News

The physical media distributor Shout Factory has been announcing quite a bit of cool new 4K releases lately. Most recently, we reported on the all-new 4K Uhd Blu-ray box set on the Bill & Ted Trilogy that includes Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure, Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey and Bill & Ted Face the Music. Blu-ray.com also revealed additional titles coming from the label. This August will see the 4K special releases of the Cannon Film classic The Delta Force, starring Chuck Norris, and a steelbook edition of the 1996 film from director Rob Cohen that features Sean Connery as a talking dragon, Dragonheart. .

The synopsis on the Delta Force 4K Blu-ray reads,

“Political extremists have taken innocent people hostage…and only super-soldiers Chuck Norris and Lee Marvin can rescue them in this “astounding mix of fact, fantasy and heavy-duty adventure” (Variety). Co-starring Martin Balsam and Shelley Winters, The Delta...

I grew up in the time of the Chuck Norris joke. I didn’t even really know who he was apart from the Walker, Texas Ranger guy who Conan O’Brien would pull a lever to get just the most random, out of context clip. I remember seeing the Chuck Norris joke book in a Barnes and Noble store and leafing through it only to find a bunch of absolutely absurd and comically over the top things that Chuck Norris could and would do to you or what he kept behind his beard. It was enough for me to start looking at his overall contribution to film and much of it was action. I found him teaming up with the likes of Lee Marvin in The Delta Force or going up against the great Christopher Lee in An Eye for an Eye. There’s also a great fight he had with...

Would you believe it if we told you that Chuck Norris, a legendary figure in martial arts and popular culture, turned 84 this past Sunday (March 10th)? Well, it is true, and we must accept that age is just a number. As we reflect on his incredible career and impact on the world of martial arts films, we must acknowledge one of his most important contributions to the genre: his role in Golden Harvest’s The Way of the Dragon.

Chuck Norris in The Delta Force

With a black belt in Tang Soo Do, this Oklahoma native star is one of the most recognizable figures in the world of martial arts movies. Known for his incredible skills and tough-guy persona, he has left a lasting impression on the industry.

But did you know that he once gained weight in preparation for a role that would pit him against another martial arts legend,...

Now a week into the new year, Max is, like many of us, cleaning house. The streamer is ushering in a new month of library additions and new originals, and, like usual, we have to give to get.

While the streamer has lost a few titles already this month, including 2018’s “The Nun,” nearly all of Max’s departures will make their exit during the final week of the month, including “Birdman,” “Barbarian,” and more!

Before January comes to an end, check out The Streamable’s top picks of what to watch before they’re gone, and see the full list of what’s leaving Max throughout the rest of the month!

7-Day Free Trial $9.99+ / month Max via amazon.com What are the 5 Best Shows and Movies Leaving Max in January 2024? “Barbarian” | Wednesday, Jan. 24

Georgina Campbell leads the horror-thriller as Tess, a young woman who books a rental home only to...

Summer is heating up on Max.

Back in May, Max added programming from TLC, HGTV and Food Network. That means Discovery’s popular Shark Week will be available to stream when it kicks off on July 23, with programming to be announced soon.

For fans of unscripted series, Season 3 or “90 Day Fiancé: Love in Paradise: Pillow Talk” (July 4) and Season 5 of “90 Day Fiancé: The Other Way” (July 10) are both streaming, as well as the series premiere of “90 Day Fiancé: UK.”

Home renovation fans will want to catch Season 16 of “Barnwood Builders” (July 6) and the special “Barbie Dreamhouse Challenge” (July 16), hosted by Ashley Graham, just in time for the feature film.

Also Read:

Here’s What’s New on Amazon Prime Video in July 2023

“Project Greenlight” (July 13) returns, with executive producer Issa Rae along with Kumail Nanjiani and Gina Prince-Bythewood serve as mentors throughout the season.

Finally, the six-episode Max Original limited series “Full Circle,...

Max is following DC’s lead with its list of new releases for July 2023.

The two big ticket items this month are of the superhero variety. My Adventures with Superman arrives to Max on July 7 after making its Adult Swim premiere the night before. The end of the month sees Harley Quinn season 4 making its long-awaited debut on July 27. Other original TV titles of note are the Steven Soderbergh-directed Full Circle (July 13) and the third and final season of How To With John Wilson on July 28.

On the movie side of things, documentary Glitch: The Rise and Fall of HQ Trivia premieres on July 20. Before that on July 13 is both a fresh reboot of filmmaking competition Project Greenlight and the movie that came of it, Gray Matter. Library movies in July include Pulp Fiction, V for Vendetta, Lethal Weapon, and more on July 1.

Here is everything else coming to HBO and Max this month.

The original Max series “Full Circle” debuts on July 13. Directed by Steven Soderbergh, the new drama investigates a kidnapping gone wrong in New York, revealing the secrets and lies of multiple characters. Or as the trailer warns: “Everything is connected.” The six-episode limited series stars Zazie Beetz, Claire Danes, Jim Gaffigan, Jharrel Jerome, Timothy Olyphant, and Dennis Quaid.

