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| The Office (Region 2) at 11.23 on 06/07/02 |
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Fans of the BBC comedy The Office will be pleased to know that the full specs for the two-disc set has now arrived! The Office was unquetionably THE comedy success of 2001 and is destined for even greater things this year. The ultimate spoof fly-on-the-wall documentary, it depicts real office life as we know it: underpaid, dead-end jobs; irritating colleagues; and a smug; sexist bos with a penchant for moon-walking! Here are the specs for the DVD:
Six half-hour episodes observing the dull reality of spending eight hours a day, five days a week with people you would normally go to great lengths to avoid
40-minute documentary 'How I Made the Office by Ricky Gervais'. Specially produced with Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant and key cast members, it discusses how the series was conceived and includes personally memorable sequences, out-takes, footage and commentary of pre-pilot and pilot episodes
Full-length Peter Pervis Staff-Training Video as featured in Episode Four
You should expect The Office to be presented in 4:3, we don't know about the soundtrack at this stage. You should expect to see this classic piece of TV on DVD from the 14th October this year. Retail for the series will be �19.99. The second season of the show will be arriving on TV this coming autumn. |
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| The Others (Region 2) at 17.58 on 05/07/02 |
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Just in from Buena Vista is the announcement of The Others starring Nicole Kidman, Fionnula Flanagan, Alakina Mann, James Bentley, Christopher Eccleston and Eric Sykes. Here's what you can expect from this spooky DVD release:
Anamorphic Widescreen Transfer
Audio commentary with Director Alejandro Amen�bar
'Inside The Others' Featurette
Visual Effects Featurette
Director's interview
Special feature on Xeroderma Pigmentosum
I'm afraid we don't have details on the exact aspect ratio of the film though other releases have featured a 1.85:1 presentation. A 5.1 track is also likely. You can expect this release of The Others to mysteriously appear onto shop shelves from the 23rd September. |
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| Smallville comes to R4 (Region 4) at 15.52 on 05/07/02 |
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Just announced for Region 4 DVD is the latest Superman TV series....Smallville starring newcomers Tom Welling, Kristin Kreuk and Michael Rosenbaum as a teenage Lex Luthor. Here's a little about the series:
'Teenage anxieties and smalltown secrets give the Superman mythology an exciting new spin in Smallville. Tom Welling plays Clark Kent, the adolescent whose hoped-for romance with Lana Lang (Kristin Kreuk) is frustrated by the kryptonite in her necklace. Michael Rosenbaum is Clark's self-proclaimed steadfast friend Lex Luthor. Inside the idyllic community of Smallville, the intertwined destinies of these three begin to take shape while an imminent danger emerges: a high school prank has spawned a vengeful villain who has acquired super powers of his own...'
The DVD release of Smallville will feature a fair selection of extras including an audio commentary, deleted scenes with optional commentary, a storyboard montage and a map of Smallville. Smallville will be available to own from all good R4 retailers from September 11th this year. Thanks to AustralianDVD.net for this news. |
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| a-ha Homecoming Live at Vallhall (Region 2) at 12.32 on 05/07/02 |
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One of the most successful pop groups of the past two decades return to the fold as Warner Music Vision releases a-ha Homecoming Live at Vallhall to buy on DVD. The DVD will include 19 live songs, as well as a host of extras.
Here's some info from the press release:
Having completed a successful tour of Japan and Europe last year, a-ha returned to their native Norway for two sell-out shows at Oslo's new football arena; Vallhall. This VHS and DVD is a recording of the sensational first night on 24th March 2001.
Drawing on their six previous studio albums Homecoming features a-ha's biggest and best loved hits from their number one smash hit The Sun Always Shines On TV, Cry Wolf, James Bond theme The Living Daylights and ending on their breakthrough Take On Me. The concert also brings us up to date with several more reflective and personal tracks from their critically acclaimed, highly successful last album Minor Earth Major Sky.
