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THINKfilm Makes 'Awesome' Acquisition

First Feature Film Creation for Beastie Boys

First Feature Film Creation for Beastie Boys

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NEW YORK, Nov. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- THINKFilm has acquired all worldwide rights to AWESOME; I F**KIN' SHOT THAT, a cinematic celebration of the hugely popular music group Beastie Boys, it was announced by President and CEO Jeff Sackman. A formally innovative feature film experience, it was directed by Nathaniel Hornblower (a.k.a. "M.C.A," a.k.a. band member Adam Yauch) and produced by Hornblower and Jon Doran. THINK plans to open the recently-completed film in Spring, 2006 following significant festival presentations early next year.

On October 9, 2004, the Beastie Boys handed out 50 cameras to audience members at their sold-out performance in New York's famed Madison Square Garden. These 50 different passionate perspectives shot from the point-of-view of the audience take the viewer deep inside the world of a live Beastie Boys show, prismatically and kinetically capturing the experience of a live musical performance like no film has ever done.

"'Awesome' is the only word that can describe the experience of watching this film," says THINK theatrical division head Mark Urman. "It's totally modern and witty aesthetically, but also fabulous to watch and listen to." Sackman adds, "We have been pursuing this film aggressively since we first read about it and think that Adam, Jon, and the rest of their team at Oscilloscope Films are the equal of any filmmaking team we've worked with when it comes to having a vision and realizing it to its best and fullest potential." Yauch added "I'm glad that the film has found a home with THINK. Sh*t has been bubbling for a minute and now THINK is gonna light a match."

The first white rap group of any significance, The Beastie Boys have enjoyed two decades of top-of-the-charts success since their 1986 album "License to Ill" and its hit single, "Fight for Your Right," catapulted them to international acclaim and fame. Their last three albums ("Ill Communication," "Hello Nasty," and "To the 5 Boroughs") were best-sellers, each reaching #1 on the American Album charts. Their latest, "Solid Gold Hits," a compendium of career highlights is about to be released by Capitol Records. In 2000 A two-disc video set with many of the band's videos -- most directed by Hornblower/Yauch -- was created by Yauch and released by The Criterion Collection. It remains the only music-video anthology released by the noted archival brand. The most unique feature of the DVD is the ability to switch audio tracks and video angles in any number of combinations. Yauch intends to author similar features on the AWESOME DVD, which THINK will release next summer.

Beastie Boys Mike D (Michael Diamond) and Adrock (Adam Horovitz), star in AWESOME along with Yauch and guests. The film was photographed, as Yauch says, by "a bunch of untrained camera operators. But that gives the film sincerity. The people that shot it, were feeling it."

The deal was negotiated by Sackman, Urman, Senior Vice President of Acquisitions and Business Affairs Randy Manis, and Acquisitions Vice President Daniel Katz on behalf of THINK. Roger Arar and Ken Anderson of Loeb & Loeb represented the filmmakers.

THINKFilm is a privately held company with offices in Toronto and New York.

Source: THINKFilm