Watch the “Full Circle” trailer:

The four-part documentary “Last Call: When A Serial Killer Stalked Queer New York” is set in the early 1990s as the AIDS crisis worsens. The media’s distorted coverage of the gay victims, coupled with the homophobic biases of the criminal justice system, undermine the investigation. The docuseries — which premieres on Max on July 9 — illustrates how the LGBTQ+ community fought to solve the murders and demand attention for those murdered.

Preview “Last Call: When A Serial Killer Stalked Queer New York”:

Arriving on the platform on...

Timothy Olyphant, Claire Danes, and Dennis Quaid in ‘Full Circle’ (Photograph by Sarah Shatz)

Max’s July 2023 schedule includes the premiere of the drama Full Circle and the return of Shark Week. The hot summer month’s lineup also includes the final season of How To With John Wilson, the premiere of Project Greenlight, and the final episodes of the popular comedy The Righteous Gemstones.

The two-part documentary The Golden Boy about the life and career of Oscar De La Hoya joins the streaming service’s lineup on July 24th. Shaun White: The Last Run, a docuseries about the Olympian, is set to premiere on July 6th.

Series & Films Arriving On Max In July 2023:

July 1

300 (2006)

17 Again (2009)

20th Century Women (2016)

A Life Less Ordinary (1997)

A Walk in the Woods (2015)

American Sniper (2014)

Angels Sing (2013)

Ballet 422 (2014)

Barbershop (2002)

Barbershop 2: Back in Business (2004)

Beauty Shop (2005)

Because of Winn-Dixie (2005)

Brandi Carlile: In the...

Known for his high-flying kicks and flexibility, Belgian actor Jean-Claude Van Damme is trained in kickboxing, taekwondo, and kung fu. As a teen, he won the European Professional Karate Association's middleweight championship. Hoping to use his unique skillset to become the next big thing in Hollywood, he moved to Los Angeles in the '80s. Today, Van Damme is regarded as one of the best action stars of all time.

His impact extends beyond the world of cinema. He inspired the ring name for one of my favorite professional wrestlers, WWE Hall of Famer Rob Van Dam, whose look and high-flying maneuvers were identical to those of the "Timecop" star, so much so that I actually thought they were brothers. In a 2021 episode of "WWE Icons," the wrestler explained the effect the actor had on his career:

"When I'm down in Florida in '91 and '92, [wrestler-turned-promoter] Ron Slinker is running the [professional wrestling studio] Tampa Sportatorium.

“The Cannon Film Guide is a treasure trove of info for Golan/Globus fans. Even diehard Cannon scholars will learn from this tome.” – Paul Talbot, author of the Bronson’s Loose! books

The unbelievable story of the legendary 1980s B-movie studio continues in The Cannon Film Guide Volume II, which covers the company’s output from 1985 to 1987, their peak production years under maverick moguls Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus. This highly-anticipated sequel to the original Cannon compendium takes an up-close look at sixty Cannon movies, from deep cuts to cult classics, including American Ninja, The Delta Force, Over the Top, Invasion USA, Masters of the Universe, Runaway Train, Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, King Solomon’s Mines, Lifeforce, Superman IV: The Quest for Peace, and many more. Order the book Here

With hundreds of photos and more than forty interviews with Cannon directors, writers, and stars, this is an indispensable reference book for...

The residents of Smallville could use a break.

Superman & Lois Season 2 Episode 6 featured sibling rivalry, more details about the Inverse Society, relationship drama, and a wild cliffhanger that will shake up the series.

We'll start with the return of Lucy.

It came out of the left-field, and while she was open to repairing things with her sister and making up for lost time, it was evident she wanted Lois to admit she was wrong from the beginning.

The broader issue between the sisters is that there's a great deal of resentment from both sides, but Lois usually talked the most sense.

If you watch Superman & Lois online, you know we've had a front-row seat into how their relationship became so fraught, but the fact that Lucy couldn't admit Ally's methods to clue Chrissy in on the truth was unethical is something that should not be overlooked.

The tricky...

Festivals

This year’s 38th Jerusalem Film Festival will host a tribute to iconic Israeli company Cannon Films and producers Yoram Globus and Menachem Golan, curated in collaboration with Quentin Tarantino. The Cannon Film Group produced and distributed films from 1967 to 1993. In ’79 the company was purchased by producer Globus and Golan, who tailored its production slate through the ‘80s, focusing heavily on action films. Along the way Cannon became one of the world’s leading independent production companies.

Jerusalem’s tribute will include eight films produced by the company, presented in 35mm. On Aug. 26, Tarantino will head a panel discussion about the history of Cannon Films ahead of screenings of “The Ambassador” (1984) and a double feature of “Kinjite: Forbidden Subjects” (1989) and “The Naked Cage” (1986). Other titles screening in the program include “The Delta Force” (1986), “Death Wish 4” (1987) and “10 to Midnight” (1983).

“We are certain Mr. Tarantino will offer interesting and...

Tarantino will also participate in panel discussion about Cannon Films on August 26.

Quentin Tarantino is curating a tribute to Yoram Globus and Menachem Golan’s legendary 1980s production company Cannon Films at this year’s Jerusalem Film Festival, which is taking place later than usual this year from August 26 until September 4.

