An Official Warhol Disc? Two Hamlets? And Lydia Lunch?

I always wonder whether I should post about DVD announcements as I hear them or stock 'em up to make a big post every so often. I'm not sure how often people check this blog, especially considering I haven't been doing a whole lot of "film writing" lately as a result of finishing up my degree. I'll probably just keep things rolling as I hear them to make it easier. The most exciting news I have today is that Plexifilm will be releasing, "in conjunction with The Andy Warhol Museum," a DVD entitled 13 Most Beautiful... Songs for Andy Warhol's Screen Tests in both standard and limited edition sets. The disc includes thirteen of Warhol's original screen tests, set to optional music by Dean Wareham and Britta Phillips. The thirteen screen tests are of Paul America (star of My Hustler and the Edie Sedgwick starrer Ciao Manhattan!), Susan Bottomly (aka International Velvet), Ann Buchanan, Freddy Herko (dancer/choreographer), Jane Holzer (aka Baby Jane Holzer), Dennis Hopper, Billy Name (artist/photographer), Nico, Richard Rheem, Lou Reed, Edie Sedgwick, Ingrid Superstar and Mary Woronov. This is what Plexifilm has to say about the Limited Edition:

"The limited edition DVD is presented in a deluxe gatefold LP-style package with an exclusive poster and booklet. In addition, one frame from each of the 13 Screen Tests will be hand-printed as an archival gelatin-silver photograph in an edition of 100. One of these individual prints is included in each package. The retail DVD is presented in a slipcovered hard-bound book package."

Both sets will be available on 17 February (although I believe Plexifilm's website incorrectly has the limited set with a release date of 17 January).

Strand will release the film Choose Connor, starring Steven Weber, on 13 January. This will be their first release after not announcing anything for November or December of this year. First Run Features has also announced Hugo Grosso's On Each Side [A cada lado] from Argentina on 20 January. Sony will have Sarah Gavron's Brick Lane on 13 January. As the DVD distributor for Cinema Guild, New Yorker will release Margaret Brown's documentary The Order of Myths on 13 January. And speaking of New Yorker, I forgot to mention that the studio delayed their release of Bill Hanley's The Price of Sugar until 29 April (according to Amazon).

S'more Entertainment/Ryko is releasing Alexander Fodor's directorial debut, Hamlet, an experimental adaptation of the Shakespeare play, on 27 January. I'm only mentioning that Focus Features is releasing Andrew Fleming's mess-of-a-film Hamlet 2 on 23 December to follow the Hamlet theme. MYA Communication, through Ryko, will also release three Italian comedies in January. The first is Luigi Comencini's Bread, Love and Dreams [Pane, amore e fantasia], which stars Vittorio De Sica. The second is Giorgio Bianchi's The Inveterate Bachelor [I zitelloni], which also stars De Sica. The third is a sex comedy from Lucio Fulci called The Maniacs [I maniaci], starring Barbara Steele, Walter Chiari and Margaret Lee. All street on 27 January.

Also through Ryko will be Cult Epics' release of Babeth Mondini-VanLoo's Kiss Napoleon Goodbye. The impressive crew includes Lydia Lunch as both lead actress and writer, Henry Rollins as her co-star, JG Thirlwell as composer and Mike Kuchar as cinematographer. I wasn't able to find a lot of information on this film (it's not on the IMDb), but I'll be sure to let you know once it comes out. Liberation Entertainment has two titles set for January: the dark comedy Just Buried, with Rose Byrne, Thomas Gibson and Graham Greene, and the documentary Girls Rock!. Napoleon, Buried and Girls will also be available on 27 January.

Zeitgeist is releasing Kirby Dick's (This Film Is Not Yet Rated) 1986 doc Private Practices: The Story of a Sex Surrogate about Maureen Sullivan, a "professional sex partner" hired by psychotherapists to bang their clients. It will be available on 27 January. And finally, Netflix shows a release date of 30 December for Alan Ball's Towelhead, which I sadly missed during its short theatrical run. I'm not sure if the film will be available early through Netflix, as their Red Envelope Entertainment co-released it.