By Peter M. Bracke

MARCH 20

No Superman this spring?

Up, up, and...really far away. I don't like to be the bearer of (potentially) bad news, but such is the life of a DVD webmaster. A few weeks back, you may recall I lamented that the upcoming fully restored and remastered Superman: The Movie would not be getting much of a theatrical rerelease, instead going direct to DVD and video. Well, it seems I may just get my wish, though at the expense of a speedy DVD release...

As Superman fans well know, the DVD of Superman: The Movie, as well as the other three live-action entries in the series, were announced by Warner for a May 1 arrival date. However, this street date has thus far only been sent out to retailers, via Warner's WHV Direct web site, trade ad "slicks," and even a VHS screener of Superman: The Movie (complete with "coming May 1" tagline) distributed to some Blockbuster outlets. And, as you may well know, the only theatrical screenings of the new cut of Superman: The Movie begin this Friday in, of all places, San Antonio, Texas for a limited test run. So, we've sat here, waiting (im)patiently for the full, official press release, and licking our lips in anticipation. But, with little over a month to go before May 1 hits, still no press release, no trade news on further theatrical showings, no nothing...

So, we talked with representatives from Warner yesterday to find out just what is up with Superman, since we are the worrying types around here, after all. So, here goes, potentially good news and bad news for Superman fans. Warner has intentionally not issued a press release for a May 1 arrival, because that date is still not final and official, despite all the ads, specs and VHS screeners going out to retail. (It is standard practice for retail info to go out long before the press release, and such last-minute street date changes have happened before. Remember Legend or Wonder Boys?) With the San Antonio test run days away, and generating bigger buzz than anyone anticipated (the premiere screening hosted by director Richard Donner is already sold out and will be attended by plenty of industry bigwigs), we were told by Warner that they are now seriously eyeing a potential theatrical re-release in the future, which if this San Antonio run is successful, would necessitate the DVDs being bumped until sometime after that.

Whatever happens in San Antonio, some word should be coming from Warner in the next two weeks or so after the screening on just what is going to happen to the fate of the DVDs. Ironically, it does put DVD fans like us in a odd position. While I want the film to do well on the big screen and get a major theatrical re-release, I don't really want to have to wait for the DVDs for months or even another year. But, I guess you can't have it both ways, huh? Of course, when Warner does decide to officially announce something one way or another, we'll post it. Until then, take a long, good look at that box cover art, 'cause it may be the most you're going to see of Superman on DVD for a long, long time...

CE3K box art

Well, here it is, the box art for the upcoming 2-disc set of Close Encounters from Columbia. While I prefer the original, first-release artwork (just a shot of a long stretch of road ominous light on the horizon), this is pretty much what I expected. (Click here for a blow up of the image.) Also, Columbia has issued the full press release for Close Encounters Of The Third Kind, so check it out if you missed it.

Anchor Bay spring titles

Anchor Bay has just announced their next batch of titles due this spring. Man, do I love Anchor Bay! Only they would release Mountaintop Motel Massacre in anamorphic widescreen. Brilliance!

Anyway, on 5/15 comes the following, all in anamorphic widescreen: Death Before Dishonor (in 2.0 "ultra" stereo), Michael J. Fox in Midnight Madness (full frame and English 1.0 mono only), Mountaintop Motel Massacre (mono), The Boys Next Door (mono, with audio commentary with director Penelope Spheeris and star Maxwell Caulfield), The Vineyard (mono) and Rutger Hauer in Wanted: Dead Or Alive (2.0 ultra stereo). All of the above feature trailers (except Midnight Madness) and original poster art replicas. Also, the previously announced Nightwatch has been bumped to 5/15 as well, and includes all of the previously announced features.

MARCH 19

The Soggy Bottom Boys

Buena Vista has just announced 6/12 arrival date for the Coen Brothers latest, O Brother Where Art Thou? (which despite being less critically praised than what is now considered to be their modern classic, Fargo, is actually now their highest-grossing film ever.) The disc features a 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer, English 5.1 Dolby surround mix, the original making-of featurette, a "Soggy Bottom Boys" music video, and trailers. Retail is $29.95.

