Wednesday 30th May 2001

Running at a whopping 2 1/2 hours The Main Event has a 4x3 image (the original digital betacam recorded format) and is on an RSDL DVD. (and there's a bonus backstage segment at the end of the main feature).  OH and the audio selection menu is placed after you hit the "play concert" button.

Crouching Tiger, Hidden DVD
Even before Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon was released to cinemas in BOTH Australia and the USA, it was readily available on Region 3 (China) DVD.  So anxious were people to see this Oscar winning spectacle with some of the most impressive wire-work and kung-fu fighting chicks ever, many paid big bucks and imported it for that long needed fix. 

With so many "non-region 3" DVD'ers snapping up copies left right and centre, rumour had it that future region 3 pressings of CTHD OR any other region 3 DVD would be void of English Subtitles.
One must first ask the question, why the hell would a Chinese DVD, with the original audio being mandarin spoken dialogue carry not only English subtitles, BUT a secondary English 5.1 audio mix, English Menus, AND English language extras?  I'm sorry but it's region 3 Columbia's Own stupid fault.

Anyway, with the initial Australian theatrical run over, CTHD is being released to Region 4 this July in a special edition, essentially IDENTICAL to the region 3 version.   Here's what's on offer

• 'Unleashing Dragons' - a 20 minute Behind-The-Scenes Feature on the making of the movie with cast and crew interviews plus a look at the creation of the film's music
• A Conversation with co-star Michelle Yeoh
• Audio Commentary by director Ang Lee and producer James Schamus
• Talent Profiles
• Original Movie Trailers
• Bonus Movie Trailers
• Photo Montage featuring music from the film's soundtrack
• Weblink
• Animated Menus
• 12 Page Souvenir Booklet
• Picture Disc

The Mummy DOES Return to DVD
As we mentioned a few weeks back Columbia (for Universal) are set to re-release Stephen Sommer's The Mummy in a 2 disc Ultimate Edition Set.  As predicted the specs are identical to the region 2 UK release....so that does mean a DTS5.1 track...yay

• ‘Building a Better Mummy’ – a 50 minute Behind-The-Scenes Documentary on creative and technical processes that brought the film to life
• Behind-The-Scenes of the making of THE MUMMY RETURNS
• THE MUMMY RETURNS Theatrical Trailer
• Storyboard to final film comparisons
• Photo Montage
• Pharaoh Lineage
• THE MUMMY Game Trailer
• DVD-Rom Features including Interactive MUMMY Game, Screensavers, ‘From Script to Scene’ Feature, link to THE MUMMY RETURNS Website, THE MUMMY RETURNS Premiere Live Webcast
• Deleted Scenes
• Visual and Special Effects Formation
• Theatrical Trailer
• Egyptology 101
• Production Notes
• Cast and Filmmaker’s Notes
• Animated Menus
• Picture disc

Columbia July DVD Lineup
And while your still all salivating over the above mentioned DVDs, here's the rest of the July Releases from the Columbians

PS Columbia sent out this teaser for the upcoming Hannibal DVD which ALSO comes with a Dolby Dgiital AND DTS Audio tracks!! :)

• Original Widescreen Presentation
• Talent Profiles
• Picture Disc
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Tuesday 29th May 2001

Dolby Surround EX Updates
Well Dolby have Finally updated their website and they've now included a section for DVDs released with a Dolby Surrund EX track.  One very interesting addition is that for DVD, The Astronaut's Wife is listed as carrying a Dolby Surround EX track!!
For it's theatrical run it did NOT carry a Dolby EX mix (then again neither did Se7en, but for DVD it was specially remixed for Dolby EX and DTS ES Discrete 6.1 [click here for full specs on Se7en's Region 4 DVD Release)]
We're chasing this up with Roadshow for the Australian DVD release of The Astronaut's Wife.

• 6point1 Surround Sound Page

As for future Theatrical Dolby EX releases, you can look forward to the following movies having that extra channel of surround sound :- Atlantis, Monsters Inc, Spy Kids, Minority Report, Jurassic Park 3, .E.T the Extra Terrestrial re-release, Spielbergs' A.I, Harry Potter, RXmas, Terminator re-release, and The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys (the last not being quite what it could appear, but is rather about a bunch of altar boys who plan a heist)

General DVD Release Update

• From Universal
  With one of the most amazing plane crashes in filmic history, Universal Pictures are set to release Dreamwork's Cast Away on DVD (sadly as a rental only first) on 27th June 2001. 
  While the Rental release will be a bare bones affair, the OCTOBER RETAIL version will be a spiffy 2 disc set!  (we're still waiting to get specs on that, AND so even the audio status is unknown, but let's hope unviersal/dreamworks really deliver the goods as Fox did with their already available Region 1 retail version and and give us that DTS-ES 6.1 matrix audio track)

Also due out in October from Universal as retail DVDs will be The Deer Hunter, The Elephant Man and Strange Days and Meet The Parents.
November then sees the release of the 20th Anniversay Edition of American Werewolf in London.  (if our version matches the upcoming USA release we're in for a real treat).

