Boy and the World Arrives on DVD/BD on July 5

Brazilian artist Alê Abreu's Academy Award-nominated masterpiece, BOY AND THE WORLD, is arriving on Blu-ray Combo Pack and  DVD on July 5, 2016, from Universal Pictures Home

Entertainment, in partnership with GKIDS. A riotous explosion of music and color, critics proclaim BOY AND THE WORLD is "one of the most beautiful animated features ever made" (David Noh, Film Journal International). The Blu-ray and DVD are filled with exclusive bonus features that take audiences behind the scenes of the visually captivating film, giving fans the opportunity to see how the dreamlike carnival of images showing one boy's journey through the wonders and struggles of the modern world was created.

Cuca's cozy rural life is shattered when his father leaves for the city. Determined to reunite his family, Cuca embarks on a journey that unfolds like a tapestry – the film's stunning visuals becoming more complex as his small world expands. The story of a changing world through the eyes of a curious child, BOY AND THE WORLD depicts a clash between village and city, nature and industry, the rich and the poor – and despite the tumult, the heart and soul of the people beats on as a song…

"THE BFG" OST Releases on July 1

The talents of three of the world's greatest storytellers – Roald Dahl, Walt Disney and Steven Spielberg – finally unite to bring Dahl's beloved classic "The BFG" to life.  "The BFG" tells the   imaginative story of a young girl and the Giant who introduces her to the wonders and perils of Giant Country. The score was composed and conducted by Oscar-winning composer John Williams.  The BFG soundtrack from Walt Disney Records will be available on July 1, 2016.  "The BFG" opens in USA theaters on July 1, 2016, the year that marks the 100^th anniversary of Dahl's birth.

Directed by three-time Academy Award winner Steven Spielberg from a screenplay by Melissa Mathison based on the best-selling book by Roald Dahl, "The BFG" stars three-time Tony Award, two-time Olivier Award and Oscar winner Mark Rylance, newcomer Ruby Barnhill, Penelope Wilton, Jemaine Clement, Rebecca Hall, Rafe Spall and Bill Hader.  The film is produced by Spielberg, Frank Marshall and Sam Mercer, with Kathleen Kennedy, John Madden, Kristie Macosko Krieger and Michael Siegel serving as executive producers.

 

John Williams, whose career spans over five decades, has won five Academy Awards and he has scored some of the most popular and critically acclaimed films of all time, including all seven "Star Wars" films, the first three "Harry Potter" films, and countless others.  His 42-year artistic partnership with director Steven Spielberg has resulted in many of Hollywood's most acclaimed and successful films, including "Schindler's List," "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial," "Jaws," "Jurassic Park," "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," the "Indiana Jones" films, "Munich," "Saving Private Ryan," "War Horse" and "Lincoln." 

 

MASTERWORKS BROADWAY ANNOUNCES SUMMER '16 MUSIC CD RELEASES

Masterworks Broadway has announced its Summer 2016 releases including three classic albums from the archives;

Sid and Marty Krofft’s Les Poupees de Paris, 1964 World Fair Recording (July 8)
I’m Getting My Act Together and Taking It on the Road,  Original Off-Broadway Cast Recording (August 8)
Alice Through the Looking Glass – 1966 Television Soundtrack Recording (September 9)

Sid and Marty Krofft’s Les Poupees de Paris is the Grammy-nominated soundtrack from an elaborate puppet show performed on tour and at the 1964 World’s Fair. With the voices of Pearl Bailey, Milton Berle, Cyd Charisse, Annie Fargé, Gene Kelly, Liberace, Jayne Mansfield, Tony Martin, Phil Silvers, Loretta Young and Edie Adams, the score features music and lyrics by Sammy Cahn and James Van Heusen.

Known for bringing a psychedelic sensibility to children’s TV with shows like “The Banana Splits Adventure Hour,” “H.R. Pufnstuf” and “Land of the Lost,” the Krofft’s got their start with similar puppet shows performed in nightclubs. Sammy Cahn and James Van Heusen, the multi award-winning Songwriter’s Hall of Fame duo, are known as the team behind some of Frank Sinatra’s most famous hits including “Come Fly with Me,” “Only the Lonely,” and “Come Dance with Me.” Sid and Marty Krofft’s Les Poupees de Paris will be officially released for the first time on CD in the USA on July 8.

Independence Day: Resurgence Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (OST) on CD July 1

Sony Classical announced their release of Independence Day: Resurgence Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (OST), featuring music by Thomas Wander and Harald Kloser. The soundtrack will be available on CD July 1.   Independence Day: Resurgence arrives in theatres nationwide on Friday, June 24. Directed by Roland Emmerich, the film stars Liam Hemsworth, Jeff Goldblum, Bill Pullman, Maika Monroe, Travis Tope, William Fichtner, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Judd Hirsch, Jessie Usher, Brent Spiner and Vivica A. Fox.

