By Peter M. Bracke

May 28 : Warner, MGM and Criterion rights stuff; Fox details on Mary and Thin Red Line; New Line gets ready to "Blast" you

Warner : For those of you following the whole Warner/MGM drama, you may recall that many pre-1986 MGM titles are now completely owned and controlled by Warner.

This repackaging of titles has already begun, with the following recent MGM releases on their way to being repackaged and distributed by Warner. If you are a fan of the keepcase and MGM's 8-page booklets, you will want to pick up An American In Paris, Gigi, Seven Brides For Seven Brothers, They Were Expendable and Bataan, before they get snapper-ized.

Also, many of you have had trouble finding Gremlins, which was taken off of moratorium by Amblin. The disc is exactly the same as the previously-released version, and a few copies are still around on store shelves. However, the official new street date from Warner is 6/22. I'm sure you may see a few showing up on shelves, early, as have some already, but if you are wondering why you still haven't seen it available readily, that is why.

MGM : Speaking of MGM and convoluted rights arrangements, just a note that MGM, with their Orion deal, does own the rights to the following films that are currently in release from Criterion: RoboCop, The Silence Of The Lambs and This Is Spinal Tap. The last of these has already been pulled, and although Criterion's deal still gives them another year or so to distribute RoboCop and Lambs, keep in mind that eventually they will be discontinued.

MGM could elect to let Criterion reissue them, but as MGM hasn't done so in the past, so you may want to remember to pick these up sometime as they may never appear again in their current form.

Fox : Ugh...I forgot to update this info yesterday. First comes the details for the There's Something About Mary disc on 8/10. Look for 3 music videos and 3 Karaoke tracks (though I have a feeling the Karaoke thing is just the music videos without the vocals), a Farelley Brothers commentary, filmographies, an 8-page booklet and a trailer and teaser. Also, there is a "Behind The Zipper" making-of special, though no set length has been yet revealed. In an earlier post I mentioned mentioned outttakes, I gather they will probably be a part of this featurette. Also, there may be a hidden surprise (probably just production notes or credits, much like the ALIEN Legacy easter eggs, but more on that when I get my review out tomorrow).

Anyway, we'll see, and the other specs are the original 2.35:1 aspect ratio complete with 16x9 enhancement, as well as 5.1 English and French tracks. It retails for $34.95.

Also, The Thin Red Line has been postponed on DVD only form its 6/29 berth. Fox confirmed today the postponement, and although rumors abound there will be supplements, Fox specifically mentioned there is no such confirmation on this, but stay tuned for the official word soon.

New Line : Has released the full features for the Blast From the Past disc, due 7/27. In what is a continuing trend for New Line, they are loading up the DVD-ROM enabled supplements. In addition to the complete script with "jump to a scene" option, there are several interactive games, including trivia and bingo (scary catholic school flashback for a second there), a dance step instructional "Inside The Bomb Shelter' aide, extensive links to "evolving" cast and crew biographies via the IMDB, yet more interactive games, and even some AOL thing where you can send postcards to your friends.

Amid all this, the only "traditional" extra is a director commentary track. To be honest, I'm all for DVD-ROM, but sometimes I wonder about the usefulness of some of these extras, and if they are veering towards the gimmicky side. Guess I'll have to check out the disc when it arrives 7/27. It contains the usual New Line 16x9 transfer and 5.1 soundtrack, and retails for $24.95.

May 27 : More Columbia and Warner title details and features, lots of Anchor Bay stuff

Columbia : Though these titles and dates aren't new, Columbia have announced the set details for their 7/20 slate. Look for the laugh riot 8mm ($24.95 MAP), complete with a Joel Schumacher commentary, filmographies and a making of featurette. Then comes the John Boorman film The General (a first for Columbia with a $27.95 MAP), which in addition to filmographies will be presented in both the black and white and color desaturated versions. Both will be widescreen (there is no P&S version of either presented).

Also on 7/20 is the art house favorite Orlando ($24.95 MAP), and a classic of the campy sort, the recent telefilm Double Platinum ($19.95 MAP), which features two exclusive Diana Ross and Brandy videos. Interestingly, Double Platinum (at least according to the press release) features full frame and widescreen versions (perhaps it was meant to play theatrically and never did?).

Note that except for The General and Orlando, which have Spanish and French subtitles, all the 7/20 lineup contain English subtitles and soundtracks only, which unfortunately is becoming more common for Columbia. All titles are 16x9 enhanced, as usual (God bless Columbia).

Warner : Add to Warner's July slate the Ron Howard comedy Night Shift, which thankfully is a $19.95 title and includes both a new 16x9 transfer and a P&S transfer. Somehow, I forgot to add this one when I added the July Warner stuff last week. Oops.

Anchor Bay : Thanks to the fine folks at DVD Review, they have some cool Anchor Bay news on a slew of titles. First are a couple of Argento classics, Inferno and Deep Red. Add to that Lucio Fulci's Gates Of Hell, and my vote for title of the week, Don't Torture A Duckling (what, will it quack you to death?). Also coming will be New York Ripper, and an uncut version of Autopsy.

Wait, there's more: Lamerto Bava's Beyond The Door II, Sergio Martino's Torso, a duet of Django and Django Strikes Again, the cultish title Anguish, and finally a restored Bloodsplattered Bride.

In addition to these DVD Review titles, I have a few more to add. These may be old, I don't know, but I just got 'em now. Look the licensed Disney title Something Wicked This Way Comes, as well as Trilogy of Terror*, I Saw What You Did, Two-Lane Blacktop, Melvin and Howard and the Herzog classic Fitzcaraldo.

Also, The Roan Group, which had announced a special edition of The Car, have seen the rights go to Anchor Bay, who will now be doing the DVD.

(Note: *Tiki Doll not included.)

May 26 : MGM does a Yellow Submarine & holds onto Phantasm; Artisan goes "24-Hours" and does the miniseries shuffle; Buena Vista postpones some summer stuff; DreamWorks calls Saving Private Ryan...will he answer?; and some cult classic coolness from Amazing Fantasy

MGM : In some great news for Beatles fans, MGM will be bowing a long, long-awaited special edition of Yellow Submarine. Due 9/14, it will feature "previously unseen footage and remastered sound and video," including the "Hey Bulldog" sequence, according to a statement from Apple Records. The title will be released through MGM, who were unavailable for comment on the exact details of the release.

In addition, the film will premiere on the big screen in England as part of "Yellow Submarine Day" on 8/30, and a soundtrack to the film with all 16 Beatles classics will arrive 9/14.

Also on the MGM scene, quickly after my Status Report update yesterday on Phantasm, I did learn from MGM that it is they who now own the rights to this title for DVD. So, anyone else's plans for the a DVD release are not likely. As expected, MGM replied that "all acquired titles are under consideration" for a possible future DVD release, etc. As MGM has been good with sci-fi and horror tiles in the past, I hold out out we'll see this one someday on DVD.

Artisan : Has some goodies coming our way, and a few surprises. In a new one to me, it is Artisan that controls the rights to The Return Of The Pink Panther, and have marked it down for a 7/20 release on DVD (though MGM owns just about all the other Pink Panther titles, don't ask me how this ended up with Artisan). Also on that date, look for the overlooked Nancy Savoca comedy The 24-Hour Woman and Top Dog.

And, for you fans of all the recent TV miniseries that have been popping up lately, look for Noah's Ark (7/20), Cleopatra (8/17) and Joan Of Arc (9/21). All are their original full frame, with production notes, cast bios and 5.1 Dolby Digital.

Buena Vista : Not very surprising to me, but I did receive late word yesterday that starting with the gargantuan 18 titles Buena Vista was planning for July, there will be some considerable postponements. The exact titles being moved are not yet available, and it will affect the subsequent August, September and beyond titles.

I certainly applaud Buena Vista for attempting such a extensive lineup, which would be tough for anyone to accomplish. But, I'm not that surprised there will be shuffling of the schedule. I will post any changes as soon as they come in.

DreamWorks : Speaking of shifting dates, many of you have noticed various lists and retailers that have Saving Private Ryan scheduled for November on DVD. Like our friend The Digital Bits already mentioned, this simply is not confirmed. It is all up to Mr. Spielberg, and I continue to stand by my Spielberg piece and the information, which still holds as far as I know. It doesn't matter what marketing reports say when you are dealing with someone like Spielberg.

As of today, it just is not definite for November. But, hey, maybe it will happen, that would be great. But I just thought it important to stress again given all the email I continue to get on the topic that it is all preliminary. Stay tuned, though.

Amazing Fantasy : Whoa, baby, sit down for these. You can run but you can't hide! On 6/22, watch out for Hideous, Petticoat Planet, Tourist Trap and Witchhouse, as well as the wonderfully titled Timegate: Tales Of The Saddle Tramps and Sorority Babes In The Slimeball Bowl-A-Rama. Woo-hoo!

May 25 : New Status Report; New Line & Nightmare news; Sony adds two new titles

Status Report : Three new additions to the Status Report this time, for the "please make it so" Blade Runner SE, the Phantasm films, and a director's cut of 54.

However, I must mention that the Status Report is not always good news...it is meant as a place I can put news (even if there isn't any!) in one location to let new and old readers alike know what is up at the moment with certain titles. Also, I don't always hear everything, so this is just what I know of at the moment, but judging by the page views, you all seem to enjoy this feature of the site.

New Line : Some quite cool news on the A Nightmare On Elm Street box set today. Some readers that attended the recent Fangoria Weekend Of Horrors wrote in to say they saw or were a part of a New Line project involving videotaping fan comments and thoughts on the Nightmare series. Coolest of all, these were to be a part of the DVD. Though New Line is a bit cagey about it, as the "want it to be exciting and a surprise," they did reveal that the fan testimonials are a part of the project, and they are really planning "an extensive and celebratory retrospective" for the box set, which should retail "around $100" for all 7 films plus an additional disc of supplements.

The street date is 9/7, and as of now, only the first film will be available separately, though my guess is that eventually we'll see the rest of the film sold individually as well.

Sony : Has added Charlotte Church's Voice Of An Angel In Concert to their slate for 6/1, as well as the children's favorite The Little Witch for 8/10, which is another that DVD is reaching out to the family market more. This is a good sign, I think. The former retails for $24.95, with The Little Witch going for $19.95, and also featuring an interactive game for the kids.

May 24 : Buena Vista adds August slate

Buena Vista : A bit out of order after I added the Buena Vista September batch of DVDs last week, but here is their August slate that strangely arrived after the September stuff (though I believe these are up at DVD.com and elsewhere by now). Some good stuff this time, and of course all are the usual movie-only, $29.95 stuff.

On August 10, look for a day & date Celebrity, the child-molester flick Powder, the direct-to-video sequel From Dusk Till Dawn 2: Texas Blood Money, and The Distinguished Gentleman.

Then, on 8/17, comes the also day & date Playing by Heart, a pre-Littleton controversy-addled flick The Program, more Woody with Everyone Says I Love You, the big cult film Exotica, The Rocketeer, the R-rated version of Color of Night, the remake of The Three Musketeers, Medicine Man and the ultra-controversial Priest.

Also, Operation Condor 2 is scheduled for 9/14, along with the first one (forgot to add it in the last BV post). Shakespeare In Love is due out 8/10 on VHS. However, it is has not been announced for DVD at this time. And for an update on Buena Vista, 16x9 and Disney animated films, check out today's editorial for more.

May 20 : Buena Vista lays 'em out for September; status report update; Pioneer goes "Animetronic"; and FocusFilm announces first title

Status Report: Just a brief Status Report update today, with a new addition for a potential 4 1/2 hour (!) Special Edition of The Horse Whisperer, as well as the Dark Shadows television show. Robert Redford made some comments recently about the Horse Whisperer disc, and I had a nice talk with MPI about their Dark Shadows plans for DVD. So give the updates a look if these titles interest you.

Buena Vista: In their move towards stressing quantity in their DVD release plans, Buena Vista has released another big batch of September titles to retailers. All are the typical BV basic movie-only titles, and note that they have "skipped" a month, with two big batches of July and September titles. However, there will many August titles, but I got "skipped" myself on these, and I hope to fill in the missing month soon(?).

Though everyone has their favorite films and all, to be honest, there isn't much here that is all that impressive, aside from a couple of personal favorites like Quiz Show, though there is a pretty good mix of Buena Vista, Miramax and Dimension titles. While it is good of BV to release a varied and full plate, there is that whole quantity versus quality question, which I'm sure you all have an opinion on. Anyway, prepare to be underwhelmed:

On 9/7 comes Albino Alligator, Adventures in Babysitting, Blackjack, Quiz Show, Eddie, Son-in-Law, The Englishmen Who Went Up The Hill And Came Back With A DVD Player, Up Close and Personal, The Prophecy II, The House of Yes, and Hocus Pocus.

On 9/14 comes The Crossing Guard, Fresh, Senseless, Operation Condor and Georgia.

Finally, on 9/28 comes A Price Above Rubies, I Love You I Love You Not, Sister Act II, Mad Love and, oh no, Encino Man. Thank goodness Pauly Shore's 15 minutes of fame has expired...

Pioneer : Already having put out quite a bit of anime and music titles on DVD as of late, Pioneer is now teaming up with Platinum Entertainment to do a series of DVDs from the Animetronic series which is based on the popular Japanese anime "Armitage III" series.

The street date for the first title in the series is set for 8/24. The actual program should be a anime music type thing, and will include multiple camera angles, artist interviews as well as extensive production notes. No price is yet set, and more details on the content will be forthcoming soon.

FocusFilm : Some of you may remember a press release a while back announcing the arrival of FocusFilm, a new DVD distributor, which is helmed by some of the folks from Elite, among others. Well, they have announced their first title, which is the intriguing 20 volume set (!) called Hard N' Heavy. This is a 10 part series (each release contains 2 volumes) that will be released over the course of the year. The first double volume debuts July 27 for $19.95.

The series is basically a "history of heavy metal," and includes live performances, candid studio and practice sessions and some of the most "in-depth and uncensored interviews ever available" by the artists. Featured performers include Aerosmith, Iron Maiden, nirvana, David Bowie (is he heavy metal?), Alice Cooper, KISS, Skid Row, Ozzy Osbourne, Black Sabbath and more.

Unfortunately, the press release for the 7/27 release doesn't actually list the performers or the actual content of the first double volume.

Correction : The other day, for some reason, I mistakenly stated that Carrie 2 would arrive May 20. The real date is July 20...the database is correct, just a typo. Sorry about that!

May 19 : Columbia features update; Criterion adds four new titles for July; Life Is Beautiful delayed

Columbia: Has announced some more details and exact street dates for some upcoming titles, and there is some good stuff in there. On 7/13, look for Central Station, with a commentary with star Fernanda Montenegro and Producer Arthur Cohn, as well as cast & crew bios (which Columbia is doing more of now on their discs). Then, there is the classic Bye Bye Birdie, which features Dolby 5.1, 2.0 and the original 3.0 theatrical mix., as well as a first-ever 16x9 widescreen transfer. Both these titles list for $24.95 MAP.

Also on 7/13, but for $19.95 MAP, comes The Professionals, as well as the Oscar-winning The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation. Both these discs don't really have any features of note, aside from subtitles and trailers.

Lastly, on 8/2, comes the trashy teen exploitation romp Cruel Intentions (and I loved every minute of it, thank you). Aside from the 5.1 soundtrack and P&S and 16x9 transfers, look for a director's commentary and cast & crew bios. I heard there may be a music video, but it is not listed, so I guess not. MAP is $19.95.

Criterion : Kurosawa fans will have reason to celebrate, as Criterion has just announced a couple of the director's gems for DVD, Yojimbo and Sanjuro. Both feature the original widescreen transfers and Japanese soundtracks, and run $29.95. Though Criterion is now supporting 16x9, these titles are not listed as anamorphic, alas.

Also, look for the Philip Kaufman classic The Unbearable Lightness Of Being, which has been long-awaited by many of you. This should be a great disc, with a new 16x9 director-approved widescreen transfer, and an audio commentary by Philip Kaufman, cowriter Jean-Claude Carri½re, editor Walter Murch, and actor Lena Olin. It retails for $39.95.

Finally, also on tap is For All Mankind, a well-known and Oscar-winning documentary on the Apollo mission. It is also $39.95 with a host of impressive features, including a new 5.1 channel Dolby Digital soundtrack, audio Commentary by Al Reinert and Apollo 17 Commander Eugene A. Cernan (the final man to set foot on the moon), paintings and commentary by Apollo 12 and Skylab astronaut Alan L. Bean, and audio Highlights from NASA missions.

Also, in what seems to be a start for Criterion, both the latter two titles will feature English subtitles for the deaf and hearing impaired, which is nice to see. As is usual for Criterion (not to be mean), but their street dates change often, so these are supposed to be out sometime this summer, though I wouldn't dare venture a guess for the exact street date.

Miramax: Just a note that they have announced that Life Is Beautiful is being delayed on home video for all formats, due to the fact that they are considering re-releasing the film in theaters with a new English dubbed version. Ick! In any case, with all the behind-the-scenes drama at Buena Vista, I'm not going to hold my breath for this one on DVD anytime soon anyway...

May 18 : MGM unleashes Carrie 2; Pioneer adds more anime; a few Universal DTS titles; Warner does Short Cinema Journal; yet more on the ALIEN disc

MGM : Though one of those movies that probably didn't need to be made, nevertheless, I actually thought Carrie 2: The Rage wasn't so bad (though Amy Irving should definitely retire from acting). Kinda a fun, if needless, horror flick. Anyway, MGM will bow the sequel on July 20 for $24.95, day & date with the VHS. Look for 16x9 widescreen and P&S on the flip, along with the usual MGM booklet, trailer, cast & crew bios and production notes. The marketing information released thus far does not list anything further, alas. Perhaps you Katt Shea fans can hope for a commentary track, eh eh.

Pioneer : Adds a few anime and "Pokemon" titles to their slate. I don't know, when I was at E3 last week, the giant Pokemon thing that was walking around was a bit creepy. But, kids love it, I guess.

Anyway, look for El-Hazard: The Alternative World - The Priestess of Water on 7/27, then a couple of Dragonball Z discs for DragonBall Z Destruction and Immortals on 7/13, followed by two Pokemon discs of Psi Surprise and Seaside Pikachu, both on 7/20. All discs retail for $24.95.

Universal : This may be old news, but Universal will be adding a couple of DTS titles to their July slate, for Patch Adams and Mercury Rising. As usual, they will be featureless, due to the extra space the DTS soundtrack takes up on the disc, and will retail for $34.95.

Warner : In one of those weird peculiarities I'll never quite understand, Warner has now taken over the Short Cinema Journal discs previously put out by Polygram (is there anyone who isn't getting a Polygram title?). So, the long-delayed Short Cinema Journal 1:4 will appear 6/15, as well as a new Circuit Journal 1:1, devoted entirely to music video. Sounds like cool releases, and even better, the price is now only $14.95! Nice.

Fox : Sigh...the convoluted ALIEN saga. In good news, in addition to the isolated score, there will be a second score that includes many music cues and alternate takes that many fans have been clamoring for. In addition, the latest press release states the deleted scenes will also appear on the ALIEN disc, not just in the 66-minute documentary that comes with the box set. In any event, Fox should be delivering preview copies soon, so hopefully I will get a look at one before street date, and will of course do a review.

In more depressing news, Romeo + Juliet will not have the extras the laserdisc did, for some unknown reason. I will try to find out more, but it seems Fox quite frankly blew it with some of their current titles, but it seems they are getting on the ball and their future releases won't make the same mistakes.

Database : Just a note that the other day I forgot to actually upload the new titles and features I've listed over the past few days to the actual database. I've since done it, so you can find all the features and such for the titles in the database now.

May 17 : VCI launches extensive 1999 slate; Warner packs "Heat" and more July titles; and some New Line July titles as well

VCI : For me, some of the more exciting and interesting release news often comes from the "indies." Though of course big studio titles are always good, everyone has their cult favorites and guilty pleasures, so whenever I receive title info from suppliers like VCI, I'm always intrigued.

VCI just sent me a nice little catalog and upcoming title list for 1999. There is some interesting stuff in here, including many cult titles long-awaited. There is not definitive street dates for these, and VCI divided them up by type of program:

In the sci-fi/horror category, look for restored widescreen editions of Mario Bava's Blood & Black Lace, Argento's Bird With The Crystal Plumage. as well as more cool stuff lie The Night Visitor, Ruby, Death Game, and a collector's edition of Gorgo.

In their Premier Classics line, expect double features of Getting Gertie's Garter and Up In Mabel's Room, Shadows On The Stairs and Eyes In the Night, The Duke Of West Point and My Son My Son, as well as a solo The Mark.

Also on tap are Classic Cliffhangers, with collections of classics the Jungle Girl, Dick Tracy and Jack Armstrong. Also, VCI has some Academy Award Winners, including a restored The Brave One and Room At The Top.

There are also some Contemporary Classics, which to be honest I haven't heard of (though perhaps you have). Look for Quackser Fortune Has A Cousin In The Bronx, Queen Of The Stardust Ballroom, To Build A Fire, Brother Can You Spare A Dime?, A Doll's House. Negatives, Marco and a Jack Nicholson double feature of Ride IN The Whirlwind and The Shooting.

Lastly are three Specials, for Bob Fosse's Pippin special edition, the Sandy Duncan version of Pinocchio, and a widescreen edition of Terence Young's Black Tights.

In all, a nice and varied slate from VCI in 1999.

Warner : Has a varied July slate coming. Nothing here pops out at ya (not that these aren't good titles), except, of course, the long-awaited Michael Mann epic Heat. Though this won't have any features (as already related by Warner a while back), it will be 16x9, RSDL and $19.95.

Anyway, aside from that, look for City Hall and Striptease in both widescreen and P&S for $19.95, and yet more shitty budget titles, including gems that deserve better, like Deathtrap, South Central, In Country and Tarzan and The Lost City. All budget titles are $14.95 and "full frame," except Tarzan which is widescreen and 16x9.

New Line : Look for a couple of new titles and goodies from New Line this July as well. A day & date Blast From The Past arrives July 27, as well as the "chick flick" fave Bed Of Roses, and the awful wartime romance In Love And War. All are 16x9, though only Blast From the Past has any considerable extras, including commentary and a featurette. The full features to be announced soon in the press release coming this week.

May 15 : Brief update on Prince Of Egypt and Dark Crystal

DreamWorks: You may recall a post from a few days ago on the big Prince Of Egypt event-thing over at DreamWorks to celebrate the video release. Since then they have given out an official release date of September 14 for the VHS and DVD. However, no features have been set, but expect a really good special edition disc. Look for the press release most likely to come next week.

Henson: Just a follow up to yesterday's post. I received an email, as did many readers, from The Henson Company about The Dark Crystal: "The film will be released by Columbia Tri-Star Home Video sometime this fall. No exact date has been set yet." In regards to Labrynth and other Henson titles, "There are no plans to release other DVDs at this time." Oh, well, one to start out with ain't bad! Hopefully some features will be announced soon.

May 14 : The Dark Crystal coming to DVD?

Henson: Some of the more long-awaited titles to come out on DVD, but not often talked about, are the many fine productions of Jim Henson, including such titles as The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth, as well as the Muppet films. Anyway, I do remember asking Columbia way back last fall at Studio Day, as well as recently, about the Henson films (which Columbia now has home video rights to). At the time, they had stated there were "rights problems" (oh, no, not them again) and there was no dates on these and no word forthcoming.

Well, interestingly, on the Henson web site, there is a listing way at the bottom for a 1999 DVD release of The Dark Crystal. That is a good omen, eh? I will try to see if there is anything to be gleamed from this from Columbia or Henson & Associates, and hopefully I or another web site can find out more. Let's hope (and thank God Columbia has these, 'cause it means a nice and new HD master!). (Thanks to David B. for the link.)

May 13 : Barney is coming' to your town; Black Hole identification and a missing Re-Animator

The Great Purple One : I know everyone is all up in arms about Star Wars and Disney animation, but the REAL "holy grail" of DVD is finally here. That's right, calm down, it is true! Everyone's favorite child molester has come to DVD, when Barney unleashes his Let's Play School spectacular on July 27, with two more purple opuses to follow. (Of course, let's face it, we all know Baby Bop is the true mastermind behind that operation.) Whew, man, I'm so excited, I just couldn't eat all day. This is it, folks, DVD has finally arrived!

The Missing and The Returned : Just a couple of quickies. If you want to get that The Black Hole reissue, but aren't sure how to tell 'em apart (even though retailers should have taken the recalled discs off their shelves, but of course many haven't), I've been told by Anchor Bay and a couple of readers that there is a red dot on the back of the box. It is not an actual sticker, apparently, but more of an identifier mark. So, make sure yours has this red dot to make sure you have the right pressing.

Also, many have asked whatever happened to Elite's very nice Re-Animator disc. Well, it has been discontinued as of now. There is some rights thing (sigh), so though Elite hopes to offer it again, snap up any copies you can find, just in case it never comes back. Let's hope not, as I thought it was quite a good disc.

May 12 : some Status Report "housecleaning"; a Alfred Hitchcock special; and A"Prince"-ly affair;

Status Report: The faithful among you out there will remember my little post last week about trying to be a little more thorough in my reporting, avoiding dubious rumors and sticking to street dates for the database. Well, I lied. No, just kidding, really, I am moving in this direction. So, I know have the unpleasant task of retracting some things and clarifying others.

Right now, I'm not sure how to structure all this. I know that I will be sticking ONLY to titles with confirmed street dates for the disc database, from either press releases or consistent studio marketing (also know as solicitation) reports. I want you all to be able to use it with confidence in planning your purchases and such. There still will be some "in production" listings and announced stuff with no know street date, just a bit more sparse.

As for the Status Report, I'm thinking of putting it on a database as well, as it is growing pretty big. I'll have to think about it. Anyway, from now on, I will be avoiding statements like "this title is planned for release," because, really, what does that mean? How are they in production? For example, I am adding Ben-Hur to the Status Report today, because not only did MGM announce it a long while ago (before the dissolution of their Warner deal), but I do know after a recent visit to a post house that the six-track surround master has been done for the DVD. So, that is a real verifiable thing as far as I know, and I can say in good conscience that it is real.

Sure, some will say this is still a rumor, but to be honest I disagree. Unless the post house was involved in some big conspiracy to lie to me (doubtful), it is a fact. However, I can't say that this for sure means the DVD is "on its way" or even "planned," and will not now or ever say such a thing again. All it means is that the 6-channel remaster has been done. So, I will relate those kinds of things, which give you a good indication of work being done on DVDs, but hopefully makes it clear a lot can happen, and there are no guarantees that just because a title is in production in any way, shape or form, that a DVD is guaranteed. Therefore, I can still sleep at night with a clear conscience that I did not create (hopefully) unreal expectations in anyone's mind, but just relayed what I know from firsthand experience.

Now, onto Braveheart. You will all remember the news from The Digital Bits and here about production activity on the Braveheart front. Well, amid all the rumors and such, as we know, it didn't end up on the Paramount marketing solicitations or sales schedule (and no press releases have been released yet for the fall titles).

So, feeling guilty, I wanted to find out what is up. The basic situation is becoming all too familiar to us, and I'm sure you'll recognize it. Braveheart was a production of Icon Entertainment (a production company a la Mr. Mel Gibson) along with both Paramount and Fox, who both distributed in different parts of world. Like the common refrain with Star Wars or Spielberg titles, Paramount's response to my query was "We're not the ones to talk to. You have to ask Mel Gibson, not us." Succinct and to the point, huh?

Well, alrighty then, if I should ask Mr. Gibson, that is what I will do. Unfortunately, I don't have a direct line to Mel. (Sample dialogue: Me: "Whadda mean he won't take my calls? After all I've done for him!?" Answer: "Sorry, he's having lunch with Leonard Maltin.") Instead, I tried tracking down this fabled Icon Entertainment. After getting every other Icon Entertainment in existence, I resorted to the Hollywood Reporter BluBook, which is sort of the Yellow Pages of Hollywood.

Anyway, I finally got a hold of them, and after going through three bewildered people who had no idea what DVD or what I was talking about (Me: "Whadda mean you've never heard of DVDFILE!?" Answer: "Is that some kind of center for venereal diseases?"), I ended up talking with a nice fellow named Martin, who actually knew what a DVD was. We had a nice chat about stuff (though I still think he thinks I'm some insane weirdo with a web site, which I probably am), and to make this long story short, Mr. Gibson does have input over any home video release and most likely would be involved in such a project, as he was actively involved with the VHS and overseeing the transfer and such. So, not a very exciting answer, but here we go again. Let's hope Mr. Gibson gets involved or something, or will we have to wait until 2005 for this DVD?

Lastly, I also added a Papillion entry, and updated Star Wars, with the "six year wait" info that we all know and love.

My Friend Alfie: In addition, some of you may recall my interest in film preservation, blah blah blah. As I promised a couple of weeks back, I added a spotlight on that Hitchcock what's-his-name, that guy with all the famous movies. It lists what is up with the titles that Universal is restoring, as well as briefly touches on some of his other titles from Warner and the fight over some of his public domain stuff. Give it a look.

DreamWorks: With fanfare fit for a king (or at least the artist formerly known as Prince), there is a little brouhaha going on at DreamWorks early today for the upcoming The Prince Of Egypt home video release, which includes DVD plans. By the looks of it, DreamWorks will be promoting this one heavily, and the DVD should be quite a great disc. The press release should be out pretty soon, and expect an early fall berth (I hope to have the confirmed date very soon.) Alas, I wasn't invited to this little party...well, actually, I was, but in between my meetings with the White House, hanging out with Madonna and having lunch with Leonard Maltin, I just couldn't fit it into my schedule. Tough life for us webmasters.

May 11 : James Bond Does Return; Universal scares up a good fall

MGM: Our favorite suave secret agent Mr. Bond will finally be returning to DVD on October 19. In addition to all the previously on moratorium DVDs (Dr. No, From Russia With Love, Goldfinger, The Spy Who Loved Me, Moonraker and GoldenEye), Thunderball and Diamonds Are Forever will also be issued. More Bond titles will be issued over the next several months (or perhaps years?) after these first titles. Note that the previous Bond DVDs will be the same as the previous ones...same discs, same packaging, everything. The new ones have features yet to be fully determined. Lastly, as of now, the Tomorrow Never Dies special edition will not be reissued, though I'm sure someday in the future it will be re-released (and you can still find a lot of 'em in the stores if you look, and the movie-only edition is of course still available).

Universal: DVD.COM has revealed some more of Universal's fall DVD plans. Many discs we all have been anticipating for a while are in there, like the Cape Fear, EDtv and Rear Window SEs, as well as the now trilogized Back To The Future set. Also, there are some new goodies listed, like some of their classic horror flicks including Frankenstein, Bride of Frankenstein, the original The Mummy and The Wolfman (all are a clever little tie-in with the October DVD release of The Mummy, huh?), as well as a new SE of Grace Of My Heart. Give it a look, though until some set street dates are issued, I will refrain from adding these all to the database (though these are all real titles, really!).

A brief note about Rear Window, I was told by Universal theatrical ages ago, and it has been in print in numerous trades, that the Rear Window restoration was for a theatrical release, and then a subsequent video release. So, I'm a bit surprised to hear about a Rear Window DVD so soon. But, perhaps they have forgone the theatrical release? Hey, whatever, I ain't complaining!

Fox Lorber: In association with Henninger Media, Fox Lorber is releasing a documentary based on the events of The Exorcist, called (appropriately enough) In The Grip Of Evil. Check out the full press release for the details. Oh, scary!

Fox: The Digital Bits is reporting that The Thin Red Line DVD is being delayed a bit. This wouldn't surprise me, as there has been no real PR announcement yet, though the initial marketing solicitations listed 6/29. So, it is probably being delayed, though hopefully not for long...

May 10 : More on"Halloween" SE, Something About Mary commentary; My Favorite Martian arrives and H20 doesn't, Gremlins & Black Hole reappear

Anchor Bay: I received an email with more information on the forthcoming Halloween Special Edition from a nice fellow named Michael Felsher, of Anchor Bay's web site. This new revised feature info comes direct from the producer of the DVD, William Lustig (some of you horror fans may recognize his name).

These new updates are basically the same (just rephrased), though I'm glad to see that not only is the main feature 16x9 enhanced, but the television version is as well. Halloween fans will know that the previous Criterion laserdisc and VHS copies of this footage was always shown full-frame. I was not aware that the footage was shot 2.35:1, as it was intended for TV, but since this comes from the producer of the DVD, I will take it as legit.

For those of you wondering about the television footage, what basically happened was that the television rights to Halloween were bought by NBC, who demanded many cuts (television standards were more stringent than they are today). The shortened running time was then augmented by some new footage shot by John Carpenter, which also tied into the release of Halloween II in the theaters (both the televised version of Halloween and the sequel debuted on the same weekend back in 1981). Since then, Mr. Carpenter has basically disowned the television additions, but there are a couple of scenes of interest, especially to Halloween fans.

Anyway, here are the new revised details:

• Halloween has been fully restored under the supervision of Lucasfilm's THX Digital Mastering Services program.
• The video was transferred by the award-winning colorist Adam Adams (Terminator 2, Titanic) from a new 35mm wetgate interpositive (struck from the original camera negative) and approved by the film's cinematographer Dean Cundey
• Widescreen presentation (2.35 :1) Enhanced for 16X9 TVs
• Full Frame Presentation Formatted to fit 4x3 TVs
• Restored and re-mixed in 5.1 Dolby Digital using the original 16-Track movie studio master and the recently discovered original 35mm magnetic dialogue & effects tracks
• Halloween Unmasked 2000 - Containing new interviews with director John Carpenter, executive producer Irwin Yablans, actress P.J. Soles (totally!), actor Brian Andrews (played character Tommy Doyle), cinematographer Dean Cundey, production designer and editor Tommy Lee Wallace and more
• Two theatrical trailers and Three TV Spots
• Two Extensive Still Galleries -#1 featuring 100+ behind-the-scenes stills -#2 featuring publicity stills and posters from around the world
• Color Booklet and Hologram Cover
• Disc Two : Exclusive fully remastered widescreen presentation (16x9) containing 12 minutes of additional scenes directed by John Carpenter for network and syndication airings.

Now a few things. The television version will not have the television cuts as well, i.e., the original television version cut out the bad stuff and added the extra footage, while this disc version will have all the bad stuff and the extra stuff. way to go Anchor Bay! This disc will be a Limited Edition of only 20,000 or so units. It will be a 2-disc set, run $44.95 and streets August 17 (however, like all dates, this could change but it is indeed the real date as of now). Keep in mind that the first disc only will be released again by itself after the limited edition.

Lastly, some may complain about the lack of the commentary from the Criterion disc. I am disappointed, too, but unfortunately, Criterion and Anchor Bay could not reach an agreement on it, at least so far, which is a shame. I won't point fingers, though I do wish such a good supplement wouldn't be excluded from the DVD format because of politics. But, what can you do?

Buena Vista: In news I'm sure you are all breathlessly awaiting, Buena Vista has announced the street date for the surprise box office family hit My Favorite Martian, due September 28. Now, now, calm down...it is only a few months away, can you hold out?

On to bad news, I guess, we will not see the Halloween H20 special edition until at least October of this year, as of now. I've seen the BV schedule through September (I hope to be able to provide you with details as soon as I can), and it ain't on there as of now. Believe me, I feel your pain...

Fox: Has added a new detail to their August 10 Special Edition release of There's Something About Mary. A commentary track was just finished with director's Peter and Bobby Farelly. In addition, look for some cut footage. More details I'm sure will be forthcoming...

Recalled Discs: Just a quick note that you can find the recalled Black Hole disc and the "on moratorium" Gremlins arriving on retail shops over the last week and the next couple. Note that many retailers didn't pay attention and recall The Black Hole disc, so the best thing to do is simply ask your retailer if they are aware of what version it is, and always keep your receipt if you need to return it. Gremlins, as it is an older title, may not be reordered in mass quantities, so you may want to ask or special order it if you don't shop online.

May 7 : Anchor Bay adds June titles, a Paramount fall; MPI gets "Dark"; and Polygram adds Hilary & Jackie

Anchor Bay: Though a bit overshadowed by the above big disc, on June 15, Anchor Bay releases some other really good movies: Prizzi's Honor, Silkwood, For Love Of Ivy, Take The Money And Run and the campy fun Swinging Cheerleaders. All are $24.95 and widescreen.

Paramount: Has apparently released their fall titles to DVD.com, the titles are:

200 Cigarettes, 3 Days of the Condor, and two collections of classic Star Trek episodes on August 17. The Out-Of-Towners (1998), Breakfast at Tiffany's and Barefoot in the Park on September 14, as well as two more collections of classic Star Trek episodes and the first two collections of Star Trek: The Next Generation episodes. And last but not least, October 12 will see Election (loved this movie!), Apocalypse Now, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Friday the 13th and Friday the 13th, Part 2 (oh, yeah baby!), as well as the final two collections of Star Trek episodes and two more Star Trek: The Next Generation collections.

MPI: Also has some good ones, including a Dark Shadows special edition. However, strangely, the MPI press info lists "rare material," "the spookiest & most bizarre moments" from the series, on location exteriors, in-depth analysis from Dan Curtis, photo gallery, music montage, promotion materials and more. The problem is, it doesn't say if there are any actual episodes on the disc! It runs 2 1/2 hours, and I put in a email to MPI, and hope to hear more soon. Perhaps it is just a documentary?

Also from MPI, look for The Judds: The Farewell Concert and The Very Best Of The Bee Gees Live. Unfortunately, there are no set street dates for any of these in the press brochure, just "coming soon." (?)

Polygram: Will bow the very good Oscar-nominated film Hilary & Jackie on July 6. It will include a featurette and the trailer, as well as a 16x9 widescreen transfer and a P&S version the flip.

As we know, starting August 1st, USA Home Video takes over Polygram, so Hilary & Jackie may not be on the market for long. However, I'd be surprised if USA doesn't do DVD, but as of today they haven't officially announced anything. Stay tuned.

Image Stuff & Box Art: The Image Entertainment site put up all their latest announcements (and they love to release a ton at a time!), so check 'em out. Since Image pretty much uses their web site to announce their titles, I just have to copy them. I will next week, but in the meantime you can view them now. Also, check out The Digital Bits, who have lots of cool new cover art up.

May 3 : Updates on The King & I, Life Is Beautiful; Bruce Lee chops his way to DVD; James Bond 4-1; Radiohead and Stop Making Sense; Return to Paradise, Orgazmo and Basketball Diaries

Warner: Has issued the detail for their upcoming King & I release on July 6. Similar to their impressive Quest For Camelot disc, The King & I will feature the 16x9 widescreen presentation and 5.1 soundtrack, along with behind-the-scenes footage, Karoake and sing-along feature, another featurette with the vocal talent, and an online DVD-ROM game. All on a RSDL disc and priced at $24.95.

Buena Vista: Just a note that there has been some confusion (my own included) on the full skinny on Life Is Beautiful. I had talked with Miramax and Buena Vista Friday, and there will indeed be a Collector's Series title of Life Is Beautiful. However, there will be no scheduled day & date movie only version at this time. The VHS is streeting July 13, and whenever the special edition DVD is ready, it is ready. No word on the features, aside from some behind-the-scenes footage and the usual trailers, production notes, etc. Expect more details to filter in over the next few weeks.

Fox: Via the fine folks at DVD.com, Fox apparently has some plans for a big Bruce Lee Box Set this summer. According to DVD.com, no known features as of yet, and it will contain Return of the Dragon, The Chinese Connection, Fists of Fury, Game of Death and the documentary The Legend. Take that, Jackie Chan!

James Bond 4 In 1: I've gotten many emails asking about whatever happened to that James Bond 4 In 1 set (which is basically some documentaries on the films with lots of nifty footage) announced by Brentwood months ago. Well, no big surprise, MGM halted the release of the disc due to "rights issues" (i.e., they don't want anyone to make money off of James Bond but them). There is no known release date for the disc, if at all. However, the disc has not been completely canceled, so we'll just have to wait and see.

Music, Music, Music: Just a couple of brief notes on two new music titles coming to DVD. Radiohead's acclaimed Meeting People Is Easy "rockumentary" will street May 18, and the Talking Heads' Stop Making Sense disc will be out in October sometime. Expect some good features on the latter, and stay tuned for more.

Polygram: A couple of notes on last week's Return To Paradise and Basketball Diaries posts. First, Return To Paradise, according to Polygram, has not been reedited for the DVD or VHS releases. The difference in the concluding scene between trailer and the actual film is simply an example of a common occurrence in film nowadays, that of an alternate take being used. This is not unusual, though I'm sure some out there will insist the film is somehow changed from the theatrical version, though without directly comparing the prints with the DVD and VHS, I'll just take Polygram's word for it.

As for the Basketball Diaries, I did post a link to a Brazil site selling a Region 0 edition with some extra goodies. I've been told by some readers that this disc is actually the same as the current Polygram Region 0 release (though surprising, most Polygram US DVDs are actually Region 0, or 'non-region coded"). All feature a Everclear PSA and cast interviews. So, I apologize if anyone rushed out to buy the import. In the future, I will be making it a policy to not recommend non-Region 1 titles, as there is just no way I can really examine such discs adequately. I will still post interesting non-Region 1 news on occasion, but in general, it is probably best to refer to the International links for all the many great non-Region 1 sites out there.

By the way, in regards to the whole Basketball Diaries recall, my personal feeling is that it is unlikely MGM will recall the disc come July 1 (Polygram retains the rights until that time). Though MGM has not made a definite announcement, judging by the general "buzz" in the trades, there would probably be some resistance to the idea of censoring the film, and of course by the time July 1 rolls around, the "heat" over the whole things may die down. But, you never know, so you may want to still snap up a copy of the DVD while it is still on the shelves.

Lastly, Orgazmo has been deleted from the Disc Database, as Polygram will not be releasing it on DVD before they are acquired by USA Home Video, It will be up to USA to release Orgazmo if they see fit, and as of now, they have not yet declared their DVD plans, if any.