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New DVD Release Announcements:
Why have just one gun for hire when you can have two? On January 28, Criterion
will add a new double feature to its collection, with two takes on Ernest
Hemingway's "The Killers." This two-disc set features both the
1946 version by Robert Siodmak and the 1964 update by Don Siegel. Each is
presented in a new 1.33:1 full screen transfer and English 1.0 mono, and no
extras. Retail is $39.95 for the set. (Posted December 16)
On February 4, MGM will release "Thelma & Louise Special
Edition" (1991), directed by Ridley Scott and starring Susan Sarandon,
Geena Davis, Michael Madsen, Harvey Keitel and Brad Pitt. Extras include
commentary by Scott; commentary by Sarandon, Davis and writer Callie Khouri;
four documentaries with brand-new interviews with Scott, Sarandon, Davis,
Madsen, Pitt and Khouri; 30 minutes of newly found deleted scenes with optional
director's commentary; alternate ending with director's commentary; "Over the
Edge" multi-angle vignette; "The Final Chase" storyboard comparison featurette;
"Part of Me, Part of You" music video featuring Glenn Frey; photo gallery;
$24.98. (Posted December 16)
VHS Priced to Own:
For the Kids (and Young at
Heart):
New DVD Release Announcements:
Foreign:
For the Kids:
New Release Announcements:
New DVD Release Announcements:
From TV to DVD:
Buzzing the 'B's:
On the Indie Front:
For the Kids:
Special Interest:
New Release Announcements:
Buzzing the 'B's:
On the Indie Front:
For the Kids:
Special Interest:
New DVD Announcements:
Special Interest:
Foreign:
Buzzing the 'B's:
For the Kids:
New Release Announcements:
Buzzing the 'B's:
For Collectors:
On the Indie Front:
Light My Fire:
New Release Announcements:
Buzzing the 'B's:
On the Indie Front:
Manga:
For Cineastes:
Fox has announced the launch of its Fox Studio Classics line of DVDs, remastered
and restored (from 35mm film masters newly created from original negatives)
editions of the studio's Oscar winners and nominees, in commemoration of the
75th anniversary of the Academy Awards. Kicking off the series are "All
About Eve," "Gentleman's Agreement" and "How Green Was My
Valley," due January 14. Subsequently, on the first Tuesday of each
month in 2003, the studio will release another restored classic; February 4 will
see "An Affair to Remember" released. Each DVD will include a
variety of extras: commentaries, newsreels, A&E "Backstory" features,
interviews, etc. $19.98 each. (Posted October 28)
Priced to Own:
For the Kids:
For Collectors:
Date Change:
New Release Announcements:
This just in:
For Collectors:
Buzzin' the 'B's::
This just in:
The End:
Buzzin' the "B"s:
For the kids:
Columbia TriStar has confirmed a December 31 release for "XXX,"
starring Vin Diesel. DVD extras will include commentary by director Rob Cohen;
deleted scenes with a director's commentary; visual effects "How To's"; the
"Xander Zone"; filmmaker's diary documentary; Diesel Powered featurette; "The
GTO Is Back" featurette; "Designing the World of XXX" featurette; "Building
Speed: The Vehicles of XXX" featurette storyboard comparisons; multi-angle
deconstructions; visual effects "How To's"; more. New Line has revealed the
extras for its December 3 DVD release of "Austin Powers in
Goldmember": The infinifilm DVD format includes pop-up
navigation menus, "M1-6: International Men of Mystery," "Fashion vs. Fiction,"
"Disco Fever," "English, English," "Fact Track." Menu-based extras include
commentary by director Jay Roach and Mike Myers; "The World of Austin Powers";
"Jay Roach & Mike Myers: Creative Convergence"; "Confluence of Characters";
opening stunts; "The Cars of Austin Powers in Goldmember"; anatomy of three
scenes; visual FX segment; 24 minutes of deleted and alternate scenes with
optional director commentary; music videos: Beyonce Knowles' "Work it Out,"
Britney Spears' "Boys"; Ming Tea's "Daddy Wasn't There"; Dr. Evil and Mini-Me
"Hard Knock Life." (Posted October 7)
Other New Releases:
New Releases:
Off-Beat Classics:
New Releases:
Fan Releases:
Celebrate, Celebrate: The Criterion Collection's 3-DVD release of The
Complete Monterey Pop Festival will feature almost two hours of rarely seen
outtakes. Among the confirmed performances are the following -- The Association:
"Along Comes Mary"; Country Joe & the Fish: "Not So Sweet Martha Lorraine"; Al
Kooper: "(I Heard Her Say) Wake Me, Shake Me"; The Butterfield Blues Band: "Our
Love is Driftin'"; Electric Flag: "Drinkin' Wine"; The Byrds: "Chimes of
Freedom," "He Was a Friend of Mine" and "Hey Joe"; Laura Nyro: "Wedding Bell
Blues" and "Poverty Train"; The Jefferson Airplane: "Somebody to Love"; The
Blues Project: "The Flute Thing"; The Who: "Substitute," "Summertime Blues," and
"A Quick One While He's Away"; The Mamas & the Papas: "Straight Shooter,"
"Somebody Groovy," "I Call Your Name," "Monday, Monday" and "Dancing in the
Street". Also included in the package will be a other supplemental features.
$79.95. (Posted September 16)
New Releases:
New Releases:
Disney will release their summer animated adventure "Lilo &
Stitch" on December 3. The VHS version will sell for $24.99 while the
feature-packed DVD will retail for $29.99. Extras on the DVD include deleted
scenes; InterSTITCHals: Four teaser trailers seen by audiences when Lilo &
Stitch ran in theaters, featuring Stitch as he comically elbows his way into
parts of Disney's "Beauty & the Beast," "Aladdin," "The Little Mermaid" and "The
Lion King"; New InterSTITCHals: "A Stitch in Time" follows Stitch through the
Disney years, featuring all-new "InterSTITCHals," with Stitch trying to be a
part of such classics as "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," "Lady & the Tramp,"
"101 Dalmatians"; a hula featurette, more. (Posted September 1)
The folks over at Anchor Bay will release on September 10 four classic Alec
Guinness films on DVD: "Kind Hearts and Coronets," "The Ladykillers,"
"The Lavender Hill Mob" and "Man in the White Suit" at
$19.98 each. "The Alec Guinness Collection at $69.98 will
include the aforementioned films as well as a bonus DVD of "Captain's
Paradise." (Posted September 1)
Universal Studios Home Video has announced an ambitious slate of TV shows that
will be released on DVD later this year, according to a report in Video
Business. Scheduled for November 15 is a six-disk set of "Law & Order:
The First Season" for $99.98; and two "Baretta" (starring Robert Blake)
packages: "Baretta: Season One" for $39.98 and "Best of
Baretta" for $19.98, on November 29. In the works are DVDs of
"Battlestar Galactica," "Quantum Leap," "Earth: The Final Conflict,"
"Sliders," "Magnum P.I.," "The Rockford Files," "Dragnet" and
"Emergency." (Posted September 1)
Summertime Blues:
New Releases:
New Releases:
Elvis Lives:
Serial Lives:
New Releases:
Warner Home Video will release the Jennifer Lopez thriller
"Enough" on October 8 and Adam Sandler comedy "Mr.
Deeds" on October 22; HBO Home Video will release on November 5 the
complete "Band of Brothers" on VHS ($109.98) and DVD ($119.99):
The six-disc DVD set comes packed in an embossed, metallic case with such extras
as a "We Stand Alone Together: The Men of Easy Company" documentary, "The Making
of Band of Brothers featurette, actor Ron Livingston's personal "Video Diaries,
a featurette of HBO's premiere screening of the miniseries on the beaches of
Normandy, interactive context sensitive reference "Field Guide" that includes
features spanning sections such as Soldiers, Timeline, Map, Chain of Command,
Glossary and Briefings, a still photo gallery, episodic previews, series index,
more; the six volume VHS set comes in a slipcase and includes the "We Stand
Alone Together: The Men of Easy Company" documentary. (Posted August
6)
Clone me up, George
Lucasfilm and 20th Century Fox Home
Entertainment have announced the official release date and specs for
"Star Wars: Episode II -- Attack of the Clones": Nov. 12 on
special-edition two-disc DVD ($29.98) and VHS ($24.98).
The two-disc "Clones" DVD, which will be available in both full-screen and
anamorphic widescreen versions, will include more than six hours of additional
materials.