 

We always knew they were coming back. After Independence Day redefined the event movie genre, the next epic chapter delivers global spectacle on an unimaginable scale. Using recovered alien technology, the nations of Earth have collaborated on an immense defense program to protect the planet. But nothing can prepare us for the aliens' advanced and unprecedented force. Only the ingenuity of a few brave men and women can bring our world back from the brink of extinction.

The screenplay for Independence Day: Resurgence was written by Nicolas Wright & James A. Woods and Dean Devlin & Roland Emmerich and James Vanderbilt, based on a story by Dean Devlin & Roland Emmerich and Nicolas Wright & James A. Woods. The film was produced by Dean Devlin, Roland Emmerich and Harald Kloser.

Independence Day: Resurgence is the third collaboration between Austrian-born composers Thomas Wander and Harald Kloser and blockbuster director Roland Emmerich.

Sony Pictures Animation Announces 2017 & 2018 Releases

In an effort to show an expansion of its output and increased year-round production across multiple platforms, Sony Pictures Animation announced its release slate through 2018 which includes five theatrical features, three television series and one direct-to-video movie.

Kristine Belson, President of Sony Pictures Animation, says, "We are meaningfully stepping up our level of production, while creating an environment that fosters the best talent. Our goal is to enlarge our presence in the animation landscape with a uniquely diverse slate, and our strategy to get there is to let artists drive the movies creatively."

Tom Rothman, Chairman of Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, adds, "I could not be more proud of the way Kristine Belson has rebuilt Sony Pictures Animation into the boldest home for animation in the industry."

Sony Pictures Animation's slate includes a diverse mix of originals and franchises, some previously announced, each with its own unique style and tone, underscoring the Studio's pledge to develop projects aimed both inside and outside of the Sony Pictures Animation family brand intended for traditional, as well as online, distribution platforms.

MUMFORD & SONS' NEW "JOHANNESBURG" EP OUT NOW

Mumford & Sons have announced they're very proud to share a new set of recordings entitled Johannesburg, made with Baaba Maal, Beatenberg and The Very Best, out today. The mini album was recorded in Studio 2 and the Auditorium of the South African Broadcasting Corporation,
Johannesburg in February over two all-day and all-night sessions and produced by Mumford & Sons and The Very Best's Swedish electronic music maestro, Johan Hugo.

A.V. Club said "The London foursome go to admirable lengths to acknowledge and showcase their collaborators, making Johannesburg a true partnership rather than a novelty by faux-worldly hotshots...Johannesburg's thrills develop as the band participates in and gently incorporates something unfamiliar-without claiming ownership of it."

Mumford & Sons reveal that "Going to South Africa felt to us to be an adventure into a continent that none of us knew well. The appetite for live music is huge and the youth culture is exploding with energy and rejuvenation."

A.V. Club describes that the band is "quick to admit to taking the backseat in many ways,  [but] these songs conspicuously carry their stamp. "There Will Be Time" and "Ngamila" follow the band's omnipresent drama-building, soft-loud format, lurching from a delicate intro to a belted, passionate chorus. "Wona" initially borrows from Vampire Weekend with its bright Afropop guitar lines, but eventually works in Mumford & Sons' recent affection for arena rock. And the slick, coolly catchy "Fool You've Landed" is a refreshing break from the band's mold in every way. Keeping things
grounded in the record's continental surroundings are compelling vocal additions from Baaba Maal and traditional chants and harmonies throughout."

MASTERPIECE MYSTERY!: INSPECTOR LEWIS SEASON 8 on DVD/BD in August

PBS Distribution announced it will release “MASTERPIECE MYSTERY!: INSPECTOR LEWIS SEASON 8” on DVD and Blu-ray in August. Kevin Whately and Laurence Fox return for one last time as Inspector Lewis and Inspector Hathaway, investigating new cases of murder and other crimes in the seemingly perfect academic haven of Oxford.

The arrival of new Chief Superintendent heralds a fresh dawn for Oxfordshire Police, although the high flyer soon clashes with Robbie Lewis over the latter’s more traditional approach to detective work. With forensic pathologist Laura Hobson contemplating early retirement, and the new boss pilling on the pressure, will Lewis finally decide to call time on his policing career?

