"Billy Idol Should Be Dead"

BILLY IDOL SHOULD BE DEAD is an intimate, unflinching look at the life and career of Billy Idol, tracing the punk icon’s journey from his early days with Generation X through his rise as a global solo star, while exploring the triumphs, excesses, near-death experiences, and remarkable survival story behind one of rock & roll’s most recognizable and enduring figures. 

  

Directed by Jonas Åkerlund (Lords of Chaos, Spun), the documentary features interviews with Idol alongside friends, collaborators and fellow artists including Steve Stevens, Miley Cyrus, Billie Joe Armstrong, Duff McKagan, Steve Jones, Pete Townshend, Nile Rodgers, Patrick Stump, and Perri Lister, among others. The film is the subject of extensive critical acclaim from The New York Times, CBS’s “This Morning,” NPR’s “Weekend Edition,” the Los Angeles Times, and many more.  

  

The physical media release arrives at an especially active moment in Idol’s career. In addition to his 2026 induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Billy Idol’s first full-length album of new music in over a decade, “Dream Into It,” is currently available from Dark Horse Records. The album reached #7 on the U.S. Top Albums Chart and #4 on the U.S. Current Rock Album Chart, #9 on the U.K. Official Album Sales Chart, and #2 on the German Top 100 Album Chart. Idol is currently on his “It’s A Nice Day To…Tour Again!” tour, which has sold out arenas across the U.S. and continues through the fall. 

  

BILLY IDOL SHOULD BE DEAD made its festival debut at the Tribeca Film Festival in summer 2025, followed by an award-qualifying run in fall 2025 and a limited U.S. theatrical release in the first quarter of 2026. U.S. theatrical rights to the film were handled by Evan Saxon Productions. 

  

The deal for the physical media release was negotiated on behalf of Live Nation Studios and Giant Pictures by Bill Sondheim, President and CEO of Greenfield Media, LLC, and by Director of Acquisitions Eric D. Wilkinson on behalf of MVD Entertainment Group. 

  

MVD Director of Acquisitions Eric D. Wilkinson is excited to bring the film to Blu-ray and DVD. “Billy Idol is one of those rare artists whose music, image and attitude have remained instantly recognizable across generations, and Jonas Åkerlund has made a film that goes far beyond the iconography to tell the story of the person behind it. With Billy receiving his long-overdue induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame this year, the timing couldn’t be better to give fans the opportunity to own this documentary on physical media.” 

  

MVD Entertainment Group has scheduled BILLY IDOL SHOULD BE DEAD for release on Blu-ray and DVD on November 3, 2026. The Blu-ray (MVD21395BR / UPC 760137213956) carries a suggested retail price of $29.95, while the DVD (MVD21392D / UPC 760137213925) carries a suggested retail price of $19.95. 

"Heavy Healing"

Fans of Heavy Metal, Hardcore Punk and the like have been told since they were little, whether it be by their parents, teachers or religious leaders, that these genres are "not music," but noise. Each has been labeled as disorderly, violent, and detrimental to the physical and mental health of young people.

Be that as it may, many who have been affected by a wide variety of enervating conditions have come to rely on heavy artists to successfully assist them through the worst of times such as severe illness, weighty medical conditions, and mental health challenges.

Heavy Healing seeks to dispel rumors and shine a much-deserved bright light on the healing powers of aggressive music. You will hear directly and candidly from artists, fans, and industry types - remarkable individuals who have leaned on (or even become) "controversial" music-makers in order to inspire and be inspired through the grueling process of recovery from the likes of cancer, anxiety, and depression, strokes, heart attacks, cerebral palsy, blood diseases, diabetes, and HIV/AIDS, to name a few.

Appearing in Heavy Healing are Jesse Leach (Killswitch Engage), Lou Koller (Sick of It All), Jaret Reddick (Bowling for Soup), Mike IX Williams (EyeHateGod), Vinnie Stigma (Agnostic Front), Eddie "Sutton" Pomponio (Leeway), Jesse Malin (Heart Attack, D-Generation), Jimi Hazel (24-7 Spyz), Michael Alago (A&R - Metallica, White Zombie), Michael "Kaves" McLeer (Lordz of Brooklyn), Jimmy G. Drescher (Murphy's Law), Brian "Mitts" Daniels (ex-Madball), Adam Blake (H2O), as well as one of HH's filmmakers, and the inspiration for this documentary, music business veteran Seth Abrams, among others.

