Schlock-Wire: Severin Returns With Blu-Ray/DVD Combos of THE WILD GEESE And ASHANTI
After a period of hiatus, popular cult movie label Severin is making a return to the marketplace in December. They got a new distributor in CAV and a pair of titles to launch this deal with: 1978's The Wild Geese and 1979's Ashanti. The former is big cult favorite with war movie fans and stars Richard Burton, Roger Moore and Richard Harris while the latter is an all-star shocker that features Michael Caine, William Holden and several other names in a tale of modern-day slavery. Best of all, these sets will be blu-ray/DVD combo packs with extras. Read on for all the international intrigue details...
SEVERIN RETURNS WITH RESTORED DVD/BLU-RAYS OF
‘WILD GEESE’ & ‘ASHANTI’, NEW DISTRIBUTION DEAL
12/11 Releases Of Burton/Moore/Harris ‘70s Action Classic And Infamous All-Star Michael Caine Slavery Adventure Lead New Slate Through CAV
LOS ANGELES, CA, November xx, 2012 – Severin Films today announced the December 11th Blu-ray + DVD combo releases of the all-star ‘70s British thrillers THE WILD GEESE and ASHANTI, both fully restored with exclusive new Bonus Features. The company also announced a new distribution deal with CAV Distributing Corporation, as well as an upcoming slate of releases that include an epic restoration of the 1979 classic ZULU DAWN, first-ever Blu-rays of such top-selling Severin titles as THE HAIRDRESSER’S HUSBAND and FELICITY, and a 10th Anniversary Blu-ray edition of THE MANSON FAMILY. THE WILD GEESE stars Richard Burton, Roger Moore and Richard Harris as aging mercenaries unleashed on one final mission in an unstable African nation. Hailed by Variety for its “rip-roaring blood & guts action” and recently called “nothing less than a ’70s British version of THE EXPENDABLES” by Total Film, this international box-office smash includes the first-ever DVD interviews with director Andrew V. McLaglen and legendary soldier-of-fortune 'Mad' Mike Hoare, on whom the Burton character was based. Michael Caine, William Holden, Peter Ustinov, Beverly Johnson, Rex Harrison and Omar Sharif star in ASHANTI, the infamous 1979 thriller about modern-day sex slavery in Africa and the Arab nations from the director of MANDINGO. Bonus Features include a revealing new interview with supermodel Johnson on the film’s notorious production and still-controversial history. Both titles have been restored in HD from original vault elements for the first time ever.
“Though it may have appeared quiet, Severin’s past year has actually been quite productive,” says Carl Daft, co-chairman of Severin Films. “We’re very proud of our international co-production THE THEATRE BIZARRE, and our HORROR EXPRESS Blu-ray was one of the top classic horror discs of the last 12 months. We made many of our biggest titles available digitally and on-demand, and were able to structure an exciting new distribution deal with our old friends at CAV. In addition, we’ve been working on extensive new Bonus Features for ZULU DAWN, as well as our THE HAIRDRESSER’S HUSBAND, FELICITY and MANSON FAMILY Blu-rays. We’ve even got some top-secret new Jess Franco releases coming, too. Severin is back and better than ever!”Severin Films was formed in 2006 with offices in Los Angeles and London. Their previous releases include Goya Award winner Jess Franco’s MACUMBA SEXUAL, Walerian Borowczyk’s IMMORAL WOMEN and THE ART OF LOVE, the unrated Director’s Cut of Just Jaeckin’s GWENDOLINE, Richard Stanley’s restored HARDWARE, Enzo Castellari’s original action classic INGLORIOUS BASTARDS, Oscar®-nominee Patrice Leconte’s THE HAIRDRESSER’S HUSBAND and PERFUME OF YVONNE, Eugenio Martin’s restored HORROR EXPRESS, and Alejandro Jodorowsky’s internationally acclaimed SANTA SANGRE.###ASHANTI1979 • 118 minutes • Color • 2.35:1, 16x9 • SRP $29.95 • 1 DVD, 1 BLU RAYTHE WILD GEESE1978 • 129 minutes • Color • 1.85:1, 16x9 • SRP $29.95 • 1 DVD, 1 BLU RAY