Drafthouse Films Acquires US Rights to “ELECTRIC BOOGALOO: THE WILD, UNTOLD STORY OF CANNON FILMS”

New Doc Will Chronicle Infamous ’80s Exploitation
Production Outfit From Acclaimed Director Mark Hartley

Drafthouse Films, the distribution arm of the world-famous Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, announced today the acquisition of all US rights to ELECTRIC BOOGALOO: THE WILD, UNTOLD STORY OF CANNON FILMS from world-wide sales agent Celluloid Nightmares. From acclaimed cult film documentarian Mark Hartley (NOT QUITE HOLLYWOOD, MACHETE MAIDENS UNLEASHED), the film centers on the story of two Israeli-born, movie-obsessed cousins, Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus, who in pursuit of the “American dream” launched an indie studio that would produce over 120 exploitation films from 1979-1989 turning a renegade outfit into the proclaimed “seventh Hollywood major.” The film is currently in pre-production in Australia with Producer Veronica Fury and Executive Producers XYZ Films (upcoming Sony Pictures release THE RAID). A theatrical release is being planned for late 2012 to coincide with a traveling roadshow retrospective of Cannon’s seminal films.

While best known for their explosive ’80s action fare (MISSING IN ACTION, DEATH WISH sequels, Academy Award® Nominated RUNAWAY TRAIN), Cannon Films’ diverse and ambitious production output also included body-count slashers (TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE 2), musicals and comedies (THE APPLE, BREAKIN’), science fiction and fantasy epics (MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE, LIFEFORCE), martial arts classics (AMERICAN NINJA series, KICKBOXER), neo-noir crime thrillers (52 PICK-UP, 10 TO MIDNIGHT), art-house dramas (BARFLY, John Cassavetes’ LOVE STREAMS, Jean-Luc Godard’s KING LEAR), in addition to launching the careers of many future genre superstars like Chuck Norris and Jean-Claude Van Damme. “No other production organization in the world today,” proclaimed Roger Ebert in 1987, “has taken more chances with serious, marginal films than Cannon.”

“Cannon Films was an enterprise that in many ways defined exploitation cinema of the 1980s,” said Alamo Drafthouse Founder/CEO and Fantastic Fest Founder Tim League . “We are thrilled to share their untold legacy with movie fans around the country.” Drafthouse Films Director Evan Husney elaborated, “With director Mark Hartley at the helm, ELECTRIC BOOGALOO is sure to be a wildly entertaining, comprehensive and frenetic no-holds-barred dive into the world of perhaps the most infamous production company in film history.”

“I was lucky enough to have my first feature NOT QUITE HOLLYWOOD screen at Fantastic Fest in 2008 — and ever since then the chance to revisit the festival and the Alamo Drafthouse has been one of the principal motivations for me to get out of bed and make more movies!” says director Mark Hartley. “The news that Drafthouse Films has joined the ELECTRIC BOOGALOO party is beyond awesome. I know that Tim League and his team will find the most inventive, outrageous and ridiculously entertaining ways to roll the film out across America — and personally I can’t wait for the show to begin.”

The deal was negotiated by Nate Bolotin, on behalf of Celluloid Nightmares and XYZ Films and Tim League, Founder and CEO of the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, James Emanuel Shapiro, Chief Operating Officer and Evan Husney, Director of Acquisitions, on behalf of Drafthouse Films.

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About Drafthouse Films

Drafthouse Films, the distribution arm of Alamo Drafthouse, debuted in 2010 with the theatrical release of FOUR LIONS and was named one of Time Magazine’s “Top 10 Films Of The Year.” Drafthouse Films is dedicated to scouring the globe in search of visionary, provocative and diverse features to integrate into the ever-growing Alamo Drafthouse entertainment lifestyle brand, which along with the Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas includes: Mondo, the collectible art boutique; Fantastic Fest, the largest international genre film festival in the US; and the pop culture website Badass Digest. Drafthouse Films will distribute films theatrically and through home video, VOD and direct to consumer sales.  The 2012 release slate includes the stunning HD RealD™ restoration of ’80s cult western COMIN’ AT YA! 3D, Michael R. Roskam’s award-winning debut feature and Oscar® candidate BULLHEAD, Mikkel Norgaard’s internationally acclaimed comedy CLOWN, and SXSW ’11 favorite THE FP which Moviefone calls, “a rare ready-made cult hit.” Together with producing partners Magnolia Pictures and Timpson Films, Drafthouse Films is also currently in production on the much-anticipated THE ABC’s OF DEATH — an anthology film featuring segments by 26 different directors that Fangoria calls, “a stunning roll call of some of the most exciting names in horror across the world.”

About Mark Hartley

Mark Hartley is a multiple ARIA and AFI award winning filmmaker. In 2008 his highly acclaimed debut feature, “Not Quite Hollywood” — featuring Jamie Lee Curtis, Dennis Hopper and Quentin Tarantino — was selected as opening night film of the Melbourne International Film Festival before being launched internationally at Midnight Madness, the genre showcase at the prestigious Toronto International Film Festival. At the 2008 Australian Film Institute Awards “Not Quite Hollywood” won Best Documentary and Hartley was awarded the inaugural “AFI Documentary Trailblazer” award. He also received an AFI nomination for Best Editing. In 2010 Hartley wrote and directed “Machete Maidens Unleashed!” a feature documentary that examined legendary maverick producer Roger Corman’s productions in the Philippines whilst it was under Martial Law. It was one of six Australian films selected to screen at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival. Prior to embarking on these two feature films, Hartley was Australia’s busiest music video maker, directing over 150 promos for local and international artists including Powderfinger, The Living End, Sophie Monk, Wheatus and Joe Cocker. He has received a total of 8 ARIA (Australian Record Industry Association) nominations, winning two statuettes (he tied with himself at the 2000 awards). In addition, Hartley directed the official music video of the XXVII Olympic Games and the video for Walt Disney’s theatrical release, “The Jungle Book 2”.

About Celluloid Nightmares

Nate Bolotin, Nick Spicer, Aram Tertzakian and Todd Brown’s XYZ Films partnered with Hengameh Panahi’s Celluloid Dreams to create the elevated genre label, Celluloid Nightmares. The label recently premiered the Indonesian action film THE RAID which opened the Toronto International Film Festival’s “Midnight Madness” program and won the audience award for best picture.  Recently, the two companies have broadened their agenda to include acquiring prestige titles like GREETINGS FROM TIM BUCKLEY for sales under the Celluloid Dreams banner, as well as the Adrien Brody starrer DETACHMENT which premiered earlier this year in Tribeca.

About XYZ Films

XYZ is an LA-based production and sales company founded by Nate Bolotin, Nick Spicer, and Aram Tertzakian. In addition to handling North American sales at top-tier film festivals, XYZ is also partnered with French international sales outfit, Celluloid Dreams, for international sales. The partnership, launched in May of 2010 as “Celluloid Nightmares,” brings together the pedigree of Celluloid Dreams with the genre savvy of XYZ.  XYZ has been a leader in the independent film space since it acquired an ownership stake in leading international film site Twitch (www.twitchfilm.com) and partnered with Twitch founder, Todd Brown, to expand XYZ’s sales initiative.