New Releases:
Due September 10 from Warner comes revenge thriller "The Salton
Sea," starring Val Kilmer ... On September 17 Lions Gate will release
creepy psychological thriller "Frailty," directed by and
starring Bill Paxton ... Failed comedy "Death to Smoochy,"
starring Robin Williams, Edward Norton and Danny DeVito, arrives September 17
from Warner ... On September 24 Columbia TriStar will release World War II
thriller "Enigma" ... And Angelina Jolie-Edward Burns starrer
"Life or Something Like It" will come home October 15, from
Fox. (Posted July 22)
Classics:
Columbia TriStar has announced the release of two classics to DVD: the 1956 sci-
fi invasion thriller "Earth Vs. the Flying Saucers," with
special effects by Ray Harryhausen, with such extras as "The Harryhausen
Chronicles" documentary, "This Is Dynamation" and "The Making of the Earth Vs.
the Flying Saucers" documentaries, and a photo gallery, due September 17; and
William Wyler's 1965 creepy study of a psychopathic killer, "The
Collector," based on the novel by John Fowles and starring Terence
Stamp and Samantha Eggar, due October 1. (Posted July 22)
TV Packages:
Fox will release two DVD sets of current TV shows: "24 Season One
Collector's Edition," a six-disc set with all 24 episodes and such
extras as an alternate ending, introduction to season one by star Kiefer
Sutherland and season two preview, $59.98, due September 17; and
"Malcolm in the Middle Season One," a three-disc set with all
16 episodes from season one with commentary on selected episodes, an extended
pilot episode, "Malcolm in the Middle: A Stroke of Genius" featurette, deleted
scenes, gag reel, alternate show openings, a Malcolm TVOgraphy, Malcolm Vision
bloopers, more; $39.98, due October 29. (Posted July 22)
New Releases:
We have release dates for five recent theatrical releases. Verified are Woody
Allen's "Hollywood Ending," from DreamWorks on September 17;
and "Jason X" on October 8 from New Line (the latter also
available on a Platinum Series DVD with all sorts of extras). Three tentative
release dates: Adam Sandler's "Mr. Deeds," due October 22,
"Men in Black II" due November 19 and "Stuart Little
2" on December 10. (Posted July 22)
On the VHS sell-through front, Lions Gate will release on September 10
"O," starring Mekhi Phifer, Josh Hartnett and Julia Stiles; and
"The Wash," starring Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, George Wallace,
Angell Conwell, Tommy "Tiny" Lister Jr. and DJ Pooh; both with $9.99 price
tags. (Posted July 22)
For SpongeBob SquarePants fiends, Paramount will release on August 27 its latest
compilation of adventures featuring the loveable sponge, "SpongeBob
SquarePants: SpongeBob Halloween" on DVD (10 episodes for $19.99) and
VHS (five episodes for $12.99). (Posted July 22)
And, lastly, Warner Home Video and PBS Home Video will release on September 17 a
newly remastered DVD version of "Ken Burn's The Civil War," as
a five-disc set with a remixed 5.1 soundtrack and such extras as
behind-the-scenes featurettes; five hours of commentary by Burns; additional
interviews with Burns, writers George Will, Shelby Foot and Stanley Crouch;
biography cards; interactive battlefield maps and a Civil War Challenge trivia
game. Price tag: $129.98. (Posted July 22)
Spidey swings home Nov. 1:
According to a report in the Monday, July 15 edition of The Hollywood Reporter,
Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment is mounting a promotion in excess of $100
million for the Friday, November 1 VHS and DVD release of "Spider-
Man." According to the article, CTHE hopes to create a nationwide
midnight-madness event, since "mass merchants and video rental chains such as
Blockbuster Video often create massive events when the clock strikes midnight on
the first day of a popular video release, keeping the doors open and sending
beams of searchlights streaming into the night's sky." By taking advantage of
Halloween night, CTHE executives hope that the "Spider-Man" event will top
DreamWorks' 2001 Friday release of "Shrek," which grossed more than $110 million
at retail during its first three days in release, the Reporter said.
A "Spider-Man" double-disc DVD set will be available in fullscreen and
widescreen versions, with different box art covers. The widescreen version will
feature "Spider-Man" scaling the side of a skyscraper while the fullscreen
version has "Spider-Man" crouching over a skyline. The DVD will include such
extras as commentaries from director Sam Raimi and others, music videos,
outtakes, a documentary, DVD-ROM game and more. The VHS edition will be priced
to own. (Posted July 15)
New releases:
Warner Home Video has announced a September 24 release for the Sandra Bullock
cop thriller "Murder by Numbers"; the VHS will be priced at
$22.98 and the DVD will sell for $26.98 suggest retail price. ... It's girls,
guns and gags galore in MGM's October 15 DVD release of the cult-classic
"Casino Royale" (1967), directed by John Huston, Ken Hughes,
Robert Parrish, Joe McGrath and Val Guest and with an all-star cast including
Peter Sellers, Ursula Andress, David Niven, Orson Welles, Joanna Pettet,
Woody Allen, Deborah Kerr, William Holden, Charles Boyer, John Huston, George
Raft, Jean-Paul Belmondo and Jacqueline Bisset. Extras include a "Psychedelic
Cinema" making-of featurette and an original 1954 TV adaptation of "Casino
Royale"; $19.98. ... In addition to its release of "Grease" to DVD on September
17, Paramount has announced five other titles from its library of musically
themed films. Scheduled for October 8 are "Saturday Night Fever,"
"Flashdance," "Footloose," "Urban Cowboy" and "Staying
Alive." (Posted July 15)
Warner Doubles Up:
Warner Home Video has just announced a line of deluxe two-DVD special editions
of some of the best-selling and most collectible films from their library. Each
package will include a digitally remastered version of the film (with
commentaries) on one disc and a host of added features on the second. First out
of the gate are "Amadeus Director's Cut," "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's
Nest," "Singin' in the Rain 50th Anniversary Edition," "Unforgiven 10th
Anniversary Edition" and "True Romance Unrated Director's
Cut." Suggested retail price for each set is $26.99, but street price
will be closer to $19.95; due September 24. (Posted July 8)
New VHS Sell-Through:
Coming home at reduced prices soon are "Zoolander Special
Edition", with promotional spots featuring Derek Zoolander (July 30,
$14.95); "From Hell," "Donnie Darko" and "Joy Ride Special
Edition," the latter with a 29-minute alternate ending (September 3,
$14.98). (Posted July 8)
New Criterion Editions:
In addition to this week's release (with Buena Vista) of "The Royal
Tenenbaums" two-disc DVD set, the folks at The Criterion Collection
(with Home Vision) have scheduled July 23 for three releases of important modern
films: "Hopscotch" (1980), directed by Ronald Neame and
starring Walter Matthau, Glenda Jackson, Sam Waterston, Ned Beatty and Herbert
Lom, featuring a high-definition digital transfer and such extras as a video
introduction featuring interviews with Neame and novelist-screenwriter
Brian Garfield, and the original television audio track remixed for family
viewing and presented as an alternate audio track; "Ratcatcher"
(1999), directed by Lynne Ramsay and starring William Eadie, Tommy Flanigan,
Mandy Matthews and Michelle Stewart, with such extras as an interview with
Ramsay, three short films by Ramsay and a stills gallery; and "Red
Beard" (1965), directed by Akira Kurosawa and starring Toshiro Mifune,
Yuzo Kayama and Yoshio Tsuchiya, with a high-definition digital transfer,
commentary by Kurosawa film scholar Stephen Prince and notes by Japanese film
historian Donald Richie. (Posted July 8)
Hot DVDs:
Several exciting announcements this week: Buena Vista Home Entertainment has
confirmed for us a September 24 release date for a two-disc set of The Beatle's
"A Hard Day's Night," with a remastered transfer and a 5.1
soundtrack. Goodies will include commentaries, original featurettes, extra
footage, the "Running, Jumping, Standing Still" short, more. The official
announcement will be made later this month at the Video Software Dealers
Association convention in Las Vegas. (Posted July 1)
The long-awaited release of the "Back to
the Future" films has been announced. Universal will put out the Back
to the Future Trilogy on December 17 in a three-disc box set with commentary by
Michael J. Fox, director Robert Zemeckis, producer Neil Canton and
producer-screenwriter Bob Gale; outtakes, flubs, bloopers; deleted scenes; The
Hover Board test; "The Making of Back to the Future" featurette; animated
anecdotes (see 150 fun facts and trivia while viewing the film); "The Secrets of
the BTTF Trilogy -- Special Segment"; production archive interactive environment
to view production photographs, storyboards, concept art and props; Huey Lewis
music video; DVD-ROM extras; remastered 5.1 soundtracks in Dolby and DTS; more;
Widescreen and fullscreen editions; holographic foil embossed pack; $39.95.
(Posted July 1)
Another long-awaited release will come to DVD on
September 17: "Grease," starring John Travolta, Olivia-Newton
John, Stockard Channing, Jeff Conaway, Didi Conn, Eve Arden, Sid Caesar, Joan
Blondell, Ed Bymes, Alice Ghostley, Dody Goodman, Lorenzo Lamas, Michael Tucci
and Dianah Manoff, from Paramount. (Posted July 1)
This year's smash CGI animated hit, "Ice
Age," will arrive on November 26 from Fox in a two-disc set. Extras
will include a five-minute CGI animated short "Scrat's Missing Adventure";
commentary by directors Carlos Saldanha and Chris Wedge; six deleted scenes with
commentary by director Wedge; HBO "First Look" special and "The Making of Ice
Age"; three DVD set-top games ("Playing Darwin" flip book game, "Hide and Eek"
search game, "Frozen Pairs" matching game); Sid on Sid Silhouette on Scenes;
multi-angle scene exploration/animation progression; Scrat interstitials; Blue
Sky featurette; still design gallery; Academy Award-winning "Bunny" animated
short; Sid character development; international clips, trailers, TV spots,
Easter eggs, more; two DVD-ROM games ("Sid Shreds" snowboarding game and "Super
Dodo Ball" dodgeball game) and printables that include ornaments of Ice Age
characters, coloring book, shoe box theater, mobile, board game, 12-month
migration calendar, paper dolls; $29.98. (Posted July 1)
And last, but not least, science fiction fans will
trip out on four new releases from MGM: "Outer Limits Original Season 1
Boxed Set," a four-disc set of episodes from the first season of the
original "Outer Limits" (416 minutes), $79.96; "The Outer Limits: Sex
and Science Fiction," six episodes from the new "Outer Limits" on one
disc, with "Behind the Outer Limits" featurettes including cast and crew
interviews, 264 minutes, $14.95; "Outer Limits: Time Travel and
Infinity," six episodes from the new "Outer Limits" on one disc, with
"Behind the Outer Limits" featurettes including cast and crew interviews, 264
minutes, $14.95; and "Stargate SG-1 Season 2,"
a five-disc boxed set with behind-the-scenes profiles, 220 minutes, $69.96.
