AFTER DARK FILMS Creator/Producer Courtney Solomon to tour Australia to promote the launch of

AFTER DARK ORIGINALS A New Brand of Fear on DVD 

Paramount Home Entertainment Australia (PHEA) and Transmission Films will launch the world’s most successful horror film brand into the Australian market in October.

After Dark Films is the largest producer and distributor of horror product in the U.S. and is responsible for the largest horror film festival in the world, After Dark’s ‘Horrorfest.’  Between 2006-2010, four different seasons of After Dark’s ‘Horrorfest: 8 Films to Die For’ ran in the U.S. with After Dark Films acquiring 8 cutting edge horror films to include in each season’s line-up.  After 4 years and 32 films, the festival was rebranded in 2011 as AFTER DARK ORIGINALS A New Brand of Fear with all 8 films produced by After Dark Films. 

Since the launch of the first ‘Horrorfest’ in 2006, the titles from these five festivals have grossed over $70 million on DVD.

After Dark Films Co-founder, CEO and filmmaker Courtney Solomon will travel to Sydney to undertake a promotional tour from October 18-20, including a publicity junket and a Q & A session at an event screening hosted by Popcorn Taxi on October 18, at which he will unveil the World Premiere of several minutes of previously unseen footage from one of the eight titles, ‘Re-Kill’.

Of the eight AFTER DARK ORIGINALS A New Brand of Fear films, seven will be launched on DVD in Australia by PHEA in October and November, while the eighth, ‘Re-Kill’ will be held over for a theatrical and DVD release in this market in early 2012, in line with the US release strategy.

Transmission Films acquired the rights for the AFTER DARK ORIGINALS A New Brand of Fear films as well as the ‘After Dark Action’ films from powerhouse sales agency IM Global, whose Octane label handles worldwide rights for both franchises.  ‘After Dark Action’ is a collaboration between Courtney Solomon’s After Dark Films and legendary producer Joel Silver. Paramount Home Entertainment Australia (PHEA) and Transmission Films have slated the first five original action/thrillers being produced by ‘After Dark Action’ for release on DVD in 2012.

Transmission Films Co-founder & Joint Managing Director Richard Payten said of the new relationship with After Dark: “We are delighted to be in business with Courtney and to be launching the After Dark brands in Australia.  When you consider Courtney’s achievements across ‘After Dark’, ‘Horrorfest’ and ‘After Dark Action’, there is no doubt he is an extremely talented, motivated and successful filmmaker and we look forward to a long and successful partnership with him.”

PHEA has a range of promotional initiatives in place to support the DVD launch of AFTER DARK ORIGINALS A New Brand of Fear, including an After Dark Festival Screening Event at the Chauvel Cinema in Paddington on October 29, the Saturday prior to Halloween celebrations.  Two of the eight films in the series – ‘Seconds Apart’ and ‘Husk’ (starring former Home & Away star Tammin Sursock) – will be previewed on the big screen.   Tickets will be available to buy from Wednesday 28^th September at www.chauvelcinema.net.au

PHEA is also planning a comprehensive social media campaign, one aspect of which will be the search for Australia’s biggest fan of horror via an online competition.  The winner will become the ‘social media reporter’ for this campaign and will have extensive access to Courtney Solomon during his Australian Tour.

DVD RELEASE DATES

Paramount Home Entertainment Australia, in conjunction with Transmission Films, will release the following DVD titles in the AFTER DARK ORIGINALS

A New Brand of Fear Series:

Prowl                                                 Only to Rent: W/c Sept 26                            Buy on DVD: W/c Oct 10

Husk                                                   Only to Rent: W/c Oct 3                 Buy on DVD: W/c Oct 17

Fertile Ground                                 Only to Rent: W/c Oct 10                             Buy on DVD: W/c Oct 24

Scream of the Banshee                 Only to Rent: W/c Oct 17                             Buy on DVD: W/c Oct 31

Seconds Apart                                 Only to Rent: W/c Oct 24                             Buy on DVD: W/c Nov 7

The Task                                            Only to Rent: W/c Oct 31                             Buy on DVD: W/c Nov 14              

51                                                        Only to Rent: W/c Nov 7                Buy on DVD: W/c Nov 21

The eighth film in the series, titled ‘Re-Kill’, will have a Cinema and DVD release in Australia in early 2012 in line with the US release strategy.

