DVD Talk: September 2004 Archives

Every year 20,000+ unique -- and we do mean unique -- individuals invade Atlanta for Dragon*Con, America's largest SF and popular arts convention. With nearly 1000 photos of celebrities, costumers, and acts that defy description, DVD Talk writer das Monkey foolishly attempts to capture all four days of insanity in this detailed report and barely escapes with his life. This year's highlights: Space Ghost, robot battles, Ernie Hudson, sword fighting, and the crew of a little ship that could named Serenity. Oh ... did we mention the scantily clad women?

This week, The DVD Savant has reviews of La Dolce Vita - Fellini's biggest and most famous movie, The Wrong Man - Alfred Hitchcock blends docu realism, noirish defeatism and a religious miracle in this excellent but unloved, offbeat thriller, Come Back, Little Sheba - Shirley Booth earns her best actress Oscar in this excellent adaptation of William Inge's play, Lady Terminator - Indonesian 'exploitica' from Mondo Macabro, with a resurrected sea goddess blowing away cops by the dozen and The Black Orchid - It sounds and begins like a murder mystery but turns into a domestic drama. Read all this and more in this week's DVD Savant.

This week we have an exclusive offer on the ultimate DVD Player for DVD Talk Readers from HKFlix.com! Get the new Momitsu DVD-V880N player with free shipping. The Momitsu DVD-V880N is the ultimate DVD Player: a region-free player with PAL to NTSC conversions, up converts standard DVD to 1080i HD, has a USB 1.1 port for external devices and a PCMCIA slot with 802.11b wireless network compatibility (so you can use it to listen to streaming audio). This offer expires on 10/14, so don't miss it!

Another amazing week for DVD: Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind [Interview] [Review] - a phenomenal movie about memory, relationships and loss, from the mind of Charlie Kaufman and Michel Gondry, Super Size Me [Interview] - If this movie doesn't change your view of Fast Food, nothing will, one of the best films of the year! Nothing But a Man [Review] - brilliant is not a word to be taken lightly, but in the case of this film brilliant barely begins to scratch the surface, Rivers & Tides [Review] - a unique look at an artist who 'paints' with nature. Other notable releases this week include: The Alamo, Crank Yankers: S1, Footloose: SE [Review], Hunting of the President [Review], Thriller: A Cruel Picture [Review] and Walking Tall [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 including an entire section devoted to reviews of DVDs out this week.

This week we have a very special giveaway from ProjectorPoint.com - An Industry Leader in Home Theater Projectors . We're giving away 20 complete Panasonic Home Theater in A Box (SC-HT05) Systems (see complete product info page). The Panasonic Home Theater in A Box System includes a receiver with Dolby Digital, Dolby ProLogic II, and DTS surround-sound modes, AM/FM tuner, customizable sound field controls, 5 satellite speakers with 30 watts per channel, and a 110-watt subwoofer. Enter now for your chance to win one of these great Panasonic Home Theater in A Box Systems.

More great DVD announcements this week including: Dodgeball on 12/7 - Ben Stiller's surprisingly funny comedy about the classic school yard game gone pro, Open Water on 12/28 - a summer sleeper that makes Jaws look like a goldfish, Napoleon Dynamite on 12/21 - insanely great, we're talkin' Royal Tenenbaums great, Garden State on 12/28 - perhaps the smartest and hippest movie of the summer, The Thunderbirds on 12/21 - it tanked at the box office, perhaps they should have actually involved Gerry Anderson in the live action remake, Danny Deckchair on 12/21 - a quirky film about a man with a deck chair, lots of balloons and a dream, Two Brothers on 12/21 - a charming and overlooked film from the director of The Bear. Read our complete list of Upcoming DVDs.

The concept is simple: eat three meals a day for one month at McDonalds - if they don't serve it over the counter at McDonalds, you can't eat it, and if you're ever asked to 'Super Size' a meal, you have to say yes. The result is Super Size Me a fascinating look at our relationship with fast food, and exactly what kind of an effect it has on us. Super Size Me is one of those amazing films with the power to change the way you see things around you. It may not completely stop you from your planned trip to the local fast food outlet, but it'll definitely make you stop and think about what you eat and what it can do to your body. DVD Talk Editor Geoffrey Kleinman had an opportunity to sit down with filmmaker Morgan Spurlock to talk about Super Size Me, how the idea got started, and exactly how he lost all that weight after the cameras stopped rolling. Read our complete interview plus two tasty recipes from Morgan's Vegan Chef girlfriend Alex Jamieson.

