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December 2003 Headlines 

12/29/03

FROM TV LEGEND AARON SPELLING COMES ONE OF THE COOLEST TV COP SHOWS EVER: STARSKY & HUTCH: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON-- FIVE-DISC DVD COLLECTION FEATURING ALL 22 EPISODES INCLUDING THE ORIGINAL PILOT EPISODE - APPROXIMATELY 20 HOURS OF RETRO 70'S ACTION PREMIERING ON DVD MARCH 2

Roaring onto small screens in their souped-up Ford Torino, STARSKY & HUTCH became one of the most popular and hippest buddy cop series ever. Timed for release with the much-anticipated new theatrical film adaptation of the classic TV series starring Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson and Snoop Dogg, Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment will debut STARSKY & HUTCH: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON on an action- packed five-disc DVD set featuring all 22 classic cop show episodes including the original pilot episode, available for the first time together at the collectible price of $49.94 SRP.

Fueled by full-throttle car chases, off-beat humor, hip 70s fashions, colorful characters and the infamous red hot rod, STARSKY & HUTCH brought the gritty realism and sheer excitement of the "Dirty Harry" movies to the small screen in 1975 on ABC, captivating audiences for four seasons. Starring ultra-cool Paul Michael Glaser and David Soul as a pair of unorthodox, streetwise detectives and executive produced by Emmy? Award-winning TV veteran Aaron Spelling, the show was nominated for a Golden Globe? Award for Best Dramatic TV series. STARSKY & HUTCH: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON also features episodes with special guest appearances by Suzanne Somers and John Ritter.

Though complete character personality opposites of each other, STARSKY & HUTCH developed an engaging camaraderie to become the ultimate crime-busting undercover partners and forged the way for buddy cop series such as "CHiPs" and "Simon & Simon" in the years to come. Set in the fictional city of Bay City, STARSKY & HUTCH tackled the toughest cases in town, full of pimps, muggers, dope pushers and big-time hoodlums, with the help of their jive- talking informant Huggy Bear (Antonio Fargas) - never afraid to bend the rules, but always catching the criminals.

Episodes featured on STARSKY & HUTCH: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON include:

STARSKY & HUTCH: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON DVD:

 

HUSTLE AND HEAT-- DEBUTING MARCH 2 ON DVD .

Gritty Urban Cop Thriller Starring Vivica A. Fox, Duane Martin, Gabrielle Union and Hip-Hop Superstar Jadakiss. From Executive Producers Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith

A stylish, explosive thriller set in the dangerous and corrupt world of hip-hop music, HUSTLE AND HEAT stars sexy Vivica A. Fox (Kill Bill Vol. 1, Two Can Play That Game), Duane Martin (Deliver Us From Eva, Scream 2), Gabrielle Union (Bad Boys II, Bring It On) and rap sensation Jadakiss, premiering on DVD and videocassette March 2 from Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment.

HUSTLE AND HEAT tells the story of private investigator "Rad" McCrae (Martin) and his munitions expert partner Lisa (Fox) as they try to find the killer of Rad's boyhood friend Benjamin (Jadakiss), a promising rapper who the police say committed suicide. Upon meeting Benji's late wife, the intriguing Venus (Meagan Good - Biker Boyz, Friday), Rad is convinced his friend has been murdered and promises to find the killer and avenge Benji's death. As Rad and Lisa's investigation takes them through the hip hop music scene, confronting various record label owners, attorneys, rappers, and video directors, they eventually take on mega-powerful record exec B Free (Michael "Bear" Taliferro - Half Past Dead, Armageddon). Within his organization they discover a web of drug-dealing and violence that may have led to Benji's demise. After a series of thrilling shoot-outs and action sequences, the dynamic duo of Rad and Lisa are caught in a mind-blowing climax filled with unexpected twists and turns.

A sophisticated hip-hop murder mystery directed by Craig Ross Jr. (Motive), HUSTLE AND HEAT was written by Duane Martin and Jay Wolcott and features original music performed by Jadakiss.

HUSTLE AND HEAT DVD:

 

RED WATER-- DEBUTING MARCH 9 ON DVD .

Terror Runs Deep in the Nerve-Rattling Suspense Thriller Starring Lou Diamond Phillips, Kristy Swanson and Hip-Hop Sensation Coolio

Fear strikes where you least expect it in the suspenseful and frightening tradition of Jaws with the intense thriller RED WATER, starring Lou Diamond Phillips (Wolf Lake, Stark Raving Mad), Kristy Swanson (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Big Daddy), Dennis Haskins (TVs "Saved by the Bell") and mega-hit recording artist Coolio (Batman & Robin, Gangland), now debuting March 9 on DVD and videocassette from Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment.

In RED WATER, river boatman John Sanderson (Phillips) is reunited with his ex-wife wife Kelli (Swanson) to find themselves working together with a group of off-shore oil drillers searching for a natural gas source in a Louisiana bayou river. Their plans are derailed, however, when their boat is hijacked by a pair of ruthless criminals (Coolio and Unforgiven's Jaimz Woolvett) searching for stolen drug money dropped in the river. Making recovery of the money even more difficult is the arrival of a carnivorous bull shark, the only known shark able to thrive in both salt and fresh water, wreaking havoc and attacking anything that enters the murky river. Forced by the thieves into the dangerous waters to retrieve the stolen money, John squares off with both the aquatic killing machine and the dangerous criminals in a terrifying climax.

Featuring original music by Grammy and MTV Music Award winner Coolio, RED WATER is a nail-biting, effects-filled thriller about the struggle for survival that originally aired on TBS Superstation to high ratings with over 12 million viewers.

DVD SPECIAL FEATURES INCLUDE:

 

THE SLUGGER’S WIFE-- NEW TO DVD ON MARCH 9 .

Charming Romantic Comedy about Love, Baseball and Rock n' Roll from Academy Award®-Nominated Writer Neil Simon Starring Rebecca De Mornay and Michael O'Keefe

When a young power-hitting baseball player falls in love with a beautiful rock singer, it seems like the perfect combination of two of America's favorite pastimes ... or is it? Award-winning playwright Neil Simon (The Odd Couple, The Goodbye Girl) hits a home run with the endearing love story THE SLUGGER’S WIFE starring sexy Rebecca De Mornay (The Hand that Rocks the Cradle, Identity), Michael O'Keefe (The Hot Chick, Caddyshack) and Randy Quaid (Kingpin, Independence Day), debuting on DVD March 9 from Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment.

