300th DVD Review online: Rev it up for Drive: Director's Cut on DVD...
First released in cinemas in 1996, now available in Director's Cut form with
16 extra minutes of footage, Steve Wang's cool action flick starring
Mark Dacascos, Kadeem Hardison and Brittany Murphy,
Drive,
is online and out on DVD now.
MGM DVD releases for August...
Following on from Wednesday's mention for the July 10th release for Stigmata,
here are some details for more June and July DVD releases and their extras :
August 15th :
Desperately Seeking Susan : theatrical trailer, alternate ending
F/X : trailer
F/X 2: Murder By Illusion: trailer
August 28th :
Thunderball : Another feature-packed disc containing an
audio commentary featuring director Terence Young, "The Making of Thunderball"
documentary, "The Thunderball Phenomenon" documentary, Behind the Scenes stills
gallery featuring over 150 images, "Inside Thunderball" featurette, original
theatrical trailer, TV and radio spots.
Stargate Volume 7 : The final two episodes from Season 2 (1969,
Out of Mind) and two of the best from Season 1 (Hathor, Thor's Hammer)
Warner Brothers have announced the release of Buena Vista'sBringing Out the Dead for release July 10th. The disk will feature a
11-minute location featurette and Dolby Digital 5.1 sound. There are no
details of the picture format but I suspect 2.35:1 anamorphic. Bringing Out
the Dead features an outstanding performance from Nicolas Cage and a superb
supporting cast includes Patricia Arquette, Ving Rhames and Tom Sizemore.
The disk will feature the following subtitles:
English SDH, Italian, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Icelandic
Tomorrow is C-Day in the UK...
What is C-Day? Well, Saturday July 1st marks the cut off point for which
TV stations in the UK can no longer accept commercials in a format other
than anamorphic 16:9 widescreen.
This basically means that like normal TV shows filmed this way, the adverts
will also be shown in widescreen on digital TV, but will be cropped to 14:9
for analogue TV - you may have spotted that a lot of ads are already appearing
as 14:9 slightly-letterboxed versions as a result.
Channel 4 and ITV should be showing them properly, but with Sky and Channel 5
still waiting in the wings to test themselves with widescreen material for
their mainstream TV output, we'll have to wait and see what they come up with.
A demonic turn from Brad Pitt leads the cast as he and ex-girlfriend
Juliette Lewis star as the weird couple on a road trip with
David Duchovny and his girlfriend Michelle Forbes.
Beware. There's a new DVD in town. Its name is Robocop...
DVDfever reviewer Tom Anderson follows up his Brazil debut review
with Paul Verhoeven's violent masterpiece
Robocop,
which is online and out on Region 1 DVD now.
Ben Affleck: The new Jack Ryan...?
Armageddon
star Ben Affleck is top of the heap to play CIA agent Jack Ryan in the next
Tom Clancy novel-turned-film Sum of All Fears. Harrison Ford
backed out after failing to agree on the script.
Bye Bye TFI Friday...
No, not the popular fast-food restaurant with The Ritz prices,
but the dull and boring Channel 4 show presented by Chris Evans that's
well past its sell-by date after 5 years. Its ratings recently slipped as low
as 1.3 million.
Actor John Cusack, recently on the show to promote his new film
High Fidelity, said of the 'over-familiar' host, "I hate to use
the word asshole, but he carried on like we were old buddies. The guy
obviously has issues."
To be honest, I enjoyed it when it began and Chris Evans can do TV that's
worth watching, but his best ideas should all be canned after two series if
he's to maintain originality.
I enjoy earlier series of TFI Friday and the first two series of The
Priory, which ended this week, but they should call it a day and think
of something new. However, that won't stop Zoe Ball and Jamie
Theakston returning for a third series from September.
Tell the old dear that you've just partaken of The Last Supper and
she'll thank you for taking an interest in religion, but not when you press
play and she gets blown away by...
Stuck for something to do this weekend? Live in the Manchester area? The list
of the films showing at
Manchester Showcase Cinema
can be found on this page.
This week's new films are : Chicken Run, Three To Tango and The Best Man.
RCA dumps Gary Barlow...
After a string of flops, especially for his last solo album, "Twelve Days,
Eleven Nights", or something like that, the man who was the lead singer for
the UK's answer to New Kids on the Block and the best-selling British
band since the Beatles, Take That, has been dumped by his record
company.
On February 13th 1996, that band split up and Gary's had two No.1 hits,
Forever Love and Love Won't Wait, but after it's all gone sour
the inevitable has happened for the man once described as "The Elton John
of the Nintendo generation".
Some of his music hasn't been that bad, and a lot less irritating than Robbie
Williams, but I'd lay the blame on Gary Barlow's endless cancelling of concerts,
thus pissing off all his fanbase.
Another Level call it a day...
After being reduced to two members, since Wayne and Bobak (wasn't
he in the Star Wars series?) quit last year,
the remaining two have put a stop to their pretend pop outfit and singer
Dane Bowers has been working with Posh Spice for her debut solo single.
"I've checked with Palm Pictures and yes, the release version of Perfect
Blue on July 10th should be anamorphic." (the Region 1 DVD isn't).
"Whilst talking with Palm Pictures I checked with them about their plans for
the coming months. They certainly have number of new "Animation" titles on
the way including Patlabor 1 & 2 and Ninja Scroll in November.
It's also possible that Akira may make an appearance in October along
with the extremely weird The Kingdom."
It's genetically-modified madness with The Island of Dr. Moreau on DVD...
In the week when scientists have discovered how DNA breaks down, giving us
a possibility to live forever one day, Marlon Brando just wants to
turn animals into humans and humans into gods.
Also starring Val Kilmer, Fairuza Balk and David Thewlis,
The Island of Dr. Moreau
is online and out on DVD now.
Six Friends and Six series made to date. Here I take an in-depth look at the
first disc from series four, spanning the first eight episodes, complete with
pictures and soundbites from each episode.
Regular DVDfever reviewer Jason Maloney returns with a retrospective
on the career of Norwegian band A-Ha, a band that, for me, made some
of the best music to be heard in the late 80s.
Thanks to all those who entered. The competition winners are as follows :
Men Behaving Badly Series 2:
Garry J Fraser, Karl Tracey
Harry Enfield was the flatmate in the first series.
Men Behaving Badly Series 3:
Thomas McGowan, Jari Ketola
There are four quizzes on each DVD.
The names and addresses of the winners will be passed to the respective
PR companies for dispatching of prizes. If you didn't win this time, then
please keep trying with the other competitions online by clicking on the
competition link on the left-hand menu.
New DVDs out this week
Blue Streak (19.99, Columbia TriStar)
The Champions: Episodes 1 & 2 (9.99, Carlton)
Charlie Chaplin Vol.4 (18.99, Stonevision)
Charlie Chaplin Vol.5 (18.99, Stonevision)
Charlie Chaplin Vol.6 (18.99, Stonevision)
Danger Man: Episodes 1-4 (9.99, Carlton)
Department S: Episodes 1 & 2 (9.99, Carlton)
From Russia With Love SE (19.99, MGM)
Jason King: Episodes 1 & 2 (9.99, Carlton)
K.D. Lang: Harvest of Seven Years (19.99, Warner Music Vision)
Lesbian Sex Fever (15.99, Fantasy Blue)
Man in a Suitcase: Episodes 1 & 2 (9.99, Carlton)
Muppets From Space (19.99, Columbia TriStar)
Mystery Men (19.99, Columbia TriStar)
Nympho Nurses (15.99, Fantasy Blue)
The Persuaders: Episodes 1 & 2 (9.99, Carlton)
Return of The Saint: Episodes 1 & 2 (9.99, Carlton)
The first of two films which delve into the horrors of calling premium-rate
phone numbers, try not to piss Satan off in
976 Evil,
which is online and out on DVD now.
Men in Black has a world wide release on the 4th of September and will
come in two versions. "Men in Black Collectors edition" will be a
single DVD 9 disk and will be priced at £19.99.
"Men in Black Special Limited Edition" will be priced at £24.99
and will come on two disks, one DVD 18 and one DVD 9. The standard collectors
edition comes in a black amaray case and features an 8 page booklet. The
disk has the following features :
Digitally mastered Audio and Anamorphic video supervised by Director Barry Sonnenfeld
Widescreen Presentation
Visual commentary with on-screen diagrams featuring Barry Sonnenfeld and Tommy Lee Jones
Tunnel scene deconstruction - multi-angle (8 mins)
5 extended and alternate scenes
Conceptual art, storyboard, and production photo galleries
Storyboard comparisons
6 min original featurette
'The Metamorphosis of Men In Black' - 24 min all new documentary
MIB music video with Will Smith & Mikey
4 theatrical trailers, including a sneak preview of Men In Black II
11 talent files
The Special limited edition comes in a shiny black Amaray case with silver
foiled packaging and a 12 page booklet. The first DVD18 disk contains both
the widescreen and the fullscreen presentation along with a Visual Commentary
with onscreen diagrams featuring Barry Sonnenfeld and Tommy Lee Jones, a
Technical Audio Commentary with Barry Sonnenfeld, Rick Baker & ILM Team and
3 language tracks. Disk 2 has all the features from the Collectors edition
plus:
Scene Editing Workshop - allows viewers to be the director and construct and manipulate selected scenes from the film
Additional Edgar Bug fight deconstruction scene
Creatures: Concept to Completion
DVD Rom Web Links
Additional gallery photos - over 1,000 images of conceptual art and production photos
Metrodome have sealed an exclusive contract to release DVD special edition
Warner box sets of cult classics.
Each box set contains all a film fan could ever need or want on a film. It
is a collectors must have.
The first two titles that will be released are the awesome director's cut of
Blade Runner and the triple academy award winning Casablanca. Both titles
are scheduled for release on September 11th and priced £49.99.
Titles planned for release later in the year include; 2001, Enter The
Dragon, Bullit, Searchers and The Exorcist.
The box sets of Blade Runner and Casablance give an idea of the quality of
features these special edition box sets will include.
BLADE RUNNER
DVD Special edition collector set includes:
DVD - Directors Cut - The Original cut of the Futuristic Adventure
Lobby Cards - 3 Original limited edition lobby card prints
Senitype - Exclusive limited edition image made from movie and 35mm film
frame
Theatrical Poster - Original shooting draft script by Hampton Fancher and
David Peoples
DVD contains:
Interactive Menu
Production Notes
Cast biographies and film highlights
Scene access
Aspect Ratio - single layer widescreen 2.35:1
Screen Format - anomorphic - Dolby digital
CASABLANCA
DVD Special edition collector set includes:
Special Edition DVD
CD featuring original music from the motion picture
8 Original limited edition Lobby Card prints
"Exclusive limited edition Senitype" Image from movie with 35mm film frame.
