Posted by eric ringer in News on February 29th, 2008

Source: Time Warner Inc.

Time Warner Inc. announced today the consolidation of its filmed entertainment businesses, Warner Bros. Entertainment and New Line Cinema. The combination brings together New Line’s 40-year legacy as the world’s most successful and innovative independent film studio with Warner Bros.’ creative leadership and unparalleled scale and reach in global distribution and marketing.

As part of the consolidation, New Line will be operated as a unit of Warner Bros. New Line will maintain separate development, production, marketing, distribution and business affairs operations, but will closely integrate and coordinate those functions with Warner Bros. to maximize film performance and operating efficiencies, achieve significant cost savings, and improve margins.

In making the announcement, Time Warner’s President and Chief Executive Officer Jeff Bewkes said: “We are moving quickly to improve our business performance and financial returns. New Line has built a strong franchise of cutting-edge entertainment. We can enhance its value by combining it with Warner Bros. Given the trend toward fewer movie releases, New Line and Warner Bros. will now have more complementary release slates, with New Line focusing on genres that have been its strength. With the growing importance of international revenues, it makes sense for New Line to retain its international film rights and to exploit them through Warner Bros.’ global distribution infrastructure. We can also take better advantage of digital distribution platforms by combining our studios. These changes will enhance our revenue opportunities and drive dramatic cost efficiencies and higher margins at New Line.”

New Line’s Co-Chairmen and Co-CEOs Robert Shaye and Michael Lynne have elected to leave the studio, but are in discussions about possible future business relationships with the company.

Mr. Bewkes said: “Bob and Michael have a unique partnership that is noteworthy not only for its stability and longevity, but for its record of innovation and success. They have guided New Line’s growth from a privately held art film distributor to the world’s leading independent film studio that is home to some of the most popular films in entertainment history, including ‘The Lord of the Rings’ trilogy, ‘The Mask,’ ‘Austin Powers,’ ‘Blade,’ ‘Rush Hour,’ ‘Elf,’ ‘Wedding Crashers’ and ‘Hairspray.’ We thank Bob and Michael for their enduring contributions to Time Warner and look forward to a continuing working relationship with them.”

Mr. Shaye and Mr. Lynne said: “New Line has been our respective life’s work as well as our second family. While we’re sad to be leaving, we’re enormously proud to have overseen its extraordinary growth and worked with so many dedicated and talented colleagues. New Line represents innovation, creativity, and independent success. We hope that the company can continue to be a leader in creating entertainment that resonates around the world. We will now focus our efforts on exploring new entrepreneurial opportunities.”

Posted by eric ringer in News on February 29th, 2008

Source: Variety

The decision to outlaw the DVD, within the terms of the U.K.’s Video Recordings Act, was taken by David Cooke, BBFC director, and a team comprising Quentin Thomas, John Taylor and Janet Lewis-Jones.

The ruling comes a day after Prime Minister Gordon Brown expressed his concerns in Parliament over the potentially destructive social impact of violent films and vidgames. Recently, a cross-party group of politicians has been pushing for reform on violent and sexual material. If successful, the campaign could see the BBFC forced to toughen its stance.

“Rejecting a work outright is a serious matter and the board considered whether the issue could be dealt with through cuts,” commented Cooke. “However, given the unacceptable content featured throughout, and that what remains is essentially preparatory and set-up material for the unacceptable scenes, cutting the work is not a viable option in this case and the work is therefore refused a classification.”

A press release summarizing the ruling outlined the chief concerns: “ ‘Murder Set Pieces’ is a feature with a single-minded focus on the activities of a psychopathic sexual serial killer, who, throughout the film, is seen raping, torturing and murdering his victims. Young children are among those terrorized and killed, and their inclusion in this abusive context is an added concern. In relation to the adult victims, there is a clear focus on sex or sexual behavior accompanied by non-consensual pain, injury and humiliation.”

The BBFC rarely flat-out rejects applications for DVD release. The last DVD to fail at the fence was pornographic title “Struggle in Bondage,” (which features naked women tied-up, gagged and crying near throughout) in 2006.

Philadelphia-based DVD distrib TLA Releasing has the right to appeal the BBFC decision. But an overturning of the decision is unlikely given the BBFC suggests the pic “also raises potential legal questions, for instance in relation to the Protection of Children Act 1978, as well as possible breaches of other legislation such as that on obscenity. Having concluded that the work would in any case have to be rejected on grounds of harm and unacceptability to the public, the board did not think it necessary at this stage to reach a final view on these legal issues, but they would have to be considered in the event of any appeal.”

To stem the flow of copies may be difficult though: five copies of “Murder Set Pieces” from U.K. sellers were on sale on eBay.co.uk at time of press.

Posted by eric ringer in Trailers on February 28th, 2008

Posted by eric ringer in News on February 28th, 2008

Source: Lionsgate

Dimension Films recently announced Alexandre Aja’s Piranha is going to arrive next summer in 3-D. Now, Lionsgate is rearing its competitive edge. The studio revealed, via its press site, that their update of My Bloody Valentine is going to be executed in 3-D. The film has also bumped up the release date to January 23, 2009 - it was originally slated for a February 13th debut.

Posted by eric ringer in Trailers on February 27th, 2008

An international group of young surfers come into possession of an ancient artifact, Mamba, an old board game made from the skin and bones of a witch executed during the Spanish Inquisition. At a drunken party one night, they casually decide to play. It’s all fun and games until they find out that curses last forever – and death is the ultimate undertow.

Posted by eric ringer in News on February 27th, 2008

Source: The Hollywood Reporter

Amber Heard, star of the upcoming All the Boys Love Mandy Lane, is replacing actress Adrianne Palicki in Screen Gems’ The Stepfather remake. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Palicki’s people cite “scheduling issues” as the reason for her departure. Nelson McCormick (Prom Night) directs from a script by J.S. Cardone

Posted by eric ringer in News on February 26th, 2008

Warner Bros has announced that McG’s Terminator Salvation: The Future Begins will hit theaters on May 22nd 2009. This means that Terminator 4, which begins production in New Mexico for two months on May 5th, will go head to head with Fox’s Ben Stiller family comedy sequel Night at the Museum II: Escape From the Smithsonian. The original 2006 film took in over $573 million at the box office, while 2003’s Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines took in $433 million. The Da Vinci Code sequel/prequel Angels & Demons hits theaters a week earlier, while Pixar’s Up hits theaters the week after.

Christian Bale stars as John Connor alongside Sam Worthington (Avatar) in the first of a three film story arc which follows a group of survivors led by John Connor as they struggle to stop the machines after Skynet has destroyed much of humanity in a nuclear holocaust.

Posted by eric ringer in News on February 26th, 2008

Grace Lee’s Slamdance 2007 horror film American Zombie is getting a limited theatrical run on March 28, which means the film also gets a new poster! The pic documents the daily lives of a small community of the living deceased who make their home in Los Angeles.