July-August 2000 DVD Alerts

Check back frequently for many announcements of recommended DVDs. Dates in parenthesis are scheduled releases.  

Director Peter Bogdanovich provides audio commentary for his 1979 film Saint Jack (10/24/00) in a special edition from New Horizons. Ben Gazarra stars as a Singapore pimp.

From the director of Central Station, Walter Salles, the 1995 mystery Foreign Land (11/17/00) is being released on DVD from Fox Lorber. Might make an interesting watch considering the quality of Central Station.

Gilda (11/7/00) can come slinking into my home theater any old time. The film noir starring Rita Hayworth and Glenn Ford is coming from Columbia, including a Rita Hayworth documentary, The Columbia Lady.  

In addition to audio commentary from Francis Ford Coppola, the special edition of Tucker: The Man and His Dream (10/24/00) includes a 1948 promotional film about the man and the car. Anamorphic widescreen 2.35 from Paramount.

Kurt Russell takes the prison island of Manhattan by storm as Snake Plissken, the guy with enough attitude to bend the skyline. John Carpenter at his best with a big tongue in cheek directs Escape from New York (11/21/00). Coming in anamorphic widescreen from MGM

One of the top DVD offerings of the fall line-up has to be The Bridge on the River Kwai (11/21/00) The classic prisoner of war movie from director David Lean is being delivered in two disc packages from Columbia. You can expect "Bridge" to look better than it has in decades. Along with the movie only edition, a two DVD package will include four documentary shorts about the film. 

Take-off with the crew of Airplane (10/24/00) in a special edition with audio commentary coming from Paramount in anamorphic widescreen. Airplane 2: The Sequel (10/24/00) gets a simultaneous release.

The Powell/Pressburger Black Narcissus (10/17/00) is being released as part of the Criterion Collection, including the documentary about cinematographer Jack Cardiff, Painting with Light. One of the team's great spiritual achievements.

A look at the tumultuous sixties in Paris through the eyes of an impressionable young woman discovering herself, A Soldier's Daughter Never Cries (10/17/00) is coming from USA Entertainment. Based on the experiences of author James Jones' daughter and distilled through the director's eye of James Ivory.

Actor/director Stanley Tucci brings Joe Gould's Secret (9/16/00) to the screen in USA Entertainment's release of the film starring Ian Holm. New York locations and New York attitude.

The Patriot (10/24/00) joins the DVD ranks as a special editon. Look for commentary from Roland Emmerich and a peak at the making of this revolutionary war drama from Paramount. 

One of the better action flicks of the year, U-571 (10/24/00) is being packaged as a special edition by Universal. The anamorphic widescreen 2.35 DVD is being released as a special edition. Audio commentary will surely share the secrets of making sub perils very real.

The perils and fortunes of becoming a ballet star are chronicled in Center Stage (10/24/00) directed by Nicholas Hytner. The upbeat entertainment,  reminiscent of Fame, is being released as a special edition DVD by Columbia Tristar, including audio commentary and deleted scenes.

Cashing in again on his good-natured charm, Jackie Chan takes a crack at the American market with Shanghai Noon (11/7/00). The amiable comic western co-stars Owen Wilson as Chan's compatriot in hilarity. Check it out coming from Buena Vista replete with audio commentary, deleted scenes and guaranteed laughs.

Another movie star sits in the director's seat with Edward Norton's debut film, Keeping the Faith (10/17/00). Buena Vista delivers the film in a special editon including audio commentary and deleted scenes. 

VCI is saddling up the vintage western serial The Adventures of Red Ryder (9/26/00) on DVD. Red's sure to coral all the bad guys by the end of the twelfth chapter.

Peter Greenaway is sure to surprise you with his latest, 8 1/2 Women (10/10/00) as Vivian Wu, Amanda Plummer and Polly Walker help bring some male fantasies to life. Widescreen anamorphic (16 x 9) from Universal.

Making a choice between romance or sports success is the theme of Love and Basketball (10/10/00) coming in a DVD from New Line. 

Water Bearer is releasing the interesting suspensor Little Vera (8/29/00) a Russian language film that will keep you on the edge of your home theater chair.  

Michael Caine, Donald Sutherland, Treat Williams and Robert Duvall star in The Eagle Has Landed (10/17/00), a World War II thriller from director John Sturges. Artisan is releasing the DVD.

One of the most requested missing video titles, Annie Get Your Gun (11/14/00), arrives with Betty Hutton's vibes ablazin' in a special edition DVD from Warner Brothers. Director George Sidney supplies an audio commentary that will no doubt tell all about Judy Garland's being replaced by Hutton. You'll even catch Judy doing two musical numbers as part of the out-takes. 

Star Amy Irving and director Bruno Barreto provide the audio commentary for the special edition of Bossa Nova (10/3/00), a lovely little film from the Brazilian director. Set in Rio under some beautiful sunsets. Columbia Tristar delivers the charming DVD.

