Category: DVD

More Murray On DVD
A catalog title that I have been waiting for has just been announced from Columbia TriStar! Bill Murray’s first foray into dramatic acting, “The Razor’s Edge,” will arrive on August 20th! Presented in 2.40:1 anamorphic widescreen and Dolby Digital 4.0 surround, extras are minimal, including filmographies, production notes and a trailer, plus the usual bad new Columbia box art.
Now if I could only recieve release announcements for “Strange Brew” and “Quick Change” everything would be all right!

There Are Some Fun Goodies On The “Vanilla Sky” DVD
Paramount Home Entertainment has hidden some additional footage on their release of the Tom Cruise flick ‘Vanilla Sky.’
From the discís Main Menu, go to the ‘Special Features.’ There, select the ‘Photo Galleries’ and once you get to that menu, highlight the ‘Special Features’ menu entry. Press the ‘Right’ arrow key now on your remote control to highlight Davidís mask. If you press ‘Enter’ now you will be treated to about six minutes of outtakes and additional footage.

Today Will Be A Record Breaking Day
No matter how you slice it, the biggest selling DVD in the history of the format goes on sale today. Even before it even hits the shelves, I can tell you that it will usurp Shrek as the Number One All- Time DVD.
And that makes me sad. But short of buying 3 to 4 million Shrek DVD’s, what can I do?
I can buy the much delayed Memento: Special Edition DVD, thats what I can do. Unless it gets delayed again…
Let’s get to today’s new releases before I get mad!
Here are the new DVD and Video releases for Tuesday, May 28th, 2002:
FIRST UP, THE BIGGIES
Memento: Special Edition- If you don’t know what it’s about, then just go and pick it up! Do it now!!!
Harry Potter And The Sorcerer’s Stone- A young child joins school that trains witches and wizards. (Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson)
Slackers- Geek blackmails cheaters to woo heart of girl. (Devon Sawa, Jason Schwartzman, Laura Prepon)
Firestarter 2: Rekindled- A sequel to Stephen King’s Firestarter. (Malcolm McDowell, Marguerite Moreau, Danny Nucci)
Rare Birds- Two man fake rare bird sightings to help their restaurant. (William Hurt, Andy Jones, Molly Parker)
AND ALL THE REST
The 10th Kingdom (2 Disc Collector’s Set)
Aladdin And The Adventure Of All Time
Alice In Wonderland
Alone
Animal Alphabet
Animal Numbers
Arabian Nights
Dark Blue World (Widescreen)
Dunston Checks In
The Eccentricities Of A Nightingale
An Enemy Of The People
An Erotic Vampire In Paris
Fighting Ace
First Blood (Special Edition)
The Game Of Death
The Gift Of Love
Hammerlock
Hollow Man (Superbit)
Home Team
Jason And The Argonauts
Kiss Of The Tarantula
Kung Fu For Sale
Lightning Kung Fu
Macho Man
The Man From Snowy River
The Master Of The Rings
Merlin
MLB: Rising Stars
Mountain Bike: Third Down
The Odyssey
The Pagemaster
Passion
The Patriot (Superbit)
Pressure Point
Redemption
Resfest: Best Of Shorts Vol. 1
Roughnecks: The Homefront Campaign
Roughnecks: The Klendathu Campaign
Run The Wild Fields
Silver Lode
Starship Troopers (Special Edition)
State Property
Sting Of The Dragon Master
Storm In Summer
Swordsman With An Umbrella
Termination Man
Thousand Mile Escort
Traffic (Criterion Collection)
Who Wants To Be An Erotic Billionaire
Wishing Tree
WWF: NWO – Back In Black

Lend an ear: Reservoir Dogs is coming to DVD (again), more brutal than ever.
Featured on the 10th anniversary special edition, due Aug. 27, are two never-seen camera angles of the infamous ear-cutting scene. Director/writer/star Quentin Tarantino had shot the scene from three angles and opted for the least gruesome of the bunch.
“You don’t actually see any carnage, you just hear it, which is why I’ve always wondered why that scene has become so memorable,” says Michael Madsen, who wields the knife on a captive cop. “It’s become the focal point of any conversation about Reservoir Dogs. I’ve made 65 films, but nobody wants to talk about anything other than that scene. They’ll probably write that on my tombstone.”
The ear scenes (one a close-up) are just the most sensational “extras” about the film. Other extras include scenes of typical Tarantino banter; new interviews with all the principals, including one with real-life ex-con Eddie Bunker; and rare footage of key scenes rehearsed at a Sundance Directors’ Lab workshop in 1991.
And, for major fans, there will be a rainbow of DVD covers representing main characters’ nicknames for the heist: Mr. Brown (Tarantino), Mr. Blonde (Madsen), Mr. Blue (Bunker), Mr. Orange (Tim Roth), Mr. White (Harvey Keitel) and Mr. Pink (Steve Buscemi).

