The Ms.45 Soundtrack is Now Available to Pre-Order from Death Waltz Recordings

Fans of Zoe Tamerlis Lund, Joe Delia and Abel Ferrara have certainly had to wait a very long time for the soundtrack release to their mesmerizing masterpiece Ms.45 but the wait I finally over.  Delia's incredible score is now available to pre-order over at Death Waltz Recordings and Light in the Attic via a limited to 500 copies Vinyl edition.  Hardcore fans will want to order directly from Death Waltz because they will get an instant free download of the score and over an hour of unused music from the film!   I am listening to it right now and to say it was worth the wait is an understatement...it is absolutely incredible. 

Europe Endless: Alain Robbe-Grillet's TRANS-EUROP-EXPRESS (1967)

Only available for years via dreadful quality bootlegs, the classic films of the legendary Alain Robbe-Grillet are finally getting ready to land on American shores on Blu-Ray and DVD courtesy of Redemption's new The Cinema of Alain Robbe-Grillet collection.  The first two releases in the series, Trans-Europ-Express (1967) and Successive Slidings of Pleasure (1974) come out in early February and both are nothing short of spectacular.  
It is fitting that Redemption's first Robbe-Grillet release is his groundbreaking Trans-Europ-Express, a miraculous work that stands as a perfect gateway into the French renegade's most distinctive cinematic world.  Alternately playful and subversive, Trans-Europ-Express is still an astonishingly forward thinking work detailing the complex, and often surprising, relationship between an author and his characters.  Starring New-Wave icons Jean-Louis Trintignant and Marie-France Pisier as two characters being constructed right before our very eyes by Robbe-Grillet and his wife Catherine (both appearing as themselves), Trans-Europ-Express perhaps feels even more adventurous today than it did in the more openly confrontational and experimental sixties. 
Like many of Robbe-Grillet's early literary works, Trans-Europ-Express manages to avoid the pretentious pitfalls of most deliberately self-reflexive post-modern works by maintaining a sharp wit throughout.  While Trans-Europ-Express is rightfully grouped among the most serious European Art Films of the sixties it is also one of the funniest and Robbe-Grillet's delightful willingness to play with pre-conceptions of character, story and the filmmaking process is incredibly refreshing.  It's among just a handful of films that makes you questions cinema's role while enhancing your enjoyment. 
Trans-Europ-Express was just the second film Robbe-Grillet had made as a director (with the 1963's mesmerizing The Immortal standing as the first) but he already had mastered the difficult task of translating many of the questions his novels posed into answers on the screen.  As a filmmaker, Robbe-Grillet's daring framing skills and his dazzling use of space were already apparent in Trans-Europ-Express and in cinematographer Willy Kurant he found the perfect artist to help bring his black and white world of eroticism and intrigue to life, although the two wouldn't work together again. 
A lot of the credit for how successful Trans-Europ-Express is as an incredibly entertaining film, and not just an odd experiment, has to go to Robbe-Grillet's incredible stars, Trintignant and Pisier, whom both dive into this uncompromising material with an absolute gleefulness.  Many actors would have shied away from some of the satirical self-poking that these two iconic stars are asked to perform in Trans-Europ-Express so it is to their credit, and the film's benefit, that they were so game. 
Redemption's Blu-ray of Trans-Europ-Express is a thing of beauty.  Mastered in HD from the original 35mm elements Kino and Redemption's team wisely didn't overly digitize this print and the silver grain necessary for its glorious black and white photography is still in place.  It's truly lovely to finally see this film looking and sounding like this.  Extras include a thirty minute chat with the much-missed Robbe-Grillet and a trailer reel.  Sadly, the Tim Lucas commentary tracks that grace the international releases are absent but, otherwise, this is an absolutely essential release in every way.  Pre-order it at Amazon. 

