Like
the previous edition of "Inside
DVD" (& D-VHS) this volume
will focus on the early part
of 2003. While much of the
content from the previous issue
will be carried over, a large
amount of new information on
upcoming DVD releases has been
added that many of you will
no doubt be interested in.
Before we get rolling with
the DVD details, however, let's
get some hardware and software
statistics and D-VHS® information
out of the way. DVD players continue to sell at an amazing
pace with units sold in the U.S. during the year 2002 exceeding
15 million. The total number of players sold since the format's
launch nearly six years ago has topped 40 million. And for
those keeping score on the number of titles released on DVD,
the number of Region 1 DVDs released has reached 20,000.
By the time you read this, a handful of new
D-VHS D-Theater™ titles will have been announced and/or
released. Many new titles are expected to be announced at
the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Nevada
on January 9-12, 2003, including "Basic Instinct" and "Reservoir
Dogs" from Artisan and "The Hurricane" from Universal. We've
been informed that Artisan is also considering releasing
the "Rambo" series of movies on D-Theater. Other titles are
expected to be announced from 20th Century Fox, including
several titles intended to be released day-and-date with
their DVD counterpart. DreamWorks and Universal also have
new titles on the horizon. No word yet on other studios jumping
on board, though more manufacturers are expected to offer
players in the coming year.
We've learned that Joe Kane Productions is
nearing completion of production on "Digital Video Essentials," a
high-definition update to the popular Video Essentials calibration/set-up
disc, and is due to be released in D-Theater format sometime
in January. The plan is to offer the title in two editions:
720p and 1080i, with a 1080p version offered down the road.
In addition, HDNet has made available a number
of special interest programming in D-VHS (but not D-Theater-encrypted),
including the "Bikini Destinations" and "Smart Travels" series.
All D-VHS and D-Theater titles can be ordered at WSR's DVHSMovie
Guide.com Web site.
Moving
on to DVD...
Anchor
Bay
Anchor
Bay Entertainment has plenty in store for 2003. Over the
course of the year the company will continue to release its
usual assortment of horror, foreign, and genuinely oddball
titles the major studios can't or won't touch. Some
of the many releases you can expect will be "Escape 2000," "Michael
Nesmith's Elephant Parts," "Fear No Evil," Peter Jackson's
"Meet The Feebles," "Winter Kills," and "Powwow Highway." The
company will also be releasing numerous multi-disc DVD collections.
Some Special Edition releases with remastered DTS®-ES
Discrete 6.1 and Dolby® Digital Surround EX™ soundtracks
will include "Dawn Of The Dead," "Day Of The Dead," and "The
Man Who Fell To Earth."
Artisan
Fans
of "Stargate" will be pleased that Artisan is planning another
- and hopefully definitive - version of this popular science-fiction
adventure. Scheduled for release on February 18, this latest
two-disc DVD of "Stargate" will include a new anamorphic
widescreen transfer, newly remixed DTS-ES Discrete 6.1 and
Dolby Digital Surround EX soundtracks, and some new supplemental
material. SRP is $19.98
Buena
Vista
On
February 4, "Sweet Home Alabama" will be released on the
Touchstone label. The romantic comedy with Reese Witherspoon
will feature anamorphic widescreen and Dolby Digital 5.1
audio, and will retail for $29.99. Extras are scheduled to
include an audio commentary track by director Andy Tennant,
eight deleted scenes, an alternate ending, and a "Mine All
Mine" music video. Also due on the 4th is the Large Format
film, "Ultimate X."
On the
Miramax and Dimension labels, Steven Soderbergh's "Full Frontal" will
arrive February 11, as well as "Spy Kids 2: Island Of Lost
Dreams" the following week. The Dimension Collector's Series
(SRP $29.99) will include audio commentary with director
Robert Rodriguez, deleted scenes, outtakes, "Isle Of Dreams" music
video, stills gallery, "Spy Kids School," featurettes, and
DVD-ROM content. The 18th will also see the release of the
director's cut edition of Giuseppe Tornatore's well-loved "Cinema
Paradiso." The DVD-18 will include both the original cut
and the extended director's cut in the original Italian language
Dolby Digital 5.1 and anamorphic widescreen.
