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Microcinema International To Release Alex Cox DVD’s

It looks like Criterion isn’t the only name in town when it comes to director centric runs of DVD releases.

According to Cinematical (via The Playlist), San Francisco based DVD distributor Microcinema International has announced that they are set to not only round up a collection of films from cult filmmaker Alex Cox, but are set to release them on DVD.

Best known as the man behind cult hits like the film Repo Man and the fantastic former Criterion release, Sid and Nancy, the series of releases are set to delve deeper into this filmmakers rather interesting canon. The series includes Cox’s sort of but not really sequel to John Ford’s legendary film, The Searchers, called Searchers 2.0, as well as Cox’s Highway Patrolman, Death and the Compass, Three Businessmen, Revenger’s Tragedy, and Straight To Hell Returns, an update to Cox’s film, Straight To Hell.

Personally, not only am I a rather big fan of films like Repo Man and Sid And Nancy, but outside of those two films, I actually have never seen any other films out of Cox’s filmography. Some of these films, like Searchers 2.0, have not been available in the states, and while I haven’t seen much of Cox’s filmography, I can’t help but have a deep interest into delving into this director’s previous work. He has a massive following among cult film fans, so this is definitely one series of DVDs I can’t wait to check out.

Source: Cinematical / The Playlist

From the Press Release:

SAN FRANCISCO, CA, June 2, 2010 – Microcinema International (www.microcinema.com) today announced the acquisition of six films from famed director ALEX COX (Sid and Nancy, Repo Man).   Microcinema acquired STRAIGHT TO HELL RETURNS directly from Alex Cox and five films from HanWay Films (U.K.) including: SEARCHERS 2.0, EL PATRULLERO/HIGHWAY PATROLMAN,3 BUSINESSMEN, DEATH AND THE COMPASS, and REVENGER’S TRAGEDY. Microcinema International will be the exclusive home video, digital delivery, broadcast, and theatrical distributor for the United States and Canada. 

 

STRAIGHT TO HELL RETURNS stars Joe Strummer, Courtney Love, Dennis Hopper, Elvis Costello,Sy Richardson, Shane McGowan, Dick Rude, Jim Jarmusch, and Grace Jones. STRAIGHT TO HELL RETURNS is a new version of Cox’s 1986 feature STRAIGHT TO HELL, featuring enhanced violence and cruelty, and additional shots by cinematographer Tom Richmond. SEARCHERS 2.0 (2007) was produced by Roger Corman and Jon Davison and has never before been available on DVD. 

 

EL PATRULLERO/HIGHWAY PATROLMAN (1991) also has never been available on DVD in the US.3 BUSINESSMEN (1998) and DEATH AND THE COMPASS (1992) were previously distributed by Anchor Bay Entertainment and REVENGER’S TRAGEDY (2003) saw a North American DVD release through Fantoma Films.

Microcinema International has set a home video release date for SEARCHERS 2.0 of October 26, 2010, with STRAIGHT TO HELL RETURNS being released before the end of this year.

 

“I am thrilled that my films have found a home in the Microcinema catalogue,” said Director, Writer, Actor Alex Cox.   “Microcinema is one of the only distributors remaining who truly understand the auteur filmmaker and I am proud to have my films alongside the likes of Luis Buñuel, Maya Deren, Salvador Dalí, Hal Hartley, the “Loose Change” franchise, and many other fine films and filmmakers!”

 

Joshua Brunsting

Josh is a critic, a member of the Online Film Critics Society, a wrestling nerd, a hip-hop head, a father, a cinephile and a man looking to make his stamp on the world, one word at a time.

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