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December 2002 Headlines 

12/30/02

THE SHIP THAT WENT THROUGH HELL HAS COME TO TAKE YOU BACK-- GHOST SHIP

Joel Silver and Robert Zemeckis’ Sinister Supernatural Story Set to Scare on DVD and VHS March 28 from Warner Home Video

DVD Loaded with Bonus Features Including All-New Featurettes Providing In-depth Exploration of the Ghosts’ Stories and How the Horror Thriller Was Made

GHOST SHIP – a tale of high sea terror shot in Joel Silver and Robert Zemeckis’ characteristically chilling style – will debut on DVD and VHS March 28 from Warner Home Video (WHV). DVDs will sell for $27.95 SRP/$19.95 MAP; VHS for $22.98 SRP/$14.95 MAP. Merchandiser orders are due February 18; single unit orders are due February 25.

GHOST SHIP, which puts a frightening twist on the conventional haunted house narrative, marks the second time director Steven Beck and producers Joel Silver and Robert Zemeckis have teamed up to chill and thrill audiences. The trio was responsible for one of last year’s most popular horror films, Thirteen Ghosts, which was also produced by Silver and Zemeckis’ Dark Castle Entertainment.

One of the most successful producers in the motion picture industry today, Joel Silver’s (the Matrix trilogy, the Lethal Weapon series and the Die Hard trilogy) films have earned a combined gross of more than $3.8 billion worldwide. His production, The Matrix, grossed more than $456 million internationally, earning more than any other Warner Bros. film release prior to 1999. With movies such as Forrest Gump and the Back to the Future trilogy, Academy Award® and Golden Globe-winning director Robert Zemeckis has established himself as one of the pre-eminent filmmakers of our time.

GHOST SHIP stars Julianna Margulies, whose portrayal of Nurse Carole Hathaway on TV’s ER earned her six straight Emmy nominations, Desmond Harrington (We Were Soldiers, Boiler Room and Riding in Cars with Boys), Gabriel Byrne (Miller’s Crossing, Stigmata, TV’s Madigan Men), Ron Eldard (Black Hawk Down, upcoming House of Sand and Fog) and Isaiah Washington (Out of Sight, Bulworth and Romeo Must Die).

FRIGHTENING FEATURES

GHOST SHIP will be available on DVD in both widescreen and full-screen editions. Both editions will include spectacular holographic (lenticular) packaging and the following special features:

Secrets of the Antonia Graza – break the code of Katie’s twist toy game to view spooky new footage that delves into:

Other DVD features include the theatrical trailer, filmography, English and French (dubbed in Québécois) languages and subtitles in English, French and Spanish.

SYNOPSIS

When an expert salvage team is called upon to investigate a mysterious vessel adrift off the coast of Alaska, they discover the remains of the fabled "Antonia Graza," thought lost at sea for more than 40 years. The crew, under the direction of their tough team leader (Margulies), claims the decrepit ship and begins to excavate its cavernous interior. As soon as they set foot on the eerie abandoned ship, however, they are shocked to discover that the decaying vessel is anything but deserted, and are forced to face the most horrifying thing ever encountered on the open sea.

GHOST SHIP

 

FIND OUT WHY AL AND PEG BUNDY AREN'T EXACTLY OZZIE AND HARRIET NELSON IN "MARRIED...WITH CHILDREN: THE MOST OUTRAGEOUS EPISODES! VOLUME # 1" --DEBUTS ON DVD ON FEBRUARY 4, 2003

Talk about family values! TV's most dysfunctional family the Bundys is also one of its funniest and most popular in television history. The series now comes to home entertainment when MARRIED WITH CHILDREN: THE OUTRAGEOUS EPISODES! VOLUME # 1 debuts on DVD February 4 from Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment.

This offbeat family (pre-cursors to The Osbournes) features patriarch Al Bundy (Ed O'Neill), wife Peg (Katey Sagal), daughter Kelly (Christina Applegate) and son Bud (David Faustino). For 11 seasons, MARRIED WITH CHILDREN was one of the most outrageous TV comedies ever produced. The series changed the face of TV family sitcoms forever with its bawdy humor and campy characters. The less than loveable yet ironically endearing Bundys attempt to survive a generally miserable middle-class existence with the most outrageous means possible.

Married---With Children Volume 1 features five outrageously guffaw-inducing episodes including the infamous "Lost Episode" deemed too raunchy for TV. The five episodes featured are:

MARRIED WITH CHILDREN: THE OUTRAGEOUS EPISODES! VOLUME # 1 DVD:

 

MICHELLE PFEIFFER, RENÉE ZELLWEGER, ROBIN WRIGHT PENN AND ALISON LOHMAN BRING CAPTIVATING, ELECTRIC PERFORMANCES TO WHITE OLEANDER—ON DVD FROM WARNER HOME VIDEO MARCH 11

– WHITE OLEANDER – featuring some of Hollywood’s biggest female stars – debuts on DVD and VHS March 11 from Warner Home Video (WHV). From powerhouse producers John Wells (TV’s The West Wing, ER) and Hunt Lowry (Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, A Walk to Remember) the film is based on Janet Fitch’s New York Times bestseller. WHITE OLEANDER will sell for $27.95 SRP/$19.95 MAP on DVD and for $22.98 SRP/$14.95 MAP on VHS. Merchandiser orders are due February 4; single unit orders are due February 11.

With a combined box office of nearly $2 billion and more than 9.2 million DVDs and videos sold, superstars Michelle Pfeiffer (I Am Sam, What Lies Beneath), Renée Zellweger (Chicago, Bridget Jones’s Diary, Me, Myself and Irene) and Robin Wright Penn (Unbreakable, Forrest Gump and 2003’sThe Singing Detective) headline this outstanding ensemble cast. The film also features acclaimed newcomer Alison Lohman (Matchstick Men, coming August 2003), Patrick Fugit (Almost Famous) and Noah Wyle (TV’s ER).

