Tartan USA Closes Doors

Variety Asia Online reports that Tartan Films USA, the American branch of UK-based Tartan Films, appears to have shut down. All of its assets, including office furniture and the company's 101-title film library, were auctioned off on May 19th in a foreclosure sale. No word yet on who picked up the titles, which include several East Asian horror titles like Oldboy, Shutter, Marebito, and R-Point, as well as art house films such as The Death of Mr. Lazarescu and Cave of the Yellow Dog. This is major news, as Tartan was one of the major distributors of Asian horror on video in the United States. One wonders who will take their place now.