DVD, video release date

The DVD and video of the made-in-the-SouthCoast movie "Passionada" will be released on April 6.
The DVD will feature the 108-minute film filled with the stunning views of this region that will be remembered long after the movie's plot has been forgotten.

"Passionada" premiered last year at the Flagship Cinema on Kings Highway, and was the top grossing film at that theater for three weeks last summer.
But despite praise from most national critics who saw it, "Passionada" never caught fire with audiences nationwide. The independent film earned about $565,000 in a short run. The movie cost about $8 million to produce.
"Passionada" producer David Bakalar of Brookline said the film grossed slightly more than its reported $565,000 take, because several smaller markets were not counted. Even so, he said, he was disappointed with its performance in theaters.
"We would have liked it to do a lot better," he said. "We hope that a lot of the people who didn't see it will buy the DVD."
Mr. Bakalar said the DVD is only part of the next phase in the life of "Passionada."

There's foreign distribution of the film and the DVD; and possible deals for airing on cable and national television stations.
"This is just another step," he said of the DVD.
The city's director of tourism and marketing, Arthur Motta, said he is "excited" about the release of the DVD.
"We're looking forward to seeing it on video shelves everywhere," he said. "Once the DVD comes out, it's the second life for a movie. Hopefully it will air on television too, for its third life."
The film version of "Passionada" landed in theaters in August last year, not the best timing for luring tourists to the city, Mr. Motta said. "It raised a lot of positive awareness for the city," he said, "but I don't think it had a big influence on tourism last year."
People might see the DVD while they are developing this year's summer vacation

plans, he said.
The "Passionada" DVD will sell nationwide for $24.96 at major retail outlets like Wal-mart, Target, K-Mart and Blockbuster Video. The video also will be available to rent, but not for sale, according to a press release from Columbia Tri-Star Entertainment.
The press release for the DVD notes that the film was shot in New Bedford, "The same town that inspired Herman Melville to write 'Moby Dick.'"
"Passionada" features actor Jason Isaacs ("Black Hawk Down," the Harry Potter films, "Peter Pan") as reprobate gambler Charlie Beck who reinvents himself as a charming fish house owner to woo the beautiful widow Celia Amonte, played by Sofia Milos of television's "CSI Miami."
Emmy Rossum portrays Celia's spunky daughter, Vicky, while Lupe Ontiveros gives a strong performance as Celia's strong-willed mother-in-law. Theresa Russell and Seymour Cassell make brief appearances as a wealthy couple who apparently exist

simply as a plot device to fund Charlie's extravagant fantasy life. The film was directed by Dan Ireland, who directed "The Whole Wide World" and "The Velocity of Gary."
The DVD's features include the first, alternate ending (with optional commentary). The film was shown to test audiences before its national release, and the audiences expressed displeasure with the ending where Charlie gets beaten up and leaves town. The filmmakers returned to the SouthCoast in the summer of 2002 to reshoot the ending, which involved Celia following a trail of fish to Charlie and his new, honest profession of fishmongering on the docks.
The DVD will have commentary from the stars, director, writer and executive producer; the promotional trailers for the film; a deleted scene with optional commentary; and subtitles available in English, Portuguese, Spanish, Chinese, French and Thai.

(this story appeared in the Standard-Times on 01-30-04 )

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