While the rest of fandom wets their Wookie Underoos over a certain other bodacious box set, CineSchlockers are drooling over Anchor Bay's equally astonishing achievement -- Dawn of the Dead: Ultimate Edition!!! In fact, the FOUR disc ode to George Romero's zombified treatise on conspicuous consumption easily earns DVD Talk's highest rating! Plus, responses to reader emails and the ever-vigilant CineSchlock-O-Rama's Most Wanted.

On our September DVD Talk TV Segment on ABC TV's AM Northwest we took a look at 4 Notable DVDs: Star Wars Trilogy - the most requested DVD of all time comes with a 2 1/2 hour Documentary that's sure to thrill Star Wars Fans, Super Size Me - one of the best films of the year will absolutely change the way you think about fast food, Clerks X - Kevin Smith turns two guys talking to each other in a convenience store into an anthem for Gen X, Strangers on A Train - one of Hitchcock's best films on an exceptional DVD. Watch this show (which runs about 6 mins) in Windows Media High Bandwidth or Low Bandwidth. Also watch past month's segments.

It's an unfortunate fact that most everyone, at some point, will have a bad relationship. The film Eternal Sunshine of The Spotless Mind poses the question: What if you could have the memory of this bad relationship erased? Would you do it? If so what kind of impact would erasing memories have on you? We had the opportunity to sit down and talk with Eternal Sunshine of The Spotless Mind Screenwriter Charlie Kaufman and Director Michel Gondry about the film. Their tag-team approach to the interview gave some great insight on how this unique pair works together and how they created such a complex, fascinating and entertaining film. Read our complete interview with Charlie Kaufman & Michel Gondry or Listen to the complete audio version.

It the return of CineMazing! This week reviewer Kim Morgan takes a look at the must see zombie fest - Shaun of The Dead, which will have you screaming and laughing in equal measures. Also be sure to check out Kim's reviews of Criminal, Resident Evil: Apocalypse and Vincent Gallo's controversial The Brown Bunny. If you love movies, be sure to also drop in to DVD Talk's Movie Talk Forum, with news, trailers, discussions and member reviews of movies now in theaters. Want to get CineMazing right when it's published? Sign Up to get CineMazing delivered free to your email box!

In first four decades of film production, movies went from being a curiosity and disreputable form of blue collar entertainment to the fourth largest industry in the United States. Unfortunately 85% of the films from this period of dynamic growth are lost, and those that still exist are lock away in film archives, almost impossible for the average film buff to see. Until now. “More Treasures from American Film Archives 1894-1931" features over fifty rare seen films on three DVDs. This week, Silent DVD takes an in depth look at this impressive nine-and-a-half hour anthology of early films. From comedy to adventure films to documentaries, this entertaining collection has something for everyone. Check it out!

This week, The DVD Savant has reviews of Dial M For Murder - One of Hitchcock's most assured entertainments and the king of chamber mysteries, The Boston Strangler - Tony Curtis is the mixed up serial killer decades before FBI profiling, Videodrome - David Cronenberg gets his act fully together for the first time in a 'big idea' weird biology movie , Alexander's Ragtime Band - a monster hit from 1938 has been obsolete for over half a century, Music in My Heart - Tony Martin and Rita Hayworth reach for stardom, and we can tell right away who'll make it and who'll wont and King Kong Lives - King Kong's back and Lady Kong's got him. . Read all this and more in this week's DVD Savant.

This week sees the release of perhaps the most notable (and most requested) DVD of the year: Star Wars Trilogy [Review] - another 'edition/revision' of one of top films of all time with whopping and excellent 2 1/2 hour documentary 'Empire of Dreams' . Be sure not to let Star Wars eclipse several other truly notable DVDs out this week, including: Mean Girls [Review] - with an excellent script by SNL writer Tina Fey and solid performance by 'it girl' Lindsay Lohan , Mr Show: Season 4 [Review] - David Cross and Bob Odenkirk do it again...for the fourth time, MADtv: Season 1 - the first season of the very funny sketch comedy series - a SNL alternative, La Dolce Vita a phenomenal restoration of Fellini's classic on a DVD packed with solid special features, How to Draw a Bunny [Review] - an amazing movie that shines a much needed light on the brilliant work of the often misunderstood Ray Johnson, and Coffee and Cigarettes - Jim Jarmusch's long term project is strange, uneven but definitely worth checking out. 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 including an entire section devoted to reviews of DVDs out this week.