Original one sheet movie poster (27'x40')
B&W, 145 minutes pan/scan
DVD contains:
Digital restored image and cleaned soundtrack
Theatrical Trailers
Aspect Ratio: (Full Screen) - 1.33:1
"You Must Remeber This", A 36-minute documentary newly updated with recently
discovered, unseen out-takes and screen tests
Special introduction by screen/stage legend Lauren Bacall, wife of Humphry
Bogart
Space Precinct on DVD soon...
Finally, a mention for some future releases from Digital entertainment.
July 10th: Gerry Anderson's Space Precinct.
Just two episodes to a DVD with Vol.1 containing a making-of and other extras
to feature on future discs. Vol.1 and Vol.2 will also be released as a double-pack.
The episodes in the first two volumes are: "Double Duty", "Protect and Survive",
"Enforcer" and "Flash".
August 7th:First Do No Harm.
a Meryl Streep weepie
from Odyssey, which is stated to be their DVD debut although they've released
a few other films already such as
Maurice.
George Clooney leads the Three Kings into battle on DVD...
This is the first Region 1 DVD review I've placed online but it's well worth
checking out (the DVD, as well as the review :)
George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg, Ice Cube and Spike Jonze star
in the Gulf War actioner
Three Kings,
which is online and out on Region 1 DVD now.
Updated cinema listings...
Stuck for something to do this weekend? Live in the Manchester area? The list
of the films showing at
Manchester Showcase Cinema
can be found on this page.
This week's new films are : Chill Factor, Next Best Thing, Big Momma's
House and Deception.
Columbia's August DVD line-up...
Thanks to the
R2 Project
for the following info on Columbia's planned DVDs for August :
7th August
The Bone Collector. Commentary by Director, Featurette, A Collection of Stories, Original Trailer, Isolated Soundtrack, filmographies, trailers for Devil in a blue Dress and Girl Interrupted. Released day and date with VHS rental
Beethoven
Robin Hood, Men in Tights, Featurette, trailer and filmographies
14th August
Someone to watch over me, trailer, filmographies and biographies
No Mercy Trailers, Filmogrpahies
Children of the new Forest
My Stepmother is an Alien Filmogrpahies
21th August
Baby Geniuses, Special effect feaurette, behind the scenes featurette, trailer, filmographies. Day and Date with VHS Rental.
Red Rock West, directors commentary, original UK trailer, filmographies
End of the affair Full length commentary by Julianne Moore and Neil Jordan, making of featurette, original trailer, isolated soundtrack and filmographies.
The Shadow
Double Impact
As ever all disks are priced at £19.99.The following disks have been preannounced for September. Remember these dates could change.
25th September, Girl Interrupted. Commentary, deleted scenes, featurette, trailer, filmogrpahies and isolated music score
18th September, Being John Malkovich Special features include American Arts & Culture Presents: John Horatio Malkovich, Dance Despair & Disillusionment, An Intimate Portrait of the Art of Puppeteering,
An Intimate Portrait of the Art of Background Driving, Spike Jonze Interview, 71/2 Floor Orientation, Spike's Photo Album, 4 x TV Spots, Trailer & Filmographies
4th SEPT DAWSONS CREEK
4th SEPT MONTY PYTHON
11th SEPT MAD DOG & GLORY
11th SEPT LEGAL EAGLES
11th SEPT GORGEOUS
11th SEPT SEE NO EVIL HEAR NO EVIL
11th SEPT BASKETBALL DIARIES
11th SEPT SCARFACE
25th SEPT SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE COLLECTOR'S EDITION
Dave and Annie return with Eurythmics: Peacetour on DVD...
After a long, successful career, both in tandem and solo, Annie Lennox
and Dave Stewart returned to the studio having not recorded together
for nearly ten years and produced the album Peace.
On December 6th, 1999, they performed a concert at London Docklands Arena
in aid of Amnesty International and Greenpeace.
After the success of Aardman Animations new film Chicken Run
in the USA with its UK date still forthcoming, Nick Park has been
in talks with the BBC about a possible "re-morphing" as the plasticine
character who used to appear on Take Hart will get his own show once
again.
Getting Naked: Step 3...
Following last year's bare-alls by Steps members H (for
Attitude) and Lee (for Cosmopolitan), Lisa Scott Lee
is planning to drop the dresses for the camera sometime this year too.
Getting Excited: Terminator 3...
Not much info on this for now, but Arnold Schwarzenegger has announced
that he would very much like to make Terminator 3, but the plans are in
the early stages for now.
VCI's DVD plans for September...
Thanks to the
R2 Project
for the following info on VCI's planned DVDs for September :
Holy Smoke Directed by Jane Campion and staring Harvey Keitel
Ghost Dog Directed by Jim Jarmush and staring Forest Whittaker
The Filth & The Fury, the true story of the Sex Pistols
Down to You, the follow up to She's All That
Expect all these releases to be packed with extras, but VCI
are still looking into exactly what they can put on each disk.
Freeloader.com to launch "Purefootball Fantasy Manager"...
Enterprising online video games developer and publisher Freeloader.com,
the world's first free premium computer games download website, today
announced the August 2000 launch of their first dedicated online football
games portal and its first game, the fantasy football management game -
Purefootball Fantasy Manager.
Purefootball Fantasy Manager is being hailed as the best online fantasy
football game ever launched from the United Kingdom. What's more, it is
completely free to play. Competitors can even win cash prizes including up
to œ1,000 every month as "Manager of the Month" and œ250 every week as "Manager
of the Week".
Freeloader.com claim that Purefootball Fantasy Manager is very easy to play
and manage, particularly if players are already familiar with fantasy football
games that are regularly featured in national newspapers.
Freeloader.com have put together their own online football management
production team who are constantly monitoring the status of participating
players and updating the game with the latest exciting action and footie
results and news.
In addition to competing in the main competition, Freeloader.com invites
online competitors to play against their mates in their very own handpicked
private league.
If you want to start competing in a fluctuating transfer market, where real
life events and the popularity of players affect their value, Purefootball
Fantasy Manager is the online football management game to match all your
footie requirements.
From 9th June, ChuChu Rocket!, Sega Europe's first on-line game
has been available free to all Dreamcast gamers. To highlight the arrival of
online gaming* to Europe's fastest selling games console, Dreamcast is
launching a brand new œ5 million Pan-European advertising campaign. This
encompasses television, print, poster and ambient media including light
projections on Parliament.
With a light-hearted look at European rivalry, there are two TV
scenarios: the French challenging the "roastbeefs" and the Germans
boasting about their strong economy. Not known to resist a challenge,
characters from France, Germany UK and Spain take up the challenges from
their European neighbours and unite online.
Due to air when Euro 2000 will be at an all time high, Dreamcast is
making the most of the huge audience figures expected for the televised
matches and has bought prime positions within the half time advertising
breaks of the England games plus France v Holland.
Created by advertising agency Bartle Bogle Hegarty, the 30 second
commercials will be shown during the half time commercial breaks of the
live matches and during the televised highlights. The campaign breaks
10th June.
National press advertising follows the same theme, showing the French,
Germans, Spanish and English challenging each other to play online.
Sega UK Marketing Director Alison Turner says: "Online gaming is now
here, and we intend to tell people about it. The creative route plays on
the different nations heritages in a fun way that will make European
Dreamcasters challenge each other online."
In addition to the online game ChuChu Rocket! (launching 9 June) , the
advertising co-incides with the launch of Sega originated titles Zombie
Revenge (9 June), Ecco The Dolphin (16 June) and NHL2K (7 July).
The television commercials will be on-air for three weeks.
Thanks to Amanda Schwarz at LDA Communications for the following
press release :
Combining the creative team behind Alien Nation and The Twilight Zone with the
effects, puppets, humour and action of Jim Henson's Creature Shop, 'Farscape'
is the hit TV sci-fi that boldly goes where Star Trek only feared to tread!
Entering a new dimension in home entertainment, the first episodes are now
available on DVD from Contender on the Kult TV label. The next volume will be
available on July 10 with further volumes of the series being released
throughout the year.
Farscape is the experimental spacecraft in which astronaut John Crichton
begins a test mission before being sucked into a worm hole and swept across
time and space into a parallel universe.
Catapulted into a raging space battle, Crichton ends up upon Moya, an evolving,
living spaceship where he soon encounters new and bizarre enemies and allies
including alien fugitives, a captive galactic police officer, a blue but
stunningly beautiful priestess and the overthrown Rygel, a hovering 26 inch
hairy Henson masterpiece who was once ruler of six billion subjects.
For Crichton, however, the adventures have only just begun.
All volumes have a 12 certificate and are priced at just £24.99 for the double
box set. The remainder of the first series will be released as follows:
10 July 2000: 'Double DVD Box Set 3'
Episodes: They've Got A Secret/Till The Blood Runs Clear/The Flax/Rhapsody In Blue/
Jeremiah Crichton
Extras: Also contains a behind the scenes cast interview on D'Argo
8 September 2000: 'Double DVD Box Set 4'
Episodes: Durka Returns/A Human Reaction/Through The Looking Glass/A Bug's Life
Extras: Also contains a behind the scenes cast interview on Rygel, Moya & the pilot
30 October 2000: 'Double DVD Box Set 5'
Episodes: Nerve/The Hidden Memory/Bone To Be Wild/Family Ties
Extras: Also contains a behind the scenes cast interview on the costumes and the Australian Creature Shop
Lookout for a competition online next week.
Dolby Announces Pro Logic II Decoding...
Thanks to Catherine Unwin at Dolby Laboratories for the following
press release :
Dolby Laboratories announced yesterday the introduction of Pro Logic II,
the next generation of Dolby Surround Pro Logic decoding technology. Pro Logic
II brings exciting new features and advanced performance for decoding the many
thousands of existing Dolby Surround programmes, making them sound more like a
discrete Dolby Digital 5.1-channel version than ever before.
The world is rapidly adopting digital delivery formats like DVD, and digital
television (DTV), satellite and cable, all of which offer Dolby Digital 5.1
audio capability. The music industry is on the verge of transitioning from
stereo to 5.1-channel sound with the new DVD-Audio format. Consumers
enthusiastically demand 5.1-channel sound in new programmes of all kinds.