Watch the trailer for Heavy Healing here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xFSAaXIGlM

Order Here: https://mvd.cloud/share/sales/20260813101952.html

Ju-On: The Grudge

On August 11, the iconic J-Horror Ju-On: The Grudge arrives on 4K UHD. Writer-director Takashi Shimizu unleashes a deadly curse born from violent rage, transforming an ordinary home into a place of inescapable terror. The Limited Edition release features a 4K restoration from the original camera negative by Arrow Films, hours of special features, and newly commissioned extras. 

Social worker Rika (Megumi Okina, Shutter) visits the Tokunaga family’s home to care for an elderly woman, only to discover that the house carries a horrifying legacy. Once the site of an unspeakable tragedy, the home is now bound to a malevolent curse that marks anyone who enters. As the terror spreads beyond its walls, Rika is drawn deeper into the mystery of the Saeki family and the nightmare they left behind. The film was later remade in America as The Grudge, with Takashi Shimizu directing Sarah Michelle Gellar (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) for producer Sam Raimi (Evil Dead).

Special features include a 4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible); original DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround audio plus stereo audio and alternate English dub track in 5.1 surround; optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing; an introduction by writer-director Takashi Shimizu; two audio commentaries with Sam Raimi, Scott Spiegel, and others; an interview with Takashi Shimizu on the Ju-On films; an interview with Takako Fujion; a discussion on the cultural forces that shaped the series; archival interviews with director Takashi Shimizu and actors Megumi Okina and Kayoko Shibata; on-set interviews with Takashi Shimizu, Megumi Okina, Misaki Ito, Misa Uehara, and Yui Ichikawa; deleted scenes with commentary by Takashi Shimizu; behind-the-scenes footage; two ghostly true-life tales that inspired the films; original trailers; image gallery; and a collectors’ booklet.

Watch the trailer for Ju-On: The Grudge here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OfBfZdijxG8 

Order Here: https://customers.mvdb2b.com/b2b/s/AV867 

Identity

 

On August 25, the chilling serial killer whodunit Identity arrives on 4K UHD. Director James Mangold (The Wolverine, Logan) brings intense psychological horror to an Agatha Christie-influenced murder mystery. The Limited Edition release features both the Theatrical and Extended Cuts, hours of special features, and newly commissioned extras. 

On a stormy night in the Nevada desert, ten strangers are stranded at an isolated motel, including an aging actress (Rebecca De Mornay, Risky Business), her limo driver (John Cusack, Hot Tub Time Machine), and a married couple in crisis played by John C. McGinley (Platoon) and Amanda Peet (The Whole Nine Yards). The guests are picked off one by one. Will anyone make it to check out time? The film also stars Ray Liotta (Goodfellas), Alfred Molina (Spider-Man: No Way Home), Clea DuVall (Zodiac), Pruitt Taylor Vince (Superman) and Jake Busey (Starship Troopers).

Special features include a 4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible) of the Theatrical and Extended Cuts; original lossless DTS-HD MA 5.1 audio; optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing; archival audio commentaries by director James Mangold and screenwriter Michael Cooney; a brand new interview with actor Pruitt Taylor Vince and producer Cathy Konrad; an archival behind the scenes featurette; deleted scenes; storyboard comparisons; the theatrical trailer; image gallery; and a collectors’ booklet.

Watch the trailer for Identity here: https://youtu.be/TQkG2x3qTf4?si=z9UlfoqlI9bSWkIm

Order Here: https://customers.mvdb2b.com/b2b/s/AV850

Troy

On August 18, Troy, Wolfgang Petersen’s epic action blockbuster set against the legendary Trojan War, arrives on 4K UHD just in time for the theatrical debut of Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey. The acclaimed director of Poseidon and Das Boot adapts Homer’s classic poem The Iliad to capture a sweeping saga of love, war, honor, and devastation. The Limited Edition release features brand new 4K remasters of both the Director’s Cut and Theatrical Cut of the film from the original 35mm camera negative by Arrow Films, hours of special features, and newly commissioned extras. A Blu-ray edition release will also be available.

Prince Hector of Troy (Eric Bana, Hulk) signs a peace treaty with Menelaus, King of Sparta (Brendan Gleeson, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire), but peace is short-lived when his brother Paris (Orlando Bloom, The Lord of the Rings) brings Sparta’s Queen Helen (Diane Kruger, Inglourious Basterds) back to Troy. Menelaus turns to his brother Agamemnon, King of the Greeks (Brian Cox, Succession), who launches an attack on Troy to retrieve Helen and expand his own power. The campaign further strains Agamemnon’s uneasy alliance with the legendary warrior Achilles (Brad Pitt, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood). The film also stars Peter O’Toole (Lawrence of Arabia), Sean Bean (Ronin), Julie Christie (McCabe & Mrs. Miller) and Rose Byrne (Insidious).