“INSPECTOR LEWIS SEASON 8” will be available on DVD and Blu-ray August 23, 2016. The run time of the program is approximately 270 minutes on 2 discs. The DVD SRP is $29.99 and the Blu-ray SRP is $34.99.

Elvis Presley's "Way Down In The Jungle Room" Album Out in August

The most complete and comprehensive collection of Presley's final studio recordings ever assembled in one anthology, Way Down In The Jungle Room is an essential and welcome addition for every library. In the mid-1970s, Elvis, the King of Rock 'n' Roll, became another kind of pioneer as one of the world's first major recording artists to create fully-realized professional level records in the intimacy of his own home studio.

With original recordings executive-produced by Elvis Presley with producer Felton Jarvis (who'd helmed most of Elvis' records from 1966-1977), Way Down In The Jungle Room brings together, for the first time in one collection, master recordings and rare outtakes laid down during two mythic sessions (February 2-8, 1976 and October 28-30, 1976) in Graceland's den; known as the "Jungle Room"--which was converted into a professional caliber recording studio for the purpose of capturing these indelible performances. The outtakes have been newly mixed by Grammy Award-winning engineer Matt Ross-Spang at Sam Phillips Recording in Memphis, Tennessee.

For these sessions, Elvis was backed by many members of his longtime touring band including: James Burton (guitar), Ronnie Tutt (drums), David Briggs (keyboards), Glenn D. Hardin (keyboards), Jerry Scheff (bass), Norbert Putnam (bass) and J.D. Sumner & the Stamps (vocals).

In 1976, when the tracks for Way Down In The Jungle Room were cut, Elvis Presley had been an RCA Records recording artist for 20 years, inventing the sound and attitude that defined the very essence of rock 'n' roll. That same year, RCA released The Sun Sessions, the label's first official collection of the electrifying 1954-1955 Elvis recordings that launched his career while transforming the world.

Puerto Ricans in Paris Arrives on DVD/Blu-ray

Two hardheaded New York detectives invade the City of Lights to unravel a high-fashion counterfeit investigation in Puerto Ricans in Paris, a rollicking cop comedy available on Blu-ray and DVD on August 2, 2016 from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment.

From co-writer and director Ian Edelman (How to Make it in America), Puerto Ricans in Paris teams up Luis Guzmán (Boogie Nights, We're the Millers) and Edgar Garcia (How to Make it in America) as brother-in-law police partners hot on the haute couture case. The hilarious action comedy also stars Rosario Dawson (Marvel's Daredevil), Miriam Shor (Younger), and Rosie Perez (Pineapple Express).

The fashion world of Paris is not ready for Luis (Luis Guzmán) and Eddie (Edgar Garcia), two NYPD investigators recruited by a fashion agency to track down the thief who has stolen its latest handbag designs. Barreling through the fashion shows, nightclubs, and hipster cafes of Paris, these two strangers in a strange land must use their wits to track down the elusive thief and collect a large bounty that would change their lives back home. Puerto Ricans in Paris is a laugh-out-loud, fish-out-of-water comedy.

Finding Dory Soundtrack CD Out on June 17

Walt Disney Records will release the original motion picture soundtrack for "Finding Dory"
tomorrow,  June 17, 2016. The score was composed and conducted by thirteen-time Oscar nominee and six-time Grammy winner Thomas Newman ("Spectre," "Bridge of Spies," "Saving Mr. Banks").

Rated PG, "Finding Dory" opens nationwide in theatres the same day.

"Finding Dory" welcomes back to the big screen Dory, friends Marlin and Nemo—and Newman. "To me, he was one of the cast members of 'Finding Nemo,'" says director Andrew Stanton. "We formed a close relationship ever since, and now that he is behind the score for 'Finding Dory,' it feels like the last member of the family has arrived at the reunion."

"There was no way I could not do 'Finding Dory,' says Newman, who was nominated for an Oscar® for his work on "Finding Nemo" and won a Grammy (best song written for motion picture, television or other visual media) on Stanton's "WALL•E." "It's ironic that a movie about fish—some in aquariums, some in open water—has such a huge range of emotive possibilities—from the hysterical to the deeply profound and primally frightening. That's exciting to ponder musically."

History Channel's Roots Arrives on DVD/Blu-ray on August 23

A powerful reimagining of the essential American story, HISTORY’s Roots arrives on Blu-ray  and DVD on August 23 from Lionsgate. Debuting on Memorial Day, the premiere episode of Roots was watched by 14.4 million total linear viewers over the course of all premiere week telecasts. Based on the Alex Haley novel and inspired by the wildly successful 1977 series about one family’s struggle to resist the institution of American slavery, Roots is the can’t-miss television event of the year. 