The AFTER DARK ORIGINALS A New Brand of Fear Boxset includes over 60-minutes of special features and will be available the week of November 28, exclusively through JB Hi-Fi.

An exclusive exhibition will be opening in central Sydney next week displaying a range of 3D photographs on Nintendo 3DS consoles from the lives of four fascinating Australians. The exhibition will showcase stunning images in 3D taken by X-Factor host Luke Jacobz, TV presenter Sophie Falkiner, Jumping Crocodile Cruises owner Tony Blums and acclaimed photographer James Morgan.

The images will explore the previously unseen lives of the four diverse and interesting people. Luke explores behind the scenes of his TV shows; Tony captures the raw power of the crocodiles on his tours; Sophie reveals her life as a mother and presenter; while James captures a range of images including incredible angles of the Harbour Bridge and baby elephants at the zoo!

PSST! AVAST, THERE!

 IT BE TIME TO CELEBRATE “TALK LIKE A PIRATE DAY” WITH THE

REVEAL OF “PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN” FOR THE UPCOMING DISNEY UNIVERSE VIDEO GAME

New Environments and Character Costumes Based on

Disney’s Award-Winning Film Franchise Unveiled for Disney Video Game

September 19, 2011 – Yo ho, ho, ho – a pirates life for me! In honor of the international celebration today of “Talk Like a Pirate Day,” Disney is sharing with fans the swashbuckling pirate adventures that will be part of the upcoming video game, Disney Universe. Featuring environments and character costumes inspired by Disney’s “Pirates of the Caribbean” movies,   Disney Universe is the first video game that brings together characters and worlds inspired by both animated and live action films from Disney’s Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar Animation Studios and Walt Disney Pictures.  

Players can suit up as film characters such as Captain Jack Sparrow, Angelica, Mr. Gibbs, Captain Barbossa and Blackbeard as they navigate their way over the Thames River and through the city streets of London. The new world also includes cannons to fend off the pirate ships, water bombs to prevent London from burning and rubber duck vehicles that players can utilize to engage in a final battle in an attempt to gain access to the Fountain of Youth.

The “Pirates of the Caribbean” environment and character costumes set sail as the latest Disney property to join the Disney Universe fun, alongside additional favourites including Tim Burton’s “Alice in Wonderland,” Disney•Pixar’s “Monsters, Inc.” and “WALL•E,” Disney’s “The Lion King,” and more to be revealed.  Disney Universe will be available 27 October 2011 for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, the Wii™ system from Nintendo and Windows PC.

Please visit www.disneyuniverse.com.aufor more information. 

Madman is proud to announce the release of Hollywood funny man Will Ferrell’s latest film, EVERTHING MUST GO on DVD (RRP: $29.95) and Blu-Ray (RRP: $34.95), from 5 October 2011.

EVERYTHING MUST GO is a touching tale which also stars Rebecca Hall (THE TOWN, VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA) and Laura Dern (JURASSIC PARK, LITTLE FOCKERS). The film tells the story of salesman Nick Halsey – the same day Nick gets fired, he returns home to discover his wife has left him, changed the locks on their home and dumped all of his possessions in the front yard. Faced with his life imploding, Nick puts it all on the line – or more properly, on the lawn – reluctantly holding a garage sale that becomes a unique strategy for survival.

To celebrate the release of EVERYTHING MUST GO Madman is having its very own Yard Sale! We’ve found 20 special and exclusive items from the Madman office – all are up for grabs, and everything must go! To be in the running, entrants simply have to us why they deserve the prize they want the most! Fans can visit www.madman.com.au/everythingmustgo to enter. The competition will be live throughout October.