More great DVD announcements this week including: one of the summer's highest acclaimed films The Manchurian Candidate on 12/21 - a rare breed of remake that is actually better than the original film, Anchorman: The Legend Of Ron Burgundy - Extended Edition on 12/28 - a sharp, dark and funny way over the top comedy with Will Farrel doing what he does best, The 4400 on 12/21 - a USA TV Mini-Series that if you missed on TV you should absolutely make sure you catch on DVD, The Door In The Floor on 12/14 - a sleeper thriller starring Kim Basinger and Jeff Bridges, Species III (Unrated) on 12/7 - MGM goes direct to DVD with the latest installment of its sexy horror franchise, Yu-Gi-Oh!: The Movie on 11/16 - the popular card game turned movie now heads off to DVD, and the teen comedy Sleepover on 10/23 with Alexa Vega (of Spy Kids Fame). Read our complete list of Upcoming DVDs.

Over the years Mr. Roger's Neighborhood has been the friendly and familiar TV home to millions of children. American's favorite Neighbor Fred Rogers has had a profound impact on generations of tv viewers and is definitely one of the most beloved television personality of all time. Now, a three hour tribute Fred Rogers: America's Favorite Neighbor (on DVD 9/28) debuts on DVD with a fantastic look at Fred Rogers and Mr. Rogers Neighborhood. DVD Talk writer Danielle Henbest had the opportunity to talk Mr. Roger's Neighborhood regular Mr. McFeely (David Newell) about his friendship with Fred and current work with Fred's non-profit production company. Reminiscing about Fred and his days as Mr. McFeely left Newell outspoken and eager to share his Neighborhood with you. Read our complete interview with David Newell.

A top of great clips this week including: Alias: Season 3 - a clip of Alias: Tribunal, the special bonus animated Alias short film, Andy Goldsworthy's Rivers & Tides (On DVD 9/28) - a preview of a fascinating documentary on the relation between art and nature, Ed Wood: Special Edition (On DVD 11/19) - a look at this long awaited special edition DVD, Springtime in a Small Town (On DVD 11/23) - the trailer for Tian Zhuangzhuang's amazing film, Zatoichi The Blind Swordsman ( on DVD 12/9) - a trailer for Takeshi Kitano's update of this classic samurai series, Mary Poppins: 40th Anniversary Edition DVD (On DVD 12/14) - a sneak peek at one of Disney's finest live action musicals, Baadasssss! [Review] - the trailer for Mario van Pebbles’ look at the making of his father's 1971 film Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasss Song and Young Adam [Review] - a trailer of this hidden gem with Ewan McGregor and Tilda Switon.

The DVD Talk DVD Easter Egg Database continues to grow, greatly in part from the fantastic submissions from DVD Talk readers like you. Some of the latest Eggs to be uncovered include: hidden interviews with effects and makeup artists on Dawn of the Dead Ultimate Edition, hidden interviews on Star Trek: The Original Series Season One, a blooper reel on The Star Wars Trilogy Boxset, a gag reel on The Girl Next Door, a ton of hidden features and goodies including a table read on Futurama Vol 4, and hidden outtakes on Conan O'Brien's 10th Anniversary Special. Find out how to access all these great hidden features and more in the DVD Talk Easter Egg Database. Also be sure to help our DVD Easter Egg Database grow by submitting DVD easter eggs when you uncover them on your DVDs.

Could there be a bigger event on DVD than the release of the long-awaited Star Wars Trilogy [Review]? Probably not – and so with that in mind, we sent DVD Talk writer Holly Ordway to the Star Wars Media Day hosted by Lucasfilm and Twentieth Century Fox. Holly brings back a complete report on the Star Wars Trilogy DVDs including a look at the new transfers, panel discussions with: Rick Dean (the THX technical director), John Lowry (the head film restoration expert), and Van Ling (the DVD producer and menu designer) as well as Irvin Kershner, the director of The Empire Strikes Back, and Mark Hamill. Read the complete wrap up from the Star Wars Media Day. Also be sure to read Holly's extensive review of the Star Wars Trilogy DVDs!

