A71 Entertainment announced today that they've acquired the home video rights to genre festival favorite, punk rock slasher The Ranger, following the film’s Toronto premier at the Toronto After Dark Film Festival. CryptTeaze's Sean Ellis reviewed the film, calling it "a bizarre yet constantly fun little horror flick." A Blu-ray and DVD will be released early January 2019.
In the spirit of Return of the Living Dead and Class of 1984, The Ranger follows a group of young punks who are forced to flee the city to lay low, only to run into a park ranger who shares a mysterious past with one of their own. The film has been lauded for its standout performances from Chloë Levine (The Transfiguration, The OA) as the pink-haired punk with a secret, and Jeremy Holm (House of Cards, Mr. Robot) as the maniacal ranger, ready to get his hands bloody in defense of the woods. Granit Lahu (The Sinner), Jeremy Pope, Bubba Weiler (PUZZLE), Amanda Grace Benitez (School of Rock), Jeté Laurence (Pet Sematary) and horror icon Larry Fessenden (We are Still Here) round out the cast.
The Ranger marks the directorial debut of Jenn Wexler, a past Shudder Labs master and producer of the SXSW Grand Jury Prize-winner, Most Beautiful Island. A co-production of Glass Eye Pix and Hood River Entertainment, The Ranger was written by Wexler and Giaco Furino, and produced by Andrew van den Houten, Larry Fessenden, Ashleigh Snead, Heather Buckley and Wexler.
"We're absolutely thrilled to have A71 distribute The Ranger on home video in Canada," says Wexler. "The film was born in Montreal's Frontieres Co-Production Market so it means so much to us that horror fans in Canada will be able to add the film to their collections."
“Love the movie, love the soundtrack, love the team! What more can I say?” A71 Entertainment’s Head of Marketing and Acquisitions Susan Curran adds, “the Home Video release will be a killer package coming January 2019.”
The Ranger came out swinging at 2018 SXSW Film Festival, where it world-premiered in the Midnighters section. The film was selected as opening night feature of this year’s FrightFest UK and has been an official selection at festivals around the world, including Fantasia International Film Festival, Sydney Film Festival, Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival, Sitges Film Festival and Toronto After Dark, among many others.
“Very excited our Canadian friends will be able to get a copy of The Ranger. It was a blast to help make, to support Jenn’s vision and the movie is punk af—great soundtrack, candy colors; lots of fun. Thank you V71.” recognizes producer Heather Buckley.
“I am so excited to get this release out into the hands of fans.” says producer and Glass Eye Pix founder Larry Fessenden. “The extras are exhaustive, fun and lovingly crafted, and prove why physical media is still vital for true cinephiles.”
On the deal producer Andrew van den Houten commented, “Susan Curran and A71 are the perfect partners for our Canadian home video release of “The Ranger.” Susan’s understanding and passion for the genre have led to many successful releases with our company in the past, I cannot wait for fans to be able to hold this film in their hands and take The Ranger home.”