Arrives onto Blu-ray™ 3D for $54.95RRP, Blu-ray™ Combo Pack for $49.95RRP And on DVD for $44.95RRP

Also available On Demand and To Download On November 16 2011

Lego® Harry Potter™: Years 5-7 Videogame Also Available November 16

The “Boy Who Lived” comes face to face with the enemy of the wizarding world for a final, epic battle in “Harry Potter and the Deathly HallowsÔ – Part 2” when it arrives on Blu-rayTM 3D, Combo Pack, DVD and Digital Download on November 16 from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group.

Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson return for the closing instalment of the most successful film franchise of all time. “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2” has earned more than $1.3 billion at the worldwide box office.

“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2” was directed by David Yates who also helmed the magical blockbusters “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix,” “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” and “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1.” Returning from previous “Harry Potter” films is an all-star supporting cast, including Helena Bonham Carter, Robbie Coltrane, Warwick Davis, Tom Felton, Ralph Fiennes, Michael Gambon, John Hurt, Jason Isaacs, Matthew Lewis, Gary Oldman, Alan Rickman, Maggie Smith, David Thewlis, Julie Walters and Bonnie Wright.

The collective Harry Potter films are the highest-grossing franchise of all time, a global record it has held since the success of the sixth film, 2009’s “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.”

The release of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2” will also be marked by a special celebration at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando Resort, where the Harry Potter stories live on. The Harry Potter Home Entertainment Celebration will consist of a series of special events to be attended by cast and filmmakers from the Harry Potter films. The three-day celebration will take place from Friday, November 11 to Sunday, November 13. Cast and filmmakers expected to be in attendance include James and Oliver Phelps (Fred and George Weasley), Warwick Davis(Professor Flitwick, Griphook), Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood), Mark Williams (Arthur Weasley), David Bradley (Argus Filch), Jessie Cave (Lavender Brown) and many more to be named later.*

In addition, the exciting global online adventure “Harry Potter: The Quest” continues. Fans can earn points to unlock content that will give them a deeper look into the world of Harry Potter by playing games, watching videos and having all new Harry Potter experiences that will bring them closer to exciting rewards. For more information and to sign up visit www.HarryPotterTheQuest.com.

Additional information and content is also available at http://www.facebook.com/harrypottermovie and http://twitter.com/harrypotterfilm.

Also available on November 16 from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group is Harry Potter and the Deathly HallowsTM – Part 1 on Blu-rayTM 3D. The 3D version is available exclusively on Blu-rayTM 3D for $49.95 and as a Blu-rayTM 3D gift set with Harry Potter and the Deathly HallowsTM – Part 2 for $89.95 SRP.

Additionally, “Harry Potter: The Complete 8-Film Collection” featuring the complete Harry Potter film franchise will be available on November 16. “Harry Potter: The Complete 8-Film Collection” will be available on Blu-rayTM for $159.95 and DVD for $119.95 SRP.

LEGO® HARRY POTTER™: YEARS 5-7

Also available will be “LEGO® Harry Potter™: Years 5-7.” Published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, developed by TT Games and licensed by the LEGO Group, “LEGO® Harry Potter™: Years 5-7” continues the saga of the “Boy Who Lived” in this spell-binding adventure. This time, players are transported through the final three books and final four films – “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix™”, “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince™”, and “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows™” – to experience Harry’s last years at Hogwarts™ and battle Lord Voldemort™ in the ultimate fight of good vs. evil. The game features lessons, spell-casting, dueling and much more for players of all ages to enjoy. The game will be available for Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system, the Wii™ system, the Nintendo DS™ and Nintendo 3DS™ hand-held systems and Windows PC.

SYNOPSIS
“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2” is the final adventure in the Harry Potter film series. The much-anticipated motion picture event is the second of two full-length parts. In the epic finale, the battle between the good and evil forces of the wizarding world escalates into an all-out war. The stakes have never been higher and no one is safe. But it is Harry Potter who may be called upon to make the ultimate sacrifice as he draws closer to the climactic showdown with Lord Voldemort. It all ends here.