Fox is releasing Ed Burns' 1995 debut film The Brothers McMullen (10/3/00) including audio commentary from the director.

At long last Universal is releasing the restored version of Orson Welles' fine Noir, Touch of Evil (10/31/00). Included int he special edition is a making of documentary and the extensive memo from Orson Welles detailing his instructions for editing the film.

The sweeping landscapes of the frozen Russian woodlands provide a spectacular backdrop for Akira Kurosawa fine drama Dersu Uzala (10/17/00). Coming from Image Entertainment, the 1974 film is widescreen 2.35. 

Gary Cooper is the pacifist head of a family faced with tough decisions during the Civil War. Anthony Perkins and Dorothy McGuire co-star in William Wyler's Friendly Persuasion (12/5/00) coming from Warner in a widescreen edition. 

Rita Hayworth was never lovelier than in The Lady from Shanghai (10/3/00). Film Noir directed by Orson Welles delivered from the vaults of Columbia Tristar. 

Anchor Bay is releasing Scandal (8/29/00), the British film about the Profumo affair, in a widescreen anamorphic edition. The sophisticated film stars John Hurt and is directed by Michael Caton-Jones.

A trip to the eerie side, Kwaidan (9/19/00), the Japanese horror classic, is being released by Criterion. Four stories make up director Kobayashi's film. This should be beautiful in 2.35 anamorphic (enhanced for 16 x 9) widescreen.

Rosemary's Baby (10/3/00), the classic Roman Polanski horror film made in 1968, is sure to nudge you off the home theater seat more than once. Paramount is bringing in the DVD anamorphic widescreen and it includes interviews with director Polanski, producer Robert Evans and production designer Richard Sylbert.

Al Pacino leads his team onto the field in Any Given Sunday (9/1/00). Director Oliver Stone's film about the crass commercialism of professional football comes to DVD from Warner in anamorphic widescreen.

Selections from the feature archive include articles on Akira Kurosawa,  Frank Darabont, Blonde Bimbos, Hollywood Street Gangs, or Vietnam: The Hollywood Pariah, and many more...

Is North by Northwest Hollywood's definitive exploration of the nose? From schnozzles to beezeers, film mavens make the most of the foremost. Click on Mount Hitchcock for more.

The  Movie Poster Archive include extensive poster images from the films of stars like Susan Hayward, Kirk Douglas, Katharine Hepburn and many more. Our featured star is Robert Mitchum

Need a daily fix of movie quotes. Reel Quotes Newsletter has the answer. Click on the Reel Quotes symbol for more.

Ask Digital Man is the web's only 24-hour, totally FREE source for all your home theater, DVD, Dreamcast, PC, and Networking tech support needs!

They may be judgmental, but that's the point, isn't it. Lots of DVD reviews plus news and more.
Click on the link to visit the judge's chambers.

Venerable electronics industry magazine with excellent online selections from their hard book.

Now a major independent DVD distributor, Image has parlayed its laser disc business to success. Great DVD release calendar info.

The DVD Answer Man is a new site devoted to spreading the DVD gospel. Answers to questions, reviews, links and more....

Brad Lang continues to add more interesting to the extensive collection at Classic Movies.  Everything from actors and actress to your favorite directors is linked at the site.

Direct from the corridors of the Home Theater Forum, Home Theater Talk is the newest place on the Net to discuss everything home theater. Friendly atmosphere and knowledgeable folks are the secret ingredients.

Frank Darabont is the cover interview in the current online issue of Fade-In Magazine. Check it out along with other savvy features of this excellent book

A great place for movie lovers and techies to visit for exchange of ideas. New speedy interface is an inspiration for more dialogue.

Imaging Science Foundation
The Imaging Science Foundation promotes proper standards in home theater viewing. ISF trained technicians offer monitor calibration services to consumers. The difference in a  properly calibrated monitor can be astounding. Click on the image to find an ISF member near you.

Elite Entertainment President Vini Bancalari talks about his horror roots with DVD Unleashed. Find out why Vini has started a new DVD enterprise, Focus Film Entertainment. Watch for Sherlock Holmes coming into focus on DVD. Click DVD Unleashed to read all about it.

Bruce Hershenson Move Posters

Bruce Hershenson has been running successful movie poster auctions for a number of years, most notably for Christies. His site includes many images and a huge variety of posters for sales from his periodic catalogs.  

Home to The American Society of Cinematographers. Includes features from American Cinematographer Magazine and more...

Reviews of  affordable remote controls in the market place. Codes and tips as well.

DVD Demystified makes it all clear.The official Internet DVD FAQ for the rec.video.dvd Usenet newsgroups.

Check out these selections from our DVD Review Archive. New releases are constantly in our face, but catalog gems should not be forgotten.