But vast numbers of programmes already exist in stereo and Dolby Surround,
and many more will continue to arrive in years to come. Pro Logic II lets
consumers enjoy these programmes with a convincing "5.1-like" presentation.
Pro Logic II is able to decode the thousands of existing Dolby Surround
movies and TV shows already on the shelf, compatibly, and with enhanced
image stability. The improvements in decoding techniques mean that the
discreteness of the sound field elements are better-preserved in the
decoding process than was possible with the now universally standard Pro
Logic technology, developed in the mid 80s.
"The technology in Pro Logic II is the first fundamentally new approach in
matrix decoder design since the basic design which is still at the core of
every other active matrix surround decoder," said Roger Dressler, Director
of Technology Strategy for Dolby Laboratories. "Pro Logic II was designed
from the outset to convert conventional stereo music recordings, which will
be with us for some time to come, to a natural, believable surround
experience. The result is a decoder that can handle a wide range of movie
and music programme material with equal skill. Dolby is proud to be handling
the licensing and technical support of this exciting new technology."
This new system was invented by Jim Fosgate, one of the most prolific
developers of surround decoding technologies since the quadraphonic era of
the late 1960s. Mr. Fosgate said, "I have spent the past 25 years figuring
out how to expose the hidden information in standard two-channel stereo
recordings, both new and old. This breakthrough in matrix decoding
technology allows users to enjoy all their existing two-channel programmes,
whether Dolby Surround encoded or not, with an enhanced level of spatiality
and directionality."
Pro Logic II also incorporates special features for controlling the overall
spatial dimensionality and frontal soundfield imaging that are particularly
suited for autosound applications. A standard four-channel Pro Logic
decoding mode is also included in the technology package.
Dolby Surround Pro Logic II decoding can be implemented economically in
either analogue or digital circuitry, making it ideal for use in all
traditional home cinema products and in a range of new "music surround"
products.
About Dolby Laboratories:
Dolby Laboratories is the developer of signal processing systems used
worldwide in applications that include motion picture sound, consumer
entertainment products and media, broadcasting, and music recording. Based
in San Francisco with European headquarters in England, the privately held
company also has offices in New York, Los Angeles, Shanghai, Beijing and
Tokyo.
He used to make songs for The Boys of Summer, then checked out the
girls down at the Sunset Grill, before finding that everything can
change in a New York Minute.
Now with his first studio album in eleven years, Don Henley unleashes
his Inside Job on CD and Jason Maloney lends an ear.
"DVD UK have let us know of the impending release of the celebrated
Channel 4 music special, Transambient.
Originally screened in 1998, the Transambient project is a hypnotic
blend of music and images - ideal 'chill-out' room material. The
audio-visual DVD album contains eight 12 minute AV tracks from the
project with tunes by the likes of 808 State, Geraint Hughes, Fructose and
DJ Mark Summers (Souvlaki).
The producers of the series see DVD as an ideal format for this sort of innovative
material. "We decided to produce something like a new millennium Koyaanisqatsi
on acid for the dance generation; fusing film-making, club visuals and specially
written tunes in equal part ," They explain. "For us DVD is perfect, because it
allows this new kind of use."
Pop-teen Billie Piper collapses...
Billie Piper was been taken to hospital after collapsing in a London
bar on Friday night. She was partying with friends in London's Covent Garden
district and passed out. She was said to be suffering from a kidney infection
is now back home.
Nate Dogg has been a naughty boy...
The LAPD SWAT Team arrested rapper and man-with-a-stupid-name Nate Dogg
on charges of suspected kidnapping, making terrorist threats, Domestic
violence and Arson, all linked to his ex-girlfriend. He's been released on
$1m bail.
A double-hitter for Samuel L Jackson...
...because not only did his Shaft remake coin in $21m in its opening
weekend, but the man has also been given a star in the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
BBC vs. ITV - who won...?
The BBC did, because they had an audience for the England vs. Germany game
of 11.8m viewers, whilst ITV only managed 6.1m even with Des Lynam.
COMPETITION WINNERS: Three Warner/Buena Vista DVDs...
Thanks to all those who entered. The competition winners are as follows :
End of Days:
Gary Ambrose, Dave Darrall, Tim Dawe
Robert Patrick also appeared in Last Action Hero.
Mickey Blue Eyes:
Dave Foster, Michael Burnham, Stuart Dunlop, Alex Slater, Barbara Coughlan
Hugh and Liz's film company is Simian Films.
Inspector Gadget:
Sarah Walker, John Radford, Dex Kennedy, Thomas McGowan, Jon Burton
Gadget's catchprase is "Go, gadget, go!"
The names and addresses of the winners will be passed to the respective
PR companies for dispatching of prizes. If you didn't win this time, then
please keep trying with the other competitions online by clicking on the
competition link on the left-hand menu.
New DVDs and widescreen videos out this week
New DVDs out this week :
American Dragon (9.99, MIA)
Apex (9.99, MIA)
Ben Dover: In Leather (19.99, MIA)
The Blacksheep Affair (19.99 sub, Medusa)
Blown Away (9.99, Film 2000)
Blues Collection: Live at Wilebski's (19.99, Quantum)
Chained Heat (9.99, MIA)
Clockwork Orgy (15.99, Disc Distribution)
Complicity (19.99, Entertainment in Video)
The Concrete Jungle (9.99, MIA)
Cyborg (19.99, MGM)
Death Match (9.99, MIA)
Devdas (17.99, Yash Raj)
Double Platinum (19.99, Columbia)
Drunken Tai Chi (19.99 sub, Eastern Heroes)
Dulhan Hum Le Jayenge (17.99, Yash Raj)
End of Days (19.99, Buena Vista)
Fade To Black (9.99, MIA)
Gang Related (19.99, VCI)
Glory (19.99, Columbia TriStar)
Guyver: Dark Hero (9.99, MIA)
Hard Hunted (9.99, MIA)
Hold Back the Night (19.99, VCI)
Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers (14.99, Disc Distribution)
This Year's Love - one of this year's best DVDs...?
Starring Kathy Burke, Jennifer Ehle, Douglas Henshall and Catherine
McCormack, this British comedy follows six twenty-somethings and their
relationships over the course of three years.
After Wednesday's announcement regarding the Nightmare on Elm Street
6-disc box set. Thankfully, VCI have just confirmed that they do intend to
release Wes Craven's New Nightmare sometime in August, hopefully with
some additional materials. Things are still at an early stage however so the
exact features are down to what they can get hold of! There, so by Christmas
you should be able to have the complete set of "Nightmares".
"It looks like there are yet more major upheavals in the corporate world of
the Movie Business. It looks like French based company Vivendi is taking
over US giant Seagram who owns Universal Studios and what used to be PolyGram
Filmed Entertainment. This will mean that for the first time (since a brief
period for MGM a few years ago) a major Hollywood studio will be in European
control. Exactly what this means for DVD is unclear but I'm wondering just
how long the current Universal/Columbia deal has to last. The resulting Paris
Based media and communications giant will be known as Vivendi Universal which
will enjoy a stock market capitalisation of around $100bn. Although the
Paris will own Universal it was made clear yesterday that the day to day
running of the Universal Studios would be left to the executives in Hollywood.
However there appears to be more to this story than meets the eye. Vivendi
owns France's Studio Canal who it is rumoured are in talks with Pathe to
establish a UK distribution outlet. The two companies have already joined
forces and has a 12 picture three year deal with Mandalay Pictures under the
guise of C+P which started with Sleepy Hollow. Interestingly the
C+P venture also resulted in Pathe handling Chicken Run . Now I
wonder quite where this leaves Dreamworks who handle Chicken Run
in the US and have been linked with Universal for some time. Looks like
things are going to get really interesting over the next few months.
Much of this information comes form articles in Screen Daily and Variety."
More MGM DVDs for June and July...
Following on from Wednesday's mention for the July 10th release for Stigmata,
here are some details for more June and July DVD releases and their extras :
June 19th :
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978) : trailer,
director's commentary, 8-page booklet.
Cyborg : trailer, 8-page booklet
Lord of Illusions Director's Cut : deleted scenes, Clive Barker
audio commentary, 8-page booklet
July 24th :
WarGames : one of my favourite films of all time and in widescreen
but sadly not anamorphic. Director's commentary, new Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack,
trailer, trivia and production notes
The Package : anamorphic 1.85:1 widescreen, trailer, trivia and
production notes.
Geri has no co-star but a new home...
Although she can't find a co-star for her forthcoming film, she has spent
£1 million on a flat in the South of France in Nice's Millionaire
playground of St. Tropez.
Not far from her will be Elton John's pink palace, plus George Michale's
villa which he calls Chez Nobby.
Also look out on Monday for Jason Maloney's review of ex-Spice Girl Geri Haliwell's
autobiography, "If Only..."
Eminem keeps a low profile...
He's out of jail and out on bail over his charge of assault with a dangerous
weapon, thanks to the Up in Smoke tour, during which he took an
inflatable blow-up Mrs. Eminem and proceeded to throw her about to the tune of
The Real Slim Shady.
So, obviously trying to keep a low profile after writing lyrics on his last
two albums about wanting to kill her...
Madonna's Music out sooner than we thought...
Madonna has been forced to rush-release her new single Music
because it was made available over the internet on Napster.com.
The US release will now be July 6th, with the album to follow in August.
The UK single release is still pencilled in for the Autumn.
Mr. Madonna ticked off...
Lock Stock
director Guy Ritchie has been formerly cautioned for common assault
after allegedly kicking and punching a 20-year-old fan outside Maddie's West
London apartment.
Chicken Run: biggest-ever UK film in the US...?
Chicken Run, Aardman Animations' feature-length outing is released
this weekend in the USA over 3000 screens, making it the largest-ever launch
for a British film Stateside.
As a result, Dreamworks have ploughed another £25 million into
promotion.
Matthew Perry steps down from the Emmys...
Matthew Perry has asked for his name to be withdrawn from the Emmy US
TV awards' top-actor category, because of an informal agreement with the other
5 "Friends", in which they will only ever seek nominations for the best-supporting
actor prize (!)
New films out this weekend...
I haven't received a list of the latest films out this weekend at Showcase
Cinemas, but the films will include supernatural thriller Frequency
starring Dennis Quaid, 28 Days with Sandra Bullock as a
pill-popping alcoholic.