PRODUCT DETAILS
“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2” will be available on Blu-rayTM 3D, featuring the film on a Blu-rayTM 3D and Blu-rayTM in hi-definition and a disc of Exclusive Content for $54.95, Blu-rayTM Combo Pack, featuring the film on Blu-rayTM in hi-definition and on DVD in standard definition as well as a standard definition digital copy of the 2D main feature and a disc of Exclusive Content for $49.95. It will also be available as a 2 disc DVD for $44.95.

“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2” can also be download to own through iTunes, www.warnerbros.com.au, Xbox 360 and Playstation Store. It will be available to rent ON DEMAND in hi-definition through Foxtel, BigPond Movies, iTunes, Xbox 360 and the Playstation store and Fetch TV.

BLU-RAYTM AND DVD ELEMENTS
The “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2” Blu-rayTM 3D Combo Pack and Blu-rayTM Combo Pack contain the following special features:
• Blu-rayTM Exclusives:
o Maximum Movie Mode hosted by Matthew Long (Neville Longbottom) and other cast
members (80 minutes) – As the epic showdown between Harry Potter and Lord Voldemort approaches, don’t miss a single detail as the forces of Good and Evil clash one final time throughout the grounds of Hogwarts.
o A Conversation with JK Rowling and Daniel Radcliffe – Join J.K. Rowling and Daniel Radcliffe for an exclusive conversation about bringing the character of Harry Potter to life, the last decade of films and how their lives have changed by the fame that they’ve both
experienced.
• The Goblins of Gringotts – Hosted by Warwick Davis, you’ll see the entire process of becoming a goblin” in a Harry Potter film, from auditions and casting to makeup and prosthetic tests as well as filming the final scenes.
• The Women of Harry Potter – A look at the remarkable women in Harry Potter’s life and the critical role they play in the films.
• When Harry Left Hogwarts – BAFTA award-winning filmmaker Morgan Matthews has been given unprecedented access to the creative decision-making processes that have been kept as a closely guarded secret – until now. Hear the personal stories of the faces we know, and those we don’t, as we come to the end of one of the most successful eras in cinema history.
• Warner Bros. Leavesden Studios Sneak Peek
• WB Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter
• Deleted Scenes
For PS3TM Users:
• Game demo of “LEGO® Harry Potter™: Years 5-7 for PS3TM The “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2” Standard Definition DVD contains the following
special features:
• The Goblins of Gringotts – Hosted by Warwick Davis, you’ll see the entire process of becoming a goblin” on a Harry Potter film, from auditions and casting to makeup and prosthetic tests as well as filming the final scenes.
• The Women of Harry Potter – A look at the remarkable women in Harry Potter’s life and the critical role they play in the films.
• When Harry Left Hogwarts – BAFTA award-winning filmmaker Morgan Matthews has been given unprecedented access to the creative decision-making processes that have been kept as a closely guarded secret – until now. Hear the personal stories of the faces we know, and those we don’t, as we come to the end of one of the most successful eras in cinema history.
• Warner Bros. Leavesden Studios Sneak Peek
• WB Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter
• Deleted Scenes
Rating:
TBC
Approx Runtime:
130 minutes

You can save yourself hours of wasted time cancelling cards and chasing up your bank to reclaim stolen cash by being vigilant and following these simple steps from AVG (AU/NZ) Pty Ltd, the distributor of the award-winning AVG Internet and mobile security software in Australia, New Zealand and South Pacific.

Lloyd Borrett, Security Evangelist at AVG (AU/NZ), says: “People are giving away their personal information and opening themselves to identity fraud by failing to be alert to the ramifications of their online activities.”

In today’s digitally connected world, having your identity stolen is all too easy and the consequences of losing your identity are all too serious.

Identity fraud sees criminals clone your identity for monetary gain such as opening bank accounts in your name, redirecting your post to another address, or even securing a passport using your details.

