review: Sins of the Dragon (2012)

It's been a while since I've delved into the world of low-budget filmmaking, and I have to admit, a lot has changed over the years. I recall getting VHS tapes of shot-on-video horror films in the mail just over a decade ago. (Showing my age a bit.) Then the VHS tapes were replaced by DVDs (and DVD-Rs), and then Blu-ray discs, but now it seems digital streaming and downloading  is beginning to reign supreme. And it's just not the format that's changing; it's the quality of the productions too!

With film going digital and the equipment to make films being super affordable these days, the kids of yesteryear that shot homemade kung-fu flicks in their backyard with a bulky VHS camcorder, have been replaced with young aspiring filmmakers armed with handycams and digital editing equipment! It's a startling change and definitely one for the better in my opinion.

Which leads me to SINS OF THE DRAGON, a cool kung-fu throwback that pays homage to classic Shaw Bros. fare. Filmed entirely in the woods with a small cast, (much like Ryuhei Kitamura's breakout film VERSUS), SINS OF THE DRAGON is an obvious labor of love for editor/co-star/director/writer Joey Corpora, that often belies it's miniscule budget.

The film begins when the main villain Caligo (the half-hockey-masked swordsman in the film's poster) kills one of the "Four Dragons," aging martial arts masters that were blessed with supernatural powers. By killing them, Caligo gains their powers and becomes an even more potent assassin. However, Caligo's thirst for power has gained him a stalwart foe, namely young Cunri. (Who kind of resembles Ken from Capcom's Street Fighter games now that I think of it.) Cunri was a child when Caligo wiped out his village and murdered his family, causing the orphaned child to take up martial arts training in his quest for revenge.

Joining Cunri on his journey is his war-fan wielding pal Kaia, who is far less bloodthirsty, but more than capable of taking care of herself. Along the way they battle Caligo's numerous, yet mainly useless ninjas (i.e. cannon fodder), and an odd trio of idiotic comic-relief bandits that enjoy eating piss and beans. (Yeah, I'm still scratching my head over that one. Hahaha.) The film eventually boils down to a ninja massacre that leads  to the final showdown between Cunri and Caligo, where truths are revealed, old wounds are healed, and new ones are opened.

SINS OF THE DRAGON runs just under a half-hour, though I've got the feeling that it used to be a bit longer. (Note: According to Joey Corpora, the original cut was at roughly 53 minutes, but was edited down for film festival screenings.) Most of the story is quickly told through exposition (you never get to see Caligo attack Cunri's village or battle it out with two of the other "Four Dragons"), which means that most of the film is made up of kung-fu action! The bulk of the fight choreography in this flick is very well done, with the stars pulling off some crazy moves and stunts. Though there are a few moments where the actors hesitate a bit before delivering a blow, the majority of the fight choreography is fast-paced and almost seamless. (A lot of this is due in part to the editing, which is top notch.)

Kaia and Cunri are about to put a hurtin' on some ninjas!

There is a lot to like in SINS OF THE DRAGON, but there's one glaring thing that didn't quite work for me: The three bandits that capture Kaia. I understand that they are there to a.) provide some laughs and b.) provide a moment where Cunri and Kaia make amends after an argument, but they stall the movie as soon as they show up on the screen. I didn't find them particularly funny, and though they manage to capture Kaia,  I could see her easily escaping from them without Cunri's aid. Truthfully I think it would have made more sense for her to be captured by Caligo and his minions, which would have given our hero even more reason to seek out and destroy his arch-nemesis. Seeing as how the film was heavily trimmed for festival screenings (including scenes where Cunri crosses paths with Sozen), I'm kind of surprised that the halfwit bandits survived the cut; their presence is totally unnecessary.

Despite my misgivings about said characters, I have to say that this is a solid little action flick that rises above its meager budget. (At times it feels like you're watching a demo reel for some up and coming martial artists, but that is no way a bad thing. Just look at Tony Jaa in ONG-BAK; that movie kicks some serious ass but is essentially a glorified demo reel for the rising martial arts star.) SINS OF THE DRAGON runs at a brisk pace, showcases some awesome kung-fu action, and pays tribute to the Shaw Bros.' films of yore with awesomely cheesy sound effects and watery arterial spray! It's an impressive start for first-time director Joey Corpora, and I very much look forward to seeing what else he and his companions pull off in the future, especially if they scrape together a much larger budget.

