Second Run DVD's new release this month is the Raya Martin's exquisite, award-winning 2009 Filipino feature Independencia.
Raya Martin is one of the most acclaimed young directors in contemporary cinema, and Independencia creates a lush metaphor that plays with cinematic allusions and the cultural and mythical history of the Philippines.
The alternate-history fable Independencia from acclaimed Filipino director Raya Martin re-imagines his country's history as an elemental humanist epic.
Fleeing the American invasion of the Philippines in the early 20th Century, a mother and her son retreat into the jungle. A wounded woman and an abandoned child join their group. The family live in isolation from the growing chaos all over the country. But a coming storm soon threatens their existence, and American troops draw nearer...
Innovatively staged on studio sets that evoke the lost period of early and silent cinema, Independencia's mesmerising visual aesthetic creates a lush metaphor for the mythical history and identity of the Philippines and incisively explores the intersection between national history and cinema history.
The DVD is presented in a new, director-approved HD digital transfer with restored picture and sound and features the World Premiere of a new short film, created exclusively for this release by director Raya Martin - plus 'Behind-the-Scenes' featurette, Raya Martin's experimental silent short film 'Track Projections', original Trailer, exclusive DVD-ROM content and a new essay on the film by critic Antoine Thirion.
COMING NEXT
Releasing on 15 September is the astonishing and delightful 1964 film from one of the great masters of 20th Century fantasy cinema, Karel Zeman - A Jester's Tale (Bláznova kronika). Zeman's work has been a major influence on many filmmakers around the world and details about our release are in the section below.
Often described as the "Czech Méliès", visionary Czech filmmaker Karel Zeman has been a profound influence on whole generations of filmmakers from Jan Švankmajer to Tim Burton, the Quay Brothers to Terry Gilliam and Wes Anderson. His ground-breaking innovations in the use of live-action and animation mark him as one of the great masters of 20th Century fantasy cinema. A Jester's Tale is one of his most celebrated achievements. Described by Zeman as a "pseudo-historical" film, it is a bold anti-war black comedy following the adventures of a plowboy and a mercenary, press-ganged into service on the battlefields of the Thirty Years' War of 1618 - 1648.
Co-scripted by Pavel Juráček (Ikarie XB 1, Daisies, Josef Kilián), Karel Zeman's brilliant comic film with its melding of live-action, animation and extraordinary matte work anticipates Gilliam's Monty Python animations (not to mention Monty Python and the Holy Grail and Gilliam's own Jabberwocky and The Adventures of Baron Munchausen). The film emerges as a sharp satire of war, human nature and of the way we perceive history itself.
Release date: 15 September 2014
Paul Thomas Anderson works on Inherent Vice featuring Josh Brolin and Joaquin Phoenix and apparently it's going to be just as bonkers as you think.
"A piece of fruit plays a major role. It's frozen. And it's my friend," Brolin said. "Even talking about it now makes me chuckle." So yeah, WTF, and yes "The Long Goodbye" and Cheech and Chong are both cited as influences on this one.
"Inherent Vice" goes wide on January 9, 2015
MERCIFUL NUNS just launched the video KARMA INN as a second appetizer for their forthcoming album METEORA VII (release date: 12th of September 2014)
Live Concerts
01.11 Angloueme (France) - French Nunhood Gathering at LaNuitFantasma
22.11 Mexico City (Mexico) - Mexican Nunhood Gathering at NecroClub
07.02 Sao Paulo (Brasil) - Brasilian Nunhood Gathering at SummerWaveFestival
21.03 Berlin (Germany) - German Nunhood Gathering at DarkSpring
Release Parties
30.08 MEXICO CITY (Mexico) - Real Under
06.09 PORTO (Portugal) - Heavens Club
11.09 LUTON (UK) - The Darknight
12.09 SAN FRANCISCO (USA) - The Batcave
13.09 SANTIAGO DE CHILE (Chile) - Bar Mala Vida
13.09 MADRID (Spain) - Sala La Leyenda
13.09 PALMARES (Costa Rica) - Casa Sueca Bar
17.09 PARIS (France) - Le Piano Vache
19.09 ATHENS (Greece) - Death Disco tbc
20.09 LIMA (Peru) - Salon Imperial
04.10 BUENOS AIRES (Argentina) - Garlands Night at Steel Pub
Taking a modern slant on the new wave tradition, Two Steps From Heartache combines uptempo bleeps and beats with James Knights' shimmering widescreen vocals, a perfect match to Scarlet's synthesizer stabs and the visual impact of her disco-ball dress. Additional production and mixing from critically acclaimed electronic musician/producer/mixer James Yuill adds a modern percussive dynamic to this nihilistic little pop song.
Two Steps From Heartache wraps you up in the universal truth that no matter how superhuman you feel, you are never more than two steps away from adversity. But let's face it - that's not going to stop you, is it?!
"another day another time another fool, I'll take my chance and I'll admit it's nothing new, because I'm still two steps from heartache".
The video concludes with James and Scarlet being presented with a literal bleeding heart by a nameless macabre clown determined to piss on their parade.
This streamlined melancholy pop song is the lead track in the final installment of their trilogy of EPs (full press release to follow), and precedes the release of their new album (early 2015).
"you don't need a reason why, why in the world you electrify"
On 30th January the band plays in Belgium.
live dates
13.09.14 The Brunswick, Gloucester, UK
17.09.14 Kaffee Burger, Berlin, DE
18.09.14 Living Stone, Brno, CZ
19.09.14 Sepie Music Club, Týniště nad Orlicí, CZ
20.09.14 Club Na Rampě, Mariánské Lázně, CZ
23.09.14 mcFABRIKA Music Club, České Budějovice, CZ
24.09.14 Rock Café, Prague, CZ
25.09.14 Klub B, Třebíč, CZ
26.09.14 Marley Club, Ostrava, CZ
27.09.14 MC Kofola, Krnov, CZ
Scandroid, the retro-futuristic alternate-reality side project of artist/producer Celldweller, has released a new single and corresponding 8-bit music video entitled "Empty Streets."
Watch the Scandroid 'Empty Streets' 8-Bit Music Video