We've previously mentioned that Universal are planning on releasing Highlander AND the long overdue Back to the Future Trilogies, but as happens quite often with DVD releases, these ones are on hold and we're told it's unlikely they'll be released in 2001 :(

• From Paramount
  The Newest Major player to release DVDs in Australia have a pretty good line-up over the next few months.
  In most to all instances, it looks as though the region 4 paramount dvds will be the same as what's released in the region 2, UK.  Before you start to grown, you might be interested to know that Paramount UK recently submitted Friday the 13th part 2, 3 and 4 to the British Film Censorship board and they ALL were passed TOTALLY UNCUT!!! So there's a VERY good chance that the region 4 versions, (whenever they get released..soon please guys :) will also be the uncut versions.  Friday the 13th Part 1 was actually released on Video way back when by Warner in Australia and the UK, but we're not sure who was distribution rights for this title at the moment...)
  
  So anyhoo ,whats ACTUALLY coming out in 8th June is as follows
  Breakfast at Tiffany's (with a trailer), Patriot Games (with a trailer), Clear and Present Danger (with a trailer), A Civil Action (trailer and production featurette), The Ghost and the Darkness (trailer), Days of Thunder (trailer), An Officer and a Gentleman (comm track and Trailer), The Naked Gun (comm track and Trailer), The Out of Towners (trailer), Star Trek 6 : The undiscovered country (2 trailers)
  The UK DVD specs reveal ALL the above titles carry a Dolby 5.1 track and that with the exception of Star Trek 6 ALL are Anamorphic Widescreen.

Reviews

Coming out in 6th July is as follows
The Hunt for Red October (with a trailer), Barbarella (with a trailer), Witness (trailer & Peter Weir Interview), The Presidio (trailer), Naked Gun 2 1/2 (2 trailers and comm track), Star Trek 5 : The Final Frontier (2 trailers)
and finally,
Mission Impossible 2
- 2.35:1 Anamorphic Widescreen Picture - DD5.1 audio
- Mission Improbable 6 min parady from MTV (with Tom, John Woo and Ben Stiller)
- Mission Incredible (stunts featurette)
- Impossible Shots (11 stunt seqeuces)
- Director's Commentary Track
- Behind the Mission - Making the Film
- "I Disappear"  Metalica Video
- Alternate Title Sequence
- DVD Rom Features

PS The Untouchables is due out around September/October :)

DVD Reviews
Warner have seen fit to release 2 Cary Grant Classics this May.  Arsenic and Old Lace, and one of Hitch's Best films, and fully restored, North by Northwest .  And what's sure to be one of the biggest (if not coolest films) DVD releases this Columbia brings us Charlies Angels.

• Arsenic and Old Lace DVD Review
• Charlie's Angels - DVD Review
• North By Northwest - DVD Review

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Tuesday 22nd May 2001

Putting the V in DVD
Who could ever forget the famous rat eating sequence from V The mini Series. 
How cool was that! 
Well come October you'll be able to relive this sequence as Warner are set to Launch V to DVD.

Specs are unknown at this time, and as much as i'd love to say, "well the Region 1 USA version comes with not only an Anamoprhic Widescreen Transfer, commentary track and all sorts of goodies so we should get the same" , but we all know what happened with the recent DVD release of The Soprano's Season 1 in region 4 don't we (boy did we get screwed there :(

DVD Menu shots
Due out on DVD any day now are Charlie's Angel's and Close Encounters of the Third Kind.  Drop by our Slicks and Menus Page for a look see at the DVD Menus

• DVD Slicks and Menus Page
  

DVD Reviews
We've quite a mixture of DVDs reviews today, from the Kid's Animated Classic The Magic Pudding, to the childish, but not so classic SHRIEK! 
Then there's some documentary style DVDs from the ABC as well as the 6 episode 2 disc box part set of the BBC TV's brilliant Pride and Prejudice (cass's review should have been broken down into 6 parts it's so big :)