I enjoyed SINS OF THE DRAGON and gladly give it:

THREE AND-A-HALF 'RADS'

For more info about SINS OF THE DRAGON, visit the Platypus Underground website, and check out the film's IMDB page! And while you're at it, give the trailer a look-see below!

NOW PLAYING: COME OUT AND PLAY, THE CROODS, & OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN!

It's a good weekend (or was) to hit the theaters, because you can watch a decent action/thriller, an animated caveman comedy that the whole family can enjoy, and a CHILDREN OF THE CORN knock-off set in a tropical locale. Let's take a closer look at what's new! First up is COME OUT AND PLAY:


Yep, this is totally CHILDREN OF THE CORN set on a tropical isle (though it seems to be lacking the whole supernatural/religious aspect). When a vacationing couple arrives on a glorious island paradise and finds it nearly deserted, they soon discover that the adult residents of said island have been butchered by all of their children. After exposition from a lone survivor, they try to escape, but can they? I guess it all comes down to how many 5-year olds they can take in a fight. While I could probably take on my fair share of killer ankle-biters, my moral compass would drag me down a bit apparently, allowing me to only survive the onslaught of twenty or so. As for the movie, it doesn't look like anything special, but I always get a kick out a film that a.) has creepy kids murdering adults and b.) has the adults murdering them right back in order to survive. There's something very wrong with me....

20
Next up we have THE CROODS, a new animated comedy from DreamWorks Animation. A family of cavepeople wander around and go on adventures and ... stuff. I wasn't blown away by the first trailer I saw, and I'm personally surprised by how well it is doing in the box office. (Then again, I'm not so surprised because it's the first legit kids film to come out this year.) Let's check out the trailer, shall we?


 Ok, I'd watch this. It's no WRECK-IT RALPH, but it looks fun and almost makes me wish I had a son or daughter to go see it with. (Key word here is ALMOST. Haha!) I like Ryan Reynolds and Emma Stone, and Nicholas Cage, who (though stricken with a malady that gives him a complete inability to turn down a role, and typically causes him to chew the hell out of the scenery) seems rather restrained here. If you've got young'uns this is def the best movie to take them to see this weekend.

Finally, if you don't live in a city that's playing COME OUT AND PLAY and you're planning on going out and leaving the kids with a babysitter, why not watch Gerard Butler reenact DIE HARD in the White House? Your final new major release for this week is OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN:


Oh MAN, how formulaic could you get?! Asian terrorists (probably North Korean because China's a major economic power in this world now and it'd be wrong to make them the villain in a movie. See also: RED DAWN remake.) easily invade the White House and capture the president, and its up to an ex-special forces/ex-Secret Service agent who happens to be stuck in the wrong place at the wrong time, to kill the bad guys single-handedly and rescue the prez.

This is screenwriting at its laziest, but damn it, I'd gladly give it a look. It's Rated R, has Gerard Butler doing what he was made to do (i.e. being an action star, not a frequent leading man in numerous retardedly formulaic chick flicks), and blows up several of Washington D.C.'s most notable landmarks! (I haven't seen this much destruction in our nation's capital since EARTH VS. THE FLYING SAUCERS! Well, except for INDEPENDENCE DAY that is!)

If you caught any of these new flicks on the big screen this weekend, feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below, or hit me up on Facebook or Twitter!

Magnet Releasing to distribute MILO later this year!

Got a press release the other night stating that Magnet Releasing had won a battle to procure the distribution rights for Jacob Vaughan's horror/comedy MILO, which premiered last week at the SXSW Film Festival. Here's the lowdown on the film:

NEW YORK/AUSTIN – March 18, 2013 – Magnet Releasing has acquired North American distribution rights to the acclaimed comedy/horror film MILO. Written and directed by Jacob Vaughan and starring Ken Marino & Gillian Jacobs, MILO premiered last weekend at the 2013 SXSW Film Festival. Blending the gory elements of a classic critter film (à la GREMLINS) with the lighthearted comedy of an unlikely friendship (reminiscent of TED), MILO was one of the most talked about and unique films of the festival.

The sale for MILO was completed late Friday night, making it the last deal to close during this year’s SXSW.

Duncan’s (Ken Marino) life is a real pain in the ass. Tormented by a manipulative, crooked boss (Patrick Warburton), a nagging mother (Mary Kay Place), a deadbeat new age dad (Stephen Root), and a sweet, yet pressuring, wife (Gillian Jacobs), his mounting stress starts to trigger an insufferable gastrointestinal reaction. Out of ideas and at the end of his rope, Duncan seeks the help of a hypnotherapist (Peter Stormare), who helps him discover the root of his unusual stomach pain: a pintsized demon living in his intestine that, triggered by excessive anxiety, forces its way out and slaughters the people who have angered him. Out of fear that his intestinal gremlin may target its wrath on the wrong person, Duncan attempts to befriend it, naming it Milo and indulging it to keep its seemingly insatiable appetite at bay.