WHITE OLEANDER rose to the top of The NY Times, LA Times, Washington Post and USA Today bestseller lists and was later adapted for the screen by Mary Agnes Donoghue (Beaches). The compelling film is a "rich, turbulent screen adaptation of the novel" and is "superbly acted from top to bottom," says The New York Times’ Stephen Holden.

SPECIAL FEATURES BLOOM ON DVD

WHITE OLEANDER will be offered on both widescreen [16X9] and full-screen edition DVDs. Both editions will include the following special features:

Other DVD features include the theatrical trailer, cast/director film highlights, Dolby Digital 5.1 Audio, English and French (dubbed in Québécois) languages and subtitles in English, French and Spanish.

Synopsis

After her mother Ingrid (Pfeiffer) is sentenced to life in prison for murdering her boyfriend in a fit of passion, 15-year-old Astrid (Lohman) must learn to survive in the Los Angeles foster care system. Forever changed by the loss of her mother, Astrid is forced to confront the harsh reality of growing up alone in a series of unstable foster homes. While Astrid struggles to forge an identity of her own in a cold, indifferent world, Ingrid is determined to maintain control over her daughter’s life despite their separation. As a result, Ingrid’s powerful force is the only constant in Astrid’s life… for better or for worse.

WHITE OLEANDER

 

THE HILARIOUS ANTICS OF LARRY, CURLY AND MOE ARE CAPTURED IN THE THREE STOOGES: STOP! LOOK! AND LAUGH DEBUTING ON DVD FEBRUARY 18, 2003

Madcap mayhem and sidesplitting laughter result whenever The Three Stooges interact. On February 18, Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment releases STOP! LOOK! AND LAUGH! a compilation of the funniest and most memorable bits from classic Three Stooges shorts on DVD. The new DVD highlights some of the best and most memorable of Larry, Curly and Moe’s hilarious antics. Legendary and timeless as well as way ahead of their time, the Three Stooges and their movies took slapstick comedy to heights that remain in memory more than a half-century later. Their fluid chemistry and uncanny sense of timing make their routines provoke laughter no matter how many times they are viewed.

Their innate aptitudes for childish antics make for comedy that is simultaneously idiotic and brilliant. It is because of that special knack for comedy that the Three Stooges have made and continue to make audiences laugh. " Stop! Look! And Laugh!" is no exception. The new release includes the bonus short film "A Bird in the Head" featuring the Three Stooges as paperhangers working in the home of a mad scientist. When the scientist seeks a small brain for his experiment on a gorilla, he naturally turns to Curly as the perfect donor. The result is a brilliantly funny lesson in survival of the fittest. Producer-director Jules White has edited together the best from the fractious trio's shorts with an introduction by famous ventriloquist Paul Winchell and his dummy Jerry Mahoney. The classic clips include scenes from "A Plumbing We Will Go," "Higher Than a Kite," and "Cinderella."

Selected scenes offered in STOP! LOOK! AND LAUGH! are excerpts from:

THE THREE STOOGES: STOP! LOOK! AND LAUGH! DVD:

 

THREE COUPLES BREAK ALL THE RULES IN THE SEXY THRILLER TABOO-- THE DVD DEBUTS ON FEBRUARY 18, 2003

A Sextet of Rising Young Stars Are Featured In This Teen Horror Film Including Nick Stahl, Eddie Kaye Thomas, January Jones, Lori Heuring and Amber Benson

In the tradition of "I Know What You Did Last Summer" and "Halloween," comes TABOO, the provocative teen horror movie scheduled to street on DVD and video on February 18, 2003 from Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment. A young and sexy cast is featured in this DVD including Nick Stahl ("In The Bedroom"), Eddie Kaye Thomas ("American Pie"), January Jones ("Anger Management"), Lori Heuring ("Mulholland Drive") and Amber Benson ("Buffy The Vampire Slayer").

This group is out to prove that taboos were made to be broken. Everyone knows that there are some things that nice girls and boys just don't do. But when three college couples reveal their sexual secrets, the truth is more than anyone expected. From seduction to betrayal, from blackmail to murder, these six friends are about to discover that, in the game of Taboo, the only rule is revenge.

TABOO is a Creative Entertainment presentation of an Imperial Fish Company production. Written by Chris Fisher. Directed by Max Makowski. Produced by Ash R. Shah & Chris Fisher.

TABOO DVD:

 

STEALING HARVARD-- BRINGING NEW LOWS TO HIGHER EDUCATION DEBUTS ON DVD FEBRUARY 18, 2003

Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment will debut Revolution Studios and Imagine Entertainment's STEALING HARVARD, a outrageous new comedy combing the creative talents of some of film's freshest new voices and most accomplished veterans on DVD February 18.

STEALING HARVARD is directed by Bruce McCulloch, one of the members of the renowned comedy The Kids in the Hall, who has since directed the movies Dog Park and Superstar. Starring Tom Green (Charlie's Angels, Freddy Got Fingered) and Jason Lee (Almost Famous, Vanilla Sky) heading an ensemble of comedic cast including Leslie Mann (George of the Jungle), Emmy Award-winner Megan Mullally (TV's Will and Grace) and Dennis Farina (Snatch).

In STEALING HARVARD, John (Lee) leads a simple and happy life. He has a beautiful fiancée and an assistant manger position at his future father-in-law's company. Everything seems perfect, until John's favorite niece surprises him with her acceptance to Harvard University and he's reminded of a long forgotten oath he made to foot the bill!

