Warner Home Video Celebrates Black History Month With “Murder In Mississippi” And “The Marva Collins Story” DVDs

(October 24, 2007 - Burbank, CA) – Warner Home Video presents, for the first time ever on DVD, two important chapters in African American history in the United States. "The Marva Collins Story," starring Cicely Tyson in a Primetime Emmy® nominated performance, is the inspiring, account of a dedicated African-American teacher who faces tough odds trying to help children succeed in their inner-city school. "Murder in Mississippi," produced by the legendary David Wolper of "Roots" fame, recounts the week leading up to the deaths of three civil rights activists in Mississippi in 1964 and stars Tom Hulce in a Primetime Emmy® nominated performance. With a street date of January 15, 2008, which coincides with Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday and the unofficial start of Black History Month, both titles have an affordable SRP of $14.97 and a pre-order due date of December 11, 2007. Based on a true story and originally airing as a Hallmark Hall of Fame special on CBS, the critically-acclaimed "The Marva Collins Story" recounts the story of teacher Marva Collins, who faced adversarial colleagues disapproving of her teaching methods. With the help of her supportive husband played by Academy Award® winner Morgan Freeman (Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role, "Million Dollar Baby," 2005), and family, Collins used her own retirement money to establish the Westside Preparatory School with six students. After a few years of hard work, Collins was teaching over 200 children in Chicago’s inner city. Also based on true events, "Murder in Mississippi" covers the same historical ground that was fictionalized in the theatrical film Mississippi Burning. The film recounts the infamous murders of three civil rights workers by Ku Klux Klan members in 1964; but focuses on the last week’s events of the three activists and follows the life of one of the victims - Mickey Schwerner (Tom Hulce). Blair Underwood (“LA Law”) and Josh Charles ("Dead Poet’s Society") play the other two martyred activists while Jennifer Grey ("Dirty Dancing") plays Mickey’s loving widow. "Murder in Mississippi" originally aired on NBC in February 1990. “We are proud to bring to DVD for the first time these two critically-acclaimed, Emmy®-nominated programs that shed light on important events and people of influence in African-American history,” said Rosemary Markson, WHV Vice President, TV and Special Interest Marketing. “These two films make wonderful additions to WHV’s rich library of Black History titles.” With operations in 90 international territories Warner Home Video, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, commands the largest distribution infrastructure in the global video market. Warner Home Video’s film library is the largest of any studio offering top quality new and vintage titles from the repertoires of Warner Bros. Pictures, Turner Entertainment, Castle Rock Entertainment, HBO Home Video and New Line Home Entertainment.# # #