For the Love of the Game stars Kevin Costner as a baseball
player for the third time and finally there's sci-fi nonsense Supernova
starring James Spader and Angela Bassett.
Sandra and Nicole offer up some Practical Magic on DVD...
Sally (Sandra Bullock) and Gillian Owens (Nicole Kidman) are
not your average young girls, for they are the latest in a long line of Owens
females to be plagued by a curse that dates back hundreds of years. Whenever
they find true love, their significant other will bite the dust.
In a film also starring E.R.'s Dr. Kovac (Goran Visnjic),
Jason Maloney reviews
Practical Magic,
which is online and out on DVD now.
Also look out on Monday for Jason's review of ex-Spice Girl Geri Haliwell's
autobiography, "If Only..."
Jaya Ganga: The biggest Indian film in Paris reaches the UK...
Thanks to Vijay Singh, director of Jaya Ganga, for this press
release regarding his film which is released in the UK shortly and which
gets a press screening today in London at Mr. Young's, 14 D'arblay Street,
W1V 3FP.
After a 49-week run in Paris, Jaya Ganga, a feature film by the Paris-based
writer-filmmaker Vijay Singh, is now ready for its UK release. It will open
on 23 June concurrently at the ICA cinema, Film World, Feltham, and UCI
Trafford Centre (Manchester).
Jaya Ganga, an Indo-French co-production based on Vijay Singh's own novel
(Penguin 1990), premiered at the World Film Festival, Montreal, where it
was shown in the "official competition" category. Helped by the audience
and media response, the film has since been shown in twenty countries.
Jaya Ganga opened at a renowned arthouse cinema in Paris in 1998 and,
thanks to the media response and the word of mouth, it later spread to
other cinemas where it played for 12 consecutive months.
Jaya Ganga was successfully released in India in 1998. The attached press
excerpts might give an idea of how the film was received there. Smriti
Mishra, the film's find and lead actress, is today an indisputable star in
India.
We have a fairly exhaustive site on the internet with more details on the
film, the director and the artists (interviews, profiles etc...) The
address of the site is:
www.chez.com/jayaganga
Film Synopsis:
Nishant, a young Indian writer living in Paris, is journeying down the
Ganges, from its source in the Himalayas to the sea. Haunted by the
fantasy, or the memory, of a beautiful Parisian woman called Jaya, he plans
to write a book around his voyage.
On the banks of the turquoise Ganges, one morning, he chances upon Zehra,
an irresistible poetess-dancing girl in the tradition of the great
courtesans, who performs in a nearby brothel. Zehra resurrects the memory
of Jaya. As love casts its spell once again on Nishant, he asks Zehra to
join him on his journey, but her illusory freedom is shadowed by a
formidable network of the brothel's spies. Nonetheless, Nishant manages to
make Zehra flee from the brothel. and join him on his journey. Romance
takes over. A new life begins for Zehra as Nishant would like her to
accompany him back to Paris.
Half way down the river, at the height of their romance, Nishant receives a
telegram. Zehra soon realises how Nishant's fantasy of a half-real
half-unreal woman could transform her life into a journey of ambiguous
surprises...
About the Director...
Vijay Singh is an Indian writer living in Paris.
After studying History at St Stephen's College, Delhi, and Centre for
Historical Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, he moved to
Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales, Paris, for his doctoral work.
While he was still a student in the early eighties, he started contributing
articles to the French press and has, since, written extensively for Le
Monde, Le Monde Diplomatique, Liberation, Guardian and several other
newspapers.
Over the years, he bagan to devote more time and energy to literary work,
his first love. He is the author of several books that have won wide
critical acclaim: Jaya Ganga, In Search of the River Goddess, (Penguin,
1989), La Nuit Poignardee (Flammarion, 1987), Whirpool of Shadows (Jonathan
Cape, 1992), The River Goddess (Gallimard Jeunesse/Moonlight, 1994). His
books are translated into French and other European languages.
Many years after he wrote and directed a play, Waiting for Beckett by
Godot (1976), he made Man and Elephant (1989), a 30' film, which has been
shown on nearly 40 television channels the world over.
Jaya Ganga is his first feature film. He is now working on another film
based on his novel, Whirlpool of Shadows.
Vijay Singh was awarded the Centre National des Lettres fellowship on two
occasions, the Prix Villa Medicis hors les murs for foreign literature in
1990, and the Bourse Leonardo de Vinci in 1994.
"Radiohead: Meeting people is Easy has no firm date set for it just yet
However it doesn't look like it will be before the end of next month.
HMV are of course telling it's customers that it was released this week !
Sadly I don't have any more details on the disks features just yet."
For the record, my copy of Videolog, the trade tome that details release dates
and video and DVD info, also states this week, which is why HMV said the same
date.
Released in August on rental DVD from Fox, The Beach has been confirmed
as containing an anamorphic widescreen picture with Dolby Digital 5.1. All
being well, it will be in the original ratio of 2.35:1. The language will be
English only with English and will contain English Hard of Hearing subtitles.
Soul Legend misses out. 'Trouble' heads for No.1...
Courtesy of Anthony Barnes, Showbusiness Correspondent, PA News :
"Soul legend Barry White has missed out on a sure-fire number one -- his
first for a quarter of a century -- by having his voice removed from the
track.
The singer's live vocal was originally sampled by Italian producers for
the single You See The Trouble With Me on its European release.
But White's officials failed to give clearance for his voice to be used
on the song, which is set to go to number one on Sunday, and he was taken
off the dancefloor hit.
Instead, London-based singer Elroy "Spoonface" Powell was drafted in to
add his own sound-alike voice to the song, which has been released under
the name Black Legend.
White himself -- affectionately known as the "walrus of love" -- has not
had a number one since 1974 with You're The First, The Last, My Everything
and was last in the top ten in 1976.
The Black Legend track is poised to knock Sonique from the top of the
charts after three weeks, according to midweek sales figures which are a
strong indication of the weekend charts.
With trance act Darude at number three, the top three will be made up
entirely of dance acts. (DVDfever Ed: "Well, there's a surprise (!)"
Coronation Street star Kevin Kennedy's single Bulldog Nation, which was
left off Radio 1's playlist, looks unlikely to make it into the top 40,
industry figures show.
Tartan's next Arctic DVD release...
Thanks to Paul Smith from Tartan for the press release that their next
DVD release will be Lovers of the Arctic Circle on July 24th,
a film which stars Fele Martinez, Najwa Nimri and Nancho Novo.
Retailing at £19.99, the film is presented in the original widescreen
ratio of 2.35:1 with Dolby Digital Surround sound. Running for 104 minutes
on a single-layer single-sided disc (DVD 5) in the original Spanish language,
the disc will contain English subtitles and is region free.
The extras on the DVD will be the original theatrical trailer, star and director
filmographies, scene selection and a film review and interview.
It will also be available to rent or buy on VHS on the same day for £15.99.
Sporty Spice to sing for England next Tuesday...
Sporty Spice, aka Mel C, is set to sing at the Romania vs. England match next
Tuesday.
Victoria Posh Spice has been advised to stay home for the remainder of the
tournament after hubby David Beckham was cruelly taunted by wankers in the
crowd shouting that his wife was a whore and that they hoped "your kid gets
cancer". Charming.
It's DVDfever's first Region 1 DVD review online and also the
debut for new contributor Kenny Fulton.
Reuniting the director and star of Se7en and also starring the
excellent Edward Norton,
Fight Club
is online and out on DVD now.
Football, Football, Football. It's Fifa 2000 on PC...
The Euro 2000 season is upon us and although EA Sports have unleashed a
Euro 2000 game, Jason Maloney tells us why it's best to give
that a miss and try out their previous offering.
Football's never coming home to the BBC ever again...
The news is out that the BBC have lost the rights to show any premier league
football matches, as they couldn't afford it, which rather puts Match of the
Day's future in doubt.
The football TV rights went to the following for the following three year
period :
Sky (66 live games) : £1.11 billion
NTL (40 PPV games) : £328 million
ITV (highlights) : £183 million
Sky also paid £22.5 million as a revenue share from interactive TV
services.
The Big Boss lands on DVD in Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story...
Starring Jason Scott Lee (no relation) in the main role as martial-arts
master Bruce Lee, Robert Wagner and Lauren Holly co-star in
Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story,
which is online and out on DVD now.
And now it's working again...
Don't ask why, don't ask how, but my DVD-ROM drive is working again.
Don't breathe on it otherwise it'll get upset again...
The return of Shaft...
The new Shaft stars Samuel L Jackson as the nephew of Richard
Roundtree's original, with the new man as a member of the New York police
force and a bad-guy role for Christian Bale too.
Director John Singleton (Boyz N The Hood) has reportedly clashed
endlessly with Jackson on set during the remaking of the film.
Doctor Who: The film...?
A big-screen outing for Doctor Who is being rumoured with Stephen Fry
in the running as the favourite for the Timelord, after appearing as the same
on a BBC Radio show at the moment apparently.
Bobby Brown jailed...
Mrs. Whitney Houston, Bobby Brown, has been jailed for 75 days
after violating his probation on a drink-driving charge and admitting to taking
cocaine.
Put them back on...!
Following Kathleen Turner's nude streak playing Mrs. Robinson in
The Graduate, Jerry Hall is set to do the same when she takes
over the role shortly.
Stigmata from MGM next month on DVD...
All hell breaks loose when an ordinary young American woman begins to show
signs of the Stigmata (the bleeding wounds of Christ) in this controversial
supernatural thriller starring Patricia Arquette and Gabriel Byrne.
Released to buy on DVD for £19.99 on July 10th, this DVD will contain
some Region 2 exclusive extras such as a making-of documentary "The Diving
Rites of the Story of Stigmata", plus a director's commentary, five deleted
scenes, an alternate ending, Natalie Imbruglia's pop video for the title song,
moving menus and the theatrical trailer.
Entertainment in Video's forthcoming DVDs...
Thanks to the
R2 Project
for the following info which I haven't received yet :
EiV have sent out a couple of announcements and some pre-publicity for
their Summer and Autumn Schedule. First up is the news that Happiness
and Mad Cows have both now been delayed until the 19th of June and
that The Legend of 1900 has been put on hold with a release date
still to be announced. They have also announced plans for the following
titles in August and September:
August
The Bachelor
Body Shots
September
Next Friday
TumbleWeed
Pecker
Magnolia
Also included is glossy brochure with the following titles for
October Seven, Boiler Room and American Psycho. Note
that although Seven is a two disk set it still appears to be only
£19.99. Also promised before the end of 2000 are Nightmare on
Elm Street (6 disk boxset), Final Destination, Frequency and
U-571.