(Posted July 1)
New Releases:
Another spate of new release announcements this week: Columbia TriStar has
scheduled "The Sweetest Thing," starring Cameron Diaz, for
release on August 20. On August 27, Fox will release the Ashley Judd-Morgan
Freeman starrer "High Crimes." Revenge flick "Changing
Lanes," starring Ben Affleck and Samuel L. Jackson, will arrive
September 10, from Paramount. September 17 will see two new releases: Columbia
TriStar's scary "Panic Room," starring Jodie Foster, and indie
film "Kissing Jessica Stein," from Fox. Adolescent comedy
"Big Fat Liar," starring Frankie Muniz and Nickelodeon's Amanda
Bynes, will come to home video on September 24. On October 1, "The Mummy"
franchise prequel (of sorts) "The Scorpion King," starring The
Rock, will fight its way on to video shelves (with a $14.95 VHS price tag), from
Universal. And last, but not least, there's rumors afoot that "Star
Wars: Episode II -- Attack of the Clones" will fly home for
Thanksgiving on November 26, from Fox. Don't change that channel. (Posted
June 24, 2002)
Cult things:
Four great otherworldly films wend their way to DVD from Warner on August 6:
"The Swarm" (1978), directed by Irwin Allen and starring Henry
Fonda, Michael Caine, Richard Chamberlain, Richard Widmark and Slim Pickens;
"Them! (1954), directed by Gordon Douglas and starring James
Whitmore, Edmund Gwenn, Joan Weldon and James Arness; "Time After
Time" (1979), directed by Nicholas Meyer and starring Malcolm McDowell,
David Warner and Mary Steenburgen; and "Wolfen" (1981),
directed by Micahel Wadleigh and starring Albert Finney, Diane Venora, Edward
James Olmos, Gregory Hines and Tom Noonan. On September 3 blaxploitation classic
"The Mack" (1973), starring Max Julien, Richard Pryor and Roger
E. Mosely, will get the New Line DVD Platinum Series treatment. And the long-
awaited French werewolf film "Brotherhood of the Wolf" (2001)
is scheduled to make its video appearance on October 1, from Universal.
(Posted June 24, 2002)
New Releases:
A bevy of theatrical films have been announced for August and September
releases. On August 13, Warner will release "Showtime," a cop
comedy starring Robert De Niro and Eddie Murphy, on VHS ($22.98) and DVD, and
Columbia TriStar will release "Last Orders," a delightful drama
starring Michael Caine, Tom Courtenay, David Hemmings, Ray Winstone, Bob Hoskins
and Helen Mirren, about four drinking buddies in London and what the three
survivors do when one of them dies, on VHS and DVD. On August 20 Paramount will
release the Vietnam War drama "We Were Soldiers," starring Mel
Gibson, on VHS and DVD. On August 27 New Line will release Aaliyah-starrer
"Queen of the Damned" on VHS ($22.98) and DVD, and on September
3 Warner will release Wesley Snipes' "Blade II" on VHS ($22.94)
and DVD. (Posted June 17, 2002)
Sell-through Delights:
Fox has announced an August 20 release for the repricing of three of their
recent hits: "Behind Enemy Lines," "Black
Knight" and "Don't Say a Word," for $14.98 each.
(Posted June 17, 2002)
Rare Cult Classics:
Godfrey Reggio's revolutionary films "Koyaanisqatsi" and
"Powaqqatsi," long out of print on VHS and in high demand among
collectors, will finally be released on DVD by MGM. "Koyaanisqatsi" (Hopi for
"life out of balance") uses images and music (by Philip Glass) to contrast the
tranquil beauty of nature with the frenzied hum of contemporary society, while
"Powaqqatsi" ("life in transformation") explores the efforts of developing
nations and the effect the transition to modernization has had on them. The
films will be available as a two-pack set for $29.98 or separately for $19.98;
both include a new featurette on Reggio and Glass. (Posted June 17,
2002)
E.T: Call Marketing:
It's official. Steven Spielberg's "E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial"
will arrive on DVD on October 22, but not as suspected. Universal is releasing
the little guy in not one but two versions: First there's "E.T. The
Extra-Terrestrial Limited Collector's Edition," a two-disc set with the
2002 20th anniversary release, which Spielberg tweaked. There's 10 hours of
extras: Two deleted scenes: "E.T. in the tub" and "E.T. drinks a Coke"; "20
Years Later With Steven Spielberg" conversation with the director; "John
Williams Live Orchestra Segment": Exclusive look at the preparation, rehearsal
and live performance by John Williams of the film's score at the 2002 Los
Angeles premiere; isolated 2002 live score; "Space Exploration" featurette with
a 3-D interactive journey into space; "The Evolution of E.T." featurette
examining the development of the screenplay, casting and production, with
never-before-seen footage shot in 1982; Cast reunion featurette; Interactive
"E.T. Archives" of production photos, conceptual drawings and original
advertising; DVD-ROM extras; DTS and Dolby; widescreen and full-frame versions;
$22.95. Then there's the "E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial Ultimate
Collector's Gift Set," a three-disc set with "E.T. The
Extra-Terrestrial Limited Collector's Edition" of the 2002 release, the
original theatrical version, a CD soundtrack, a script from the original
feature, and a collectible senitype; $69.98. Who says E.T. wasn't familiar with
Earth's ways? (Posted June 10, 2002)
New Releases:
Arnold Schwarzenegger's "Collateral Damage" explodes on home
video on July 30 at VHS sell-through of $14.98 and DVD, from Warner; gang
adventure "Deuces Wild" rumbles home in VHS and DVD on August
6, from MGM; Paramount's fun-filled for-the-Nick-set
"Clockstoppers" shifts into VHS and DVD gear on August 13;
sickly comedy "The New Guy," from Columbia TriStar, arrives in
VHS and DVD August 13; August 20 brings two comedies, Ice Cube's All
About the Benjamins," from New Line, DVD and $22.98 VHS, and
"National Lampoon's Van Wilder," on VHS and DVD from Artisan;
and on August 27 Disney will release the inspirational Dennis Quaid starrer "The
Rookie," at $22.99 VHS sell-through and DVD.(Posted June 10, 2002)
Sets galore:
Three new DVD sets have been announced for September. "Friends: The
Complete Season 2" is a four-disc set with all 24 second season
episodes with never-before-seen footage. Extras include commentary by the show's
producers, Kevin S. Bright, Marta Kauffman and David Crane on two key episodes;
an "Open House at Monica and Rachel's" interactive tour of the apartment;
"Friends of Friends" video guide to season two's special guest appearances; "How
Well Do You Know Your Friends?" video trivia challenge; more; $59.95 from Warner
on September 3. The long-awaited "Red Curtain Trilogy"
five-disc Baz Lurhmann box set finally has a go from Fox. Included is the
two-disc "Moulin Rouge Special Edition," the single disc "Romeo + Juliet Special
Edition," "Strictly Ballroom" and a "Behind the Red Curtain" bonus disc of
material from the three films; $69.98, due September 10. "The Mary Tyler
Moore Show Season One" box set contains all 24 first-season episodes of
the groundbreaking show on four discs with such goodies as a "She Turned the
World on With Her Smile: The Making of the Mary Tyler Moore Show" 88-minute
documentary, original CBS promos, Emmy Award clips, trivia challenge, and
selected episode commentary; $49.98, from Fox September 24. (Posted June
3, 2002)
All Quentin, all the time:
On August 20 Miramax will blow the minds of Quentin Tarantino fans with two two-
disc DVD sets -- loaded with goodies -- of "Pulp Fiction" and
"Jackie Brown." "The Pulp Fiction Collector's Edition" (1994),
starring Bruce Willis, Samuel L. Jackson, John Travolta, Uma Thurman, Harvey
Keitel, Tim Roth, Amanda Plummer, Ving Rhames, Eric Stoltz, Rosanna Arquette,
and Christopher Walken will contain: Five deleted scenes with introductions by
Tarantino (drug deal monologue, Mia & Vincent, Esmerelda cab scene, Monster
Joe's Truck and Tow, Extended Jack Rabbit Slim's scene); behind-the-scenes
featurette; Pulp Fiction still gallery; poster; location scouting; blueprints
for Jack Rabbit Slim's; set construction; logo designs, props and memorabilia;
special photography; Siskel and Ebert "At the Movies -- The Tarantino
Generation"; Independent Spirit Awards: Michael Moore interviews Tarantino,
producer Lawrence Bender and Jackson; Cannes Film Festival: Palm d'Or Award
ceremony and acceptance speech; PBS "Charlie Rose" show interview with
Tarantino; original documentary "Tarantino Fiction"; new production design
featurette; trivia game; screenplay viewer; reviews and articles;
behind-the-scenes montage: Jack Rabbit Slim's and Butch hits Marsellus; DVD-ROM
extras. The "Jackie Brown Collector's Edition" (1997), starring Pam Grier,
Robert Forster, Samuel L. Jackson, Bridget Fonda, Robert De Niro and Chris
Tucker will contain: A Tarantino introduction; "How It Went" documentary; "A
Look Back at Jackie Brown" interview with Tarantino; "Chicks With Guns" video;
deleted and alternate scenes with Tarantino introductions (Jackie and Sheronda
extended scene, Michael & Pam, Louis & Ordell walk into the Cockatoo Lounge,
Jackie sets up Ordell, alternate take "For Your Eyes Only," alternate opening
credit sequence); Siskel and Ebert "At the Movies" "Jackie Brown" review;
"Jackie Brown" on MTV ("Jackie Brown" promotional contest, "MTV Live" with the
cast); still galleries; reviews and articles; trivia game; screenplay viewer;
classic Pam Grier movie trailers; classic Robert Forster movie trailers; classic
Pam Grier radio spots; DVD-ROM extras. Both Miramax Collector's Series editions
will sell for $29.99. (Posted June 3, 2002)
And so as not to offend fans of Tarantino's first outing, "Reservoir
Dogs" (1992), starring Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen,
Christopher Penn, Steve Buscemi, Lawrence Tierney, Randy Brooks and Tarantino,
Artisan home entertainment has prepared the "Reservoir Dogs 10th Anniversary
Special. The two-disc set will come packaged with five different box-art design
covers: one each with Mr. Pink, Mr. White, Mr. Orange, Mr. Brown and Mr. Blond.
