DVDFILE.COM: DVD-Video Release News

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Archived updates

By Peter M. Bracke

June 30 : Cool new Criterion stuff; more packaging glitches; Fox ALIEN screensaver bites; Anchor Bay gets serious on 16x9; and the whole controversy regarding The Matrix

Today's update is a little slim. Sorry about this, and look for more tomorrow, including a big indie roundup and a Status Report and database "spring cleaning."..

Criterion: Has some pretty cool new titles on the way, and I think many will be surprised. First up are three new Universal licensees, for the Douglas Sirk classics All That Heaven Allows and Written on the Wind, as well as, yes, Kubrick's Spartacus. I'm sure Criterion will do a much better job than Warner!

Other newly announced Criterion titles include Orpheus, the way-cool original Carnival of Souls, The Third Man, and another classic The Passion of Joan of Arc.

Of course, no set dates on these, but it is great to see them coming. I'll certainly post features, dates, pricing and other info when it comes in.

Glitches: I've added some packaging glitches to the gallery, for a wide range of stuff including Crumb, Goodfellas, The Governess and more. Check it out, and thanks to all the readers who sent 'em in!

Fox: Okay, has anyone else had problems with the Fox ALIEN screensaver on Macs? I tried the version on the disc, and the downloadable one from their site, and neither work! Is it just me? I'm using a new G3, and can't get the @#&$! to work!

Anchor Bay: Check out DVD Review, who have the news that Anchor Bay is getting really serious on 16x9, and all their titles will sport the enhancement (though I'm sure this doesn't include the licensed Buena Vista titles...grrr!). Great news!

Warner: Well, by now you've heard that there is some serious controversy over Warner's apparent decision to release The Matrix to VHS at a rental price only. Of course, this hasn't been confirmed by Warner as far as I know, and the DVD wouldn't be affected.

Personally, I think this is probably well-meaning but seems like an ineffective "solution" to a "problem" that may not exist. I'm a bit confused...how will a rental copy of The matrix affect a impressionable young mind any less than a bought copy? And what happens when the film goes to sell-through pricing? Again, I'm sure this is well-intended, but don't all the coolest young kids now have DVD players anyway?

Also, some have commented on the fact that this in a way for sale only on DVD. However, this is not uncommon. Plenty of titles have been released by Columbia, Warner, New Line, Buena Vista, et al, sell-through day & date even though the VHS was rental priced. But, it is unusual for such a high-profile and obvious big seller to skip VHS sell-through, though recent other examples include Fox's There's Something About Mary. Will be interesting to see if Warner ever does make an official confirm on all of this...

Oh, by the way, there still is no set details on any Kubrick recall yet from Warner...stay tuned.

June 29 : The Oz re-release; more Universal horror; Kubrick recall; Meet The Feebles info

Warner: Many of you are awaiting the inevitable re-release of The Wizard Of Oz fresh after its theatrical re-release. However, note that Warner now controls this title after the termination of their MGM distribution arraignment, so this will be a Warner DVD.

I received some preliminary info on this a while back, but have been holding off and have not got some real preorder info. Anyway, the street date is 10/19 and MSRP is $24.95. It contains the new 5.1 audio remasters, and is presented in its original 1.33:1 aspect ratio. And the disc will feature extras, though seemingly not as extensive as the old MGM laserdisc. Anyway, the preliminary info includes a behind-the-scenes special hosted by Angela Lansbury, the "Jitter Bug" scene and outtakes, and trailers, production notes, etc. No word on whether any of the three MGM commentaries will be there, but stay tuned.

I also talked to Warner late in the day today, and they stated to me there will be a recall of the Kubrick Collection and a particular Kubrick disc. Note that this only affects one title, and the full details should be made available today. Check the editorial for more on this, and keep those receipts (if you actually bought the piece of crap).

Universal: Well, in addition to the cool classic Universal classic horror titles already announced, except plenty more where that came from. Actually, I received what is probably the biggest press kit I've gotten yet, this big Egyptian-looking thing with tons of Mummy details and such. It also included some upcoming DVD press info as well for more classic Universal horror.

Coming in a Collector's Edition this fall is the original 1931 edition of Dracula, which will feature both the original unscored version and a new Philip Glass score. Also on the docket are classic Universal titles The Creature From The Black Lagoon, The Bride Of Frankenstein, The Invisible Man, The Wolf Man and The Phantom Of the Opera. No street dates, prices for final features are available yet. Also of interest in the press info is the last of the Universal trio of Wes Craven faves (in addition to the already-released The Serpent And The Rainbow and Shocker), The People Under The Stairs.

Also, I guess I misread previous announcements, but the new confirmed street date for the Alfred Hitchcock Collection (featuring Psycho, Vertigo and Alfred Hitchhike Presents episodes) is due 8/3. Full details are the same, and in the database. Also, I threw the final details on the EDtv special edition, including its isolated score and two music videos.

Feebles Mania: Thanks to the readers who all sent in the details of the Canadian Meet The Feebles DVD. It is distributed by Morningstar Entertainment up north, and retails for about $34.95. You can visit our Retailers section for a list of some Canadian retailers (you have to scroll down a bit) who can sell you the disc if you are interested. Thanks again to all the readers for their help.

June 28 : A heap o' news, including Universal horror, indie stuff, street date changes and "Nightmare" art

Well, as I was a bit behind last week, today is a bit of a free-for-all in terms of news. Lots of various things, so here we go:

Universal: In addition to the cool release of the original Frankenstein, Universal will also bow the original 1932 The Mummy with some good extras. Due on 9/28 for $29.95, the disc features the original 1.37:1 aspect ratio, a 2 channel Mono soundtrack, Audio commentary by film historian Paul M. Jensen, and "Mummy Dearest: A Horror Tradition Unearthed" - an original documentary from filmmaker David J. Skal. Sounds pretty cool!

Also on 9/28, look for a DTS edition of EDtv, for $34.95 and featuring a 16x9 transfer. No special features are included...

New Horizons : From the Roger Corman powerhouse comes the long-awaited masterpiece (screw Titanic!) Pirahna, complete as a special edition. Included is a new digitally remastered transfer (though not widescreen, ugh!), a featurette on the making of Piranha from producer Jon Davison's home-movie archive, audio commentary from director Joe Dante and producer Jon Davison. eight minutes of Outtakes and a reproduction of the Piranha press book. Also expect the usual cast bios and trailers, and the disc is due 8/31 for $24.95. Sounds like a great deal, actually.

Feeble Fun: I received an email that the, uh, rather deranged Meet The Feebles (this is a great party rental, let me tell you) has been officially released in Canadian as a Region 1 disc. Alas, I have somehow deleted the email, so I can't supply the link to any retailers selling it or give the name of the disributor. But, it is out, and again it will work (or should) in all Region 1 players. Give it a look if you are a Feebles fan (and you know who you are!)