The festival will screen eight Cannon films handpicked by Tarantino: Runaway Train, Barfly, The Ambassador, Kinjite: Forbidden Subjects,The Naked Cage ,The Delta Force, Death Wish 4 and 10 To Midnight.

Tarantino will also participate in a panel discussion which he will attend in-person. Yoram Globus will participate in the panel remotely from LA,...

If you watched an action, sci-fi, or horror movie in the 1980s, there was a good chance it was produced by Cannon Films. The studio — perhaps the last great home of B-movie and exploitation classics — was founded in 1967 but hit its apex between 1979 and 1987, releasing scores of films that (mostly) no one would call high cinema but which delivered thrills, chills and plenty of blood, action, and fire on a budget.

Tapping into the massive market for both high and low concept fare — the 1980s equivalent of drive-in double bill fillers — Cannon, under the leadership of Israeli cousins Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus, were perhaps best known for churning out chintzy crowdpleasers like the Chuck Norris-starring Missing in Action and The Delta Force along with a slew of Death Wish sequels.

But the company also produced titillating titles like Lady Chatterley’s Lover, slasher fare such as Schizoid and New Year’s Evil,...

Hawaii Five-0 is pulling out a big gun for its series finale, in the form of action hero icon Chuck Norris.

TVLine has learned exclusively that TV’s erstwhile Texas Ranger Cordell Walker will guest-star during the CBS drama’s two-hour series finale as Lee Phillips, a retired sergeant major who is helping his mentee, Lincoln Cole (to be played by MacGyver alum Lance Gross), hide from authorities in order to protect his anonymity. (As previously reported, when Cole finds himself potentially in harm’s way, Five-0 is brought in to protect him.)

More from TVLineElizabeth Hurley, Hannah Simone Cast...

It is no surprise how many people are expressing grief at the death of Robert Forster from brain cancer at age 78. It was far too soon. He’s actually on screen now, in Vince Gilligan’s “El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie,” which hit both theaters and Netflix this weekend.

Anyone who met Forster knows what a kindly man he was, often handing out elegant silver letter openers to set visitors and new acquaintances; he gave me my second at last year’s Toronto International Film Festival, where he was promoting the intimate family drama “What They Had.” He steals the movie and provides its emotional center as the tough but vulnerable patriarch doggedly hanging onto his wife (Blythe Danner) as she slips into Alzheimer’s.

Bryan Cranston described his “Alligator,” “Breaking Bad,” and “El Camino” costar Forster as a “lovely man and a consummate actor,” he tweeted. “I never...

It is no surprise how many people are expressing grief at the death of Robert Forster from brain cancer at age 78. It was far too soon. He’s actually on screen now, in Vince Gilligan’s “El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie,” which hit both theaters and Netflix this weekend.

Anyone who met Forster knows what a kindly man he was, often handing out elegant silver letter openers to set visitors and new acquaintances; he gave me my second at last year’s Toronto International Film Festival, where he was promoting the intimate family drama “What They Had.” He steals the movie and provides its emotional center as the tough but vulnerable patriarch doggedly hanging onto his wife (Blythe Danner) as she slips into Alzheimer’s.

Bryan Cranston described his “Alligator,” “Breaking Bad,” and “El Camino” costar Forster as a “lovely man and a consummate actor,” he tweeted. “I never...

Stars: Bill Murray, Owen Wilson, Cate Blanchett, Jeff Goldblum, Willem Dafoe, Anjelica Huston | Written by Wes Anderson, Noah Baumbach | Directed by Wes Anderson

“This is an adventure.” That’s the last spoken line of The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, the fourth feature from everyone’s favourite Texan oddball, Wes Anderson. Released in 2004, three years after the highly acclaimed The Royal Tenenbaums, The Life Aquatic was easily Anderson’s highest-budget film up to that point, and it was met with indifference both critically and commercially. I’ve always found this unusual because I regard it not only as Anderson’s best film, but also the most quintessentially Andersonian.

Zissou (Bill Murray) himself is clearly modelled on the naval explorer and filmmaker Jacques Cousteau, right down to the red bobble hat. The film opens with the death of Steve’s lifelong friend, Esteban (Seymour Cassel), in the jaws of a jaguar shark.

Stars: Mark Dacascos, Matthias Hues, Mike Möller, Brandon Rhea, Mike Leeder, Wolfgang Riehm, Martin Baden, Henry Muller, Verena Konietschke, Bartholomäus Kowalski, Yazmeen Baker, Gerrit Grass, Mathis Landwehr, Sandra Tauro, Susen Ermich | Written by Marco Theiss | Directed by Martin Christopher Bode

Ultimate Justice follows a group of Special Forces operatives who come back together for one last mission when the family of one of their own is threatened. The film starts out with a flashback to Commander Hans Sturm and his team of soldiers, led by Mark Dacascos’ Gus, performing their very last mission. You see their team takes casualties and Gus decides it’s time to end the security teams days and sell the company, Vme, and retire. Jump forward eight years and Strum is now married with a wife and child, living in a huge mansion. One night his home is attacked, his wife raped and killed, and his daughter kidnapped.

We are giving away a limited edition poster and Blu-ray to celebrate the release of Point Blank – out 18th September 2017.