As for
catalog and direct-to-video releases, Tornatore's 1995 effort "The
Star Maker" will street February 4. The same day will see
the release of "Citizen Ruth," "Into The West," "Jane Eyre" (1996),
and "The Night And The Moment," (all anamorphic widescreen
and Dolby Digital 2.0).
On the
Walt Disney label, "Tuck Everlasting" is scheduled for release
on February 25 featuring anamorphic widescreen, Dolby Digital
5.1, audio commentary and featurettes.
The
big collectible in March will no doubt be the VISTA Series
edition of "Who Framed Roger Rabbit," due on the 25th ($29.99).
Fans of this landmark 1988 production will be treated to
many highlights including new anamorphic widescreen and full
screen transfers, remastered Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1 audio
(it was learned since the last issue that a DTS track would
also be included), and supplements including the three Roger
Rabbit shorts: "Tummy Trouble" (which played theatrically
with "Honey, I Shrunk The Kids"), "Roller Coaster Rabbit" ("Dick
Tracy"), and "Trail Mix-Up" ("A Far Off Place") which were
previously available on a "Best Of Roger Rabbit" LaserDisc
that, well, never quite got officially released. Additional
extras include an audio commentary track featuring director
Robert Zemeckis and producer Frank Marshall, a newly-produced
documentary "Behind The Ears: The True Story Of Roger Rabbit," split-screen
comparisons, some additional featurettes, and games.
Due on
March 4 will be the first season of "The Osbournes." The
two-disc set will feature the entire first season's episodes,
along with clips from some unaired episodes, blooper reel,
audio commentary tracks, and more. "The Osbournes" will be
available for $29.99 and in a choice of censored or uncensored
versions. Not to out-do the heavy metal madman and his crazy
family, Disney has their direct-to-video sequel to "Inspector
Gadget" arriving in stores a week later. Fans
of Disney's classic animated titles will be pleased to learn
that "Sleeping Beauty" and "The Lion King" are next in line
to be released on DVD and will appear later in the year.
And "20,000 Leagues Under The Sea" is in production as a
deluxe edition and should get released sometime in 2003.
Buena
Vista also has dozens of catalog titles set to be released
throughout the spring, including Krzysztof Kieslowski's long-awaited "Three
Colors" trilogy: "Blue," "White," and "Red," as well as many
others including "Scenes From A Mall," "Tom & Viv," "Stella," and "My
Father The Hero." And finally, expect winter or spring DVD
arrivals of "Moonlight Mile, "Naqoyqatsi," and "Spirited
Away," among other releases. Columbia
TriStar
"Formula
51" (aka "The 51st State") will arrive February 4 with anamorphic
widescreen and full screen versions, Dolby Digital 5.1 audio,
and a featurette. On February 11, the studio will release
the latest Madonna turkey, "Swept Away," which will include
both anamorphic widescreen and full screen, Dolby Digital
5.1, deleted scenes, audio commentary, and a featurette.
Also due in February are second season sets of "All In The
Family" and "Sanford And Son," and a first season set of "Good
Times," as well as a "Most Outrageous Episodes" set of "Married...With
Children."
"Half
Past Dead" is scheduled to be released on March 4, as is "Born
Free" and its sequel "Living Free." Another round of Superbit™ titles
have been scheduled for release on March 4. This batch will
include "The Dark Crystal," "Das Boot," "Heavy Metal," "Labyrinth," "Legends
Of The Fall," "Seven Years In Tibet," and the first non-widescreen
Superbit: "From Here To Eternity." Those "Das Boot" fans
who have hoped to get rid of your "flipper" version may be
pleased to know the title is getting the Superbit treatment
but may be equally disappointed to learn that this new edition
is scheduled to be spread over two separate discs. Late-winter/spring
releases may include "I Spy," "Adaptation," "Punch-Drunk
Love," "Stealing Harvard," and "Adam Sandler's Eight Crazy
Nights." Criterion
The
Criterion Collection and Home Vision Entertainment promise an
extraordinary year of DVD releases.