Special features include:
Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound & Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo
Documentary - 'The Seven Year Itch'
Backstage with A-HA featurette
After Party Vallhall featurette
Facts - History of the band
4 Promo Videos:
Additional Live Performances
Fans of the band can expect to see the DVD in shops from 10th June, and retail price is likely to be �19.99. |
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| Kiss of the Dragon (Region 2) at 10.33 on 05/07/02 |
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Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment have announced details of Kiss of the Dragon, starring Jet Li and Bridget Fonda. Li stars as China�s top government agent Liu Jiuan, who heads off to Paris from Shanghai to assist a corrupt French police inspector called Richard (Tcheky Karyo). When a sensitive, top-secret mission to uncover an international drugs conspiracy goes horribly wrong, Liu finds himself accused of murder and on the run in Paris.
Trapped in a vast and deadly conspiracy and accused of a murder he didn�t commit, Liu is thrown together with Jessica (Bridget Fonda), an American woman forced into prostitution by Richard. Liu finds himself lost in a physical and moral landscape he can�t comprehend, and despite all his training and learning, he makes a promise to Jessica that could cost him his career � and both their lives.
Here are the disc specs in full:
Anamorphic widescreen 2.35:1 transfer
Dolby Digital 5.1 audio
Audio commentary featuring Jet Li, Bridget Fonda and director Chris Hahon
Corey Yuen Action Academy featurette
The Jet Li Technique/Fight philosophy featurette
Martial arts demo
Storyboard sequence
The Laundry Shoot multi-angle sequence
On the set featurette
6 TV spots
Action gallery, montage of action movies
Theatrical trailer
Kiss of the Dragon will arrive on DVD on 12th August at the RRP of �17.99. |
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| Monsters, Inc. - Part 2 (Region 2) at 09.23 on 05/07/02 |
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As promised, albeit a little later than anticipated, here are details of the forthcoming Collector�s Edition of Monsters, Inc. As you can see, this release contains all of the features of the Family Edition and much, more more besides. In addition to the two standard releases, a gift pack containing a Sulley toy will also be available.
Collector's Edition DVD - Disc 1
Finding Nemo Preview - A sneak peak at the upcoming Disney/Pixar film, Finding Nemo.
Audio Commentary - Commentary by Director Pete Docter, Co-Director Lee Unkrich, Executive Producer John Lasseter and Executive Producer/Screenwriter Andrew Stanton.
Sound Effects Only Mix - Watch the film with only the sound effects.
Collector's Edition DVD - Disc 2
Bonus Feature
For the Birds - Academy Award winning short that player before the Monsters feature in cinemas. Play this with or without audio commentary.
Mike's New Car - All new short created just for this DVD/video release featuring Mike & Sulley. Play this feature with or without audio commentary.
Outtakes - Hilarious outtakes and company play that played over the end credits in cinemas.
MONSTER WORLD MENUS
New Monster Adventures
Mike's New Car - See above
Monster TV Treats - Several interstitials that were newly animated for TV airing, starring Mike, Sulley and several other Monster favourites.
Ponkickies 21 - All new animation created for a Japanese television show. Choose between the Lucky Door Game or Rock, Paper, Scissors.
Disney Storytime - Welcome to Monstropolis: In the tradition of our storytime features, Roz introduces you to Mike and Sulley and their jobs at Monsters Inc.
If I Didn't Have You Music Video - One minute music video of the Academy Award winning song.
Behind the Screams
Outtakes - See above
Company Play Program - Pixar created this program for the company play. It includes the cast bios, photos and advertisements.
On the job with Mike & Sulley - Mike and Sulley talk about what it takes to be a top scarer in this "interview."
Monsters, Inc. Orientation
Welcome to Monsters, Inc. - A brief introduction to Monsters Inc.
Your first day - An orientation for the new employee at Monsters, Inc.
History of the Monster World - A look at how the Monster World came into existence.
Employee Handbook - Still frame handbook for new Monsters, Inc. employees. It contains Employee ID cards, Hazard ID symbols, Repetitive Scare Injury, CDA, safety check, MI cafeteria, door station guide, top 10 ways to get fired, sample scare report, advertising.