-Jeremy Richey, 2014-

Celia Rowlson-Hall to Appear on the Cover of ART DECADES (Issue 1)

When I decided this past October that I finally wanted to launch my first publication one thing I knew for sure was that I wanted the cover to be something incredibly special.  Even before I came up with a name for the publication, ART DECADES, I knew that my first and only choice for our first cover star was a young filmmaker whose work has meant oh so much to me the past couple of years.  So, I am incredibly excited to announce that the genius New York based actor, choreographer, director and writer Celia Rowlson-Hall will be appearing on the cover of Issue 1 of ART DECADES in a photo taken specifically for the publication.  I will be writing a long piece on Celia's remarkable work and I am beyond honored and thrilled that she agreed to appear on the cover.  I cannot possibly began to express my eternal gratitude. 
More information on ART DECADES is coming soon including a look at some of the contributors and more.  Also keep a lookout for our IndieGoGo Crowdfunding campaign which will be starting in the next week or so. 

TEARS OF GOD, THE BOOK and VIDEO WATCHDOG Crowdfunding Campaign Videos

These three very valuable projects are in need of funding over at Kickstarter and Indiegogo. Take a few moments to watch, pledge and/or help spread the word if you can. Thanks!

The Alain Robbe-Grillet Collection from Redemption

Here is a sneak peek at what very well might be the most important archival series of the year.

Coming in November of 2014: The First Issue of Our New Publication

While a great many friends over at Facebook are already aware of this, I am very pleased to officially announce here that my wife Kelley and I will be releasing the first issue of our first printed publication in the late part of 2014.  This, as of yet, untitled publication is still in the earliest stages of planning but Kelley and I are both extremely excited about it and we are going to make it something truly special.  This will be a step by step process and will be a true learning experience for both Kelley and I, as we have never attempted anything like this.
While the details are being ironed out I can tell you that this will be a print only arts based publication allowing writers to write on topics of choosing.  Obviously the journal will consist of a lot of writing on film but it will also incorporate literature, music, photography and so on.  This will not be a 'review-based' publication (although certainly critiques can occur), but rather a platform for all types of writers to really flex their creative muscles and have a chance to get pieces in print that otherwise they might not be able to. 
Throughout 2014 I will mostly be utilizing Moon in the Gutter as an information base on the first issues progress.  There will be other posts as well, and eventually a website will be set up for the journal, but I do want to share this journey with any who might be curious to follow.  Here is an outline of our plan:

1.  Gather together a number of our favorite writers and ask if they would be interested in submitting for the first issue.  I am very excited to say that we have gathered close to twenty fabulous writers already with more coming on board as I type this. If you are interested in possibly submitting, please contact me at Facebook or via my Gmail. I will be introducing the writers here at Moon in the Gutter in the upcoming months as well as unveiling our fabulous first cover star!

2.  Since this is a self-financed venture, Kelley and I will need some help regarding the software and a few other start-up expenses so we will be doing a Crowdfunding drive, probably via IndieGoGo.  We are planning on launching this probably around late January and rewards will be offered.  This is, obviously, a pivotal step, so any help (whether it be a donation or just spreading the word will be greatly appreciated). 

3.  As soon as we have the software in place and the pieces start coming in Kelley and I will spend the better part of 2014 putting the first issue together.  Since, as I said, this is a totally new thing for us it will take time.  Thankfully we already have a friend who is familiar with the program we are planning on using (AdobeInDesign) but we would, of course, love to hear from anyone who might have any advice, tips, or suggestions throughout the process. 

4.  PUBLISH!!!  Initially Kelley and I had planned on printing this ourselves in a limited edition run and handling the shipping.  We finally decided that the cost and time would be too much for us to handle so I am taking the lead from my good friends over at Weng's Chop and am planning on using Amazon's print on demand service CreateSpace.  This will allow the journal to be sold at Amazon and Barnes and Noble's sites, as well as our own site, and it doesn't have to be a limited run.  We are looking at the first issue as a break even proposition at best and we will try to make it as affordable as possible, while making sure that is as colorful and aesthetically pleasing as we are planning. 

So that about does it.  This has been a dream of mine since I first cracked open an issue of Video Watchdog in the early nineties and I promise we are going to deliver something very special.  Hell, with the writers I have on board we could do an old school Xerox pamphlet and it would still be awesome but we are going to give you more than that.  Wish us luck and enjoy, 'the first song on our new album.'

-Jeremy and Kelley Richey, 2014-