Where art thou, Dogma?

When Kevin smith's controversial, scatological comedy Dogma was first released on DVD almost a year and a half ago in a rather bare bones, movie-only edition, it was announced that the film would also receive a deluxe, 2-disc special edition treatment in a subsequent release. After months in production, this mega special edition (complete with commentary, documentary, tons of deleted scenes, new cover art and plenty more) was finally bestowed a January 23, 2001 street date, then quickly (and indefinitely) postponed. Since then, fans have been left to wait (and wait) for this much-anticipated set, wondering "Oh, where art thou, Dogma?"

Since Columbia has never publicly revealed the reason for the delay, and has in fact released no further update at all on the situation since the postponement was announced, we contacted the offices of Kevin Smith, aka "View Askew," to try and find out just what is up. We talked with Vincent Pereira, a participator in all of Smith's films on laserdisc and now DVD, and who is also a filmmaker himself, having written and directed the film A Better Place (which itself has seen its share of DVD delays, but we get to that in a moment,) Known around View Askew as "The Cleanest Cat In The Entire Operation." Pereira shed some light on the delay of the Dogma disc and when fans might finally see the DVD edition of the film they've been waiting for since the beginning.

The established rumor around the Internet has been that the Dogma 2-disc set was delayed because of something on the audio commentary track, or some other sort of conspiracy on the part of Columbia or even Kevin Smith. Not so, according to Pereira. "There has been a lot of speculation (for the delay), with most people thinking it had something to do with the audio commentary. But from what I understand, Disney was actually concerned with some of the content in the documentary (the 40-minute "Judge Not: In Defense Of Dogma") and requested the check discs at the last minute."

But what could be so terrible as to cause Disney to want to inspect the release? As you may remember, Dogma initially was to be a Miramax release, whose parent company is Disney (only in Hollywood, as they say.) But due to the intense controversy surrounding the film's mixture of comedy and Christianity, and threats and protests from various religious organizations, the film eventually found a new distributor in Lion's Gate Pictures (and Columbia TriStar for home video.) The documentary focuses in on the Catholic League (and in particular leader William Donaghue) who were the most vocal opponents of the film, even calling for a boycott at one point, though before they'd even seen the film. For family-friendly Disney, "there were concerns that the documentary might be perceived as being inflammatory, and the issue is one Disney just wants to put behind them."

So when we finally see this Dogma 2-disc set, will the documentary be edited, or even on the release? Even Pereira doesn't know for sure, though from what View Askew has been told, the anticipated arrival date for the 2-disc special edition is now 6/26. Columbia would not return calls for this story. And what of Pereira's A Better Place, which has also been on the way for over a year now as well? Better news for fan's of the action drama. "We're just waiting for (Kevin) Smith to finish his taped introduction," and the disc should be on its way. Stay tuned...

CE3K press release

Also, Columbia has issued the full press release for Close Encounters Of The Third Kind. No surprises here, but can't wait for 5/29!

Dark Knight in waiting

Speaking of highly-anticipated discs somewhere in never-neverland, buzz seems to be growing lately for new special edition releases of the four Warner live-action Batman films, which has grown especially loud lately with the pending release of director Tim Burton's big-budget remake of Planet Of The Apes due this summer. Warner first made public mention of possible special editions of the Batman films at last fall's Studio Day event, though at that time the information was only that special editions of the Batman films were in the discussion phase, and no actual production had even begun.

Lately, however (at least judging from our email) there is some sort of expectation that a 4-disc collection will be released by this Christmas (this is seemingly a big trend lately, that if a director has a big new movie coming out, studios must then automatically release new special editions of their past titles to cross-promote.) Since we'd love to see special editions of the Batman films as much as anyone (well, at least the first two!), we contacted Warner last week to see if they had any comment on the growing speculation.