New Line : A brief one to expect some cool extras on Austin Powers 2, including lots of deleted scenes, a commentary again by director Jay Roach and Mike Myers, lots of DVD-ROM stuff, and a few other surprises (this comes from an interview with Roach I read on the plane...). Also, check out DVD Review, who have the first photo of the REALLY cool Nightmare On Elm Street box art up. I have to say, I think this is really the coolest box set art I've yet seen, and the set really looks great. Can't wait!

WWF: A new tidbit comes from the WWF web site, that Wrestlemania XV will be out on DVD, along with commentary by "Stone Cold" and "The Rock." Sound like a couple of nice guys...

MGM: Just a quick note that the upcoming Yellow Submarine DVD will feature a remixed 5.1 soundtrack personally supervised by George Harrison and Ringo Starr themselves...

Passport: A smaller outfit called passport International has announced 8 new DVD titles, all streeting now for $19.95. Look for Hollywood Musicals Of The 40's, Hollywood Musicals Of The 50's, Hollywood Musicals Of The 60's, The Best Of Film Noir, Godzilla & Other Movie Monsters, Plan 9 From Outer Space, 50 Years - The Best Of Hollywood, and the original The Mummy. Note that these are documentaries or public domain titles, so let the buyer beware in terms of quality!

CAV: Okay, so it isn't really Star Wars, but CAV is milking it for all it can with a documentary The Stars OF Star Wars, which features interviews with George Lucas and most of the cast of all the films. Maybe worth a look for you Jedi's. The street date is 7/20 and MSPR is $19.95.

Trimark: From one of my favorite indies (hello Zach) comes a DVD to pull out the bong for, a special edition of The Stoned Age. Hey, if Trimark can do a 16x9 transfer for this one, don't you think Paramount can do it for Titanic? Anyway, look for a audio commentary, trailer and the usual bios and subtitles. It is due 7/20 for $24.95. Also, look for another special edition of the recent art-house hit Looking For Lulu, complete with commentary, deleted scenes and the works. Watch for it later this year.

Fox Lorber: Springs some more foreign classics on 7/27. Look for basic movie-only editions for $29.95 of 36 Fillette, La Sentinelle, Red Cherry, Love After Love and Harold Arlen's Somewhere Over The Rainbow.

Short Cinema: Just a note that there are some inaccuracies with the intial press release for Short Cinema Journal 4:1. It incorrectly listed "pristine copy of "Tag der Freiheit," Leni Riefenstahl's 1936 follow-up to "Triumph of the Will," a great doc by Agnes Varda, gorgeous multi-angle animation, alternate audio tracks, full-motion production notes and more." Unfortunately, it does not contain the Riefenstahl short, nor the Agnes Varda piece. Alsk, the running time listed of 120 minutes is actually only 85 minutes on the disc itself. I've correct the information in the database.

Street Date Changes: Quite a few street date changes, most notably for Carrie 2, which is bumped to October (probably to use the Halloween spirit), as well as Criterion's Brazil, which is now due in August. Plenty more dates switched as well, though way too many to list here!

June 25 : Is Buena Vista in the doghouse yet again?

Buena Vista: Well, I was going to hold of on this for a bit, but it is apparent that many Buena Vista DVDs are being released with missing supplements, 5.1 soundtracks and utilizing dated D2 masters for the transfers (a D2 master is an inferior copy of the original D1).

The examples are becoming numerous. For example, the latest victim is Flirting With Disaster, which only features a 2.0 surround track, even though the laserdisc featured a 5.1 track. Missing supplements are numerous...Nixon, TRON and The Parent Trap are just a few DVDs totally devoid of the extensive supplements present on the laserdiscs. Also, the just-announced Shakespeare In Love has been demoted to a movie-only edition (though the special edition is just postponed, not canceled).

The D2 master problem is harder to prove. For those unfamiliar with the transfer process, a D1 master is usually made, which is the best source for a DVD. For laserdisc, a D2 transfer was made, which often featured compensation for the analog artifacts inherent in that format, and thus many DVDs utilizing these D2 sources are filled with artificial edge enhancement, extensive graininess and are often overly contrasty (see The Crying Game, The Jazz Singer, The Crow and others for examples of this). Many recent BV titles still seem like they are from D2's, but again, it is hard to prove without knowing for sure what happened during telecine. (By the way, I and many readers are not the only ones to notice Buena Vista and Miramax's propensity for using D2 masters. Check out my DVD PRO story for a conference that feature Widescreen Review's Gary Weber and some Miramax folks. Widescreen Review has also suggested that Buena Vista has used D2 masters before.)

To be fair, though, the August and September Buena Vista titles seem to be improving. Many have featurettes, and Albino Alligator has the commentary that was on the laserdisc. However, the 5.1 issue and D2 masters are more problematic. I smell a special report coming on, and have already contacted Buena Vista for comment, and will definitely be delving into this more.

June 24 : Buena Vista news; Criterion adds two new cool titles; Fox ALIEN box contact number

Buena Vista: Some news today from Buena Vista. First up, DVD.COM is reporting that Who Framed Roger Rabbit? is on the way for September. I think this is true. As we all know, this site and others have gotten statements that Disney animation is on the way, and the other week I posted a statement from Buena Vista PR (before DIVX died) that just because there were some titles on DIVX but not yet announced for "open" DVD didn't mean they wouldn't show up. However, I did get the full specs today for the August and September Buena Vista DVDs (see below), and the Rabbit isn't on there. But, I'm sure these dates will move, and it will probably show up. But don't quote me on that...

As far as the Buena Vista press info, all the titles already in the database are the same, but a few new features were announced. First, My Favorite Martian, Operation Condor, The Three Musketeers and Albino Alligator all have making-of featurettes. The last also has the same Kevin Spacey commentary that was on the laserdisc. Is this a sign that Buena Vista is finally allowing the extras from the LDs that previously were left off other DVD releases? Let's hope. Also, 54 and The Other Sister also have music videos.

Lastly, a movie-only Talos The Mummy was also added to the list for 8/10, and most of the details for the Shakespeare In Love disc were announced as well. Look for two commentaries, one with Director John Madden and the other with the cast and crew, of which names were not listed (I'm assuming they are not finalized yet, which would mean the commentary hasn't been recorded, but I'm guessing). Also up are deleted scenes, a featurette on the Costume Designs, and a look at Shakespeare on film. There is also the usual trailers and TV spots. The disc is 5.1 and widescreen, but not 16x9 enhanced.

Criterion: Just a brief note that Criterion has announced two new special editions of the classics Charade and The 39 Steps. However, no street date or exact features were given, but stay tuned. Also, by the way, Criterion has announced they are ceasing laserdisc production, and you can read more about it in the Editorial.

June 23 : Fox announces Anastasia duo in November: Universal unwraps The Mummy; Anchor Bay announcements

Fox: Along with DreamWork's Prince Of Egypt, the announcement by Fox of Anastasia and its direct-to-video sequel Bartok The Magnificent on 11/16 leads one to think we may see more classic animation on DVD this Christmas from everyone but Disney. Both titles will retail for $29.95, and contain movie-only editions with 5.1 Dolby Digital, the trailer, etc.. No word on whether Anastasia will be 16x9 enhanced, though it will be widescreen. (Oh, by the way, though there is no press release yet for this, I received the Fox marketing info and it has appeared in the major trades, so it is the real deal.)