• The Astronaut's Wife DVD Review
• Australia : Eye of the Storm - DVD Review
• The Magic Pudding - DVD Review
• Peaceful Rest - DVD Review
• Pride & Prejudice - DVD Review
• SHRIEK - DVD Review

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Friday 18th May 2001

DOLBY STUFF back in Stock
The Latest shipment of Dolby Wall Plaques and Demo DVDs has finally arrived (yay).  AND we've added a few more Dolby Products (which are in very limited numbers i might add).  The Dolby Mouse Mat is back, and the new additions are the Dolby DIgital DVD/CD Carry Case (can fit upto 12 discs on their lonesome), and two types of Dolby Lapel pins, the standard "dolby" and the "dolby Digital"

• Dolby Stuff Page

MORE Upcoming DVD Menu shots
Two more for today.   The English Patient and Red Planet

• DVD Slicks and Menus Page
  

DVD Reviews
Due out next week is the Director's cut of Reindeer Games.  Our second review for today is the sequel to one of the most imitated Horror films in history, Halloween II (aka the night he shouldn't have come home :)

• Halloween II DVD Review
• Reindeer Games DVD Review

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Thursday 17th May 2001

Upcoming DVD Menu shots
Lots of DVD Menu shots today ranging from Ab Fab, Art of War, Darling Buds of May, When we were kings and more.

• DVD Slicks and Menus Page
  

Rymond's Reviews
Raymond has whipped up a few reviews, most notably is his DVD review of a film set in his home town of Parkes, The Dish
He's also taken a look at Kevin & Perry Go Large and the DVDouble treat of Friday and Next Friday

• The Dish DVD Review
• Kevin & Perry Go Large DVD Review
• Friday & Next Friday DVDouble Review

Tuesday 8th May 2001

• Commentary Track
• 2 making of featurettes
• Trailers (2)
• Bios
• Andrew Warne Showtime News Special

Sometime in May maybe early June also coming from the Roadshow clan, the film George Lucas said was brilliant, but the rest of the world thought sucked! :) is Battlefield Earth.  Interestingly this film has been "reworked" by director Roger Christian for DVD, so is NOT the same version released to cinemas (not that anyone would know as nobody saw it theatrically...did they?  oh hang your head in shame if you did :))   okay, okay.  It gets the Anamorphic Widescreen Treatment with a Dolby 5.1 soundtrack (I expect this to be awesome) Audio Commentary with director and production designer, behind the scenes featurette, storyboard montage, John T makeup tests featurette, Creative Visual Effects Featurette, 3 trailers,  Bios, subtitles, and..... hidden video featurette (which actually sounds kinda neat :) 
BTW Unlike the USA release ALL features on this DVD are Anamorphic Widescreen :)

Battlefield Earth (M15+)
Picture :  Anamorphic Widescreen
Audio : Dolby digital 5.1
Extras :

• Commentary Track
• Behind the Scenes Featurette
• John Travolta Make-up test
• Creative Visual Effects featurette
• Trailers (3)
• Bios
• Hidden Video Featurette

Then, sometime in June is the multi Oscar winning The English Patient hits DVD.  Though lacking in any real extras it still comes with an Anamorphic Widescreen Transfer with a Dolby 5.1 audio track, a making of featurette, Bios and 3 trailers (two for other films)

The English Patient (M15+)
Picture :  Anamorphic Widescreen
Audio : Dolby digital 5.1
Extras :

• Behind the Scenes Featurette
• Trailers (3)
• Bios

BTW there's been a bit of interest in the Region 4 Nightmare on Elm Street DVDs.  They have been a long time coming and we're told they are planned for release, but not dates have been set (so you can scratch them from your 2001 xmas list :(

Universal Pictures June Lineup
Oops in my hast I neglected to include the other June releases (which are NOT rental like Meet the Parents)

MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS
Release Date: 20th June 2001
PG
Picture :  Anamorphic Widescreen
Audio : Dolby digital 2.0
Extras :

• Original Theatrical Trailer
• Photo Gallery
• Bios
  

EVIL UNDER THE SUN
Release Date: 20th June 2001
PG
Picture :  Anamorphic Widescreen
Audio : Dolby digital 2.0
Extras :

• Original Theatrical Trailer
• Making of featurette
• Photo Gallery
• Bios
  

THE JAZZ SINGER (G)
Release Date: 20th June 2001
Picture :  4x3  Widescreen
Audio : Dolby digital 2.0
Extras :

• Original Theatrical Trailer
• Photo Gallery
• Bios
• Jump-to-song
  

PORTRAIT OF A LADY (PG)
Release Date: 20th June 2001
Picture :  Anamorphic Widescreen
Audio : Dolby digital 5.1
Extras :