Darryl Porter (O'Keefe) is an outfielder for the Atlanta Braves whose career is altered radically for the better when rock singer Debbie Palmer (De Mornay) enters his life and inspires him to greatness. But all is not rosy, as Debby finds that the more time she spends as "THE SLUGGER’S WIFE," the more she misses her other true love - her music. Debby, torn between her love for Darryl and her career, decides to return to the stage. Her decision causes Darryl to fall into a batting slump that threatens the Braves' chance at winning the pennant and also threatens their marriage.

With an eclectic soundtrack executive produced by music legend Quincy Jones featuring songs by Prince, Bruce Springsteen, Jimmy Buffet, Neil Young and others, THE SLUGGER’S WIFE is a bittersweet screen romance of a couple with careers in conflict.

THE SLUGGER’S WIFE DVD:

 

12/17/03

MPI ANNOUNCES THE SHERLOCK HOLMES COLLECTION VOLUME THREE ON DVD JANUARY 27, 2004

Restored by the UCLA Film and Television Archive in 35MM And Digitally Remastered!

THE SHERLOCK HOLMES COLLECTION VOLUME THREE starring Basil Rathbone as the venerable detective and Nigel Bruce as his steadfast associate, Dr. Watson, will be released on January 27, 2004. The films in the Sherlock Holmes series have undergone a lengthy preservation process to be restored to their original 35mm theatrical condition by the UCLA Film and Television Archive.

THE SHERLOCK HOLMES COLLECTION VOLUME THREE includes these classics: SHERLOCK HOLMES THE WOMAN IN GREEN (1945), SHERLOCK HOLMES IN PURSUIT TO ALGIERS (1945), SHERLOCK HOLMES TERROR BY NIGHT (1946) and SHERLOCK HOLMES DRESSED TO KILL (1946). Each title is available as a single disc or boxed set collection.

DVD extras are included on THE SHERLOCK HOLMES COLLECTION VOLUME THREE DVD collection only. They include an audio commentary over the SHERLOCK HOLMES THE WOMAN IN GREEN with renowned British author David Stuart Davies, rare footage of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, production notes with Richard Valley, editor-in-chief of Scarlet Street magazine and a photo gallery with original movie posters.

While the films have long been staples on television, and more recently on VHS, they have usually been from 16mm prints. Grainy and faded, these versions gave only a vague approximation of the pictorial beauty the films possessed in 35mm. In restoring the series, UCLA combined the original nitrate film elements that with later acetate film copies, creating new preservation masters that mimic the look and sound of the original films as closely as today’s technology permits. These restored versions include war bond tags and Universal Pictures logos that were removed from the original printing elements when Universal sold the series to an independent distributor in the 1950’s.

SHERLOCK HOLMES THE WOMAN IN GREEN

SHERLOCK HOLMES TERROR BY NIGHT

SHERLOCK HOLMES DRESSED TO KILL

SHERLOCK HOLMES IN PURSUIT TO ALGIERS

THE SHERLOCK HOLMES COLLECTION VOLUME THREE  

 

JUST SIT RIGHT BACK AND WATCH THE TALE OF THE SEVEN STRANDED CASTAWAYS AS GILLIGAN’S ISLAND: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON CRUISES ONTO DVD

36 DIGITALLY REMASTERED EPISODES PLUS THE LOST PILOT EPISODE OF THE CLASSIC TV SERIES CELEBRATING ITS 40TH ANNIVERSARY IN AN ALL-NEW 3-DISC COLLECTOR'S SET

Highly Anticipated DVD Includes a Boatload of Special Features Including the Rare Pilot Episode, Tropical Tidbits, a GILLIGAN’S ISLAND Survival Guide and More!

On February 3, the SS Minnow washes ashore on an all-new DVD from Warner Home Video (WHV). Take a nostalgic island journey with your favorite castaways Gilligan, the Skipper, the millionaire and his wife, the movie star, the Professor and Mary Ann as the popular television series marks its 40TH anniversary with a debut on a collectible 3-disc box set. This special collector's DVD includes a cargo of special features such as the rarely seen pilot episode, tropical trivia tidbits, a GILLIGAN’S ISLAND survival guide and more. GILLIGAN’S ISLAND: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON will be available on DVD for $39.98

A three-hour tour? No way! Not when you have all 36 digitally re-mastered Season One episodes of GILLIGAN’S ISLAND and the lost-at-sea Pilot episode with different cast members! The SS Minnow first sailed into living rooms on September 26, 1964, and from there, steered into legend. Certainly much credit for the show's three-year run and amazing afterlife goes to the remarkable cast whose characters managed to endure life on the island while never losing their comic timing. Why did the Howells, Ginger and Maryann take all their luggage on a three hour tour? Which episode features a very young Kurt Russell? What were Gilligan and the Professor's first names? Bravo to Bob Denver, Alan Hale, Jim Backus, Natalie Schaefer, Tina Louise, Russell Johnson and Dawn Wells. It's a joy to be stranded with them time and again - here on Gilligan's Isle.

Smooth-sailing DVD special features include:

"Warner Home Video is thrilled that we're not only releasing our first classic episodic title on DVD but that it's GILLIGAN’S ISLAND, a pop culture icon and one of the greatest television series of all times," said Rosemary Markson, WHV Executive Director TV Marketing. "Who wouldn't want GILLIGAN’S ISLAND in their DVD collection? It's a timeless series that has been watched and enjoyed by all generations and it's a title that all consumers, young and old can relate to."

The enduring comedy of GILLIGAN’S ISLAND has appealed to fans of all ages since the first episode aired in 1964. The beloved characters have gone on to capture the hearts of millions, providing audiences with entertaining family programming during its initial run on CBS and now as a highly rated program on cable television. In 2004, GILLIGAN’S ISLAND will celebrate its 40TH anniversary and still remains one of the finest examples of classic American television to date.

