Arrow Video is thrilled to announce the Blu-ray release of the iconic 1975-futuristic dystopian thriller Rollerball. Released on 23rd March 2015, Rollerball represents the very best of the “Future Sport” flicks; a pre-cursor to such genre classics as The Running Man, Battle Royale and even The Hunger Games, the film explores the popularity of violent entertainment and the power of the media, but it goes further, looking more profoundly at the society beyond the game.

This new release will include a host of exciting extra features including audio commentaries with both director Norman Jewison and writer William Harrison alongside a brand-new interview with Rollerball star James Cann.

Other brand-new extras include featurettes The Fourth City: Shooting Rollerball in Munich in which various crew members revisit the original locations used in the film, alongside The Bike Work which sees stuntman Craig R. Baxley discuss the motorcycle stunts in Rollerball and the challenges and dangers of being one of the Rollerball bikers.

The new edition will also include archive bonus material such as Return to the Arena: The Making of Rollerball, From Rome to Rollerball: The Full Circle an original EPK from the release bringing together interviews and on-set footage.

Rounding off the Blu-ray is the original Theatrical Trailer, TV Spots, a reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Paul Shipper and a collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film, illustrated with original archive stills and posters.

Synopsis

In a corporate-controlled future, the world’s nations have been disbanded and conflict is a thing of the past. But blood continues to be shed on the tracks of Rollerball – a brutal contact sport which pits players in a battle of life and death.

James Caan (The Godfather, Thief, Misery) plays Jonathan E., celebrated captain of the Houston Rollerball team whose prowess on the track has earned him renown across the globe. But this fame has also attracted the ire of the games’ corporate sponsors, who wish to suppress any displays of individual achievement – fearing this could encourage the populace to revolt. With the powers-that-be pushing for his retirement, Jonathan is faced with a choice – concede to the Corporation’s will or take a stand, by continuing to compete in the increasingly deadly games.

Shot in Munich to make use of the city’s futuristic Olympic architecture, Rollerball is a classic slice of dystopian filmmaking, mixing high-octane action sequences with gripping (and thoroughly prescient) social commentary. The future is now – the future is Rollerball!

Special Features

· High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation of the film from a digital transfer prepared by MGM Studios

· Optional uncompressed stereo 2.0 audio and DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 Surround Sound

· Isolated Music and Effects Soundtrack

· Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing

· Audio Commentary with director Norman Jewison

· Audio Commentary with writer William Harrison

· Blood Sports with James Caan – A brand-new interview with the Rollerball star

· The Fourth City: Shooting Rollerball in Munich – Unit manager Dieter Meyer and others revisit the Audi Dome and other original locations

· The Bike Work: Craig R. Baxley on the Motorcycle Stunts in Rollerball – Stunt artist Baxley on the challenges and dangers of being one of the Rollerball bikers

· Return to the Arena: The Making of Rollerball

· From Rome to Rollerball: The Full Circle – original EPK bringing together interviews and on-set footage

· Original Theatrical Trailer

· Theatrical Teaser

· TV Spots

· Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Paul Shipper

· Collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film, illustrated with original archive stills and posters.

Manchester all-female four-piece PINS have announced the release of their new album ‘Wild Nights’ on 8th June and will release the first single from the album ‘Too Little Too Late’ on 7” on 30th March.

With a slow motion video, which sees PINS, dressed exclusively by Saint Laurent, cut between visuals of screaming and swearing girls amidst overflowing glitter and powder, ‘Too Little Too Late’ is the perfect taster of the bands new album. Premiered this week on Marc Riley’s 6Music show, opening with a fearless drumbeat and heavy bassline, the track slows into a sparse momentary instrumental before reverting back to Faith’s alluring vocal and finally stampeding heavily into a fuzzed up sound clash of guitars and drums.

PINS say; “Writing the ‘Too Little Too Late’ lyrics was very cathartic, they spewed out like hot lava from an angry volcano. It is a middle-finger-to-the-world kind of song and the video mirrors that notion. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned!”

The B-side to the 7” is a cover of The Misfits ‘Hybrid Moments’, a track the band also perform live, which was recorded for Part Time Punks and mixed by Josiah Mazzaschi.

Recorded in Joshua Tree at Rancho De La Luna with Dave Catching (QOTSA, Eagles of Death Metal) and Hayden Scott, and mixed in New York with Ben Baptie at Atomic Sound NYC (Mark Ronson), PINS second album ‘Wild Nights’ will be released through Bella Union on 8th June. The full album tracklisting is as follows:

Wild Nights:

Baby Bhangs

Young Girls

Curse These Dreams

Oh Lord

Dazed By You

Got It Bad

Too Little Too Late

House of Love

If Only

Molly

Everyone Says

Accumulating high praise and a growing fanbase for their debut album ‘Girls Like Us’, along with packed out headline shows and tour dates supporting the likes of Crocodiles, Sleigh Bells, Warpaint, The Growlers and The Fall, tight-knit girl gang PINS have had quite a two years.

Following on from their first West Coast tour and performances at New York’s CMJ festival at the end of last year, PINS previewed songs from their new album at three sold out UK shows last week and have just been announced to support Sleater-Kinney on their March tour and Drenge on their April tour. They will also play a headline London show on 27th May at The Lexington. Full live dates are as follows:

March (with Sleater-Kinney):

Weds 18th Berlin Huxleys

Sat 21st Antwerp Trix

Mon 23rd London The Roundhouse

Tues 24th Manchester Albert Hall

Weds 25th Glasgow O2 ABC

April (with Drenge):

Fri 10th Nottingham Rescue Rooms

Sat 11th Birmingham The Institute

Mon 13th Gateshead The Sage

Tue 14th Glasgow The Classic Grand

Wed 15th Liverpool The Kazimier

Tue 21st London Electric Ballroom

May:

14th-16th Brighton The Great Escape

Wed 27th: London The Lexington Headline Show

PINS are Faith Vern (vocals/guitar), Anna Donigan (bass), Lois Macdonald (guitar) and Sophie Galpin (drums).

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies will be out on 22nd April on Warner.

Director:Peter Jackson
Stars:Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage

After the Dragon leaves the Lonely Mountain, the people of Lake-town see a threat coming. Orcs, dwarves, elves and people prepare for war. Bilbo sees Thorin going mad and tries to help. Meanwhile, Gandalf is rescued from the Necromancer's prison and his rescuers realize who the Necromancer is.

Bonussection : See Dutch version below.

“This is a special record from Mackenzie, a somnambulating wraith that pokes at the eerie corners of dark ambient but never quite gets to a horrible status. It is beautiful darkness, like a shawl over a hospital patient.”
 
Ekca Liena is the more exposed solo project of Daniel W J Mackenzie from London’s drone/ambient/noise group Plurals. Here, the musician uses a wide variety of textures and influences like drone, ambient, post-rock to create a highly dynamic and dramatic music. Melancholic quietude, psychedelic landscapes and doomed guitar passages are key aspects of the overall Ekca Liena sound, though glimpses of everything from warm electronica to modern classical show through. Graduals is the first Ekca Liena full length in over two years, the official sequel to the dreamscapes of the critically acclaimed Slow Music For Rapid Eye Movement.
 

From 15th April in Belgian film theatres: HUNGRY HEARTS

Director:Saverio Costanzo
Stars:Adam Driver, Alba Rohrwacher, Roberta Maxwell

The relationship of a couple who meet by chance in New York City is put to the test when they encounter a life or death circumstance.