Each box cover will have a swinging flap with the character's bio, as well as an
eight-page booklet with more information about the character. Goodies on the
two-discs will be the same for all five versions. Extras include select scene
commentaries with the filmmakers, cast and critics; "Real Life Reservoir Dogs"
documentary; documentary on the getaway cars; film noir retrospective; tribute
to indie filmmakers, writers and directors who inspired the movie as well as to
the late Tierney, who played Joe Cabot; deleted scenes; outtakes; two alternate
camera angle takes of the notorious ear-cutting scene; interviews with
Tarantino, cast and crew; poster gallery; Dolby and DTS; $26.98 on August 27.
(Posted June 3, 2002)
A Tip O' the Hat:
One of our tipsters has alerted us to a report on DVDFile indicating that E.T. The
Extra-Terrestrial Ultimate Edition DVD will be released October 22 as a
three-disc set, with one disc containing the 1982 theatrical release, the second
disc containing the 2002 20th anniversary edition, and the third disc containing
hours of supplemental material. Though the site says Universal wouldn't respond
to the posting, DVDFile went on to say that it had confirmed the information
through director Steven Spielberg's publicist and Amblin Entertainment. Great
scoop, DVDFile! (Posted May 27, 2002)
More Tips:
A couple of readers have reported spotting online information listing tentative
dates for "Star Wars: Episode II -- Attack of the Clones" (November 26) and
"Spider-Man" (November 5). Also rumored for November releases: the as-yet
theatrically released "Men in Black II" and "Scooby-Doo." (Posted May
27, 2002)
Home Entertainment 2002:
An event near and dear to the hearts of home theater aficionados is the annual
Home Entertainment Show -- The Hi-Fi & Home Theater Event - NYC. This year's
edition will be held Friday, May 31 to Sunday, June 2 at the Hilton New York &
Towers, 1335 Avenue of the Americas, New York City. The show will feature more
than 200 exhibitors, 13 free educational seminars led by experts in the industry
and over a dozen musical guests and live performances. HE 2002 exhibitors
include Conrad/Johnson, DynAudio, Gallo Acoustics, JVC, Krell, Linn (with the
James Bond Aston Martin Vanquish car!), Martin Logan, McIntosh, SharpVision,
Sony, Polk Audio, Runco, Samsung, Texas Instruments, Yamaha and more. Seminar
topics will include "The Future of Flat Panel TV," "High Resolution Super Audio
CD," "Digital HDTV Here and Now" and "Demystifying Home Networking." The live
concert series will feature the John Atkinson Trio, Arturo Delmoni, Hyperion
Knight, John Pizzarelli Trio, Jimmie Lee Robinson, Wild Child Butler, and The
Stratocats. Ticket prices are $35 for a weekend pass or $25 for a one-day pass.
For the most up-to-date information, be sure to check out the show's Website: www.homeentertainment-
expo.com.(Posted May 27, 2002)
Re-Animated Films:
Elite Home Entertainment, which restores and distributes horror, science fiction
and cult films on DVD, has added 1985's cult-horror classic
"Re-Animator" to its Millennium Edition series. The Stuart
Gordon-directed tongue-in-check gorefest gets a two-disc treatment with THX
certification, brand-new digital widescreen transfer and an isolated 5.1
Surround score. Goodies include commentary by Gordon; commentary by producer
Brian Yuzna and actors Jeffrey Combs, Robert Sampson, Barbara Crampton and Bruce
Abbott; new video interviews with Gordon, producer Yuzna, writer Dennis Paoli,
composer Richard Band and Fangoria Magazine editor Tony Timpone; 16 extended
scenes; deleted scene; television spots; music discussion with composer Band;
multi-angle story boards; behind-the-scenes photo galleries; Lucasfilm THX
Optimizer audio/video calibration; Dolby and DTS 5.1; $29.95. (Posted May
20, 2002)
Artisan Entertainment celebrates 20 years of John Rambo with the May 28 release
of the "Rambo Trilogy" DVD. The 20th anniversary metal box set
contains "First Blood," "Rambo: First Blood Part II," "Rambo III," with a fourth
disc containing seven featurettes and three documentaries, $59.98. Each film
will be available separately for $19.98. Disc 1: "First Blood" with commentary
by writer David Morrell, new documentary "Drawing First Blood: Creating John
Rambo," production notes. Disc 2: "Rambo: First Blood Part II" with commentary
by director George Cosmatos, new documentary "We Get to Win This Time: The Rambo
Phenomenon," production notes. "Rambo III" with commentary by director Peter
MacDonald, new documentary "Afghanistan: Land in Crisis," production notes. Disc
4: Seven featurettes: "First Blood: A Look Back," "Rambo: Full Circle," "Those
That Wanted More," "The Forging of Heroes: America's Green Berets,"
"Rambo-Nomics," "Suiting Up: Rambo Survival Gear," "Selling a Hero"; Three
documentaries: "An American Hero's Journey," "The Real Nam: Voices From Within,"
Guts and Glory"; Rambo Trilogy trivia game. (Posted May 20, 2002)
On July 30, Fox will release a Five Star Collection DVD edition of
"Speed" (1994), starring Keanu Reeves, Sandra Bullock, Jeff
Daniels and Dennis Hopper. The two-disc set includes the film with two
commentaries: one by director Jan De Bont and one by writer Graham Yost and
producer Mark Gordon; five extended scenes; multi-angle stunt comparisons; five
featurettes; story board to film comparisons; interviews with Reeves, Bullock,
Hopper, Daniels and De Bont; HBO Special; 11 television spots; Billy Idol music
video; Easter eggs; original screenplay; image gallery with more than 400
images; Dolby and DTS; $26.98. "Speed 2: Cruise Control"
(1997), starring Sandra Bullock, Jason Patric and Willem Dafoe, also comes to
DVD courtesy of Fox on July 30, with an HBO making-of special, Dolby and DTS;
$19.98. The "Speed Collection Pack" includes the two-disc "Speed" Five Star
Collection and "Speed 2: Cruise Control" in a box set; $39.98. (Posted May
20, 2002)
It's about time:
DreamWorks will release to VHS rental and DVD the very interesting reworking of
H.G. Wells' classic "The Time Machine," starring Guy Pearce and
directed by Wells' great-grandson, Simon Wells; due July 23. ... Another remake
comes to video on September 10: The swashbuckling "The Count of Monte
Cristo," starring Jim Caviezel and Guy Pearce, from Buena Vista. ...