Criterion releases set for February release include a new
definitive version of Jean Cocteau's 1946 classic "Beauty And
The Beast," Vilgot Sjoman's companion "I Am Curious" films "Yellow" and "Blue," and
Volker Schlondorff's and Margarethe von Trotta's "The Lost
Honor Of Katharina Blum." "Beauty And The Beast" is set to
include a "breathtaking new high-definition transfer made from
restored elements," an original opera written for the film
by composer Philip Glass presented in Dolby Digital 5.1, an
interview with the cinematographer, two audio commentary tracks
featuring film historians Arthur Knight and Sir Christopher
Frayling, and many additional extras. SRP is $39.95 and the
street date is February 11. The date for the other February
titles is the 25th.
Two Home Vision DVDs set for February 25 release are "Drole
De Drame" and "La Vallee." Both will be presented in their
original aspect ratio (1.33:1 for the former, 2.35:1 for the
latter) and will include liner notes. SRP will be $19.95.
Look for Lasse Hallstrom's "My Life As A Dog" and Sam Peckinpah's "Straw
Dogs" to get the Criterion treatment in the near future,
and many other Home Vision and Criterion titles will no doubt
be announced as the year progresses.
DreamWorks
Frank
Darabont's "Road To Perdition" is set for release on February
25. The sure-to-be-nominated for many awards film starring
Tom Hanks will be offered in three separate editions: anamorphic
widescreen with Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack, anamorphic
widescreen with DTS soundtrack, and full screen with Dolby
Digital soundtrack. (Despite the DTS edition including only
the one discrete soundtrack, the bit rate is set to be 754
kbps rather than the full 1509 kbps.) Extras include audio
commentary, deleted scenes, and (except on the DTS edition)
a featurette. MAP for each will be $19.95.
DreamWorks
will also release "The Tuxedo" on the 25th. MAP is $19.95,
and the disc will include both anamorphic widescreen and
full screen, DTS and Dolby Digital 5.1 audio tracks, and
deleted and extended scenes, bloopers and outtakes.
Look
for "The Ring" to be released sometime in the spring.
HBO
The
big news from HBO Video is that they've secured the home
video rights to what is now the most successful independent
film of all time. That's right..."My Big Fat Greek Wedding." The
hugely popular comedy is set for release on February 11 (SRP
$27.95) and will include both anamorphic widescreen and full
screen versions on the same disc, along with Dolby Digital
5.1 audio and a director and cast audio commentary track.
A week
earlier HBO will release "Six Feet Under: The Complete First
Season" in a four-disc DVD collection for $99.98. Included
will be 13 hour-long (1.33:1) episodes, Dolby Digital 5.1
audio, cast and creator interview segment, a featurette,
and the difficult to explain supplement: "audio commentaries
of a deleted scene and two episodes delivered by Alan Ball."
Look
for additional season sets of "Sex And The City" and "The
Sopranos" later in the year.
Image
Entertainment
Image
Entertainment has plenty to offer in February. The February
lineup includes, on the 11th: "The Shape Of Things To Come," "Contamination" (remixed
into DTS-ES and Dolby Digital Surround EX), "The Windsnatchers," "Fritz
Lang's Indian Epic," "King Of The Streets," "Arsenal," and "The
Cook And Other Treasures" (with Buster Keaton and "Fatty" Arbuckle).