“Nearly 40 years ago I had the privilege to be a part of an epic television event that started an important conversation in America,” said LeVar Burton, Co-Executive Producer and the original Kunta Kinte. “I am incredibly proud to be a part of this new retelling and start the dialogue again, at a time when it is needed more than ever."

The 4-part miniseries is brought to life by an all-star cast including Forest Whitaker (The Last King of Scotland), Anna Paquin (TV’s “True Blood”), Laurence Fishburne (The Matrix), Jonathan Rhys Meyers (TV’s “The Tudors”), Mekhi Phifer (The Divergent Series), Tip “T.I.” Harris (Ant-Man), Matthew Goode (TV’s “Downton Abbey”), alongside breakouts Regé-Jean Page and Malachi Kirby.

"FRONTLINE: THE SECRET HISTORY OF ISIS” on DVD in August

PBS Distribution announced today it is releasing “FRONTLINE: THE SECRET HISTORY OF ISIS” on DVD. “They came out of nowhere.” That was the common refrain when ISIS captured the world’s attention by seizing large swaths of Iraq, declaring an Islamic caliphate, and initiating a series of deadly terrorist attacks around the globe, including those in Paris and Brussels. But the program reveals in grim detail, the emergence of the brutal terrorist group should not have been a surprise — especially to the U.S. government.

“FRONTLINE: THE SECRET HISTORY OF ISIS ” will be available on DVD August 9, 2016. The run time of the program is approximately 60 minutes and the SRP is $24.99.

Going behind the headlines, the film shows how Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, a one-time thug turned jihadi leader, was able to outmaneuver the American government for a time and build a brutal terrorist organization that would destabilize the Middle East and inflict violence around the world.

ROALD DAHL’S THE BFG on DVD July 5

Public Media Distribution, LLC announced today that it is re-releasing “ROALD DAHL’S THE

BFG” on DVD July 5, 2016. Roald Dahl’s beloved children’s book comes to life in this classic animated feature, which debuted in 1989, about the amazing power of friendship between a little girl and a big-hearted giant.

This DVD includes the digitally restored version of the animated film along with two special features; a Never-before-seen Roald Dahl Documentary and Before/After Restoration Video. The documentary features an interview with Roald Dahl in which he talks about several of the well-known books he has written including “The BFG,” “The Witches,” and “Matilda.” In this video viewers gain insight into how some of these classics came to life.

“ROALD DAHL’S THE BFG” will be re-released on DVD July 5, 2016. The DVD run time is approximately 90 minutes and its SRP is $9.99.

Heart Reveals "BEAUTIFUL BROKEN" Album Release Plans

Rock and Roll Hall of Famers HEART return this July 8 with BEAUTIFUL BROKEN, their sixteenth album and their first on Concord Records.  HEART has sold over 35 million records, and this anticipated album is their first in four years.  BEAUTIFUL BROKEN finds Ann and Nancy Wilson exploring new songs, but taking some of their favorite “cherry picks” from their catalog and rerecording and rethinking them. The title track and first single features a dynamic guest vocal contribution by Metallica‘s James Hetfield with Ann Wilson.

“There is really a seventies feel to this record both in the sound, and the way we got to the emotional core of each song,” says Nancy Wilson. “We picked songs that we always wanted to re-do, plus we’ve added three new tracks. On both new and old, we have the band playing together the way we used to. This is classic Heart.”

The seven tracks that were pulled from the HEART catalog were tunes both Nancy and Ann wanted another shot at, due many times to how they were initially produced. Songs like “City’s Burning,” “Down on Me,” and “Sweet Darlin'” have always been live favorites of the sisters, and of HEART‘s fan base, but they had somewhat languished. “Those songs may have fallen through the cracks, in a way, because of where radio was at the time when they were first released,” Ann Wilson says. “Rediscovering those songs, I found ways they emotionally still speak to me.” Two songs are from Passionworks, two from Private Audition, and two are from Bebe Le Strange.

A Hologram for the King Arrives in August

Academy Award winner Tom Hanks (Best Actor, Forrest Gump, 1994) stars in the classic fish-out-

of-water tale A Hologram for the King, available on Blu-ray (plus Digital HD), DVD (plus Digital)  August 9 from Lionsgate.  Based on The New York Times best-selling novel of the same name by David Eggers, the humorous and touching film about one man’s quest to find professional (and personal) redemption was written for the screen and directed by Golden Globe nominee Tom Tykwer (Run Lola Run). Alexander Black (Tim), Sarita Choudhury (TV’s “Homeland”), Sidse Babett Knudsen (TV’s “Westworld”), Ben Whishaw (Spectre) and Tom Skerritt (TV’s “Pickett Fences”) co-star.

