VOD Overdose is Movie Buzzers’ coverage of video-on-demand developments and upcoming films premiering on video-on-demand. With an increasing number of studios embracing VOD as a way to premiere and distribute films, this column covers movies that might be worth a look even though they aren’t playing at your local multiplex.
Latest VOD News
Lots of VOD news this week, especially in acquisitions because of the American Film Market. But before we get to that, I always like posting news on the VOD sales figures to show how effective the model can be. IndieWire reports that Arbitrage, the Richard Gere Wall Street film that was in simultaneous limited theatrical and VOD release, has grossed $7.6 million from its theatrical run and $11 million from VOD, which shows a nice increase from the previous record holder for that model, Margin Call (which grossed $5.4 million and $6 million respectively, and was also released by Roadside Attractions). Adding Arbitrage‘s $12.9 million foreign box office grosses and this low-budget movie is yet another sign that the multiple-platform release strategy can do wonders for “smaller” films.
I’ve gotten all sorts of notices on the latest VOD acquisitions, some as VOD only releases and others tied to limited theatrical releases, many of which were nabbed during the recent American Film Market industry event:
- GoDigital will handle the online VOD distribution of 108 Media’s catalog of films, which include the upcoming Midnight’s Children and The We and The I, directed by Michael Gondry.
- Image Entertainment acquired two films at AFM that will get a VOD release first followed by a limited theatrical release. They are Day of the Falcon, a Tribeca Film Festival movie starring Antonio Banderas and Mark Strong, and Stranded, a sci-fi film starring Christian Slater.
- Phase 4, who certainly has eclectic taste, acquired Long Time Gone for a 2013 release. The film stars Virgina Masden as a woman who suffers a nervous breakdown after she finds out her husband is cheating on her. It is the directorial debut of Sarah Siegel-Magness (who produced Precious) and is based on April Stevens’ novel Angel Angel.
- IFC Midnight, which has put out some great VOD horror movies, has acquired the documentary My Amityville Horror for a limited theatrical/VOD release. Unlike the long-running horror film series based on fictional events, My Amityville Horror purports to be a documentary on what really happened in that Long Island home that spawned a ten-film horror franchise.
- Though it didn’t have distribution nailed down at the time, there was a panel at New York Comic-Con for the teenage hit-girl film Violet & Daisy, which stars Saoirse Ronan, Alexis Bledel, James Gandolfini and Danny Trejo. Obviously that made an impression, because Cinedigm Entertainment has picked up the film for a theatrical release, which will be followed by a VOD release. It’s also the directorial debut of Geoffrey Fletcher, who wrote Precious.
This next bit of news reminds me of Zeppelin’s Immigrant Song based on the title, Hammer of the Gods. But what makes it even more awesome is that it’s a freakin’ Viking epic. Magnet Releasing has acquired the movie, which stars Charlie Bewley and James Cosmo, for VOD release in 2013. The plot description reads, “Set in the violent world of Viking Britain in 871 AD, HAMMER OF THE GODS is the story of a young Viking warrior, Steinar (Bewley), sent by his father the King (Cosmo) on a quest to find his estranged brother, who was banished from the kingdom many years before. Steinar’s epic journey across hostile territory gradually sees him emerge as the man his father wants him to be – the ruthless and unforgiving successor to his throne.” I’m definitely going to check this one out when it hits VOD.
Now on VOD… And We Reviewed It!
Here’s a sampling of recent VOD movies that Movie Buzzers has viewed and reviewed. Check your cable provider or the below online retailers:
Attack of the Jurassic Shark (Review 0.5/10)
Beast (Review 7/10), available at iTunes
Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning (Review 2/10), available at Amazon, iTunes and Vudu.
For Ellen (Review 5/10), available at iTunes and Vudu.
Upcoming VOD Releases
(For films premiering on VOD platforms, or hitting VOD after limited theatrical runs. Check out trailers for these and other VOD titles at the Independent Movie on Demand YouTube channel here!)
November 15
Gangster, Guns & Zombies
Well, it’s fair so say that all you need to know about this film is in its title. But it does have a clever premise — after zombies take over, gangsters release there’s plenty of opportunities to make money providing protection. What, you thought the end of the world would put an end to that?
November 16
Price Check
Parker Posey has made her fair share of VOD films, and she brings her usual energy to this movie as a spunky boss that teaches a thing or two to her tired, worn out employee.
November 21
The Fitzgerald Family Christmas
I got to see Ed Burns‘ latest film on Tuesday, but I’m under embargo on releasing my review until its December 7 theatrical release. Suffice to say if you’re a fan of Burns’ talky New York Irish-American movies you’ll love this — it has a lot of heart.
Ecstasy
Based on the novel by Irvine Welsh (who also wrote the novel Trainspotting), this similarly drug-fueled film has already won a number of big awards around the world at film festivals.
November 22
The Thompsons
The sequel to the vampire flick The Hamiltons, this film picks up on the Hamilton vampire clan visiting England to face off with the Thompsons, another undead brood.
November 27
Sushi Girl
Mark Hamill has been incredible as the voice of The Joker in about two decades worth of Batman projects, so seeing him play a full-fledged psycho in Sushi Girl ought to be a treat. Throwing Danny Trejo in the mix can only make it better.
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