Also on the 11th will be releases of Michael Powell's "The
Edge Of The World," the 1973 television production of Tennessee
Williams' "The Glass Menagerie," and "Pass The Mic!" On the
18th will be "Rock Masters: AC/DC" and "Rock Masters: The
Cure," as well as another entry in the "Music In High Places" series: "Angie
Stone Live In Vancouver." Also on the 18th will be "Cradle
Of Fear," "Island Of Death," and three films by Nico Mastorakis: "Grandmother's
House," "The Time Traveller," and "Nightmare At Noon." Image
also has scheduled for the 18th "The Return Of Swamp Thing" and "Edie & Pen." On
the 25th expect Volumes three and four of "Rockthology" and "Drive:
My Life In Skateboarding," as well as "Michael Winslow: Comedy
Sound Slapdown!" and "Rich Little Starring In The Presidents." "Collection
5" of "The Twilight Zone" series will also arrive on the
25th and will complete the DVD collection of Rod Serling's
classic 1959-1964 anthology series.
MGM
A
Special Edition of Ridley Scott's "Thelma & Louise" will
finally become available on February 4 ($24.98). Extra features
will include a commentary by Ridley Scott, a second commentary
by stars Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis and screenwriter
Callie Khouri, four new documentaries, 30 minutes of deleted
scenes, the original, alternate ending (with optional commentary),
storyboards for "The Final Chase," and a Glenn Frey music
video. Presentation specs will be anamorphic widescreen and
Dolby Digital 5.1.
MGM will
offer numerous catalog titles throughout February and March.
On February 4 seven movies featuring Charles Bronson will
arrive on DVD: "10 To Midnight," "Assassination," "Kinjite:
Forbidden Subjects," "Messenger Of Death," "Mr. Majestyk," "Murphy's
Law." All will be $14.95, anamorphic widescreen, and Dolby
Digital 2.0; a Charles Bronson DVD Action Pack set will also
be available. Look for "A Prayer For The Dying" (non-anamorphic
widescreen), "No Man's Land" (1987 with Charlie Sheen; full
screen), and the DVD debut of "Road House" (anamorphic widescreen)—also
on the 4th. Look for "Larger Than Life" and "Joey" on the
4th , as well. Both will be full screen, Dolby Digital 2.0
editions.
February
18 catalog titles will include Mel Brooks' "Life Stinks" (which
will include a commentary and featurette), "Maxie," "The
Meteor Man," and "Mr. North" (all anamorphic widescreen),
and "How To Beat The High Cost Of Living," "Bank Shot," and "Basic
Training" (all full screen). All the MGM catalog titles will
have an SRP of $14.95.
Also
due on February 4 will be "Igby Goes Down" (anamorphic widescreen
and Dolby Digital 5.1). And "Women Vs. Men" will surface
on the 11th, and "All Or Nothing" on the 18th. MGM
has ten catalog releases scheduled for March 4, including
Special Editions of "Salaam Bombay!" and "Of Mice And Men." "Salaam
Bombay!" will retail for $24.98 and will include anamorphic
widescreen, remastered Hindi Dolby Digital 5.1 and original
Hindi mono, plus two audio commentary tracks (one by the
director, the other by the cinematographer), six featurettes,
and a photo gallery. The 1992 edition of "Of Mice And Men" will
retail for $19.98 and will include anamorphic widescreen,
Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround, and audio commentary with director/star
Gary Sinise, two featurettes, deleted scenes, and makeup
tests. Rounding out the March 4 batch of releases will be "C'est
La Vie," "A Doll's House," and "Nineteen Eighty-Four" (all
anamorphic widescreen), and "Equus," "Europa Europa," "Otello" (1986
with Placido Domingo), "Pauline At The Beach," and "Women
In Love" (all non-anamorphic widescreen). SRP for each will
be $19.98, and all will include original language Dolby Digital
2.0 mono or surround audio (depending on the title).
The 20th
official "007" adventure "Die Another Day" is expected to
appear on DVD in the spring, along with a rerelease of an
additional wave of "007" catalog titles. Some MGM Special
Edition DVDs known to be in various stages of production
include "The Howling," "The Pink Panther," "A Fish Called
Wanda," "Dances With Wolves," "A Bridge Too Far," "The Great
Escape," and John Carpenter's "Escape From New York." Note
that release dates have not been announced, and some of the
titles may not appear during 2003 or may appear only in other
regions.