Anchor Bay: Has announced some more details on the Army Of Darkness special edition, as well as a collection of Paul Verhoeven works fans will be excited to see. Anchor Bay has five Verhoeven titles coming, for Business Is Business, The Fourth Man, Girl Named Katy Tippel, Soldier Of Orange and Turkish Delight. As far as Army Of Darkness goes, look for a cool commentary, alternate ending, and a surprise or two..check out DVD Review who has all the juicy details.

Also, Anchor Bay has confirmed that the upcoming The Watcher In The Woods DVD will contain many extra scenes that were deleted in previous versions. Expect that one later in the year, and most of the other above titles either in 1999 or 2000 (dates pending).

The fine folks at Anchor Bay have also unleashed a truckload of titles in development for the next year or so. There is some cool stuff in here, and I really have to commend Anchor Bay. I truly think they have really improved in quality, and are supporting DVD with such eclectic and cool "cult" titles. I'm glad to see these, as well as their increased support of widescreen and pan & Scan on the same disc, and 16x9.

Coming up are: All Creatures Great and Small, Candleshoe, The Guardian, I Saw What You Did!, Napoleon & Samantha, Nightmares, Spiral Staircase, Brenda Starr, Ipcress File (includes director's commentary), Killing of a Chinese Bookie, Melvin & Howard (includes director's commentary), Mikey and Nicky, They Shoot Horses Don't They?, Woman Under the Influence, Blue Collar (director's commentary), Cop-Out, Opening Night, Suppose They Gave A War and Nobody Came?, Voyager, Even Dwarfs Started Small, Fata Morgana, Moonlighting TV Pilot (with Bruce Willis commentary!), Never Cry Wolf, Shock (a.k.a. Beyond the Door II), Journey of Natty Gann, Bluebeard, Blackbeard's Ghost, Jungle Cat, Aguirre, The Wrath of God, Children of the Corn, Creepshow 2, Killing of Sister George, Maximum Overdrive (with Stephen King commentary), New York Ripper, Dario Argento's Opera, Positive I.D., The Sect, Supergirl (with extra footage), Tex, They Might Be Giants and finally the long-awaited Wild At Heart. Whew!

(For more on all this, see the nice Anchor Bay web site, whch is up and running. and a nice resource, too.)

Universal: has released the full details for their upcoming The Mummy special edition, and it looks pretty cool (though I've never seen the actual movie). In a first I think, this Collector's Edition will be available in both Full Frame and Widescreen, though both have all the special features. This is interesting because Universal is really playing around with different aspect ratios, prices and features. For example, Babe Pig In The City had widescreen and P&S on he same disc for $29.95, while Patch Adams was released in a Full Frame $24.95 edition, along with a widescreen only Collector's Edition, with both at different price points.

Anyway, The Mummy disc is chock full of features: an original, 40-minute documentary: "Building a Better Mummy," including an in-depth look into the creative and technical processes behind the special effects, an audio commentary by director/writer Stephen Sommers and editor Bob Ducsay, deleted scenes, theatrical trailers, a separate audio track of the score, interactive menus, and in a first, special effects scene access. Lastly is "Egyptology 101" -- a collection of facts about ancient Egypt and Egyptian mythology. The DVD-ROM features include website access links, an interactive game, production notes, electronic postcards, cast bios, film highlights, and two screensavers.

And, even cooler, these Collector's Editions will see a price of $29.95...a new low for Universal for the features they are offering. Street date is 9/28.

June 22 : Fox drops 16x9 support; Pioneer adds more summer titles; Status Report on The Shining miniseries

Fox: Yes, kiddies, sad but true. Fox has dropped 16x9 support for all their announced upcoming releases. I will have more on this tomorrow...though Fox so far will not explain much further, but I will not give up. I felt it important to post this, as many are starting to preorder titles such as There's Something About Mary. Even more frustrating, most of the announced titles have High-Def transfers and are regularly showing on HBO's HD channel. Needless to say, I will talk more about all this tomorrow or Thursday when I can get more from Fox. Grrrr....

Pioneer: Has more upcoming summer titles on the way. First on 8/24 is something called Lain: Knights. I've never heard of this and have absolutely no idea what it is...but it is animated, full frame and 2.0 surround, and retailers for $29.95. Next on 8/17 comes Kitaro: An Enchanted Evening (ick!). It features a new 5.1 mix and lists for $24.95. Then on 8/31 come two Artisan acquirees, the thriller The Bedroom Window and Cassandra Crossing. Both are full frame and Dolby Digital 2.0 surround. Retail is $24.95. Also due is a THX-certified widescreen and 5.1 version of Tenchi Forever. Lastly is a full-frame Sukhoi SU-27 Flanker Ram-K (which sounds like the serial number for a sex toy, doesn't it?) for $19.98.

Status Report : I will be doing a whole housecleaning of the database and Status Report for Thursday. However, until then, I've added a bit of news on the miniseries release of The Shining on video or DVD. I received some info from a helpful reader directing me to some magazine comments by Stephen King, and stipulations in the contract to make the miniseries with Stanley Kubrick and Warner. Apparently, there are limits on a video release. However, with, Mr. Kubrick's passing, one wonders how that would affect such stipulations. However, Warner has no comment at this time. So, for now, I put the info in the Status Report.

June 21 : Universal adds August titles: Goodtimes adds more for Fall

Universal : A little bit of Universal news today. First, some of you have noticed that Universal has seemingly started to cut b back a bit on the number of titles they release each month. This is true. A brief conversation with Universal PR did confirm that there was a concentrated push to release a large number of titles for the first year or so of Universal's DVD support. Also, Universal licensed a large number of titles to both Image and GoodTimes, so there always seemed to be a lot of Universal titles coming out every month.

However, Universal stressed they are not lessening their commitment lately. They have a wealth of special editions planned, and are concentrating on high quality. And never fear, expect a strong fall/Christmas slate. But, the large 10 or 12 titles a month form them may not be the norm all the time anymore.

Anyway, on 8/17, look for a quartet of new titles. First is the EDtv collector's edition, the details which were already added to the database (commentary, documentary, deleted scenes, etc.). Also way cool are two more SE's, for the Restored version of the original James Whale classic Frankenstein and the overlooked Grace Of My Heart . Included on both are a documentary and a commentary track, as well as the usual production notes, etc. Unfortunately, the exact details and participants of these extras is not yet released, but these features have been confirmed. Lastly, look for a DTS edition of Virus, without the special features on the concurrent Dolby Digital release. All titles are $34.95 and 16x9 widescreen, except Frankenstein, which is presented in its original 1.33 aspect ratio, and lists for less at $29.95.

