Raiders of the Lost IMAX...

Steven Spielberg and executive producer George Lucas’ unforgettable Raiders of the Lost Ark is released for an exclusive one-week engagement in select IMAX cinemas beginning September 21, 2012

The cinematic classic that introduced the world to Indiana Jones is ready to embark on a new adventure when director Steven Spielberg and executive producer George Lucas’ unforgettable Raiders of the Lost Ark is released for an exclusive one-week engagement in select IMAX cinemas beginning September 21, 2012. The film has undergone a complete restoration for the IMAX exclusive one-week release and subsequent debut on Blu-ray, released October 8. Tickets will be available from Friday 24 August at www.odeon.co.uk and www.cineworld.co.uk

“When I saw the stunning quality of the picture and heard the enhanced sound in an IMAX theatre, I was quite literally blown away and hope that audiences will enjoy the experience as much as I did,” said Spielberg.

“We are honoured to present all the excitement of Indiana Jones in a way it’s never been experienced before – IMAX,” said Greg Foster, Chairman & President, IMAX Filmed Entertainment. “We look forward to celebrating this iconic film with long-time fans as well as a new generation of moviegoers.”

The IMAX release of Raiders of the Lost Ark will be digitally re-mastered into the image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience with proprietary IMAX DMR (Digital Re-mastering) technology. The crystal-clear images coupled with IMAX's customized theatre geometry and powerful digital audio create a unique environment that will make audiences feel as if they are in the movie.

Under the supervision of Spielberg and renowned sound designer Ben Burtt, Raiders of the Lost Ark has been meticulously restored with careful attention to preserving the original look, sound and feel of the iconic film for its highly-anticipated release on Blu-ray as part of INDIANA JONES: The Complete Adventures. Every extraordinary exploit of world-renowned, globetrotting hero Indiana Jones finally comes home in sparkling high definition on October 8, 2012 from Lucasfilm Ltd. and Paramount Home Media Distribution. In addition to all of the thrilling adventures, the set features seven hours of fascinating bonus material, including a brand new two-part documentary entitled “On Set with Raiders of the Lost Ark – From Jungle to Desert and From Adventure to Legend.” Featuring nearly an hour of rarely seen footage from the set of the film and archival interviews with Steven Spielberg, George Lucas and Harrison Ford, this captivating piece transports fans back to where the legend began.

Participating Sites

• BFI Waterloo
• Odeon Braehead
• Odeon Cardiff
• Odeon Gateshead Metro Centre
• Odeon Greenwich
• Odeon Kingston
• Odeon Liverpool One
• Odeon Norwich
• Odeon Southampton
• Odeon Swiss Cottage
• Odeon Uxbridge
• Odeon Wimbledon
• Cineworld Crawley
• Cineworld Edinburgh
• Cineworld Sheffield

INDIANA JONES: THE COMPLETE ADVENTURES debuts on Blu-ray on 8th October 2012 from Lucasfilm Ltd. and Paramount Home Media Distribution

Lucasfilm, Indiana Jones™ and related properties are trademarks and/or copyrights, in the United States and other countries, of Lucasfilm Ltd. and/or its affiliates. TM & © Lucasfilm Ltd. All rights reserved. All other trademarks and trade names are properties of their respective owners.

About Paramount Home Media Distribution
Paramount Home Media Distribution (PHMD) is part of Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment. PPC is a unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands. The PHMD division oversees PPC’s home entertainment, digital and television distribution activities worldwide. The division is responsible for the sales, marketing and distribution of home entertainment content on behalf of Paramount Pictures, Paramount Animation, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, Insurge Pictures, MTV, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, CBS and PBS and for providing home entertainment fulfillment services for DreamWorks Animation Home Entertainment. PHMD additionally manages global licensing of studio content and distribution across worldwide digital and television distribution platforms including online, mobile and portable devices and emerging technologies.

About IMAX Corporation
IMAX Corporation is one of the world's leading entertainment and technology companies, specializing in the creation and delivery of premium, awe-inspiring entertainment experiences. With a growing suite of cutting-edge motion picture and sound technologies, and a globally recognized entertainment brand, IMAX is singularly situated at the convergence of the entertainment industry, innovation and the digital media world. The industry's top filmmakers and studios are utilizing IMAX theatres to connect with audiences in extraordinary ways, and as such, the IMAX network is among the most important and successful theatrical distribution platforms for major event films around the globe. The Company's new digital projection and sound systems - combined with a growing blockbuster film slate - are fueling the rapid expansion of the IMAX network in established markets such as North America, Western Europe, and Japan, as well as emerging markets such as China and Russia. IMAX deliver the world's best cinematic presentations using proprietary IMAX®, IMAX® 3D, and IMAX DMR® (Digital Re-Mastering) technologies. IMAX DMR enables virtually any motion picture to be transformed into the unparalleled image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience®.