New
Line
"Knockaround
Guys" has been given a February 25 release date. Specs will
include a $26.98 retail price, anamorphic widescreen and
full screen viewing options, Mi Casa Studio-remixed DTS-ES
Discrete 6.1 and Dolby Digital Surround EX audio tracks,
audio commentary, deleted scenes, and DVD-ROM content.
Look
for "Friday After Next" sometime in the spring and perhaps
a DVD release sometime soon of the already-released-overseas,
maybe-it-will-get-released-to-theatres-domestically "Unconditional
Love" (or is it "Who Shot Victor Fox?"). And expect big things
in 2003 with part two in the epic "Lord Of The Rings" trilogy: "The
Two Towers." Stay tuned for more on that!
Paramount
After
being shuffled around a couple times, Paramount has settled on
a February 18 date for the German import "Mostly Martha." "The
Four Feathers" is also scheduled for release on the 18th ($29.99,
anamorphic widescreen, Dolby Digital 5.1). Extras will include
audio commentary by the director and eight featurettes. The catalog
release "Lady Jane" is also due on the 18th.
On February
25, the first season of "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" will
arrive, with future seasons released over the course of the
year similar to the studios' approach with the previous "Trek" series
DVDs. We're informed the SRP will be "under $100." The six-disc
set will include several featurettes and a photo gallery,
and will be presented in its original 1.33:1 broadcast ratio.
More on "Star Trek" in a moment.
March
18 will see the release of "Abandon" and "Just A Kiss." Each
will retail for $29.99 and will include anamorphic widescreen
transfers. Audio will be Dolby Digital 5.1 for "Abandon" and
2.0 for "Just A Kiss." "Abandon" will
include audio commentary by the director and cinematographer,
a featurette, as well as deleted and extended scenes. Also
due on the 18th will be the direct-to-video sequel "Charlotte's
Web 2: Wilbur's Great Adventure."
Catalog
releases in March will include three baseball-themed titles
(just in time for Spring Training!), and another "Star Trek" feature
receiving the Special Edition treatment. "Bang The Drum Slowly," "Fear
Strikes Out," and "Talent For The Game" will arrive March
4 and will retail for $19.99 each, and will include anamorphic
widescreen. ("Talent" will include a Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack;
the other two will be 2.0.) No supplements are scheduled
to be included.
The
top-grossing of the cinematic "Star Trek" adventures (and
the only one to clear $100 million domestically), "The Voyage
Home," will be released on March 4th in a two-disc Collector's
Edition. Trekkies and Trekkers alike will be treated to an
audio commentary track featuring both Leonard Nimoy and William
Shatner, a text commentary, no less than a dozen featurettes,
some interview segments, and a storyboard and production
gallery. SRP is $24.99, and presentation specs are anamorphic
widescreen and Dolby Digital 5.1, and it will be the 118-minute
theatrical version.
A Collector's
Edition of "Star Trek V: The Final Frontier" will be beamed
our way not too far from now. It was reported in the last
issue that there was some speculation that "Trek V" would
be revisited by its filmmakers and DVD producers and have
substantial content changes made to it. Not so, confirms
Paramount. I'll leave it to you "Trek" fans out there to
decide if that was a good decision or not.
And,
expect the latest "Trek" adventure now in theatres, "Nemesis," to
get released on DVD in the spring or early summer.