Academy Award winner Tom Hanks delivers one of his most engaging performances as Alan Clay, a recently divorced American businessman who is sent overseas to pitch a state-of-the-art holographic teleconferencing system to a king. As Alan vainly tries to navigate new and unusual customs, he finds himself thrust into a series of wonderful misadventures, and a fateful encounter that changes his life forever.

The A Hologram for the King home entertainment release comes with three all-new behind-the-scenes featurettes including “From Novel to Screen: The Adaptation of A Hologram for the King” looking at the transition from best-selling novel to feature film; “Perfecting the Culture” highlighting the impeccable production design behind A Hologram for the King; and a “Making Of” featurette rounding out the bonus footage with in-depth interviews and behind-the-scenes peeks at the creation of the film. A Hologram for the King will be available on Blu-ray and DVD for the suggested retail price of $24.99 and $19.98, respectively. 

"The Lobster" Swims in On August 2 on DVD / Blu-ray

Golden Globe winner Colin Farrell (In Bruges) and Academy Award winner Rachel Weisz (Best Supporting Actress, The Constant Gardener, 2005) star in the 2015 Cannes Film Festival Jury Prize winner The Lobster, arriving on Blu-ray and DVD  on August 2 from Lionsgate.  Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, the director behind the Academy Award-nominated Dogtooth (Best Foreign Language Film, 2010), this provocative, edgy, and wickedly hilarious film is a story about love, relationships, and societal conformity. Universally loved by critics and audiences alike, The Lobster was a festival favorite when it was released theatrically from A24 and is Rotten Tomatoes Certified Fresh.

In this highly imaginative, delightfully absurdist comedy, Colin Farrell stars as David, a man who has just been dumped by his wife. To make matters worse, David lives in a society where single people have 45 days to find true love, or else they are turned into the animal of their choice and released into the woods. David is kept at the mysterious HOTEL while he searches for a new partner, and after several romantic misadventures, decides to make a daring escape to abandon this world. He ultimately joins up with a rebel faction known as The Loners, a group founded on a complete rejection of romance. But once there, David meets an enigmatic stranger (Rachel Weisz) who stirs up unexpected and strong feelings within him.

Manhattan Night Arrives in August on DVD and Blu-ray

Explore the darker side of New York City in the sexy thriller Manhattan Night, arriving on Blu-ray

and DVD (plus Digital) on August 2 from Lionsgate. Based on the acclaimed novel Manhattan Nocturne, Manhattan Night stars Academy Award winner Adrien Brody (Best Actor, The Pianist, 2002) alongside a sizzling cast including Yvonne Strahovski (I, Frankenstein), Campbell Scott (The Amazing Spider-Man 1 & 2), Jennifer Beals (Flashdance), with Linda Lavin (“Alice”) and Steven Berkoff (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo).

Based on The New York Times “Notable Book of The Year” noir thriller, this pulse-pounding mystery begins as reporter Porter Wren (Brody) meets attractive widow Caroline (Strahovski). When she asks him to solve the bizarre death of her filmmaker husband (Scott), Wren is unable to refuse — or resist — her. But when a rich mogul blackmails him into investigating Caroline, the reporter realizes this job could cost him everything.

Manhattan Night bonus features include audio commentary with Director Brian DeCubellis, Actor Campbell Scott and Cinematographer David Tumblety; a behind-the-scenes featurette; deleted and extended scenes; “The Watcher” featurette; and a look at the director’s notebook and storyboards. The film will be available on Blu-ray and DVD for $19.99 and $19.98, respectively.

Barbra Streisand Announces "ENCORE: Movie Partners Sing Broadway" Album

On the heels of her first appearance at The Tonys since 1970, Columbia Records has announced Barbra Streisand's "ENCORE: Movie Partners Sing Broadway" album will debut on August 26th, 2016, featuring 10 new Streisand duets of Broadway classics with some of the biggest stars in Hollywood. The inspired new musical pairings on "ENCORE: Movie Partners Sing Broadway" include Alec Baldwin, Antonio Banderas, Jamie Foxx, Anne Hathaway, Hugh Jackman, Seth MacFarlane, Melissa McCarthy, Chris Pine, Daisy Ridley, Patrick Wilson, and a spectacular virtual duet with Anthony Newley.

The release of "ENCORE: Movie Partners Sing Broadway" follows her nine-city August North American concert tour: THE MUSIC…THE MEM'RIES…THE MAGIC! during which she will perform hits from her ground-breaking career.