Special features include a 4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible) for both the Director’s Cut and Theatrical Cut; original lossless DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround audio plus stereo audio for both the Director’s Cut and Theatrical Cut; optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing; an archival introduction by director Wolfgang Petersen; an archive picture-in-picture commentary of the film; a series of archival behind-the scenes featurettes; an archival introduction to the Greek Gods; Easter egg; the trailer; image galleries; and a collectors’ booklet.

Watch the trailer for Troy here: https://youtu.be/SalHFAZVxAg?si=-mRC6W53UdBJm_El

Order Here: https://customers.mvdb2b.com/b2b/s/AV864   

The People vs Larry Flynt

On August 4, the Academy Award-nominated serio-comic biopic The People vs. Larry Flynt makes its global 4K UHD debut. Director Miloš Forman (Amadeus) and screenwriters Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski (Ed Wood) expose how Larry Flynt became an anti-censorship crusader, changing adult entertainment with Hustler magazine. The Limited 30th Anniversary Edition features a brand new 4K restoration from the original 35mm negative, hours of special features, and newly commissioned extras. 

Larry Flynt (Woody Harrelson, Natural Born Killers) begins publishing a tantalizing newsletter to promote the dancers at his Hustler Go-Go club in Cincinnati. Encouraged by the overwhelming response, he turns it into a national magazine, setting out to challenge Playboy and Penthouse by pushing adult entertainment beyond its established boundaries. When Hustler publishes nude photos of a former First Lady, the magazine’s notoriety explodes.

As Hustler’s profile grows, Flynt becomes a high-profile target in the culture wars, facing obscenity charges and a series of legal battles over First Amendment rights. His fiercest allies are his dedicated attorney Alan Isaacman (Edward Norton, Fight Club) and Althea Leasure (Courtney Love, Man on the Moon), the former stripper who becomes his wife. The cast also includes Crispin Glover (Back to the Future), James Cromwell (Babe), Vincent Schiavelli (Ghost), Norm MacDonald (Saturday Night Live), and Larry Flynt in a surprise cameo. The People vs. Larry Flynt was Oscar nominated for Best Actor (Woody Harrelson) and Best Director (Miloš Forman). Forman won the Golden Globe for Best Director.

Special features include a 4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible); original lossless stereo audio and DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround audio option; optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing; archival audio commentaries with cast members Woody Harrelson, Courtney Love, and Edward Norton and screenwriters Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski; brand new interviews with Woody Harrelson, screenwriters Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski, and others; an archival interview with cinematographer Philippe Rousselot; Miloš Forman on The Charlie Rose Show; an archival making of the film featurette; an archival featurette on Larry Flynt narrated by Dennis Hopper (Blue Velvet); deleted scenes with optional audio commentary by Woody Harrelson and Larry Karaszewski; the theatrical trailer; TV spots; image galleries including the original script; and a collectors’ booklet.

Watch the trailer for The People vs. Larry Flynt here: https://youtu.be/fR6l4D47fW8?

si=4NyIzseu9kP19yDj  

Order Here: 

https://customers.mvdb2b.com/b2b/s/AV860

"Falling Down"

On July 21, Falling Down, a transgressive travelog through post-riots Los Angeles, makes its global debut on 4K UHD. Director Joel Schumacher creates a compelling portrait of an everyday man feeling obsolete in the modern city. The Limited Edition release features a brand new 4K restoration by Arrow Films approved by cinematographer Andrzej Bartkowiak, hours of special features and newly commissioned extras. A Blu-ray edition will also be available.

A frustrated William Foster (Michael Douglas, Fatal Attraction) abandons his car during a morning traffic jam and begins walking toward home, only for the city around him to turn his commute into a volatile odyssey. Along the way, Williams gets more and more angry at a city that’s changing into something that he doesn’t recognize. As Foster’s encounters become increasingly dangerous, LAPD Sergeant Martin Prendergast (Robert Duvall, The Godfather) heads out to arrest him instead of taking it easy on his last day before retirement. Prendergast soon learns why Foster cannot be allowed to make it home. The cast includes Barbara Hershey (Insidious), Rachel Ticotin (Total Recall), Tuesday Weld (Once Upon A Time In America), Frederic Forrest (Apocalypse Now), and Michael Paul Chan (Goonies).