A good number of notable DVDs out this week including HBO's phenomenal mini-series Angels in America [Review] with some of the best performances on screen this year, Man On Fire [Review] - Tony Scott's great looking film features another fine performance from Denzel Washington, Survivor All Stars [Review] - the best of the best compete in one of the best seasons of this popular reality-TV show, THX 1138 [Review] - George Lucas' first film now fully restored on an excellent 2 disc special edition, Baadasssss [Review] - Mario Van Peebles' excellent look back at his father's landmark film, Demonlover - Unrated [Review] - an extended and unrated version of a truly enigmatic film, Scooby-Doo 2 [Review] - it has total amnesia that there was ever a first film, but that's a good thing in this kid pleasing sequel. Other notable DVDs this week include: Robinson Crusoe: 50th Anniversary, The Simpsons Gone Wild and Slacker - Criterion. 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 including an entire section devoted to reviews of DVDs out this week.

Have you ever looked at a DVD cover and thought - 'If they had only ASKED me I could have saved them from using a bad cover'? Have you ever wanted to impact a major DVD Release? Now's your chance. Lions Gate Home Entertainment has narrowed it down to 3 DVD covers for their upcoming release for the comedy The Cookout (on DVD in January), now they need your help. DVD Talkers get to help decide which DVD Cover they'll use. This is an EXCLUSIVE opportunity for you to help decide what cover this DVD will have. Vote Now for your favorite cover and post your thoughts about the 3 choices and why you chose the one you did!

This week, The DVD Savant has reviews of Desire Under the Elms - Eugene O'Neill's grim drama with stars that lead us to expect a happy ending, Mr. & Mrs. Smith - Hitchcock's only screwball comedy is a delightful and delicate farce, The Alligator People - pristine late 50's monster nonsense, all in beautiful B&W scope and stereo sound, Strangers on a Train - Alfred Hitchcock's first 'mature' masterpiece is a wonderment of construction and cinematic invention, La Balance - a tense French crime drama that was a huge hit in France, On Valentine's Day & Courtship - prequels to Horton Foote's wonderful 1918 and I Confess - Hitchcock's 'failed' thriller tells us more about him than his celebrated successes and I Married a Monster from Outer Space - Campy nonsense going over the same ground as some 50s classics, this one's fun thanks to the good acting and jarring special effects. Read all this and more in this week's DVD Savant.

A nice assortment of DVDs announced this week including: The Terminal -11/23 a sweet comedy from Steven Spielberg film with Tom Hanks that got missed in theaters but deserves to be discovered on DVD, Wild At Heart: Special Edition -on 12/7 - one of David Lynch's most explosive film finally comes to DVD, Short Cuts: Special Edition Double Disc Set on 11/16 Robert Altman's acclaimed adaptation of Raymond Carver's short stores either you love it or hate it, Mary Poppins: 40th Anniversary Edition on 12/14 - a feature packed restoration of one of Disney's most beloved live action musical, Carnivale: Complete First Season on 12/7 - HBO's quirky 'Lunchesque' series has some fantastic moments but the sum isn't as great as it's parts and Oz: The Complete Fourth Season - 1/11/05 - HBO's harshest series just gets better every season. Read our complete list of Upcoming DVDs

More great clips this week including: an in depth sneak peek at the Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban DVD - it looks fantastic, Clips from Angel Season 4 - [Review] - Season 4 overview with the Cast and Creators, David Boreanaz on the return of Cordelia, 'The Beast', David Boreanaz discusses Angel and a clip from Angel - Season 4. Also DVD Trailers for Buena Vista Home Entertainment's Alias: Season 3, The Alamo, Aladdin Special Edition, Raising Helen and Mulan Special Edition. Finally, from Columbia Tri-Star: the DVD trailer for Mario Van People's Baadasssss [Review] , Diff'erent Strokes: Complete First Season [Review] - How "Watchoo you talkin about" originated, the funny short film Peep Show [Review] - Clip 1, Clip 2 and clips from with Tom Selleck - Clip 1, Clip 2 and Clip 3.

Ouija boards? Who needs 'em! CineSchlocker idol Clint Howard conjures the devil with an Apple II in the cult classick Evilspeak -- gore-iously uncut and with the B-fave's first commentary! Trekkies 2 boldly goes back to the wacky well of freaky fandom. The this verses that craze continues -- entertainingly so -- with an extra-value sized Boa vs. Python bout. Plus, more fringe cinema reviews, responses to reader emails and the ever-vigilant CineSchlock-O-Rama's Most Wanted.