EiV have also announced three titles for June/July , Complicity,
The Muse and Rancid Auminium. All three disks will be priced at
£19.99.
Jonny Lee Miller (from Trainspotting and Plunkett and Macleane) - and
someone whose autograph I have although I'd rather have had his - now - ex-girlfriend
Natalie Appleton's, stars as a journalist caught up in a deadly cat and mouse
game with a serial killer in Complicity based on a book by Iain
Banks. The disk is released on June 26th and includes the trailer and a
special featurette entitled The Story of a Journalist.
The Muse staring Sharon Stone will be released on the 3rd of
July, day and date with rental VHS. The Special features of the disk are
still to be confirmed but the story does look intriguing. Stone stars as
One of the Nine Daughters of Zeus now living in Hollywood and offering her
services to an exclusive Hollywood Clientele. Jeff Bridges is a screenwriter
whose confidence is severely shaken who turns to Stone to get in touch with
his own creativity, only to find out that his life will never be the same
again. Look for cameos from Martin Scorsese, James Cameron , Rob Reiner,
Cybill Sheperd and Jennifer Tilly.
Based on a book by James Hawes, Joseph Fiennes stars in Rancid
Aluminium on the 17th of July. Again the extra features are still to be
confirmed for this release.
Fox's rental DVDs: Something to DVD-Debate about...
"If you hurry you may still be able to pre-order a copy of the August 12
release of The Beach for a bargain £64.79. If they're all gone,
you could be still get hold of a rental copy of Fight Club for only
£80.99 from the online video shop, Blackstar.
These are, of course, the first two titles in Fox's plans for DVD rental and you
have to wonder why they're bothering. With the staggering percentage of players
in the UK already codefree or chipped only the ignorant will want to wait for
the UK sell through release later in the year. Any one with an ounce of sanity
will pick up the region 1 discs for less and far earlier.
It's not only consumers who are mad at Fox over this. Retailers are up in arms
about it. To them this represents the worst of both worlds - with the US release
already out, savvy punters will have bought their copies already and anyone who
hasn't will probably have rented te film in the meantime and not want to bother
with a purchase. The only winners here are Fox, because the consumer has to
wait an additional 4 months for a retail purchase and at a price which will be
40% higher than the equivalent dollar conversion.
The news gets worse when you realise that Disney also have plans to follow suit.
The industry impression is that these companies are using the UK as a test bed
for their plans to re-introduce the rental window on the other side of the pond,
something which retailers and the Video Software Dealers Association is keen to
avoid. If the US market can't bear the weight of a rental window, what makes
them think the smaller, immature UK market?"
Starring Robin Williams, Julia Roberts, Dustin Hoffman and Bob
Hoskins, it's a children's fantasy tale and the only Steven Spielberg-directed
film available on Region 2 DVD.
Now, I have five competitions online already, but here's another quiz for you:
What's the most likely thing to happen after having reinstalled my new
Creative Dxr2 DVD-ROM decoder card just under two weeks ago?
Yes, after getting the replacement, it packs in! I even went as far as
reseating the card, reinstalling the latest drivers from the Creative website
(great fun d/ling a 5Mb file during peak time on the phone!) and then trying
to reinstall the software, but it refuses to do the latter because it can't
find the decoder card!
I didn't know these things came with a freaking built-in white stick because
it must be blind if it can't spot a card inside the machine!! GRRRRRRR!!
I'll phone Creative tomorrow and have some fun waiting in the phone queue.
I have a temporary solution - using a software DVD player to display the
film on my PC monitor and then patch that through to the TV like the games
I play on my Voodoo 3 card. The quality's far from perfect, but it'll stop me
pining completely.
Roy Chubby Brown - You Fat Smasher...!
Roy Chubby Brown has now apparently left the country after showering
an audience with glass after he stupidly got pissed off and threw a full glass
of water to the side of the stage but it smashed on the way and injured the
audience.
I suppose he got mad when people realised he wasn't at all funny!
Gone in 60 Seconds to the top of the chart...
The new Nicolas Cage film, Gone in 60 Seconds, has toppled
Mission: Impossible 2 from the top-slot in the US box office chart.
Critics have gone all out in their praise of Vinnie Jones' performance,
claiming he is a "hulking mute who has no trouble getting his points across".
Has Faye quit Steps...?
Well, she's failed to turn up to the end-of-world-tour party and has dropped
out of going to meet Cyndi Lauper in New York for songwriting sessions.
Could five become four?
Noel and Liam - no love lost...
Noel Gallagher is set to miss the overseas part of Oasis' world tour
after Liam branded Noel a "loser" and Noel called Liam "monkey boy"
on Chris Moyles Radio 1 show.
Corr - another movie star...
Following a brief appearance in Alan Parker's song-fests,
Evita
and The Commitments, Andrea Corr is set to star in a remake
of The Four Feathers opposite Jude Law.
The World is Not Enough for Pierce Brosnan on DVD...
It's the 19th official Bond film to be released and the third to star Pierce
Brosnan. Directed by Michael Apted, the film also stars Denise
Richards, Sophie Marceau, Robbie Coltrane, Robert Carlyle and marks the
final appearance of Q (Desmond Llewelyn).
Regular DVDfever reviewer Jason Maloney returns with something a little
different - a retrospective of all of Suzanne Vega's albums released
to date, plus a look at her new book, The Passionate Eye.
Also, cover-queen Jane McDonald has a new album out - "Inspiration" (!)
Is that an oxymoron, or is she just a moron?
COMPETITION WINNERS: Great Entertainment from Fox on DVD...
Thanks to all those who entered. The competition winners are as follows :
Great Entertainment from Fox (5 DVDs): Sam Cockburn
Never Been Kissed DVD: David Dupplaw
The names and addresses of the winners will be passed to the respective
PR companies for dispatching of prizes. If you didn't win this time, then
please keep trying with the other competitions online by clicking on the
competition link on the left-hand menu.
New DVDs and widescreen videos out this week
New DVDs out this week :
About Last Night (19.99, Columbia TriStar)
The Alamo (19.99, MGM)
Alice in Chains: Unplugged (19.99, Sony)
The Big Blue (19.99, Fox)
Black Sabbath: The Last Supper (19.99, Sony)
Bob Marley Tribute (17.99, Palm Pictures)
The Commitments (19.99, Fox)
Farscape 3 (24.99, Contender)
The Full Monty (19.99, Fox)
Hang 'Em High (19.99, MGM)
Mortal Thoughts (19.99, Columbia TriStar)
National Lampoon's Animal House (19.99, Columbia TriStar)
October Sky (19.99, Columbia TriStar)
Red River (19.99, MGM)
St. Elmo's Fire (19.99, Columbia TriStar)
Stevie Ray Vaughn and Double Trouble: Live at the El Mocambo (19.99, Sony)
The Substitute: Winner Takes All (15.99, Mosaic)
The Thin Red Line (19.99, Fox)
Time Regained (sub) (19.99, Fox)
Waking Ned (19.99, Fox)
New widescreen videos out this week :
Time Regained (sub) (15.99 & rental, Artificial Eye)
"There's no hiding happiness... This time it's for real - I'm pregnant" were
Celine Dion's words when she issued a press statement.
Just what the world needs, another female singer with endless anodyne and
dull records. I just hope Shania Twain never has kids.
Prince Symbol Prince has a go at the teen pop acts...
Prince (nee Symbol, nee Prince) has had a go on his website at the
men in suits who are "trying to programme the public with their own personal
choices" such as Britney, Christina and similar teen pop acts. Yeah,
like his music's worth listening to these days (!)
Yesterday morning, while driving to work I heard Prince's Cream
on the radio. It was a decent, fun pop song. Why hasn't he made anything like it
since instead of trying to be so serious all the time?
Mariah set to quit Sony...
Well, her split from husband and Sony boss Tommy Mottola might have
something to do with it, but after her next album, she will be releasing herself
from their clutches and going to Arista.
Sinead comes out...
As if the shaven head and odd dress sense wasn't obvious enough, Sister
Bernadette Mary, aka Sinead O'Connor, has declared herself a lesbian.
She stated that she has gone out with men most of her life because she wasn't
comfortable with being a tuppence licker.
Of course her coming out has nothing to do with promoting the fact that her
seventh album, Faith and Courage, is released next week.
Russell Crowe leads the pack in Romper Stomper on DVD...
Tough, brutal and uncompromising. The skinheads are on the rage against the
'Gooks' as Russell Crowe, Daniel Pollock and
Deep Blue Sea's
Jacqueline McKenzie star in
Romper Stomper,
which is online and out on DVD now.
The Sega/Motorola Game line up...
Following Wednesday's news item on the games appearing on Motorola
WAP phones, thanks to Stuart Ledger from Bell-Pottinger PR for the
following link to their site which displays picture files showing you what
you can expect.
Braveheart, Naked Gun and more American DVD news...
Thanks to Mike Burnham for pointing me in the direction of these DVD articles
on
news.excite.com
Mel Gibson will talk about the making of the Oscar-winning Braveheart
on a newly recorded audio track that's part of a DVD special edition of the
picture to be released Aug. 29 by Paramount Home Video in the US.
It wouldn't have worked to shoot the movie in Gaelic, Gibson says
tongue-in-cheek, "because it would have needed a lot of subtitles."
He also describes the difficulties recreating the picture's medieval period,
noting a bridge that washed away three times.
The DVD will also include the 28-minute featurette on the making of the movie
that was produced for the special laserdisc edition a few years ago.
Separately, director David Zucker will provide reflections on the "Naked Gun"
trilogy, which he also wrote and produced, in special DVD editions set for
release by Paramount on Aug. 15.
Joining Zucker on the audio commentary tracks will be producer Robert K. Weiss.
Peter Segal, the director of Naked Gun 33-1/3: The Final Insult, and
associate producer Michael Ewing will join Zucker and Weiss for that film's
audio commentary. Peter Tilden hosts the audio tracks for the first two films.
New audio commentaries will also enhance special DVD editions from Columbia
TriStar Home Video, including James Caan and Billy Dee Williams speaking about
Brian's Song (Aug. 8); actors Dwayne Hickman and Michael Callan
discussing Cat Ballou (Aug. 8); and associate producer Ivan Moffat and
production assistant George Stevens Jr. reminiscing about Shane (Aug. 15).