Special features include a 4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible); newly restored original lossless stereo 2.0 and DTS-HD MA 4.0 surround audio; optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing; an archival audio commentary by director Joel Schumacher, editor Paul Hirsch, actor Michael Douglas and others; a brand new interview with screenwriter Ebbe Roe Smith; a brand new interview with composer James Newton Howard; revisiting the real-life Los Angeles sites used in Falling Down; an archival interview with Michael Douglas; the original trailer; an image gallery; and a collectors’ booklet.

Watch the trailer for Falling Down here: https://youtu.be/09XCNERMIwU?si=JwiO-M5CyBMWY-Jv 

Order Here: https://customers.mvdb2b.com/b2b/s/AV846    

"Soylent Green"

On July 28, the dystopian science fiction masterpiece Soylent Green makes its global debut on 4K UHD. Director Richard Fleischer (Fantastic Voyage) creates a police thriller set within a desolate future where humanity is bursting at the seams. The Limited Edition release features a brand new 4K restoration from the original 35mm camera negative by Arrow Films, hours of special features and newly commissioned extras. A Blu-ray edition will also be available.

The greenhouse effect has ravaged Earth’s climate, leaving the world eternally hot and crops unable to grow in the year 2022. People survive on Soylent Green crackers manufactured from plankton, while a population explosion has crammed 40 million people into New York City. The poor and downtrodden sleep on staircases and in basements, while the wealthy live in luxury apartments and eat real food, including beef. NYPD Homicide Detective Robert Thorn (Charlton Heston, Planet of the Apes) investigates the murder of a rich man in a secure skyscraper. Police researcher Solomon Roth (Edward G. Robinson, Little Caesar) picks through the clues to uncover a motive for the killing. The cast also includes Leigh Taylor-Young (Jagged Edge), Chuck Connors (Old Yeller), Joseph Cotten (Citizen Kane), and Brock Peters (Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home).

Special features include a 4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible); original lossless mono audio; optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing; an archive audio commentary with director Richard Fleischer and star Leigh Taylor-Young; a brand new audio commentary; archive on-stage interviews with Charlton Heston and Richard Fleischer at the BFI; A Look at the World of Soylent Green; MGM's Tribute to Edward G. Robinson's 101st Film; the theatrical trailer; image galleries; and a collectors' booklet.

Watch the trailer for Soylent Green here:
https://youtu.be/PPIOp31up_U?si=iWJXRHMJ4nzMyLYp

Order Here:

https://customers.mvdb2b.com/b2b/s/AV848

"The Goat"

Featuring Oscar winner Mira Sorvino, John Savage, and TikTok phenomenon Jessica Hosam, who has more than 3 million followers, The Goat arrives on VOD platforms and home entertainment DVD on June 23, 2026, through Cleopatra Entertainment, which has acquired North American rights to the Egyptian, French, and Italian co-produced adventure thriller.

 

Directed by Paris-based Italian filmmaker Ilaria Borelli, the Arabic-language feature follows Hadiya, a 12-year-old girl forced into marriage, who becomes the target of a Western corporation seeking control of the only water source in her village. Determined to save her community, she sets out on a harrowing journey across the desert to find her father, accompanied only by Sparrow, the family goat who keeps her alive through seven brutal days of survival.

 

John Savage plays the CEO of a U.S. multi-national corporation aiming to seize the village’s spring for a luxury bottled water venture, while Mira Sorvino plays the company’s engineer, and Egyptian star Amr Saad portrays Hadiya’s father. The film explores resilience, exploitation, and the fight for autonomy in the face of overwhelming power.

 

The Goat previously launched at the El Gouna Film Festival and went on to screen as the closing film at the Rome Film Festival. The film has also collected multiple honors on the international festival circuit.

 

“With The Goat, I wanted to challenge so-called ‘civilized’ Western societies, and all of us within them, to confront our role in the exploitation of natural resources in more vulnerable regions,” Borelli said in a statement to Variety. “At the same time, the film sheds light on deeply rooted practices that continue to devastate young women and girls, from forced marriage and abduction to sexual violence and life-threatening childbirth conditions.”

 

Borelli studied at NYU and previously directed the comedy Our Italian Husband, starring Pierfrancesco Favino and Brooke Shields, as well as the drama The Girl From the Brothel, about a French woman who risks her life to rescue three young girls from a Cambodian brothel. Her latest feature continues that focus on stories of survival, injustice, and female endurance under extreme conditions.