Tomorrow’s Best Bets
After setting box office records last year and setting DVD sales records in England already, Harry Potter comes home tomorrow. But he isn’t the only reason to buy some new discs this week!
Released in America 2 weeks ago, the MEMENTO: SPECIAL EDITION DVD that I have been waiting for will finally see the light of day in Canada tomorrow.
Or will it? IT BETTER!!! I have cleared my whole day for it.
Either way, whether I am happy or not, here are the new DVD’s scheduled for release on Tuesday, May 28th, 2002.
Memento: Limited Edition- I highly frown on movies coming out with deluxe DVD editions so soon after the original release. (They really should put everything out at the same time whenever possible, so fans can choose which one they want.) Having said that, this beautifully packaged set gets top marks for clever extras and a menu that makes you answer clues just to access all the special features. Needless to say, I support this release, even if it does come so close after the release of the original one.
Harry Potter and the Sorceror’s Stone- This DVD finally arrives to placate those who’ve already read the first four books, the jokey paperbacks about Quidditch and ferocious creatures, the unauthorized bios of J.K. Rowling, and simply can’t wait until Harry Potter 2 opens November 15. Marvelous casting – from the children to the all-star British supporting roles – saves this rather stiff rendition. It’s so faithful to the text, you’d think you were watching one of those tiresome Biblical epics instead of a quick-witted fantasy film. For me, Alan Rickman (currently triumphing on Broadway in “Private Lives”) steals every scene as Professor Snape. (And don’t even ask about Book Five – that’s been pushed back till next year.) Stop complaining and leave the poor woman alone. Maybe if she takes her time, she’ll actually let someone edit her text this go-round and we won’t suffer the niggling mistakes and overlong ramblings of Book Four.
Traffic- I was rooting for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’s Ang Lee over this movie and Gladiator, but I can’t help being happy for Steven Soderbergh’s win as Best Director. Visually, this is exciting, in-your-face moviemaking and well worth the imprimatur of a Criterion special edition. Warren Beatty in the Michael Douglas role? That’s one of the many possibilities covered in the extras from one of the best directors working today.
Rambo Trilogy Special Edition- With a new wave of post 9/11 patriotism, perhaps now is a fortuitous time for a reissue of Rambo’s oeuvre. Demoralized and betrayed in First Blood, vengeful in Rambo II, and cartoonish action hero in Rambo III, Sylvester Stallone’s second most memorable creation gives vent to every level of righteous indignation you could ask for. But what tone will he strike for the recently revived sequel Rambo IV?

The Star Wars Films You Remember May Never Appear On DVD
Cinescape has posted a note about a recent interview with George Lucas in Star Wars Insider magazine, in which he seems to indicate that the original theatrical versions of the Star Wars Trilogy will not be released on DVD, basically because he doesn’t feel that they exist anymore.
In other words, his revised special editions, however they ultimately turn out, will be the final versions of these films. Strangely, we’ve heard many reports of comments to the contrary by producer Rick McCallum from his presentation at the recent Star Wars Celebration convention in Indianapolis.
Thankfully I recently bought them on video!

Aww, Da Howwa, Da Hawwa
The good folks at MGM continue to put most of the other studios to shame when it comes to serving up their horror, sci-fi and cult titles with new widescreen transfers and plenty of extras all at a reasonable price (take note, Columbia and Paramount), they’ve got another batch of great stuff coming on August 27.
Leading the pack is a fave of horror buffs everywhere, one of the few horror-comedies of the 80’s that actually worked, Return of the Living Dead. Featuring a new 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer, extras include an audio commentary with director Dan O’Bannion and production designer William Stout, the “Designing The Dead” featurette, a still gallery and the trailer. Also debuting on 8/27 is the nasty cult classic Last House on the Left, presented in its uncut version and in 1.85;1 anamorphic widescreen, with a new audio commentary by Wes Craven and the trailer. Last but not least we have Vampire’s Kiss, also in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen, English 2.0 stereo, and featuring a first-ever audio commentary by Nicolas Cage. Retail is a low $14.95 each.
Other goodies coming on August 27 include Needful Things, Anthony Perkins in Edge of Sanity, and the cult horror of The Believers. Each is presented in anamorphic widescreen with English 2.0 surround tracks plus English, French and Spanish subtitles, plus trailers. Retail is $14.95 a pop.
MGM will also unleash a big wave of horror double features, amazingly also priced at $14.95 and according to the specs, all in anamorphic widescreen: The Oblong Box and Scream and Scream Again, Teen Wolf and Teen Wolf Too, Masque of the Red Death and The Premature Burial, Motel Hell and Deranged, and proving someone at MGM has a sense of humor, The Attic and The Crawlspace.
Yeah, Teen Wolf! Well done, MGM!