The 80s were filled with all that glittered, glowed and accentuated the tackier part of glamour. From perfectly coiffed pink hair to plastic fuchsia star earrings, Jem embodied the kick ass 80s rock star. Samantha Newark is who you hear when you listen to Jem's soft, sweet, seductive tone as she talks to her fellow Holograms and the infamously evil rival band, The Misfits. DVD Talk writer Danielle Henbest had the opportunity to talk to Actress and Singer Samantha Newark about the DVD release of Jem and The Holograms, the television series that put her talent on the Hollywood map. Samantha had a lot to say about her adoration of Jem, her childhood dream of becoming a singer and how the golden-haired 80s goddess influenced her to "do what you love." Read our complete interview with Samantha Newark

This week we have the return of the Silent DVD Column with an indepth review of Arbuckle and Keaton Volumes One and Two from Kino. Silent Screen legend Buster Keaton made a total of 15 two-reel short films with his good friend Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle. Of these films only ten have survived. These surviving films are featured on these two DVD volumes including two, Rough House and Back Stage, which appear for the first time on home video. Read this week's Silent DVD Column for a look at these two silent screen comedic masters.

An absolutely fantastic week for DVDs, starting off with The Alfred Hitchcock Collection including one of our all time favorites Strangers on a Train: SE. Another big DVD Talk favorite Clerks X - 10 Year Anniversary Edition [Review] has one of the best making-of documentaries released on DVD! Also, fans of Kevin Smith's softer side might want to check out Jersey Girl [Review]. If you like good TV on DVD this week is for you with: Angel: Season 4 [Review] - arguably the strongest season of Angel's five year run, Alias: Season 3 - The Covenant, The Passenger, The Twists and now The DVD, Mork & Mindy: Season 1 - Robin Williams and Jonathan Winters together in one series, what more can you ask for, American Dreams: Season 1 - todays hottest pop-stars guest star to sing 50's classics, Columbo: Season 1 - Peter Falk in the role that's defined his career and Magnum, P.I: Season 1 . 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 including an entire section devoted to reviews of DVDs out this week.

An extremely diverse mix of DVDs announced this week including two which street in 2005: Troy on 1/4/05 the mega budgeted adaptation of The Iliad with Brad Pitt, Orlando Bloom, Eric Bana and Diane Kruger as Helen of Troy and Bambi: Disney Special 2 Disc Platinum Edition on 3/1/05 with word that the restoration is breathtaking. DVDs announced this week that street this year include: Hero on 11/30 - Disney had it on the shelf for 2 years until its US release which was a smash hit, see it and you'll know why, King Arthur on 12/21 - produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, a look at the 'history' behind the King Arthur myth including a scantly clad and svelte Keira Knightley as Guinevere, I'm Not Scared on 10/19 - an exceptional Italian coming of age film that easily qualifies as a 'Hidden Gem' and Fanny And Alexander: Special Edition Five Disc Set on 11/16 - Criterions Magnum Opus release for this Ingmar Bergman masterpiece including a five-hour director’s cut of the film. Also announced on DVD this week: Ali G Indahouse: The Movie on 11/2, Animal Farm: Special Edition on 11/2, Home Improvement: Season One on 11/23 and The Bourne Supremacy on 12/7. Read our complete list of Upcoming DVDs.

This week our Clips of the Week come from Blue Underground for their DVD release of the fully restored The Alan Clarke Collection - which includes the films: Scum (both the 1977 BBC Version and the 1979 remake theatrical version) , Made in Britain (starring Tim Roth), The Firm (starring Gary Oldman), Elephant (produced by Danny Boyle) and Director: Alan Clarke (a look at the legacy of one of Britain's most influential directors). Watch these clips from The Alan Clarke Collection: Scum (BBC Version), Scum (Theatrical Version), Made in Britain, The Firm, Elephant and Director: Alan Clarke. Buy The Alan Clarke Collection on DVD Now.

This week, The DVD Savant has reviews of I Vitelloni - Fellini's first big hit is an excellent serious drama, Forbidden Zone - A combo Zap Comic, profane musical and demented refuse heap of cultural rejects, a one-of-a-kind softcore phantasmagoria, Good Times - Sonny & Cher fans will flip; thanks to the sure first-time direction of William Friedkin, Lilith - Robert Rosson hits some perfect notes in this strange drama about asylum patients, and That Funny Feeling - Another odd show, an attempt to fit Sandra Dee and Bobby Darin into the Doris Day/Rock Hudson mold. Read all this and more in this week's DVD Savant.