Video Business back issues from November 2006:
Honoring history.
Nov 06, 2006; ... Compiled by Barbara Wexler Here are some titles and promotions appropriate for February's celebration. ArtMattan/Facets Otomo Drama by Frieder Schlaich that speculates on the real-life event concerning the death of an African refugee in modern-day ...
Vivendi makes a stand.(Vivendi Universal S.A.)(Brief article)
Nov 06, 2006; ... By Cindy Spielvogel Vivendi Visual Entertainment is promoting a variety of previously released titles for Black History Month, such as God's Waiting List (CodeBlack), The Gospel Comedy All-Stars (Rising) and Preaching to the Choir (CodeBlack). Vivendi is offering several ...
HBO's DVD hurricane.(Audiovisual review)
Nov 06, 2006; ... By Cindy Spielvogel Spike Lees' HBO documentary on Hurricane Katrina, When the Levees Broke , arrives on disc in time for Black History Month. The four-part chronicle, which aired just before the one-year anniversary of Katrina, revisits the hours leading up to the disaster and ...
High-def set to take off.
Nov 06, 2006; ... By Jennifer Netherby More players, support expected during holiday season With the gift-giving season almost in full swing and new HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc players due in stores soon alongside such upcoming day-and-date releases as All the King's Men , The Descent , ...
HD DVD Review.(Mission: Impossible III )(Brief article)(Video recording review)
Nov 06, 2006; ... By Gary Frisch Mission: Impossible III Paramount, HD DVD, available now, $39.99; reviewed on Samsung 27-inch widescreen DLP HDTV with HDMI connection Played on Toshiba's HD-AX1 HD player, this two-disc set for M:I III looks simply terrific, with deep ...
BLU-RAY Review.(movie review of The Brothers Grimm)(Movie review)(Brief article)
Nov 06, 2006 ... By Cyril Pearl The Brothers Grimm Buena Vista, Blu-ray Disc, available now, $34.99; reviewed on Samsung 61-inch widescreen DLP HDTV with HDMI connection Though The Brothers Grimm is a lesser entry in filmmaker Terry Gilliam's fantastical canon, it's still ...
On studio-retail relations.
Nov 06, 2006; ... By Tom Paine, DVDNow! A few weeks ago, I was privileged to participate on the EMA Retail Advisory Council , along with another indie and executives from most of the largest rental and retail chains. This was an opportunity to have a candid give-and-take and discuss the outlook ...
New Releases.
Nov 06, 2006 ... Edited by Samantha Clark ...
Freebies flow now.
Nov 06, 2006; ... By Susanne Ault Studios bundle titles with HD DVD, Blu-ray players Format marketers and retailers are stepping up bundling and co-promotions of high-definition DVD hardware and software in an effort to woo holiday shoppers. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment ...
Blockbuster: Stores still the core.
Nov 06, 2006 ... By Cindy Spielvogel Antioco expects new Total Access program to drive market share online and off Blockbuster reported a dramatically narrower loss for the third quarter as it looked toward further improvement based on its new Total Access program coupling online ...
Video Business honors innovators.
Nov 06, 2006; ... By Marcy Magiera Pioneering online retailer Amazon.com, Universal Studios Home Entertainment president Craig Kornblau and producer Neal H. Moritz, president of Original Film, will be inducted into the Video Business Video Hall of Fame on Dec. 4 in Beverly Hills, Calif. ...
Super DVDS?(Little Miss Sunshine)(All the King's Men )(The Invincible Iron Man)(Brief article)
Nov 06, 2006; ... By Samantha Clark Fox 's little movie that could, Little Miss Sunshine , is driving to DVD on Dec. 19 (prebook Nov. 16) priced at $29.98. The box-office overachiever--$57 million--will come with two commentaries, a music video and four alternate endings. But we would buy it just ...
Hedge leads strong Q4 start.
Nov 06, 2006 ... By Jennifer Netherby Titles show longer life than in past Strong sales of DreamWorks Animation's Over the Hedge and day one sales on Mission: Impossible III , both distributed by Paramount Home Entertainment, are reinforcing industry optimism for the fourth quarter. ...