IMAX is headquartered in New York, Toronto and Los Angeles, with offices in London, Tokyo, Shanghai and Beijing. As of June 30, 2012, there were 663 IMAX theatres (529 commercial multiplex, 20 commercial destination and 114 institutional) in 52 countries.

IMAX®, IMAX® 3D, IMAX DMR®, Experience It In IMAX®, An IMAX 3D Experience®, The IMAX Experience® and IMAX Is Believing™ are trademarks of IMAX Corporation. More information about the Company can be found at www.imax.com. You may also connect with IMAX on Facebook (www.facebook.com/imax), Twitter (www.twitter.com/imax) and YouTube (www.youtube.com/imaxmovies).

Limited Edition Spaceship pack for E.T.

In Celebration of Universal Studios’ 100th Anniversary, One of the Most Beloved Films of All Time Comes to Blu-ray™ for the First Time Ever

LIMITED EDITION SPACESHIP PACK WITH EXCLUSIVE COLLECTIBLE 44 PAGE DIGIBOOK, INCLUDING AN INTRODUCTION BY DREW BARRYMORE, RARE PHOTOS, SKETCHES, ARCHIVAL MATERIALS AND MORE!

LIMITED EDITION SPACESHIP PACK WITH EXCLUSIVE DIGIBOOK (BLU-RAY + ULTRAVIOLET)

E.T. IS AVAILABLE ON BLU-RAY FOR THE FIRST TIME ON 22ND OCTOBER
Steven Spielberg’s Unforgettable Adventure Debuts in A Digitally Remastered 30th anniversary Edition. Available On Blu-Ray™, Special Edition Blu-Ray Steelbook And Limited Edition Spaceship Pack From 22nd October 2012.

London 30th May, 2012 – E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, Academy Award®-winning director Steven Spielberg’s magical adventure, celebrates its 30th Anniversary with its first-ever release on Blu-ray™ on 22nd October 2012.  Featuring an all-new, digitally remastered picture that delivers six times the resolution of DVD, as well as all-new 7.1 surround sound, the E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial Anniversary Edition Blu-ray™ and Steelbook features the 1982 theatrical movie, and all-new interview with director Steven Spielberg and “The E.T. Journals” which features an hour of never-before-seen footage from the set of the film.  The Blu-ray™ and Steelbook also includes a Digital Copy and UltraViolet™  copy of the film, offering fans a chance to relive the mystery, laughter and wonder of the iconic movie anytime, anywhere on the platform of their choice.

In 1982, E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial became the biggest blockbuster of the year, debuting at No1. around the world.  Even today, E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial remains one of the most successful and well-loved films of all time. Nominated for nine Academy Awards® including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Writing and Best Screenplay, the film took home four statuettes for Best Visual Effects, Best Sound Effects Editing, Best Sound and Best Music for John Williams’ (Jaws) memorable score. The unforgettable cast includes the adorable Drew Barrymore (He’s Just Not That Into You, Charlie’s Angels), Henry Thomas (Dear John, Legends of the Fall), Dee Wallace (10, “Sons and Daughters”) and Peter Coyote (“Law & Order: LA” Jagged Edge).

“When E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial premiered in 1982, it captured the imaginations of people young, old and everyone in between in a way that was unparalleled in modern movie history,” said Craig Kornblau, President of Universal Studios Home Entertainment. “A global cultural phenomenon – and the biggest box-office blockbuster of its day – E.T. brought out the child in all of us. We are thrilled audiences will now be able to experience the film in the astounding quality of Blu-ray.”

Alejandro Jodorowsky’s Santa Sangre

‘Like some Fellini-esque nightmare…a strange, violent, but ultimately liberating vision’ Time Out
‘A mind blowing exercise in amputation and religious weirdness’ The Guardian

It’s the ultimate midnight movie, the cult film to end all cults films, one of the weirdest, strangest and visually stunning films you’ve ever seen, appealing to cineastes, horror buffs, drive-in movie fans, heads, freaks and weirdoes… It is Santa Sangre (Holy Blood), a mind trip of a film due for a long-overdue revival at UK cinemas in a sumptuous, fully remastered version on September 21, 2012.

Described as one of Alejandro Jodorowsky’s finest films Santa Sangre received huge critical acclaim on its initial release, and now Mr Bongo Films presents the phenomenal masterpiece in a version that fully highlights this visual feast.