The greatest star to ever come out of Broadway, Streisand returns to her roots with "ENCORE: Movie Partners Sing Broadway." The legendary performer rose to unprecedented fame while starring on Broadway beginning with her stage debut in "I Can Get It For You Wholesale" in 1962 and then as comedienne Fanny Brice in the Broadway production of "Funny Girl" in 1964, earning Tony nominations for both turns. Streisand's very first record album, 1963's "The Barbra Streisand album," which earned Grammys for Album of the Year and Best Female Vocal Performances, featured several Broadway standards. In 1985 Streisand released "The Broadway Album" and in 1993 "Back to Broadway;" both albums went multi-platinum.

Steven Tyler Sets Solo Album Release Date

Iconic songwriter, prolific singer and Aerosmith founding member Steven Tyler revealed last week on The Ellen DeGeneres Show that his anticipated debut solo album will be released July 15 worldwide on Dot Records, underneath the Big Machine Label Group umbrella.  Revealing the cover art while chatting with Ellen, Tyler shared that he co-produced the 15-track album entitled We're All Somebody From Somewhere, alongside legendary musicians/producers T Bone Burnett and Dann Huff in addition to Marti Frederiksen and Jaren Johnston (The Cadillac Three). On June 24, Tyler will release the album’s title track “We’re All Somebody From Somewhere” at Country radio.

“I headed down to Nashville last spring to start working on this project, wrote some kick ass songs with some of Music City’s finest songwriters and now we get to share them with the world on July 15,” said Tyler. “Country music is the new Rock ‘n Roll. It’s not just about porches, dogs and kicking your boots up. It's a whole lot more. It's about being real. And nothing is more real than understanding We’re All Just Somebody From Somewhere.”



A longtime fan of the genre, Tyler’s "powerful and raw" (Rolling Stone Country) voice first hit the Country airwaves as "Love Is Your Name” reached #1 on the Billboard Country Streaming Songs chart. He followed with the anthemic “RED, WHITE & YOU,” which Taste of Country called “an unapologetic slice of good-time commercial country, slickly produced and with a lyric aimed squarely at the work-hard, play-hard values of country’s core audience.”


AV Ice Cream at ALA '16

Stop by and cool off at ALA in Orlando.

Visit with B&T at booth #1539 and let's discuss AV, and our

Scene & Heard AV products and services!

 

 

 

Special thanks to First Run Features, Kino- Lorber, Magnolia Films & PBS Home Entertainment

Sony Inks DVD/BD Distribution Deal for TNT's 'The Librarians'

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (SPHE) has signed a distribution deal in association with Electric Entertainment to distribute the first season of the TNT series “The Librarians” on Blu-ray and DVD in the United States and Canada this autumn.

The series, slated to launch its third season later this year, started airing in 2014 and finished the year as the #2 new series on basic cable, according to the video distributor.

Based on TNT’s movie franchise of the same name, “The Librarians” follows an ancient organization hidden beneath the Metropolitan Public Library dedicated to protecting an unknowing world from the secret, magical reality hidden all around. Rebecca Romijn (X-Men), Christian Kane (“Leverage,” “Angel”), Lindy Booth (Dawn of the Dead, “The Philanthropist”) and John Kim (The Pacific) star in the series as the newest protectors of the world’s mystical treasures, with John Larroquette (“Night Court,” “Deception”) as their reluctant caretaker, and Noah Wyle (“Falling Skies,” “ER”) as Flynn Carsen, the main character of the TV movies.

Also coming on DVD this fall from SPHE is “The Librarian” movie trilogy — The Librarian: Quest for the Spear (2004), The Librarian: Return to King Solomon’s Mines (2006) and The Librarian: Cure of the Judas Chalice (2008).

Kino Lorber Releases Pioneers of African-American Cinema on Blu-ray, DVD in July

Kino Lorber is proud to announce the release of Pioneers of African-American Cinema, a monumental five-disc set representing the significant but long-overlooked achievements of early, independent African-American filmmakers.

Among the most fascinating chapters of film history is that of the so-called "race films" that flourished in the 1920s - '40s. Unlike the "black cast" films produced within the Hollywood studio (such as Stormy Weather or Green Pastures), these films not only starred African Americans but were funded, written, produced, directed, distributed, and often exhibited by people of color. Entrepreneurial filmmakers  not only built an industry apart from the Hollywood establishment, they cultivated visual and narrative styles that were uniquely their own.

Defying convention and operating outside the studio system, these filmmakers were the forefathers (and -mothers) of the French New Wave, the L.A. Rebellion, and  the entirety of American indie cinema. Previously circulated in poor-quality 16mm prints, these newly restored versions allow us to witness the legacies of Oscar  Micheaux, Spencer Williams, and James and Eloyce Gist with fresh eyes - proving that, anything but imitative, these Pioneers of African-American Cinema were purely
innovative.

COLVIN & EARLE PREMIERES IN ITS ENTIRETY ON NPR'S FIRST LISTEN

NPR's FIRST LISTEN has premiered the entire album from acclaimed GRAMMY Award-winning artists Shawn Colvin and Steve Earle. Out June 10 via Fantasy Records, COLVIN & EARLE is still available for pre-order now from B&T.

The album will be available in a variety of formats, a standard 10-track CD, a deluxe 13-track limited edition with three exclusive bonus tracks as well as vinyl. Colvin & Earle will celebrate the album's release with a worldwide tour that kicks off June 10th at New York's famed City Winery and continues through the summer and fall. Highlights include a two-night stand at London's historic Union Chapel, Islington (June 13th and 15th) and an eagerly awaited performance at Bruce Hornsby's inaugural Funhouse Festival, taking place June 25th on the Lawn of the Art Museums of Colonial Williamsburg.

Shawn Colvin and Steve Earle first met nearly three decades ago as Colvin opened  a solo acoustic performance by Earle at Northampton, MA's beloved Iron Horse. The two proved fast friends, collaborating occasionally over the years until finally  teaming up for 2014's "Songs and Stories, Together Onstage" tour, a sold-out run that saw the duo uniting for one-of-a-kind evenings of song-swapping, duets and storytelling.  The Albany Times Union hailed the show as "a near perfect pairing,"  while The Morning Call praised Colvin & Earle for "(spurring) each other to greater eights." The Cleveland Plain Dealer summed it up best, declaring it "a joy to be able to witness two of the greatest at their craft."

photo : Alexandra Valenti/Courtesy of the artist

Mother's Day Arrives on DVD and Blu-ray in August from Universal

A big-hearted comedy invites us all to enjoy laughter, tears and love when MOTHER'S DAY arrives on Digital HD on Blu-ray and DVD on August 2, 2016, from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment.

From Garry Marshall, the director of Pretty Woman and Valentine's Day, comes MOTHER'S DAY, an all-star comedy that celebrates parenthood and family. The star-studded ensemble film follows three separate-but-connected families and explores the many types of relationships among children and their mothers. It's a comedy that will make you laugh, cry and cheer!

Jennifer Aniston (Horrible Bosses, "Friends"), Kate Hudson (How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, Almost Famous), Julia Roberts (Eat Pray Love, Erin Brockovich) and Jason Sudeikis ("The Last Man on Earth," "Saturday Night Live") lead an incredible cast in a film that connects the lives of a group of people maneuvering their way through relationships and family dysfunction in the week leading up to Mother's Day. The Blu-ray and DVD feature even more funny and feel-good moments with a gag reel and deleted scenes.

Also starring Shay Mitchell ("Pretty Little Liars"), Timothy Olyphant ("Justified," Live Free or Die Hard), Britt Robertson (Tomorrowland, The Longest Ride) and Hector Elizondo (Pretty Woman, The Princess Diaries), MOTHER'S DAY tells a fun and relatable story that can be enjoyed by all generations, making it the perfect family night movie!

Sony Pix Awards Us With "The Bronze" in August

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has announced plans to release indie comedy The Bronze on Blu

-ray and DVD this August 2. The film was co-written by, executive produced by and starring Melissa Rauch (“The Big Bang Theory”) and follows a washed-up former gymnast whose local celebrity status is threatened by an up-and-coming younger athlete.

“We are always looking for films and talent that are both original and push the creative envelope, and we found that in The Bronze,” said Steve Bersch, president of Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions. “Melissa Rauch delivers a 10.0 performance as Hope Ann Greggory, and we’re very happy that Sony could be part of the film.”

The film's cast also includes Gary Cole (“Veep”), Thomas Middleditch (“Silicon Valley”), Sebastian Stan (Captain America: Civil War), Cecily Strong (“Saturday Night Live”) and Haley Lu Richardson (“Ravenswood”), with cameos from 1996 U.S. Olympic gold medal winners Dominique Dawes and Dominique Moceanu, as well as former Russian Gold medalist Olga Korbut.

Mumford & Sons Announce "Johannesburg" with Baaba Maal, The Very Best and Beatenberg.

Mumford & Sons are very proud to announce details of a new set of recordings entitled
Johannesburg, made with Baaba Maal, Beatenberg and The Very Best. The new recordings
will be released on June 17th 2016, with single 'There Will Be Time' available now. The songs were recorded in Studio 2 and the Auditorium of the South African Broadcasting Corporation, Johannesburg in February over two all-day and all-night sessions and produced by Mumford & Sons and The Very Best's Swedish electronic music maestro, Johan Hugo. The lead track, There Will Be Time, went straight to number 1 in South Africa (the band's first number 1 single) upon release in late January.

Earlier this year, Mumford & Sons embarked on an historic, sell-out tour of South Africa. It's a country less travelled by your standard touring band, and usually  reserved as a token 48 hour pit stop to the megastars. Stadium 1, stadium 2. In  and out. Mumford & Sons have never followed the predictable route though, it's  not a part of their DNA.

Ted Dwane: "Since day one, we have been proactive in touring places that most bands don't often have the opportunity. It keeps us from monotony. I think the road could easily feel like groundhog-day but whether it's the Scottish Highlands, India, or a tour on barge boats, our travels still feel fresh and exciting. "Going to South Africa felt to us to be an adventure into a continent that none of us knew well. The appetite for live music is huge and the youth culture is exploding with energy and rejuvenation."

NEIL YOUNG's EARTH Out June 17th

Music legend Neil Young will release his new album, entitled EARTH, on June 17th via Reprise Records. The album features performances of songs from a range of Young's albums, including last
year's The Monsanto Years, 1990's Ragged Glory, and 1970's After the Gold Rush. The audio was captured during Young's 2015 tour with The Promise of the Real, fronted by Lukas Nelson (vocals/guitar) and Micah Nelson (guitar, vocals); Willie Nelson'ssons. The tour included Young performing solo and with the band for a full electric show.

A new take on some of Young's most beloved songs, EARTH features the live recordings,
along with added musical overdubs, as well as sounds of the earth, such as city
sounds like car horns, sounds of insects, and animal sounds from bears, birds, crickets,
bees, horses, cows - creating a very strange, yet beautiful atmosphere. "Ninety-eight uninterrupted minutes long,

EARTH flows as a collection of 13 songs from throughout my life, songs I have written
about living here on our planet together," says Young. "Our animal kingdom is well represented in the audience as well, and  the animals, insects, birds, and mammals actually take over the performances of  the songs at times."

NOVA: Operation Lighthouse Rescue Arrives in July on DVD

PBS Distribution announced today it is releasing “NOVA: OPERATION LIGHTHOUSE RESCUE” on DVD. On the picturesque bluffs of Martha’s Vineyard, disaster looms. The historic Gay Head Lighthouse, weighing more than 400 tons and soaring 175 feet above the sea, is precipitously close to toppling into the ocean.

Over the years, storms and the raging ocean have eroded the headland away. With fierce storms and hurricanes only intensifying as the global climate warms, this historic landmark is precipitously close to toppling into the ocean.

Now, an epic rescue is underway as a team of engineers attempts to move the iconic red brick structure 134 feet inland to safety. As they race to save this national treasure, discover the geology they encounter, the archaeology they discover, and technology they employ in this lighthouse rescue.

NOVA: OPERATION LIGHTHOUSE RESCUE” will be available on DVD July 26, 2016. The run time of the DVD is approximately 60 minutes and its SRP is $24.99.

Decca Sound: 55 Great Vocal Recitals Box Set Out Now

The definitive story of singing - on 55 CDs, from Decca Music.  Decca Sound: 55 Great Vocal Recitals set puts the spotlight on fifty-five unique voices
whose music and art shaped the century. Included are also the debut recitals of some of today's biggest names, underlining Decca's unparalleled ability at spotting vocal talent. The artists in this encyclopedic set are a who's who of the greatest singers from 1950 to the present day.

 Authoritative and comprehensive, this Decca 55CD set presents a unique period in human history: a period when brilliant recorded sound on LP & CD, plus radio, TV, film and live all combined to offer huge new opportunities for singers, record labels and producers to expand the audience for classical music. This box set puts the spotlight on fifty-five unique voices whose music and art shaped the century. Included are also the debut recitals of some of todays biggest names, underlining Decca's unparalleled ability at spotting vocal talent. The artists in this encyclopedic set are a who's who of the greatest singers from 1950 to the present day.

Presented in chronological order with their original cover artwork, this set proudly takes its place as the fifth in the hugely successful Decca Sound series which documents the labels story from the early years of mono to the present day.

55 acclaimed recitals from Decca many original LP recitals are complemented with bonus material. Original cover art used for each sleeve and presented in chronological order of recording date. Includes debut recitals by the worlds most distinguished artists such as Luciano Pavarotti, Joan Sutherland, Angela Gheorghiu and Cecilia Bartoli.