Desperate, John turns to his hare-brained and half-witted best friend Duff (Green) for advice. Thinking far outside of the box, Duff convinces John that they must temporarily lead a life of crime to raise the needed cash!

STEALING HARVARD: Executive produced by Howard Lapides, Maureen Peyrot, Chris Brancato and Albert J. Salke. Produced by Susan Cavan. The story for the film is written by Martin Hynes and Peter Tolan. Directed by Bruce McCulloch from the screenplay by Peter Tolan.

"STEALING HARVARD" DVD:

 

12/27/02

FOX KICKS OFF A YEARLONG CELEBRATION FOR OSCAR’S . 75TH ANNIVERSARY WITH A NEW SERIES OF COMPLETELY RESTORED AND REMASTERED FILM TREASURES ON DVD FOX STUDIO CLASSICS

Festivities Begin January 14, 2003 With DVD Releases Of Best Picture Winners ALL ABOUT EVE, GENTLEMAN’S AGREEMENT And HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY, Additional Studio Classics DVD Titles To Follow Every Month With Purchase Of Three Studio Classics DVDs, Consumers Will Receive A Limited Edition DVD Of The First And Only Academy Award. Best Picture Winner For Unique And Artistic Production – SUNRISE - Free By Mail

On January 14, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (TCFHE) invites film fans to begin the celebration of the 75th anniversary of the Academy Awards, with the launch of its new Fox Studio Classics DVDs. In a yearlong commemoration of the film industry’s most prestigious honors, Fox will unveil beautifully remastered versions of the studio’s numerous Oscar winners and nominees from its more than 60 year illustrious heritage on DVD, beginning with three Best Picture favorites – ALL ABOUT EVE, GENTLEMAN’S AGREEMENT and HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY. These timeless, acclaimed DVD titles will be priced for collecting at US$19.98/C$25.98. On the first Tuesday of each subsequent month throughout 2003, and beyond, one completely restored classic will be added to the collection, featuring rarely and never before- seen value-added materials. Each classic film in the series will also be available on VHS for the collectible price of just US$9.98/C$26.98.

As part of the festivities, Fox will offer consumers a special gift - with the purchase of three Fox

Studio Classics titles, they will receive a complimentary DVD or VHS copy of the first and only Best Picture Winner For Unique And Artistic Production, SUNRISE, which garnered three Oscars, also including Best Actress and Best Cinematography at the first ever Academy Awards in 1929. The fully restored and remastered films in the Fox Studio Classics line are the result of a painstaking multi year Fox Feature Film Preservation effort. To create these historic releases and to ensure the long-term preservation of the one-of-a-kind features, pristine 35mm film masters of each of the classics were newly created from the original negative. For Fox, film preservation is an active intervention against the effects of time and the protection of the Studio’s history for the future. It is an involved process of collecting the best film material available and transferring it to more stable materials. Within the last ten years, film restoration and preservation has become an important issue addressed by nearly all movie studios, cable networks and the federal government. As the video business expands and interest in catalog titles grows, the task of keeping the filmed heritage protected from the elements of time becomes ever more crucial. Since 1997, the 20th Century Fox Film Preservation group has been dedicated to the restoration and preservation of some of the studio’s greatest cinematic treasures.

DVD SPECIAL FEATURES

All DVDs in the Fox Studio Classics DVD collection will include bonus features such as original

theatrical trailers, screenplays, and still galleries.

HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE

ALL ABOUT EVE

Nominated for 14 Academy Awards - more than any other picture in Oscar® history, until Titanic (1997) duplicated the same feat 47 years later – ALL ABOUT EVE won six Oscars: Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor (George Sanders), Best Director (Joseph L. Mankiewicz), Best Screenplay (Joseph L. Mankiewicz), Best Sound Recording, and Best B/W Costume Design. The four leading ladies in the film were each nominated for awards including Best Actress for Bette Davis and Anne Baxter and Best Supporting Actress Celeste Holm and Thelma Ritter. ALL ABOUT EVE is called "one of the smartest pictures of all time...a picture for any era" by the Los Angeles Times,

GENTLEMAN’S AGREEMENT

Nominated for a total of eight awards, GENTLEMAN’S AGREEMENT walked away with the Best Picture honor in 1947, defeating two of the best-loved movies ever made – Citizen Kane and The Maltese Falcon. Taking home three awards, including Best Director (Elia Kazan) and Best Supporting Actress (Celeste Holm), the film from Producer Darryl F. Zanuck caused a sensation as "the most spellbinding story ever put on celluloid" (The Hollywood Reporter).

HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY

A 1941 winner of five Academy Awards® including Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor (Donald Crisp), Best Director (John Ford), Best B&W Art Direction, and Best B&W Cinematography, this inspiring, yet heartbreaking "Hollywood milestone" (Halliwell’s Film Guide) from Producer Darryl F. Zanuck is "one of the finest" pictures ever made (Variety). Sixty-year-old Huw Morgan looks back on his life as a boy (Roddy McDowall) in a small Welsh mining town. His reminiscences reveal the disintegration of the closely knit Morgans, and his devoted parents (Donald Crisp, Sara Allgood), while capturing the sentiments and issues of their time. Maureen O’Hara and Walter Pidgeon co-star in this acclaimed screen classic, the story of one family’s dreams, struggles and triumphs.

ALL ABOUT EVE

GENTLEMAN’S AGREEMENT

HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY

 

12/23/02

BELOW IS A STATEMENT FROM UNIVERSAL STUDIOS HOME VIDEO REGARDING THE "BACK TO THE FUTURE TRILOGY."