More extras in Pixar's trunk.(Buena Vista Worldwide Home Entertainment releases of Pixar's Cars)(Brief article)
Nov 06, 2006; ... By Jennifer Netherby EMERYVILLE, Calif.--Buena Vista Worldwide Home Entertainment's Nov. 7 release of Pixar's Cars is expected to be one of the biggest sellers of the quarter. But it's debuting with far fewer bonus features than the typical Pixar extras-filled release, raising ...
DreamWorks rethinks DVD premieres.
Nov 06, 2006 ... By Ben Fritz DreamWorks Animation will shift Puss 'n Boots , a planned Shrek DVD premiere spin-off for 2008, into a theatrical for 2010. CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg attributed the decision partly to a crowded direct-to-video market. Katzenberg said, however, the company isn't ...
Target tries UMD again.
Nov 06, 2006 ... By Susanne Ault Sony moves format to videogame sections Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has convinced Target Stores to give PlayStation Portable movies on UMD another try, with a revamped merchandising strategy that focuses on placing titles in videogame, rather ...
Movielink has early Blood.(Internet movie download of Blood and Oil by Movielink L.L.C.)(Brief article)
Nov 06, 2006 ... By Jennifer Netherby Inecom bowed controversial film Blood and Oil--The Middle East in World War I on Internet movie download service Movielink last week, a month ...
X-Men Stand on Blu-ray.(Brief article)
Nov 06, 2006; ... By Susanne Ault Betting on ramped up Blu-ray Disc adoption with the Nov. 17 bow of Sony's PlayStation 3, Fox has timed its X-Men: The Last Stand to street Nov. 14 on the ...
Consoles a strategic play.(CDRInfo )
Nov 06, 2006; ... By Paul Sweeting The Web site CDRInfo (www.cdrinfo.com ) has published a helpful list of all the media formats--both packaged and digital--supported by Sony 's PlayStation 3 right out of the cardboard. Though all the information in the list was known before, seeing it ...
Anime helps put Navarre back in black.
Nov 06, 2006 ... By Susanne Ault Hurt by bankrupt Tower Records but helped by Circuit City's taking a new interest in anime, Navarre Corp. returned to the black in its second-quarter fiscal 2007 earnings. A distributor of proprietary and non-proprietary product, Navarre posted $1.6 ...
Triple play.(Brief article)
Nov 06, 2006; ... By Susanne Ault Warner is launching a low-priced line of three films in one DVD package on Nov. 7, timed for holiday impulse buys. Dubbed the Triple Features Collection , the studio is packaging three related films onto one or two discs in a single Amaray case, priced at $14.98 ....
Blockbuster testing high-def rentals, sales.(Brief article)
Nov 06, 2006; ... By Susanne Ault Blockbuster this month is beginning to test high-definition DVD rentals and sales at about 250 of its corporate stores with customers that were early adopters of standard-definition DVD. To start, participating outlets will carry about 40 titles each ...
Top Download-to-Own.(Brief article)
Nov 06, 2006 ... By Staff Week ended October 29, 2006 <Pre> Movielink -------------------------------------------- Rank Title (Label/Distributor, SRP) 1 MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE III (PAR, $14.99) 2 NACHO LIBRE (PAR, $19.99) 3 MONSTER HOUSE (SONY, $19.99) ...
Top Renters.
Nov 06, 2006 ... By Staff <Pre> ...
Top Specialized Renters.
Nov 06, 2006 ... By Staff <Pre> ...
House of Sand.(Brief article)(Video recording review)
Nov 06, 2006; ... By Cheryl Cheng Story Line: In Brazil 1910, a man (Ruy Guerra) takes his wife Áurea (Fernanda Torres) and mother-in-law Dona Maria (Fernanda Montenegro) to the far-away desert, where he has bought a piece of land. But after he dies unexpectedly, Áurea spends the ...
Dreamland.(Brief article)(Video recording review)
Nov 06, 2006; ... By Ed Hulse Story Line: Recent high-school grad Audrey (Agnes Bruckner) not only looks after her sickly, alcoholic dad (John Corbett) but also her best friend Calista (Kelli Garner), a beauty queen wannabe afflicted with a debilitating illness. Unselfishly, Audrey fixes up ...