Watch the trailer for The Goat here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYpGPLAisl8&t=1s

Order Here: https://mvd.cloud/share/sales/20260514102227.html  

Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves

On May 26, the blockbuster medieval adventure Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves arrives on 4K UHD. The legend of the English nobleman forced into outlaw life shines under the direction of Kevin Reynolds (Waterworld). The limited edition release features brand new 4K restorations of both the theatrical and extended cuts from the original negative by Arrow Films, hours of special features, and newly commissioned extras.

Robin of Locksley (Kevin Costner, The Untouchables) follows King Richard the Lionheart (Sean Connery, Goldfinger) on a crusade to the Holy Land, only to end up imprisoned in Jerusalem. After years behind bars, Robin escapes with the help of Azeem Edin Bashir Al Bakir (Morgan Freeman, The Shawshank Redemption) and returns to England. Things have gone bad in Robin’s absence. The evil Sheriff of Nottingham (Alan Rickman, Die Hard) rules as a tyrant, dreaming of wearing the crown. Alongside his vicious cousin Guy of Gisborne (Michael Wincott, The Crow), he steals from the poor and the defiant rich alike, including Robin’s father (Brian Blessed, Flash Gordon). The Sheriff also sets his sights on marrying Marian (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Scarface).

Special features include 4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentation of both cuts in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible); original uncompressed stereo and DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround audio; optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing; an audio commentary with director Kevin Reynolds and actor Kevin Costner; an audio commentary with actors Morgan Freeman, Christian Slater, and others; a multi-part documentary featuring interviews with director of photography Douglas Milsome, editor Peter Boyle, and members of the creative team; an archival documentary hosted by Pierce Brosnan; archival 1991 interviews with Kevin Costner, Morgan Freeman, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Christian Slater, and Alan Rickman; Bryan Adams’ “(Everything I Do) I Do It for You” performance at Slane Castle, Ireland; music soundtrack cues; the theatrical trailer; TV spots, an image gallery; a collectors’ perfect-bound booklet; two double-sided fold-out posters; and six postcard-sized artcards.

Watch the trailer for Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves here: https://youtu.be/sgEzdWVkAdU?si=GWVf6Bt87kpQZ8xP

Order Here: https://customers.mvdb2b.com/b2b/s/AV851

Blue Thunder

On May 5, the action-packed sci-fi thriller Blue Thunder makes its global 4K UHD debut, exposing a future where military-grade surveillance takes to the skies above the streets of Los Angeles. This limited edition release features a brand new 4K restoration from the original negative, hours of special features, and newly commissioned extras.

Officer Frank Murphy (Roy Scheider, Jaws) pilots a helicopter for the Los Angeles Police Department. During a nighttime aerial patrol, Frank and partner Officer Richard Lymangood (Daniel Stern, Home Alone) spy on a woman exercising, leading them to miss a councilwoman being murdered nearby, resulting in their suspension. Frank's punishment doesn’t last long. His superior (Warren Oates, The Wild Bunch) needs him to test the next generation of police helicopters. The futuristic vehicle, nicknamed “Blue Thunder,” features bulletproof armor, state-of-the-art surveillance equipment, whisper mode, and advanced weaponry. With the 1984 Summer Olympics on the horizon, the city is eager to put it into action. But Frank has his doubts. The program’s test pilot, F.E. Cochrane (Malcolm McDowell, A Clockwork Orange), is a man he grew to despise during their time in Vietnam. As tensions escalate, Frank becomes increasingly suspicious of the technology, culminating in a high-stakes aerial showdown above the City of Angels.

Blue Thunder was directed by John Badham (Saturday Night Fever, WarGames), who staged thrilling helicopter stunts around the skyscrapers of downtown Los Angeles without the use of CGI. The film also stars Candy Clark (The Man Who Fell to Earth), Joe Santos (The Rockford Files), and Anthony James (High Plains Drifter).

Special features include a 4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentations in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible); original restored lossless 2.0 stereo audio and optional DTS-HD MA 5.1 remix; optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing; an archival audio commentary by director John Badham and others; brand new interviews with John Badham, Malcolm McDowell, and Candy Clark; an archival three-part documentary; an archival featurette on the design and construction of the iconic helicopter; an archival 1983 promotion featurette; an extended scene; the theatrical trailer; image gallery; and a collectors’ booklet featuring the original production notes.