Universal Studios Home Video is aware of a minor technical framing issue on the "BACK TO THE FUTURE TRILOGY" widescreen DVDs. The framing appears differently from the laserdisc releases for approximately two minutes during "BACK TO THE FUTURE II" and four minutes during "BACK TO THE FUTURE III." The framing difference is unnoticeable to widescreen DVD viewers and does not detract from or interrupt the viewing experience. Consumers with further questions can call (888) 703-0010.

12/22/02

STEVE BUSCEMI, DERMOT MULRONEY AND CATHERINE KEENER STAR IN LIVING IN OBLIVION-- SATIRE OF THE WORLD OF INDEPENDENT FILMMAKING DEBUTS ON DVD FEBRUARY 11, 2003

LIVING IN OBLIVION, debuting on DVD February 11 from Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment, stars Steve Buscemi (Mr. Deeds, Resevoir Dogs) as Nick Reve, an aspiring auteur who arrives on the set of his movie, full of enthusiasm and ready to shoot the day's scene, only to be faced with an endless series of delays, frustrations, and chaos. The leading man (James Le Gros, Bad Girls) has just had a disastrous one-night stand with the leading lady (Catherine Keener, Adaptation) and the cinematographer Wolf (Dermot Mulroney, My Best Friend's Wedding) is breaking up with the assistant director and is throwing up because of bad milk in the morning coffee.

Writer-director Tom DiCillo's funny satire about filmmaking, deals with the obstacles ? from greasy food and faulty equipment to childish crewmembers and egocentric stars ? that stand in the way of making a movie. LIVING IN OBLIVION is a comedy laced with scenes that skewer the world of feature films and where the film crew has as many neuroses as goatees.

The Washington Post describes LIVING IN OBLIVION as "one of the funniest movies about the world of independent filmmaking" and the Los Angeles Times' Kevin Thomas calls LIVING IN OBLIVION "a crooked valentine to the independent film world."

LIVING IN OBLIVION DVD:

 

OSCAR-WINNER BEN AFFLECK, ALYSSA MILANO AND FRENCH STEWART STAR IN GLORY DAZE-- AVAILABLE ON DVD FEBRUARY 11, 2003

Academy Award winner Ben Affleck (Best Original Screenplay, "Good Will Hunting") stars as a college graduate who refuses to face his future away from the comfort and familiarity of his buddies in GLORY DAZE, making its DVD debut on February 11, 2003, from Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment.

Faced with the prospect of life after college, Jack (Ben Affleck) is having serious doubts about the future. Life away from campus can't compare to the endless partying, the raunchy housemates, the challenge of new female conquests and the meaningful philosophical conversations about life that end in killer hangovers. The old gang is breaking up and his best buddy; Dennis (French Stewart), is finishing his third degree and going to grad school in Michigan. His housemate Mickey, who still has a year of school to go, seems tired of the scene and wishes he had the guts to tell his friend Chelsea (Alyssa Milano) how he feels about her. As Jack looks out at his four years in Santa Cruz, he wonders if this isn't the best time of his life, and he wonders whether it might be a mistake to let it all go just because of graduation. Faced with classic 20-something urban angst, Jack decides he's not going to leave, but instead live his glory days a little longer.

"GLORY DAZE" DVD:

 

TERRANCE STAMP, SHERYL LEE AND CRAIG SHEFFER STAR IN BLISS-- A PROVOCATIVE FILM ABOUT LOVE, SEXUAL DYSFUNCTION AND THE PROCESS OF HEALING DEBUTS ON DVD FEBRUARY 11, 2003

The unconventional and provocative film BLISS makes its debut on DVD February 11, 2003, from Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment. The daring film tells the story of two people who, though very much in love with each other, bring to their marriage enough problems to prevent them from having a fulfilling sex life.

Academy Award nominated Terrance Stamp (Billy Budd) stars as Baltazar, a sex therapist who operates just inside the law in his attempt to cure Maria (Sheryl Lee), a newly married young woman, whose abusive past prevents her from experiencing wedded bliss with her husband Joseph (Craig Sheffer). Written and directed by Lance Young, the movie traces the emotionally volatile Maria's attempts to live through the tensions of passion by faking her sexual satisfaction with her understanding and patient husband. When the dynamics of their relationship stir painful and long hidden recollections of Maria's abuse by her father, the couple's relationship begins to disintegrate.

To save their marriage, they seek traditional psychological counseling with Alfred (Spalding Gray), but before long Maria embarks on a more unconventional path with sexual therapist Baltazar (Terrance Stamp).It's not long before Joseph feels threatened by Maria's sexual surrogate. Out of love for his wife, Joseph finds himself a willing participant in the unconventional healing. The result is a film that thoughtfully and compassionately presents sex openly between two people whose love overcomes childhood traumas.

A 1997 release, BLISS was written and directed by Lance Young and stars Craig Sheffer, Sheryl Lee, Terrence Stamp, Spaulding Gray and Leigh Taylor-Young. Executive producer is Matthew O'Connor, with Allyn Stewart, producer and Lisa Towers co-producer.

Rated for graphic sex scenes with strong sex-related dialogue and for language. A Triumph Films presentation of a Stewart Pictures presentation.

"BLISS" DVD:

 

LEGENDARY STAR MEL BROOKS DELIVERS A BARREL OF LAUGHS WHILE PROVING LIFE STINKS IN MGM HOME ENTERTAINMENT'S COMEDY PROMOTION

BANK SHOT, BASIC TRAINING, HOW TO BEAT THE HIGH COST OF LIVING, MAXIE, THE METEOR MAN, MR. NORTH And WAITING FOR THE LIGHT Debut On DVD February 18th For $14.95 Each

MGM Home Entertainment presents outrageously funny, laugh out-loud films in its Comedy Promotion, arriving on DVD February 18. The collection features LIFE STINKS, the "mad-as-hell, yet utterly sweet comedy" (Entertainment Today) starring acclaimed actor/writer/director Mel Brooks. The DVD includes an audio commentary with Mel Brooks, Rudy De Luca and Steve Haberman as well as a "Does Life Really Stink?" featurette. Other titles in the collection are THE METEOR MAN, BANK SHOT, BASIC TRAINING, HOW TO BEAT THE HIGH COST OF LIVING, MAXIE, MR. NORTH and WAITING FOR THE LIGHT. All titles feature the original theatrical trailers and are available on DVD for $14.95 each.

