OnVideo OldNews February 2002 Old News Is Good News or Who Wants to Read Yesterday's Newspapers?

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February News February Highlights: On February 5, Disney will release "Peter Pan Special Edition" (1953), in a restored and THX-certified DVD version. The disc will contain the featurettes "The Making of Peter Pan" and "The Peter Pan Story"; commentary hosted by Roy Disney and featuring Walt Disney and veteran Disney animators Frank Thomas, Ollie Johnson and Mark Davis, plus film historian Leonard Maltin; a still frame gallery; a "Following the Leader" sing-along; a DVD storybook, "Peter's Playful Prank"; and a pirate treasure hunt game. On February 12, the folks at The Criterion Collection/Home Vision Cinema will give their exacting DVD special treatment to Ingmar Bergman's "Wild Strawberries" (1957), starring Victor Sjostrom, Bibi Andersson, Ingrid Thulin and Gunnar Bjornstrand. The disc features a new digital transfer; commentary by film scholar Peter Cowie; "Ingmar Bergman on Life and Work," a 90-minute documentary by filmmaker and author Jorn Donner; stills gallery featuring rare behind-the-scenes photos; and new and improved English subtitle translation. On February 19, Music Video Distributors will released the "Elvis Presley: The Missing Years" box set, featuring a documentary on the events in Elvis' life during his two years in Germany after being drafted just three weeks after his mother's death. Included is a 55-minute audio documentary spanning Elvis' life and career as well as a CD of seven 1954 recordings Elvis made with the Blue Moon Boys ("Maybellene," "That's Alright Mama," "Blue Moon of Kentucky," more) and a 32 page booklet of photos, interviews, articles, $29.95. On February 26, New Line will release to DVD "Twin Peaks Fire Walk With Me," director David Lynch's 1992 "prequel" to his offbeat TV series, starring Kyle MacLachlan, Chris Isaak, Sheryl Lee, Kiefer Sutherland, Moira Kelly, Harry Dean Stanton, Miguel Ferrer, David Bowie, Ray Wise, Pamela Gidley, Madchen Amick and Peggy Lipton. Lynch supervised the remastering of the video and sound for this DVD release. In 5.1 Dolby and DTS. Includes original documentary, "Reflections on the Phenomenon of Twin Peaks." Also on February 26, a fascinating independent film will be making a big splash directly to video. Billed as a "lost' View Askew film, "Drawing Flies" was initially filmed between "Mallrats" and "Chasing Amy" by Malcolm Ingram, a Film Threat reporter on the set of "Mallrats" who befriended the cast and pitched the idea about a film about city kids lost in the woods trying to find Bigfoot. The cast includes View Askew regulars Jason Lee, Jason Mewes and Renee Humphrey, and has been endorsed by View Askew mavens Kevin Smith and Scott Mosier. The film was finished by IndieDVD, an independent home video label founded by struggling filmmakers to create a direct channel of quality undiscovered independent cinema to the home audience. The story line: Slackers in Vancouver, B.C. lose their welfare checks and head for a cabin in the woods to save cash -- or so they believe. In actuality, their guide Donner (Jason Lee) leads them further and further into the forest on a delusional pursuit of Bigfoot. Available for sale at Best Buy, for rental at Hollywood Video, or purchased direct from www.indiedvd.com. $19.98 DVD, $14.98 VHS.

