A Better Place (1997) Director's Cut Blu-ray (MVD)

[MifuneFan]

MVD will be releasing the film A Better Place (1997) on Blu-ray in May, featuring a new Director's Cut of the film. They are releasing it under a new imprint called Smodcastle Cinemas, which they apparently will be using for films they have from View Askew Productions, a company co-founded by Kevin Smith and Scott Mosier.

https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/A-Bet...lu-ray/204545/

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid...30532849175000

Greetings, Earthlings!

I'm announcing this here (on the Rewind page) because it's a project / release from the mid-latter 1990's that I have been working on for quite some time with director Vincent Pereira along with Executive Producer Kevin Smith. "A Better Place" represents an early "View Askew" production (but a gritty drama / thriller and not a comedy), that in my humble opinion, is one of the best films that Kevin backed as a producer early in his career and absolutely deserves a second look. I contemplated launching this as part of the "Rewind Collection", however, when other films owned by View Askew were made available to us, we decided to give these releases their own line / branding (hence the Smodcastle Cinemas banner). All that said, I'm super excited to announce this MVD Entertainment Group re-release, so let's get into it...

DEBUTING ON BLU-RAY MAY 27, 2025: Vincent Pereira's "A Better Place: Director's Cut"

FROM EXECUTIVE PRODUCER KEVIN SMITH

From View Askew Productions (Clerks, Chasing Amy, Dogma) and Executive Producers Kevin Smith and Scott Mosier (Good Will Hunting) comes an all new extended cut of director Vincent Pereira’s “edgy teen thriller” (Filmmaker Magazine).

Barret Michaelson (Robert DiPatri) is having a bad first day at his new high school - he is badgered, ridiculed, and nearly beaten up. He finds an unlikely ally in local loner Ryan Walker (Eion Bailey, Almost Famous, Fight Club), an intelligent but misanthropic youth with a dark family past. A friendship quickly develops, but Barret begins to worry as Ryan's philosophical ranting turns increasingly violent. When Barret does the unthinkable and makes peace with the local teenagers Ryan so despises, Ryan loses all control and attempts to drag Barret down into his world of hatred and destruction and Barret must find a way to escape.

A harrowing depiction of teen violence and rage, 'A Better Place' has been called "a bracing, disturbing film with an underlying humanity" (Stephen Gallagher, The Hamptons International Film Festival) and "Sharply written, with stellar performances... A Better Place deals frankly with the dark side of the American teenage experience" (Mitch Davis, Fantasia Film Festival).

SPECIAL FEATURES:

• 2025 Director’s cut of the film presented in a brand-new 2K Restoration of a 3K scan of the OCN & first generation print elements in 1080p HD in its director intended 1.50:1 aspect ratio
• Audio: LPCM 5.1 Surround Sound
• Optional English Subtitles
• NEW! Introduction by Writer & Director Vincent Pereira
• Archival Commentary with Director Vincent Pereira & Cast and Crew members
• 2001 Version of “A Better Place” (presented in standard definition, 2.0 Stereo, 85 mins)
• Vintage Introductions by Executive Producers Kevin Smith & Scott Mosier (SD)
• Vintage "Goof" Commentary (on 2001 version) with Director Vincent Pereira and Cast
• Deleted Scenes with Optional Director Commentary (SD)
• Outtakes & Bloopers (SD)
• “A Better Place” 2025 Trailer (HD, 1:27)
• Limited Edition Slipcover (First Pressing Only)

* Special Features May Not Be Rated, Closed Captioned Or In High Definition.

TITLE: A Better Place (Director’s Cut)
SKU: MVD7392BR
UPC /Barcode: 760137739289
$29.95 SRP
Street Date: 5/27/25
Color, RT: 86 min
Language: English
Subtitles: English
Aspect Ratio: 1.50:1
Year: 1997
Audio: LPCM 5.1 Surround
MPAA Rating: NR

A Better Place (1997) OFFICIAL Re-Release Trailer - Remastered & Restored! A Film By Vincent Pereira - YouTube

[WorkShed]

Guessing this is where Dogma will be released

[Onlysleeping23]

This is a very underrated debut film. Very much looking forward to upgrading my DVD copy. Happy to see the original cut and some of the extras made it over to this release.

[OceanBlue]

Had never heard of this film before reading the announcement earlier on the Facebook page.

The last MVD title I bought was Monday Morning. A couple of their titles I still want to get, including Abominable.

[Christian Muth]

Here's the re-release trailer for folks who are interested: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=TbNwEhNRTPc EDIT- Just noticed that MifuneFan posted that in his original post.

Writer/Director Vincent Pereira is also offering some exclusive swag bundles for sale on his Facebook.

Chris

[sbjork]

Originally Posted by Christian Muth

Writer/Director Vincent Pereira is also offering some exclusive swag bundles for sale on his Facebook.

Chris

M. Pereira is a prince who deserves the support!

[Christian Muth]

Originally Posted by sbjork

M. Pereira is a prince who deserves the support!

His ginger cat is pretty awesome, too.

