Spooky kids

Who's the friendliest ghost you know? On September 23rd, Universal Studios Home Video will at long last debut the spooky family hit Casper, which has yet to make its DVD premiere. Available in separate anamorphic widescreen and full screen versions, each includes Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1 surround tracks, a making-of documentary originally produced for laserdisc but has never been seen until now, plus the usual filmographies, production notes and trailers. Retail is $19.95.

On the 23rd Universal will also release new reissues of the beloved Babe and Babe: Pig in the City, each with new available in separate 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen and full screen versions that include Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1 surround tracks. Extras have yet to be announced, but expect new goodies on the first Babe, and retail is set at $19.95 each, or $29.95 for a Babe: The Complete Adventures 2-pack. Yummy.

Finally, in bad news for John Hughes fans, those waiting for feature-laden new special editions of his holy trinity - Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club and Weird Science - will undoubtedly be disappointed by the upcoming reissues due on September. We've received the final specs, and although all feature newly remastered 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfers and Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1 surround tracks, there are no extras included at all aside from trailers, and Sixteen Candles doesn't even get that. While retail is a low $19.95 apiece, after all the wait and endless postponements, such bare-bones reissues are bound to be a letdown.

Tiny 'Dancer' - 7:56pm

Just in from Fox Home Entertainment are the details on the DVD debut of John Malkovich's little-seen directorial debut The Dancer Upstairs, which is due for arrival on September 23rd. This special edition will feature a 1.85:1 anamorphic transfer, English 5.1 and French and Spanish Dolby 2.0 surround tracks, audio commentary by Malkovich and actor Javier Bardem, the Sundance Channel special "Journeys with John Malkovich" and theatrical trailers. Retail is $29.95.

Sordid lives - 7:56pm

It's the end of the world as we know it. Making their first entry into the DVD market, E! Entertainment has just announced the November 4th debut of - prepare yourselves! - The Anna Nicole Show: Season One. This three-disc set is presented in 4:3 full screen and Dolby 2.0 stereo, and includes "all the vulgarity edited out" of the broadcast version plus extra footage. Scary. Retail is $34.95.