Heavy Metal

COLUMBIA PICTURES'
SHOWCASE RETURN OF ANIMATED CULT FILM
CLASSIC, "HEAVY METAL," IN 39 U.S./CANADIAN CITIES.

-- Futuristic Science Fiction Odyssey Re-Mastered With Sony Dynamic Digital Sound --

Los Angeles, Ca. - HEAVY METAL, the milestone science fiction fantasy classic that featured an extraordinary soundtrack, will be re-released on March 8 by Columbia Pictures for a special theatrical engagement in 39 cities in the United States and Canada. The animated cult film depicts a terrifying, futuristic universe set against the throbbing rhythms of such musical artists as Black Sabbath, Blue Oyster Cult, Cheap Trick, Devo, Donald Fagen, Don Felder, Grand Funk Railroad, Sammy Hagar, Journey, Nazareth, Stevie Nicks, Riggs and Trust.

Over the last decade, HEAVY METAL has been the single most active title in Columbia Pictures' entire library, playing in theaters around the country at midnight shows, often for months on end. "It's like our 'Rocky Horror Picture Show,'" said Michael Schlesinger, Repertory Director for Sony Pictures. He continued, "In fact, we had to keep ending engagements because the prints were literally falling apart. We're thrilled that this re-issue will give us a chance to put sparkling new prints back up on the big screen."

In the years since its l981 release, HEAVY METAL reigns as an undisputed cult favorite by a large, fanatically dedicated army of hard-core, devoted fans. Its staggering visuals, featuring surreal animation and pushing-the-envelope eroticism, project an alternative reality that bombasts against the gestalt of "heavy metal" classics. For the showcase return engagement, HEAVY METAL has been digitally re-mastered using Sony Dynamic Digital Sound. (SDDS)

With its provocative animation sequences, HEAVY METAL pioneered the introduction in the West of what has come to be known as "Japanimation": an innovative, imaginative style, beyond erotica to exotica and always staggeringly beautiful, that was introduced

Based on the popular magazine of the same name, HEAVY METAL interweaves six visionary stories of science fiction, fantasy and sword-and-sorcerer overtones. Each has its own distinctive visual style created and brought to life by underground avant-garde comic-strip artists. As sci-fi/animation aficionado Brad Balfour wrote upon the original release of HEAVY METAL, "never before has such a diverse set of stories, themes, visual techniques, and drawing styles been sewn together in one integrated whole."

An Ivan Reitman-Leonard Mogel Production, HEAVY METAL was personally produced by Ivan Reitman. He had already created motion picture history with a series of films, "Animal House," "Stripes" and "Meatballs," that dealt with common American experiences and what made them funny. Reitman believed that his greatest contribution to HEAVY METAL was the fact that he had experience as a "live action" filmmaker and not just as an animator.

Reitman has continued his most unique filmography with such works as "Ghostbusters" I & II, "Legal Eagles," "Kindergarten Cop," "Twins," "Junior" and 1993's landmark "Dave," which turned the very political fabric of the country into a compelling and relevant comedy of ideas and hope. His latest movie "Space Jam," starring basketball superstar Michael Jordan, combines animation and live action.

Leonard Mogel was the movie's executive producer as well as the founding publisher of Heavy Metal magazine in the U.S. in 1974. He was also the co-founder of National Lampoon Inc. and the producer of "National Lampoon's Animal House" with Reitman and Matt Simmons. Having previously written two of Reitman's landmark movies -- "Stripes" and "Meatballs," HEAVY METAL was also penned by Danny Goldberg and Len Blum. Goldberg and Blum's most recent collaboration is "Private Parts," based on Howard Stern's runaway best-seller.

Director Gerald Potterton's credit's include "Animal House," "Yellow Submarine" and one of Buster Keaton's final films, "The Railroader." He coordinated the efforts of more than 1000 artists, animators and technicians from seventeen countries working in five separate cities: Los Angeles, New York, London, Montreal and Ottawa. The dean of film composers, Elmer Bernstein, scored HEAVY METAL with London's Philharmonic Orchestra.

HEAVY METAL will be showcased in the following cities: Los Angeles, CA; New York, NY; Boston, MA; Philadelphia, PA.; Washington, DC; San Francisco, CA; Atlanta, GA; Miami, FL; Houston, TX; Dallas, TX; Chicago, I L; Detroit, MI; Denver, CO; Ann Arbor, MI; Milwaukee, WI; Madison, WI; Minneapolis, MN; New Orleans, LA; Albuquerque, NM; Austin, TX; Myrtle Beach, FL; Orlando, FL; Melbourne, FL; Datona Beach, FL; Ft. Lauderdale, FL; St. Louis, MO; Kansas City, MO; Las Vegas, NV; Sacramento, CA; Phoenix, AZ; San Diego, CA; Seattle, WA; Portland, OR; Palo Alto, CA; San Jose, CA; Berkeley, CA; Toronto, ONT; Ottawa, ONT; Montreal, QUE; Vancouver, BC. Running time: 90 minutes\Rated R.

For further information, please contact: Fritz Friedman/Columbia TriStar Home Video(310) 280-7799 or Paul Wasserman or Brian O'Neal/The Wasserman Group at (213) 651-0253