Chris

[MTRodaba2468]

I'd been waiting for this one on Blu-Ray for years...

I'm also expecting Dogma to come out through this line (along with some of the other View Askew films that Kevin didn't direct, like Vulgar, Drawing Flies and Now You Know).

[Christian Muth]

Originally Posted by MTRodaba2468

I'd been waiting for this one on Blu-Ray for years...

I'm also expecting Dogma to come out through this line (along with some of the other View Askew films that Kevin didn't direct, like Vulgar, Drawing Flies and Now You Know).

Kino has already released a Blu-ray of the bolded one.

Chris

[Nitroes]

Excellent film time to update my Synapse DVD.

Hopefully it'll get a lot of love on Blu-ray.

[ZeppelinDude93]

Originally Posted by MTRodaba2468

I'd been waiting for this one on Blu-Ray for years...

I'm also expecting Dogma to come out through this line (along with some of the other View Askew films that Kevin didn't direct, like Vulgar, Drawing Flies and Now You Know).

We know Big Helium Dog (written and directed by Brian Lynch of Minions fame, featuring the cast of Broken Lizard along with Micheal Ian Black, Kevin Smith, Bryan Johnson, Brian Quinn, Ming Chen) which never had a release, is finally coming to Bluray (presumably this year), so I would say that’s a definite MVD. There is an old Bluray for Drawing Flies (From Kino, per Chris above) which has been out of print for a long time - decent chance they re-release that. Would love for Vulgar (DVD only, Lionsgate) to get the upgrade, but I don't think Now You Know was a View Askew production - I can only find records of it being distributed by Genius Products, Alliance Atlantis, and The Weinstein Company Home Video. In the same vein is Tail Lights Fade, which was directed by Malcolm Ingram but under Gold Load Productions (which has to be his, no one else would come up with that great name) and distributed by TriMark.

Obviously the 4Ks of Kevin’s flicks are a question (although given the success Lionsgate has had with his discs lately, I’d be shocked if they let those go to MVD), but some other potentials:
- Jersey Girl (there’s a Directors Cut that’s never been released, but started getting screened again recently at SmodCastle cinemas)
- Small Town Gay Bar (Malcolm Ingram’s documentary, previously only available on DVD I believe from Kino)
- Bear Nation (another Malcolm Ingram documentary, previously only available DVD from Kino)
- Super Groovy Cartoon Movie (limited DVD and Bluray run in the past, although not majorly successful)
- Killroy Was Here (previously NFT exclusive - I don’t know what the exclusivity window was on that, but I could see that happening)
- Clerks The Animated Series (DVD only - this would be a coup to get remastered. Incredibly unlikely, since there seems to be a lack of clarity on who actually owns the rights, but we can dream)
- Jay and Silent Bob Reboot (This got a DVD and Bluray but both were very barebones - I would think Lionsgate will put out a 4K SE alongside a Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back 4K remaster)

TLDR

Guaranteed (Or Just About) - A Better Place, Big Helium Dog
Good Chance - Vulgar, Drawing Flies, Kilroy
Maybe - Jersey Girl, Now You Know (licensing the rights back is probably cheap)
Unlikely - The Rest

[batman2000]

What view askew movies are likely to come from mvd?

[steve_dave]

Originally Posted by batman2000

What view askew movies are likely to come from mvd?

This is the only one announced. MVD has not announced a deal like they did with Bikini Car Wash company or their LaserVision tribute line.

[mrlanphear]

Originally Posted by steve_dave

This is the only one announced. MVD has not announced a deal like they did with Bikini Car Wash company or their LaserVision tribute line.

There are other View Askew titles coming. From the announcement:

however, when other films owned by View Askew were made available to us, we decided to give these releases their own line / branding

[sb5]

I don’t know if I’ve ever heard of a “3K scan” before.

[MattPerdue]

Originally Posted by sb5

I don’t know if I’ve ever heard of a “3K scan” before.

Arrow did one for the original BD of The Long Good Friday if I recall correctly.

[Christian Muth]

Originally Posted by sb5

I don’t know if I’ve ever heard of a “3K scan” before.

The Arriscan is a native 3K-sensor scanner. It's usually just credited as a 2K scan because the data is either downrezzed from 3K to 2K at output, or they "double flash" each frame off-set for a 6K scan/4K output. The text here is simply more technically precise than usual- it was a 3K native scan and 2K restoration.

Chris

[batman2000]

Originally Posted by mrlanphear

There are other View Askew titles coming. From the announcement:

Is that all that can be said about it right now? nothing about what titles they are from their catalog?

[Christian Muth]

BIG HELIUM DOG is all but guaranteed since that screened at Kevin's movie theater in NJ just a couple months ago and was advertised as "coming soon to Blu-ray and streaming" to promote said screening.

Chris

[tehthomas]

Will def want to check this out. Reminds me of 'The Boys Next Door'