Kik Axe Music and Entertainment

Gangsters, Players, Leaders of Drug Cartels, and enthusiasts of all unite!  On August 23, 2011 at 11:15pm EDT Universal Studios Home Entertainment will reunite the cast and filmmakers of the iconic underworld epic, SCARFACE.

Stars Al Pacino, Steven Bauer, Robert Loggia, F. Murray Abraham and producer Martin Bregman come together to celebrate the legacy of the film that redefined the ganger genre forever and became a cultural touchstone for an entire generation.

On September 6, 2011 IMAGE ENTERTAINMENT will reissue both HELLRAISER and HELLBOUND: HELLRAISER II as a part of their Midnight Madness Series. Both titles were previously in the Anchor Bay catalog where they'd seen release in several configurations (including Lament). The September release marks the first time that HELLBOUND has arrived on Blu-Ray. Of interesting note to readers of this site is that ASHLEY LAURENCE, star of the first two HELLRAISER films, recently starred in the longform music video for PRODUCT OF HATE's Unholy Manipulator. The video was directed by Kik Axe Music™ Editor James Zahn, produced by Robert Kurtzman's Creature Corps, and is due later this summer. No word on extras for the new releases, but check out some details below.

Eagle Rock Entertainment is gearing up to release both a Blu-Ray and a CD/DVD Package to celebrate PRIMAL SCREAM's 1991 release SCREAMADELICA.  SCREAMADELICA LIVE! was captured as the band performed the album in it's entirety for the very first time in London last year, and will be released on May 31.

The DVD/CD package, with the full two sets (Screamadelica and the “Rock Set”), and the CD with only the Screamadelica portion, showcases the band accompanied by a full brass section, a gospel choir and specially-made background visuals. The Blu-ray edition not only boasts the full concert and rock set, but gets the full “Classic Albums” treatment, running three and a half hours of pure Primal Scream. We've got an extended 10-minute teaser for the concert film along with two full songs that you can view below, right here on Kik Axe Music™.

BILLY JOEL is a true American badass. With four decades of musical output behind him, and a series of legendary personal exploits, there's little to be said about the Piano Man that would be a just summary of his artistry or career. The bottom line is that Joel rocks, and he knows it. If you like him, great. If not, he doesn't care. It's that attitude that makes watching LIVE AT SHEA STADIUM so compelling.

On May 10, Columbia Records will release LIVE AT RIVER PLATE, the latest concert film from AC/DC (the best pure-rock band of all time IMO). Set for release on DVD, Blu-Ray, and a DVD/T-Shirt Bundle, a trailer for the film has been released today and can be viewed below along with the official details. Don't know about any of you, but I know what I'm getting on May 10...

Cinematic Fanboys raised a lightsaber in their pants yesterday as the announcement of the complete six-film STAR WARS SAGA was heading to Blu-Ray for the very first time. But, the Cinematic Assholes have to point out that the ORIGINAL TRILOGY (Episodes IV-VI) are being released in their 1997 Special Edition form (including the added tweaks from the last DVD issue), and NOT the true form in which audiences first experienced them from 1977-1983. While we respect GEORGE LUCAS in that it's his right to continually "enhance" his films, we also are of the mind that the groundbreaking cinematic integrity of their original presentation should be preserved in the best manner possible not just for nostalgic reasons, but for historical ones.

Note: This is an addendum to an earlier article posted here.

When I took a VERY early look at Shout! Factory's release of MEGADETH - RUST IN PEACE LIVE back in July, I was working from a pre-release copies of both the DVD and CD versions of the album. With the concert package finally arriving in-stores today, I sat down this past weekend with the retail versions of the DVD, CD, and Blu-Ray editions to see just what the differences (if any) would be. Of particular interest was the Blu-Ray...

From the Official Press Release...

Gangster’s Paradise:  Jerusalema, a gritty South African thriller, comes to DVD from Anchor Bay Entertainment on September 28^th. This film festival favorite was South Africa’s submission to the 2009 Academy Awards® for the Foreign Language Film category.  Taking place shortly after the fall of apartheid, this action-packed peek into South Africa’s seedy criminal underbelly will be available for an SRP of $26.98. Pre-book is September 1^st.

So you want to know what's good on Blu-Ray and DVD this coming week? Specifically - what Television is hitting the home market this week?

Here's your hand-picked new releases hitting retailers online and off, along with digital download (in some cases) for this Tuesday, August 31, 2010. What will YOU be watching?

Here's what you can look forward to this Tuesday, August 31st, 2010.