They double-crossed Walker, took his $93,000 cut of the heist and left him for dead, but they didn’t finish the job. Big mistake. He – someday, somehow – is going to finish them. Lee Marvin is in full antihero mode as remorseless Walker, talking the talk and walking the walk in John Boorman’s (Deliverance) edgy neo-noir classic filled with imaginative New Wave style, blunt dialogue and Walker’s relentless quest that, one by one, smashes into the corporate pecking order of a crime group called the Organisation. Angie Dickinson plays the accomplice who uses her seductive wiles to ensnare one of Walker’s prey.

Special Features:

Commentary by Director John Boorman and Filmmaker Steven Soderbergh Vintage Featurettes The Rock Part 1 and The Rock Part 2 Theatrical Trailer

The Premium Collection, revered...

Movies about modern military conflicts, whether action, drama, or comedy are tough nuts to crack. For every epic war film like Black Hawk Down, American Sniper, or Zero Dark Thirty there are clunkers like Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, Jarhead, or The Delta Force. Part of the problem, speaking as an Army veteran, is that it's very hard to capture the nuances and idiosyncrasies of the military and how our troops interact on-duty/off-duty.

Each branch of the military is a culture unto itself, heavy with jargon, rivalries, and living conditions that are difficult to translate on-screen and generally opaque to the general public. Try explaining the mutual dislike between the Army and the Marines to someone who's never served, it's one of those "you'd have to be there" kind of things to explain.

Related - Netflix Pays $60 Million For Original Brad Pitt Flick ‘War Machine’

Military comedies, are perhaps the most challenging sub-genre to get right.

Director and documentarian Mark Hartley scores both a film history and comedy success with this ‘wild, untold’ account of the 1980s film studio that was both revered and despised by everyone who had contact with it. The ‘cast list’ of interviewees is encyclopedic, everybody has a strong opinion, and some of them don’t need four-letter words to describe their experience!

Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films

On a double bill with

Machete Maidens Unleashed!

Blu-ray

Umbrella Entertainment (Au, all-region

2014 / Color / 1:77 widescreen / 106 min. / Street Date April 4, 2017 / Available from Umbrella Entertainment / 34.99

Starring: Menahem Golan, Yoram Globus, Al Ruban, Alain Jakubowicz, Albert Pyun, Alex Winter, Allen DeBevoise, Avi Lerner, Barbet Schroeder, Bo Derek, Boaz Davidson, Cassandra Peterson, Catherine Mary Stewart, Charles Matthau, Christopher C. Dewey, Christopher Pearce, Cynthia Hargrave, Dan Wolman, Daniel Loewenthal, David Del Valle, David Paulsen, David Sheehan, David Womark, Diane Franklin, Dolph Lundgren, Edward R. Pressman,...

“Game over, man, game over!” It’s rare for a sequel to live up to the original film, but James Cameron managed to fulfill expectations with Aliens (July 18, 1986). This summer marks the 30th Anniversary of the action-packed sci-fi classic, so “stop your grinnin’ and drop your linen.”

Tune-in Saturday, July 23, to an exclusive Aliens YouTube live stream Q&A with the filmmakers and cast from San Diego Comic-Con! Submit your questions in the comments below for a chance to get them answered. #Aliens30th

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of Aliens (1986), San Diego Comic-Con will host an Aliens reunion on Saturday, July 23. Attendees include director James Cameron, producer Gale Anne Hurd, Sigourney Weaver, Bill Paxton, Lance Henriksen, Paul Reiser, Michael Biehn, and Carrie Henn.

Subscribe to Fox Movies and follow on https://www.facebook.com/AlienAnthology so you don’t miss this exclusive live event.

The terror continues in James Cameron...

Ryan Lambie Jul 20, 2016

Director Jose Padilha talks about the "stressful" experience of helming the 2014 RoboCop remake...

Two years ago, Brazilian director Jose Padilha made his big leap to American studio movie-making with RoboCop, the remake of Paul Verhoeven's 1987 classic. Inevitably, the mere notion of the film drew a certain amount of vitriol, and reviews were decidedly mixed.

While we found plenty to appreciate in the movie, it undoubtedly lacked the satirical bite of Verhoeven's original - and the last reel looked as though it may have been the victim of some late reshoots. While Padilha was diplomatic about the movie at the time, it's perhaps significant that he hasn't tackled a major Hollywood film since; rather, he's made the excellent TV series Narcos for Netflix.

Speaking to Screen Daily, however, Padilha admits that making RoboCop was a "stressful experience" that, according to him, was marred by creative disagreement.

“I...

Stars: Chuck Norris, Louis Gossett Jr., Melody Anderson, Will Sampson, Sonny Landham, John Rhys-Davies, Ian Abercrombie, Richard Lee-Sung | Written by Robert Gosnell | Directed by J. Lee Thompson

Looking back now – three decades later – it’s hard to believe that the idea of an archaeologist as The go-to film hero was, oftentimes, a guarantee to bring in the punters and create a big-money blockbuster movie! Indiana Jones, Romancing the Stone, King Solomon’s Mines, etc. all graced the big screen to varying degrees of success during the mid-80s; and yes, it was Spielberg’s film that reignited the genre but it took Cannon Films – the purveyors of low-budget, high-concept big screen bonanzas – to really put the fun into this now-buried treasure of a genre.

