Just recently as October of 2009, Millcreek Entertainment signed a new deal with Stephen J. Cannel Productions to exclusively distribute seven of their TV series including 21 Jump Street, Greatest American Hero, Hunter, and Silk Stalkings just to name a few. Earlier in 2009, Millcreek also acquired the rights to distribute He-Man Masters of the Universe (2002 version) and Dungeons and Dragons from the now defunct BCI/Eclipse. But just how did this Minnesota based distributor acquire so many titles? They’ve actually been doing it for years, starting with public-domain movies.

Founded in 2003 as a subsidiary to Digital1Shop, Millcreek Entertainment distributes DVDs through Alliance Entertainment, Anderson Merchandisers, Baker & Taylor, ESI Distribution, Ingram Entertainment, Navarre Corporation, Vivendi Visual Entertainment, VPD and WaxWorks. While there have been many competitors in the public-domain video distribution game (including the pricey Alpha Video and the now defunct Digiview), Millcreek stood out in both quantity and price. Acquiring several masters of public-domain movies, Millcreek distributed these movies in giant, double-disc sets that would include anywhere from 10-250 movies at a price that would usually equate to about fifty cents a movie. These sets specialized in everything from westerns to science fiction. For years, they have been the front-runners in value-priced DVDs, but now that they’ve acquired so many TV shows that were once distributed at double the price Millcreek is asking, they may become the next juggernaut of TV-on-DVD distributors (if they’re not already).

Already their latest TV titles have earned the company its own shelf section at Target. It’s kind of odd how just a little over a year ago I was staring at He-Man Master of the Universe Volume 1 on their shelves for $15 from BCI/Eclipse. Now I’m staring at that same volume under Millcreek for $5. Not to mention that with every TV show they pick up that was once on DVD, all extras come with it so you are pretty much getting the same release for a lot less money.

While it may seem ferocious that such a company is gobbling up all these titles and thrusting them out to retailers at incredible speed, it’s comforting to know that movies and TV show which may fall through the cracks into the public domain can be salvaged by Millcreek. What was once a public-domain bargain distributor has now become a big name distributor in memorable (even as recent as 2002) TV programs. With millions of DVDs sold each year, it looks likes they are here to stay for awhile.

The Answer Man

Despite how awesome he may be, Jeff Daniels can not solve all of life’s problems.

Bad Cop

Just how many movies did David Carradine act in before he died?

DVD Dump Pick of the Week:

Command Performance

Dolph Lundgren shows off his directing balls by recreating Die Hard set at a rock concert! Oh, and I guess he stars in it as well.

Death of Evil

Proving that even Satanic religion can be just as brain-washing as Catholic religion.

Hardwired

AKA The Six Million Dollar Man, The Movie.

The Marc Pease Experience

Ben Stiller being goofy and snarky in another movie about being goofy and snarky. Glad you’re getting an easy paycheck, buddy.

Mutants

Want to make your zombie film sound original? Call them mutants!

The Narrows

As long as you look hot, you can achieve the American dream.

The Preview Zone

Too…much…pop culture…with…lame…effects!

Sand Serpents

In the world of the SyFy Channel, Afiganistan is Dune.

StarQuest: The Odyssey

I didn’t know Halcyon still made B-movies? Although since they are selling off the Terminator franchise, they’d better get use to making these.

Vampiro

A documentary about a Canadian wrestler in Mexico? There is something I don’t see everyday. No, seriously, I’ve never seen anything like this.

Where God Left His Shoes

Just when you think Christmas has gone all commercial with poorly written specials, along comes a super-sad movie to make you believe again…at least, that Christmas movies can be good.

ALSO THIS WEEK…

-More Turner Classic Movie Greatest Hits 4-packs: This time focusing on comedy (mostly romantic comedies), family (are all animal related movies), Hitchcock (none of his megahits except maybe Strangers on a Train), and Holidays (A Christmas Carol and a couple of lesser-known romantic Christmas movies).

-Walt Disney Vault Zorro Collections: Resisting the cruel hand of public domain releases, Disney reissues Zorro in seasoned sets retailing at…$60 each?

TURN DOWN THE BRIGHTNESS!

Angel and the Badman

John Wayne would spin in his grave if he knew the guy from 90210 was starring a remake of his movie.

Battlestar Galactica: The Plan

More Cylons! Too bad it’s a small side story spanning across all four seasons.

For Sale By Owner

What’s next? Closed for Maintenance? Dammit, they’re probably going to make that now.

Into Temptation

Proving once and for all that priests can put an end to prostitution. As for underage sex…

Perestroika

Leave Moscow, get labeled a traitor, return a hero.