All titles are closed captioned and the pre-order date is January 21.

LIFE STINKS

Multi-billionaire Goddard Bolt (Mel Brooks) makes a deal that changes his life. To gain the right to build over a ghetto, he must survive on its impoverished streets penniless for 30 days. But when he discovers what life is like on the streets, it takes the charity of a feisty bag lady (Lesley Ann Warren) and a newly found appreciation for the best things in life to show him the true meaning of "filthy rich."

THE METEOR MAN

A mild-mannered teacher, Jefferson Reed (Robert Townsend) would rather run than fight until he's hit by a strange meteor that gives him superhuman abilities. When a gang begins terrorizing his family and neighbors, Jefferson dons his homemade spandex suit and takes them on in a war of wit and super powers to save his `hood.

BANK SHOT

Fresh from his recent jailbreak, criminal mastermind Walter Ballantine (George C. Scott) is already plotting his next bank heist. Beset by a hapless crew, a lusty backer and an overzealous prison warden, Ballantine soon discovers that when your getaway vehicle is the bank itself, it pays to be America's most driven criminal!

BASIC TRAINING

After landing a job at the Pentagon, Melinda (Ann Dusenberry) learns that her country is in deep defensive trouble because her bosses are engaging in their own sort of arms race ...to get their arms around every subordinate sweetie they see! Melinda decides to get down and dirty with the military brass to save the world from premature extermination.

HOW TO BEAT THE HIGH COST OF LIVING

Jane (Susan Saint James), Elaine (Jane Curtin) and Louise (Jessica Lange) are on the verge of a financial breakdown. To solve their problems, they decide to steal a ball full of money from a display at their local mall. Will they become the greatest mall-busters in history... or just get mall-busted by security instead?

MAXIE

Newlyweds Jan (Glenn Close) and Nick (Mandy Patinkin) have just bought their first home when they realize there's someone else on the deed. The spirit of a former resident, a 1920s flapper named Maxie, plans to takeover Jan's body. Can Jan remain unflappable throughout Maxie's attempts. . . or will everything she's worked for simply be repossessed?

MR. NORTH

Yale graduate Theophilus North (Anthony Edwards) settles in Newport, Rhode Island and charms the elite with his ability to heal with an unusual energy that flows from his fingertips. But as North gains the reputation of a savior, a local doctor labels him a charlatan. Suddenly he must defend his honor before his unique talent sparks a backlash that lands him in jail.

WAITING FOR THE LIGHT

when single mom Kay Harris (Teri Garr) inherits a failing diner, her eccentric Aunt Z (Shirley MacLaine) attempts to liven things up with a `ghostly' practical joke. But when Z suddenly suffers a stroke and her spirited prank is mistaken by the townspeople for a spiritual vision, Kay discovers that it will take a real miracle to bring her family and community back together.

 

MGM HOME ENTERTAINMENT PRESENTS ELEPHANT-SIZED FAMILY FUN WITH JOEY & LARGER THAN LIFE

On February 4, JOEY And LARGER THAN LIFE Debut on DVD For Just $14.95 Each

Animal friendly adventures for the entire family arrive from MGM Home Entertainment with JOEY and LARGER THAN LIFE, debuting on DVD on February 4. Co-starring Ed Begley, Jr., JOEY features amazing animals, beautiful scenery and a positive message about friendship and love. Touted as "a family film that will amuse adults as much as it entertains children" by Gannett News, LARGER THAN LIFE offers a trunkful of love, laughter and excitement. Available for $14.95 each, both DVDs feature the original theatrical trailer.  Both titles are closed captioned.

JOEY

Billy McGregor (Jaime Croft) lives on a ranch in the wild, rugged Australian Outback with his parents and lots of animals, including a baby kangaroo named Joey. But when Joey's parents are kidnapped by poachers, Bill and the little `roo must board a train for the big city to attempt a daring rescue that has the entire nation cheering them on!

LARGER THAN LIFE

Jack Corcoran's (Bill Murray) father, a former circus clown, leaves Jack with a big inheritance. But when Jack learns that the large legacy is Vera, an 8,000-pound elephant, he decides to sell her to a buyer 3,000 miles away. Jack ventures out on an outrageous cross-country journey with one lovelorn elephant and encounters crazy truck drivers and hilarious run-ins with the law.

 

CHARLES BRONSON AND PATRICK SWAYZE DOMINATE MGM HOME ENTERTAINMENT'S ACTION PROMOTION

Charles Bronson Hits DVD With 10 TO MIDNIGHT. ASSASSINATION, KINJITE: FORBIDDEN SUBJECTS, MESSENGER OF DEATH, MURPHY'S LAW, MR. MAJESTYK And A Killer Four-Disc Gift Set

Patrick Swayze's ROAD HOUSE Explodes Onto DVD On February 4th

MGM Home Entertainment bursts into action on February 4th with nine power-packed films in its Action Promotion. Premiering on DVD, each title hits the shelves for a killer price of $14.95. Starring action superstar Patrick Swayze, the Action Promotion features the smash hit ROAD HOUSE, one of MGM's top-requested titles of all time. For the ultimate Bronson fan, 10 TO MIDNIGHT, ASSASSINATION, KINJITE: FORBIDDEN SUBJECTS, MESSENGER OF DEATH, MURPHY'S LAW, MR. MAJESTYK debut on DVD, in addition to a four disc gift set which will be available for $54.96. Other action titles include Charlie Sheen's NO MAN'S LAND and Mickey Rourke's A PRAYER FOR THE DYING. All titles include the original theatrical trailer. 