MILO features notable puppetry by Frank Langley and Bob Mano.

MILO was produced by Adele Romanski with New Artists Alliance’s Gabriel Cowan and John Suits. Executive producers include Mark & Jay Duplass, John Norris, Kerry Johnson, Dallas Sonnier, Jack Heller and Floren Shieh Productions’ Clay Floren and Aimee Shieh.

“Just like Ken Marino, our stomachs were hurting watching MILO, happily because of laughter rather than an intestinal demon,” said Magnolia President Eamonn Bowles. “MILO is a rare entry in the horror-comedy genre that truly delivers.”

Jacob Vaughan said, "Magnet is the perfect home for MILO. The company is second-to-none in releasing quality genre movies and their passion for MILO is overwhelming. I’m confident they will do an incredible job positioning the film in the marketplace and getting it seen by audiences everywhere.”

The deal for MILO was negotiated by Magnolia/Magnet SVP of Acquisitions Dori Begley and Director of Acquisitions Peter van Steemburg, with ICM Partners on behalf of the filmmakers and producers.

This movie actually sounds pretty cool and the fact that there's puppetry in it (no mention of CGI) excites me! Could it be that the filmmakers used practical f/x instead of computerized trickery?! Guess we'll have to wait and find out later this year when Magnet gives MILO a video on demand/limited theatrical release! 

"MILO got a distribution deal?! NO WAY?!"

Disney and NASA to explore “Goldilocks” planet in new 3D IMAX film

By Robbie Graham Silver Screen Saucers

 

IMAX Corporation and Walt Disney Studios today announcedan agreement to produce and distribute a new epic 3D documentary from veteran IMAX director Toni Myers.

IMAX and Disney previously have worked together on the distribution of a number of high-profile films, including Fantasia 2000 and the recent Oz The Great and Powerful, although this marks the first collaboration between the two companies in a production capacity.

Produced in cooperation with NASA, the upcoming space-themed documentary, which is still untitled, will use IMAX's extremely high-resolution photography and videography to offer "breathtaking, illuminating views of our home planet from space, exploring the astonishing changes that have occurred on Earth in just the past several decades."

The film will also explore "mankind's future on and off the planet... while also travelling light-years to other star systems to ponder the possibilities of 'Goldilocks,' an Earth-like planet." The film is expected to be released in 2015.

Ward Kimball's artwork for
Mars and Beyond (1957)

This will not be the first time Disney has teamed with space scientists to produce a documentary about life beyond Earth. In the mid-1950s the House of Mouse worked closely with famed rocket scientist and aerospace engineer Wernher von Braun on a series of ambitious documentaries about space travel and life in the universe as part of the DisneylandTV series (1954–1958).

 

The documentaries -- Man in Space (1955), Man and the Moon (1955), and Mars and Beyond (1957) -- were directed by the legendary Disney animator Ward Kimball, who, in his later life, claimedto have been involved in the production of a Disney documentary in the mid-1950s that was backed by the US Air Force and which was intended to acclimate the public to the reality of the UFO phenomenon and alien visitation.  

Disappointingly, the Air Force eventually decided to pull the plug on the documentary, which, according to Kimball, was set to feature real UFO footage provided by the military.

 

NASA also has a history of assisting filmmakers on alien-themed productions. In 1982, NASA helped Steven Spielberg with his classic alien contact movie E.T.: The Extraterrestrial, offering the filmmaker advice on how scientists would likely respond in the event of a real alien contact scenario. This collaborationshaped sections of the movie, including the scene when NASA personnel enter a sealed-off suburban home in search of E.T.

 

Producer Kathleen Kennedy also asked NASA what sort of planet E.T. might call home. The space agency came up with a “little green planet” populated by “little mushroom farmers.” E.T.’s biology reflected this scenario, said Kennedy – the friendly space creature being “closer to a plant than a biological human being.”

Curiously, NASA also lent its cooperation to the Disney movie Mission to Mars (2000), in which astronauts discover the remnants of an ancient civilisation on the red planet and make contact with one of its alien survivors – although NASA was keen to point out during the end credits that its cooperation and assistance “[did] not reflect an endorsement of the contents of the film.”