November 12, 2001

Three Phenomenal Films On Each DVD Featuring The Works of Bela Lugosi, Roger Corman, Boris Karloff, F.W. Murnau And More!

Burbank, CA – This month, SlingShot Entertainment will release fifteen classic films on five DVDs for a suggested retail price of $12.99 each. Featuring the works of Roger Corman, Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff, Ralph Bryd, George Zukor, Lionel Atwill, Ann Jeffreys, F.W. Murnau and more, each DVD release will include three films.

Roger Corman Retrospective Volume II contains three of Corman’s best pictures with The Little Shop of Horrors, The Terror and Creature from the Haunted Sea. Corman is most noted for his uncanny ability to spot talent launching careers for Jack Nicholson, Francis Ford Coppola, Martin Scorsese and Jonathan Demme, to name only a few. The Little Shop of Horrors was shot in only 2 days and features a walk-on by Jack Nicholson as Wilbur Force. The Terror stars both Boris Karloff and Nicholson and was written by Leo Gordon and Jack Hill. Creature from the Haunted Sea stars Antony Carbone (The Pit and the Pendulum), Betsy Jones-Moreland and Robert Towne. Towne went on to write some high profile screenplays including Mission Impossible, The Firm and Days of Thunder.

Bela Lugosi Collection Volume II consists of White Zombie, The Ape Man and The Gorilla. Lugosi began acting in 1901 in Hungary. He immigrated to the U.S. in 1921 and attained fame with his portrayal of Count Dracula on Broadway in 1927 which was later turned into the infamous film by Tod Browning in 1931. He was paid only $800 for his role in White Zombie. Lugosi helped organize the Screen Actors Guild and joined as the 28th member. He died in 1956 and was buried in his full Dracula costume.

Nosferatu, The Last Laugh and Der Golem are included on German Silent Masterworks. Nosferatu was the first filmed version of the Dracula story and is used as the benchmark for many horror directors. It originally had “Dracula” in the title but the name was removed when Bram Stoker’s estate sued. The film was directed by F.W. Murnau. The Last Laugh was also directed by Murnau and chronicles the story of a proud old hotel doorman who is stripped of his job as well as self esteem and is demoted to men’s washroom attendant at the hotel. Originally released in 1915, Der Golem has been called an “expressionist classic.” It stars Paul Wegener as Golem, a clay statue that is brought to life by an antique dealer.

Two volumes of Crime Stoppers (Crime Stopers l / Crime Stoppers ll) is also being released with the first volume containing Mr. Wong, Detective, Dick Tracy’s Dilemma and Dick Tracy Meets Gruesome. Volume II includes Fog Island, The Black Raven and Dick Tracy vs. Cueball. Directed by William Nigh, Mr. Wong, Detective brings to life Collier’s magazine famous detective with Boris Karloff in the lead role. Both Dick Tracy films were made by RKO in the ‘40s. Based on Chester Gould’s comic strip, Ralph Byrd plays Tracy in Volume I. Jason Robards, Sr. plays a bank vice president in Dick Tracy Meets Gruesome. On Volume II, Tracy is played by Morgan Conway with Anne Jeffreys as Tess Trueheart. Fog Island was released in 1945 and stars George Zucco who starred in the 1943 release of The Black Raven which was directed by Sam Newfield.

SlingShot Entertainment is the world’s largest distributor of large format films on DVD and video. Located in Burbank, CA, SlingShot is affiliated with The Enterprise Group, a multi-media conglomerate that provides a variety of world class services for audio, video, DVD, interactive and live productions. SlingShot’s complete DVD collection ranges from an eclectic mix of movies originally presented in IMAX® theaters to cult and classics films and a host of animated features for all ages.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Sue Procko or Maral Kaloustian
Sue Procko Public Relations
323/653-5153
sprockopr@aol.com

SLINGSHOT ENTERTAINMENT CLASSIC COLLECTION
SUGGESTED RETAIL PRICE: $ 12.99

ROGER CORMAN RETROSPECTIVE VOLUME II
Featuring
The Little Shop of Horrors
The Terror
Creature from the Haunted Sea
Catalog #: TDVD9131
UPC: 0 1707 89131 2 5

GERMAN SILENT MASTERWORKS
Featuring
Nosferatu
The Last Laugh
Der Golem
Catalog #: TDVD9127
UPC: 0 1707 89127 2 2

BELA LUGOSI COLLECTION VOLUME II
Featuring
White Zombie
The Ape Man
The Gorilla
Catalog #: TDVD9106
UPC: 0 1707 89106 2 9

CRIME STOPPERS VOLUME I
Featuring
Mr. Wong, Detective
Dick Tracy’s Dilemma
Dick Tracy Meets Gruesome
Catalog #: TDVD9119
UPC: 0 1707 89119 2 3

CRIME STOPPERS VOLUME II
Featuring
Fog Island
The Black Raven
Dick Tracy vs. Cueball
Catalog #: TDVD9166
UPC: 0 1707 89166 2 1