A young man is confined in a mental hospital. Through a flashback we see that he was traumatized as a child, when he and his family were circus performers: he saw his father cut off the arms of his mother, a religious fanatic and leader of the heretical church of Santa Sangre ("Holy Blood"), and then commit suicide. Back in the present, he escapes and rejoins his surviving and armless mother. Against his will, he "becomes her arms" and the two undertake a grisly campaign of murder and revenge

Cockney Gangster Legends

Cockneys vs. Zombies comes to cinemas on 31st August and showcases the best of both old and new talent from the East End, including Alan Ford - one of the most recognizable cockney actors of the gangster genre.

This zom-com focuses on two hapless cockney brothers (Harry Treadaway and Rasmus Hardiker) who are so determined to save their granddad’s (Alan Ford) care home that they attempt to rob a bank. They emerge from the heist to find that the East End has been infested by zombies and have to fight and fumble their way across London to save the plucky pensioners who have found inventive ways of their own to stave off the attack!

To celebrate the release of Cockneys vs. Zombies, we take a look at legendary cockney gangster actors who have proved that crime does in fact pay when it comes to criminal roles.


Michael Caine

Maurice Micklewhite, otherwise known as Michael Caine, is amongst the greatest British actors in living memory and has an accent almost as well-known as his greatest performances. After his breakout role in war-epic ‘Zulu’ (1964), Caine starred in sixties classics ‘The Ipcress File’ (1965) and ‘Alfie’ (1966) before forever epitomizing the role of the Cockney gangster in masterpieces such as ‘The Italian Job’ (1969) and ‘Get Carter’ (1971). Caine claimed to chain-smoke at least 80 cigarettes a day early in his acting career and states that he only quit after receiving a stern lecture from Tony Curtis at a party in 1971.

Lenny McClean

Born in the East End, Lenny McClean grew up around conmen and criminals such as his great-uncle, local gangster Jimmy Spinks. Before becoming an actor he was known as the best street fighter in Britain, achieving 3000 undefeated matches in his career, and earned his nickname “The Guv’nor” after running a pub of the same name with Charlie Kray, older brother of the notorious Kray twins. McClean started acting after being introduced to an agent by Mike Reid, who he was “minding” at the time, and earned immediate acclaim by starring in “Fifth Element” (1997) and “Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels” (1998).

Bob Hoskins

Known to be one of the most brutally frank actors to interview, Bob Hoskins is not one to hold back in his role choices either, appearing in films from ‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit?’ (1988) to ‘Nixon’ (1995). Hoskin’s breakout role came in the form of London-based gangster movie ‘The Long Good Friday’ (1980) and followed with gritty crime drama ‘Mona Lisa’ (1986). His respected gangster credentials famously almost gained him a part in ‘The Untouchables’ (1987) before Robert De Niro took the role. Hoskins was given £20,000 by director Brian De Palma for being a “great standby” to which he responded: “If you've ever got any films you don't want me in son, you just give me a call!”

Ray Winstone

London-born Ray Winstone’s affinity with gangster roles has paved his way to Hollywood in recent years. Achieving acclaimed performances in home-grown gangster films such as ‘Love, Honour and Obey’ (2000) and ‘Sexy Beast’ (2000), Winstone began playing similar roles in successful American thrillers such as ‘Ripley’s Game’ (2002) and ‘The Departed’ (2006). He has since appeared in big budget movies, namely ‘Cold Mountain’ (2002), ‘Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull’ (2008) and ‘Hugo’ (2011), yet still finds time to return to his roots in films like ‘The Sweeney’ (2012) based on the British TV series where a 19-year-old Winstone had one of his first roles.

Alan Ford

Despite not acting on screen until 1973, Alan Ford more than made up for lost time by appearing in some of the most popular movies of recent years. With Guy Ritchie’s fresh approach to the British gangster film, Ford’s memorable turns in ‘Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels’ (1998) and ‘Snatch’ (2000) launched him into audience’s minds as a volatile character. However he has proved to be an excellent comic actor in the past after appearing in ‘Knowing Me , Knowing You…With Alan Partridge’ (1994). Ford has tied these qualities together perfectly for his upcoming role in horror comedy ‘Cockneys Vs. Zombies’ (2012) where Ford plays the leader of a group of foul-mouthed, plucky pensioners who have to fight off a zombie attack in the East End.

Cockneys vs. Zombies is in cinemas from August 31, 2012

Frankenweenie European Premiere opens the 56th BFI London Film Festival

London, Thursday 23 August: – The 56th BFI London Film Festival in partnership with American Express is delighted to announce that this year’s Festival will open on Wednesday 10 October with the European Premiere of Disney’s FRANKENWEENIE, directed by acclaimed filmmaker Tim Burton.