And, on September 17, Buena Vista will release the abstaining-from-sex comedy,
"40 Days and 40 Nights," starring Josh Hartnett. (Posted
May 13, 2002)
From TV to Video:
HBO Home Video has just announced an August 27 release for "The
Sopranos: The Complete Third Season," featuring all 13 episodes in a
five-volume VHS set and four-volume DVD set. DVD special features include
commentaries by writer-actor Michael Imperioli (Episode 9), episode director
Steve Buscemi (Episode 11) and series creator David Chase (Episode 12), a
behind-the-scenes featurette ("A Day on the Set of the Sopranos"), recaps of
Seasons 1 and 2, episodic synopses, more. Both sets have a $99 price tag. ... On
July 3 Paramount will release to DVD two "I Love Lucy" volumes:
"I Love Lucy: Season One, Volume One" and "I Love Lucy: Season One, Volume Two";
each containing four episodes, bloopers, radio interviews, behind-the-scenes,
and more; $14.99. ... And on July 23 Fox will release "M*A*S*H Season
Two" as three-disc DVD and three-volume VHS sets, with all 24 of the
second season's episodes; $39.98 DVD and $26.98 VHS. (Posted May 13,
2002)
Overboard:
Dimension Films missed the boat with its January release of director Gary
Fleder's "Imposter." The film, based on the short story by
Philip K. Dick, was unceremoniously dumped into the marketplace with little or
no fanfare or marketing push. And that was a shame, for the film, to be released
to video as "Imposter: The Director's Cut" on July 9 on VHS and DVD, is visually
stunning, with an imaginative story line, workmanlike performances (by Gary
Sinise, Madeleine Stowe, Vincent D'Onofrio and Mekhi Phifer) and special-effects
that rival the best that George Lucas and Steven Spielberg can come up with (the
work was done, in fact, by Industrial Light & Magic). For science fiction fans,
this one is a must. ... Director Todd Solondz's latest black comedy outing,
"Storytelling," comprising two separate stories set against the
sadly comical terrain of college and high school, and starring Selma Blair, John
Goodman, Paul Giamatti, Julie Hagerty and Robert Wisdom, will be released July
16 by New Line. ... New Line has also set a July 16 release date for
"John Q," the Denzel Washington starrer about a working man who
takes a hospital emergency room hostage when his health insurance refuses to
cover a heart transplant operation for his son. The DVD version of the film will
be in New Line's infinifilm format, which allows users to navigate on-
screen menus during the film to access original content "beyond the movie." ...
Steve Oedekerk's weak "Kung Pow: Enter the Fist," a kind of
updating of Woody Allen's "What's Up, Tiger Lily," will come to home video on
July 23, from Fox. (Posted May 6, 2002)
Synergy:
Scooby-Doo is coming to the big screen this summer (in glorious live-action) and
Warner Home Video is taking the opportunity to release four new DVDs of animated
Scooby-Doo adventures: "Scooby-Doo's Original Mysteries,"
featuring the first five Scooby-Doo episodes, including the series pilot,
"Scooby-Doo and the Ghoul School," "Scooby-Doo Goes
Hollywood" and "Scooby-Doo's Creepiest Capers," all
due June 4. ... Playing on the upcoming release of the latest Austin Powers
summer release ("Austin Powers in Goldmember"), Fox will release on DVD three
1960s spy spoofs: "Our Man Flint" (1965), starring James
Coburn, Gila Golan and Lee J. Cobb; "In Like Flint" (1967),
starring James Coburn, Andrew Duggan and a bevy of beautiful women; and
"Modesty Blaise" (1966), starring Monica Vitti, Terence Stamp
and Dirk Bogarde; due July 16. (Posted May 6, 2002)
Royal DVD:
Buena Vista has just announced that the DVD version of Wes Anderson's
"The Royal Tenenbaums," due day-and-date with the VHS rental
version, will be a Criterion Collection two-disc set. Features include
commentary by Anderson; "With the Filmmakers: Portraits by Albert Maysles"
feature on Anderson and the making of the film; video interviews and behind-the-
scenes footage of stars Gene Hackman, Anjelica Huston, Ben Stiller, Gwyneth
Paltrow, more; "The Peter Bradley Show," featuring interviews with cast members;
"The Art of the Movie" in-depth feature on art direction and production design;
outtakes and deleted scenes; collectible booklet with insights into the
director's vision, DTS and Dolby Digital; $29.99. (Posted May 6,
2002)
Sell-through:
On August 20, Fox will release priced-to-own editions of "The Deep
End," starring Tilda Swinton, Goran Visnjic, Jonathan Tucker, Peter
Donat and Josh Lucas; and "Donnie Darko," starring Jake
Gyllenhaal, Noah Wyle, Jena Malone, Drew Barrymore, Patrick Swayze, Mary
McDonnell, Maggie Gyllenhal and Katharine Ross for the low, low price of
$9.98. (Posted May 6, 2002)
Random Notes:
MGM has announced a July 9 release date for the Bruce Willis World War II saga
"Hart's War," which fared poorly at the box office in the
shadow of "Black Hawk Down." ... Columbia TriStar will release a special
two-disc limited edition DVD of "Memento," designed by
writer-director Christopher Nolan, on May 21. The set, according to Columbia
TriStar's press release, "offers a series of mindbenders and challenges designed
by Nolan that begin the moment one of the set's two discs is inserted into the
player. At its core, the DVD is constructed as an elaborate mental puzzle that
the viewer must solve in order to watch the film and the added-value elements.
'I've enjoyed flexing my creative muscles to come up with something completely
new and unique to the DVD format, said writer-director Christopher Nolan.'" One
disc of the set features a digitally remastered version of the film with
commentary by Nolan; the second disc includes a 23-minute documentary, "Anatomy
of a Scene," from the Sundance Channel; the original short story by Nolan; a
"director's script" that allows the viewer to dissect the film's structure by
switching between a scene and Nolan's annotated film script using the player's
angle feature; production stills and sketches. The packaging for the
discs will offer hidden assistance to solving the puzzles of the DVD; $27.95.
... MGM has repriced the delightfully quirky sleeper "Ghost
World" to $9.94 for its VHS sell-through debut on August 6. ...
Paramount has set a May 7 date for the VHS sell-through release of "The
Score Special Edition," with a behind-the-scenes featurette, for
$14.95. ... And, bowing to mass market pressure, Fox will release on May 21 10
of its "hottest hits" in full-screen only DVD versions for $19.98 each:
"The Abyss," "Big Momma's House," "Edward Scissorhands," "Independence
Day," "Men of Honor," "Anna and the King," "Cast Away," "Entrapment," "Lake
Placid" and "Predator." (Posted April 30,
2002)
New releases:
Warner has announced home video dates for two moderately successful films:
"The Majestic," starring Jim Carrey, due June 18 (with a
minimum advertised VHS price of $14.95 and $19.95 for DVD) and "A Walk
to Remember," starring teen singer Mandy Moore, due July 9 (with a
minimum advertised VHS price of $14.95 and $19.95 for DVD). On May 21 Universal
will release energetic urban comedy "How High," starring Method
Man and Redman, for VHS rental and DVD sales. (Posted April 23,
2002)
Not so blue DVD releases:
On June 4, MGM will release a special edition of David Lynch's classic
"Blue Velvet" (1986), starring Isabella Rossellini, Kyle
MacLachlan, Dennis Hopper, Laura Dern, Hope Lange and Dean Stockwell. The disc
features a digital transfer supervised by Lynch; "Mysteries of Love" documentary
with new interviews with MacLachlan, Rossellini, Hopper and Dern as well as rare
interview footage with Lynch; an "Are You a Pervert?" deleted scene featurette,
and a collectible booklet; $24.98. On June 4 Fox will release two wonderful Paul
Newman films: 1982's "The Verdict" and 1961's "The
Hustler." The special edition of "The Verdict," directed by Sidney
Lumet and starring Charlotte Rampling, Jack Warden, James Mason, Milo O'Shea and
Lindsay Crouse, features commentary by Lumet and Newman, and a behind-the-scenes
still gallery. The special edition of "The Hustler," directed by Robert Rossen
and starring Jackie Gleason, Piper Laurie, George C. Scott, Myron McCormick and
Michael Constantine, features commentary by editor Dede Allen, assistant
director Ulu Grosbard, Newman, Carol Rossen (the director's daughter) and film
critic Richard Schickel; three featurettes; pool trick shot analysis by pool
expert Mike Massey; and a behind-the-scenes still gallery. Also on June 4 Warner
will release no-frills DVD versions of Robert Altman's "McCabe & Mrs.
Miller" (1971), starring Warren Beatty, Julie Christie, Rene
Auberjonois, William Devane, John Schuck, Shelley Duvall and Keith Carradine;
John Ford's classic "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon" (1949), starring
John Wayne, Joanne Dru, John Agar, Ben Johnson, Harry Carey Jr. and Victor
McLaglen; and George Cukor's "The Women" (1939), starring Norma
Shearer, Joan Crawford, Rosalind Russell, Mary Boland, Paulette Goddard, Joan
Fontaine and Marjorie Main. (Posted April 23, 2002)
"Mind" This:
Universal has just announced a June 25 release date for Academy Award winning
best picture "A Beautiful Mind," starring Russell Crowe and
directed by Ron Howard. The DVD will have all sorts of goodies, including
commentary by Howard as well as a documentary that covers every facet of the
film from script to screen; the VHS version will be priced to own. Also on June
25 Universal will release Robert Altman's "Gosford Park"; the
DVD will feature commentary by Altman. Another big boxoffice hit, "Black
Hawk Down," will be flying to home video on June 11, from Columbia
TriStar. (Posted April 16, 2002)
Other releases dates (all unofficial): July 2 for Paramount's animated
"Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius," July 16 for supernatural thriller
"Dragonfly," July 30 for sci-fi thriller "Resident
Evil," August 20 for Tim Allen's "Joe Somebody" and
Disney's Peter Pan sequel "Return to Never Land," and, hold on
to your snow shoes, October 22 for Fox's smash animated adventure "Ice
Age." (Posted April 16, 2002)
New releases:
There's been a spate of new release announcements this week. Coming May 21 from
Lions Gate is Aussie mystery "Lantana," with Anthony LaPaglia,
Geoffrey Rush and Barbara Hershey heading up an ensemble cast. On May 21
Columbia TriStar will release adolescent comedy "Slackers."
