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Random notes Another week of disc news, some random bits and bytes to finish off a Friday. Pioneer has officially announced a 7/24 release date for the Akira and Akira: Limited Edition Tin special editions, with the former retailing for $19.95 and the later $39.95. Full specs are not yet available, but check out ICV2.com for a scoop on what to expect. Also, Columbia has announced that in addition to the Once Upon A Time In China box set, they will also be releasing Once Upon A Time In China 3 separately (it has never before been released on DVD) for $24.95. Check out the press release for the full specs on these discs. In other news, Universal has just announced a new promotion for Jurassic Park III, which hits theaters July 18. If you pick up a copy of the DVD or VHS Jurassic Park/Lost World two-packs when it is repromoted starting July 10, Universal will throw in "free MovieCash instantly redeemable" to see Jurassic Park IIIto see Jurassic park III in the theaters. Limit one per customer, and the promotion kicks off now. Finally, if you recently picked up a copy of Transformers: Heroes, Rhino is aware of a defect with the pressing of the disc and is issuing a recall. The full text of their statement reads:
New Disney DVD help site On May 1, Disney launched their new "Disney DVD" support site for consumers. I believe this may be the first, or at least the most extensive, studio DVD support site of its kind. The site aims to provide info on titles, give answers to the most frequently asked consumer questions, allow users to report problems and give general feedback directly via email. There is also a consumer phone help line which promises responses in only 48 hours. So check out it out, and it is certainly nice to see a studio offering such a consumer-friendly service. Whenever he gets in a fix, he reaches into his bag of tricks... After numerous other DVD incarnations, Sony Wonder has just announced it will be releasing its own new collections of Felix The Cat and Underdog compilations on 7/31. The Underdog Chronicles features four classic episodes of the show, along with a never-before-seen Joe Harris storyboard interview, a still gallery and previews. Felix The Cat includes a collection of the best episodes from the 1958-59 season, as well as 1920's vintage footage, a Felix interview, promo reels, trivia game and a Felix sing-along. Both discs are presented in full frame and mono. Retail is $19.95 each.
Fans of John McClane, explosions and "Ultimate Editions," this is for you. Fox has finally announced the specs for the upcoming Die Hard Ultimate Collection, and as expected, these look pretty dang loaded with extras. The first Die Hard "Five Star Collection" 2-disc set will be available separately for $29.95, while as of now, Die Hard 2: Die Harder and Die Hard With A Vengeance will only be available as part of this three-pack. And though the two sequels are not "Five Star Collection" titles, they are also two-disc sets and full-fledged special editions. The Die Hard Ultimate Collection will retail for $79.95, and street date is 7/10. All three discs feature new anamorphic widescreen transfers, English
5.1 Dolby Digital and DTS soundtracks, English and French 2.0 surround
tracks, English and Spanish subtitles, and English Closed Captions.
Die Hard also includes two audio commentaries, the first with director
John McTiernan and other cast and crew, and the second with special effects
supervisor Richard Edlund, "Subtitle Commentary" with cast and
crew, the original making-of featurette, deleted scenes, gag reel, original
newscast footage seen in the film, an "Editing Suite and Sound Mixing
Studio" interactive feature, three interactive magazine articles
(a la Big Trouble In Little Trouble), a still gallery, DVD-ROM features
including game demos and the full screenplay with scene access, three
trailers and seven TV spots. Die Hard 2: Die Harder features an
audio commentary with director Renny Harlin, "The Making Of Die Hard
2" HBO First Look special, the original making-of featurette, deleted
scenes, three visual effects sequence breakdowns and side-by-side comparisons,
two vignettes on the film's stunts, four trailers and two TV spots. Finally,
Die Hard With A Vengeance includes an audio commentary with director
John McTiernan, the "A Night To Die For" CBS television special,
"The Making of Die Hard With A Vengeance" HBO First Look special,
the original making-of featurette, an alternate ending, three special
effects and stunt breakdowns, one storyboard sequence, two trailers and
ten TV spots. Nice! Fox has also announced the more specs for the Monkeybone special edition, due 7/17. In addition to the audio commentary with director Henry Selick, extras include ten deleted scenes, alternate ending, two still galleries on the film's production and extensive blue screen work, trailers and TV spots. Retail is $26.95. Once Upon A Time In China trilogy Columbia has just announced a 6/17 release date for the Once Upon A Time In China collection box set, featuring the already-released Once Upon A Time In China DVD plus the two sequels. Each is presented in anamorphic widescreen along with their original language tracks and English dubs, along with minimal extras including trailers. Check out the press release for the full specs. Also, the upcoming Hanover Street DVD, due on 7/31, will also include a new audio commentary with director Peter Hyams in addition to the already announced features (talent files, production notes and trailers.) Retail remains $27.95. The Back To The Future files Ahhh, time once again to revisit the never-ending saga of the where-the-heck-is-it-already Back To The Future trilogy. Ever since Universal first announced Back To The Future as coming soon to DVD waaayyyy back in mid-1997, we've been waiting, and waiting...and waiting. Then, after many false starts and high hopes, more waiting....but still nothing. Since we continue to get emails all the time asking about a supposed release of the trilogy this summer, "official" non-Region 1 releases, and other news, we put in a call to Universal PR just yesterday to try and get a status report. Alas, according to a spokesperson, there will be no Back To The Future DVD release this summer. But their July slate already announced, and more Classic Monsters Collection titles among their big August releases, could we can still hope for a fall arrival? Maybe not, as these titles "are not currently on the schedule." Guess the wait continues... But, some titles that will eventually arrive are those John Hughes reissues we mentioned in these pages a few weeks back, such as The Breakfast Club and Sixteen Candles. New supplementary material has been created for these releases, and while there is till no set date, they will be announced sometime soon. Finally, a correction on our previous update regarding that Meet Joe Black Ultimate Edition due on 8/17. While the second disc does features "Death Takes A Holiday," it is not a new featurette, but actually the original 1934 film upon which Meet Joe Black was based. More than mere excerpts, the entire 73-minute film will be presented in full frame and 2.0 mono. Cool, and maybe this really is the "Ultimate Edition" after all? Dude, where's my menu? Rounding out today's release news are some more menu shots courtesy of Fox Home Entertainment, for the towering motion picture epic Dude, Where's My Car? Watch for a review of the disc soon, and click on the menu for blow-ups...if you dare.