Goodtimes: Speaking of Universal, they have just licensed a nice slate to Goodtimes for fall. A pretty good mix here, including a few titles I've noticed many have been asking about. All are $19.95 and due 9/15.

First those titles presented Full Frame/P&S: a double feature of The Wind In The Willow/The Willows In Winter, March Of The Wooden Soldiers, the live 1960 televised version of Peter Pan, Problem Child, Munster Go Home, the comedy Bustin' Loose, and the thrillers Nighthawks and The Sentinel. In the widescreen department comes Rough Night In Jericho, Psycho III, The Funhouse and a 16x9-enhanced animated version of Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer.

All are pretty much featureless, with Dolby Digital 2.0 or Mono soundtracks (not a single 5.1 release in the bunch). All contain English, French and Spanish soundtracks.

June 18 : Paramount adds Wayne's World films

Paramount : I know that I promised to cut back on the rumors, and I think I have (I slip a few in there every now and again). However, trust me on this one. Look for general movie-only editions of Wayne's World and Wayne's World 2 around 11/16. Can you say Austin Powers-mania?

Fox : Well, this may be needless to say, but I have seen some reports in the trades and other sites that The Thin Red Line is not being released on DVD and will be DIVX only. Well, obviously, there is no more DIVX. However, Fox told me directly the DVD is just postponed, and WILL be out on DVD. No set date, but it is coming. Stay tuned.

Bits Update : Check out The Digital Bits, who have a nice look ahead at a lot of day & date titles coming your way this fall. Now that DIVX is vanquished, it is really exciting to know that by and large, there is good to great day & date support from the studios. Gonna be a great fall, Spielberg or no Spielberg!

Indie Roundup : I know I promised a list of the latest indie releases coming, but alas I had limited time today, so the complete list will be up for this weekend. I swear! Sorry for the delay.

June 17 : Cool Columbia titles; MGM does Orion

Columbia : Man, they just keep 'em coming, don't they? On 8/24, look for a trio of cool titles. First is an overlooked but interesting film, The Dreamlife of Angels. Then comes another sleeper that probably should have done better, Go!. And lastly comes the long, long awaited Sense & Sensibility.

Though Dreamlife of Angels is basically movie-only, Go! and Sense & Sensibility have really nice features. There are 14 (!) deleted scenes on the former and 3 on the latter, and both feature commentaries. Go! also has music videos and a featurette. All three 8/24 titles have a MAP of $24.95 and contain 16x9 transfers. Way to go, Columbia!

MGM : Making good on their plans to start digging into their Orion catalog this August, MGM has a nice slate of titles to start, and offered a brief glimpse at some of the titles coming for fall.

The first two Orion titles confirmed for 8/24 are the really nice indie flick Ulee's Gold, Dirty Work and Fled, as well as something called Retroactive. Also, on 8/10, look for a day & date release of the remake of The Mod Squad. All are $24.95 and contain 4:3 widescreen versions, except The Mod Squad, which is 16x9 enhanced and also has a pan and scan transfer. Aside from trailers and English and French subtitles, look for 8-page booklets in each one with production notes and trivia.

Later on you can expect Desperately Seeking Susan, Escape From New York and Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure. MGM added to look for more news at the upcoming VSDA in July, and for me, it is very exciting, because the Orion/Polygram acquisitions were a major factor in MGM wanting to dissolve their Warner deal early. There are some great titles in the libraries, so I'm excited to see what MGM will have coming out.

Coming Tomorrow : An indie roundup starring Image and a host of others.

June 16 : HBO Spawns a trilogy; A&E adds Monty Python; more Columbia August titles; more Polygram August stuff, too; Image and Buena Vista delays

A&E : Has finally revealed details for the Monty Python's Flying Circus DVDs. Like their Avengers sets, you can either purchase 2-episode volumes singularly, or bunch in 2-disc sets. Retail is $24.95 for the single disc, or $44.95 for the double set. Unfortunately, they only gave me a list of some of the episodes...the street for the these first six discs is 9/28, and episodes "include" Whither Canada, It's The Arts, Owl-Stretching Time, Full Frontal Nudity and How T0 Recognize Different Types of Trees. I hope to get a full list of the disc contents as soon as they are available...

HBO : Will not only be premiering the next installment of the acclaimed Todd McFarlane series, Spawn 3: The Ultimate Battle, but they will also be offering The Spawn DVD Collector's Trilogy. All are debuting 10/5, and Spawn 3 will featuring a making-of featurette and 2 music videos from Kid Rock and Lil'Cease. However, no set price or features are available yet for the trilogy, but its release has been confirmed by HBO.

Polygram : Has a couple more 8/24 titles coming, for the Robert Altman comedy Cookie's Fortune, and the acclaimed Holocaust documentary The Last Days. Both are $29.95, and with no extensive features to speak of.

Columbia : A few more August titles for you. The very cool sleep Red Rock West arrives on 8/10, and will feature a commentary by director John Dahl. On 8/31 comes the kid flick about amorous animals or something, The Adventures Of Milo & Otis, which contains no extras, but both wide and P&S (which is nice to see on "children's" title) and has a $19.95 MAP.

Also, many have asked about the upcoming Hard Eight DVD. I can only tell you what I know. Two commentaries were recorded by director Paul Thomas Anderson. However, I don't know if both will arrive on the disc itself, be combined into one or just one or the other (or none?). Also, there are some deleted scenes around (the film went through heavy reediting), and Columbia says the disc is not canceled. However, it is a production issue, so I'm sure the disc will be announced eventually.

Also, a follow-up on my Godzilla post last week. Columbia indicated to me that they have now acquired seven more classic Godzilla films, and DVD releases are in the pipeline for at least some of the titles for late 1999 release.

Lastly, the full details on the Silverado disc were finally given out. The cropped version will remain on store shelves, and all future packaging will reflect this. However, Columbia will also be releasing a 2.35:1 version in a few weeks. Customers can exchange their 1.78:1 disc for the new 2.35:1 transfer at their discretion. Very impressive of Columbia to do this, don't you think?

Image : Just a quick note that due to some manufacturing problems at the Las Vegas facility, Image may have to delay some of their June titles. Stay tuned, and I'm sure the Image Entertainment site will have the latest updates on any possible delays.

Buena Vista : Speaking of delays, both The Faculty and White Squall have been delayed one week back. However, I've heard copies may sneak out to a retailer to too, but in any event, look for 6/22 and 6/29 street dates for these two, respectively.

June 15 : Buena Vista adds Shakespeare In Love in August and Street date changes; New Line August titles; A Fox fall; Columbia adds a few; more Anchor Bay

Paramount : Ugh, it is true. I received the press release details (I will post the actual copy as soon as they'll let me), and Titanic is NOT 16x9 enhanced. Don't ask me to explain this crap. See the full details in yesterday's post for the rest of the features on this very disappointing disc.