Okay,
here's that "Indiana Jones" update that was promised. It's
not exactly the update I was planning for, but at least it's...something. "Indiana
Jones" series director Steven Spielberg was recently interviewed
by the Wall Street Journal and when asked about a DVD release
of the "Indy" adventures, his reply was optimistic. "We're
aiming for next fall," said the successful filmmaker. "[Executive
Producer] George Lucas and I are having an argument with
Paramount. Paramount wants to come out with all three movies
in one package. George and I want to come out with one film
at a time and then come out with all three movies in one
package." The interview also mentioned editorially that Paramount's
position is that there is no "argument" and that discussions
about a DVD release are ongoing. With hope, we may see Indy
by the end of the year! Oh, and Spielberg also revealed that
he is hoping to begin production on a fourth "Indiana Jones" big-screen
adventure in 2004 for a 2005 theatrical release.
The studio
will be jumping on the television bandwagon and will offer
several episodic series on DVD throughout the year, including "CSI:
Crime Scene Investigation," which is expected sometime this
spring.
20th
Century Fox
The
big highlight for many of you will be the long-rumored Special
Edition DVD for "X-Men." Well, it's here! "X-Men Version
1.5," and just in time for "X-Men 2" hitting theatres in
May. This new Special Edition will arrive February 11 with
an
SRP of $26.98. The disc will be anamorphic widescreen and
will also include both DTS and Dolby Digital 5.1 audio tracks.
The loaded DVD will include a branched enhanced viewing mode
allowing you to see and hear behind-the-scenes
commentary while watching the movie, a new audio commentary
track featuring
director Bryan Singer and actors Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellan,
and Hugh Jackman, new deleted scenes, and several featurettes
("Mutant Watch," "The Uncanny Suspects," "X-Factor: The Look
Of X-Men," "The Special Effects Of The X-Men"). There will
also be three scenes with a multi-angle capability, Internet
interstitials, footage from the international premiere, image
gallery and an "X-Men 2" sizzle reel. And the disc promises
an Easter Egg. And lastly, the DVD will include a Movie Money
coupon worth up to $12 for admission to either "Daredevil" or "X-Men
2" in theatres.
Also on February
11, Fox will release "Brown Sugar" ($27.98, anamorphic widescreen
and full screen, Dolby Digital 5.1). The disc will include
audio commentary, deleted scenes and two music videos. A
Season One set of "Angel" is also expected on the 11th.
"One Hour Photo" had
originally been set for release on January 28. Recently,
the title was rescheduled for February 18. Available in separate
anamorphic widescreen and full screen versions, either will
include Dolby Digital 5.1, audio commentary by the director,
a Sundance Channel Anatomy Of A Scene, interviews from a
Charlie Rose Show, and a Cinemax featurette.
Robert Wise's classic
science-fiction film "The Day The Earth Stood Still" can
be yours March 4. Presented in its original 1.33:1 format
and with Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo, the extras will include
a 70-minute documentary, audio commentary by Wise and Nicholas
Meyer, an original Movietone newsreel, and a restoration
comparison segment.
On March 11 the
company will release four family titles: "Bushwhacked," "Far
From Home: The Adventures Of Yellow Dog," "Lucas," and "My
Friend Flicka." The first three titles will include both
anamorphic widescreen and full screen versions while "My
Friend Flicka" will be in its original full screen format.
All will include Dolby Digital 2.0 soundtracks, and have
an SRP of $14.98.
"Sordid Lives" is
scheduled for March 18. The $34.99-priced release will include
anamorphic widescreen, Dolby Digital 5.1, multiple audio
commentary tracks, deleted scenes, and an interview segment.
Also on March 18,
Fox will release a DVD set of the Emmy award-winning TV series "NYPD
Blue." The six-disc set will include all 22 first season
episodes, presented in their original 1.33:1 broadcast aspect
ratio, remastered Dolby Digital 4.0 sound, audio commentary
on selected episodes, as well as three featurettes and bios.
SRP is $59.98.
Also in March,
look for "Swimfan" and "Quest For Fire." "Swimfan" is expected
to include audio commentary, a featurette, deleted scenes,
and a music video. "The Transporter" and the Steven Soderbergh
remake of "Solaris" are expected in the spring, along with
a DVD set of "Family Guy" containing all first and second
season episodes.