GILLIGAN’S ISLAND: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON

EPISODE SYNOPSES

Pilot: Ginger, Maryann and the Professor are different people. Mary-Ann's name is Bunny and her character is more like the current Ginger. Ginger is more like Mary-Ann but still called Ginger. The Professor is very much a ladies man. Since the episode never aired, the show was drastically altered, characters were replaced and so was the now, unforgettable theme song.

Episode 1: "Two on a Raft" - This is the episode that started it all. The castaways find themselves marooned on the island. Gilligan and the Skipper set sail on a home-made raft in an attempt to find help. After sailing for days and battling obstacles such as sharks and Gilligan's unending hunger, they land back on GILLIGAN’S ISLAND without realizing it. When they see signs of life, they assume they are unfriendly natives. When the rest of the castaways realize there are visitors on the island they also assume they are unfriendly natives. This show introduced viewers to the hilarious mayhem that only GILLIGAN’S ISLAND could provide.

Episode 2: "Home Sweet Hut" - A hurricane is coming, so the Castaways must quickly build one large community hut in which to weather the storm. However, they soon get on each-others nerves, so they later decide to branch out and build individual huts.

Episode 3: "Voodoo Something to Me" - The Skipper fears that the island is full of 'voodoo' when he thinks that Gilligan has been turned into a monkey.

Episode 4: "Goodnight Sweet Skipper" - The castaways hear on the radio that a plane is going to be flying over their island, but they will be unable to contact them because their transmitter is broken. Gilligan overhears the Skipper dreaming about repairing a transmitter as he sleeps. The Skipper is unable to remember how he fixed the transmitter from his Navy days, so he attempts to have the dream again, but is unable to fall asleep. Each castaway attempts to help by sneaking two tranquilizers into Skippers mango juice. When Gilligan hits the transmitter out of frustration, it suddenly works! However, when he hits it again in an effort to show the other castaways how he fixed it, it falls completely apart just as the plane flies overhead.

Episode 5: "Wrongway Feldman" - When Gilligan finds an old airplane hidden in the jungle, the Castaways discover a long-forgotten aviator living on the island.

Episode 6: "President Gilligan" - The castaways decide that they need someone to be the leader on the island, and so they hold elections. Both Mr. Howell and the Skipper imagine themselves to be the natural choice to lead the Castaways in their island society. However, when the votes are counted Gilligan is elected president of the island! Just as we learned in Florida, every vote counts!

Episode 7: "The Sound of Quacking" - The Castaways are faced with running out of food, when a blight threatens to destroy many of their plants. When Gilligan finds a duck in the lagoon, a difficult decision must be made. Should they eat the duck, or tie a rescue note to it and let it fly away?

Episode 8: "Goodbye Island" - Gilligan discovers a special tree sap that can be used to make a good tasting pancake syrup. Then the professor discovers that the same tree sap also makes a super glue, that may allow the castaways to repair the Minnow. Could it be that the Castaways may finally escape from the island?

Episode 9: "The Big Gold Strike" - Mr. Howell discovers a gold mine on the island. He then hires Gilligan to work in the mine. When gold fever strikes the castaways and Mr. Howell is unwilling to share the gold, they begin to charge outlandish prices for the supplies and food that Mr. Howell needs. When the professor repairs the life raft from the Minnow, they all climb in hoping to reach civilization. However, the combined weight of the gold that everyone smuggles on-board the raft causes it to sink. Another rescue foiled!

Episode 10: "Waiting for Watubi" - While digging, the Skipper uncovers a carved statue of a Tiki God. He then believes a curse has fallen on him for disturbing the resting-place of Watubi, and that his days are numbered. Gilligan dresses up as Watubi, and performs a special ritual dance that the Skipper believes will lift the curse. It is an earth-shaking experience!

Episode 11: "Angel on the Island" - Mr. Howell decides to put on a play, staring Ginger, after she begins to suffer from home sickness. Trouble begins, however, when Mrs. Howell decides she wants to play the starring role. Mel Blanc is the voice of the parrot.

Episode 12: "Birds Gotta Fly, Fish Gotta Talk" - During Christmas, the Castaways get homesick and remember the first day they were shipwrecked. When Santa Claus "appears" on the island, many suspect he is the Skipper in costume. However, just as Santa departs while wishing the Castaways a Merry Christmas, the Skipper appears from the other direction.

Episode 13: "Three Million Dollars More or Less" - Mr. Howell loses $3 million to Gilligan in a golfing contest. Mr. Howell then tricks Gilligan into trading for a worthless oil well that he owns. When the radio announces that the oil well is a gusher, Mr. Howell sets his sites on winning it back. However, just as he succeeds in wining it back, the radio announces that the gusher was a mistake!

Episode 14: "Water Water Everywhere" - Talk about a painful irony: though surrounded by water, the Castaways suddenly discover that their supply of fresh drinking water is running out. When they pool all available drinking water together and decide to ration it, they discover that they will each receive only a few drops per day. Of course, most of the castaways sneak water from the community supply when Gilligan is standing watch, but return it when the Skipper catches them. Just when all seems lost, Gilligan saves the day!

Episode 15: "So Sorry, My Island Now" - The Castaways are captured by a Japanese sailor who thinks that WWII never ended. When the other castaways are captured, it is up to Gilligan to save them.

Episode 16: "Plant You Now, Dig You Later" - While working for Mr. Howell, Gilligan unearths a chest. The castaways think it must contain a pirate's treasure. When ownership of the chest is disputed, the case goes to court, with the Professor presiding as judge

Episode 17: "Little Island, Big Gun" - A mob leader and his henchmen, fleeing from the police, land on the island.

Episode 18: "X Marks the Spot" - In a test of a deadly new missile, called "Operation Powder Keg," the Air Force chooses an "uninhabited island" which just happens to be GILLIGAN’S ISLAND. When the rocked lands and does not explode, Gilligan is chosen to crawl inside to defuse it, because he is the only one that can fit inside.

Episode 19: "Gilligan Meets Jungle Boy" - Gilligan discovers a jungle boy living on the island. He shows them a hole in the ground that causes objects to float, and the professor theorizes that it is expelling either helium or hydrogen. He immediately sets to work building a large balloon, with the hopes of carrying one of them back to civilization. Kurt Russell is the guest star.

Episode 20: "St. Gilligan and the Dragon" - Angry because the men haven't kept their promise to build them private houses, the women decide to move to the other side of the island in protest. Gilligan and the Skipper dress as a monster, in an attempt to frighten the girls and cause them to come running back.