"The Mothman Prophecies," starring Richard Gere, will flit to
home video on June 4, from Columbia TriStar. Lions Gate has announced a June 11
date for the release of "Monster's Ball," starring Billy Bob
Thornton and 2001 Academy Award-winner for best actress Halle Berry. Action-
adventure remake "Rollerball" will glide onto video store
shelves on June 18, from MGM. Miramax's tale of one man's redemption,
"The Shipping News," starring Kevin Spacey and Julianne Moore,
will come home June 18. Also on June 18, New Line will release the Sean Penn-
Michelle Pfeiffer melodrama "I Am Sam." Wes Anderson's
absurdist black comedy "The Royal Tenenbaums," with an all-star
cast including Gene Hackman, Anjelica Huston, Ben Stiller, Gwyneth Paltrow, Bill
Murray, Luke Wilson and Owen Wilson, will fracture up viewers on July 9, from
Buena Vista. Miramax will release on August 13 "In the
Bedroom," starring Sissy Spacek, Tom Wilkinson and Marisa Tomei. The
delightful French import "Amelie," starring Audrey Tautou, will
tickle viewers on July 16, from Miramax. And, finally, on August 20, Miramax
will release the bio-drama "Iris," about famed literary figure
Iris Murdoch, starring 2001 Oscar best supporting actor Jim Broadbent, Judi
Dench and Kate Winslet. (Posted April 9, 2002)
A fighting chance:
Fast on the heels of FlixMix's compilation of the best scenes from horror films
comes the "Ultimate Fights" DVD, a disc of the best fights ever
to grace the big screen. There's fistfights, swordfights, streetfights,
gunfights, gangfights, girlfights, boxing fights, martial arts fights and more.
There are 16 fights from such films as "Gladiator," "Rumble in the Bronx,"
"Blade," "Scarface," "Black Mask," "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," "Snatch,"
"Legend of Drunken Master," "First Blood," "The Killer" and more. The best
segments are from the best films: The beautifully choreographed indoor killing
fields of John Woo's "The Killers" and Jackie Chan's "Rumble in the Bronx."
There's even a sequence from "Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story," with Jason Scott Lee
mimicking the master's moves. Extras (five hours in all) include "Behind the
Punches," a featurette on staging your own Hollywood fight scene; commentary by
legendary Hong Kong martial arts director Tsui Hark; "The Ultimate Rumble Party
Mix," an original music soundtrack scored to each fight; Flix Fact pop-up trivia
and production notes for every scene; movie still quizzes; fighter profiles;
"stats" for each fight; and DVD-ROM features. Available on DVD only on April
16. (Posted April 9, 2002)
New DVD Releases:
The Criterion Collection and Home Vision Entertainment will release three more
of their fabulous DVD editions of classic and important films: On March 12
they'll release a new digital transfer of Federico Fellini's "Juliet of
the Spirits" (1965) and David Gordon Green's "Geroge
Washington" (2000); on March 26 Akira Kurosawa's
"Rashomon" (1950) will get the special Criterion treatment. ...
Columbia TriStar has announced two interesting DVD releases. On April 30 the
studio will release a two-disc set of "Jerry Maguire" (1996),
directed by Cameron Crowe and starring Tom Cruise, Cuba Gooding Jr. and Renee
Zellweger. The Special Edition will include the film in a widescreen
presentation with commentary by Crowe, Cruise, Zellweger and Gooding, deleted
scenes, video commentary with Crowe, Cruise, Zellweger and Gooding, featurettes,
and more. On March 26 the studio will release another film from their Ray
Harryhausen catalog, 1964's "First Men in the Moon," digitally
remastered with a "This Is Dynamation" featurette and "The Harryhausen
Chronicles" documentary. ... MPI Home Video is mining popular culture with two
February 26 releases: "Hullabaloo Volumes 9-12," two one-hour
programs and six half-hour shows of the rock 'n' roll musical variety show that
ran on NBC from 1965-1966, on one disc with digitally remastered audio, $24.98;
and "Coca-Cola: The History of an American Icon," a 106-minute
documentary on "the pause that refreshes," $19.98 (also available on VHS for
$14.98) ... And, lastly, for fans of "The X-Files," Fox will release on May 14
"The X-Files: Season Five," a six-disc set with all 20 episodes
in anamorphic widescreen, with an all-new documentary "The Truth About Season
Five"; a 46-minute FX special "Inside The X-Files"; deleted scenes with optional
commentary by creator Chris Carter; 11 "Behind-the-Truth" FX spots; 40
promotional TV spots; DVD-ROM game and more; $149.98. (Posted February
18, 2002)
New Sell-Through:
New Line has set a June 4 release date for a $14.94 VHS edition of
"Hedwig and the Angry Inch," and Columbia TriStar has set April
30 for the release of "John Carpenter's Ghosts of Mars" at
$14.95. (Posted February 18, 2002)
New Releases:
Fox has announced the April release of three hit films from last year: Evocative
thriller "The Deep End," starring Tilda Swinton, on April 16; the Martin
Lawrence starrer "Black Knight," also on April 16; and the exciting war
suspenser "Behind Enemy Lines," starring Owen Wilson and Gene Hackman, on April
23. Two off-beat films also arrive in April: black comedy "Novocaine," starring
Steve Martin and Laura Dern, from Artisan, on April 23; and the Coen brothers'
1940s-set hard-boiled noir "The Man Who Wasn't There," starring Billy Bob
Thornton, Frances McDormand and James Gandolfini, on April 16 from USA.
(Posted February 11, 2002)
New to Sell-through:
Fox will release on March 5 a $14.98 VHS special edition of "Planet of the
Apes," with a "Clues to the Ending" featurette and an HBO "Making of Planet of
the Apes" featurette. On March 19 Fox will release "Moulin Rouge Special
Edition" VHS for $14.98, with 25 minutes of bonus features including Nicole
Kidman and Ewan McGregor featurettes, three deleted scenes, an extended dance
scene, and the "Lady Marmalade" MTV performance. (Posted February
11, 2002)
New "View":
Billed as a "lost" View Askew film, "Drawing Flies" was
initially filmed between "Mallrats" and "Chasing Amy" by Malcolm Ingram, a Film
Threat reporter on the set of Kevin Smith's "Mallrats" who befriended the cast
and pitched the idea about a film about city kids lost in the woods trying to
find Bigfoot. The cast includes View Askew regulars Jason Lee, Jason Mewes and
Renee Humphrey, and has been endorsed by View Askew mavens Kevin Smith and Scott
Mosier. The film was finished by IndieDVD, an independent home video label
founded by struggling filmmakers to create a direct channel of quality
undiscovered independent cinema to the home audience. Available for sale at Best
Buy, for rental at Hollywood Video, or purchased direct from www.indiedvd.com.
$19.98 DVD (with extra features that include commentary by the cast and
producers Scott Mosier and Kevin Smith; introduction by Smith and Mosier;
additional director's cut with integrated deleted scenes; Easter eggs featuring
stories by Smith); $14.98 VHS. Due February 26. (Posted February 11,
2002)
Everyone's Crazy About Harry:
Warner Home Video has officially announced the date (May 28, as anticipated) and
features for the VHS and DVD releases of "Harry Potter and the
Sorcerer's Stone." The VHS, which will contain over 5 minutes of never
before seen footage, will have a suggested retail price of $24.99. The DVD,
available in both widescreen and fullscreen two-disc sets, will be priced at
$26.99. DVD features: Disc 1 includes the full feature plus Dolby Digital 5.1,
original trailers and more. Disc 2 includes never-before-seen footage; a
360-degree self-guided tour of Hogwarts, including the Gryffindor Common Room,
the Great Hall, Harry's room and Hagrid's hut, controlled by your remote; new
interviews with director Chris Columbus and producer David Heyman; lessons in
the magic game of Quidditch with an original Quidditch montage; and such
interactive features as catching a snitch with your remote, having a wand choose
you at Ollivanders' Wands, meeting the ghosts of Hogwarts, casting a spell over
a scene in eight languages with "Harry Potter throughout the world," creating
potions correctly or winding up in the infirmary, sneaking past Fluffy and other
challenges to reveal the secret in the Mirror of Erised, transfiguring objects,
opening a screaming book and much more. DVD-ROM features allow users to be
sorted by the sorting hat, collect wizard trading cards, download flying owls in
the great hall and receive owl e-mail messages. There's also game demos,
Quidditch screensavers and more. (Posted February 5, 2002)
Lord of the Rumors:
Unconfirmed reports have begun circulating on the Web indicating that New Line
will release "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the
Ring" to home video on August 27. No word on pricing or DVD extras.