Other DVDs in production
or completed and nearing announcement include "All That Jazz," "Cemetery
Man," "One Million Years B.C.," "Predator 2," "Terror Train," Mel
Brooks' "To Be Or Not To Be," and "Valley Of The Dolls," as
well as Special Editions of "The Fly" (1986), "True Lies" and "Predator." Also
expect to see the "Alien" series get revisited sometime in
2003. In addition, Fox plans to license out selected titles
to other labels for release, including "Kagemusha" and "Beyond
The Valley Of The Dolls." And you Coen Brothers fans out
there will be pleased to hear that the studio plans to release "Barton
Fink" and "Miller's Crossing" this year.
As for TV product,
expect to see additional TV season sets of "Buffy The Vampire
Slayer," "The Simpsons," "M*A*S*H," "24," "The Shield," "Malcolm
In The Middle," and "The X Files." DVD debuts will include "Futurama," "Millennium," "King
Of The Hill," and "Dark Angel," and other series TBA.
Universal
On
February 11, Universal plans to release "8 Women." Specs
include an SRP of $29.98, anamorphic widescreen, and original
French-language Dolby Digital 5.1. The same day the studio
will release "Possession," Neil LaBute's ("In The Company
Of Men," "Your Friends & Neighbors") latest starring
Gwyneth Paltrow. SRP is $26.98, with the presentation details
being anamorphic widescreen and Dolby Digital 5.1.
February
catalog releases include "Casual Sex," "Cold Comfort Farm," "A
Little Sex," and "The Money Pit." All are scheduled to include
anamorphic widescreen transfers and Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo
or mono soundtracks (depending on the title, except for "The
Money Pit" which will include both Dolby Digital and DTS
5.1 tracks). "The Money Pit" will also include a featurette.
In March,
the studio plans to roll out several more catalog titles,
including the music-heavy "Sweet Charity," "Thoroughly Modern
Millie," and "Zoot Suit." No word at press time on disc specs
or whether "Sweet Charity" would include as an option both
the "happy" and "sad" endings.
Television
series from Universal expected to get released on DVD during
2003 include season sets and/or selected episode compilations
of "Baretta," "Battlestar Galactica," "Dragnet," "Emergency," "Magnum
P.I.," "Quantum Leap," "The Rockford Files," and "Sliders."
As for
new day-and-date theatrical releases, expect "Red Dragon," "8
Mile," "The Emperor's Club," and "The Truth About Charlie," to
be released this spring.
Warner
On February
4, the studio plans to release "Mildred Pierce" and "The
Red Badge Of Courage" (both 1.33:1) and "A Patch Of Blue" and
a new Special Edition of "Driving Miss Daisy" (both anamorphic
widescreen).
February 18 will see the release of "City By The Sea" and a new two-disc
Special Edition release of Steven Spielberg's "The Color Purple" (enthusiasts
can now retire their "flipper" version).
On the
25th, "King Of Kings" and Otto Preminger's "The Cardinal" will
be made available. "King Of Kings" will retail for $19.98
and will include anamorphic widescreen, Dolby Digital 5.1
audio, a featurette, and a vintage newsreel. "The Cardinal" will
retail for $26.99 and will include, on two discs, anamorphic
widescreen, Dolby Digital 2.0, a newly-produced documentary
and a vintage featurette. On March 18, look for three foreign
films from three highly-regarded international filmmakers: "Akira
Kurosawa's Dreams," Claude Lelouch's "A Man And A Woman," and
one of my personal all-time favorite foreign films, Francois
Truffaut's "Day For Night." All will be anamorphic widescreen
and in their original languages, and will retail for $19.98. "Day
For Night" is set to include three featurettes, and interviews,
while "A Man And A Woman" will include two featurettes.
Titles
either in production or being considered for future release
and/or re-release include "ABBA The Movie," "A Christmas
Story," "Empire Records," "Fame," "Giant," "Goodfellas," "The
Hunger," "The In-Laws," "The Omega Man," "One Crazy Summer," "The
Right Stuff," "Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves," "Soylent Green," "What's
Up, Doc?," "Wildcats," and many others.