After hitting it big with King Solomon’s Mines, they milked the classic character for another big-budget (at least for Cannon) movie before the flash-in-the-pan adventurer genre faded.

Cannon Films, the iconic independent film studio of the 1970s and 1980s which essentially continued the careers of the likes of Charles Bronson and Chuck Norris through and after their prime, are back - more than twenty years after shutting their doors.

Responsible for the likes of "Masters of the Universe," "Cyborg," "Breakin'," "Cobra," "Lifeforce," "Invasion U.S.A.," "American Ninja," "Death Wish II," and "Bloodsport," the studio is now back with a new slate of movies is on the horizon.

Formed under the new hand of Richard Albiston, Cannon Films Ltd. was established in 2014 and is moving forward with the ideals of former chairman Menahem Golan about putting the artist first. Today comes word of eight films which mark their inaugral slate - "America Ninja Apprentice," "Return of The Delta Force," "U.S. Sniper," "Allan Quatermain and the Jewel of the East," "Curse," "Zombi: They Live," "Writer's Block" and "The Leopard Hunts at Midnight".

Source: Joblo,...

Recent years have been Very good for fans of psychotronic cinema, especially when it comes to documentaries. We have had Jake West’s Video Nasties: Draconian Days, his follow up to Video Nasties: Moral Panic Censorship & Videotape, Andrew Leavould’s Search for Weng Weng, Wiktor Ericsson’s The Sarnos: A Life in Dirty Movies and my personal favourite, Mike Malloy’s wonderful Eurocrime! The Italian Cop and Gangster Films. Another film related documentary released this year was the highly anticipated Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films directed by Mark Hartley, who many cult film fans will know for his other documentaries, Not Quite Hollywood: The Wild, Untold Story of Ozsploitation, Machete Maidens Unleashed and his remake of Richard Franklin’s cult classic, Patrick. I remember hearing about Electric Boogaloo when it was still in the early stages of development. Ever since then I have been waiting with much anticipation.

Irish actor Liam Neeson made his feature debut in 1978 in the big screen adaptation of Paul Bunyon’s Pilgrim’s Progress. It was the beginning of a varied and celebrated career which has seen the actor appear in action films such as The Delta Force (1986), The Grey (2012) and The A-Team (2010), biopics such as Michael Collins (1996), Kinsey (2004) and Schindler’s List (1993) (for which he was Oscar-nominated), as well as lending his distinctive voice to projects such as Ponyo (2009), The Lego Movie (2014), and The Chronicles Of Narnia (2005). Neeson has also had key roles in huge franchises such as Batman Begins (2005), Star Wars (1999) and Taken (2008). In Taken 3, Neeson returns as Bryan Mills, Special Forces agent and family man, who faces new threats to his loved ones.

French director Olivier Megaton made his feature debut with the sci-fi thriller Exit (2000), a Luc Besson production. Megaton and Besson have enjoyed a close working relationship,...

It was Romania, and the year was 1985. A population frightened into submission by secret police and round the clock surveillance under the dictatorial thumb of communist leader Nicolae Ceausescu were unable to act towards their own freedom, or show any act of defiance. But into this dark time came a hero: Chuck Norris. Well, sort of. Ok, not really.

The title of Chuck Norris vs Communism is misleading. It suggests that the 80s action star of such hits as Missing in Action, The Delta Force and Lone Wolf McQuade brought down the Iron Curtain. That may not be true exactly, but it wouldn’t be untruthful to say that Norris didn’t do his part just by being there. In video cassette form.

It’s easy to forget now that with entire film libraries are as close as an internet connection and a Netflix account just how revolutionary home video...

The Delta Force

Written by James Bruner and Menahem Golan

Directed by Menahem Golan

U.S.A., 1986

Based on the real life plane hijacking by Hezbollah terrorists in 1985, just a year before the film’s release, The Delta Force follows a curious path to complete its narrative. Beginning some miles away from the Iranian capital of Iran, the U.S. special forces platoon Delta Force sees its operation to rescue hostages thwarted by poor planning in Washington. Disgusted by the bureaucracy’s incompetent meddling in their affairs, Major Scott McCoy (Chuck Norris) resigns under Colonel Nick Alexander (Lee Marvin). He is very soon encouraged to return to action however, as Lebanese terrorists, led by Abdul Rafai (Robert Forster!) have taken over an American flight heading from Cairo to New York with a stop in Athens along the way. The Delta Force must concoct a way to neutralize the fanatical villains...

2014 has been a good year for fans of psychotronic cinema, especially when it comes to documentaries. We have had Jake West’s Video Nasties: Draconian Days, his follow up to Video Nasties: Moral Panic Censorship & Videotape, Andrew Leavould’s Search for Weng Weng, Wiktor Ericsson’s The Sarnos: A Life in Dirty Movies and my personal favourite, Mike Malloy’s wonderful Eurocrime! The Italian Cop and Gangster Films. Another film related documentary released this year was the highly anticipated Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films directed by Mark Hartley, who many cult film fans will know for his other documentaries, Not Quite Hollywood: The Wild, Untold Story of Ozsploitation, Machete Maidens Unleashed and his remake of Richard Franklin’s cult classic, Patrick. I remember hearing about Electric Boogaloo (which is how I will be referring to it for the rest of this review) when it was still...