Buena Vista : Buena Vista has added a few more details to their July August line ups. First, there were a bunch of street dates changed from July to August. However, the August slate remains unchanged. But, somehow, I guess that many of the August titles will subsequently be pushed to September, so those September titles will be moved, etc. Just like dominoes. (You can use the Buena Vista Studio Search to your right to find all the new dates for the BV schedule).

However, Shakespeare In Love was announced day & date with VHS, and it will be the special edition, complete with commentary and deleted scenes. It retails for $39.95 and is not 16x9 enhanced. Cool that BV got this out in time, nice to see. Also, they snuck in 54 on 8/10 as well, though as expected ti is not the hoped-for director's cut.

Oh, by the way, with the exception of Spy Hard, all July titles onward do not have the "Widescreen" banner on the box art anymore. All the box cover pics are in the database now through July.

Status Report : Speaking of Buena Vista, it a surprise to me, my inquiry to them about a Criterion Rushmore SE was answered. Director Wes Anderson made some public statements some of the short bits he shot for MTV with the Rushmore cast would "show up on the DVD." Buena Vista did offer the comment that the disc is in the "talking stages." I've added the full info to the Status Report.

Oh, yeah, many have asked me about The Rock SE that I've mentioned a while back. If you are a good boy or girl, you may just find something nice in your stocking...

Fox : As the VSDA (Video Software Dealers Association convention) nears, expect lot of new title announcements to come out of that show. It is traditionally where many of the studios trumpet their big Christmas releases. To give you a taste, I managed to weasel a few fall street dates outta Fox. Here is just a few of the confirmed ones I could get. Expect more around VSDA time...

On 9/7 comes a very cool Wallace & Grommit collection (thanks Bill Hunt) and a special edition of Strange Days. On 9/21 comes the box office lame duck Ravenous. The first three X-Files volumes (2 episodes each, alas) will bow on 10/26. A nice special edition disc of The Full Monty arrives 11/2. Seems like a good start, and there will be plenty more than this from Fox in 1999.

New Line : Has some good 8/10 titles on the way, for Set It Off, The Players Club and Deep Cover. All contain P&S and 16x9 widescreen transfers, and the usual trailer and production notes. No extra features on any of these, and all are $24.95.

Columbia : Has some more interesting late summer titles coming your way. First up on 7/20 comes the late addition of the art-house favorite Orlando. It features a 16x9 and P&S transfer, and no other features of note.

Due on 9/14 is the long-awaited The Dark Crystal. It will receive a new Henson-supervised High-Def transfer in both widescreen and P&S versions. There will be no extensive features of note. Coming later on 10/19 is another long-awaited cult classic, Heavy Metal. This, too, sports a nice 16x9 transfer, as well as three minutes of additional footage reinserted into the film. All these Columbia titles are $24.95 MAP, and featured 5.1 Dolby Digital, except for Orlando, which is 2.0 Surround. All feature extensive subtitles.

Anchor Bay : A brief update on the upcoming Anchor Bay editions of Disney's The Happiest Millionaire. Though both the theatrical and "Roadshow" editions are being released, Anchor Bay has decided to release the theatrical as P&S only, while the longer Roadshow cut is full 2.35:1 widescreen. Each version retails for $24.95 and are due on 7/20.

Also exciting is the debut of the Night Of The Living Dead 30th Anniversary Edition. This features an extended cut, of the film, with new footage shot for the anniversary! I don't know, it is hard to imagine new footage meshing with a 30-year old film. But, whatever. The disc sounds very good, with a commentary by John Russo and others, a featurette, 5.1 remix and more. It will retail for $34.95.

June 14 : Anchor Bay goes 16x9; ALIEN & The 5th Disc; More Glitches added

Paramount: Congrats go to DVD Review for a good scoop! Paramount is on the verge of releasing the Titanic details very, very soon. DVD Review picked up most of the details and the box art to boot.

Not too many surprises. As expected, the disc is due 8/31 for $29.99, with just a trailer, THX certified 2.35:1 transfer, and English 5.1 and French 2.0 Surround. However, the big drama revolves around 16x9 enhancement. See today's editorial and believe me, this issue will be a big one!

Anchor Bay: You know, I've been very impressed overall with the great strides Anchor Bay has made in DVD over the past year or so. They continue to really improved in quality, and are licensing titles out the wazoo. Now comes news that a couple of long-sought after cult titles are on their way, for the George Romero classic Knightriders, as well as the early John Landis comedy Kentucky Fried Movie.

Also in good news, Anchor Bay will not be stopping their 16x9 support after the way-cool Halloween special edition. Upcoming Anchor Bay releases such as The Car will also be 16x9 enhanced. The only low point in all this? Buena Vista, of course. Unfortunately, the numerous Disney titles Anchor Bay has licensed (Return To Oz, Watcher In The Woods, etc.) will not be 16x9 enhanced, because Buena Vista will not supply Anchor Bay with anamorphic transfers. Figures...grrrrr!

ALIEN : Well, finally some good news on the ALIEN 5th disc front. First, a note is in order on why there has been such a shortage of coupons in Canadian packages. I've heard from some on the retail end in Canada, including DV Depot, amongst others, and Fox as well. Basically, Fox printed up a certain number of coupons at first, and not all the ALIEN Legacy sets shipped contained the disc. According to some Canadian retailers, one of the larger wholesalers up there ordered late, so it seems many of the sets via that distributor came up coupon-less.

In positive news, Fox is supplying some Canadian retailers with coupons for those without them in their box sets. So, if you did not get a coupon in your box set, you may want to contact your retailer (make sure you have your receipt) to see if you can get a coupon from them or Fox. Good luck!

More Glitches : A few new glitches have been added to the Glitch Gallery for both hardware and software. Also, the gallery has been reorganized, with new sections for titles with Packaging errors only and Recalled discs added.

June 12 : More South Park on DVD?

Warner : I received a press release yesterday for a new South Park episode, the legendary "Cartman's Father" April Fool's Day show that prompted some backlash. Basically, Comedy Central was building up to the big revelation of who Cartman's dad was, but when the episode aired, it was a Terence & Philip show (the infamous farting duo), and many viewers were a bit miffed at the April Fool's joke.

Anyway, Warner issued this press release that this episode is coming to video. I followed up whether this meant DVD. As of now, no. However, with the movie coming out and all, and previous statements from them way back a few months ago I printed, saying that more South Park was coming, Warner again stated that there is more episodes planned for DVD. The fact is that the DVD "cycle" is behind the VHS. The original three DVD volumes came out about six months after the VHS (those tapes have now been put on moratorium). So, the DVDs will also be put on moratorium soon, with new volumes appearing. This will happen sometime this year. When is not set. But, as of yesterday, Warner is planning more South Park for DVD.

June 11 : Back To The Future details; a bit more on Nightmare; ALIEN woes

Today is just going to be a quick update on some long-awaited titles. Expect some newer stuff next week!