ROAD HOUSE

One of MGM's top-requested titles! Patrick Swayze stars as a famous bouncer who comes to Jasper, Missouri to bring order to the Double Deuce bar.

A PRAYER FOR THE DYING

Mickey Rourke delivers "his finest performance to date" (L.A. Weekly) in this tale of a tormented IRA assassin whose only ray of salvation may be in the man he's been sent to kill.

NO MAN'S LAND

Charlie Sheen headlines this pedal-to-the-metal thriller about an undercover cop who is tempted to join the dark forces that he's been sent to bring down.

10 TO MIDNIGHT

Charles Bronson is "a hero all the way" (Vane as a rogue cop pursuing a deranged killer in this action-packed suspense thriller. Serving up vigilante justice as only he can, Bronson delivers one of his most riveting performances in this "exceedingly well-made" (Gene Siskel) film.

ASSASSINATION

Hard-hitting action, cross-country adventure... and a government conspiracy that goes all the way to the top! In this pulse-pounding political thriller, action superstar Charles Bronson is at his rugged best as a man on a mission to protect the First Lady from ruthless assassins who'll stop at nothing to kill her!

KINJITE: FORBIDDEN SUBJECTS

Action superstar Charles Bronson is at his two-fisted best in this gritty, action-packed thriller about a cop hell-bent on wiping out a vicious child prostitution ring.

MESSENGER OF DEATH

In a sleepy Colorado town, a horrific crime has been committed... and only one man can bring the killer to justice! Action hero Charles Bronson stars as a crime reporter on a relentless search for the truth in this "crisply directed" (Los Angeles Times) suspense thriller!

MURPHY'S LAW

A killer on a rampage learns the hard way: "Don't mess with Jack Murphy!" Charles Bronson plays the ultimate vigilante in this thrilling game of hide-and-seek between a clever psychopath and a lone lawman hell-bent on reaping justice.

MR. MAJESTYK

Cinema's most rugged tough guy, Charles Bronson, threads his uncompromising coolness through a tight weave of car chases, shootouts and bare-knuckle brawling in this gritty, "forceful action film" (L.A. Herald Examiner)!

CHARLES BRONSON GIFT SET

 

12/18/02

DYNE-O-MITE! GOOD TIMES-- THE FIRST SEASON OF NORMAN LEAR'S 70S TELEVISION HIT COMEDY DEBUTS ON DVD ON FEBRUARY 4, 2003 AS A 2-DISC SET

On February 4, the good times roll again when Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment releases the first season of the 70's hit comedy, GOOD TIMES. Starring Emmy-award winning Esther Rolle as the strong, loving yet sharp-tongued mother, Emmy-nominated John Amos as the dignified father and Jimmy Walker as the fast-talking son whose catch phrase "Dyne-O-Mite" captured the age. The legendary Norman Lear produced this TV series.

GOOD TIMES was that rare hit show which was a spin-off of a spin-off (TV's "All in the Family which begat "Maude" which begat GOOD TIMES). The CBS comedy aired for five high-rated seasons (1974 - 1979), altering America's cultural landscape by tackling topical, often-controversial issues from a uniquely African-American perspective, while delivering

heart-warming laughs.

The Evans clan is a poor but proud family in Chicago and includes mom Florida (Rolle) and dad James (Amos), their sons jive-talking J.J. (Walker) and Michael (Ralph Carter) and daughter (Bernadette Stanis). They struggled against adversity while keeping their heads held high, striking a chord with audiences of all colors. An interesting side bar is that both David Letterman and Jay Leno served as contributing writers! Yes. Life at the Evans home was never boring.

The first season of this trail-blazing program is now on a 2-disc DVD, which includes the following episodes:

"GOOD TIMES" DVD SPECIFICATIONS

 

JEAN RENO MICHEL MULLER RYOKO HIROSUE STAR IN WASABI -- A PERFECT COCKTAIL OF BLISTERING ACTION WITH A HILARIOUS TWIST DEBUTS ON DVD FEBRUARY 11

On February 11, Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment will debut legendary action filmmaker Luc Besson's (The Professional, The Fifth Element) WASABI on DVD and video. WASABI is a hilarious high-impact adventure starring Jean Reno (Godzilla, Mission Impossible) as Hubert, a burly French cop traveling to Japan to settle an old debt.

Jean Reno heads an ensemble of international cast which includes Michel Muller (French TV's Nulle Part Ailleurs) and Japan's superstar Ryoko Hirosue. Writer/producer Luc Besson, one of France's most heralded directors and producers, offered Gerard Krawczyk the director's chair for WASABI.

Synopsis

With his old-school tactics and pit-bull disposition, police detective Hubert Fiorentini (Reno) is all business. But his routine existence is disrupted when he learns the only woman he ever loved is dead. Summoned to Tokyo to settle her estate, he soon suspects her death was no accident. When he discovers that he is the father of her spirited teenaged daughter, things really get complicated. WASABI is a Europa Corp production in association with Samitose and TFI Films. Written and produced by Luc Besson. Directed by Gerard Krawczyk.

"WASABI" DVD:

Digitally Mastered Audio & Anamorphic Video

 

THE FAST RUNNER-- WINNER OF 2001 GOLDEN CAMERA AWARDS AT CANNES FILM FESTIVAL, 2001 NEW DIRECTOR'S AWARD AT EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL AND WINNER OF BEST CANADIAN FEATURE FILM AT THE TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL WILL DEBUT ON DVD FEBRUARY 11, 2003

On February 11, 2003, one of the most acclaimed films of the year, THE FAST RUNNER, will debut on DVD and videocassette February 11, 2003. THE FAST RUNNER is an extraordinary, triumphant experience, set amongst the lnuit people of the Arctic.

Directed by Zacharias Kunuk, the sublimely beautiful film is a thrilling, passionate story exploring the universal themes of love, revenge and survival. The video of THE FAST RUNNER is priced for rental, the DVD will be available for $27.95 SLP. When an unknown shaman curses a small nomadic community, the curse is still felt years later. Atanarjuat falls in love with Atuat, a woman already promised to the son of the clan's leader. In a fight, she is won by Atanarjuat causing vengeful clan leader Oki to plot an attack on Atanarjuat and his brother in their sleep. Atanarjuat manage to escape, running across the ice, embarking on a harrowing adventure to survive in the brutal wilderness. THE FAST RUNNER, Atanarjuat's journey ends when he returns, stronger and wiser, to claim his life and stop the curse that has divided his people.

The film stars Natar Ungalaad, Syvia Ivalu, Peter-Henry Arnatsiaq and Lucy Tulugarjuk. Produced by Igloolik Isuma Productions in co-production with Film Board of Canada. Directed by Zacharias Kunuk.

"THE FAST RUNNER" DVD

 

12/15/02

MADONNA ADRIANO GIANNINI STAR IN THE MOST INCREDIBLE LOVE STORY OF THE YEAR-- SWEPT AWAY

Debuts on DVD February 11, 2003

On February 11, 2003 acclaimed director/screenwriter Guy Ritchie (Snatch, Lock, Stock, Two Smoking Barrels) and Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment will debut a contemporary adaptation of Lina Wertmuller's 1974 romantic comedy SWEPT AWAY on DVD and videocassette. Starring Madonna and Adriano Giannini in a story of love, sex and too much money - all set against the backdrop of a spectacular Mediterranean Island paradise. The video of SWEPT AWAY is priced for rental, the DVD will be available for $24.95 SLP.

SWEPT AWAY delves into the unpredictable and intriguing lives of Amber (Madonna, The Next Best Thing, Evita) a rich, spoiled socialite and Giuseppe (Giannini, Pasqualino Settebellezze) a handsome Italian fisherman who find themselves stranded on a deserted island where matters of materical wealth and class disparity are meaningless. And in their struggle to survive and coexist in their paradise found, they soon discover that their dramatic difference are suddenly the source of a fierce, passionate and sometimes hilarious animal attraction.

In SWEPT AWAY Madonna heads a talented ensemble cast including Bruce Greenwood (Thirteen Days), Jeanne Tripplehorn (Mickey Blue Eyes) and Elizabeth Banks (Spider-Man) with Michael Beattie and David Thornton.

A Screen Gems and Ska Films production. Produced by Matthew Vaughn. Co- produced by Adam Bohling and David Reid. Screenplay and directed by Guy Ritchie.

"SWEPT AWAY" DVD:

 

SANFORD & SON: THE SECOND SEASON THREE-DISC BOXED SET COMES TO DVD ON FEBRUARY 4, 2003

SANFORD & SON: THE SECOND SEASON makes its DVD debut on Feb. 4 in a three-disc boxed set from Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment. Now, audiences can experience the unique Golden Globe winner Redd Foxx who spent five seasons chronicling the misadventures of cantankerous junk dealer Fred Sanford (Foxx), his nonplused son Lamont (Demond Wilson) and the residents who lived near 9114 South Central in Los Angeles. The new three-disc DVD boxed set includes 24 episodes from the comedy’s second season on TV.

SANFORD AND SON debuted on CBS as a mid-season replacement, and quickly caught hold with viewers, who were delighted by the gruff, slightly bawdy Fred Sanford and the cast of characters that populated the show, which was produced by Bud Yorkin and by Tandem Productions - producer Norman Lear's company that was also responsible for bringing "All In the Family" and "The Jeffersons" to the American public.

The unforgettable ensemble cast led by Foxx, along with a jaunty theme song by Quincy Jones, resulted in a smash hit that fit perfectly with the adult-oriented comedies that filled the airwaves in the early 1970s. SANFORD AND SON remained on the air until 1977, and was nominated for seven Emmy awards during its five-year run. The new DVD release marks the first time that the second season has been available as a single boxed set, and offers each episode in an uncut format that showcases the episodes as they were originally presented.

SANFORD AND SON DVD

 

FROM AWARD-WINNING TELEVISION PRODUCER NORMAN LEAR COMES: ALL IN THE FAMILY - THE COMPLETE COLLECTION OF CLASSIC EPISODES FROM THE SECOND SEASON

Comes to DVD in a Three-Disc Set on February 4, 2003

Carroll O'connor, Jean Stapleton, Rob Reiner and Sally Struthers Star In This Groundbreaking Comedy

On February 4, 2003, Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment will release first time ever on DVD ALL IN THE FAMILY - THE COMPLETE SECOND SEASON.

From one of television's pioneering creators, Norman Lear (One Day at a Time, Sanford and Son, Maude, The Jeffersons), comes one of the most beloved families in television history, the Bunkers, starring Carroll O'Connor as Archie, Jean Stapleton as Edith, Rob Reiner as Mike "Meathead" Stivic and Sally Struthers as Gloria. Television was changed forever the night of January 12, 1971, when the premiere episode of ALL IN THE FAMILY debuted.