Stan Helsing

You know, I really like the horror icons of the 1980’s. Now if only they would team up in a—TOO LATE, the Scary Movie producers got to it first.

Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure

Unless Tink travels to Mordor and battles Eragon, I’m not interested.

DVD Dump Pick of the Week:

X-Cross

The Battle Royale director returns to offer up an Asian version of Deliverance with a gothic lolita flavor.

Crush(ed)

This movie proves that you don’t need a steady job or a steady diet to bag a hot wife. Except I already learned that from King of Queens so this looks kind of boring.

Gnaw

That reminds me. Thanksgiving is almost here.

The Haunted Airman

Looking like he hasn’t slept since the last Twilight movie, Robert Pattinson plays a pilot (yes, a pilot) who just can’t get a decent night of sleep.

How to Be a Serial Killer

Either the director never saw the show Dexter or he watched too much of it. Although this does seem like a humorous version of Mr Brooks, but nobody remembers that movie so it looks very original.

Hurricane in the Rose Garden

Why does this feel like Diary of a Mad Black Woman without Madea? Why am I longing for Madea now?

DVD Dump Pick of the Week:

Infestation

In case you missed summer, here is a movie that perfectly simulates watching fireworks near a mosquito-infested lake.

Jada

Um….yeah. I’d make a joke here, but I’ve feel I’ve already made it…several, several times.

The Killing Room

Do you love the Saw series, but want a more convoluted plot? Have I got a movie for you.

Mr. Art Critic

How much of a-hole do you have to be to be a snobbish art critic and claim anybody can make art?

An Old Fashioned Thanksgiving

Okay, there is a LOT of DVDs this week. Yeah, every week there are a lot of DVDs, but most of them are usually TV series, instructional videos, or re-releases I don’t cover. So I’m going to plow through these as fast as possible, considering most of these are Halloween DVDs.

Assassination of a High School President

Bruce Willis busts into a high school movie, thus saving the film from obscurity.

Aussie & Ted’s Great Adventure

Another damn dog movie. And they DROOL!

Bigfoot

Bigfoot with an I-pod. That is all.

Cameron Romero’s Staunton Hill

George Romero’s son delivers a big F-you to dad by making another lost-in-the-woods-and-assaulted-by-redneck horror movie.

The Children

Brought to you by the Abortion Foundation.

Children of the Corn

The horror classic is back looking goofier than ever. Thanks, SyFy.

Disappearing in America

Immigrant fugitive turned American slave. No, he isn’t working at Blockbuster Video

Donna on Demand

Who the heck would watch a webcam without any nudity, sex, or somebody pissing?

Fast Track: No Limits

Another *yawn* street racing movie. No extreme car chases or action sequences, just racing.

High Noon

Nora Roberts movie. Nuff said.

It’s Alive

A killer baby…kills? Is this abortion week or something?

Mirageman

Mexican Batman.

Northern Lights

ARG! More Nora Roberts! NEXT MOVIE!

Offspring

A sort-of zombie movie?

The Seamstress

Creepy person in the woods seams people’s mouths shut. Although if those people are mostly dumb teenagers, this is a public service.

Seventh Moon

There goes China’s tourism, as if the country doesn’t have enough problems already.

Tribute

DAMMIT, MORE NORA ROBERTS!

DVD Dump Pick of the Week:

Trick ‘r Treat

The only movie you need to see this Halloween.

Where is Winky’s Horse?

You know there really aren’t enough movies with girls loving horses…
The Wild Stallion

…I spoke too soon.

The war between those who live on farms and those who don’t live on farms continues in this…psychological thriller?

Filth and Wisdom

Madonna directs her first film filled to the brim with thick accents, boobs, and rock music. But not in an awesome way.

The Hills Run Red

Of all the places to look for an obscure horror film, why the woods?

Lies and Illusions

Christian Slater and Cuba Gooding Jr star in this action…thriller….comedy? What the hell is this?

The Lost and Found Family

How could you evict this family? They’re sooooooooo cute!

The Shortcut

An Adam Sandler produced horror movie? Um…okay.

Steam

I’ve read 5th grade book reports with better writing than this.

DVD Dump Pick of the Week:

Superman/Batman: Public Enemies

Batman and Superman are hunted down villains after calling Lex Luthor a meanie.

ALSO THIS WEEK…

More 4-Film-Favorites Packs: Still picking off the corpse of New Line Cinema, Warner Bros releases another batch of movie collections this time including the Blade and Police Academy franchises.

Jeff Goldblum is pretty creepy…why didn’t he get into horror movies?

Albino Farm

The Hills Have Eyes…and they’re RED!

Clive Barker’s Book of Blood

Looks like a standard ghost horror, but I’ll watch anything by Clive Barker.