• Trailer
• Behind the Scenes Doco
  

ROAD TRIP (UNSEEN & EXPLICIT) (MA15+)
Simultaneous DVD & VHS retail release (features the new "uncut" version features exclusive footage in the film, previously unseen in cinemas)
Release Date: 20th June 2001
Picture :  Anamorphic Widescreen
Audio : Dolby digital 5.1
Extras :

• Theatrical Trailer x 2
• Making of featurette
• Deleted Scenes
• Music Video From The Eels
• 4 page booklet
  

ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS: THE LAST SHOUT (M15+)
Release Date: 20th June 2001
Picture :  4x3 Full Frame
Audio : Dolby digital 2.0
Extras :

• Out-takes
  

THE BEST OF THE DARLING BUDS OF MAY
including the FIRST EVER episode "The Darling Buds of May", plus "Stranger at the Gates" and "The Happiest Days of your Life"
Release Date: 20th June 2001
Picture : 4x3 Full Frame
Audio : Dolby digital 2.0
Extras :

• 2 disc set
• Photo Library

THE VERY BEST OF RISING DAMP
Contains 5 episodes- Charisma, A Perfect Gentleman, For The Man Who Has Everything, Stage Struck, "Come on in, the water’s lovely", Simultaneous DVD & VHS retail release.
Release Date: 20th June 2001
Picture : 4x3 Full Frame
Audio : Dolby digital 2.0
Extras : N/a

Lone Review
Just the one review today, and one that I found ever so interesting, after a lot of resistance to watch it.  the wrestling doco, Beyond the Mat

• Beyond the Mat - DVD Review

Wednesday 2nd May 2001

Maybe I'm just cynical but when I read the press release for M.T.P I could help but laugh after reading the opening sentence

Universal Pictures are proud to announce that the year’s biggest comedy, DreamWorks’ MEET THE PARENTS, will be released as an exclusive rental only DVD simultaneously with the VHS rental release on June 6^th.

"Proud" and "exclusive rental only" contained in the same sentence are not words to get one excited over now are they, especially when it's referring to DVD.

Not only that but with Warner's Distribution Deal of Buena Vista DVDS coming to an end this May one has to also wonder if   Buena Vista Australia will start rental windows on a selection of their DVDs?  They do it in the UK so why wouldn't they do it in OZ?

So in terms of the major DVD Distributors we're left with Roadshow, Columbia, Paramount and Warner as the only ones now NOT releasing Rental Only DVDs to the Aussie market place  ..I hope they don't cave also. 

• Meet the Parents DVD Press Release
  
  

Upcoming DVD Menu Shots
Some more menu shots of upcoming DVDs.  From Roadshow we've got Boiler Room, and From Universal/Dreamworks Dr Who 35th Anniversary Collector's Edition, SHRIEK if you Know what I did last Friday the 13th (this one looks totally lame..should be a hoot :) and finally Talos the Mummy.

• DVD Slicks and Menus Page
  

Press Releases and what not
It seems Roadshow have been sneaking MORE DVD releases out without anyone knowing, the most recent being the Boiler Room, which is ironically about a renegade stock brokerage firm :) ......calling all M1 minions!!
 
Boiler Room sports a Anamorphic Widescreen Transfer with a Dolby 5.0 track (oddly there's NO  LFE channel on this one) , Dolby 2.0 track and for extras, a cast and crew commentary track, deleted scenes, Bios a trailer, and some very cool animated menus (love the transitions on this one).
Boiler Room is pretty much available now, though the press release listed 24th March (a holdup with the DVD slicks apparently)

Then there's The Winona Ryder/Richard Gere vehicle, also from Roadshow, Autumn in New York. Extras are of an absolute minimum, but it does get an Anamorphic Widescreen Transfer and a Dolby 5.1 track.

• Boiler Room DVD Press Release
  
• Pride and Prejudice DVD Press Release
  
• Autumn in New York DVD Press Release
  
• The Astronaut's Wife DVD Press Release

DVD Reviews
Monkey was a very memorable TV show for me, and it's great to see it on DVD, and Chicken Run, well it ain't Wallace and Grommit, but it's still a blast.

• Monkey Volume 1 DVD review
  
• Monkey Volume 2 DVD review
  
• Chicken Run DVD review

PS We've just received shipment of the Brackley double DVD case (the fat one, like Gladiator and Snatch cases, NOT the 2 cases glued together rubbish) 
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