The show's central character, Archie Bunker, is a working-class family man who holds bigoted, conservative views of the world. His viewpoints clash with nearly everyone with whom he comes into contact, especially his liberal son-in-law Mike Stivic (or, as Archie delights in calling him, "Meathead"). The two disagree about nearly everything: politics, minorities, sex, religion, economics, war, gun control, crime, free speech, women's rights, morality, philosophy and (so it seems) life in general. Archie's daughter, Gloria, often (but not always) sides with Mike, while his saintly wife, Edith, is the rock that holds the family together. Edith is as friendly, reserved, considerate and open-minded as Archie is bigoted, loud, rude and closed-minded; however, the love and faithfulness between them is undeniable.

During the course of its remarkable eight-year run, ALL IN THE FAMILY was nominated for an amazing 48 Emmy Awards, taking home 20 trophies with multiple wins for all of the lead characters as well as three wins for Outstanding Comedy Series. Numerous spin-off series resulted from ALL IN THE FAMILY including the very successful Maude and The Jeffersons.

DVD ELEMENTS INCLUDE:

 

OSCAR® WINNERS DAY FOR NIGHT, A MAN AND A WOMAN AND AKIRA KUROSAWA’S DREAMS DEBUT ON DVD MARCH 18 FROM WARNER HOME VIDEO

In this season of honoring the year’s best films, Warner Home Video is proud to introduce three internationally acclaimed award-winners on DVD March 18. Three incomparable foreign film greats -- AKIRA KUROSAWA’S DREAMS, François Truffaut’s DAY FOR NIGHT and Claude Lelouch’s A MAN AND A WOMAN -- will make their DVD debuts complete with vintage and new bonus features. All titles will be available for just $19.98 SRP.

DAY FOR NIGHT explores the Art of Making Films

This DVD of François Truffaut’s lavish comedy-drama is being introduced to honor the film’s 30th anniversary. Lauded internationally with multiple awards, including an Academy Award® for Best Foreign Language Film (1973), this French film masterpiece speaks the language of everyone who loves movies. Truffaut himself plays a director in this film about film making, and Jean-Pierre Léaud (The 400 Blows) appears as an inexperienced co-star opposite leading lady Jacqueline Bisset. The Los Angeles Times’ Kenneth Turan called the film about the production of a movie "a heartful homage to the joy and pain of [filmmaking]. There are so many memorable moments!" With an all-new digital transfer, the film includes the following special features:

 

A MAN AND A WOMAN: a Classic Romance and One of the Most Memorable Film Scores of All Time by Francis Lai

This classic from director Claude Lelouch (And Now…Ladies and Gentlemen) won two Academy Awards® for Best Foreign Language Film and Best Original Screenplay, as well as Golden Globes® for Best Foreign Film and for its leading lady Anouk Aimée and the Palme D’Or at the Cannes Film Festival. Film critic and historian Leonard Maltin said of the film, "[It’s] one of the 1960’s most popular love stories thanks to an intelligent script, winning performances, innovative direction and camerawork." The film is a tender, visually exciting film of revitalizing love: a race car driver (Jean-Louis Trintignant) and a movie script girl (Aimée) share a romance filled with humor and truth, intertwined with the demands of career and parenthood. Much of the film is told wordlessly with action, or through hearing one of the couple’s thoughts as they go about their day. Visually enhanced with all-new digital transfers, this beloved and critically acclaimed film is packed with extras.

Special features include:

AKIRA KUROSAWA’S DREAMS from an Honorary Academy Award®-Winning Dream Director

Considered one of the most visionary and deeply personal works in the 60-year career of the master behind Rashomon, The Seven Samurai and Ran, AKIRA KUROSAWA’S DREAMS features eight episodes rich in imagery and insight based on actual dreams of the late Japanese director. The film explores the costs of war, the perils of nuclear power and humankind’s need to harmonize with nature. Vincent Canby of The New York Times called the film "astonishingly beautiful! Pure screen enchantment." The DVD is enhanced with all-new digital transfers.

BABY GENIUS HITS A HIGH NOTE IN DEVELOPMENTAL ENTERTAINMENT WITH TWO DVD DEBUTS FROM WARNER HOME VIDEO FEBRUARY 4

San Diego Zoo Sweepstakes Adds Extra Excitement as UNDERWATER ADVENTURES and FAVORITE NURSERY RHYMES Arrive on VHS, and MOZART AND FRIENDS and A TRIP TO THE SAN DIEGO ZOO Debut on DVD

On February 4, Warner Home Video (WHV) presents two all-new BABY GENIUS developmental entertainment titles for infants and toddlers. Debuting on VHS are Underwater Adventures, a charming musical journey to an exotic underwater world, and Favorite Nursery Rhymes, which introduces those well-known rhyming songs we all recognize as childhood favorites. Current BABY GENIUS favorites Mozart and Friends and A Trip to the San Diego Zoo are being released for the first time on DVD. Each new DVD contains two complete video segments as well as a 16 classical song jukebox, interactive teaching activities and musical helper teach-alongs. The DVDs will sell for just $19.98 SRP and the VHS for $14.95 SRP.

In celebration of these new releases, BABY GENIUS and WHV are conducting a sweepstakes offering a grand prize of a trip to the San Diego Zoo and Wild Animal Park for a family of four, plus $500 spending money.

PRAISE FOR BABY GENIUS

The award-winning BABY GENIUS series – produced by Genius Products, Inc., a leader in infant/toddler audio and video entertainment – combines classical music, animation and live-action imagery to introduce children ages 3 months to 3 years to such concepts as colors, shapes, letters and the wonders of nature.

The BABY GENIUS series has won recognition for its excellence from Kids First! ®, Parents’ Choice, the Film Advisory Board, Minnesota Public Radio and several