More February Video News For Kids: For preschoolers: Columbia TriStar is releasing to VHS and DVD the first set of adventures of "Jay Jay the Jet Plane," a Public Television series that features a perky 6-year-old jet plane that introduces kids to the wonders of nature and science and teaches children valuable life lessons through engaging stories of discovery. Due February 5 are "New Friends, New Discoveries," "Fun to Learn" and "Nature's Treasures" on VHS ($12.95, with three episodes per tape) and "Adventures in Learning" on DVD ($19.95 with five episodes). ... Also due February 5 is "Dora Saves the Prince," featuring two activity filled adventures in which animated Dora the Explorer and friend Boots help a prince and a special frog reach their destination. Dora, a spirited Latina heroine, is bilingual and teaches viewers a Spanish word or phrase in every interactive episode; $12.95 from Paramount. ... Back on video this month to tickle the little ones are three kids standbys: Barney, in a new video, "Barney: You Can Be Anything!" set in a costume shop and featuring 19 songs, $14.95 VHS from HIT Entertainment; animated Little Bear in his latest outing, "Little Artist Bear," with four "picture-perfect" episodes, $9.95 VHS from Paramount; and the latest learn- along/play-along from Nick's Blue's Clues, "Telling Time With Blue," $9.95 VHS from Paramount. For slightly older kids there's "Rugrats Easter," a double-length Rugrats animated special (to air in March on Nick) in which love is in the air as Spike and Fifi, the Rugrats' dogs, start a springtime affair. Led by Angelica, the Rugrats decide to stage a wedding for the love struck pets, but the real surprise occurs when Fifi delivers puppies at the Finsters' Easter brunch. Explores the symbols of Easter, including the symbolism of the egg as a representation of rebirth. In paper sleeve or clamshell packaging, due February 5 at $12.95 from Paramount. For kid fans of anime come two new adventures from Pioneer Entertainment: "Sherlock Hound -- Case File 1," the first of an animated series based on the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle detective (here with humanlike dog characters), directed by acclaimed anime director Hayao Miyazaki ("Totoro," "Princess Mononoke"), for ages seven and up, $29.98 DVD only, due February 26; and "Adventures of Mini-Goddess," based on the popular characters from the "Oh! My Goddess" Dark Horse Comics, a comedy about three pint-sized, charming goddesses who explore the world in search of adventure, for ages 13 and up, $24.98 VHS, $29.98 DVD, due February 12. For healthy kids: A new trilogy of fitness and wellness videos has been created for kids ages 3 and up by American Gladiator champion Cheryl Ann Silich. Titled "Adventures in Oz With Cheryl," the videos use the story of Dorothy in the land of Oz as a springboard for kid exercises and lessons on fitness, health and self-esteem. The live-action videos are loaded with music, adventure, computer-animated special effects and animatronics. The three volumes (VHS only) are "Munchkidland" (for beginners), "Yellow Brick Road" (intermediate) and "The Emerald City" (advanced); $9.95 each from OZsome Enterprises (888-850-7547 or www.ozercise.com); due February 12. Other family offerings: Artisan Home Entertainment will release on February 5 the TV miniseries "Jack and the Beanstalk: The Real Story," starring Matthew Modine, Vanessa Redgrave, Mia Sara, Daryl Hannah, Jon Voight and Richard Attenborough, on VHS and DVD. ... The folks at Disney have created a "sequel" to "Cinderella" that explores Cinderella's "happily ever after" life as a princess: "Cinderella II: Dreams Come True," on VHS and DVD, the latter featuring a Cinderella DVD storybook (new interactive tale read by Juliet Mills); "Put It Together" music video with clips set to the Brooke Allison song; "Musical Magic" segment that shows how the film's composer makes music; "Cinderella's Enchanted Castle" game; DVD-ROM sample of "Cinderella's Dollhouse" interactive Disney product; available February 26. ... And don't forget Disney's "Peter Pan Special Edition" due February 12. From TV to Video: A&E Home Video has released "The Lost Battalion," an A&E Original Movie about a U.S. Army division surrounded by German troops in the Argonne Forest during the waning days of World War I. The telefilm stars Rick Schroder and was directed by Russel ("Highlander") Mulcahy. Available for $19.95 VHS and DVD. Acorn Media will release this month several popular BBC productions. First up are DVD editions of the acclaimed mystery series "Cadfael," with a three-disc set "Cadfael III" featuring three complete 75-minute episodes ("The Rose Rent," "The Raven in the Foregate" and "A Morbid Taste for Bones") for $49.95. Next comes "Poirot Collector's Set 11," a three-VHS box set of mysteries featuring Agatha Christie's elegant detective Hercule Poirot (played by David Suchet) and containing "The Third Floor Flat," "Triangle at Rhodes" and "Problem at Sea," $39.95; "Hickory Dickory Dock," a two-episode Poirot "Mystery!" special, will be available on DVD for $24.95. Lastly, the company will release a two-disc DVD set of "Lord Peter Wimsey: Clouds of Witness," featuring Ian Carmichael as Dorothy L. Sayers' aristocratic sleuth; $39.95. Special Interest: Wellspring Media will release on February 19 two more additions to its line of "The Director's Collection," produced in association with the American Film Institute. Profiles of Michael ("Ali") Mann and prolific director-producer Roger Corman will be available for $9.98 VHS and DVD. Documentaries: WGBH Boston Video will release a timely documentary on February 12: "Bioterror," an hour-long look at germ warfare, put together by NOVA and reporters from the New York Times, $19.95 VHS. ... A&E Home Video has just released a four-hour insider's view of global crime syndicates, "The World History of Organized Crime," available as a four-VHS pack or two- disc DVD set, $39.95 each. Music: Docurama will release on February 26 "Sophie B. Hawkins: The Cream Will Rise," an 87-minute look at the iconoclastic singer-songwriter featuring rare concert and video footage as well as 20 of Hawkins' song, $19.85 VHS and $24.95 DVD (www.docurama.com or 800-314-8822). ... Pioneer Entertainment has set a February 19 release date for "Wynton Marsalis: Blues & Swing," a 79-minute DVD program featuring the Marsalis quartet (Marcus Roberts on piano, Bob Hurst, bass, and Jeff "Tain" Watts on drums) recorded at an intimate concert performance at the Westwood Playhouse in Los Angeles in 1988 and during a series of workshops with students at Harvard University and at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, D.C. In 5.1 Dolby Surround; $24.98. ... Music Video Distributors has released a 60- minute DVD tracing the background of the controversial singer Eminem, "Eminem: Behind the Mask," with commentary from Bono, Dido and Courtney Love, $19.95 (www.musicvideodistributors.com or 800-888-0486). Religion: Wellspring Video and Mystic Fire will release on February 19 "The Four Holy Truths," a two-disc DVD set featuring six hours of talks on Buddhist sacred teachings by the XIV Dalai Lama, $59.98.

The 'B' Side: Other February Releases In "Mindstorm," a psychic's investigation into the disappearance of a senator's daughter leads her to a dangerous cult and the truth about her own mysterious past. Stars Antonio Sabato Jr., Eric Roberts, Michael Ironside and Michael Moriarty. Monarch Home Video, 2001, R, priced for rental, DVD day and date. In "Dead or Alive," a bounty hunter goes after one last score: a terrorist known only as the Nightmare, who has a million dollar bounty on his head. Stars Lowry Brooks Jr. York/Maverick Entertainment, 2002, NR, priced for rental, DVD day and date. "Spreading Ground" is a gruesome thriller about an investigation into a serial killer who preys on little children. Stars Dennis Hopper, Leslie Hope and Frederic Forrest. MTI Video, 2000, NR, priced for rental, DVD day and date. In "Double Deception," a police bodyguard is hired to protect the beautiful daughter of a wealthy Japanese businessman from kidnappers. But the kidnap plot goes terribly awry and the wrong girl is snatched. Stars Louis Mandylor, James Russo and Udo Kier. MTI Video, 2001, NR, priced for rental, DVD day and date. "SoulTaker -- The Monster Within" is the first of a four volume series of a new sci-fi/horror series produced by Tatsunoko Productions ("Speed Racer"). Kyosuke's normal life shatters when his mother stabs him in the heart, but he recovers and his body reveals a dangerous secret, a secret proving his past is a lie. He now has the ability to transform into a powerful SoulTaker, and is hunted by a heavy industry conglomerate as well as mutants from the mysterious Hospital. In Japanese and English audio. Pioneer Entertainment, 2002, NR, DVD only. "Dead in the Water" is a thriller about a quadrangle of sorts as three men vie for a young woman on a yachting cruise off the Brazilian coast. When one of the men mysteriously disappears, friendships rapidly disintegrate as each one fights for his own survival. Stars Henry Thomas, Dominique Swain, and Scott Baristow. Studio Home Entertainment, 2001, R, priced for rental, DVD day and date. In "Love Come Down," a sexy singer and a young comic meet in a neighborhood night club and they both know it feels right. But after one incredible night, the pressures of family secrets, their own personal fears and crippling addictions take over. Now they're on a rough emotional journey of love, sex, truth and devolution that must come full circle for their love to survive. Stars Larenz Tate and Deborah Cox. Trimark, 2000, R, priced for rental, DVD day and date. In "Double Bang," Billy Benson, an honest cop, is forced to enter a dark world of murder and corruption when his ex-partner is killed by a small time mobster. Determined to exact revenge, Benson seeks restitution outside the law. Stars William Baldwin, Richard Portnow, Adam Baldwin and Jon Seda. Artisan, 2001, R, priced for rental, DVD day and date.

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January 25, 2001