Television
series that can be expected sometime this year include "Smallville" and
additional season sets for "Babylon 5" and "Friends." And
look for some "Looney Tunes" collections to make an appearance
on DVD.
And finally,
announcements for "Ghost Ship," "White Oleander," "Femme
Fatale," and "Welcome To Collinwood" should be made very
soon.
Full
Screen-Only Update
As many
of you informed enthusiasts know by now there has been a
growing trend by the movie studios to release some of their
films on DVD in 1.33:1 (4:3) full screen format. That is,
movies originally shot and intended to be shown in w-i-d-e
screen and instead presented on DVD in a modified 1.33:1
aspect ratio. In fairness, many of the studios have begun
offering separate widescreen and fullscreen releases on selected
titles, and in other cases offering both versions on the
same release. However, many titles are still being released
to DVD only in modified form.
What
follows is an ongoing list of many of the DVDs released during
2002 or soon to be released with only a "modified to fit
your screen" presentation.
"Alaska"
"The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again"
"Baby: Secret Of The Lost Legend"
"Band Of The Hand"
"Bank Shot"
"Basic Training"
"Big Fat Liar"
"Can't Buy Me Love"
"Cats Don't Dance"
"The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes"
"The Country Bears"
"84 Charing Cross Road"
"Ernest Goes To Jail"
"Ernest Scared Stupid"
"Gus"
"Half A Loaf Of Kung Fu"
"Heartbreak Hotel"
"Honey, I Shrunk The Kids"
"Honey, I Blew Up The Baby"
"The Horse In The Gray Flannel Suit"
"How To Beat The High Cost Of Living"
"Joey"
"The Journey Of Natty Gann"
"The Killer Meteors"
"Larger Than Life"
"Little Big League"
"Living Free"
"The Long Walk Home"
"Look Who's Talking Now"
"Max Keeble's Big Move"
"A Midnight Clear"
"Mo' Money"
"The Moon Spinners"
"The Mountain Men"
"Muppet Christmas Carol"
"Muppet Treasure Island"
"Music From Another Room"
"My Neighbor Totoro"
"976-Evil"
"No Man's Land"
"Perfect"
"Piranha Part Two: The Spawning"
"The Powerpuff Girls Movie"
"The Principal"
"Quicksilver"
"Race The Sun"
"Rambling Rose"
"Return To The Blue Lagoon"
"The Road To Wellville"
"The Scent Of Green Papaya"
"The Scarlet Letter"
"Shamus"
"Sleepless"
"Snow Dogs"
"Sweet Hearts Dance"
"Stuart Little" (Deluxe Edition)
"Summer Lovers"
"Sunset Park"
"Taking Care Of Business"
"Three Men And A Little Lady"
"The 3 Worlds Of Gulliver"
"To Gillian On Her 37th Birthday"
"Toy Soldiers"
"True Love"
"2001: A Space Travesty"
"The Villain"
"White Fang"
"Jungle
2 Jungle" and "Indian Summer" previously appeared
on the list but after further investigation turned out to
in fact be widescreen editions (non-anamorphic) and were
mislabeled on their jackets as full screen presentations
(nice job, proof readers and QC folks!). And don't be fooled
by the sticker proclaiming "Includes New Digitally Remastered
Letterbox version!" that appears on the covers of the Jackie
Chan adventures "The Killer Meteors" and "Half A Loaf Of
Kung Fu." They're in letterbox, all right...the opening credits.
Once the credit sequence is completed...pan-and-scan.
An ongoing list of all of the modified DVDs released since the launch of the
format is available on our Web site.
Inside
DVD & DVHS will be posted regularly on the Widescreen
Review Web site (www.Widescreen Review.com) in the DVD Release
News and Print Issue Attractions sections, and will occasionally
appear in the print edition of the magazine.
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