One half of the Cannon Films duo, Menahem Golan, has died, at the age of 85.

Producer Menahem Golan, one half of the legendary duo behind Cannon Films, has died at the age of 85. He passed away on Friday in Tel Aviv, leaving behind a catalogue of more than 200 films that he was involved with.

The story of Cannon Films is being told in a pair of upcoming documentaries, and we looked at the infamous company's rise and fall here. What was clear is that Cannon was one of a kind, and along with his cousin, Yoram Globus, Golan was one of the key reasons for that.

Cannon was instrumental in the careers of Chuck Norris and Jean-Claude Van Damme for a start, and also worked on more than one occasion with the likes of Sylvester Stallone and Charles Bronson. One of the pair's most infamous productions was the cheap and...

Menahem Golan, the Israeli producer and director whose body of work includes “The Delta Force,” “Death Wish II” and “Masters of the Universe,” died Friday, Haaretz reports. He was 85. Born Menahem Globus in 1929, Golan traveled to New York to study film at New York University in 1960, arriving in Hollywood in the 1970s. He later became known for directing action films featuring stars such as Chuck Norris and Sylvester Stallone. See photos: Hollywood's Notable Deaths of 2014 In 1977 Golan directed “Mivtsa Yonatan” (“Operation Thunderbolt”), a film based on the 1976 hijacking of an airplane from Tel Aviv bound for...

The cinephile and prolific Israeli filmmaker who led Cannon Films with his cousin and produced a Death Wish sequel and The Delta Force has died. He was 85.

Golan was born to parents of Polish descent and joined the Israeli Air Force in his youth.

He studied film in London and New York and went to work for Roger Corman on The Young Racers. Golan directed his first feature shortly after that in 1963.

He and Golbus founded Noah Films, which made Israeli foreign-language Oscar nominee I Love You Rosa among other acclaimed titles. Golan himself directed an Israeli foreign-language nominee in the form of the 1977 thriller Operation Thunderbolt (Mivtsa Yonatan).

He and his cousin Yorum Globus acquired Cannon Films in the late 1970s and ran it for 10 years, making such films as the Death Wish sequels, The Delta Force and Kickboxer, itself now the subject of a remake.

Golan and Globus were featured in Hilla Medalia’s recent...

The cinephile and prolific Israeli filmmaker who led Cannon Films with his cousin and produced a Death Wish sequel and The Delta Force has died. He was 85.

Golan was born to parents of Polish descent and joined the Israeli Air Force in his youth.

He studied film in London and New York and went to work for Roger Corman on The Young Racers. Golan directed his first feature shortly after that in 1963.

He and Golbus founded Noah Films, which made Israeli foreign-language Oscar nominee I Love You Rosa among other acclaimed titles. Golan himself directed an Israeli foreign-language nominee in the form of the 1977 thriller Operation Thunderbolt (Mivtsa Yonatan).

He and his cousin Yorum Globus acquired Cannon Films in the late 1970s and ran it for 10 years, making such films as the Death Wish sequels, The Delta Force and Kickboxer, itself now the subject of a remake.

Golan and Globus were featured in Hilla Medalia’s recent...

The filmmaker behind the Death Wish sequels and such 1970s and ’80s Cannon Group actioners as The Delta Force the Lou Ferrigno-led Hercules died today in Jaffa, Israel, Haaretz reports. Menahem Golan was 85. The big-personality Israeli producer, writer and director was behind dozens of films during a nearly half-century career, featuring stars including Charles Bronson, Sylvester Stallone, Chuck Norris and Jean-Claude Van Damme. He also directed many of the films, including 1986’s Delta Force with Lee Marvin and Norris, and Stallone’s Over The Top the following year. Those and many others were produced by Cannon Entertainment, which Golan started with his cousin Yoram Globus. Cannon’s output also included such decidedly non-action fare as Bolero (1984), starring Bo Derek and George Kennedy; the Mario Van Peebles starrer Rappin’ (1985); A Cry In The Dark (1988), starring Meryl Streep and Sam O’Neill; and Jean-Luc Godard’s King Lear (1987). But the action...

The filmmaker behind the Death Wish sequels and such 1970s and ’80s Cannon Group actioners as The Delta Force the Lou Ferrigno-led Hercules died today in Jaffa, Israel, Haaretz reports. Menahem Golan was 85. The big-personality Israeli producer, writer and director was behind dozens of films during a nearly half-century career, featuring stars including Charles Bronson, Sylvester Stallone, Chuck Norris and Jean-Claude Van Damme. He also directed many of the films, including 1986′s Delta Force with Lee Marvin and Norris, and Stallone’s Over The Top the following year. Those and many others were produced by Cannon Entertainment, which Golan started […]...

The 39th Toronto International Film Festival (Tiff) runs September 4-14, 2014, and its Midnight Madness programme brings thrills, chills, and all sorts of kills to Festival audiences once again including Tusk, [Rec] 4: Apocalypse, The Guest, It Follows, and lots more!

