APRIL 2011

APRIL PRESS ROOM BULLETIN

Welcome to the Madman Press Room Bulletin for April, 2011. We have a plethora of piñatas… err… I mean, we have a plethora of exciting films, TV and animation lined up for you this month, so please take some time to carb-load for the onslaught.

From the British Independent Film Award winning sci-fi / road flick, MONSTERS, to the acclaimed claustrophobic thriller, LEBANON; from the ultra-violent Viking action epic, VALHALLA RISING, to the eye opening doco on The Doors, WHEN YOU’RE STRANGE; plus stuff about blog wars, butlers and ballet in between, Madman has titles bound to ‘rock’ your collective editorial ‘socks’. Check ’em out!

MONSTERS

MONSTERS is the exciting first feature from British Independent Film Award winner, Gareth Edwards – who is now, fittingly, attached to direct a remake of GODZILLA!

A genre mash-up which incorporates science fiction, road movie and romance, MONSTERS is set six years after a NASA space probe – launched to collect samples of extra-terrestrial life – crashed upon re-entry over Central America. Now, half of Mexico is declared an “infected zone”, with the American and Mexican military struggling to contain the gargantuan alien invaders. Our story begins when an American journalist, Andrew, agrees to escort his employer’s shell-shocked daughter, Samantha, through Mexico’s infected zone to the safety of the US border.

Release Date: 6th April, 2011

LEBANON

Fresh from its recent cinema release, LEBANON is a thrilling, utterly original war drama which is based upon the experiences of writer/director Samuel Maoz.

June, 1982. The first Lebanon War has begun. A lone tank holding four 20-something novices is dispatched to search a hostile town which has already been bombarded by the Israeli Air Force. But what should have been a simple mission gradually spirals out of control when the four soldiers are pushed to their mental limits, struggling to survive in a desperate situation.

Release Date: 6th April, 2011

VALHALLA RISING

Replete with blood, violence and striking Hebridean scenery, VALHALLA RISING is the latest cinematic creation of multi award-winning director Nicholas Winding Refn (BRONSON). An amalgam of Viking folklore, religious historiography and blood-soaked action-drama, VALHALLA RISING is a powerful and provocative historical epic.

A former viking abandoned in Scotland, One Eye (Mads Mikkelsen) is a skilled and brutal warrior who is treated more like an animal than a man. Shackled and tormented, One Eye must compete in vicious fights to the death for the amusement of his captors. But One Eye’s fate takes a different course when he manages to escape and, after meeting a group of Crusaders, is convinced to join them in their fight for the Holy Land.

Release Date: 6th April, 2011

GASLAND

In September 2006, Josh Fox received an unexpected letter from a natural gas company offering him $100,000 for permission to drill for the resource on his family’s property. After some initial research, Josh discovers that the method for extracting gas, known as hydraulic fracturing, is exempt from several important pieces of environmental legislation. As Josh sets out on a journey across America’s heartland to further understand what he is dealing with, his personal concerns quickly uncover global ones as he discovers a multitude of shocking issues brought about by hydraulic fracturing – including seriously contaminated (even flammable!) water supplies.

With public outcry for an environmentally-friendly energy source reaching fever pitch, governments around the world are beginning to rely more and more on Natural Gas. But while the gas may be naturally-occurring, it seems that hydraulic fracturing is anything but ecologically sound. GASLAND explores the terrifying environmental impact of this method, which is soon to be unleashed on a new natural gas reserve: Australia.

Release Date: 6th April, 2011

WHEN YOU’RE STRANGE

July 3rd marks the 40th anniversary of the death of Jim Morrison. The talented singer-songwriter and hedonistic sex symbol remains an anti-establishment icon, his infamous antics (one of which he was recently issued an official posthumous pardon) celebrated by fans and demonised by the authorities.

Narrated by Johnny Depp, WHEN YOU’RE STRANGE is a a breathtaking journey into the hypnotic world of The Doors, taking us through the band’s history, from its 1965 formation to Jim Morrison’s tragic 1971 death in Paris. Uncovering historic and previously unseen footage of the illustrious rock quartet, WHEN YOU’RE STRANGE provides new insight into the revolutionary impact of the music and legacy of The Doors.

Release Date: 6th April, 2011

LA DANSE, THE PARIS OPERA BALLET

Now that Darren Aronofsky’s thriller BLACK SWAN has been released and cinema audiences are reeling with images of evil ballerinas, exploitative company directors and bone cracking dance routines, we thought we’d give you all a taste of the reality of life for one of the world’s most elite ballet companies.

Filmed over the course of one year, LA DANSE documents the daily goings-on at the world’s most prestigious ballet company. From the mundane board meetings to the majesty of performance, Director Frederick Wiseman leaves no aspect of the company undocumented in his all-encompassing peek behind the concert hall’s velvet curtain. As much a joyful ode to the beauty of the dance medium as it is a documentation of the entire company’s unflappable work ethic, LA DANSE is a spectacular and moving hymn to a glorious artform.

Release Date: 6th April, 2011

AMERICAN: THE BILL HICKS STORY

Three years in the making, and created by the people who personally knew him best, AMERICAN: THE BILL HICKS STORY is the thrilling tale of one of comedy’s most iconic and incendiary heroes.