According to a Warner spokesperson, there is no box set or special editions on the way, for this year at least. "Any rumors to the contrary or claims of 'insider sources' are absolutely false." The discs are not currently in production, and no producer has been hired. However, this is not necessarily bad news for (patient) Batman fans. "Work (on any DVD) is dependent on the involvement and schedule of the talent." IN other words, with Burton still hard at work on Apes, should work begin in earnest on any Batman special editions, the director will of course need to have the time and inclination to be involved. Let's hope he will, and I'm sure Warner would love nothing more than to reissue the Batman films as souped-up special editions. They certainly have been a cash cow for the studio, so for me it is more a question of "when," not "if." So here's to hoping for 2002?

MARCH 16 - 18

Trek talk

Trek fans - and this may be an understatement - here's a date to pencil in on your calendars. From Friday, March 30, through Sunday, April 1st, Creation Entertainment will be holding their 9th Annual Star Trek & Sci-Fi Grand Slam Convention at the Pasadena Center in Pasadena, California. Celebrating 35 years of Trek, the Slam will feature a host of Trek celebs and fan favorites, plenty of merchandise and exhibits, as well as something just a little extra special on Sunday...

Making his first-ever public appearance to talk about the upcoming Star Trek The Motion Picture - The Director's Edition, legendary director Robert Wise will be on hand for a special Q&A session, along with The Director's Edition producer David C. Fein, restoration supervisor Michael Matessino and visual effects supervisor Daren R. Dochterman.

Indeed, this is a very special occasion, as Wise has never, to my knowledge, spoken publicly before about The Motion Picture. This special appearance will also give fans their first chance to learn more about the the Director's Edition, which as you can tell by the bits and pieces that have leaked out so far, looks to be pretty spectacular. So if you can get to the convention, have those questions ready! I know I won't miss it, and hope to see many of you there, too! (For more info, visit the Grand Slam website for the full scoop on the convention.)

New Line May title specs

New Line has just issued the full press releases for their May titles mentioned yesterday, Dungeons & Dragons, Before Night Falls and the John Waters double feature Pecker and Hairspray. In usual New Line fashion, all have some great features, so check out the releases for all the news that's fit to print...

More spring titles from Columbia

Columbia has just announced a couple more new titles for May. Due on 5/22 is the acclaimed British miniseries QB VII, with a young Anthony Hopkins. The 2-disc set includes the complete miniseries in its original 4:3 broadcast aspect ratio, English and French mono tracks, English French and Spanish subtitles, and production notes. Retail is $29.95. A week earlier on 5/15 is the drama The Beast, starring Jason Patric, and presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen and full frame versions, with English, French, Spanish and Portuguese 2.0 stereo tracks, and English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Chinese, Korean and Thai subtitles. Extras are minimal, with only talent files, production notes and bonus trailers to round out the set. Retail is $24.95.

MARCH 15

A double dose of horror

Elite Entertainment has announced a couple of new horror titles for spring, including the "classic" Howling 3: The Marsupials on 4/24. The disc features a new 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer and English 5.1 surround mix, an audio commentary track with director Philippe Mora, a still gallery with production photos, the trailer and TV spots. Then coming on 5/22 is the rather enjoyable slasher flick Popcorn, which boasts the classic tagline "Buy a bag...go home in a box!," and features a 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer, 2.0 surround track, and a trailer. Retail is $24.95.

Columbia announces Tootsie

Here's a mixed blessing. Columbia has just announced one of my all-time favorite comedies Tootsie, though it is a movie-only edition and not the special edition still in development hell. The disc is due on 5/29, and features 2.35: anamorphic widescreen and pan & scan versions, newly-mixed English 5.1 surround and 2.0 surround, and English and French 1.0 mono mixes and talent files. And that's it. Retail price is $24.95. Personally, I'd rather wait for the special edition, but here's the movie-only for those of you who can't wait, and you can check out the press release here.