From the Press Release:

Get your passports stamped and experience an international cinematic rollercoaster which includes: a Yakuza street gang hip-hop musical epic; spine-chilling Spanish zombies with insatiable appetites; a Finnish boy hunter rescuing the President of the United States from terrorists; and Flemish cub scouts trapped in the woods with sinister companions.

“Midnight Madness has been entertaining connoisseurs of the exquisitely explicit for over 25 years and is now an essential destination for cinematic masters of outrageous expression,” says Colin Geddes, International Programmer for the Festival. “After the sun sets on the Festival days, fearless audiences will converge at the Ryerson Theatre to be served a visual feast of the bizarre,...

It looks like Midnight Madness programmer Colin Geddes might have been more inspired by what he might have seen elsewhere, than what was currently available for a potential fall fest break-out. A section commonly known for almost wall to wall world preems in the mix-up of genres and languages, is giving some inventory space to Sundance preemed Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement’s What We Do in the Shadows and Adam Wingard’s The Guest (Nicholas called it, “sleek, fun entertainment, a reminder of a bygone era when an influx of entertaining genre films existed in greater quantity“) which joins the Cannes Critics’ Week entry David Robert Mitchell’s It Follows. Sion Sono will open the section with Tokyo Tribe, but acquisition interest will go towards world preem titles of Jaume Balagueró’s [Rec] 4: Apocalypse, Jalmari Heleander’s Big Game and Jonas Govaerts’ Cub, while the A24 folks get to...

Every year, we look forward to the Midnight Madness selection of the Toronto International Film Festival, which includes a great mix of upcoming horror films around the world. Once again, many of the titles are making their world premiere at Tiff, and we have the full list, which includes Kevin Smith’s Tusk and [Rec] 4:

“Toronto — The Toronto International Film Festival®’s Midnight Madness programme brings thrills, chills and all sorts of kills to Festival audiences once again. Get your passports stamped and experience an international cinematic rollercoaster which includes: a Yakuza street gang hip-hop musical epic; spine-chilling Spanish zombies with insatiable appetites; a Finnish boy hunter rescuing the President of the United States from terrorists; and Flemish cub scouts trapped in the woods with sinister companions.

“Midnight Madness has been entertaining connoisseurs of the exquisitely explicit for over 25 years, and is now an essential destination for cinematic masters of outrageous expression,...

Stars: Lee Marvin, Chuck Norris, Martin Balsam, Joey Bishop, Robert Forster, Lainie Kazan, George Kennedy, Hanna Schygulla, Susan Strasberg, Bo Svenson, Robert Vaughn, Shelley Winters | Written by Menahem Golan, James Bruner | Directed by Menahem Golan

When you watch a Chuck Norris movie, you just feel that this is a movie built around him and the character he plays so well. The Delta Force is a film like that, but this time he has to share the spotlight with Lee Marvin. Now that the film has been given the Arrow Video Blu-ray treatment we not only get to watch the movie in excellent quality, but also have a peek at just why The Cannon Group were so smart at choosing the films they chose to make.

The Delta Force is based around the real life hijacking of Twa Flight 847 in 1985 where a group of Lebanese terrorists hijacked a plane and took hostages to Beirut.

To mark the release of The Delta Force on 5th May, we’ve been given 3 copies to give away on Blu-ray.

Cannon Films are known for having produced some of the most enjoyable and eccentric action flicks of the ’80s – but The Delta Force, which boasts scenes of Chuck Norris flying through the air on a motorbike mounted with missiles, surely stands as one of their most entertaining efforts.

American Travel Ways Flight 282 has been hijacked by a group of terrorists claiming to represent the New World Revolutionary Organisation. The Delta Force, under the leadership of Major Scott McCoy (Chuck Norris), is called in to handle the situation. Still smarting from an ill-fated hostage rescue mission several years prior, this elite squad of special forces is determined to succeed in its mission this time – and assert the might of the American military once and for all.

Drawing on a number...

Arrow Video, the world's leading cult video label, has announced their Q2 line-up for 2014 and it is amazing as usual. In addition to titles that geeks already knew were coming, like Joe Dante's The 'Burbs, Brian De Palma's, Sisters, and the hotly anticipated artrotica and groundbreaking animation of Walerian Borowczyk, we also get some classic 70's Aip Vincent Price films, Chuck Norris's calling card, The Delta Force, '80s sex comedy classic, Porky's, Fernando Dileo's Milano Calibro 9, and lesser known werewolf feature, The Beast Within. In addition, Arrow continues beefing up their Academy line with Elio Petri's (The 10th Victim) L'AssassinoJust sign me up for an automatic bank draft already, because I need this discs like I need the air that I breathe. Take...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...

Though he achieved critical acclaim by leading films like “Schindler’s List” and “Kinsey,” Liam Neeson has always been partial to genre filmmaking. His first major starring role was in Sam Raimi’s underrated 1990 superhero film “Darkman” and he’s had appearances in films like “Krull” and -- no kidding -- an uncredited role in “The Delta Force.” And now the Irish actor is set to continue his more recent populist streak with roles in two films that will see him play to two different audiences. THR is reporting that Neeson is in talks to join Seth MacFarlane’s follow-up to “Ted,” the western-comedy “A Million Ways to Die in the West.” The film, in case you forgot, stars the “Family Guy” creator as a cowardly farmer whose girlfriend (Amanda Seyfried) leaves him when he backs out of a gunfight. He soon meets up with the wife (Charlize Theron) of...