Image Entertainment has just announced their July batch of DVD releases, and there are a number of notable releases covering a wide variety of genres. Check out their news page for a full rundown of the titles, and some highlights include a special edition of the cult classic Basket Case (featuring audio commentary, outtakes, behind-the-scenes footage and more), four new MTV collections, the acclaimed foreign import Christiane F., the George Hamilton comedy-swashbuckler Zorro The Gay Blade, two more I Spy episode collections, the comedy Bongwater, and more. Check out the site for the full announcement. The geese return Nearly four years after the original movie-only edition was released (as part of Columbia's first-ever wave of DVD titles), the long-awaited Fly Away Home special edition finally hits retail on 8/7. The disc features a 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer (the previous release was pan & scan only), English 5.1 and 2.0 surround tracks, an audio commentary with director Carroll Ballard and cinematographer Caleb Deschanel, an isolated score with commentary by composer Mark Isham, "Leading The Flock" HBO First Look special, "The Ultra Goose" and "Operation Migration: Birds Of A Feather" featurettes, production notes, filmographies and trailers. Retail is $27.95. Paint Your Wagon update We've gotten some email asking about the recently announced western titles from Paramount due in July, specifically what's up with the Paint Your Wagon DVD. Check out the press release for the full details, and though whether or not Paint Your Wagon is the "Roadshow" version is not indicated, it does list a running time of 164 minutes and a 2.35;1 aspect ratio. We'll try to find out more, and check out the press release for the full specs.
Featuring an Academy Award-winning performance by Marcia Gay Harden, Columbia has announced a 7/24 release date for Ed Harris' acclaimed biopic Pollock. The disc comes quite feature-loaded, with a 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer, English 5.0 and 2.0 surround tracks, English, French and Spanish subtitles, an audio commentary with Harris, a making-of documentary, deleted scenes, Charlie Rose interview with Harris, talent files and trailers. Retail is $27.95. Citizen Kane Redux Often considered The Greatest Motion Picture Of All time, Citizen Kane will (again) be getting a makeover when it eventually hits DVD. Check out this story from the L.A. Times on the 75th Anniversary of Hollywood's famed El Capitan theater, which will be showing 10 cinema classics to honor their milestone. Of of them will be, of course, Citizen Kane. However, that is not the exciting bit of news in the story for DVD fans. Rather, the article reports that Warner has discovered a new "fine grain master positive", which will be the source for a new print and the DVD master (note that this print will not be the one screening at the El Capitan.) According to the report, the Warner DVD will hit shelves by the end of the year. Can't wait to see what Warner comes up, and the Status Report has been updated with the info... Take your DVDs to the beach Attention, owners of laptops everywhere. Ever wanted to be able to take your DVDs on the road with you, but didn't particularly relish the idea of filling your suitcase with a bunch of keepcases? Well, Laserline, makers of DVD and CD storage solutions, has recently introduced a new portable DVD foam carrying case for the DVD enthusiast on the go. Check out their website to get a look at the new DVD20EVA, which holds up to 20 DVDs and can even store the DVD booklets, too. While two or three years ago such a case might have seemed a bit unnecessary, with DVD-ROM-equipped laptops and powerbooks become more popular, the era of portable DVD might have finally arrived. Laserline is selling the carrying case directly on their website, though you can pick 'em up at your local Best Buy and other outlets real soon, if they are not store shelves already... No DTS for The Fugitive? A new press release was added to the archive today, for The Fugitive Special Edition reissue coming this June from Warner. We've gotten a few emails asking about a possible DTS track on the disc, but according to the release, there doesn't seem to be one (though the words "Dolby Digital" don't appear on the release, either.) Check out the release and read it for yourself...
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It
doesn't get any harder than this
Image
July titles
Pollock
hits DVD in July