Today’s Hits in Theatres Will Become The Fourth Quarter’s Biggest DVD’s
File this information in the category of VERY tentative, but there have been several reports from reliable retail sources on upcoming street date information for some of the Summer’s Biggest Flicks which will come home in late 2002.
Here’s what I’ve tracked down so far…
October
The Scorpion King (10/2), Scooby Doo (10/15), E.T. the Extra- Terrestrial: The 20th Anniversary Edition and Mr. Deeds (10/22)
November
Spider-Man (11/5), Ice Age (11/12), Men in Black II (11/19), Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones and Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron (11/26)
December
Stuart Little 2 (12/3), Lilo & Stitch (12/20), Back to the Future Trilogy and Spy Kids 2 (12/17)
I’d better start saving my pennies now!

It’s A Big Day For New Releases
Oh yeah! It is a great day for DVD and video releases! Enjoy them! Here are the new releases for Tuesday, May 21, 2002:
Memento: Special Edition- If you don’t know what it’s about, then just go and pick it up! Do it now!!!
Vanilla Sky- A womanizer becomes disfigured and rebuilds his life. (Tom Cruise, PenÈlope Cruz, Cameron Diaz)
How High- Two stoners ace college with supernatural pot. (Method Man, Redman, Lark Voorhies)
Out Cold- A group of snowboarders party all the time. (Jason London, Lee Majors, Victoria Silvstedt)
Sidewalks Of New York- A look at dating and marriage with 3 men and 3 women. (Edward Burns, Heather Graham, Stanley Tucci)
Good Advice- A failed stockbroker writes a female advice column. (Charlie Sheen, Denise Richards, Angie Harmon)
L.I.E.- A troubled teen is taken in by a ex-Marine with a secret. (Brian Cox, Paul Franklin Dano, Billy Kay)
Nora- The life romance between James Joyce and Nora. (Ewan McGregor, Susan Lynch, Peter McDonald)
Sex And The City-Season 3- The complete third season of Sex And The City. (Sarah Jessica Parker, Cynthia Nixon, Kim Cattrall).

Too Many Too Resist
Tomorrow is a big day for DVD’s! Don’t beleive me, well then take a look for yourself!
Here are the new DVD’s being released on Tuesday, May 21st, 2002.
Memento: Limited Edition- I highly frown on movies coming out with deluxe DVD editions so soon after the original release. (They really should put everything out at the same time whenever possible, so fans can choose which one they want.) Having said that, this beautifully packaged set gets top marks for clever extras and a menu that makes you answer clues just to access all the special features. Needless to say, I support this release, even if it does come so close after the release of the original one.
Sex and the City: The Complete Third Season- Mmmmmmm!…Kristin Davis!!!! Ooops, sorry! Let me focus on what I am writing. At first, “Sex and the City” was as limited as its name implied: Women avidly discussing sex was all the show had to offer and if that didn’t shock and/or amuse you, you were out of luck. But Darren Star’s best work had more than designer clothes and naughty words on its mind. The characters actually began to matter and their romantic travails sometimes contained sadness and pain. Pregnancy? Marriage? All of that seemed highly unlikely for these gals (unless the pregnancy ended in abortion and the marriage was one their boyfriend was in). It was the third season when all that changed – and one of the most popular shows also became one of the best.
Legend: Collector’s Edition- This was a silly 1986 Tom Cruise fantasy about a devil (a delicious Tim Curry) killing the last unicorn and bringing darkness to the world. But what made this Ridley Scott debacle so puzzling was how cheesy it looked. He’d already made Alien and Blade Runner, two landmark sci-fi films – they were both astonishingly real. Legend was made after them, but looks about as cheap and unconvincing as a Saturday-morning cartoon. After 16 years, we finally get to see the longer, European cut, which is better, but that’s not saying much. You can compare both on this exemplary collector’s edition.
Vanilla Sky- Another Tom Cruise misfire. What’s admirable about Vanilla Sky, just like Legend, is that Cruise may involve himself with the occasional bomb, but it almost always comes about out of a desire to try something bold and different. He certainly wasn’t slumming by teaming with Cameron Crowe to film this dreary remake of the Spanish film Open Your Eyes. Now Cocktail, that’s another story.
The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad 2 1/2, 33 1/3- Diminishing returns for these three movies from the Zucker brothers. Leslie Nielsen does his bit and O.J. Simpson provides comic relief. All three are out, with the first being quite funny. But none of them can approach the deadpan brilliance of the TV series “Police Squad” they sprang from. It’s even funnier than Airplane and certainly more sophisticated. (If that’s the right word.) Why doesn’t someone release that on DVD?!?!?!