Warner spring titles

With the chilly winds of winter finally dying away (well, at least for those of us here in sunny L.A.,), that means spring is soon here, and the end of the traditional fallow period of home video releases. Spring and summer usually see more big-ticket "A" titles and catalog releases, and that means more DVDs to buy (and debt to rack up.) Warner has just released a number of new announcements on their website, including a few real good ones:

Coming on 5/15 is Christopher Guest's inspired "dogumentary" Best In Show. Features for the disc have not yet been released, aside from a $24.95 list price and the box art. (Guest's other acclaimed, still MIA on DVD comedy Waiting For Guffman is nowhere to be found.) Warner has also given an official 7/10 release date for V: The Miniseries, though no features have yet been announced. Stay tuned...

HBO May titles

Warner, who also distributes HBO product, has announced a 5/8 date for a number of the channel's highly acclaimed original movies. Blind Justice, the John Carpenter-penned western El Diablo, In Pursuit Of Honor and The Tracker are all presented in 4:3 full frame with English, French and Spanish 2.0 surround tracks and subtitles and no additional features. Retail is $19.95.

Then on 6/12 comes another batch of titles, including First Time Felon, Citizen Cohn (in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen,) The Best Of Real Sex and The Best Of Taxicab Confessions Volume 1 and Volume 2. Retail for each is also $19.95.

A double dose of John Waters

Finally, Warner (who distributes New Line titles, too) has also announced a new John Waters double feature, which I believe is New Line's first. Coming on 5/22, the release features both Pecker (previously released) and Hairspray, making its DVD debut. Hairspray includes a new anamorphic widescreen transfer, English 5.1 and 2.0 surround mixes, an audio commentary with John Waters, cast bios and trailers. Retail is $29.95 for the double feature. (Personally, I think New Line should have released one of the other, still-unavailable-on-DVD titles like Female Trouble or Pink Flamingos along with Hairspray, but perhaps they were trying to stick with a PG-13 rating?)

New Line has also just set a 5/22 release date for two new day & date titles, a Platinum Series edition of Dungeons & Dragons, and the acclaimed Javier Bardeem drama Before Night Falls. Specs and features for both are not yet available, though expect a press release very soon, and retail is $24.95 each.

Zemeckis on dry ground

As the 73rd Academy Awards telecast draws near, the majority of Oscar hopefuls have already been announced for DVD release, though there is one title still anxiously awaited but so far unannounced: Robert Zemeckis' Cast Away. While I'm sure we all know we can expect it sometime around this spring or early summer, fans of the film should be excited to know that Fox is working up something rather extra-interesting for the disc. I was fortunate enough to have the chance to attend a Q&A with the director yesterday, and though we'll have much more on just what this was all about soon, the upcoming Cast Away disc shouldn't fail to impress.

But Zemeckis did have a few DVD-related to share as well. Aside from not being particularly fond of "revisionist filmmaking," I did briefly speak with the director after the Q&A, and those of you waiting for oft-rumored updated or rejiggered versions of films like Death Becomes Her, Forrest Gump or Roger Rabbit, don't hold your breath. The upcoming DVD of Forrest Gump, for example, won't feature some new CGI effects or anything of the sort, as rumors have often speculated. (Personally, I'm going to be happy just having Gump on DVD!)

Anyway, watch for a full report on this Q&A and Zemeckis, once the Cast Away DVD is announced (don't worry, you won't have to wait as long as Tom Hanks has to in the movie...)

More Stooges

Columbia has set a 5/22 date for the next volume in their series of Three Stooges DVD releases, Merry Mavericks. The disc features six episodes: "Cactus Makes Perfect," "Out West," "Vagabond Loafers," "Dopey Dicks," "Punchy Cowpunchers," and "Merry Mavericks." Like all the Stooges discs, all the episodes are presented in 1.33:1, English, French and Spanish mono soundtracks and subtitles, and retail is $24.95.

Also, Columbia has issued the full press release for the A Few Good Men special edition, which looks like another fine Columbia reissue. Check out the release here.

