DVD Talk: February 2004 Archives

Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment has given DVD Talk a very special early sneak peek at the upcoming Master and Commander - The Far Side of the World - two disc special edition DVD. Master and Commander, the winner of the Academy Award for Best Cinematography, won't be released until April 20th, but we've got An Early Review of the DVD for you! Read our review of Master and Commander Now and Pre-Order Master and Commander at: Amazon.com or DVDEmpire or DeepDiscountDVD.com

About 18 months before his passing, the incomparable Jonathan Harris held court at the Chiller Theatre Expo, spinning colorful yarns about his years as the loveably nefarious Dr. Smith on TV's "Lost in Space." Columnist G. Noel Gross was there and files this "lost" interview as part of CineSchlock-O-Rama's ode to the 8-disc Lost in Space: Season One box set.

This week we have several clips from Akira creator Katsuhiro Otomo's Memories [Review] (all presented in Windows Media for High Bandwidth). The Memories consists of three anime vignettes including 'Magnetic Rose' directed by Koji Morimoto who directed The Animatrix: Beyond, Stink Bomb from Tensai Okamura and Cannon Fodder by Katsuhiro Otomo's. Watch clips from The Memories: Clip From Magnetic Rose , Second clip from Magnetic Rose and a Clip from Stink Bomb directed by Tensai Okamura . The Memories is available on DVD Now - Find The Best Price and Read The DVD Talk Review.

This week the DVD Savant takes a look at: The Chase - This Texas-hating film makes one oil-rich hamlet into the Peyton Place of Evil, Salvatore Giuliano - Francesco Rosi's semi-documentary re-examination of the death of a notorious Sicilian outlaw re-defines dramatic re-creation of real events in the movies, Wisconsin Death Trip A truly bizarre and unsettling quasi-docu about the human blight that settled on Black River Falls in the 1890s, Flamenco de Carlos Saura - New Yorker films gives fans of Spanish dancing a real treat, a handsome disc of Carlos Saura's all-dancing, all-wailing 1995 musical marathon. Tunes of Glory - Alec Guinness and John Mills play two Scottish officers engaged in a bitter personality clash at a peacetime Scottish Battalion and The Big Bounce - Ryan O'Neal bounces onto the big screen, and Leigh Taylor-Young's got him. Read all this and more in this week's DVD Savant.

This weeks special mid-week edition of CineMazing! (formerly The Aisle View) takes a look at the extremely controversial The Passion, directed by Mel Gibson and gives some insight just how accurate all the pre-release buzz really is as well as who may or may not want to go see this film. You're also welcome to Share your thoughts on this review and the movie in our Movie Talk Forum Area. Also don't forget to check out DVD Talk's Theatrical Review Database for reviews of many of the films in theaters now. Want to get Cinemazing right when it's published? Sign Up to get CineMazing delivered free to your email box!

Another strong week for notable DVDs including: Star Trek Voyager: Season 1 [Review] - Paramount continues it's streak of great Star Trek DVDs with the first season of Voyager, Oz: Season 3 [Review] - on of the most brutal shows on TV comes to DVD courtesy of HBO, Chappelle's Show: Season 1 [Review] - an extremely funny show filled with irreverent comedy and sharp humor, The Barbarians [Review] - The History Channel's fantastic mini-series with some outstanding recreations, Matchstick Men [Review] - an oddball grifter film with great performances from Nicolas Cage, Sam Rockwell, Pieces of April [Review] - a absolute hidden gem and The Missing [Review] - with fantastic work by Cate Blanchett and Tommy Lee Jones. Read our Complete List of Upcoming DVDs for more great DVDs out this week, and visit our DVD Talk Review Database for all the latest reviews.