So what can you do to prevent the fraudsters getting enough of your personal details to wreak havoc with your finances and your life? AVG (AU/NZ) has compiled a list of tips to help you keep the cyber criminals at bay.

•     Don’t throw away anything that contains personal identification information — shred or rip up all  bank statements, utility bills, application forms, chequebook stubs, card receipts and letters carrying personal details.

•     Be aware of phishing phone calls — where you’re conned into giving away personal information over the phone — get a return phone number, check it is a legitimate organisation and call them back.

•     Be very alert online — phishing attacks are a growing problem. Don’t respond to emails asking for personal information such as account details, usernames, passwords or credit card details.

•     Set strong passwords — When 20,000 Yahoo, AOL and Hotmail passwords were hacked into last year, it was found that the most popular password was 123456. Cyber criminals have sophisticated hacking technology so it is vital to set long passwords with illogical combinations of letters, numbers and symbols. And change them regularly. Social networking sites can be an open conduit to your data. Always log out at the end of each session.

•     Monitor your credit status regularly — Then you’ll be aware of who is doing credit searches on you and if any new accounts have been set up in your name.

Borrett says, “If you suspect fraudulent activity then act fast and contact your bank, credit card, store card merchandiser, utility and phone companies so they can monitor irregular activity. Other businesses such as Secure Sentinel offer loss assistance and identity theft detection services.”

Keep in touch with AVG (AU/NZ)

• For breaking news, follow AVG (AU/NZ) on Twitter at twitter.com/avgaunz
• Join our Facebook community at www.facebook.com/avgaunz
• For security trends, analysis, follow the AVG (AU/NZ) blog at resources.avg.com.au

Disney Interactive Media Group and Club Penguin, the #1 virtual world for kids, are pleased to announce that Puffle Launch, the first weekend after launch, reached the number 1 position on the Top Paid Apps for iPad & number 2 on theTop Paid Apps for iPhone! 

Puffle Launch features fast paced gameplay in which players blast pet Puffles through a series of challenging levels.

Key Puffle Launch features:

·      Take on 24 high speed levels – Get back all the Puffle O’s, dodge obstacles, discover surprises, and find a fiery prize at the end of every level.

·      Challenge boss levels – Battle the cranky crab and his mechanical claw, and counter his moves with some of your own.

·      Unlock new modes – Take on Time Trial Mode, Turbo Mode, and replay all the levels in Slo-Mo.

·      Collect Puffle O’s and earn virtual coins to transfer to clubpenguin.com.

Following his previous documentary ENCOUNTERS AT THE END OF THE WORLD, iconic director Werner Herzog once again takes us deep behind the frontier of an extraordinary place. Having gained unprecedented access through the tightest of restrictions and overcome considerable technical challenges, he has captured on film, with specially designed 3D cameras, the interior of the Chauvet Cave in southern France.

This is where the world’s oldest cave paintings – hundreds in number – were discovered in 1994. In the mesmerising CAVE OF FORGOTTEN DREAMS, he reveals to us a breathtaking subterranean world and leads us to the 32,000- year-old artworks. In that deeply moving moment of encounter, we come face to face with pristine and astonishingly realistic drawings of horses, cattle and lions, which for the briefest second come alive in the
torchlight.

In true Herzogian fashion, his hypnotically engaging narration weaves in wider metaphysical contemplations as we learn more about the Paleolithic art and its creators. Through his understated and gently humorous voiceover, we are invited to reflect on our primal desire to communicate and represent the world around us, evolution and our
place within it, and ultimately what it means to be human.

Melbourbe Australia, 21th September 2011 – On Sunday I was lucky enough to be one of the few, the proud, the waiting at an advanced cinema screening of the Classic Doctor Who story Day of the Daleks.

Day of the Daleks more than any other classic Doctor who episode I can think of deals with the ramifications of time travel. In the year 2200C.E. a desperate Guerrilla force wants the change the past of the human race. Having been beaten down by hundreds of years of war the those predictable humans have been enslaved by the Daleks. The Guerrillas discover that the wars all track back to one man a Sir Reginald Styles who was in charge of a peace accord way back in….well…whenever the Pertwee years are set. They steal Dalek time travel technology and try to kill Styles and that’s where the Doctor gets involved.