Universal : Well, I'm probably going to get in trouble for spilling this. However, I've gotten in trouble before, so why stop now? (Cue evil grin). My friend Stephen Clark over at the genuinely awesome Back To The Future Daily Herald site and I have been sort of "tag teaming" on info for the upcoming Back To The Future discs, and some more details have surfaced.

Well, you may remember just he other week I mentioned a delay on the DVDs. Well, Universal won't be going the way of the ALIEN set, and the first Back To The Future is set now for 11/16, with the other films following separately later. I guess it would be nice to have them all at once, but, this first disc looks way cool, as I'm sure you'll agree. So, without further adieu, here is the info. If I have to go to detention for this, at least I can bring Stephen along with me (right, my cohort in crime?).

The details for the disc are to include a new 16x9 transfer, remastered 5.1 Dolby Digital soundtrack, new interviews with Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Robert Zemeckis, Bob Gale, and Thomas F. Wilson, Three Deleted Scenes, Original Storyboards and Conceptual Artwork and some "surprises," including packaging stuff. Of course, there will also be the usual trailers, production notes, filmographies, etc. Sounds cool.

Also, note, however, that alas there will be none of the infamous Eric Stoltz footage. It is discussed in the documentary, but the actual footage will not be included. This whole thing is tied into Universal's big Christmas "The Future Is Back!" promotion, which includes VHS. Personally, it seems logical to do the whole set for this promotion, but right now only the first disc is confirmed. As I posted last week, due to all the legal stuff and all, they pushed back the discs. Parts 2 and 3 will follow the first, probably not until 2000.

New Line : just a quickie that was sent over from DVD Daily News. You may remember the cool Nightmare On Elm Street box set coming 9/7, and the 8th disc of supplements. As mentioned, there is deleted scenes, etc., as well as some fan testimonials done at the recent Fangoria Weekend Of Horrors. However, DVD Daily has revealed this 8th disc has a name, "The Nightmare ON Elm Street Encyclopedia." Very cool! I am awaiting this disc very impatiently. Bring it on.

ALIEN : Well, the mystery gets murkier. Usually, Fox is good with replying to my pleas for help, etc., on things. However, the negative email continues on the ALIEN set, and Fox just has not replied yet (to me, anyway). Apparently, most Canadian readers have not gotten a coupon for the 5th disc in their package. Hover, the actual coupon in US boxes states the offer is open to Canadian users. So, what gives? I wish I knew...I would think Fox would like to respond. It just doesn't seem fair to deprive Canadian users of the opportunity to have the firth disc. Hopefully I or another site will get an answer on this.

June 10 : Columbia August stuff; Fox & The Thin Red Line; Polygram adds their (last?) title; Pioneer groovy stuff; Buena Vista and Doug...a love story?

Columbia : Has put out the details for some of their August titles. On 8/3 comes John Carpenter's Christine, the foreign hit Tango, a fave of mine, Welcome To The Dollhouse, and Monty Python's And Now For Something Completely Different. All of these titles contain both 16x9 and full frame versions, and are priced at $24.95 MAP. In the special features department, Tango has a commentary with producer Juan Carlos Codazzi and Actress Mia Maestro as well as a making of featurette. All the others are movie-only, with the usual bevy of trailers and subtitles. All are in the keepcase.

Also on 8/3 comes more details on Cruel Intentions. In addition to the already-mentioned commentary and featurette, there will be 6 deleted scenes with a Director's Introduction, an additional "Creative Intentions: Finding A Visual Style" featurette, and 2 music videos. This whole package will be $19.95 MAP.

The next 8/10 releases are pretty standard movie-only titles with the usual Columbia 16x9 transfers, 5.1 soundtracks and English-only subtitles. Look for both The Deep End Of The Ocean and Finding Graceland on this date.

I received a somewhat weirdly-phrased marketing report for some more Columbia titles. First is something called The Nuttiest Nutcracker, which is some sort of children's animated film. All I know is that it features the voice of Phyllis Diller, so I will definitely be skipping it. Look for it on 11/2. Also up on 8/3 are three Godzilla flicks; Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II, Rebirth of Mothra and Rebirth of Mothra II. The strange thing is that the Nutcracker thing is listed for both VHS and DVD, but the following Godzilla stuff doesn't specify either, or perhaps I just can't read the smudged fax. As usual, there is no PR release yet, so for now, I'll play the doubting Thomas and say these are VHS only. But, we can hope this also means DVD.

Fox : has finally confirmed that, yes, The Thin Red Line is delayed, and it is due to supplements, not a production error. However, the nature of the supplements is under wraps, but the word is to expect it eventually this year. Can we hop for a Terence Malick commentary track? Stay tuned.

Buena Vista : How much do I love Buena Vista? Let me count the ways. No, just kidding. However, look for another animated title on 9/14, for Doug's 1st Movie. Would you be surprised that it is another Buena Vista movie-only special? Didn't think so.

Polygram : I've got to hand it to Polygram, they are just going to keep putting 'em out until their last days are up. As we know, USA Home Video takes over the Polygram in August. But, Polygram has just added Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels for 8/10. Unfortunately, I have received no word from USA yet on just what they are going to do with DVD. I'd assume they'd continue to release the DVD titles they acquire (including some Universal stuff like The Apostle), but I've learned to always refrain from jumping the gun. We'll see.

Pioneer : Has some interesting new announcements lined up. First, on 8/17 comes the Brian Wilson documentary I Just Wasn't Made For These Times, as well as The Judy Garland Show, Volume 2 (bleech!). Both are 2.0 stereo, their original full frame and retail for $24.95. Then, on 8/24 comes two installments in the Spiritual Earth series, one for Astronaut's Eye, the other for Mt. Fuji. The latter is interesting because it is presented in both color and black & white, and you get to chose via the multi-angle function on your remote control. Nifty.

June 9 : Columbia recalls Silverado; Fox August stuff; Universal finally unleashes their classic horror; Wrestling comes to DVD!

Well, you may have noticed the release news is a bit slow this week. I have a lot of behind-the-scenes tech stuff going on, so I am a bit late getting these out to you. I hope to be back up to speed next week!

Columbia : Well, many of you PO'd Silverado fans will be heartened to hear that Columbia is aware that the aspect ratio on the Silverado disc was a mistake...the transfer is 1.85:1, when the box is labeled 2.35:1. Though the film was shot Super 35, the cropped 16x9 aspect ratio was transferred to the disc erroneously. (It is not uncommon, especially with HDTV, for a film to get both a cropped 16x9 transfer as well as a 16x9 "letterboxed" 2.35:1 transfer as well.) There will be a repressing, and consumers will be able "to exchange their discs in about 5 to 6 weeks." This comes directly from Columbia, so hold on to those receipts! I've put the info in the new Glitch Gallery as well.

WWF: Wrestling fans, take heart! Going on a reader tip, I emailed the WWF site, and actually got a response from the big dudes there. "We will eventually be releasing titles on DVD. Look for a Fall release most likely, though no date is yet set." Personally, though I don't know much about wrestling, given the demographics of DVD right now, it seems like a natural. No distributor was listed, but I have been added to the WWF mailing list (!), so I expect to hear something in the future.