A number of great major title announcements this week including: Warner Bros. DVD for The Last Samurai on 5/4 - a 2 disc special edition with a huge amount of behind the scenes featurettes, Fox's Master And Commander: The Far Side Of The World: Collector's Edition on 4/20 - available in both a 2 Disc SE and a movie only version, and Universal's live action retelling of Peter Pan on 5/4. Also this week a ton of TV on DVD announcements including the phenomenal HBO series: Six Feet Under: The Complete Second Season on 6/8 and the popular Smallville - The Complete Second Season on 5/25, Northern Exposure - The Complete First Season on 5/25, Quantum Leap - The First Complete Season on 6/8 and Party of Five: The Complete First Season on 5/4. Read our complete list of Upcoming DVDs

This week we have a very special giveaway from Buena Vista Home Entertainment to celebrate the release for Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over DVD. We're giving away 5 Copies of the The Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over DVD. Also 2 lucky entrants will win Jr. Scene it? the popular DVD based game, now available in a Junior Edition! The Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over 2 Disc Special Edition DVD features: both 3-D and 2-D versions of Spy Kids 3, 4 pairs of 3-D glasses, Audio Commentary by filmmaker Robert Rodriguez , Ten minute film school on how to make cool home movies and much more! Enter Now for your chance to win one of 5 copies of the Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over DVD or one of 2 copies of Jr. Scene it?

On our February DVD Talk TV Segment on ABC TV's AM Northwest we took a look at 4 Notable DVDs: Lost in Translation - our pick as top film of 2003 has some of the most subtle and honest performances you'll see on film, definitely pick up this DVD, Runaway Jury - John Grisham's best-seller comes to the screen with an fantastic all star cast, a great courtroom drama rental, American Splendor - a film that took Sundance and Cannes by storm it redefines the bio-pic and should not be missed, Lion King 1 1/2 - feature quality film that is loads of fun, the best direct to DVD release we've seen yet! Watch this show (which runs about 6 mins) in Windows Media High Bandwidth or Low Bandwidth. Also be sure to catch past month's shows.

In an effort to bring you more exciting and interactive content we've created the DVD Talk DVD Clips Of The Week! This week we have several clips from Ron Howard's Western The Missing [Review] (all presented in Windows Media for High Bandwidth). Here's your chance to get a sneak peek at The Missing: The Missing Trailer, Deleted Scene with Cate Blanchett and Tommy Lee Jones and Ron Howard talking about casting the stars of The Missing. The Missing streets on 2/24 - Find The Best Price and Read The DVD Talk Review.

When we asked columnist G. Noel Gross about his 29-episode, keister numbing ode to Lost in Space: Season One, all he'd say was: "Oh, the pain! The pain!" We're not sure what that means exactly, but his 5-star review is glowing and he's even filed a "lost" interview with Dr. Smith. Plus, Lost in Space giveaway winners, responses to reader emails and the ever-vigilant CineSchlock-O-Rama's Most Wanted.

This week The DVD Savant has a ton of new articles and reviews up for your perusal including: Love at Large - this quirky detective romance charmed Savant 14 years ago, and it still works, Le Corbeau - H.G. Clouzot creates a blood-chilling thriller about something real - a 'diseased community' eating itself alive with poison pen letters, Flesh + Blood - Paul Verhoeven plays rough in a beautifully-produced medieval action picture given 200% too much gore and unpleasant detail, American Film Theater Collection 3 - the final boxed set of Ely and Edie Landau's 'noble theater/film experiment', My Fair Lady - the immensely entertaining 60s blockbuster gets another special edition release in the ongoing Warner 2-disc format, with some interesting new goodies to peruse and Pickup on South Street - Sam Fuller's masterpiece gets the Criterion treatment, with a stunning transfer and extras to die for. Read all this and more in The DVD Savant.

This week The Aisle View critic Alley Hector comes out swinging after her dreams of an entertaining evening are dashed by Against the Ropes starring Meg Ryan, Omar Epps and Charles S. Dutton. Find out if Against the Ropes can make it beyond the first round and be more than another mediocre boxing film. Also don't forget to check out DVD Talk's Theatrical Review Database for reviews of many of the films in theaters now. Want to get The Aisle View right when it's published? Sign Up to get The Aisle View delivered free to your email box!