This story originally came out in 1972 and has claimed “Classic” status but there were a few complaints. In the original story there was suppose to be a pitch battle with UNIT and the Daleks but the BBC would only spring for 3 Daleks, a deficiency that is painfully obvious when you have wide shots of the battle, and not helped at all by deciding to paint one of them gold. Also the budget didn’t really stretch to making the year of 2200C.E. seem much more than an abandoned railway line. But this has all changed. The print that we were shown today (on the big screen, did I mention that?) has had a few tweaks. Not content with a few CG changes 2Entertain have actually gone back to the original locations and filmed new footage with more Daleks and more Daleks can be nothing but good.

So did they reverse the polarity of the neutron flow?

Well there is both good and bad, the CG inserts of the future Dalek inhabited Earth were a very cool idea and I love the idea of having a Dalek symbol and “Obey” stenciled on everything. But in practice the CG itself isn’t that great and it clashes with some of the other scenes set in the future. The new effects for the Vortex Manipulators are good and a big step up from someone appearing in a puff of smoke (although nicely, they left the smoke in) the really big and noticeable difference is with the Guerrilla weapons. A LOT of people get shot in this serial. It used to be that they just disappeared now we get the full effect of the Sonic Disruptor (or Ray Gun as Jo calls it) in all it’s glory. There is flash and then the victim explodes in a shower of “bits” with a sickening wet raining sound in all its disturbing glory in a cinema. The first time it happened I wasn’t sure if it was hilarious or horrifying and my brain locked up. 

On balance however the effects do make the story better and more watchable although I’m not sure about the Dalek voices. Professional Doctor Who fan and current voice of the Daleks Nick Briggs has been bought in to make the Dalek voices more uniform, and whilst this change isn’t terrible and Nick does a really good job going back and watching the original I don’t mind the Daleks having different voices; it’s not like they sound as bad as the Cybermen in Earthshock and no-one changed that.

Still this is the most complete attempt at making a Who story more current and I think it can be commended although no doubt there will be detractors who will rail; “Leave it alone”, “don’t change the originals” and such but the good thing about 2Entertain is that unlike George Lucas if they change something they either give you the option to watch the original or as in this case provide the entire original version in the box set. Speaking of Lucas we do now have our very own “Han shot first” controversy. In the original the Doctor shoots an Orgon who was doing nothing so much as lumbering as they are want to do. It seemed very out of character at the time and many people were shocked…ok  a few people were shocked…alright Terrance Dicks was shocked. The restoration team have fixed it however and now the Ogron shoots first! Ok, Who fans I’ve pointed it out, it’s now up to you to make a big deal about it.

Then we got to do some Q&A with Classic Doctor Who Commissioning Editor, Dan Hall…well questions were asked by the other guy with the microphone, fortunately I think that the questions that he asked were cogent and relevant and more importantly, what I wanted to know about.

Yes there will be more releases with animation replacing lost episodes.

Yes they will deal with Shada…although exactly what remains to be seen.

Yes the release schedule of classic Doctor Who is deliberate and not picked as I suspected by a specially trained BBC chimp.

They want to hold back some great releases so that the line goes out with a bang.

The current BBC schedule is due to finish in 2013.

Ambassadors of Death and Mind of Evil are in the process of being restored.

Then we saw a specially cut down show reel from the newly restored and colorized Episode 1 of “Invasion” or to those that read the target Novelizations “Invasion of the Dinosaurs”. It looked pretty good for something that had no existing color prints to draw from, and the dinosaurs when they appeared produced the requisite giggles from the audience, although it’s important to note that all renderings of dinosaurs are drawn from conjecture and there’s no evidence that they didn’t really look like giant immovable hand puppets.

All in all a geekfest to be proud of and I congratulate 2Entertain on their efforts.

Chris Tyler