The Dread

Remember, you college kids. Saw is a horror movie done by trained professionals. Don’t try it out at school.

Edges of Darkness

Camcorder quality horror, but it gets points for being the most subtle trailer I’ve seen today.

The Haunted World of El Beasto

If Rob Zombie teamed up with Walt Disney, Bambi’s mom would’ve died a hell of a lot worse.

Mercy Streets

Crime and religion collide in a ho-hum drama.

Reverend I’m Available Too

A Tyler Perry fan-movie.

Scooby Doo! The Mystery Begins

I really don’t want to know the see of Scooby Doo. Nor do I wish to see the origins of Snagglepuss, Top Cat, Huckleberry Hound, Yogi Bear, The Neptunes, The Chan Clan or any other Hanna-Barbera cartoon. We never needed one before, why do we need one now?

Sugisball

Not sure about this one, but it’s German so of course it has sex in it.

DVD Dump Pick of the Week:

Wallace & Gromit: A Matter of Loaf and Death

Dogs before hogs, bro.

ALSO THIS WEEK…

The Howling Trilogy: Ever wonder why there aren’t werewolf movies? It’s mainly because of The Howling  2 & 3.

Because when I think of gender breaking roles, I think Barbie.

Blood and Bone

For the guy who loves UFC, but wants a little more street cred to go with it.

Bodyguard: A New Beginning

Been awhile since we’ve seen a new kung-fu triad film. I’m not saying it’s great, just refreshing.

Camille

As if this girl weren’t annoying enough, now she is undead. Also, more David Carradine.

Deadgirl

The most horrifying element of all: growing up.

DVD Dump Pick of the Week:

Four Dragons

A bunch of Chinese immigrants GOTTA FIGHT! YOU GOTTA FIGHT!

Grace

Vampire babies must be a bitch to breast feed.

Mail Order Bride

A misleading title for a typical Hallmark movie.

Rumba

Um….what?

Treeless Mountain

Kids being kids in China. What? They all can’t be witty!

Truth Hall

You know, there are days I really hate doing this blog.

Also this week…

-Drive-In Madness Vol. 1, Campy Classics: More goofy films from the time when people watched movies in their car. Okay, we will still watch movies in cars, but…you know what I mean.

-Dragonball Volume 1: More fantasy kung-fu in a fantasy world with fantasy characters doing fantasy things. Oh, and lots of screaming.

-Visitor Q (Re-Release): The Takeshi Miike film so disgusting it was banned in New Zealand. I’ll be picking this one up!

Devil Girl

Who knew stripping in trucker country could turn so ugly?

Diamond Dawgs

More gangsters, more rappers, more problems.

Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story

Cuba Gooding Jr reprises his role as the black man who makes a difference in the world.

I’ll Believe You

Aliens make first contact on a radio show backed up by B-list comedians.

Local Color

The Finding Forrester of painting. I wish I could say this looks awesome, but even the synopsis is cliche.

The Nail

An imprisoned boxer and a misfit kid learn from eachother and ‘fight for the right’.

ALSO THIS WEEK…

Horror 3-Packs: From Dusk Till Dawn, Halloween, and Scary Movie trilogy sets.

Bring It On: Fight to the Finish

I guess based on the setup you could call these sports movies, but I still won’t.

Drifter: Henry Lee Lucas

No trailer for this one, but just listen to how fascinated Antonio Sabato Jr sounds to be playing serial killer Henry Lee Lucas.

Good Dick

A lonely video store clerk meets a lonely movie-watching girl. The dude loves her, but the chick hates him despite his large penis. Why am I writing this?

DVD Dump Pick of the Week

Humanity’s End

GIANT BIG-ASS SHIPS WAGE GIANT BIG-ASS BATTLES IN A GIANT BIG-ASS SCIENCE FICTION MOVIE….that only cost $140,000?

Impact

A meteor shower turns the moon into our enemy! And the plots of Armageddon and Deep Impact merge into a standard sci-fi plot. Wait, did the announcer just say ‘get ready to experience the dark side of the moon’? Ugh.

Meteor

Dammit, I already mentioned Deep Impact with the last movie. Well, here is another rip-off.

Randy & The Mob

There was a script leftover for Ernest & The Mob, but since John Vernon is dead, they had to recast and retitle it.

ALSO THIS WEEK…

-Blaxploitation Bonanza:  Lots of double-disc sets for blaxploitation favorites including Truck Turner, Blackula, Coffy, etc.

-More TCM Classic Film Collections: This time some real interesting ones including sets for science fiction (Solyent Green, The Time Machine, Forbidden Planet, 2001) and horror (Dr Jekyl and Mr Hyde, Freaks, The Haunting, House of Wax).