Quills spec update

Yesterday, we posted some info on the 5/8 debut of Fox's Quills, with some rather confusing specs. The line got truncated to "featurette gallery"(?), which should read as a featurette gallery with three segments "Marquis on Marquee," "Creating Charenton" and "Dressing the Part," as well as an audio commentary with screenwriter Doug Wright and a still gallery with production and design photos. Sorry for any confusion, and retail is $29.95.

MARCH 13

Pay it forward (and ask for your money back)

Supposedly an early lock for a load of Oscar nominations, last fall's Pay It Forward met with critical apathy and audience indifference, then quickly sank without a trace. But now you can decide for yourself the merits of the film on 5/15, when Warner streets the DVD. A rather straightforward release, look for a 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer, English and French 5.1 surround mixes, English, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles, cast filmographies and trailers. Retail is $24.95, and the disc even comes complete with ugly new cover art!

Food fight!

Here's an unexpected one. Universal has just discontinued both the movie-only and special edition versions of National Lampoon's Animal House. Since the collector's edition already had an anamorphic transfer and plenty of good supplements, it does seem a bit odd this is being discontinued. No reason given as to why, so who knows...?

More Sopranos this summer

Having just announced The Complete Second Season of Sex And The City last week, HBO is also preparing the second season of their highly-acclaimed mob drama The Sopranos. People love this show, don't they? A HBO spokesperson confirmed that season 2 is on the way, but won't be released along with Sex & The City in May, though should arrive by summer. And like the first season, will be in anamorphic widescreen with a host of extras. They also added that sales for HBO's DVD titles have "exceeded their expectations," and they plan to continue to sport the format aggressively. Stay tuned for more Sopranos and other HBO updates...

Not that Sade...

Coming on 5/8 from Fox Home Video is the recent Philip Kaufman drama Quills. Though critically acclaimed, it didn't snag too many Oscar nominations, but then who knows what the Academy is thinking these days? Anyway, the disc features a 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer, English and French 5.1 surround and English 2.0 surround tracks, Spanish and English subtitles, a featurette gallery, cast filmographies and the trailer. Retail is $29.95.

Showtime family entertainment

Coming in June are four new family titles from Showtime Entertainment. On 6/19, and all in 4:3 full frame with English 2.0 surround tracks, are Ratz, Out Of Time, Mermaid and Finding Buck McHenry, Each has no extras aside from prodution notes, and retail is $19.95 each.

MARCH 12

Klumps Uncensored

Well, ain't that Universal just full of surprises? First we got The Mummy in a souped up 2-disc "Ultimate Edition" less than two years after the first DVD, then the weird Hitchcock Collection scheme were you have to buy the same movies twice just to get all the goodies, and now a mere six months after its day & date debut, we're getting a new version of The Klumps. Aaargh! Stuck with the rather ungainly title of Nutty Professor II: Klumps Uncensored - The Director's Cut, this new unrated edition of the hit film arrives 5/22 and will feature 3 minutes of additional footage that the "theaters were afraid to show you!" (Read the full press release here.) But how's about a new tagline? "The version Universal wouldn't dare tell you about!"

Since DVD production schedules usually require at least 6 months ramp up before street date, I'd be surprised if Universal didn't already have the unrated version planned. So it raises the question, do studios have an obligation to alert consumers, the press and retail about alternate versions on the drawing board? To be blunt, I think these kinds of tactics are underhanded at best, and while a studio like Universal may be able to milk a few more dollars out of this title, at what cost to consumer confidence? I know my faith (and patience) weakens when I feel taken advantage of, fair or not, and I'm sure many of you out there feel the same way. While I'm not against reissuing titles at all, I am against keeping it a secret from consumers. Is it that hard to add a line or two in a press release "and watch for an unrated or special edition version in the future?" (You have to give Dreamworks credit, at least they did just that in the press release for their Almost Famous disc streeting tomorrow.) Let's hope other studios follow their lead in the future.