An interesting mix of Notable DVDs this week including: Runaway Jury [Review] -although changed significantly from the best-selling book John Grisham, the film is still quite enjoyable but the real reason to check it out is the absolutely stellar cast, Roswell: Season 1 [Review] - add this to your list of good television you might have missed, Dickie Roberts - Former Child Star [Review] - absolutely shameless fun, a silly comedy with lots of heart and one that's perfect if you're just in the mood to laugh, Blow Up [Review] - Michelangelo Antonioni's unexpected and enigmatic film is simple yet riveting, and finally 2 U.K. series from Queer as Folk creator Russell Davies now available in the US: Bob & Rose [Review] and The Second Coming [Review]. Read our Complete List of Upcoming DVDs for more great DVDs out this week, and visit our DVD Talk Review Database for all the latest reviews.

This week we have a special Giveaway from Lions Gate Home Entertainment for the inventive Wonderland starring Val Kilmer as the legendary John C. Holmes. Wonderland deconstructs the events surrounding the notorious 'Wonderland Murders' in the 1980's and addresses the mystery of just how involved Holmes may or may not have been. The feature packed Wonderland DVD features: audio commentary by writer/director James Cox and writer Captain Mauzner, Deleted scenes, Short film by director James Cox, LAPD crime scene video, Autopsy report and more. This week we're giving away 5 copies of Wonderland, so enter now for your chance to win!

A ton of great titles announced this week including Disney's huge announcement for Aladdin: Special Edition on 10/5 - one of their last big blockbusters to come to DVD! Also announced now, but not coming out for several months are: Alias - The Complete Third Season on 9/7 - which is definitely something to look forward to, HBO's staggeringly brilliant mini-series Angels In America on 6/1 and Bad Santa on 6/22 [Review] - a mean spirited Xmas tale that Disney was embarrassed to release under their Miramax brand - if that's not enough of an endorsement, what is? Other good announcements this week include: Tim Burton's charming Big Fish on 4/27 [Review] including deleted scenes and a Filmmaker Commentary, Stuck On You on 4/27 [Review] - a Farrelly Brother's comedy that is atypically sweet, and Paramount's likeably light adaptation of Michael Crichton's Timeline on 4/27 [Review]. Read our complete list of Upcoming DVDs

This week in The Aisle View critic Alley Hector takes a look at 50 First Dates - a silly, saccharine and sweetly pretty film that fulfills its role as an offbeat Adam Sandler romantic comedy quite well. 50 First Dates uses all the standard tricks, but each has a unique enough spin to keep you chuckling. Also don't forget to check out DVD Talk's Theatrical Review Database for reviews of many of the films in theaters now. Want to get The Aisle View right when it's published? Sign Up to get The Aisle View delivered free to your email box!

At DVD Talk we're huge fans of TV on DVD so we to cover as many of TV-DVD releases as possible, including recent reviews for: Angel Season 3 - which offers one of the most effectively executed season arcs in both 'Buffyverse' series, Roswell: Season 1 - a highly recommended series for people who appreciate teen romance shows mixed with science fiction, Dilbert: The Complete Series - if you’ve ever been frustrated by a stupid supervisor, nonsensical workplace rules, or co-workers from hell, you’ll identify with the show, The Thorn Birds - the second-most-watched miniseries of all time, and its appeal turns out to be a lasting one, The Simple Life - cotton candy television - good for a few random chuckles, Friends: Complete Sixth Season - If you've ever wondered about all of the hype surrounding Friends then this is a great place to start. Finally, if you're looking for our recommendation of the best of TV on DVD so far this year be sure not to miss The Shield: Season 1 and Season 2.

It's the big DVD announcement you've all been waiting for: Lucasfilm and Twentieth Century Fox have announced the DVD Release for Star Wars Trilogy DVD on September 21st. This special 4 disc box set will include the three 'original' Star Wars movies (Star Wars IV: A New Hope, Star Wars V: The Empire Strikes Back and Star Wars VI: Return of the Jedi) presented in THX Anamorphic Widescreen and Dolby Digital-EX. Each film will be released in the 'Special Edition' version (including the changes made to the films for their theatrical re-release in 1997) and feature audio commentary by George Lucas and select members of the cast and crew. In addition to the three features the box set will also feature a fourth disc including making-of documentaries and features for the 3 films as well as a 2 hour documentary including never-before-seen footage. There will NOT be an option to view the films in their original theatrical version and the films will not be sold individually. Exact pricing for the set, specific disc extras and an official pre-order date to be announced in the weeks ahead. Discuss this announcement in the DVD Talk Forum.

