OnVideo OldNews July 2002Old News Is Good News or Who Wants to Read Yesterday's Newspapers? |
Contents.
Back to OldNews Archives Contents
July News
July Highlights:
On the sets:
There's four big collectible DVD sets being released this month:On July 2 there's the "Pearl Harbor Vista Series" (2001), directed by Michael Bay and starring Ben Affleck, Josh Hartnett, Kate Beckinsale, Alec Baldwin, Cuba Gooding Jr., Tom Sizemore, Jon Voight, William Lee Scott and James King. This is a giant four-disc set packed in a simulated pilot's attache case with the director's cut and a bevy of extras: Historical documentary "Unsung Heroes," Faith Hill's "There You'll Be" music video, "Journey to the Screen: The Making of Pearl Harbor," a definitive bibliography, "One Hour Over Tokyo," multiple commentaries, multiple "making-of" featurettes, multi-angle scene: The Surprise Attack, storyboards, animatics, multiple audio tracks, veteran commentaries, historic timeline set-up feature and more. Twelve hours of special features, 24-page booklet, four collectible postcards; $39.99. (Buena Vista).
Also on July 2 "Star Trek: The Next Generation Complete Third Season Gift Set" warps to DVD. This is a seven-disc box set with all 22 episodes on five discs (in 5.1 Surround) and special features on the sixth disc. Those features include Mission Overview: Cast and crew discussions of the major changes in Season Three; Selected Crew Analysis: In-depth look at the growth of continuing characters, plus a look at crew member Dr. Beverly Crusher; Departmental Briefing -- Production: Behind-the-scenes look at specific key episodes, including interviews with production staff; Departmental Briefing -- Memorable Missions: Third Season episode discussions; suggested list price under $100. (Paramount).
On July 23 Fox will release a three-disc set (devoid of extras) of "M*A*S*H Season Two," containing all 24 of the second season's episodes; $39.98.
On July 30 "Speed Five Star Collection" pushes its way home. The 1994 film, directed by Jan De Bont and starring Keanu Reeves, Sandra Bullock, Jeff Daniels and Dennis Hopper will be released as a two disc set with a variety of extras. Disc 1: "Speed" with two commentaries: one by De Bont and one by writer Graham Yost and producer Mark Gordon. Disc 2: Five extended scenes; multi-angle stunt comparisons: "Bus Jump" (nine angles), "Cargo Jet Explosion (nine angles), "Jack vs. Payne" (four angles), "Metro Rail Crash" (nine angles); five featurettes: "On Location," "Stunts," "Visual Effects," "Bus Jump" and "Metro Rail Crash"; story board to film comparisons: "Bombs on Bus," "Baker Sequence," "Bus Jump" and "Metro Rail Fight & Crash"; interviews with Reeves, Bullock, Hopper, Daniels and De Bont; HBO Special; 11 television spots; Billy Idol music video; Easter eggs; original screenplay; image gallery with more than 400 images including production design, behind-the-scenes, and press kit images; THX certified, Dolby and DTS. $26.98. (Fox).
It's Psychedelic, Baby:
With the latest edition of the Austin Powers' spy spoof series ("Austin Powers in Goldmember") due for theatrical release this month, the folks at Fox have released to DVD a trio of 1960s spy spoofs sure to tickle your camp funny bone: "In Like Flint" (1967), starring James Coburn and Andrew Duggan; "Modesty Blaise" (1966), starring Monica Vitti, Terence Stamp and Dirk Bogarde; and "Our Man Flint" (1965), starring James Coburn, Gila Golan and Lee J. Cobb; due July 16.New Criterion Editions:
In addition to the July 9 release (with Buena Vista) of "The Royal Tenenbaums" two-disc DVD set, the folks at The Criterion Collection (with Home Vision) have scheduled July 23 for three DVD releases of important modern films: "Hopscotch" (1980), directed by Ronald Neame and starring Walter Matthau, Glenda Jackson, Sam Waterston, Ned Beatty and Herbert Lom, featuring a high-definition digital transfer and such extras as a video introduction featuring interviews with Neame and novelist-screenwriter Brian Garfield, and the original television audio track remixed for family viewing and presented as an alternate audio track; "Ratcatcher" (1999), directed by Lynne Ramsay and starring William Eadie, Tommy Flanigan, Mandy Matthews and Michelle Stewart, with such extras as an interview with Ramsay, three short films by Ramsay and a stills gallery; and "Red Beard" (1965), directed by Akira Kurosawa and starring Toshiro Mifune, Yuzo Kayama and Yoshio Tsuchiya, with a high-definition digital transfer, commentary by Kurosawa film scholar Stephen Prince and notes by Japanese film historian Donald Richie.Meanwhile, Home Vision's own label, Home Vision Entertainment, will release two video documents of pop culture to DVD: "Comic Book Confidential" (1988), a fascinating history of the comic book medium, featuring interviews with tons of comic book gurus, including Frank Miller, Stan Lee and Will Eisner. The DVD includes a poster and liner notes by DC's "Hellblazer" and "100 Bullets" writer Brian Azzarello; and "Twist" (1992), which examines the history of post-World War II popular dance up to the mid-sixties, spotlighting the twist dance craze. Includes a flashy poster and liner notes by Gary Giddins, music columnist for The Village Voice; due July 23.