In partnership with American Express and Disney, and in a first for the Festival, the Opening Night screening and red carpet will go live from Odeon Leicester Square to BFI Imax and 30 screens across the UK.  The Festival will also host The Art of Frankenweenie Exhibition from 17-21 October.

FRANKENWEENIE is a heartwarming tale about a boy and his dog. After unexpectedly losing his beloved dog Sparky, young Victor harnesses the power of science to bring his best friend back to life—with just a few minor adjustments. He tries to hide his home-sewn creation, but when Sparky gets out, Victor’s fellow students, teachers and the entire town all learn that getting a new “leash on life” can be monstrous.

A visually stunning black and white, stop-motion animated film in 3D, FRANKENWEENIE’s voice cast includes Catherine O’Hara, Martin Short, Martin Landau, Charlie Tahan, Atticus Shaffer, Robert Capron, Conchata Ferrell and Winona Ryder. Disney will release the film in the UK on 17 October.

Tim Burton, Winona Ryder, Martin Short, Catherine O’Hara, Martin Landau, Producer Allison Abbate and Executive Producer Don Hahn are expected to attend the Festival.

In a first for the BFI London Film Festival Opening Night, FRANKENWEENIE will receive a simultaneous premiere in 30 cinemas nationwide, with audiences across the UK able to enjoy footage from the Leicester Square red carpet prior to the screenings.  This event is part of the Festival’s drive to reach a diverse UK audience and put the public at the heart of the festival-going experience.

FRANKENWEENIE is the first animated film that Tim Burton has directed for Disney. Burton also produced along with Allison Abbate, with Don Hahn serving as executive producer. The screenplay is by John August, based on an original idea by Tim Burton.

Clare Stewart, BFI Head of Exhibition comments on her first Opening Night choice as Festival Director: “Funny, dark and whimsical, this gloriously crafted stop-motion 3D animation from Tim Burton – the reigning prince of outsiders – playfully turns the Frankenstein story on its bolted-on head. FRANKENWEENIE is a perfect choice of opener – it’s a film that revels in the magic of movies from one of cinema’s great visionaries. Tim Burton has chosen London as his home city and hundreds of talented British craftspeople have contributed to this production. To host the European Premiere, to present The Art of Frankenweenie Exhibition and to take our Opening Night out to 30 screens means we are making the Festival even more accessible for film fans across the UK.”

Producer Allison Abbate adds: “I am delighted that FRANKENWEENIE, which was produced here in London at 3 Mills Studios, will be opening the 56th BFI London Film Festival. Living and working in the UK, I've been able to collaborate with some of the most talented artists in the industry including the puppet designers and fabricators from Manchester-based Mackinnon & Saunders. In the last nine years, I’ve attended the Festival as both a filmmaker and guest, and I know how passionate and enthusiastic the audiences are, so I am thrilled to share the film’s European Premiere with them.”

Colin Walsh, Managing Director, American Express UK adds: “We’re thrilled to be further strengthening our partnership with the BFI and the Festival through our support for this year’s Opening Night Gala.  In addition to FRANKENWEENIE being a much anticipated film, what makes this year’s Opening Night so special is the opportunity for audiences across the country to experience the excitement of a West End premiere. That, coupled with the interactive exhibition giving people an insight behind the scenes of the film, is sure to make this a fantastic start to this year’s Festival.“

The Art of Frankenweenie Exhibition is generously supported by American Express. The exhibition runs from 17-21 October (with a press preview and preview for American Express Cardmembers on 16 October) and will be free to the public. For information on tickets see bfi.org.uk/lff from 5 September.

Hours of meticulous work have gone into the making of FRANKENWEENIE, perfecting the figures and characters that bring this amazing story to life. BFI London Film Festival is presenting the exhibition in association with Disney and Principal Partner American Express.

The Art of Frankenweenie Exhibition captures the magic of the filmmaking process and gives audiences an exclusive glimpse into the stop-motion animation process brought to life by visionary filmmaker Tim Burton.  From original sketches drawn by Burton, to extensive props, sets and puppets, the exhibition showcases the artistic detail and vision that has gone into bringing this heartwarming tale to the big screen in 2012’s most highly anticipated animated movie. The Art of Frankenweenie Exhibition delves into the world of a boy who, inspired by science and the love of his dog, brings his beloved pet back from the dead.

There will be exciting workshop opportunities for education audiences to explore the production of FRANKENWEENIE via guided tours of the Exhibit, meeting some of the talented people who made the film and trying their hand at the skills required for animation and set design.

The Art of Frankenweenie Exhibition will take place next door to the BFI Southbank at Southbank Centre’s Festival Village.