Monster of the month - See the awards wall as it appeared in the film.
Scare Cards - All new baseball style cards featuring biographical stats on each of your favourite monsters. Play this feature with or without accompanying audio commentary.
HUMAN WORLD MENUS
Pixar
Pixar's Fun Factory - John Lasseter takes you on a tour of the new Pixar Animation Studios.
Pixar Air Show - Easter Egg. Paper airplane contest held with all Pixar staff in the Atrium of their new offices.
Story
Story is King - Featurette about why the story is so important to making a good film.
Monsters are real - Featurette about why monsters are real
Original treatment - The original story treatment put to video and narrated by Pete Docter.
Deleted scenes - Introduction: Intro to deleted scenes by co-director Lee Unkrich
- Assistant Sulley, Bad Scare, End of Day, Scream Refinery: Four deleted scenes from the featurette.
Original opening - The opening sequence to the feature as it was originally animated.
Storyboard to film comparison - A look at the storyboards for a scene compared with the final animation we saw in the film.
Monster Files
Cast of characters - A look at the main characters in the film and the actors who played them.
What makes a great monster - Featurette about what it takes to be a great monster.
Character designs - Art gallery including still frames and 3D video turnarounds of the following characters; Sulley, Mike, Boo, Waternoose, Randall, Rivera, Celia, Roz, Fungus, Jerry, Pauley, Smitty, Needleman, Sanderson, Claws, Bile, Harley, Bud, Bob, Ricky, CDA and the Monster wannabees.
Designing Monstropolis
Monstropolis - Featuerette about Monstropolis and the making of.
Setting the scene - Set dressing: Featurette on how the sets are built for an animated film - Step through the progression: Static gallery of the sets being built.
See the image stripped down, then through each progressive step until
the scene is complete.
Colour scripts - Gallery of the colour scripts used in colouring the film.
Master lighting - Gallery of scenes and how they are lit. See the original drawings then compare then to the final lit scene.
Location flyarounds - 360 degree fly throughs of the following locations; Downtown, the apartment, Monsters, Inc. stimulator, Boo's Room.
Monstropolis art gallery - Static art gallery of early concepts etc.
Guide to "In" Jokes - A look at some of the "in" jokes that the Pixar filmmakers included in this film. Includes things like Boo playing with a Jesse doll and the ball from Luxor Jr. Animation.
Animation process - Featurette about the whole animation process.
Early tests - Early animation tests of some of your favourite characters with audio commentary by Thomas Porter, Steve May and Michael Fong - the animators.
Opening title animation - Animation of the opening title.
Hard parts - Featurette about the elements of this film that were new and unique and hard; animating fur and cloth.
Shots department - Featurette about how different angles and layouts were used to shoot the final film.
Production demonstration - A look at various stages of a production. This section includes an introduction as well as the segment in four stages which you can toggle back and forth through; storyreel, layout, animation, final colour.
Monster Song - Behind the scenes look at the recording of the Academy
Award winning song, 'If I Didn't Have You'. Features Billy Crystal, John Goodman, the filmmakers and more.
Sound design - Featurette on the music and sound behind Monsters, Inc. featuring Gary Rydstrom.
Biaural Recording - A look and listen at the Binaural Recording method. See the difference between Binaural, Stereo and 5.1 audio.
Documentary wrap up
Easter Eggs - 7 east eggs are hidden on this menu that appears after you have watched the Tour. They include: Introduction to the Atrium Designs and the design gallery, Big Scary Sulley, Boo, Bowling Boo, C.D.A. Mishap.
Release
US Premiere - Clips from the US Premiere.
Trailers and TV Spots - 2 trailers and 4 TV spots from the US release.
International inserts - What goes into making an International friendly film.
Toys - Video segment on the toys that were created for this film.
Poster Gallery - Still frame gallery of posters that were created for this film, both domestically and internationally.
Multi-language clip reel - A reel which seamlessly switches from one language to the next, demonstrating how the film is seen around the world.