An Inconvenient Truth.(Brief article)(Video recording review)
Nov 06, 2006; ... By Cheryl Cheng Paramount, color, PG, 96 min. plus supplements, Dolby Digital, widescreen, Street: Nov. 21, $29.99; First Run: L, May 2006, $23.7 mil. Although An Inconvenient Truth is essentially former Vice President Al Gore giving a slideshow presentation, this ...
Ice Age: The Meltdown.(Brief article)(Video recording review)
Nov 06, 2006; ... By Irv Slifkin Fox, color, PG, 90 min. plus supplements, Dolby Digital 5.1, widescreen and fullscreen, Street: Nov. 21, $29.98; First Run: W, April 2006, $195 mil. This DVD package follow-up to Fox's formidable 2002 theatrical and DVD hit--which is right up there ...
Miracle on 34th Street.(Video recording review)
Nov 06, 2006; ... By Ed Hulse Fox, two discs, color and B&W, NR, 97 min. plus supplements, Dolby Digital 5.1, fullscreen, Street: Nov. 21, $19.98; First Run: W, May 1947, $2.6 mil. Now making a more substantial effort to compete with other major suppliers in the area of vintage films, ...
Lustre.(Brief article)(Video recording review)
Nov 06, 2006 ... By Ed Hulse Story Line: Depressed by changes to his beloved New York City and the sight of his hospitalized daughter languishing in a coma, aging loan shark Hugo (Victor Argo) has trouble distinguishing reality from illusion. Ghostly apparitions torment him and voices from the ...
Cracking windows.
Nov 13, 2006; ... By Marcy Magiera SANTA MONICA, Calif.-If major motion pictures were to be released simultaneously in movie theaters and on DVD , an estimated 15% to 20% of movie patrons would stay home, causing about a third of theaters to shut their doors. That's from John Fithian ...
New Releases.
Nov 13, 2006 ... Edited by Samantha Clark ...
Week awash in high-def.(GameStop)
Nov 13, 2006; ... By Susanne Ault and George T. Chronis PS3, Xbox 360 add-on launch, along with movies With a slew of high-profile new hardware devices set to hit retail shelves this week, merchants are mounting promotional and merchandising campaigns for both the devices and ...
EMA for unified DRM.(Digital Rights Management)(Brief article)
Nov 13, 2006 ... By Jennifer Netherby EMA voted last week to urge the adoption of interoperable DRM systems as a way to satisfy consumers and encourage more to download movies. DRM tools are used to restrict where ...
At the helm.(Digital video disks releases from Warner Bros.)(Digital video disks releases from Anchor Bay.)(Brief article)
Nov 13, 2006; ... By Samantha Clark Studios are celebrating those behind the camera. On Feb. 13 (prebook Jan. 9), Warner delivers the first of two Directors' Showcases. This initial wave honors Neil Jordan, Federico Fellini, Tony Richardson and Nicolas Roeg with the releases of their ...
Scene.(Jason D. Oxman appointed at Consumer Electronics Association)(Larry Barron appointed at Fremantle )(Charlie McAuley appointed at Paramount)(Brief article)
Nov 13, 2006 ... By Staff Scene : The Consumer Electronics Assn. has named Jason D. Oxman its VP of communications. Oxman is the managing director at Law Media Group. - Larry Barron has joined Fremantle as senior VP of programming and development. He was at UPN. - Kiosk operator TNR ...
Xbox Live offers high-def downloads.
Nov 13, 2006; ... By Jennifer Netherby Internet service to bridge gap between Web and TV Microsoft will begin selling the first high-definition movie and TV downloads from the major studios through its Xbox Live Internet service, which is connected to the Xbox 360 gaming console, ...
Cars races out of gate.
Nov 13, 2006 ... By Jennifer Netherby M:I III biggest high-def seller yet Consumers sped out to buy 5 million DVDs of Disney/ Pixar's Cars in its first two days in stores, putting it on track to be one of the top-sellers of the year and jump-starting what is expected to be a huge ...
Sony sells on Grouper.(Grouper.com)(Brief article)
Nov 13, 2006; ... By Jennifer Netherby Sony has made clips from Spider-Man , Jerry Maguire, Diff'rent Strokes and other movies and TV shows available on viral video site Grouper.com with a link to buy the DVD or digital download. Acquired by ...
