A message from the makers of indie feature Hook, Line & Sinker, which is now available for purchase through Torchlight Films…

SINGAPORE – On June 22, 2011, PayPal permanently closed the accounts of dozens of merchants making unauthorised use of PayPal’s global payment platform to conduct financial transactions that violate the company’s acceptable use policy. The action followed a joint operation with the Motion Picture Association (MPA) Asia Pacific, which was designed to identify merchants specialising in the sale of illegal counterfeit DVDs and Blu-ray Discs…

By Philip Wakefield

The chief censor has approved for R18 viewing a new Blu-ray release of the notorious, 1978 exploitation shocker about a multiple-rape victim’s revenge, I Spit on Your Grave, after banning the 2010 remake.

In its decision, the Office of Film and Video Classification said unlike the remake, the original does not “sexualise” its numerous images of nudity, encourage “prurient voyeurism” or convey “dubious messages” about sexual violence…

Universal Pictures International Entertainment and Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment have announced a new sales and distribution agreement, whereby Universal will distribute Fox’s entire home entertainment slate in New Zealand…

By Philip Wakefield

Amid the slew of NZ shows new to DVD is series two of The Jaquie Brown Diaries – but under its original title, The Jaquie Brown Odyssey…

David Blyth's controversial NZ horror film Wound is now in nationwide release through Vendetta Films. Since Wound's first screening last July at the Incredibly Strange Film Festival within the NZ International Film Festival, the film has been selected for the following International Film Festivals…

Boy was New Zealand’s most popular home movie title last year, according to an analysis of Fatso’s record 1.3 million online DVD rentals in 2010. The highest grossing New Zealand film of all time, Boy was followed by The Hurt Locker and Avatar.

A special collector’s edition of Boy went on sale this week barely three months after the original DVD release.
It includes a bonus disc of extras with an introduction by writer/director Taika Waititi, a behind the scenes short with a Waititi commentary, deleted and extended scenes, outtakes, Crazy Horses videos, and Waititi’s Oscar-nominated short film, Two Cars, One Night.

Judging from the myriad rave reviews this superb film received on its release, any Kiwi born last century is highly likely to feel the film speaks directly to them. For sure, we can count ourselves very lucky to have Gaylene Preston’s unique voice and vision consistently enriching our lives and culture through her work. Tony Barry calls her an alchemist.

JVC Professional has unveiled three new 3D-enabled D-ILA projectors that all host native contrast ratios unmatched in the industry, with the top model delivering a 100,000:1 native contrast ratio. The new projectors are the Procision Series DLA-X9E (pictured), DLA-X7E and DLA-X3E.

This two-day intensive workshop is a must for practising and emerging feature film and feature-documentary makers, as industry insiders ‘break the code’ to deliver the essential information on distributors, world sales agents and investors.
Developed by former distributor, festival director and FFC evaluation manager Tait Brady, this workshop examines in detail the complex worlds of domestic distribution, cinema exhibition and international sales.

The DVD release of the kidult classic Hunter’s Gold has been shelved because of a residuals dispute between TVNZ and key cast.
The decision to pull the release, which was scheduled for September, comes after at least two of the actors in the 13-part drama sought higher royalty payments.

This week’s début of Iron Man 2 on DVD and Blu-ray opens what should be a ferociously competitive fourth quarter for distributors and retailers, and marks Paramount’s first NZ Triple Play release, including as it does the Blu-ray of the Iron Man sequel as well as a DVD and digital copy.

The year’s biggest-grossing theatrical hit has been the #1 rental title since its home video release three weeks ago, while sales mirror those of a typical Hollywood blockbuster.

Friday’s DVD release of the record-breaking NZ movie, Boy, comes just days after it racked up one of the highest screen averages in Australia.

Taika Waititi’s coming-of-age comedy/drama grossed A$275,026 on 41 screens in its opening weekend across the Tasman.

Pioneering Kiwi kidult hit Hunter’s Gold will be released next month for first time on home video.

The South Pacific TV series, about a youngster looking for his father during the gold rush, was produced by John McRae, directed by Tom Parkinson and scripted by Roger Simpson.