This week the DVD Savant takes a look at: Pickup on South Street - Sam Fuller's masterpiece gets the Criterion treatment, with a stunning transfer and extras to die for, Underworld Beauty - Seijun Suzuki does it again in this early-career crimer, a splendid little potboiler, Death in Venice -Luchino Visconti's beautifully designed study of a repressed artist with a deteriorating personality, X-15 - a dry and uneventful ode to test pilots starring Charles Bronson and Mary Tyler Moore with a bizarre formatting issue and the spectacular footage of the real tests and launches and Goodbye Mr. Chips - Robert Donat can't make the schoolkids like him, until Greer Garson comes along. One of those classics that just has a good attitude about people. Read all this and more in this week's DVD Savant.

If you're a fan of independent films, this is a great week for you! Notable indie films this week include: The Stone Reader - an enjoyable documentary that is a must for anyone who loves books, Sylvia - Gwyneth Paltrow shines in the depressing story of poet Sylvia Plath, Wonderland [Review] - another strong performance by Val Kilmer as famed adult star John Holmes and Party Monster - with unexpected performances from Macaulay Culkin and Seth Green as eccentric 80's club boys/drag queen's who get mixed up in a little murder. Aside from great indie titles, this week's notable DVDs also include: Intolerable Cruelty [Review] - a truly enjoyable romantic comedy written and directed by the Coen brothers, Angel - Season 3 - another solid season from this Buffy spin-off and Lion King: 1 1/2 [Review] - one of Disney's best direct to DVD efforts yet! Read our Complete List of Upcoming DVDs for more great DVDs out this week, and visit our DVD Talk Review Database for all the latest reviews.

Of course the big announcement this week is Star Wars Trilogy: Collector's Giftset DVD on September 21st but there are other great DVD announcements which hopefully won't be overshadowed including: Gothika on 3/23 - an uncommon psychological thriller with Halle Berry and Penelope Cruz, A League Of Their Own on 4/20 - a charming movie about the Woman's Baseball League in with Tom Hanks, Madonna and Geena Davis, Wild Things (Unrated) on 4/20 - a new unrated version of this guilty pleasure of a movie starring Kevin Bacon, Neve Campbell, Matt Dillon and Denise Richards (it may be trashy but we love it), Love Actually on 4/27 - the feel good British romantic comedy from the creative team behind Bridget Jone's Diary and Notting Hill, and finally, the long awaited The Great Escape: Collector's Edition on 5/25 - a 2 disc restoration of the film including both a DD 5.1 and Mono audio track, audio commentary from surviving members of the cast and crew and a number of behind the scenes documentaries! Read our complete list of Upcoming DVDs

Disney has been on a roll with their 2 Disc edition of classic animated DVDs, giving some of their best films top treatment on DVD. It's fantastic to see them take this same approach with the direct-to-DVD film The Lion King 1 1/2 - a 2 disc special edition absolutely packed with goodies. The Lion King 1 1/2 is actually a prequel to The Lion King, and it reunites the Original Cast (including Nathan Lane, Matthew Broderick and Ernie Sabella) with award winning composers Tim Rice and Elton John for a real treat! This week we're giving away 5 copies of the The Lion King 1 1/2 DVD so Enter Now for your chance to win.

Eight-track stereo, color TV in every room and Superfly on DVD -- that's any CineSchlocker's dream! At long last the blaxploitation landmark finally makes the scene with appropriate flourish: a must-hear commentary by Dr. Todd Boyd, soundtrack insights from Curtis Mayfield and even the skinny on Priest's tricked out El-D. Afterward, take a docu-dip with some rowdy rednecks who catch 40-pound catfish barehanded in Okie Noodling.