Episode 21: "Big Man on Little Stick" - Handsome surfer Duke Williams rides a giant tsunami to the island. At first, the castaways are excited as Duke thinks he will turn around and surf back to Hawaii (and send help). However, after seeing Mary Ann and Ginger, he decides he may want to stay for a while. The castaways must come up with a plan to make him want to leave for Hawaii.

Episode 22: "Diamonds Are an Ape's Best Friend"- A gorilla is enchanted by Mrs. Howell's perfume and kidnaps her. After Gilligan accidentally spills the perfume all over his shirt, the gorilla decides to release Mrs. Howell and exchange prisoners.

Episode 23: "How to be a Hero"- After Gilligan is unable to save Mary Ann from drowning in the lagoon, the Skipper must jump in and rescue both of them. The Castaways then devise schemes to boost Gilligan's ego, and help him feel like a hero.

Episode 24: "The Retune of Wrongway Feldman" - The castaways are revisited by 'Wrongway' Feldman.

Episode 25: "The Matchmaker" - Mrs. Howell decides to engineer a romance between Gilligan and Mary Ann.

Episode 26: "Music Hath Charm" - Mrs. Howell decides to form a symphony orchestra, to make up for the lack of culture on the island. Gilligan's drum beats, as they drift across the water, hold special meaning to angry natives on a nearby island.

Episode 27: "New Neighbor Sam" - The Castaways overhear the voices of gangsters discussing buried treasure and threatening their lives. The voices turn out to belong to a parrot, who then leads the castaways to the "treasure" .... a box of crackers!

Episode 28: "They're Off and Running" - Mr. Howell wins all of the Skipper's possessions betting on turtle races. Even when he feels bad and switches the turtles so that Skipper will finally win, he still wins!

Episode 29: "Three to Get Ready" - The Skipper insists a stone found by Gilligan will grant the finder three wishes before sundown. The professor, of course, insists it is just superstition. Two gallons of ice cream later, Gilligan has only one wish left.....and the sun is going down!

Episode 30: "Forget Me Not" -The Professor tries to cure the Skipper's amnesia by hypnotizing him and taking him through time.

Episode 31: "Diogenes, Won't You Please Go Home" - The Castaways discover that Gilligan has been keeping a secret diary. When they read it, they all seem to disagree with how certain events unfolded and tell their side of the story.

Episode 32: "Physical Fatness" - Gilligan and the Skipper plan to join the Navy when they are rescued. However, when weighing themselves, they discover that Gilligan must gain weight, while the Skipper must diet.

Episode 33: "It's Magic" - Gilligan finds a raft, oh wait, no, the Great Raftini's magic trunk. Ginger knows how to use the magical tricks and the castaways plan to use the magic to scare away angry natives if they ever got to their island again. But Gilligan overhears the castaways saying he was bad luck, so he takes advantage of the disappearing trunk trick to leave and live alone in a cave.

Episode 34: "Goodbye Old Paint" - A famous painter who has renounced civilization, Dubov, visits the island (with a short-wave radio, of course). The castaways are hopeful that Dubov will give them his transmitter, but soon discover he does not wish to go back to civilization. They must come up with a scheme to make him change his mind, and attempt to make him jealous by pretending Gilligan is an artistic genius.

Episode 35: "My Fair Gilligan" - After Gilligan saves Mrs. Howell's life, Mr. Howell decides to make him his son. He immediately puts Gilligan through basic training to be a millionaire's socialite son (dream sequence), changing the way he walks, talks and dresses. However, Gilligan and the rest of the castaways miss the "old Gilligan."

Episode 36: "A Nose By Any Other Name" - A fall from a coconut tree gives Gilligan an inflated nose and a deflated ego. When Gilligan decides he wants the Professor to perform plastic surgery on his nose, the Professor pretends to perform the surgery, and instead, relies on the recuperation time behind the bandages to allow the swelling to go down. When the bandages are finally removed, Gilligan decides he is happy with his old nose!

NOTE: This is the final episode filmed in black and white.

 

WARNER HOME VIDEO ANNOUNCES THE CHAPLIN COLLECTION: VOLUME 2-- THE KID, THE CIRCUS, CITY LIGHTS, A KING IN NEW YORK, A WOMAN OF PARIS, MONSIEUR VERDOUX AND CHAPLIN REVUE DEBUT MARCH 2

Richard Schickel's Oscar® Contender, the acclaimed documentary tribute, Charlie: The Life and Art of Charles Chaplin, offered exclusively in Wave 2 boxed gift set

The second wave of titles in THE CHAPLIN COLLECTION -- THE KID, THE CIRCUS, CITY LIGHTS, A KING IN NEW YORK and A WOMAN OF PARIS, MONSIEUR VERDOUX and CHAPLIN REVUE -- is being released on DVD March 2 from Warner Home Video (WHV) and MK2. These timeless masterpieces from one of the most influential artists in motion picture history round out the catalog offerings first released last July (The Gold Rush, The Great Dictator, Limelight and Modern Times.)

All films have again been digitally re-mastered from restored vault elements by the Parisian company, MK 2 under the supervision of the Chaplin family estate. THE KID, THE CIRCUS, CITY LIGHTS, A KING IN NEW YORK and A WOMAN OF PARIS and CHAPLIN REVUE, which are each deluxe two-disc sets, will be priced at $29.95 SRP. MONSIEUR VERDOUX, a single disc, will be priced at $24.98 SRP.

The six titles will also be offered as a Chaplin Collection 12-disc gift set. Included is Charlie: The Life and Art of Charles Chaplin, the feature-length documentary which was a highlight of 2003's Cannes Film Festival and is currently a finalist for an Academy Award nomination as Best Documentary. Created by veteran Time Magazine movie critic and filmmaker Richard Schickel, Charlie: The Life and Art of Charles Chaplin is an extraordinary tribute which includes classic Chaplin comedy routines plus insightful interviews with Woody Allen, Martin Scorsese, Johnny Depp and Robert Downey. The documentary tribute will only be available as part of the gift set.