More July Video News For collectors:
Universal will commemorate the 25th anniversary (August 16, 1977) of the death of Elvis Presley with "Elvis: His Best Friend Remembers," a real-life tribute from "Diamond Joe" Espositio, one of Elvis' closest confidants. The feature includes hundreds of rare photos, home movies, newsreels, press conferences, film clips and interviews. Available on VHS ($14.98) and DVD ($19.98) on July 30.It's 1980 and aliens are invading the Earth, kidnapping people and harvesting their organs. The invaders are opposed by S.H.A.D.O., a top-secret agency with headquarters in a lead-lined bunker 80 feet beneath a London film studio. From here, the group deploys an incredible arsenal of high-tech weapons to stop the extra-terrestrial invaders. Sound like the plot for a Sci Fi Channel summer series? Nope, its the story line of "UFO," a 1970s British TV series by Gerry Anderson, producer of such giant cult shows as "Space: 1999," "Thunderbirds" and "Fireball XL5." The show ran for 26 episodes in 1970 (1972 in the U.S.) and has spawned a fanatical cult following. Now A&E Home Video has packaged the series on DVD, with the first 13 episodes being released July 30 as "UFO, Set 1" (Four discs, $79.95).
For Kids:
Join Murray the Monkey and his colorful puppet friends in "Your Tiny Jungle Tot," the newest VHS release in the "Your Tiny" series, designed to spark imaginations through a musical tour of the zoo. Through live-action, puppetry and real-life scenes of children and their favorite animals, this Child Smart release takes kids on a magical trip aboard the Jungle Tot train to see where animals (zebras, bears, parrots and wallaroos, among others) reside. Due July 30, $12.95.Anchor Bay will release to DVD on July 23 the "Best of Percy," featuring nine favorite stories about Thomas the Tank Engine, his friend Percy, and other favorites from the Island of Sodor -- with storytelling by Ringo Starr and George Carlin. The DVD features sing-alongs, character gallery, and more interactive features; $14.98.
The latest pre-school fav is precocious five-year old Maggie (created by mother-son team of Betty and Michael Paraskevas, who consult on the Nick Jr. TV series based on their books), who imagines Nowhere Land where she and her two favorite toys, Hamilton Hocks (a cautious pig) and the Ferocious Beast (a red polka-dotted creature who's anything but ferocious) have one adventure after another while learning life lessons in a gentle, non-threatening way. On August 6, Columbia TriStar will release the first videos in the series: "Maggie and the Ferocious Beast: Adventures in Nowhere Land" and Maggie and the Ferocious Beast: We Are Family," with five stories each, $12.95 VHS (a DVD of Maggie and the Ferocious Beast: Adventures in Nowhere Land" is available, with a bonus story, for $19.95).
Old standby "Bob the Builder" has made his way to DVD ($16.99) with "Celebrate With Bob," an anthology of four separate stories -- "Bob's Birthday," "Bob's Big Surprise," "Bob's Day Off" and "Buffalo Bob" -- as well as four mini-adventures reinforcing themes about teamwork and cooperation. This seventh title in the "Bob the Builder" series from HIT Entertainment will also be available on VHS ($14.99); due August 6.
Special Interest:
The human body has been described as the world's most exquisite machine -- a fully integrated system of muscles, organs, bones, arteries, nerves and cells that is life and gives life. National Geographic Home Video explores the enigmatic human form from the inside out in "The Incredible Human Body," available on VHS ($19.98) and DVD ($24.98) on July 16.A&E Home Video celebrates the statesmen who helped shape America's destiny with VHS and DVD boxed sets of "Founding Brothers," the History Channel documentary based upon historian Joseph Ellis' Pulitzer Prize winning book. Anchored by Roger Mudd and narrated by Edward Herrmann, "Founding Brothers" chronicles the first chapter in American nationhood from the point of view of the original band of brothers: John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison and George Washington. Two-discs or four videos, $39.95, due July 30.
WGBH Boston Video will release on July 30 an imposing three-part, six-hour TV series "Commanding Heights: The Battle for the World Economy," the first major series on the global economy to appear on American television in 22 years, and the first in-depth docu to tell the inside story of our new global economy and what it means for individuals around the world. Filmed in 20 countries on five continents, the program features interviews with former President Clinton, Vice President Cheney, former USSR President Mikhail Gorbachev and Mexican President Vicente Fox. $39.95. (www.wgbh.org, 800-949-8670).
"The Incomparable Nat 'King' Cole" is a two-volume set featuring the best performances from Cole's 1957 NBC television series, including 47 full-length songs with such music luminaries as Ella Fitzgerald, Harry Belafonte, Sammy Davis Jr., Johnny Mercer, The Mills Brothers and The Oscar Peterson trio. Available July 25 from Kultur Home Video, VHS and DVD $19.95 each (www.kulturvideo.com. 800-718-1300).
Two home video releases take a look at the events of September 11: "Why the Towers Fell" investigates the collapse of the World Trade Center Towers, from WGBH Boston Video (www.wgbh.org, 800-949-8670) on VHS and DVD ($19.95 each), due July 9; and "WTC: The First 24 Hours," devoid of music or commentary to let the images speak for themselves, from Docurama (www.docurama.com, 800-314-8822) on VHS and DVD ($19.95 each), available now.
The 'B' Side: Other July Releases
"Jericho" is a man haunted by a past he can't remember. His nearly lifeless body is found by Joshua, a former slave and cowboy-preacher who nurses him back to health and becomes his trail companion -- through he suspects Jericho is wanted for a payroll robbery and murder. They join a cattle drive, prospect for gold and eventually homestead a ranch -- until Jericho is drawn back to the wild mountain town that holds the secret of his past. Stars Mark Valley and R. Lee Ermey. Monarch Home Video, 2000, PG-13, priced for rental, DVD day and date.
Feedback: Have questions? Need help? Comments?
| Home | Contents/Site Map | Resources | VidNews | KidVid | Calendar | Sell-Through | Reviews |
E-mail: mail@cyberpod.com
© 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000 CyberPod. All rights reserved
June 25, 2001