This week in The Aisle View critic Alley Hector takes a look at Barbershop 2: Back in Business - Ice Cube and Cedrick return for more laughs, heated discussion and more. Find out how it stacks up to the first Barbershop. Also this week Alley takes a look Miracle with Kurt Russell in a tale about the against all odds US Olympic Hockey team and their drive to defeat the undebatable Russian Hockey team. Want to get The Aisle View right when it's published? Sign Up to get The Aisle View delivered free to your email box!

At DVD Talk we're closely following developments in the High-Definition DVD space. This week we're excited to bring you a special audio interview with Michael Fiddler, Senior Vice President of the Blu-Ray Disc Group. In the interview Michael Fiddler gives an excellent overview of Blu-Ray, clears up some mis-understandings about the format and talks about how Blu-Ray extends beyond watching movies on DVD. The interview is presented in Windows Media Audio and optimized for all bandwidth levels. Listen to this Interview Now (which runs aprox 23 mins).

This week the DVD Savant takes a look at The Diary of Anne Frank - George Stevens' last great picture comes with a fascinating docu providing background to the story, Mrs. Miniver - William Wyler makes wartime propaganda, but can't help but turn it into a superior film, Walk on the Wild Side - Edward Dymtryk falls flat on his directorial face with this ill-conceived 'mature' mess of odd casting, muffed period detail and laughably censored adult subject matter, Diary of a Country Priest - Robert Bresson's moody story of faith and virtue abandoned to the petty cruelties of indifference is one of the best films about spirituality ever made. Read all this and more in this week's DVD Savant.

This week's notable DVDs include the highly anticipated Lost In Translation [Review] - one of the best films of 2003 is even better on DVD, New Line's charming Secondhand Lions [Review] - a surprisingly good film that was overlooked in theaters, Under the Tuscan Sun [Review] a light romantic comedy with the ever talented Diane Lane, In the Cut - Uncut and Unrated [Review] most notable for Meg Ryan's Un-Sallyesque performance. Three notable re-releases this week: Rain Man: Special Edition [Review ] - which adds new commentaries and deleted scenes, Planet of the Apes - 35th Anniversary [Review] - with much of the material from 'Behind The Planet Of The Apes' and Warner Bros. 2 Disc release for My Fair Lady - which gets top notch treatment. Finally, for fans of Classic TV on DVD comes Gilligan's Island: Season 1 - still as fun as always. Read our Complete List of Upcoming DVDs for more great DVDs out this week, and visit our DVD Talk Review Database for all the latest reviews.

This week we have a special giveaway for 2 great HBO DVDs: American Splendor [Review] - a look at the comic book of the extraordinarily ordinary Harvey Pekar is one of the most original bio-pics ever made and Capturing the Friedmans [Review] - a controversial film that looks a family and the crime that tore them apart calls into question both the crime itself and the role of a film maker to the subject he covers. We have 4 copies each of American Splendor and Capturing the Friedmans we're giving away, so Enter Now for your chance to win!

Exciting news this week with the official announcement of the restored version of The Good, The Bad And The Ugly: 2 Disc Collector's Edition on 3/9 - read an indepth look restoration of this classic western. Also announced this week: House Of Sand And Fog on 3/30 - with amazing performances by Ben Kingsley and Jennifer Connelly in an emotionally devastating film, Something's Gotta Give on 3/23 - a fun comedy that has surprisingly been getting nominated for big awards, James Cameron's Ghosts of the Abyss on 4/27 - a 2 Disc Special Edition which will include both the 60 minute theatrical and a 90 min extended cut of the film, Showtimes wonderfully dark comedy series Dead Like Me: The Complete First Season on 5/4 and Step Into Liquid on 4/20 - a fantastic look at surfing presented in a 2 disc special edition including a Windows Media High-Definition version of the film which should be absolutely stunning. Read our complete list of Upcoming DVDs.

Who's got cabin fever? We've got Cabin Fever -- a telltale symptom of which must be commentary tracks because this single disc's got FIVE of 'em! Speaking of feeling feverish, catch a raging case of the Kate Beckinsales thanks to the under-touted Underworld. Yet another sequel, um, make that a prequel rumbles forth in Tremors 4: The Legend Begins. Plus, responses to reader emails and the ever-vigilant CineSchlock-O-Rama's Most Wanted.