10-Sep-01

WSR Issue 53Guess what arrived at our offices today? A batch of Issue 53, direct from the printer. ""The Mummy Returns"" is featured on the cover, for those interested in such details. Subscribers and newsstands should be seeing their copies soon.And speaking of ""The Mummy Returns,"" our review of it is now posted on our Web site (but don't ignore the print issue just because you can read the review online for free...). We've also posted a review of ""Driven,"" starring Sylvester Stallone. I couldn't think of an appropriate or clever adjective to use in describing the movie in my previous sentence, and as much as I prefer not to, generally, give an opinion on these matters, I must say that I found ""Driven"" to be one of the absolute worst movies I've seen in a loooong time. I saw this thing in the theatre upon its release earlier in the year. In fact I purposely saw it at the highly regarded Mann's Village Theatre in the Westwood Village area of Los Angeles -- how could I go wrong? Well, let me count the ways! I had to REALLY test my willpower in not violating my self-imposed ""no walk-out"" policy when going to the movies. I did manage to sit through it, but I can't say I'm a better person for doing so. In any event, it's a good DVD in terms of presentation. So if you like to see everything at least once, or enjoy disposable entertainment, then (in your best Stallone imitation) ""go for it.""Warner and their DVD Snapper CasesFans of the snapper case (yes, that's sarcasm) will be pleased to note that Warner's two-disc ""Citizen Kane"" DVD is not being released in that style of packaging. It's in a package similar in style to New Line's ""Boogie Nights"" and ""Se7en"" and Fox's ""Fight Club."" We also recently received a few other Warner DVDs, but of course, they are in the dreaded snapper case.Warner Home Video and Family Entertainment DVDsJust a quick update on the widescreen vs full screen situation: It was reported in the previous update (see first link below) that Warner announced a widescreen version of their ""Willy Wonka"" Special Edition (November 13) but that there was still some uncertainty about the picture format status of some other Family Entertainment titles. Since the last report, we have received review copies of the two ""NeverEnding Story"" movies, the animated ""Lord Of The Rings,"" and ""See Spot Run,"" and they indeed have widescreen versions on them (the two ""NeverEnding Story"" discs also include 1.33:1 full screen versions). We've also received word from Warner that ""Cats & Dogs"" is scheduled to be offered in widescreen.""Apocalypse Now Redux""Paramount has officially announced a November 20 street date for ""Apocalypse Now Redux,"" the extended 202-minute version of Francis Coppola's 1979 Vietnam War epic. SRP is $29.99. Technical specs will be anamorphic widescreen picture format and Dolby Digital 5.1 & 2.0 audio. No supplements have been announced. And many of you familiar with the history of this movie will want to know what this new DVD's aspect ratio will be. It will, once again, be...drum roll, please...2.00:1. Did you really think it would be 2.35:1???Some ""excellent"" MGM DVDs in DecemberMGM has announced their December slate of DVD catalog releases. Also announced for release on November 6, will be ""Legally Blonde"" with Reese Witherspoon. Defined by MGM as a ""Special Edition"" the disc is scheduled to include deleted scenes with director intros, two featurettes, two audio commentary tracks, and a trivia track. Picture formats will be 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen and 1.33:1; audio will be Dolby Digital 5.1. SRP is $26.98. One of the audio commentary tracks will feature actress Reese Witherspoon.While there have been a handful of discs released that feature actors on the commentary tracks, the vast majority focus on the director and other crew members. I hope to see more featuring actors in the future. I have no criticism of the directors supplying commentary, but I feel actors and cast members in general provide so much to the overall effectiveness of a movie, I think it would be enlightening and rewarding for the audience if more actors would (or could be persuaded to) participate when commentary tracks are desired for a DVD.The December 4 catalog titles include ""Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure"" (the domestic widescreen debut on any video format -- ""excellent!""), its follow-up ""Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey"" as well as ""Dirty Rotten Scoundrels."" The two Bill & Ted"" titles will retail for $14.95, will include remastered 5.1 soundtracks, and will be in anamorphic widescreen (2.35:1 for the first movie, 1.85:1 for the sequel). ""Bogus Journey"" is slated to include a featurette. ""Dirty Rotten Scoundrels"" will be anamorphic (1.85:1), 2.0 sound, and will include a Frank Oz audio commentary. SRP is $19.98.The Avant-Garde Cinema selections due on December 11 include the 1972 animated classic ""Fritz The Cat"" as well as ""The Nine Lives Of Fritz The Cat."" Also due are ""The Handmaid's Tale,"" ""The Indian Runner,"" Blake Edwards' ""The Party,"" and ""The Lover."" All will retail for $19.98, will be anamorphic widescreen (2.35:1 for ""The Party""; 1.85:1 for the others) and have either Dolby Surround or mono soundtracks depending on the title.Others announced for release on December 11 include ""The Defiant Ones,"" ""Separate Tables,"" ""Dodsworth,"" ""Inherit The Wind,"" ""Topkapi,"" ""Look Back In Anger,"" ""Witness For The Prosecution."" ""Dodsworth"" is in its original 1.33:1 ratio, while the others are all non-anamorphic 1.66:1. All have trailers, with ""Separate Tables"" adding a commentary track. All will be $19.98, except ""The Defiant Ones"" and ""Inherent The Wind"" which will both be $14.95.With these announcements and previously released discs with a 1.66:1 ratio, it appears that MGM's approach is that 1.66:1 material will not be window/pillar-boxed within an anamorphic 1.78:1 frame. The other major studios have favored the windowboxed approach with recent releases, including many from Disney. Even though a non-anamorphic 1.66:1 image doesn't lose all that much resolution, MGM's approach will still likely disappoint serious home theatre enthusiasts, particularly those who own 16:9 displays.

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