More About WHV's THE CHAPLIN COLLECTION DVDs

THE KID - As the opening title reads, this is "a comedy with a smile - and perhaps a tear." When a desperate mother abandons her baby, Chaplin's the Little Tramp discovers the child (wonderfully played by Jackie Coogan) and raises him as his own. But, five years later, the mother, who is now a famous opera singer, begins to search for the baby she left behind. Unwilling to give the little boy up, the Little Tramp attempts to evade all efforts to retrieve THE KID.

Special Features include:

THE CIRCUS - Chaplin's Little Tramp finds himself an accidental sensation when he is chased around THE CIRCUS by police who mistake him for a pickpocket. In an effort to elude the police, the Tramp runs underneath the big top and thrills the audience with his efforts to escape his pursuers. Impressed by the audience's response, THE CIRCUS ringmaster hires the Tramp on the spot, but later discovers that the Tramp cannot be funny on the spot. Desperate to keep the Tramp around, the ringmaster hires him as a janitor and places him onstage during showtime.

Special Features include:

CITY LIGHTS - Released in 1931, this is widely considered to be Chaplin's best feature-length film. CITY LIGHTS is both a wonderful comedy and a poignant love story in which Chaplin's Little Tramp falls in love with a blind flower girl, played by Virginia Cherrill. Chaplin produced, directed, edited, scored and starred in this timeless masterpiece.

Special features include:

A KING IN NEW YORK and A WOMAN OF PARIS - These two classic Chaplin titles are combined on one double-disc. A KING IN NEW YORK (1957) tells the story of King Shandov, a man who leaves his country during a revolution and travels to New York in search of a new life. With little money, the king begins making television commercials and later befriends a child with communist parents. In the silent-era classic A WOMAN OF PARIS, Chaplin's frequent leading lady Edna Purviance stars as a young French woman believes she has been jilted by her fiancé and decides to travel to Paris alone. A year later, she is married to another man but is still in love with her old fiancé, who she meets again unexpectedly with disastrous results.

Disc One Special Features -- A KING IN NEW YORK

Disc Two Special Features - A WOMAN OF PARIS

CHAPLIN REVUE - Seven funny and touching classics made for First National Studios between 1918 and 1923 are presented on this double disc. A Day's Pleasure, Sunnyside, The Idle Class and Pay Day are presented on disc one, while three Chaplin silent comedies, A Dog's Life, Shoulder Arms and The Pilgrim, are strung together to form a single feature length film. Chaplin also provides new music, narration and a small amount of connecting material to the film.

Disc One Special Features:

Disc Two Special Features:

MONSIEUR VERDOUX - As a bluebeard, Monsieur Verdoux marries wealthy women and then kills them in an effort to get the money he needs for his family. His scheme works out until he meets two women with whom he has bad luck. Chaplin co-stars with famed comedienne Martha Raye.

Special Features include:

THE CHAPLIN COLLECTION Volume 2

THE KID

CITY LIGHTS

CHAPLIN REVUE

THE CIRCUS

A KING IN NEW YORK and A WOMAN OF PARIS

MONSIEUR VERDOUX

 

MASKED AND ANONYMOUS PREMIERING ON DVD FEBRUARY 17

Off-Beat Musical Satire Based on the Legendary Lyrics of Bob Dylan Featuring an Impressive Ensemble Cast Including Jeff Bridges, Penelope Cruz, John Goodman, Jessica Lange and Luke Wilson

Cameo Appearances by Val Kilmer, Ed Harris, Mickey Rourke, Angela Bassett, Giovanni Ribisi, Cheech Marin, Christian Slater and Bruce Dern

Inspired by the masterful, poetic and Grammy Award-winning songs of folk rocker Bob Dylan, MASKED AND ANONYMOUS is the visionary feature film directorial debut of Larry Charles, the award-winning director of HBO's hit comedy "Curb Your Enthusiasm" and executive producer on two of TV's most successful sitcoms, "Seinfeld" and "Mad About You."  A witty, black-humored musical allegory written by Dylan and Charles, MASKED AND ANONYMOUS will debut on DVD and videocassette February 17 from Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment.

In daring roles that seem as if the lyrics of Dylan's "Highway 61 Revisited" have come to life, the eclectic and star-studded ensemble cast includes Academy Award®-nominee Jeff Bridges (Seabiscuit), two-time Oscar® winner Jessica Lange (Big Fish), Golden Globe nominee John Goodman (Barton Fink), Penelope Cruz (Gothika) and Luke Wilson (The Royal Tenenbaums).  MASKED AND ANONYMOUS also features cameos by Mickey Rourke, Christian Slater, Angela Bassett, Giovanni Ribisi, Val Kilmer, Cheech Marin, Ed Harris and Bruce Dern.

In a fictional America caught up in a civil war that is tearing the nation apart, a benefit concert is being organized.  A traveling troubadour named Jack Fate (Dylan) is sprung from jail by his scheming former manager Uncle Sweetheart (Goodman) and his brassy partner Nina Veronica (Lange) to headline a concert with the expectations to bring peace to the country that is entrenched by chaos, lawlessness and pandemonium.

The compelling soundtrack from MASKED AND ANONYMOUS features fourteen classic, previously unreleased and original Bob Dylan songs performed by the likes of The Grateful Dead, Jerry Garcia, Los Lobos and an array of international artists; four of which are especially written and performed for the film by Dylan himself.  As one of the most unique voices in American pop culture history, Dylan has written over 500 songs and released over 43 albums, which combined have sold over 74 million records around the world.

MASKED AND ANONYMOUS DVD:

 

CYBORG 009 AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVELY ON DVD FEBRUARY 3

Stylish Japanese Anime Series From Cartoon Network's Highly-Rated Toonami Animation Block

Three Volumes - "THE BATTLE BEGINS", "GOOD VS. EVIL", and a 2-Disc UNCUT & UNEDITED COLLECTION!

Jump into adventure and get in on the action with the hottest team of cyborg heroes on Cartoon Network's Toonami block.  The stylish animated series will be available on DVD for the first time in two separate volumes - CYBORG 009: THE BATTLE BEGINS and CYBORG 009: GOOD VS. EVIL - each featuring four action- packed anime episodes and two exclusive character cards to collect.  Available on February 3, each DVD will be priced to own at $24.96 SLP from Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment.

