Dark Star Pictures has acquired North American rights to Steve Mitchell’s King Cohen, the true story of writer, producer, director and B-movie hero Larry Cohen.
The distributor is planning a July 7 theatrical rollout, followed by an Aug. 14 VOD release.
Dark Star Pictures president Michael Repsch negotiated the deal with Bill Straus of Bridge Entertainment.
“Larry Cohen is one of a kind — a true film auteur,” said Repsch. “Steve Mitchell has brilliantly captured his essence and passion in this very entertaining and also informative film. We’re ecstatic to bring this work to North American audiences.”
Added producer Matt Verboys: “We couldn’t be more delighted to have Dark Star Pictures unleash King Cohen on North America. They completely get Larry Cohen’s indelible impact on cinema and are perfectly suited to get this film in front of enthusiastic viewers!”
King Cohen had its U.S. premiere at Fantastic Fest in 2017, was an official selection at DOC NYC 2017 and has since screened in Austria, Ireland, Amsterdam and more, earning raves.
Cohen, best known for resourceful low-budget horror and thriller films that combine social commentary with prerequisite scares and welcome humor, is responsible for such celluloid classics as Black Caesar, It’s Alive, Q: The Winged Serpent and The Stuff. He also was a major player in the blaxploitation films of the 1970s, as well as a prominent Hollywood screenwriter (Phone Booth).
Mitchell’s film features interviews with such industry luminaries as Martin Scorsese, J.J. Abrams, Joe Dante, Mick Garris, John Landis and Fred Williamson, as well as Cohen himself. Cohen’s one-of-a-kind career, from ’60s TV series creator (Branded, The Invaders) to ’70s and ’80s independent film icon and beyond, is chronicled with freewheeling and insightful verve.
Winner of the 2017 Fantasia Fest Best Documentary Feature Audience Award, King Cohen hails from Rondo Award-winning writer/director Mitchell, whose film and television credits include co-writing the cult horror/comedy Chopping Mall.
King Cohen is a La-La Land Entertainment production, in association with Big And Tall Pictures and Off the Cliff Productions, and was directed and produced by Mitchell and produced by Verboys and Dan McKeon.