Fox: has unleashed their August street dates, and look for a selection bent towards comedy is nice change from all the action and "white male" stuff, eh eh (not that that is bad, of course). Anyway, on 8/3 comes Dr. Dolittle, Raising Arizona and A Life Less Ordinary. On 8/10 we will see the day & date release of Simply Irresistible, as well as that comedy called There's Something About Mary or something like that (details of which are already in the database). Up on 8/17 is a day & date (and overpriced, nudge nudge) Office Space. All the features on these discs, except for There's Something About Mary, are typical Fox packages, though only the dates and general pricing is confirmed via the solicitations I have received.

Also big on 8/31 is the Bruce Lee DVD 4-pack. Of course, only the box and pricing is listed, but DVD Review speculates it contains Chinese Connection, Fists of Fury, Return of the Dragon and Game of Death. The box is a nice $99.98, and all are remastered. Expect the full details soon via the press release.

Also, speaking of Fox, check out some good Digital Bits rumors up on more Fox fall titles.

Universal : Finally, horror fans, Universal confirms the hype they are doing a classic horror promotion to tie-in with the The Mummy remake SE. I, along with DVD Review, received three titles for the big Universal Classics Monsters promo. Look for the 1932 The Mummy, the original 1931 classic Dracula, the James Whale original Frankenstein. Definitely cause for celebration amongst classic horror and film fans. Though all these films will tie in together, only The Mummy will be a full-fledged collector's edition. But. The classics will be restored versions, so I ain't complaining!

June 8 : A William Freidkin Status Report spotlight; ALIEN upgrade; Universal going to Notting Hill for a special edition?; Warner pricing confusion

Willie Style : I had a great time this past week attending a Los Angeles retrospective of the work of William Freidkin (I will be attending one more screening later in the week). Of course, some DVD questions during some of his speaking appearances were asked (wink wink), and there are some interesting plans for some Friedkin films on DVD, and unfortunately, many of his films are not planned, though, either. Perhaps most interesting (or disturbing) is the announcement he made of The Exorcist extended cut premiering in theaters this Halloween. Check out the new Status Report spotlight for my full report.

ALIEN : Well, Toshiba sent me a nice email explaining that they are offering a firmware upgrade on the players that will not play the ALIEN disc. However, you do have to send your player out, which is a major hassle. I know many of you are still displeased, and I can sympathize. I had an early Toshiba player, which feel prey to firmware upgrades and such, and eventually, to be honest, I just went out and bought a Panasonic. Still, Toshiba has some great features and players, too, but I can understand your frustrations. The number and email for Toshiba customer service is 1-800-631-3811, or e-mail them at customer_support@tacp.com

By the way, the Glitch List is starting tomorrow, so look for a dedicated listing of the ALIEN info there.

Universal : Though the film has only been out for a couple of weeks, is Universal planning an Notting Hill special edition? The film's producer Duncan Kenworthy seems to think so, and even has some cut footage already lined up for the disc. Of course, this is a bit secondhand; read the USA Today story for more on this disc. Of course, there is no Universal announcement, but a Notting Hill DVD is a forgone conclusion. And since they tend to put out collector's editions of their bigger films, I wouldn't be surprised to see a big ol' disc come fall. (Thanks to all the readers who sent this link in.)

Warner Prices : Just a quick note on those new Warner August title announcements for Analyze This and True Crime. I was told they are not Premiere Collection titles, and therefore not $24.95. However, some retailers have pre-orders based on a $24.95 price point. So, I will just wait until the press release arrives in a couple of weeks for the final word...

June 4 : Universal starts "source tagging" and adds a couple of cool collector's editions

Universal : Somewhat strangely, I guess, Universal issued a press release about their recent adoption of "source tagging," i.e, placing little tags in DVDs to prevent thief at retail outlets. Not that surprising, as source tagging is becoming more common, and both Warner and Columbia, I believe have already started flagging their discs.

What was interesting about the Universal release was that it also included some new info on their Collector's Editions. Well, actually, all of it isn't really new. Though no set dates were given, all are for Fall 1999. In addition to already revealed stuff like Fast Times At Ridgemont High, Rear Window and Cape Fear, look for SEs of The Mummy in September, and (coolness!) Orson Welles' Touch Of Evil in October. The last title is especially cool, as there was a legal entanglement when a member of the Welles estate threatened to sue of the use of the term "director's cut" for the reissue of the film. Anyway, I really love Universal's SE work most of the time, so their fall slate should be great. (And though I don't like to print stuff anymore without dates, since this comes directly from Universal, I feel okay in posting it.)

In addition, Universal will add another music title to their rather lame output so far, with The Doors set being the only music title they have released thus far. On 7/6 comes Jimi Hendrix: Live At Woodstock , which features a brand new remaster and 35 minutes of new material. I hope this is the start of more music from Universal, because as they now have the entire Polygram music library (which did not go to MGM), they have such great titles at their disposal, it would be such a waste to let it just collect dust. (For more info on the Hendrix release, check out the press release. Thanks to The Big Picture for the link.)

June 3 : Universal bumps Back To The Future to...the future; Status report on The Beatles and Akira

Columbia : Has slotted three more titles for a 7/27 release. Baby Geniuses is one of those movies that makes me wonder what the folks in Hollywood are thinking. The DVD will feature a couple of featurettes and filmographies, and 16x9 widescreen and P&S versions. Another lulu of a film is Never Talk To Strangers, which only features trailers and filmographies and a host of subtitle options. Lastly is a real classic, the 1971 release Nicholas And Alexandra. It features both the short and long featurettes on the film, as well as a 16x9 enhanced widescreen only version on a dual-layer disc.

List price is $19.95 for Baby Geniuses, and $24.95 for the others. All feature English 5.1 tracks except for the last, which is mono only.

Universal : Well, bad news and good news for you Marty McFly fans. I received a nice email from the best Back To The Future site on the web that Universal had pushed back the Back To The Future trilogy special edition to 2000. Alas, a follow up call to Universal confirmed that the set is delayed yet again.

However, they did stress that this is the full trilogy, and they just have to stress quality over rushing it to meet an arbitrary timeframe. So, good things come to those who wait, and though of course we all want it sooner rather than later, if quality suffers than it just isn't worth it.

Status Report : Hmmmm...today just doesn't seem to be going that well. I have two Status Report updates today, for Akira and The Beatles Anthology. In the case of the former, it is simply a rights update, with MGM taking up the cause, though when they actually release the disc is another matter. For the latter, well, Warner states they just have no plans yet for a DVD of the set. Bummer.

June 2 : Universal announces EdTV and Hitchcock details; Warner adds August day & date slate and preps The Matrix; Pioneer gets down with Saturn 3, Queen's Logic, Wishmaster 2 and rare Blondie

Universal : Though a box office disappointment, the DVD of EdTV is shaping up to be a fine disc. Due 8/17, this $34.95 Collector's Edition sports a 16x9 transfer, full 5.1 soundtrack, as well as an audio commentary with director Ron Howard and writers Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel, the original documentary "Caught in the Camera's Eye, deleted scenes, outtakes and the usual bevy of production notes, trailers, etc.

