Cracking Up

This special limited edition slipcover is limited to 1,000 units and is only available on our website and at select indie retailers. Absolutely no major retailers will be stocking them.

Art Label is the new outlet for envelope-pushing arthouse and experimental cinema. Growing from previous work under the Verboden Video and Culture Shock Releasing banners, Art Label is focusing on films that challenge traditional rules of form and content. Art Label is broadening its roots in horror and exploitation, reaching into other dimensions of expression to give new kicks to a well-versed audience of cinematic thrill seekers. Even the most hardened moviegoers will find stimulation in Art Label's releases.

Danny Gold is hilarious on stage, and a nightmare everywhere else. He brings the intensity of a Lenny Bruce performance to every aspect of his life -- friendships, work, love, sex, and amphetamine abuse. Danny crashes through the Lower East Side like a human wrecking ball, leaving a path of ruined relationships and burnt bridges in his wake. Every success makes him more intent on self-destruction, and no one can stop watching... or laughing.

All involved consider Cracking Up to be the "thesis project" following the Movie of the Month videos, taking everything they learned about improvised storytelling for the screen and amping it up for a scripted and rehearsed 16mm feature film. A comic tragedy, but also a time capsule of the NYC performance art scene of the early 90's, Cracking Up was co-written and directed by Matt Mitler (The Mutilator, Deadtime Stories), and features a who's who of New York talent -- Kevin Brown ("30 Rock"), Debra Wilson ("Mad TV"), Camryn Manheim (Happiness), Kimberly Flynn (Striptease), Frank Senger (Léon: The Professional), Jeff Eyres (Pledge Night) Toby Huss ("The Adventures of Pete & Pete") Robert Prichard and Jennifer Babtist (Class of Nuke 'Em High), and most of the cast members from the Movie of the Month Club videos.

Art Label is proud to present our new, director-approved 4K restoration from the original 16mm negatives for Cracking Up's Blu-ray debut.

directed by: Matt Mitler
starring: Matt Mitler, Kevin Brown, Carolyn McDermott, Kiki Flynn, Debra Wilson, Chuck Montgomery
1994 / 91 min / 1.66:1 / English DTS-HD MA 2.0

Additional info:

• Region Free Blu-ray
• Feature-length commentary with Matt Miter, co-writer Ted LoRusso, co-star Carolyn McDermott, and composer Arthur Rosen
• "Backing Up: Looking Back at Cracking Up" featuring new interviews with Matt Mitler, Robert Prichard, Jennifer Babtist, Chuck Montgomery, Jeff Eyres, Kiki Flynn, Jason Brill, Debra Kaplan, Bob Sikoryak, and Julia Martin
• A new, director and cinematographer approved black and white version of Cracking Up
• Introduction to the black and white version by director Matt Mitler
• Deleted scenes
• The complete "Honesty Laundry Detergent" commercial
• Raw footage of 4 scenes (with optional commentary)
• Three Lives Sketches (1991) featuring cast from Cracking Up
• Live performance of Matt Mitler's sketch, Shindlerfella (1995)
• Two original Cracking Up trailers
• English SDH on all of the movies