Warners is releasing a special edition DVD of Romeo Must Die on Aug. 1
that will include three featurettes, two music videos and a behind-the-scenes
look at the making of the Aaliyah music video "Try Again."
Hitachi, NEC, and Sony Display Dolby Digital Logo on Computers...
New programme recognises advances in PC sound systems
Dolby Laboratories announced a new licensing
programme that allows computer manufacturers to display the Dolby Digital
trademark on their products. The programme is limited to manufacturers whose
products feature Dolby Digital multichannel audio technology and meet a high
set of audio technology standards designed by Dolby. The programme debuts in
Japan, with Hitachi, NEC, and Sony as the first companies participating in
the landmark programme. The first products carrying the Dolby Digital logo
will appear in Q2 of this year.
Shoppers will see the Dolby Digital logo displayed on the packaging of
featured PC units from Hitachi, NEC, and Sony, marking the beginning of an
entirely new commitment to PC audio by both Dolby and computer
manufacturers. PC manufacturers wishing to participate in the new programme
must submit their products to rigorous testing and certification, placing
their PCs in an elite group of products that deliver the highest quality
audio possible.
By displaying the Dolby Digital logo, the PC manufacturer alerts the
customer that its PC products provide Dolby Digital multichannel sound from
either an S/PDIF digital or analogue multichannel output. This capability
allows the user to experience Dolby Digital multichannel sound technology
directly from the PC, while simultaneously encouraging game developers to
create more multichannel computer games.
"Dolby Digital 5.1-channel sound lets customers experience fantastic
multichannel realism, during both movie viewing and game play, right on
their computers," said Dennis Staats, Manager, Technology Marketing for
Dolby Laboratories. "The Dolby Digital trademark is their assurance that the
same high-quality sound they hear at the movies and in their home cinemas
can be heard on their PC."
Although Dolby Digital technology has been present in PCs since the advent
of DVD-ROM, the Dolby Digital logo has not been displayed on those products.
The recent establishment of standards and test procedures by Dolby now makes
it possible for PC manufacturers to demonstrate their commitment to
high-quality audio.
About Dolby Digital:
Dolby Digital, which debuted in movie theatres in 1992, provides up to five
full-range sound channels plus a sixth channel for low-frequency effects. It
is currently the most popular digital film sound format, as well as the
standard worldwide for both standard and high-definition digital TV (SDTV
and HDTV), digital cable systems, and Digital Versatile Disc (DVD). Dolby
Digital is also well on its way to becoming the audio standard in Direct
Broadcast Satellite (DBS) systems, as well as in PCs and console games.
About Dolby Laboratories:
Dolby Laboratories is the developer of signal processing systems used
worldwide in applications that include motion-picture sound, consumer
entertainment products and media, broadcasting, and music recording. Based
in San Francisco with European headquarters in England, the privately held
company also has offices in New York, Los Angeles, Shanghai, and Tokyo.
"The Trevor and Simon are not *the* Trevor and Simon but a couple of dance
producers. It was a sort of OKish upbeat dance tune, but nothing special.
Mary Mary is nothing to do with Fatboy Slim's Praise You but is an
identikit dull R n' B tune. It sounds very like that Pink one. If you'd
have switched the radio off yesterday between the two when the Top 40
was on, you'd think it was the same track :) "
You can check out his Poptastic chart page by clicking
HERE !
Eminem and on and on...
27-year-old Eminem has appeared in court on charges of gun crime
on two different men in two different incidents, starting with coming out of a
car audio shop on Saturday night when he bumped into Douglas Dale from a band
I've never heard of, there was an argument, a gun fell out of his trousers
and he picked it up to start brandishing it about.
Later on he was pistol-whipping a barman and if convicted he could be jailed
for 7-9 years.
However, it hasn't harmed sales - 800,000 copies of his latest album since
the event as a result - taking the total up to over 2 million.
The whole thing could go on for 6-8 months before he's judged, but it's
stated that it won't affect his two-month tour with Snoop Doggy Dogg and
Dr. Dre.
Lolo's husband in trouble...
When big-titted Eurotrash favourite Lolo Ferrari died three
months ago from a drug overdose it wasn't known if it was long-term use or
a one-off event that caused her death.
However, now her widowed husband, 52-year-old Eric Venier, has been
arrested in connection with her death being charged with "non-assistance
for a person in danger", however that translates.
Bob Hope out and about...
Bob Hope has been discharged from hospital a day earlier than expected.
I stated on Tuesday that the veteran comedian, aged 97, was critically ill as
of last Friday, but thankfully things have improved and he is said to be
making good progress.
Angelina Jolie in training as Lara Croft...
As stated a while back,
Hackers and
Gone in 60 Seconds actress Angelina Jolie will be playing
Lara Croft in the forthcoming Tomb Raider film and she has been
taking kick-boxing lessons to get in training for the strenuous role.
Brendan Fraser has a Blast From The Past on DVD...
Fancy being holed up in a bunker for 35 years with a neurotic mother and a
mad inventor for a father? No? Well, Brendan Fraser has no option in
Blast From The Past,
which is online and out on DVD now.
COMPETITIONS: The Men Behaving Badly are on their way...
The chances of anything coming from Mars are a million-to-one, but the chances
of more competitions appearing on DVDfever.co.uk are 100%.
From Monday I'll have yet two more competitions, namely to win Series 2 and 3
of Men Behaving Badly on DVD.
Early birds can also catch a Men Behaving Badly competition on
Channel 4's Big Breakfast every day this week at about 7.10am.
The show itself starts from 7am as usual.
Eminem charged with gun crime...
As stated on Tuesday and Wednesday, both Eminem aka Marshall Mathers
and his wife have been arrested following a fight outside a Detroit bar. Now
he has been charged with threatening behaviour with a gun.
The trial continues...
Queer As Folk USA: The director has been chosen...
For HBO's forthcoming remake of Channel 4 gay drama
Queer As Folk,
director of Highlander and
Highlander 2,
Russell Mulcahy has been given the job of toning down the sex scenes
for the American version.
Kathy Burke redubbed for America...
In the 'comedy' Kevin and Perry Go Large, apparently it's reckoned that
American audiences won't understand her accent, so it will be redubbed by
Kathy herself, as if that will make the film any better.
Another anime double bill with Plastic Little and Black Magic M-66 on DVD...
Another double bill from Kiseki, she's not plastic or little but she's called
Plastic Little (make of that what you will!), while the Terminator
is revived in Black Magic M-66.
COMPETITION TIME: Win 3 DVDs from Warner and Buena Vista...!
Courtesy of Ketchum Life, DVDfever have a number of DVDs to give
away for June's DVD releases from Warner and Buena Vista, which are
day-and-date with their VHS rental counterparts.
As stated yesterday, Matthew Broderick's cartoon hero Inspector Gadget
is out this week, while mob-comedy Mickey Blue Eyes and Arnie actioner
End of Days are released on June 19th.
We have FIVE copies each of Inspector Gadget and Mickey Blue Eyes
to give away and THREE copies of End of Days up for grabs.
We have received an announcement of "Tarzan" from Disney for the
4th of September. There will be two editions, a Standard edition and a
Collectors edition. the Standard is priced at £22.99 while the collectors
edition will be £24.99. Unless I'm mistaken, the Standard version here in the UK contains more features than the standard R1 version.
Here's a run down of the special features on each disk:
Standard
Collector’s
Trailers
Localized preview trailer
Ö
Ö
Synergy preview trailer
Ö
Disnosaur trailer
Ö
Ö
History of ‘Tarzan’
From Burroughs to Disney
Ö
Ö
Early presentation reel
Ö
Research trip to Africa
Ö
Music of ‘Tarzan’
The making of the music
Ö
Ö
‘Tarzan Goes International
Ö
Ö
‘You’ll Be In My Heart’ music video
Ö
Ö
‘Strangers Like Me ‘music video
Ö
Ö
‘Trashin’ the camp’ w/Phil Collins & N Syn
Ö
Ö
Original Phil Collins sound demo
Ö
Story and editorial
Building the story
Ö
Ö
Storyboard to film comparison
Ö
Ö
Extra sequences:
Introduction Bonnie Arnold
Ö
Ö
1:Alternate opening
Ö
Ö
2:Terk discovers human camp
Ö
Ö
3: Riverboat fight
Ö
Ö
Characters of ‘Tarzan’
Creating Tarzan
Ö
Animating Tarzan
Ö
Creating Jane and & Porter
Ö
Creating Kala & Kerchek
Ö
Creating Terk & Tantor
Ö
Creating Clayton
Ö
Animation
Deep Canvas process
Ö
Deep Canvas demonstration
Ö
Production Progression demo
Story reel
Ö
Rough animation
Ö
Cleaned up animation
Ö
Final film in colour
Ö
Intercontinental film making
Ö
Read – Alongs
Story read to yourself
Ö
Ö
Read by yourself
Ö
Ö
Trivia game
Ö
Ö
Madonna's Next Best Thing...
Last night saw the premiere for Maddie's latest film, The Next Best Thing
also starring Rupert Everett and features her No.1 hit single cover,
"American Pie", but while she maintains she is "Delirious" about the movie
reviews, other papers have not been so kind :
"Madonna can barely muster even the rudiments of human expression", Entertainment Weekly.
"A frightfully wooden performance" - TNT
"Madonna still can't act" - USA Today.
Mrs. Eminem arrested too...
I stated yesterday how Eminem, aka Marshall Mathers was arrested
by the police for a fight outside a Detroit bar. Now it's been revealed that
a woman was arrested at the time and it was none other than his wife!
Vinnie Jones is Gone in 60 Seconds...
Although not for the violent ex-footballer, Gone in 60 Seconds,
is the film for 2000 that I've been looking forward to most - just a shade
above Mission: Impossible 2 - because its producer, Jerry Bruckheimer,
has made some classic action films in recent years such as
Armageddon,
Con Air and
The Rock.
His latest film reunites him with
Con Air's
Nicolas Cage as a car thief forced out of retirement to steal 50 cars
in 24 hours to save his brother's skin, also starring a blonde Angelia Jolie,
the actress picked to star as Lara Croft in the Tomb Raider film. She
has also recently got married to
Armageddon and
U Turn star
Billy Bob Thornton.
Vinnie Jones only gets a cameo apparently, but Gone in 60 Seconds
is out in the USA now and released in the UK on August 4th.
Motorola and Sega Announce Intent to Create Strategic Alliance,
Demonstrate Games on Wireless Phones at JavaOne...