Studios slash prices for holiday promotions.
Nov 13, 2006; ... By Susanne Ault With help from the studios, retailers are mounting deep discounts on catalog DVDs designed to kick-off holiday shopping before Black Friday and keep it going past Boxing Day. "There are multiple deals-Black Friday, there'll be some for Boxing Day [the ...
Music rights a hitch.(Movielink)(Universal Studios Inc.)
Nov 13, 2006; ... By Jennifer Netherby Downloads face former DVD glitch It may be a while before an unlimited selection of movies and TV shows is available at the click of a mouse online. In addition to all the other issues facing downloads-bandwidth restrictions and copy protection ...
Lionsgate reports loss, Rentrak rides high.(Rentrak Home Entertainment)(Brief article)
Nov 13, 2006 ... By Susanne Ault and Jennifer Netherby Lacking DVD hits, Lionsgate posted a slightly wider second-quarter fiscal 2007 loss. For the three-month period ended Sept. 30, Lionsgate recorded $14.4 million in red ink, compared with $14.1 million net loss during the same period for ...
Stars in demand at sunny market.
Nov 13, 2006; ... By Susanne Ault Suppliers seek high-profile titles SANTA MONICA, Calif.- Everyone was looking for stars at American Film Market 2006 here last week, as buyers increasingly focused on acquiring films with name talent amid an onslaught of micro-budgeted fare shot on ...
Cardinals fly to DVD.(Shout! Factory )(Brief article)
Nov 13, 2006; ... By Cheryl Cheng Less than a week after the St. Louis Cardinals won the 2006 World Series championship, Shout! Factory announced its plans to release the 2006 World Series DVD. In conjunction with Major League Productions, Shout will street the DVD on Nov. 21, priced at $19.98 ....
Strawberry to grow with Fox.(DIC Entertainment L.P. and American Greetings, Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp.)
Nov 13, 2006; ... By Susanne Ault Studio expands deal with DIC, American Greetings DIC Entertainment and American Greetings have expanded their DVD output deal with 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment. Under the new five-year, multi-million-dollar pact, Fox will exclusively ...
Top Download-to-Own.(Statistical table)(Brief article)
Nov 13, 2006 ... By Staff Week ended November 5, 2006 <Pre> Movielink ----------------------------------------- Rank Title (Label/Distributor, SRP) 1 CLICK (SONY, $19.99) 2 NACHO LIBRE (PAR, $19.99) 3 MONSTER HOUSE (SONY, $19.99) 4 THE BREAK-UP ...
Top Renters.
Nov 13, 2006 ... By Staff <Pre> ...
Top Specialized Renters.
Nov 13, 2006 ... By Staff <Pre> ...
Mozart and the Whale.(Video recording review)
Nov 13, 2006; ... By Ed Grant Story Line: An autistic young man and woman (Josh Hartnett, Radha Mitchell) fall in love when they meet in the support group he runs. When the two move in together, the girl's uninhibited behavior begins to stress the young man and moves the relationship to its ...
Checking Out.(Video recording review)
Nov 13, 2006; ... By Ed Grant Story Line: An elderly actor (Peter Falk) sends a disturbing party invitation to his three children (Laura San Giacomo, David Paymer, Judge Reinhold), in which he declares that he will commit suicide after the conclusion of the party. The siblings rush to his side ...
Superman Returns Two-Disc Special Edition.(Video recording review)
Nov 13, 2006; ... By Ed Hulse Warner, two discs, color, PG-13, 154 min. plus supplements, Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround, widescreen, Street: Nov. 28, $34.99; First Run: W, June 2006, $200 mil. The Man of Steel's long-awaited big-screen comeback boasts more than three hours of bonus ...
Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut.(Video recording review)
Nov 13, 2006; ... By Cyril Pearl Warner, color, 116 min. plus supplements, Dolby Digital, widescreen, Street: Nov. 28, $24.98; First Run: DVD premiere Buzzed about on the Internet for years, the "other version" of the beloved 1980 Superman II becomes a reality with the release of The ...
You, