By M&C Movie News Jun 7, 2007, 15:55 GMT
LOS ANGELES, CA – Furthering the recently announced consumer direct exclusive strategy for its newly forged home entertainment production unit, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (MGM) has entered into an association with Ashok Amritraj's Hyde Park Entertainment, which has also formed a unit for the production of consumer direct movies.
Targeting specific demographic sectors of the home entertainment audience, the first project is the remake of the controversial 1980 thriller DRESSED TO KILL with Rick Alexander signed to write the script for the new version.
Producer Patrick Aiello, Hyde Park's Senior Executive of Development & Production, initiated the remake project and will head Hyde Park Entertainment's new consumer direct division, working closely with MGM's newly installed home entertainment Vice President Jason Weiss, who will oversee the production on the DRESSED TO KILL remake for the studio.
"We're very excited to be extending our business with Ashok and Patrick,” said Weiss. “Rick’s take on how to update DRESSED TO KILL is really fresh and fits in perfectly with our mandate to produce quality, commercial product that will help us capitalize on the lucrative home entertainment market.”
"Hyde Park has always been an innovator in production," said Ashok Amritraj, CEO for Hyde Park Entertainment. "By forming our own consumer direct unit, we're able to tap into the wealth of creative talent available to us as we continue to feed the consumer's demand for quality entertainment in a more direct and economical approach. Teaming with MGM on this venture is simply a logical extension of our longstanding and trusted relationship with the studio."
DRESSED TO KILL, originally released in 1980 by Filmways (later acquired by Orion and ultimately MGM), was written and directed by Brian DePalma. In the original, following the macabre murder of an adulterous housewife (Angie Dickinson), a police detective (Dennis Franz) investigates the crime, who's only witness and prime suspect is a prostitute (Nancy Allen).
The plot thickens when the murder victim's psychiatrist (Michael Caine) is stalked by a transgender patient with a grudge.
Alexander, who recently scripted the graphic novel-based sci-fi thriller "Subatomic” for the two companies and is producing a remake of sword-and-sorcery actioner "Conan, The Barbarian" for Warner Bros., will be rendering the landmark erotic thriller into what he terms, "a completely contemporary reinvention designed to re-launch this 'cult classic' title as an ongoing, branded franchise.”
Although no specific plot details were announced, Alexander hinted that his "re-imagining" of the revered suspense thriller will address certain elements of our culture's current obsession with interactive, online entertainment media, potentially enabling MGM to exploit cross-platform promotional opportunities with a major social networking site.
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