Watch the trailer for Blue Thunder here:
https://youtu.be/aI_GoXZqoYs?si=FKI4X3NhTpXh5n73

Order Here:

https://customers.mvdb2b.com/b2b/s/AV657  

"Soul To Soul"

Soul to Soul, a vibrant and historically significant 1971 concert film featuring performances by Ike & Tina Turner, Santana, Wilson Pickett, The Staple Singers, Les McCann & Eddie Harris, and The Voices of East Harlem, is soon to be available for the first time in over 20 years. The concert film makes its global Blu-ray debut, while the accompanying soundtrack will be on vinyl, CD, and via digital platforms.  

  

Watch the Soul to Soul trailer on YouTube.  

  

Pre-order all formats at Bandcamp. Pre-order the Blu-ray & DVD at Amazon. Pre-order LP, CD & digital at Amazon.  

  

In February 1971, several dozen African American soul, jazz, and gospel artists embarked on a journey that would change the lives of everyone involved. They traveled from New York City to Ghana, West Africa to take part in a 13-hour concert entitled Soul to Soul. The concert was a celebration of 14 years of Ghana’s independence from British rule. For most of these artists, it would be their first trip to Africa. For the African American musicians, this was a journey about personal roots, the ancestral homeland, history, discovery, loss, pain, and joy. 

  

Directed by Academy AwardⓇ winner Denis Sanders and produced by Tom Mosk and Richard Bock, the resulting concert film/documentary had a limited theatrical run in late 1971. In 2004, Reelin’ In The Years Productions President David Peck secured permission for a DVD release from the producer and copyright holder of Soul to Soul. With the help of a clearance specialist, he was able re-clear all the artists seen in the 1971 film. 

  

Now, more than 20 years later, Soul to Soul will have another chance to connect with audiences via a partnership between Reelin’ In The Years Productions and Liberation Hall. Steve Scoville of Blue H2O Productions restored the original edit by reconstructing each scene using the high quality 2K transfers from the original film elements, which were shot in the 4:3 aspect ratio. The film’s soundtrack has been digitally remastered by Randy Perry. 

  

Above all, Soul to Soul is an electrifying concert film that features its players at the peak of their powers. Over 100,000 Ghanaians attended the celebration of the meeting of the cultures of the two continents. The Ike & Tina Turner Revue, featuring frontwoman Tina furiously shimmying alongside the Ikettes, delivers fiery renditions of “River Deep-Mountain High,” the project’s first digital single; “Soul to Soul,” a cut specifically written for this concert; and a cover of Otis Redding’s “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long” (the latter track appears as a special Blu-ray outtake). Wilson Pickett, the most popular American artist known to West Africans at the time, took the stage at 4:30 AM to deliver a rousing finale of “In the Midnight Hour,” “Funky Broadway,” and “Land of a 1000 Dances.” Gospel, soul, and R&B family group The Staple Singers were on hand to perform “When Will Be We Paid” and “Are You Sure” just five months before they recorded their legendary hits “I’ll Take You There” and “Respect Yourself.” Pianist Les McCann and tenor saxophonist Eddie Harris introduced many members of the audience to jazz via spirited performances of “The Price You Gotta Pay to Be Free” and “Hey Jorler,” the latter featuring local Ghanaian artist Amoah Azangeo. The Voices of East Harlem, an ensemble featuring young gospel singers, contributed “Run, Shaker Life.” 

  

Santana, with guest percussionist Willie Bobo, was the wild card. The San Francisco group only had one African American member but, paradoxically, given its reliance on Afro-Cuban and other Latin American rhythm constructs, played the most African-sounding music (“Black Magic Woman”/”Gypsy Queen,” “Jungle Strut”) of any of the American guests. In Rob Bowman’s expanded liner notes for the Blu-ray, he quotes musicologist John Collins as stating, “They had a big impact on the local guitarists. The students were really fascinated by what Santana was doing with Latin music and rock… The obvious equation was, if you can unite Latin music with rock, you can do the same with African music. That’s actually what happened.” 

  

Interspersed between these stunning performances, the camera crew followed the American musicians as they visited local villages, met kings, and shared food and dance with the Ghanaian community.   

  

In his August 19, 1971, film review for The New York Times, critic Howard Thompson wrote: “Soul to Soul will hook you. We defy anybody to watch the final half hour of this color documentary of a soul and gospel music concert, performed in Ghana, without tapping a foot. But it is the sea of rapturous black faces, those of the visiting American artists and their Ghana audiences, that makes this movie a haunting experience… Mainly and compactly, the film sticks to the concert, brilliantly evoking the performances and crowd reactions in a flow of closeups and panoramic shots, to the stabbing, pounding pulse of the music.”