And just when you thought it was safe to turn your DVD player back on, Universal has issued the full press release for Jaws 2, also due on 5/22. It includes even more features than already announced, including new featurettes, and even a "video diary" from actor Keith Gordon (who is now of course a respected director in his own right, though Universal apparently thinks his name is "Keuth.") Check out the release for the full details.

A hard day's wait

If you are a Beatles fan, you may have been wondering whatever happened to that promised new DVD Anniversary Edition of A Hard Day's Night originally announced for 3/20 from Buena Vista. You may recall that the film was originally released on DVD by MPI (and their Beatles DVD 4-pack is still available though only contains The Making Of A Hard Day's Night, not the original feature), but Miramax has since swooped in and snagged the home video rights to the film, and will be releasing their own version. However, the disc has been bumped to "postponed" status on the BVHE website, though we did receive a confirm of some of the specs. The disc, whenever it shows up, will include a new 1.66:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer, additional footage, a remixed soundtrack in 51 and more goodies to be announced. Stay tuned...

Also, an update on just what is up with that Nixon 2-disc set from Buena Vista, which features the longer extended cut of the Oliver Stone biopic and more extras than the single-disc version currently available. Buena Vista has originally had this new edition, which is currently only available in the Oliver Stone Collection 10-pack from Warner) on their website for April. However, it is also now postponed, though they are reducing the price on the movie-only edition. In other words, Buena Vista trying to clear out their inventory before releasing the 2-disc set to the market, so unfortunately you either have to buy the 10-title collection from Warner, buckle down and pony up for the standard edition, or wait for who-knows-how-long until the 2-disc set is released separately. Sigh.

Three from Criterion

The fine folks at Criterion have just announced three new classics for May, all due on 5/22. Perhaps most anticipated is The Hidden Fortress, which film buffs know is a very influential film and the template for many a modern blockbuster. The disc features Kurosawa's classic in all its 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen glory, with the original Japanese mono track, and optional English subtitles. The disc also features an exclusive new video interview with George Lucas about The Hidden Fortress (it was a huge influence on Star Wars) as well as the original theatrical trailer. Criterion will bow Bunuel's Diary Of A Chambermaid, in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen with the French mono track and English subtitles, video interviews with screenwriter Jean-Claude Carriere, a text reprint of an interview with Luis Bunuel and the original theatrical trailer. Finally, we have Jacques Tati's Playtime, in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen, French 2.0 stereo with English subtitles, a video introduction by Terry Jones, and the 1967 Tati short film "Cours du Soir." Retail for all of the above is $29.95 each.

Paramount makes first official announcement of Star Trek: The Motion Picture DVD

Obviously it isn't much of a surprise, but the official Star Trek website, Startrek.com, has made the first official announcement of the Star Trek: The Motion Picture Director's Edition VHS and DVD releases. Though no details outside of that which is already known is posted (it will contain a new cut of the film, effects and be released sometime later this year), the announcement does include two cool new downloadable desktop patterns. The wait continues...but hey, we're getting closer!

Release date for "V" looms...

Well, V fans, it looks like you're finally going to be getting the DVD you've been waiting for. Warner has publicly indicated over the last year or so that the 80's sci-fi miniseries V and V: The Final Battle would make their way to DVD sometime in the future, and it looks like that time is drawing near (well, at least for the first V miniseries.) A excellent V fan site, Ilana's V Page, recently interviewed writer and director Kenneth Johnson, who has kept them updated on the status of the DVD.

Currently planned for a July arrival date, the set is scheduled to feature the complete miniseries in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen (according to Mr. Johnson, the aspect ratio the miniseries was originally shot in), a new 2.0 stereo remix, and even some extras such as an audio commentary with Johnson, interviews, some behind-the-scenes footage and a gag reel (all pending clearances, of course.) Looks like a winner, and nice to see Warner putting some effort into the DVD of "just" another popular cult TV show. No exact release date or retail price yet, but check out Ilana's page for the full scoop.