(Posted February 5, 2002)
New Releases:
"Max Keeble's Big Move," a kiddie revenge movie starring Alex
D. Linz, Zena Grey, Josh Peck, Larry Miller and Jamie Kennedy, will surface in
video stores on June 18 in VHS sell-through ($29.99) and DVD editions. The April
9 release of the John Cusack-Kate Beckinsdale romantic comedy
"Serendipity" will be priced at $29.99 for its VHS sell-through
version. Both films are from Buena Vista. (Posted February 5, 2002)
New DVD Releases:
On April 2 Columbia TriStar will release "The Net Special
Edition" (1995), starring Sandra Bullock, Jeremy Northam, Dennis
Miller, Diane Baker and Ken Howard. Extras will include commentary by director
Irwin Winkler and producer Rob Cowen, commentary by writers John Brancato and
Michael Ferris, an HBO "Inside the Net" featurette, a "making-of" featurette and
more ... On April 16, Anchor Bay will release two new versions of 1965's
Highlander: A Special Edition with commentary by
director Russell Mulcahy, producers Peter Davis and William Panzer and a stills
gallery; and The Immortal Edition, with commentary by Mulcahy, producers Davis
and Panzer; a stills gallery; Queen music videos with commentary by Queen
members Brian May, Roger Taylor and composer Michael Kamen; a CD compilation of
songs from the movie plus additional rarities; all packaged in metal slipcase
... Also on April 16 Columbia TriStar will release a DVD edition of Woody
Allen's "Husbands and Wives" (1992), starring Allen, Judy
Davis, Mia Farrow, Sydney Pollack, Juliette Lewis and Lysette Anthony. As with
most Allen films on DVD, extras are limited to trailers. (Posted February
5, 2002)
New Release:
Rat-pack remake "Ocean's Eleven," starring George Clooney, Matt Damon, Andy
Garcia, Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts, will arrive on home video on May 7. The
Warner Home Entertainment VHS will be priced at $19.95 minimum advertised price;
the DVD will contain two commentary tracks: one by Pitt, Damon and Garcia, and
one by director Steven Soderbergh. (Posted February 25, 2002)
New DVD Releases:
MGM will release on May 7 one of the greatest rock concert movies ever, "The
Last Waltz" (1978), directed by Martin Scorsese and starring The Band with
guests Bob Dylan, Dr. John, Ronnie Hawkins, Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison, Neil
Young, Neil Diamond, Muddy Waters, Stephen Stills, Bobby Charles, Carl Radle,
Eric Clapton, Ringo Starr and Ron Wood. The Special Edition will feature a
digital transfer with the original stereo mix as well as a new digital mix in
5.1 Surround supervised by the Band's Robbie Robertson; commentary by Scorsese
and Robertson; commentary by featured musicians and music journalists;
"Revisiting The Last Waltz" featurette; previously unseen footage and
memorabilia; photo gallery with 100 rare images chronicling the concert and the
film's premiere; collectible booklet with introduction by Robertson; $24.98.
(Posted February 25, 2002)
Sell-through:
Warner has announced that its March 19 release of cop crime thriller
"Training Day," starring Denzel Washington and Ethan Hawke, will be priced on
VHS at $14.95 and will feature an alternate ending. Another cop thriller, "Along
Came a Spider" (2001), starring Morgan Freeman, Monica Potter, Michael Wincott,
Mika Boorem, Anton Yelchin, Kim Hawthorne and Dylan Baker, will arrive in a
sell-through version on March 5 at $14.95, featuring cast and crew interviews,
from Paramount. (Posted February 25, 2002)
New DVD Releases:
The Criterion Collection and Home Vision Entertainment will release three more
of their fabulous DVD editions of classic and important films: On March 12
they'll release a new digital transfer of Federico Fellini's "Juliet of
the Spirits" (1965) and David Gordon Green's "Geroge
Washington" (2000); on March 26 Akira Kurosawa's
"Rashomon" (1950) will get the special Criterion treatment. ...
Columbia TriStar has announced two interesting DVD releases. On April 30 the
studio will release a two-disc set of "Jerry Maguire" (1996),
directed by Cameron Crowe and starring Tom Cruise, Cuba Gooding Jr. and Renee
Zellweger. The Special Edition will include the film in a widescreen
presentation with commentary by Crowe, Cruise, Zellweger and Gooding, deleted
scenes, video commentary with Crowe, Cruise, Zellweger and Gooding, featurettes,
and more. On March 26 the studio will release another film from their Ray
Harryhausen catalog, 1964's "First Men in the Moon," digitally
remastered with a "This Is Dynamation" featurette and "The Harryhausen
Chronicles" documentary. ... MPI Home Video is mining popular culture with two
February 26 releases: "Hullabaloo Volumes 9-12," two one-hour
programs and six half-hour shows of the rock 'n' roll musical variety show that
ran on NBC from 1965-1966, on one disc with digitally remastered audio, $24.98;
and "Coca-Cola: The History of an American Icon," a 106-minute
documentary on "the pause that refreshes," $19.98 (also available on VHS for
$14.98) ... And, lastly, for fans of "The X-Files," Fox will release on May 14
"The X-Files: Season Five," a six-disc set with all 20 episodes
in anamorphic widescreen, with an all-new documentary "The Truth About Season
Five"; a 46-minute FX special "Inside The X-Files"; deleted scenes with optional
commentary by creator Chris Carter; 11 "Behind-the-Truth" FX spots; 40
promotional TV spots; DVD-ROM game and more; $149.98. (Posted February
18, 2002)
New Sell-Through:
New Line has set a June 4 release date for a $14.94 VHS edition of
"Hedwig and the Angry Inch," and Columbia TriStar has set April
30 for the release of "John Carpenter's Ghosts of Mars" at
$14.95. (Posted February 18, 2002)
New Releases:
Fox has announced the April release of three hit films from last year: Evocative
thriller "The Deep End," starring Tilda Swinton, on April 16; the Martin
Lawrence starrer "Black Knight," also on April 16; and the exciting war
suspenser "Behind Enemy Lines," starring Owen Wilson and Gene Hackman, on April
23. Two off-beat films also arrive in April: black comedy "Novocaine," starring
Steve Martin and Laura Dern, from Artisan, on April 23; and the Coen brothers'
1940s-set hard-boiled noir "The Man Who Wasn't There," starring Billy Bob
Thornton, Frances McDormand and James Gandolfini, on April 16 from USA.
(Posted February 11, 2002)
New to Sell-through:
Fox will release on March 5 a $14.98 VHS special edition of "Planet of the
Apes," with a "Clues to the Ending" featurette and an HBO "Making of Planet of
the Apes" featurette. On March 19 Fox will release "Moulin Rouge Special
Edition" VHS for $14.98, with 25 minutes of bonus features including Nicole
Kidman and Ewan McGregor featurettes, three deleted scenes, an extended dance
scene, and the "Lady Marmalade" MTV performance. (Posted February
11, 2002)
New "View":
Billed as a "lost" View Askew film, "Drawing Flies" was
initially filmed between "Mallrats" and "Chasing Amy" by Malcolm Ingram, a Film
Threat reporter on the set of Kevin Smith's "Mallrats" who befriended the cast
and pitched the idea about a film about city kids lost in the woods trying to
find Bigfoot. The cast includes View Askew regulars Jason Lee, Jason Mewes and
Renee Humphrey, and has been endorsed by View Askew mavens Kevin Smith and Scott
Mosier. The film was finished by IndieDVD, an independent home video label
founded by struggling filmmakers to create a direct channel of quality
undiscovered independent cinema to the home audience. Available for sale at Best
Buy, for rental at Hollywood Video, or purchased direct from www.indiedvd.com.
$19.98 DVD (with extra features that include commentary by the cast and
producers Scott Mosier and Kevin Smith; introduction by Smith and Mosier;
additional director's cut with integrated deleted scenes; Easter eggs featuring
stories by Smith); $14.98 VHS. Due February 26. (Posted February 11,
2002)
Lord of the Rumors:
Unconfirmed reports have begun circulating on the Web indicating that New Line
will release "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the
Ring" to home video on August 27. No word on pricing or DVD extras.