Also, The Big Picture has the details on the Hitchcock 3-pak due this fall, which includes (yawn) the already-released Vertigo and Psycho, as well as some cool episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents ("Back for Christmas, "Lamb to a Slaughter," "Banquo's Chair" and "The Case of Mr. Pelham").

DVD.COM had reported that Rear Window would debut this fall, so I guess it isn't all bad. But, geesh, with all the DIVX and VHS Hitchcock titles, Universal could do better with the DVDs, I think. Hmmph.

Warner : For me, Warner has become the most schizophrenic studio of them all...for every new batch of budget titles they put out, they also do a really great special edition, and I really like their $19.95 titles, which offer good presentation for the price. Warner seems all over the map at times, and their stuff can vary in quality.

Anyway, from, the good Warner side of things comes two day & date August titles with very strong features. On 8/3 comes the Kevin Costner sleeper Message In A Bottle, which will be another Premiere Collection title. Features include an audio commentary from Director Luis Mandoki and Producer Denise Di Novi, a host of deleted scenes (also with commentary), five making-of featurettes on the special effects (did this movie have a lot of special effects?), and the usual cast bios, production notes and theatrical trailers. The disc is 16x9 widescreen only, and will retail for $24.95

Coming up on 8/17 comes the surprise box office smash Analyze This. Though not a full-fledged Premiere Collection disc, it will only retail for $19.95, and feature both the standard and 16x9 editions. In addition, it features not one but two commentaries, with Robert DeNiro and Billy Crystal (gotta hear this one!), as well as Director Harold Ramis. It will also have the usual cast bios, trailers and production notes, and an additional gag reel with outtakes.

In addition, on 8/10, look for the Clint Eastwood disappointment (at least financially) True Crime. However, I have not gotten any details on the features yet, but stay tuned.

Now, on to what is probably going to be the disc for fall. Though Warner is playing this very close to the vest, they did say that The Matrix DVD has gone into production, and will utilize the talents of some of the top DVD special edition producers in the business. They know they have probably their biggest DVD title ever here, and this will be their "flagship title" that "goes beyond what we've done before," in terms of content, surpassing even their recent discs such as You've Got Mail.

And, please don't email me asking about details. because I really don't know! Of course, Warner wouldn't tell me, and I don't blame them, because I wouldn't tell a big mouth like me, either. But certainly expect a huge disc for The Matrix this September (the press release will arrive in a couple of months.)

Pioneer : Has just announced four interesting and varied DVD titles. Due on 7/27 come two cult titles awaited by some, Queen's Logic and the camp-fest Saturn 3. Unfortunately, both are getting the no frills treatment, including Pan & Scan only transfers and plain ol' 2.0 Stereo. Both retail for $24.95, and feature a trailer and basic production notes.

On the music end, coming 8/10 is Blondie - The Best of MusikLaden, which is a rare 1978 30 minute performance, and should be of interest to Blondie fans. Also up is Drop Dead Rock, a film also starring Ms. Deborah Harry, as well as Adam Ant. Too bad Rick Springfield isn't in it, too. Both titles retail for $24.95 and are their original full frame with 2.0 stereo tracks.

Artisan : Will be adding the horror sequel Wishmaster 2 on 8/17 as a basic DVD, with a trailer, production notes and cast bios, as well as a full frame transfer with a 2.0 Surround track. Retail is $24.95.

June 1 : Indie Roundup; Columbia adds Richard Pryor titles

"Indies" : Today sees some new additions for a variety of indie distributors and special interest titles. All these titles and details can be accessed from the database via the "Latest Updates" button directly to your right.

First up comes Sony Music (guess they really aren't that much of an "indie"), who are adding another Beavis & Butthead installment, called Butt-O-Ween, which arrives on 8/10 and features some additional B&B excerpts, a CD-ROM demo (isn't this supposed to be DVD?) and a trailer. Eek. Also from Sony comes a New Kids On The Block Greatest Hits compilation (oh, lord, what's next, a Jesse Camp retrospective?), which includes three bonus live songs. Gotta run out and buy this one on 7/6.

From Fox Lorber comes a few good titles, including the original 1962 version of David & Lisa, as well as Gray's Anatomy, Don't Party, The Funeral, a Bill Monroe Blue Grass music disc, and a couple of special interest titles, Majestic Journeys and Natural Wonders Of America. All are due 6/29 and retail for $29.95. By the way, speaking of Fox Lorber, there still is no set street date for the postponed Ulysses' Gaze. Stay tuned.

Next up is Ryko Disc, who have a couple of Japanese anime titles, Tetsuo 2: Body Armor and Toyko Fist. Both feature their original soundtracks with English subtitles, street 6/29 and retail for $29.95.

From PM Entertainment comes the horror flick "From the author of I Know What You Did Last Summer!" (there's a recommendation) called I've Been Waiting For You. I know nothing about this film except that Punky Brewster Soleil Moon Frye is in it, and if she gets killed off, than it will undoubtedly be worth the priced of admission. It retails for $24.95 and streets 6/22.

From genre pluggers Sterling comes a special-esque edition of Supreme Sanction, featuring a commentary, trailer and subtitles. It will also be Sterling's first 16x9 enhanced title (hey, if a smaller outfit like Sterling can do 16x9, so can Buena Vista, right?). Look for this one on 7/6, along with the Sterling Millennium edition of A Murder Of Crows.

On the educational front, a new supplier called Cerebellum will be launching a line of instructional discs for Physics #1, Algebra #1 , Spanish #1 and Basic Math #1, called The Standard Deviants (?). Each disc is $19.95, and features additional interactive tests and quizzes, and all street 7/6. Following on 8/10, Cerebellum adds two more discs in their No Brainer series, The Internet and HTML Made Easy. These are also $19.95.

Columbia : The always-helpful folks at Columbia passed along some info for you Richard Pryor fans. The already-announced Stir Crazy disc will just be the first in a few more Pryor titles, and look for See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Richard Pryor Live On The Sunset Strip and Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling later on in the year. No set dates or features just yet, aside from new 16x9 transfers and the like.

June 3 : Universal bumps Back To The Future to...the future; Status report on The Beatles and Akira

List price is $19.95 for Baby Geniuses, and $24.95 for the others. All feature English 5.1 tracks except for the last, which is mono only.

June 2 : Universal announces EdTV and Hitchcock details; Warner adds August day & date slate and preps The Matrix; Pioneer gets down with Saturn 3, Queen's Logic, Wishmaster 2 and rare Blondie

In addition, on 8/10, look for the Clint Eastwood disappointment (at least financially) True Crime. However, I have not gotten any details on the features yet, but stay tuned.

June 1 : Indie Roundup; Columbia adds Richard Pryor titles