Motorola and Sega jointly deploy optimized entertainment software
for J2ME on Motorola wireless devices
SAN FRANCISCO -- June 5, 2000 -- Motorola, Inc. (NYSE:MOT) and Sega
Enterprises Ltd., Tokyo, Japan today announced their joint intent to
create a global strategic alliance that will bring a wide assortment of
entertainment software to an innovative class of Java technology-enabled
wireless phones, pagers and personal digital assistants (PDAs). Sega has
developed an optimized suite of games for J2ME-enabled Motorola devices
being demonstrated this week at Sun Microsystems JavaOne 2000
ConferenceSM in San Francisco.
J2ME is the Java 2 Platform, Micro Edition (J2ME) Motorola helped develop in
close cooperation with Sun
Microsystems. The J2ME platform is designed to deploy applications for
wireless devices without the time and expense of re-writing or
re-compiling applications for each device, making the platform
particularly attractive to independent software developers.
This platform is designed to enable developers to write applications that
can run on any device equipped with J2ME, giving wireless consumers
access to software written by a population of more than two million Java
technology developers. By demonstrating compelling entertainment content
on the J2ME platform, Sega and Motorola are making a significant
statement about the direction they are taking as leaders in the exploding
wireless entertainment market. The companies plan to collaborate to
develop innovative wireless game solutions, including Application
Programming Interfaces (APIs) compatible with J2ME.
"Motorola's strong position as a world leader in embedded computing is
an excellent complement to Segas long legacy as the leader in embedded
systems entertainment", said Hideki Sato, corporate senior vice president
of Sega Japan. "Coupled with Motorolas immense experience in Java and
its background in innovative wireless technology and products, Motorola
is an ideal company for Sega to align with in order to realize our goal
of owning a significant share of the wireless entertainment market."
"Motorola's highly optimized implementation of the J2ME platform as part
of its DigitalDNA solutions portfolio, coupled with Segas graphics
technology, provides high levels of performance for high speed, image
processing on mass market, wireless devices. This combination is
expected to be extremely important as high bandwidth cellular standards,
such as general packet radio system (GPRS) and International Mobile
Telecommunications 2000 (commonly referred to as 3G), gain momentum."
"We are extremely pleased that Sega has chosen to work with Motorola to
deploy their world-class entertainment software and create wireless
entertainment solutions," said Anne-Marie Larkin, vice president and
director of Wireless Software Applications and Services at Motorola
Semiconductor. "Sega's strength in content and its unique competencies
from a long history in the entertainment area will deliver unparalleled
innovative content for the J2ME platform and the millions of
J2ME-equipped phones Motorola will ship."
Motorola gained a significant industry position by co-developing the J2ME
platform with Sun Microsystems, and by chairing the Java Specification
Request (JSR) standards initiative for the Mobile Information Device
Profile (MIDP). This standard defines the APIs for wireless devices that
use the J2ME platform, and enables independent software vendors (ISVs) to
write applications that can run on any wireless device that supports this
specification.
In addition to Motorolas leadership efforts, major global wireless
device manufacturers and operators have also endorsed and supported MIDP.
The large developer base is expected to make J2ME a unifying standard
for wireless devices. This gives game publishers and software developers
a very compelling reason to develop content around this platform.
Cellular phones, PDAs and pagers are expected to become even more
valuable and useful tools for both business and consumer users. Sega and
Motorola plan to collaborate extensively in the wireless entertainment
space for Motorola devices.
Most of the cast may have French character names, but there's no amore lost
as Van Damme does battle against madman Lance Henriksen and
his band of cronies.
Also, find out what the fat man's got in common with Eastenders's
Daniella Westbrook in John Woo's first Hollywood film
Hard Target,
which is online and out on DVD now.
Get a FREE Chu Chu Rocket Challenge...!
Chu Chu Rocket!, Europe's first online console game, is being given away
completely free to all Dreamcast owners. All you need to do is log on to
Dreamarena, your exclusive internet portal, register your details and place
your order. Chu Chu will arrive on your doorstep soon after. You will then be
ready to challenge friends, family and fellow gamers across Europe, real time,
for no more than the cost of a local call.
In order to get to the Dreamarena homepage to order your free copy of Chu Chu
Rocket! you must have your Dreamcast connected to a phone line with
registration completed.
If I haven't yet registered on Dreamarena what do I do?
1. Plug the modem cable into the Dreamcast console and the other end to the supplied telephone adapter.
2. Insert the Dreamkey GD-ROM into your console and press the POWER button.
3. Press the START button on your control pad, choose the REGISTER ME icon and press button A.
4. Read and follow the simple instructions that will lead you to the WELCOME TO DREAMARENA REGISTRATION page.
5. Enter your details.
6. Once you have entered and confirmed your details you will be asked to choose a password. Enter your password, confirm it and select GO ONLINE. You will then start connecting to Dreamarena.
Once I have registered how do I order Chu Chu Rocket?
1. Insert the Dreamkey disc into the Dreamcast and power up.
2. Select GO ONLINE and you will be taken to a page with two links: one to the Dreamarena homepage and one to the Chu Chu order page.
3. Select the Chu Chu order page. On this page you'll see a flashing link that reads: Pre order your copy here now!
4. Click on this to continue to the registration page. Firstly you'll be asked to confirm your address details. The page has two options at the bottom:
Confirm Details / Change Details
This function gives you the option of amending the details you provided when you registered your console.
5. Once you are happy with your details select Confirm Details to continue. Now you'll be taken through to a simple questionnaire to fill in - scroll down filling in your details until you reach your next two options...
Submit Form / Chu Chu Features
You may use the Chu Chu Features button to find out more about the game. Once you are happy select Submit Form to send your order.
6. You should now see the following message confirming your order:
Thank You! Your order has been processed.
Please contact the Call Centre on 08456 090090 if you have any queries.
If you are not the master user on this console or you try to place more than
one order for Chu Chu Rocket! you will be informed and the order will not be
processed.
When will the game arrive on my doorstep?
On, or very soon after the 9th June, depending on when you place your order.
How much will it cost me to play online?
The game can be played both online and offline. If you decide to challenge other European gamers online it will not cost you any more than when you normally log on to Dreamarena, ie the cost of a local call.
Do I need to tick the 'promotions etc' box?
No. There are no 'promotions' boxes on the Chu Chu page ie tick this box if you want to have promotional material sent to you. There is a questionnaire with five questions and the choice to tick the boxes. These are optional.
Will they still be stored in retail, or can I pick one up there?
One copy of Chu Chu Rocket! and a registration leaflet will be provided with
every new console sold by high street retailers as of June 9th 2000. Existing
Dreamcast owners must go onto Dreamarena to order their free copy.
The European Chu Chu Challenge:
The European Chu Chu Challenge is an online competition designed to highlight
the online gaming capabilities of Dreamcast and to add value to the game
itself. It will be positioned as a pan-European challenge to find the best
gamer in Europe.
Players will have to register to enter the competition, then play online as
much as possible. They will be ranked in their National League table depending
on the number of games they win online. At the end of phase two (see below
for dates), the top four players from each country will be invited to the
local Sega office to compete in a National Final, the winners of this will go
through to the European Final.
Playing the game
Phase One - Registration (1st-30th June): Users must visit Dreamarena and register to be a part of the competition.
To do this, they have to click on a button within the Chu Chu pages on
Dreamarena, this will confirm their entry and their Chu Chu user name.
Phase Two - The Competition (1st-29th July): Users simply have to play online as much as possible, the more games they
win, the higher up the league table they will go. To view these league tables,
players will have to visit Dreamarena.
Phase Three - The National Finals (w/end 26th/27th August): The top 4 players in each territory will be invited to the local Sega
offices to compete in a National Final. This should be a good PR opportunity
for each country.
Phase Four - The European Final (September) The winners of all the National Finals will be invited to London
(Millennium Dome - tbc) for a European Final. This should be the climax of
all PR activity.
Prizes First Prize = A personalised Chu Chu Dreamcast "pod".
Runners-up prizes tbc
Inspector Gadget - The Greatest Hero ever assembled, available to buy now on
DVD and rent on VHS
DVD movie fans are in for a treat when Warner Home Video releases another
great family movie - Inspector Gadget - on DVD on 5 June 2000.
Inspector Gadget is the latest in a string of superb family movies to be
released on DVD by Warner Home Video, priced £15.99. Fasten your
seatbelt for a gadgetry masterpiece as Warner Home Video and Walt Disney
Pictures bring the world famous animation, 'Inspector Gadget', to life for the
first time on DVD.
Pooling an all star cast led by Mathew Broderick
(The Cable Guy,
Godzilla)
as Inspector Gadget, the greatest hero ever assembled, this movie is a non
stop action comedy with a thousand moving parts. Also starring in the movie
are Rupert Everett
(My Best Friend's Wedding,
An Ideal Husband) as the evil Dr. Claw and the stunning Joely Fisher
(sitcom Ellen) as the brilliant Dr. Brenda Bradford.
Inspector Gadget is based on the lovable, accident ridden and completely
clueless cartoon character who turbo charges to life in a wild adventure
comedy.
Inspector Gadget on DVD is packed with hilarious non-stop action, seamless
special effects and a gazillion gizmos makes 'Inspector Gadget' a hilarious
techno-thrill ride the whole family will enjoy.
Inspector Gadget is the latest in a string of brilliant family blockbuster
movies to be released on DVD by Warner Home Video. Following the success of
the Disney Classics and Iron Giant on DVD, Inspector Gadget is guaranteed to
further grow the DVD format among families. With crystal clear Dolby Digital
5.1 surround sound, stunning picture and instant scene access, Inspector Gadget
will be a sure hit this summer.
Story Synopsis :
During a daring rescue attempt, John Brown (Broderick), a na‹ve and
clueless security guard, experiences the wrath of the evil Dr. Claw (Everett).
Jumping at the chance to put her robotics expertise to the test, the brilliant
Dr. Brenda Bradford (Fisher) transforms him into 'Inspector Gadget' -
the ultimate crime-fighting machine. And Gadget is going to need every
techno-trick up his cyber sleeve to defeat the ruthless Claw - before Claw
reduces our hero to spare parts and wreaks havoc on the world.
Tune in shortly for a competition to win one of FIVE copies on DVD!
Bob Hope is on the mend...
The veteran comedian, aged 97, was critically ill as of last Friday, but
thankfully things have improved and he is said to be making good progress.
Eminem arrested...!