The 56th BFI London Film Festival in partnership with American Express runs from Wednesday 10 October-Sunday 21 October.  The full programme for the Festival will be announced at the press launch on Wednesday 5 September.

Marvel Avengers Assemble to hit DVD

MARVEL AVENGERS ASSEMBLE TO BE RELEASED TO OWN ON SEPTEMBER 17,  2012 

THE UK’S # 1 SUPERHERO MOVIE OF ALL TIME ASSEMBLES NEVER BEFORE SEEN FOOTAGE IN HIGH DEFINITION - EARLY DEMAND FOR BLU-RAY AND DVD RELEASE ALREADY BREAKING RECORDS

The biggest film of the year will take retailers by storm on 17th September 2012 when Marvel Avengers Assemble is released on Blu-ray and DVD. As well as giving fans the chance to enjoy the exhilarating action and the movie’s visually stunning special effects over and over again, Blu-ray audiences will also be treated to a host of behind-the-scenes insights and all new footage.

Coupled with box office takings that exceeded $1 billion globally after just 19 days – making it the third biggest movie of all time globally – Marvel Avengers Assemble is unquestionably a must own Blu-ray and DVD. Pre-order sales for the film’s Blu-ray and DVD release underline how hotly anticipated this release is, racking up enough sales in three days of pre-orders to put it on track to be the second biggest week one in pre-order sales ever in the UK.

Assembling the Team – Captain America & Bruce Banner

Bruce Banner extended scene

Exclusive to the Blu-ray edition is the highly anticipated all-new short – Marvel One Shot: “ITEM 47.” The Avengers won the battle, but a few items were left behind...is the stark warning underlining this side story in which New York City is in ruins following the epic climax to Marvel’s Avengers Assemble. Certain alien technology has been left behind.S.H.I.E.L.D. recovered all but one…a Chitauri weapon, aka “ITEM 47.” Fans will only be able to find out what happens after Benny (Jesse Bradford) and Claire (Lizzy Caplan), stumble across the elusive weapon by watching the thrilling short exclusively on Blu-ray.

Also, for the first time, Marvel shares scenes that never made it into the cinematic version of the movie and invites viewers to the very early stages of pre-production on the film “Marvel Avengers Assemble”. Included in the 90 minute documentary ‘Building A Dream: Assembling the Avengers’ is never before seen footage from ‘Iron Man’ as well as fascinating insight from director Joss Whedon and producer Kevin Feige on how they began creating the Marvel Cinematic Universe for what has been described as “the smartest, wittiest, & most unapologetically entertaining comic-book adaptation of the modern era” (Kevin Maher – The Times) and become one of the most anticipated and talked about movie events in the world.

Marvel Avengers Assemble brings together some of Marvel’s most loved and iconic superhero characters in the biggest superhero movie in history. Directed by Joss Whedon, the film stars Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner and Tom Hiddleston, with Stellan Skarsgård and Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury, from a story by Zak Penn and Joss Whedon with screenplay by Joss Whedon, Marvel Avengers Assemble is based on the ever-popular Marvel comic book series “The Avengers,” first published in 1963 and a comic institution ever since.

Iconic Marvel Super Heroes Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye and Black Widow answer the call to action when Nick Fury, Director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., initiates a daring, globe-spanning recruitment effort to assemble The Avengers team to defeat an unexpected enemy threatening global safety and security. Despite pulling together the ultimate dream team, Nick Fury and longtime confidant Agent Coulson must find a way to convince the Super Heroes to work with, not against each other, when the powerful and dangerous Loki gains access to the Cosmic Cube and its unlimited power.

The appetite for Marvel Avengers Assemble is seemingly insatiable. In addition to smashing box office records Marvel’s official Facebook site is liked by over 4 million people, and the new Facebook game “Marvel: Avengers Alliance” attracts over 1.2 million daily users. Sales of all consumer products ranging from action figure toys to adult apparel have exploded since the launch of the movie and is set to continue with with new additions to the range of existing products available and a new animated series of “The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes” set to premier this summer on Disney XD. Filming has just begun on Iron Man 3, which will be released in 2013.

More Skyfall wallpapers

In SKYFALL, Bond’s loyalty to M is tested as her past comes back to haunt her. As MI6 comes under attack, 007 must track down and destroy the threat, no matter how personal the cost.

SKYFALL, from Albert R Broccoli’s EON Productions, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, and Sony Pictures Entertainment, is directed by Academy Award® winner Sam Mendes and stars Daniel Craig, who returns for his third film as Ian Fleming’s James Bond 007.

SKYFALL opens at cinemas across the UK on 26th October 2012

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