Additionally, Columbia TriStar will also release a special two-disc DVD of CYBORG 009: UNCUT AND UNEDITED, featuring the first eight episodes from the series in their original unedited versions, together on one DVD set priced at $39.95 SLP, which includes an exclusive sketch booklet with stunning conceptual drawing from the show.

Combining elements of James Bond movies and Astro Boy, CYBORG 009 follows the adventure of a world-class sprinter who, after being seriously injured, is kidnapped by the Black Ghost, a villainous organization that is part of a sinister plot seeking global domination.  The athlete is later rescued by a kind-hearted professor, who turns him into the ninth version of half- human/half-machine warriors that were originally designed as "super soldiers" to conquer the world.  Instead, the nine diverse cyborgs rebel against Black Ghost and join together with the professor on a mission to use their newfound bionic abilities to defeat the innovative and advanced killing machines sent by Black Ghost and his hideous henchmen before time runs out.

The series was developed from Shotaro Ishinomori's prestigious 1964 CYBORG 009 manga comic reflecting the conflict and harsh conditions during the Cold War.  Ishinomori is considered one of Japan's greatest creators and made a large contribution to the world of animated TV heroes with such well known live-action dramas as "The Masked Rider," and "Kikaider".  Debuting on Carton Network's Toonami in Summer 2003, CYBORG 009 was a rating hit with kids and one of the most popular shows on Cartoon Network.

CYBORG 009: THE BATTLE BEGINS features the first four episodes including:

The Birth
When an ordinary boy wakes up in a mysterious laboratory, he discovers he has incredible powers and escapes to find others like him.

The Escape
The nine rebel cyborgs return to their base to destroy their evil creator - the death merchant, Black Ghost.

The Assassin of Flash
The team meets Cyborg 0010 - but he's no friend.  Instead, this incredibly powerful foe is programmed to eliminate the band of rebels.

At the End of the Battle
When Cyborg 0010 turns out to be twice the opponent they expected, the cyborgs' only hope is to combine powers before he defeats them.

CYBORG 009: GOOD VS. EVIL features the net four episodes:

Tears of Steel
When Black Ghost sends Cyborg 0011 to terminate the rebels, he's got powers and a presence beyond imagination.

Search for the Professor
In the search for kidnapped Professor Kozumi, the cyborgs find a beautiful woman in a magnificent mansion.  But nothing is as it seems.

Defeat the Invisible Opponent
The hunt continues for Professor Kozumi in Tokyo, 009's hometown, where painful and puzzling memories from his past deepen the mystery.

Friend
Using his unseen power, Cyborg 0013 devastates Tokyo with catastrophic force, and 009 finds a hero in the most unlikely place.

CYBORG 009: UNCUT AND UNEDITED

BATTLE BEGINS & GOOD VS. EVIL DVD:

·         THE BATTLE BEGINS DVD Catalog # 10806 / UPC Code: 0-43396-10806-8  ($24.96 SLP)

 

MY LIFE WITHOUT ME DEBUTING ON DVD FEBRUARY 24

Poignant and Emotional Drama Starring Sarah Polley, Scott Speedman, Mark Ruffalo, Amanda Plummer and Music Legend Deborah Harry From Acclaimed Writer/Director Isabel Coixet

Highlighted by an intimate, emotional- powerhouse performance by talented young actress Sarah Polley (Go, The Sweet Hereafter), MY LIFE WITHOUT ME is the critically-acclaimed, thought-provoking and inspirational drama about one young woman's radical life-change upon learning that she has only a few months left to live, premiering on DVD and videocassette February 24 from Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment.

Co-starring Mark Ruffalo (In the Cut, You Can Count on Me), Scott Speedman (TVs "Felicity," Underworld), Emmy Award-winner Amanda Plummer (The Fisher King, Pulp Fiction) and Deborah Harry (Spun), MY LIFE WITHOUT ME was written and directed by Isabel Coixet (Things I Never Told You) and executive produced by Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Pedro Almodovar (Talk to Her, All About My Mother).

Working-class young mother Ann (Polley) lives a modest life with her two kids and her husband (Speedman) in a trailer in her mother's (Harry) backyard.  Her life takes a dramatic turn however, when her doctor diagnoses her with a terminal illness with only two months to live. Burdened with her secret but liberated by her new sense of control, Ann begins living with an intensity she never thought possible and her emotional journey leads her to unexpected places and gives her life new meaning.  Realistic, joyful and sensitive, MY LIFE WITHOUT ME is an empowering and touching tale for today that challenges us to live as if there were no tomorrow.

MY LIFE WITHOUT ME DVD:

 

MOTIVE DEBUTING FEBRUARY 24 ON DVD

Passion and Murder Ignite the Screen in the Erotic Urban Thriller Starring Sexy Vivica A. Fox and Shemar Moore

There's a thin line between loyalty and betrayal in the provocative erotically-charged suspense thriller MOTIVE starring ultra-sexy Vivica A. Fox (Two Can Play That Game, Kill Bill) and Shemar Moore (The Brothers, TVs "Young and the Restless"), premiering February 24 on DVD and videocassette from Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment.

An edgy urban thriller filled with surprising hidden agendas, MOTIVE centers around Emery Simms (Moore), a highly educated and successful business tycoon married to the perfect wife Constance (Fox).  Things go dangerously awry when the thrill-seeking Emery engages in an adulterous fling with the wildly free-spirited and exotic Allanah.  Timing couldn't be any worse when the politics of high society, shady business deals, bad press and a violent murder collide, they threaten to destroy more than just his shaky marriage.  As the police probe into his situation, they uncover a labyrinth of deception, agendas and motives, where the stakes are enormous and nothing is as it seems.

A steamy murder mystery that will leaves audiences guessing with its numerous twists and turns, MOTIVE co-stars Golden Brooks (Timecode), Mel Jackson (Deliver Us From Eva), Sean Blakemore (Keepin' It Real) and Keshia Knight Pulliam (TVs "The Cosby Show"). 

MOTIVE DVD:

12/11/03

WARNER HOME VIDEO SOARS HIGH WITH THE EXCITING FEATURE-LENGTH ANIMATED ADVENTURE--SUPERMAN: THE LAST SON OF KRYPTON

Comic Book Super Hero Fun Flies to DVD For the First Time Ever on February 3

It's a bird! It's a plane! It's Superman! * Now on DVD! Join the world's most celebrated Super Hero for some high-flying adventures with the DVD premiere release of the thrilling animated movie SUPERMAN: THE LAST SON OF KRYPTON, debuting February 3, 2004 from Warner Home Video (WHV), priced to own at $14.97 SRP.