The Hollywood tough guy gave his backing to the uncompromising Likud leader. So how come the Likud leader was only just able to scrape to victory?

"Shalom – this is Chuck Norris": are there words that could possibly bring more cheer to a Jewish film fan's heart? It turns out, yes, there are. While you might know that Binyamin Netanyahu and his Likud-Beitenu party squeaked a win, what you probably don't know is that this win is literally thanks to the star of such classics as Lone Wolf McQuade and The Delta Force. Yeah, I dropped the literally bomb.

Fresh from his triumphant foray into political broadcasts when he warned back in September that if President Obama won the 2012 election America would be lost to "the triumph of evil", this month Norris answered the long-wondered question: what is the one thing the Middle East peace process needs? That answer is,...

And now for your in-flight viewing pleasure, watch a movie likely to make you start squirming and possibly screaming in your cramped seat.

Movies like "Up in the Air," which is a sophisticated look at the life of a million-mile-club executive, and "Bridesmaids," which has one of the funniest plane sequences ever on the big screen, are passenger-approved. But there's nothing like an airline disaster movie to freak out even the mellowest of frequent fliers. As we wait for our "Flight," here are nine movies that should probably be saved for when you're firmly on land.

'Flight' (2012)

To quote its gushing review of Robert Zemeckis' first live-action film in 12 years, the Hollywood Reporter describes the movie's pivotal flight sequence (in which Denzel Washington's hungover pilot successfully orchestrates an emergency landing) as a "gripping 20-minute interlude" that will "mesmerize and terrify audiences in a manner that will...

Officials in capital reject winning entry in online poll despite more than 12,000 votes for naming bridge after action star

Slovak officials have rejected the overwhelming results of a popular internet campaign to name a new pedestrian and cycling bridge near the capital after the American action film star Chuck Norris.

Despite 12,599 votes for the Norris name in a two-month online poll, Bratislava regional assembly decided to call the bridge spanning the Morava river and Slovakia's border with Austria the Freedom cycling bridge in memory of people killed attempting to escape communist eastern Europe.

The assembly's choice earned only 457 votes in the online poll, where it was easily outshone by other proposed names, including "Maria Theresa" after an Austro-Hungarian empress and "the Devinska cycling bridge" in honour of a nearby village.

"We have unanimously voted for the Freedom cycling bridge," Bratislava region chairman Pavol Freso told reporters.

"It truly is a...

The Expendables are back in cinemas this month – more muscles, more mayhem, moderate self-awareness.

Part of the appeal of the franchise (can we call it that now?) is that it harks back to how we first got to know a lot of these actors – ridiculous, one-man-army plots, explosions, guns, one-liners and frankly, lots of fun.

Since the sort of guff a lot of these guys churned out around the 80′s (Raw Deal, Over the Top, Cobra, The Punisher, Dark Angel, Code of Silence, Lone Wolf McQuade, Kickboxer, Awol, Red Sonja, Black Eagle etc), they have mostly gone on to bigger and better(?) things. But there is a place for celebrating where these guys have come from, especially since they are playing on that background in gathering them together now.

Rather than try to look back at the critical high points of some of the Expendables (that would be a very...

Scientists have worked tirelessly since the invention of Blu-ray looking for a way to capture the essence of Chuck Norris onto a high-definition disc. No matter how hard they tried though his fists, jaw and body hair refused to be contained long enough for the transfer to take. But finally, in the year of our Lord 2012, six years after the format’s debut… they’ve succeeded. Seven of Chuck Norris’ classics are now available in HD. The Delta Force (1986) is a step down from Chuck Norris‘ previous film, Code of Silence, in more ways than one. The action leaves more realistic gun fights behind in favor of cartoonish, over the top, shoot from the hip gun-play. The script ignores real drama and conflict for explosions and pro-Americuh jingo-isms. Most detrimentally, it trades director Andrew Davis for Menahem “Ahem” Golan. A jumbo jet in Athens is hijacked by Lebanese terrorists (led by Robert Forster, obviously...

By Allen Gardner

Harold And Maude (Criterion) Hal Ashby’s masterpiece of black humor centers on a wealthy young man (Bud Cort) who’s obsessed with death and the septuagenarian (Ruth Gordon) with whom he finds true love. As unabashedly romantic as it is quirky, with Cat Stevens supplying one of the great film scores of all-time. Fine support from Vivian Pickles, Cyril Cusack, Charles Tyner, and Ellen Geer. Fine screenplay by Colin Higgins. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Commentary by Hal Ashby biographer Nick Dawson, producer Charles Mulvehill; Illustrated audio excerpts from seminars by Ashby and Higgins; Interview with Cat Stevens. Widescreen. Dolby 2.0 stereo.

In Darkness (Sony) Agnieszka Holland’s Ww II epic tells the true story of a sewer worker and petty thief in Nazi-occupied Poland who single-handedly helped hide a group of Jews in the city’s labyrinthine sewer system for the duration of the war.