Critical Mass Profile

CRiTiCAL MASS Entertainment (CME) is now made up of three companies: CRiTiCAL MASS Releasing (CMR), CRiTiCAL MASS Production (CMP) and CRiTiCAL MASS Multimedia (CMM).

CRiTiCAL MASS Releasing Inc. began to take shape in October of 1998 when William Alexander, having left his five-year position as Head of Television sales for Alliance Communications, started a distribution company. Within CMR’s first few years as a strictly broadcast sales company it represented many Canadian theatrical and production companies for their broadcast sales such as Red Sky Entertainment, The Film Works, Keystone Entertainment, France Film/Equinox, Troma, Somerville House, Remstar, and many other smaller independent production companies. The first theatrical acquisition garnered CRiTiCAL MASS Releasing the honor of representing Helen Shaver (In Praise of Older Women, The Color of Money) while she picked up her Best Supporting Actress Genie for We All Fall Down. This was also the first foray into the Toronto International Film Festival and the awards circle. Over the years CMR has evolved into a worldwide sales company of Movies and TV product with its strength related to the North American market.

The newest division of CRiTiCAL MASS is Multimedia. The former Vice President of Alliance/Atlantis Home Entertainment, David Partridge, heads CMM. David has just recently secured the acquisition of future DVD releases that include Marko Von Moos’ Sci-Fi thriller Nightcast and the critically acclaimed, Saul Rubinek directed Cruel but Necessary.

Analyzing untapped opportunities within the marketplace CMR/CMM have methodically worked to secure rights to “evergreen” properties to build up the library. Black Christmas directed by Bob Clark and featuring Olivia Hussey, John Saxon and Margot Kidder was the first of a number of classic properties that were reissued numerous times for DVD Collectors in North America. New interviews, behind the scene looks, commentary tracks, newly uncovered TV spots, trailers and press materials plus newly restored prints make these versions “must own” for collectors.The Hilarious House of Frightenstein: Volume One is the most recent Collector’s Edition to join the line up. And soon to be released are Murder by Decree anchored by an all star cast including Christopher Plummer, James Mason and Donald Sutherland, the grind house cult favourite Funeral Home, Harvey Hart’s dysfunctional family classic Goldenrod, among others.

CRiTiCAL MASS also founded a production division which has produced the features, Recon 2020: The Caprini Massacre, Deaden, and Recon 2022: The Mezzo Incident. TV series include twenty-six half-hour episodes of Dark Dreamers for CanWest/Global. Dark Dreamers is a lifestyle/documentary series that delves into the imaginative netherworlds of the creators of popular culture’s dark side. Interviews include Clive Barker, Harlan Ellison, and Wes Craven to name a few. Another series Family X was produced for two seasons on the Family Channel. Behind the scenes content for the DVD releases have also been created by CMP.

The core strengths and expertise of CRiTiCAL MASS have brought forth strong alliances within the industry and have entrusted us with a library of 200 hours of programming. All aspects of CRiTiCAL MASS Releasing, CRiTiCAL MASS Productions and CRiTiCAL MASS Multimedia are poised to evolve into a strong, profitable entity in the international entertainment industry.

  


Critical Mass Bios

  • WILLIAM
  • DAVID

CRiTiCAL MASS Releasing Inc.
William Alexander – President

William Alexander has worked for over 20 years in television sales and distribution. His extensive knowledge of movies and entertainment was instrumental in increasing Television sales at Alliance. He was responsible for either station sales for movies such as THE MASK, THE ENGLISH PATIENT, TERMINATOR 2, THE SWEET HEREAFTER or equity financing for such TV shows as REBOOT, FAST TRACK, and DUE SOUTH. During previous stints at Columbia Pictures, 20th Century Fox and Astral Television, William sold such movies as HOME ALONE, GANDHI, GHOSTBUSTERS, as well as TV shows THE SIMPSONS, THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS, and SEINFELD. In addition to selling the extensive library of programs, he has also been a Writer, Producer or Executive Producer for movies, pilots or long running series. These include RECON 2020, RECON 2022, Family Channel’s FAMILY XPERIMENT, Global Television’s COMEDY AT CLUB 54, CAUGHT IN THE ACT and the CAP’N VIDEO.


CRiTiCAL MASS Multimedia Inc.
David Partridge – President

David Partridge is a thirty-year veteran of the Home Entertainment industry, having worked in the retail, wholesale, acquisition and distribution segments of the industry. Most recently, he was the Vice-President of Home Entertainment at Alliance Atlantis where sales, during his 10-year tenure, sales increased by a factor of ten. He oversaw the video release of titles ranging from PULP FICTION through ENGLISH PATIENT, BLAIR WITCH PROJECT, THE WEDDING CRASHERS and THE LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy. He was also involved in bringing the tremendously successful TRAILER PARK BOYS television series to DVD as well as animated family favourite LITTLE BEAR. Previously while working for Vestron, he was involved in the release of DIRTY DANCING, PLATOON and The Making of Michael Jackson’s THRILLER! Between Vestron and Alliance, he oversaw the successful home video release of films as diverse as The Crow and THE PIANO. (When pressed, he will admit to releasing CARNOSAUR (1 and 2!) And ATTACK OF THE 50-FOOT CENTERFOLD.