Much more than a comedian, Bill Hicks was and still is an inspiration to millions. His timeless comedy tackled the contradictions of America and modern life head on. But his unique gift was to tease apart the essence of religion, the dangers of unbridled government power and the double standards inherent in much of modern society, using nothing but his hilarious ideas and the uncompromising observational style that continues to resonate with successive generations. Hicks’ largely unseen legacy of personal video recordings, along with hundreds of photographs, formed the basis for this feature-length animated documentary, which reveals a never-before-seen side of this notoriously private and greatly missed comedian.

Release Date: 20th April, 2011

EASTENDERS – LAST TANGO IN WALFORD

Go and visit old friends Ricky and Bianca in the east end of London-town with the first ever DVD release of Britain’s best-loved long-running drama series, the timeless EASTENDERS!

In this feature-length special, we explore the highs and lows of Ricky and Bianca’s 13-year relationship, chronicling their explosive arguments and moving love story, including how they met, their first date, their dramatic break-up and their emotional reconciliation.

With the second marriage of Ricky and Bianca fast approaching, their two children, Tiffany and Liam, set out to film a video diary gift for their wedding. As EASTENDERS’ biggest stars, including Pat Evans, Ian Beale, Janine Butcher and Phil Mitchell, provide their own memories of the sometimes happy couple, Tiffany has a mystery to solve: why is Carol Jackson determined to miss Bianca’s big day?

Release Date: 20th April, 2011

ESCAPE TO RIVER COTTAGE

Every mum’s favourite horticulturalist-cum-environmentalist-cum-chef, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall is finally available on DVD in ESCAPE TO RIVER COTTAGE and RETURN TO RIVER COTTAGE! In the lush grounds of the titular River Cottage, Hugh lives off the fat of the land: whether wrestling with squealing piglets, venturing out in the dead of the night to protect his crops from an attack of the (vegetable) killer slugs or making cider from the abundance of apples which fall merrily from his tree.

Over two entertaining volumes, the garrulous Hugh cultivates, coaxes and cooks his produce in the delightful rural surrounds of the river cottage!

Release Date: 20th April, 2011

THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN

Actor, cologne-spruiker and motorcycle enthusiast Ewan McGregor teams up with his brother, RAF pilot Colin, to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Britain in this engaging 90-minute special.

Arguably the most important event in modern British history, the Battle of Britain was the only aerial war in world history. Together, the McGregor boys will take us on a journey to honour the heroes of 1940 both on the ground and in the air. They will take to the skies over Southern England as Spitfires and Hurricanes once again fly over the White Cliffs of Dover. They discover the legacy of the Battle and reveal the inspiring personal stories of the few who were there and those still with us today.

Release Date: 6th April, 2011

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC: GALLIPOLI’S DEEP SECRETS

We Australians are told from a young age of the horrific events which unfolded at Gallipoli during the First World War, but the fact that the battle should never have reached land is something of which many Australians are unaware.

In order to understand what went wrong at Gallipoli, Dr. Robert Ballard examines the bloody and futile battle from where it began – and should have ended – at sea. Diving into ancient waters off Turkey, Ballard uncovers the wrecks where the might of the British Navy was outwitted by a weakened Ottoman Empire, unleashing a terrible carnage where hundreds of thousands of young lives would be wasted. But amongst the tragedy Ballard discovers heroes including an Australian submarine that achieved what no submarine had ever done before. On this extraordinary and poignant journey, Ballard unlocks Gallipoli’s deep secrets.

Release Date: 6th April, 2011

LAPUTA: CASTLE IN THE SKY (BLU-RAY)

Restored, enhanced and combining the best extras soruced from Japan and the U.S. – Hayao Miyazaki’s much-loved classic, LAPUTA: CASTLE IN THE SKY joins the ever-growing slate of Madman’s Studio Ghibli Blu-Ray collection.

Pazu, an engineer’s apprentice finds a young girl, Sheeta floating down from the sky wearing a glowing pendant. Together they discover both are searching for the legendary floating castle Laputa and vow to unravel the mystery of the luminous crystal around her neck. Their quest won’t be easy however. There are air pirates, secret agents and astounding obstacles to keep them from the truth – and from each other.

Also available from the Studio Ghibli Blu-Ray collection this April – MY NEIGHBOURS THE YAMADAS.

Release Date: 20th April, 2011

BLACK BUTLER (KUROSHITSUJI) – COLLECTION 1

From trauma comes triumph in the awesome new anime BLACK BUTLER. Ciel Phantomhive is the most powerful boy in all of England, but he bears the scars of unspeakable suffering. Forced to watch as his beloved parents were brutally murdered, Ciel was subsequently abducted and violently tortured. Desperate to end his suffering, the boy traded his own soul for a chance at vengeance, casting his lot with the one person on whom he could depend: Sebastian, a demon Butler summoned from the very pits of hell.

Together, they’ll prowl the darkest alleys of London on a mission to snuff out those who would do evil. They’re a rare sight, these two: the Butler who dismembers with dazzling cutlery and the Young Master who carries the devil’s marking. Rest assured that wherever they may be headed, it’ll be one hell of a ride.

Release Date: 20th April, 2011

HARRIET THE SPY: BLOG WARS

“The greatest thing about being a writer is uncovering the truth”. In a gen-Y spin on the timeless book series, HARRIET THE SPY: BLOG WARS takes the gutsy heroine’s observational skills from the playground to the blogosphere.

When Harriet’s class goes on the search for a new class blogger, Harriet is eager to put her hand up… But so is her arch nemesis, Marion Hawthorne. Harriet will do whatever it takes to win the coveted title, so when it begins to look like Marion might take the lead, Harriet becomes desperate to figure out a way to get the most blog hits.

Release Date: 6th April, 2011