(Posted February 5, 2002)
New Releases:
"Max Keeble's Big Move," a kiddie revenge movie starring Alex
D. Linz, Zena Grey, Josh Peck, Larry Miller and Jamie Kennedy, will surface in
video stores on June 18 in VHS sell-through ($29.99) and DVD editions. The April
9 release of the John Cusack-Kate Beckinsdale romantic comedy
"Serendipity" will be priced at $29.99 for its VHS sell-through
version. Both films are from Buena Vista. (Posted February 5, 2002)
New DVD Releases:
On April 2 Columbia TriStar will release "The Net Special
Edition" (1995), starring Sandra Bullock, Jeremy Northam, Dennis
Miller, Diane Baker and Ken Howard. Extras will include commentary by director
Irwin Winkler and producer Rob Cowen, commentary by writers John Brancato and
Michael Ferris, an HBO "Inside the Net" featurette, a "making-of" featurette and
more ... On April 16, Anchor Bay will release two new versions of 1965's
Highlander: A Special Edition with commentary by
director Russell Mulcahy, producers Peter Davis and William Panzer and a stills
gallery; and The Immortal Edition, with commentary by Mulcahy, producers Davis
and Panzer; a stills gallery; Queen music videos with commentary by Queen
members Brian May, Roger Taylor and composer Michael Kamen; a CD compilation of
songs from the movie plus additional rarities; all packaged in metal slipcase
... Also on April 16 Columbia TriStar will release a DVD edition of Woody
Allen's "Husbands and Wives" (1992), starring Allen, Judy
Davis, Mia Farrow, Sydney Pollack, Juliette Lewis and Lysette Anthony. As with
most Allen films on DVD, extras are limited to trailers. (Posted February
5, 2002)
New Releases: Though the film is
still in movie theaters, Columbia TriStar has scheduled an April 23 release for
the Will Smith starrer "Ali." The release date for David
Lynch's weird "Mulholland Drive" has been firmed up for April
9. Also on that day the John Cusack-Kate Beckinsdale romantic comedy
"Serendipity" will be released by Buena Vista. (Posted
January 28, 2002)
New DVD Releases:
On April 9 MGM will release "The Usual Suspects Special Edition"
(1995), directed by Bryan Singer and starring Kevin Spacey, Gabriel
Byrne, Kevin Pollak, Stephen Baldwin, Pete Postlethwaite, Chazz Palminteri and
Benicio Del Toro. The DVD features commentary by Singer and writer Christopher
McQuarrie; commentary by composer and editor John Ottman; deleted scenes; "Round
Up -- Deposing the Usual Suspects" featurette; "Keyser Soze -- Lie or Legend"
featurette (that answers the question "Who Is Keyser Soze?"); "Heisting
Cannes With The Usual Suspects" featurette; new in-depth interviews with cast
and crew; gag reel created by Singer; Easter eggs and more; $24.98. TV to video:
Lovers of the TV series "Friends" will flip on April 30 when
Warner releases "Friends: The Complete First Season" on a five-disc DVD set;
"All in the Family - The Complete First Season" will be
released by Columbia TriStar on March 26 in a three-DVD set. (Posted January
28, 2002)
New Sell-through: Columbia TriStar
has set March 26 for repriced editions of "The Animal," "Dead Sexy,""White
River" and "America's Sweethearts"; $14.95 each. (Posted January 28,
2002)
New Releases: The much anticipated
home video release of "The Others," starring Nicole Kidman, has
tentatively been set for May 14 by Dimension Films. Other tentative dates: March
26 for martial arts actioner "Iron Monkey," from Miramax; April
9 for Domestic Disturbance," starring John Travolta nd Vince
Vaughn, from Paramount; Columbia TriStar's "Not Another Teen
Movie" on April 30; and "Kate & Leopold," starring Meg
Ryan and Hugh Jackman, on June 4, from Miramax. (Posted January 22,
2002)
New DVD Releases: On March 5 Fox
will release a special edition of Cameron Crowe's "Say
Anything" (1989), starring John Cusack, Ione Skye, John Mahoney, Lili
Taylor and Loren Dean, with commentary by Crowe, Cusack and Skye; 10 deleted
scenes; 13 extended scenes; and a "making-of" documentary. Also on that day
Anchor Bay will release two new editions of "The Evil Dead"
(1982), directed by Sam Raimi and starring Bruce Campbell, Ellen Sandweiss, Hal
Delrich, Betsy Baker and Sarah York: "The Evil Dead Special Edition," in Dolby
Digital and DTS will include commentary by Raimi and producer Bob Tapert,
commentary by Campbell, outtakes, deleted scenes and a still gallery, for
$19.95; "The Evil Dead: Book of the Dead" edition includes Special Edition
features as well as an all-new 26-minute documentary "Fanalysis" by Campbell, a
"Discovering Evil Dead" featurette, in a two-disc set housed in a special "Book
of the Dead" box with a "human flesh" latex cover designed by makeup artist Tom
Sullivan; $49.95. (Posted January 22, 2002)
Home Video's Banner Year:
Thanks to the impressive impact of DVDs on the video market, 2001 saw video
rentals and sales total a staggering $17 billion, more than twice the revenue
brought in by theatrical releases. The top 10 titles of the year (in total
VHS/DVD sales and rentals, from various sources):
New Releases: Fox has announced two interesting releases for
March: On March 12, the studio will release teen thriller "Joy Ride," starring
Steve Zahn, Paul Walker and Leelee Sobieski, and weird thriller (and 2001
Sundance Film Festival darling) "Donnie Darko," starring Drew Barrymore, Jake
Gyllenhaal and Noah Wyle. DreamWorks has set a March 5 release date for the
Robert Redford-James Gandolfini starrer "The Last Castle." Lions Gate will
release urban comedy "The Wash," starring Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre, on March 12.
And on March 26 Universal will release the psychological black comedy "K-PAX,"
starring Kevin Spacey and Jeff Bridges. (Posted January 15, 2002)
New to Sell-through: MGM has announced an April 2 release date
for $14.95 repricings of two big box office hits: "Legally Blonde," starring
Reese Witherspoon, Matthew Davis and Selma Blair, and "Heartbreakers," starring
Sigourney Weaver, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Gene Hackman and Jason Lee. Also on that
day New Line is repricing to $14.94 "Town & Country," starring Warren Beatty,
Diane Keaton, Goldie Hawn and Garry Shandling, and "Pros & Cons," starring Larry
Miller, Tommy Davidson and Delroy Lindo. (Posted January 15, 2002)
New to DVD: The long-awaited hockey flick "Slap Shot" (1977),
directed by George Roy Hill and starring Paul Newman, Michael Ontkean, Lindsay
Crouse, Jennifer Warren, Melinda Dillon, Strother Martin, Swoosie Kurtz, M.
Emmet Walsh, Paul Dooley, Dave Hanson, Steve Carlson and Jeff Carlson will
finally come to DVD in the "Slap Shot 25th Anniversary Special Edition" from
Universal on March 26. The DVD will feature commentary by the "Hanson Brothers"
(ex-hockey players and hockey goodwill ambassadors/cult heroes Dave Hanson,
Steve Carlson and Jeff Carlson), a "Puck Talk With the Hansons" featurette and a
"Hanson Brothers Classic Scenes" feature with direct access to the best-loved
Hanson Brothers scenes. Also on that day Universal will release the direct-to-
video sequel "Slap Shot 2: Breaking the Ice," starring Stephen Baldwin, Gary
Busey, Dave Hanson, Steve Carlson and Jeff Carlson, to DVD and VHS. (Posted
January 15, 2002)
More movement: Buena Vista's three-disc "Pearl Harbor Vista
Series" release has again been moved, now to July 2. (Posted January
15, 2002)
New releases: March 12: Gangland thriller "Sexy Beast,"
starring Ben Kingsley, from Fox; David Mamet's caper film "Heist," starring Gene
Hackman and Danny DeVito, from Warner; and fashion comedy "Zoolander," starring
Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson, from Paramount. March 19: Cop crime thriller
"Training Day," starring Denzel Washington and Ethan Hawke, from Warner. March
26: Melodrama "Life as a House," starring Kevin Kline and Kristin Scott Thomas,
from New Line. (Posted January 8, 2002)
New DVDs: MGM will release on April 2 the long-
awaited 1988 baseball film "Bull Durham," starring Kevin Costner, Susan Sarandon
and Tim Robbins, in a special edition that includes commentary by director Ron
Shelton, commentary by Costner and Robbins, a new documentary on the making of
the film, a photo gallery, advertising materials and more. Paramount has set a
February 12 date for release of the three "Bad News Bears" movies: "The Bad News
Bears" (1976), "The Bad News Bears in Breaking Training" (1977) and "The Bad
News Bears Go to Japan" (1978). (Posted January 8, 2002)
New sell-through: A late announcement from Paramount has
revealed a January 8 release date for $14.95 VHS versions of moody supernatural
thriller "The Gift," directed by Sam Raimi and starring Cate Blanchett, Hilary
Swank, Keanu Reeves, Giovanni Ribisi, Greg Kinnear, Katie Holmes, Michael Jeter
and Kim Dickens; tender drama "You Can Count On Me," directed by Kenneth
Lonergan and starring Laura Linney, Mark Ruffalo, Rory Culkin, Matthew Broderick
and Jon Tenney; and comedy "Company Man," starring Sigourney Weaver, Ryan
Phillippe, Anthony LaPaglia, John Turturro, Denis Leary, Woody Allen, Allen
Cumming and Douglas McGrath. (Posted January 8, 2002)
New DVD release: The most requested title in New Line Home
Video's film catalog, David Lynch's "Twin Peaks Fire Walk With Me," will get a
DVD release on February 26. The 1992 prequel to the TV series starred Kyle
MacLachlan, Chris Isaak, Sheryl Lee, Kiefer Sutherland, Moira Kelly, Harry Dean
Stanton, Miguel Ferrer, David Bowie, Ray Wise, Pamela Gidley, Madchen Amick, and
Peggy Lipton. Lynch supervised the remastering of the video and sound for this
release, which contains a new six-channel mix in Dolby Digital and DTS that was
created at Lynch's Asymmetrical Studio specifically for the DVD. Also included
is an original 30-minute documentary, "Reflections on the Phenomenon of Twin
Peaks," featuring new interviews with the cast and crew. New Line is pricing the
DVD at $19.98. (Posted January 1, 2002)
New Sell-through Announcement: Columbia TriStar has set March 5
as the release date for $14.95 VHS versions of animated "Final Fantasy: The
Spirits Within," teen vampire thriller "The Forsaken," sci-fi thriller
"Reptilian," and under-rated and under-appreciated French mystery thriller
"Crimson Rivers," starring Jean Reno. (Posted January 1, 2002)
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