His name is, his name is, his name isn't Slim Shady, but Eminem, real name
Marshall Mathers has been arrested by the police for a fight outside
a Detroit bar. The police haven't decided yet whether to charge him for
disorderly conduct or carrying a concealed weapon, but the latter carries a
maximum term of five years in the clink.
His latest single, Forget About Dre, also featuring rapper Dr. Dre,
went into the Top 10 at No.7 yesterday. To find out what I thought of it,
click on my
music chart analysis page.
Chrissie Hynde arrested again...
For the second time this year, Pretenders lead singer Chrissie Hynde
has been arrested for the second time this year on a charge of criminal mischief
as she used a knife to rip up leather and suede clothers in an New York Gap
store.
Oh, the things some fallen pop stars will do.
An indecent proposal for Britney...
Would you become someone's lover if they offered you $12 million? I would,
but Britney Spears turned down this offer from an anonymous man, claiming
it was disgusting and outrageous and that she vowed to maintain her purity
until she is married. She added it's enough to make her very, very angry.
Ooh, that's fighting tork that is!
Well, it's a good thing she said no - the bank wouldn't have loaned me the
money anyway...
Die Hard 2 director Renny Harlin's answer to Jaws, starring
Saffron Burrows, Samuel L. Jackson & Jacqueline McKenzie, who will make
it out alive in
Deep Blue Sea,
which is online and out on DVD today.
Will Stephen Gately have a 'New Beginning' at No.1...?
COMPETITION AND GIVEAWAY WINNERS: Carrie 2, Thomas The Tank Engine and Rosie & Jim videos...
Thanks to all those who entered. The competition and giveaway winners are as follows :
Carrie 2 telekinesis pack and video: Robert Johnston
10 Carrie 2 videos:
Simon Jordan, David Lees, Shaun Orton, Ian Jones, Vanessa Forsythe,
Jesse McGuay, Garry Kennedy, Lesley Simpson, Simon Wesley, Scott Turner.
5 Thomas the Tank Engine videos:
David Lees, Lesley Simpson, Chris Lane, Dave Darrall, Bernard Doyle.
5 Rosie and Jim videos:
Scott Turner, Shaun Orton, Chris Lane, Dave Darrall, Tina Seymour.
The names and addresses of the winners will be passed to the respective
PR companies for dispatching of prizes. If you didn't win this time, then
please keep trying with the other competitions online by clicking on the
competition link on the left-hand menu.
New DVDs and widescreen videos out this week
New DVDs out this week :
Amityville 4: The Evil Escapes (14.99, Digital Entertainment)
Animal Farm (19.99, Disc Distribution)
The Artist: Live at Paisley Park (19.99, Total Home Entertainment)
Berlin Philharmonic: A Romantic Opera Night (19.99, Quantum Leap)
Berlin Philharmonic: European Concert 1996 (19.99, Quantum Leap)
Century of Army (19.99, Disc Distribution)
Century of Golf (19.99, Disc Distribution)
Century of Motoring (19.99, Disc Distribution)
Century of Navy (19.99, Disc Distribution)
Century of RAF 1918-1999 (19.99, Disc Distribution)
Century of Trains (19.99, Disc Distribution)
Clock Watchers (19.99, VCI)
Deep Blue Sea (19.99, Warner)
Drop Zone (cut) (19.99, Paramount)
Encyclopaedia of Making Love (19.99, Quantum)
Eskimo Nell (15.99, Medusa)
Horror Collection (4 discs) (39.99, Digital Entertainment)
Jazz Collection Vol.1 (19.99, Quantum)
Joan of Arc (17.99, Columbia TriStar)
Legend of 1900 (19.99, Entertainment in Video)
Little Learners: Mr Men (9.99, Disc Distribution)
Men Behaving Badly Series 2 (19.99, PT Video)
Men Behaving Badly Series 3 (19.99, PT Video)
Onegin (19.99, Entertainment in Video)
A Personal Journey with Martin Scorsese Through American the Movies (19.99, Disc Distribution)
Playboy: Ultimate Guide to Sensual Massage (15.99, Medusa)
Rockers (17.99, Disc Distribution)
Star Trek IX: Insurrection (19.99, Paramount)
Tina Turner: Celebrate! (19.99, Total Home Entertainment)
Two Handfuls (19.99, Quantum)
Witchcraft II: The Temptress (14.99, Digital Entertainment)
An anime double bill with Rei Rei and The Gigolo on DVD...
This is one of the first Anime titles to be released by Kiseki via Revelation for
the UK DVD market and contains two episodes of the former, plus The Gigolo,
a 45-minute adventure for the cartoon beefcake.
Thanks to the
R2 Project
for the following info that Contender Video's Label "Kult Clasics" is
releasing the following alongside their usual Farscape releases.
Tonguing their way to the top, this is one film you won't want to watch on
Sunday afternoon when granny and the vicar pop round for a cup of tea and a
slice of Battenburg.
The winners are out and a selection of them are as follows :
Best Chart Act: Alice Deejay
Best Newcomer: ATB
Dancestar of the Year & Best Album - Moby
Best Breakbeat Act - The Chemical Brothers
Best Dance Act - Basement Jaxx
Best Trance Act - Chicane
Best Club - Cream
Lifetime Achievement - Frankie Knuckles
It's manic, it's maddening, it's Chu Chu Rocket on Sega Dreamcast...
The title says it all doesn't it. Doesn't it? It's about as Japanese as a UK
release is going to get this year and makes about as much sense as Keyop from
Battle of the Planets.
Chu Chu Rocket
is online and out on Sega Dreamcast on June 9th.
The Dancestar 2000 Awards...
As I write, the awards haven't yet been handed out, but last night saw the
first ever Dancestar Awards show, likened to being a dance music
version of the Brits, even if there are way too many awards shows going on
these days.
Basement Jaxx are up for four awards including Best House Act and
Dance Star of the Year, Craig David (why?) is also up for four including
Best Newcomer, while Moby is nominated for three.
"Honest"ly not going away quietly...
After being dropped by several cinema chains after only one week, the All
Saints' turkey Honest was said by its executive producer that it
would've filled the cinemas if the critics had been more kind.
Shame. I'd be more tolerant of the film had Natalie Appleton actually
given me an autograph when asked (not by me though, but it was for me) when
she popped into the Little Chef at Manchester Piccadilly station when she
visited with actor-boyfriend Jonny Lee Miller on Friday April 21st
(see this
News Page
under "A chance meeting..." for more info)
Stephen or Mikey for No.1...?
Neither it would seem. While Stephen Gately's debut single is selling
20,000 more copies than band-mate Mikey Graham's, Sonique may hold on
for one more week with her pile of rubbish.
While Stephen's tipped for a No.2 hit, Mikey is only destined for No.14.
Forthcoming Paramount DVDs...
Thanks to the
R2 Project
for the following info on Paramount's UK plans for the rest of the year.
August 14th ""Ferris Bueller's Day Off" "Beavis & Butt-head Do America" "Congo"
September 4th "War of the Worlds" "Black Rain" "Varsity Blues" "48 Hours" "Night at the Roxbury"
November 4th "Saving Private Ryan" "Breakfast at Tiffany's" "Hunt for Red October" "Clear and Present Danger" "Patriot Games" "A Civil Action" "Jade"
December 4th "Event Horrizon" "The Saint" "The Firm" "Clueless" "Election" "Ghost in the Darkness" "Scrooged" "Another 48 Hours"
Mr. Lawrence will have his Christmas in July...
Thanks also to the
R2 Project
for the following info.
Second Sight have announced 2 disks for release July 17th. Merry
Christmas Mr Lawrence staring David Bowie, Tom Conti, Ryuichi Sakamoto
and 'Beat' Takeshi Kitano will feature the theatrical trailer a photo gallery
of production stills and deleted scene stills. The picture is presented
1.85:1 with Dolby Digital Sound. The second disk is Orson Welles Macbeth.
The disk is in the original 4:3 ratio with the original mono soundtrack.
The disk features the rare oscar nominated short film "Orson Welles' Ghost
Story: Return to Glennascual" which is introduced by Peter Bogdanovich.
Both disks are priced £19.99.
Updated cinema listings...
Stuck for something to do this weekend? Live in the Manchester area? The list
of the films showing at
Manchester Showcase Cinema
can be found on this page.
This week's new films are : U-571, Ninth Gate, Battlefield Earth
and Maybe Baby.
An under-sea action adventure starring Rob Lowe and a number of unknowns,
this film is highly derivative of others that have gone before it, but is
hugely entertaining.
As you'll see from the above, the Dxr2 DVD-ROM card came today. Took a while
to install it and make it actually work (the PC kept insisting the correct
drivers weren't installed until I downloaded the latest drivers for it
from http://www.europe.creative.com
and even after that it wouldn't work until I removed the device from the PC
in Control Panel > System and rebooted, prayed a bit, etc...)
For anyone still awake, I am now in happy land once again :)
It's "Honest"ly that bad...!
The debut film from the All Saints, Honest, has been pulled
from all UCI cinemas after one week. It's also disappeared from my local
Showcase.
DVDs reviewed by the editor are watched on a Panasonic TXW32R4 32" widescreen TV
connected to either a Creative Dxr2 DVD-ROM player or Microsoft Xbox and
played through a Sony STR-DB930 amplifier.
PC games reviewed by the editor are on:
Since Nov 2005: Intel Pentium D 830 3.0Ghz, 1Gb RAM, 128Mb nVidia GeForce 6700XL, Windows XP
Since Aug 2003: Intel Pentium 4 2.66Ghz, 512Mb RAM, 128Mb GeForce4 MX440 graphics, Windows XP
Since May 2003: Intel Pentium 4 2.6Ghz, 512Mb RAM, 128Mb ATI Radeon 9600TX graphics, Windows XP
Since Jun 2002: Intel Pentium III 600Mhz, 384Mb RAM, Windows 98 SE, 64Mb ATI Radeon 8500LE
Since May 2000: Intel Pentium III 600Mhz, 384Mb RAM, Windows 98 SE, Voodoo 3 3000 AGP
COMPETITION WINNERS: Men Behaving Badly DVDs...
COMPETITION WINNERS: Three Warner/Buena Vista DVDs...
Life's a Beach with Leo on DVD in August...
Inspector Gadget out now on DVD...
COMPETITION AND GIVEAWAY WINNERS: Carrie 2, Thomas The Tank Engine and Rosie & Jim videos...
Mr. Lawrence will have his Christmas in July...
