SHUDDER ACQUIRES GEORGE A. ROMERO'S LEGENDARY "LOST" FILM THE AMUSEMENT PARK
PREVIOUSLY UNAVAILBLE WORK FROM FILMMAKING ICON
TO GET FIRST RELEASE THIS SUMMER
(Courtesy of Yellow Veil Pictures)
New York - February 25, 2021 - Shudder, AMC Networks' premium streaming service for horror, thriller and the supernatural, announced the acquisition of The Amusement Park for North America, the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. The Amusement Park, the formerly lost film from trailblazing independent filmmaker and genre cinema icon George A. Romero, will stream for the first time in history this summer. In addition, Shudder released the film's poster, created by Polish artist Aleksander Wasilewski.
Recently discovered and restored 46 years after its completion by the George A. Romero Foundation and produced by Suzanne Desrocher-Romero, The Amusement Park was restored in 4k by IndieCollect in New York City. The film stars Martin's Lincoln Maazel as an elderly man who finds himself disoriented and increasingly isolated as the pains, tragedies and humiliations of aging in America are manifested through roller coasters and chaotic crowds. Commissioned by the Lutheran Society, the film is perhaps Romero's wildest and most imaginative movie, an allegory about the nightmarish realities of growing older, and is an alluring snapshot of the filmmaker's early artistic capacity and style and would go on to inform his ensuing filmography.
"The moment we heard The Amusement Park had been rediscovered and was being restored, we knew we had to bring this unseen George A. Romero masterpiece to Shudder members," said Craig Engler, Shudder's General Manager. "We're beyond thrilled to work with Yellow Veil Pictures, Suzanne, and the George A. Romero Foundation to give this important film the wide release it deserves."
"We at the G.A.R.F are thrilled that after this long journey, this Lutheran's society's industrial with its poignant message will finally get its light! The first and only work-for-hire in Romero's career sheds a new perspective on an ongoing issue of ageism and Romero's uncanny sense of reflection on society, and the Romero 'footprint' is ever present and bodes well for the future of his impact on American cinema. We are thankful to Yellow Veil Pictures who helped forge a path for us to find the most perfect custodian for this piece. Shudder understands that this film adds an important element to the Romero oeuvre. We are grateful," said Desrocher-Romero, founder and president of the George A. Romero Foundation.
The deal was negotiated ahead of this year's virtual EFM by Emily Gotto and Samuel Zimmerman on behalf of Shudder and Hugues Barbier, Justin Timms and Joe Yanick of Yellow Veil Pictures on behalf of the filmmakers.
ABOUT SHUDDER
AMC Networks' Shudder is a premium streaming video service, super-serving members with the best selection in genre entertainment, covering horror, thrillers and the supernatural. Shudder's expanding library of film, TV series, and originals is available on most streaming devices in the US, Canada, the UK, Ireland, Germany, Australia and New Zealand. For a 7-day, risk-free trial, visit www.shudder.com.
ABOUT YELLOW VEIL PICTURES
Formed in 2018 by Hugues Barbier, Justin Timms, and Joe Yanick, Yellow Veil Pictures is a New York City and Los Angeles-based worldwide film sales company. Focusing exclusively on boundary pushing genre cinema, Yellow Veil seeks to highlight emerging filmmakers who exist on the cusp of commercial, arthouse cinema, while maintaining a unique focus on festival strategy and production and packaging.
Launching out the 2018 Frontières market at the Fantasia International Film Festival, with Tilman Singer's debut LUZ. Yellow Veil have since worked on debuts from Josh Lobo (I TRAPPED THE DEVIL), A.T. White (STARFISH), Matthew Pope (BLOOD ON HER NAME), Jack Henry Robbins (VHYES), Devereux Milburn (HONEYDEW) as well as boarding films by Larry Fessenden (DEPRAVED), Rob Grant (HARPOON),Joel Potrykus (RELAXER) and Philip Gelatt and Morgan Galen King (The Spine of Night) . In addition, Yellow Veil act as the festival agent for Shudder's LA LLORONA, BLOOD QUANTUM, HORROR NOIRE, HOST, and THE RANGER.
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