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| Reduced Price Videologic (Region 1) at 21.48 on 04/07/02 |
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VideoLogic Systems have announced that for a limited time its award winning DigiTheatre speaker products will be available in the USA at discounts of up to 40%, exclusively from ICUII.
First up we have the DigiTheatre DTS, reduced from $699 to $364. Winner of numerous awards including Kick Ass Award - Maximum PC (US), Best For Value - DVD Review (UK), Editor's Choice - DVD Review (UK), Best Buy - What Video & TV (UK), Best Buy - PlayNation (UK), Editor's Choice - Gear (UK) and 5/5 from Home Entertainment (UK). The DigiTheatre DTS digital home cinema audio system provides outstanding hi-fi quality audio for Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS (Digital Theatre Systems) movies with over 220W RMS of power. DigiTheatre DTS turns a DTS or Dolby Digital compatible DVD player into a complete home cinema system, transforming movies with a digital soundtrack into a truly compelling home cinema experience.
Next we have the DigiTheatre LC, reduced from $179 to $119. DigiTheatre LC uses the same speakers and integrated amplifiers as VideoLogic's DigiTheatre speaker system, which has won numerous awards including, DVD Review (UK) Best For Value, What Video & TV (UK) Best Buy, Computer Buyer (UK) Recommended and DVD Buyer (UK) Best For Value. DigiTheatre LC is a high quality six speaker system designed to complement any six channel PC soundcard or DVD player with in-built decoder and 5.1 outputs. DigiTheatre LC provides powerful satellite speakers for all channels, including dedicated centre and sub speakers. The front speakers have a separate tweeter and mid-range cone and the centre and surround speakers have full frequency drive units. The subwoofer contains all the necessary power supply and six amplifiers providing over 1000W PMPO output.
For details of ordering either set up speakers click here. |
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| The Young Ones : Series 1 (Region 2) at 13.06 on 04/07/02 |
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| The BBC are releasing the first series of the Young Ones on region two DVD. The Young Ones : Series 1 finally makes its way onto DVD, and will contain all six episodes from the first series. The popular 80's sitcom is based on a group of mis-matched students who share a house. The programme ran for only two seasons, but still made stars out of Rik Mayall and Adrian Edmondson. We have no details about extras for this release, but we will keep you updated with any further news. The DVD will be released on 5th August, and is likely to retail for �15.99. |
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| Acropolis Now comes to DVD in September (Region 4) at 12.35 on 04/07/02 |
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Skippy's and Spagnolo's alike: look and list-en. Shock Records have announced the first series DVD release of Aussie TV comedy Acropolis Now. The single disc will include
4:3 Full Frame Video (as broadcast)
Dolby Stereo Soundtrack (as broadcast)
Audio Commentary by (Jim) Nick Giannopolis and Mary Coustas (Effie)
The wacky exploits of Jim, Memo, Ricky, Liz and Effie will be unleashed onto DVD from September 2 2002. Acropolis Now - The First Series will set you back around $AU74.95. That's dollars Memo, not Drachmas. It's a sweet life. |
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Warner Home Video have just announced the region two release of Roots. This release marks the 25th Anniversary since the series was first aired on TV. The series proved to be extremely popular, and was the acclaimed winner of five Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe. Here's some information from the press release:
"200 Years to unfold. 12 Years of research to discover. 2 years to create. 8 nights to make television history.
His name was Kunta Kinte. Kidnapped from Africa and enslaved in America in 1767, he refused to accept his slave name of Toby. Heirs kept his heroic defiance alive, whispering the name of Kunta Kinte from one generation to the next until it reached a young boy growing up in Tennessee. His name was Alex Haley. And he proclaimed Kunta Kinte's name to the world."
The DVD release will receive the following treatment:
Full Screen 4:3 transfer
English Mono soundtrack
Three separate feature-length Audio Commentaries with video inserts (Producer, cast and crew)
Remembering Roots Documentary (20 minutes)
Roots Family Tree
Web enabled
Roots is released on 16th September and will feature all six episodes from series one. Thats an impressive nine hours of entertainment! It is likely to retail at a bargain price of �19.99.
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