SUPERMAN: THE LAST SON OF KRYPTON traces the legendary Super Hero's life from his infancy on Krypton, to his rescue and boyhood in Smallville, and through his first adventures as Daily Planet reporter Clark Kent in Metropolis. With destruction raining down on the Planet Krypton, Superbaby Kal-El is placed in a rocket that will spirit him to an uncertain future on Earth. Young Clark Kent must discover the truth about who he is and upon reaching adulthood, he assumes his birthright as the Man of Steel as he foils evil Lex Luthor's plans to sell his Lexo-Skel Suit 5000 to terrorists.

From the producers of the Emmy Award-winning Batman: The Animated Series, SUPERMAN: THE LAST SON OF KRYPTON features the vocal talents of Tim Daly (TV's "Wings"), Dana Delany (TV's "NYPD Blue"), Clancy Brown (TV's "Carnivale") and Malcolm McDowell (Star Trek VII).

"Superman is one of the most well-known pop culture icons and DC Comics Super Heroes. This latest adaptation of the character brings Superman back to his roots as an animated Super Hero, and is the perfect introduction of the animated Superman brand on DVD to a whole new generation of young fans," remarked Dorinda Marticorena, Executive Director, Kid Marketing for WHV.

DVD SPECIAL FEATURES

BASICS

 

MPI HOME VIDEO ANNOUNCES DARK SHADOWS DVD COLLECTION 10

It’s ba-a-ack! Everyone’s favorite cult classic, DARK SHADOWS continues on DVD on January 27, 2004. DARK SHADOWS DVD COLLECTION 10 begins with Barnabas Collins deciding that Maggie Evans must serve as the life force in the bizarre experiment he and Julia Hoffman plan to conduct in the hope of creating a mate for Adam. Maggie begins to remember how Barnabas kidnapped her months before and attempted to make her his bride. As a vampire, Angelique attacks Barnabas and places him under her supernatural control. Haunted by the fear of being buried alive, Elizabeth Collins Stoddard tells her brother Roger Collins that she plans to construct a special mausoleum. Victoria Winters reveals to Elizabeth that she and Jeff Clark will soon marry. Eve informs Jeff they have both lived before as lovers in the 1790s.

DARK SHADOWS DVD COLLECTION 10 includes 40 episodes on four discs and bonus interviews with actors Alexandra Moltke, John Karlen, Kathryn Leigh Scott and Matthew Hall, the son of actress Grayson Hall.

Set in the small Maine fishing village of Collinsport, the soap opera revolves around the ghostly goings-on at the Collins’ family estate, Collinwood. Central character Barnabas Collins, a 175 year-old vampire thirsted for blood, and also for love and quickly became a pop culture icon. DARK SHADOWS was the most popular daytime drama during its 1966-71 run on ABC-TV and has commanded a devoted audience with reruns on the Sci-Fi Channel, which completes a successful ten-year run in December, 2003.

DARK SHADOWS DVD COLLECTION 10 will be available January 27, 2004 through local retailers.

DARK SHADOWS DVD COLLECTION 10

 

12/09/03

THE SUNSHINE BOYS, THE PRISONER OF SECOND AVENUE, THE LATE SHOW AND GOING IN STYLE DEBUT ON DVD MARCH 30

Comedy Greats George Burns, Walter Matthau, Art Carney, Jack Lemmon, Lily Tomlin and Anne Bancroft Star in Four Classic Comedies with All-Star Special Features

Comedy legends George Burns, Walter Matthau, Art Carney, Jack Lemmon, Lily Tomlin and Anne Bancroft star in four classic comedies debuting on DVD March 30, from Warner Home Video (WHV). Neil Simon's THE SUNSHINE BOYS and THE PRISONER OF SECOND AVENUE; GOING IN STYLE, written and directed by Martin Brest (Beverly Hills Cop, Midnight Run, Scent of a Woman) and THE LATE SHOW, written and directed by Robert Benton (The Human Stain, Kramer vs. Kramer) will arrive in widescreen DVDs boasting special features that include delightful TV guest appearances on the legendary Dinah Shore TV show and newly discovered screen tests of Walter Matthau and Jack Benny. All will be priced at $19.98 SRP.

THE SUNSHINE BOYS and THE PRISONER OF SECOND AVENUE are two quintessential New York comedies from Neil Simon, one of America's most prolific award-winning playwrights. Best known for his colorful characters and dialogue in both stage and screen versions of comedies like The Odd Couple, Goodbye Girl and Plaza Suite, Simon cut his writing teeth during the Golden Age of television on Sid Caesar's "Your Show of Shows" and "Caesar's Hour" (working with colleagues Woody Allen, Mel Brooks, Carl Reiner, Larry Gelbart and others). Leonard Maltin says Simon's plays, "offer some of the biggest laugh-lines in Broadway history."

THE SUNSHINE BOYS stars Walter Matthau and George Burns as two cranky ex-vaudevillians persuaded to reunite for a TV special after years of not speaking to each other. Originally a successful Simon Broadway play, THE SUNSHINE BOYS won three Golden Globe® Awards for Best Comedy, Best Comedy Actor for star Walter Matthau and Best Supporting Actor for Richard Benjamin, as well as an Academy Award® for George Burns as Best Supporting Actor. "The screen tests are a real find, especially of Jack Benny who was originally cast opposite George Burns but who died shortly before film production began," notes Mike Radiloff WHV's vice president of theatrical catalog marketing.

Special Features include:

Jack Lemmon and Anne Bancroft star in THE PRISONER OF SECOND AVENUE as Mel and Edna Edison, a Manhattan couple whose lives are thrown for a loop when their roles are reversed by Mel's sudden unemployment. The film includes notable cameos from Sylvester Stallone as a young man in the park and F. Murray Abraham as a nervous taxi driver.

Special Features include:

THE LATE SHOW, an homage to the detective flicks of the 1940s, stars Art Carney as an aging Los Angeles detective -- not as hard-boiled as he used to be -- and pairs him "odd couple" style with the very funny and quirky Lily Tomlin. The result is pure entertainment and a treat for fans of the Phillip Marlowe and Sam Spade genre. Robert Benton, who also directed, was nominated for an Oscar for this original screenplay.

Special Features include:

GOING IN STYLE -- George Burns, Art Carney and Lee Strasberg star as three retirees in Queens, New York who decide to relieve their boredom and "go out in style" by robbing a bank. Martin Brest wrote and directed this offbeat comedic gem.

Special Features include:

 

ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE MIDLANDS-- OFFICIAL SELECTION- CANNES FILM FESTIVAL AND TORONTO FILM FESTIVAL- PREMIERING ON DVD AND FEBRUARY 10

Quirky Westerns-Inspired Romantic Comedy From Talented British Writer/Director Shane Meadows Starring Robert Carlyle

An edgy, endearing romantic comedy about hard choices and second chances that gives a new twist to home on the range - Nottingham-style, award-winning writer/director Shane Meadows (Twenty Four Seven, A Room for Romeo Brass) debuts his highly-acclaimed film, ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE MIDLANDS, that pays homage to the classic spaghetti westerns of Sergio Leone, on DVD and videocassette February 10, 2004 from Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment.

Featuring a talented British ensemble cast including Robert Carlyle (Formula 51, The Full Monty), Rhys Ifans (Notting Hill, The Shipping News), Kathy Burke (Nil by Mouth, Dancing at Lughnasa) and Shirley Henderson (Bridget Jones's Diary, Wonderland), ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE MIDLANDS was honored at several film festivals around the world, including Official Selection - Director's Fortnight at the Cannes Film Festival, and received critical praise during its national theatrical release from Sony Pictures Classics.

Dek (Ifans) and Shirley (Henderson) live together with 12-year-old Marlene, her daughter by the sexy, small-time criminal Jimmy (Carlyle), who split years ago and hasn't been heard from since. Decent-but-dull Dek loves Shirley so much so that he humiliates her by proposing without warning on national television. Jimmy sees the TV proposal and returns to town convinced that he can change her mind and that his nerdy rival doesn't stand a chance, however he faces formidable opposition from almost every side.

ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE MIDLANDS DVD:

 

RETURNER PREMIERING ON DVD FEBRUARY 10 .

The future could be history on February 10 with the DVD and videocassette release of the action-packed sci-fi thriller RETURNER, from Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment. Combining the hyper-real action of The Matrix series with the stylish futurism of Minority Report, RETURNER stars Asian pop star and Prada model Takeshi Kaneshiro (Hero, Chungking Express, Space Travelers) and Ann Suzuki (Snow Falling on Cedars) from writer/director Takashi Yamazaki (Juvenile).

The year is 2084 and the human race is fighting an alien militia to save the last remnant of civilization. A young heroine named Milly (Suzuki) escapes the war and becomes "a returner," jumping back in time to present-day Japan in an attempt to change history. Milly's travels land her right into the middle of a local crime war between street-smart gunman Miyamoto (Kaneshiro) and cold-blooded crime leader Mizoguchi (Goro Kishtani - Graveyard of Honor). When Mizoguchi learns that the first earth-bound spaceship captured by the government possesses destructive abilities that would allow him to rule the world, he will stop at nothing to track this extraterrestrial creature down. With the fate of the world hanging in the balance, Milly must convince the reluctant Miyamoto to join her mission and stop the evil crime lord in time, thereby preventing future events that lead to the end of the human race.

 

RETURNER DVD:

 

MAMBO ITALIANO-- "COMING OUT" ON DVD FEBRUARY 17 .

Hysterically Funny Romantic Comedy Based on the Successful Stage Play Starring Paul Sorvino and Luke Kirby

In the comic flavor of My Big Fat Greek Wedding meets The Broken Hearts Club, MAMBO ITALIANO is the hilarious, light-hearted romantic comedy with a twist about love, family, culture clash and spaghetti starring Paul Sorvino (The Cooler, Goodfellas) and Luke Kirby (Shattered Glass, Halloween: Resurrection), premiering February 17 on DVD and videocassette from Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment.

Maria (Ginette Reno) and Gino's (Sorvino) close-knit immigrant Italian world is shattered when their son Angelo (Kirby) decides to get a place of his own without getting married. They are relieved when Angelo's childhood buddy Nino (Peter Miller) decides to move in with their son. However, their relief is short-lived when they find out that Nino and Angelo are more than just roommates - they're lovers! But image-conscious cop Nino isn't as ready to come out of the closet though, especially to his busybody mother Lina (Mary Walsh). All hysteria breaks loose (Italian-style, of course!) as the two modern men try to come to terms with their "old country" family traditions and pride.

Written and directed by Émile Gaudreault (Wedding Night), based on the long-running stage play by Steve Galluccio, MAMBO ITALIANO proves that when it comes to matters of the heart, its not a democracy, its family!

MAMBO ITALIANO DVD:

 

12/07/03

SPIDER-MAN-- TWO-DISC SPECIAL EDITION DVD FEATURING THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON FULLY LOADED WITH EXCITING BONUS FEATURES AVAILABLE JANUARY 13

Exciting High-Impact CGI-Animated Sony Pictures Television Series Featuring the Popular Marvel Comics Superhero as You've Never Seen Him Before

Your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man is swinging into high-flying action on DVD with the all-new, cutting-edge CGI-animated series SPIDER-MAN. Available January 13 in a must-have Special Edition two-disc DVD release from Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment, SPIDER-MAN contains the complete first season with all 13 episodes from the popular Sony Pictures Television series along with exclusive bonus features including three behind-the-scenes featurettes, a blooper reel, interactive DVD-ROM elements, and more!

The legendary Marvel comic book story of one of the coolest superheroes ever to climb into a pair of tights gets a fresh and groundbreaking new look with incredible animation and advanced cinematic effects in SPIDER-MAN a visually unique show using the process of three- dimensional computer generated animation to create a rich and detailed traditional animation look. The computer allows the animators to present large casts of characters with extraordinary detail, intricate lighting and with a kinetic camera point of view that can fly through the action in cinematic fashion.

When a nasty bite by a genetically altered spider endows teenager Peter Parker with miraculous, arachnid-like powers, his death-defying heroism wins him admiration from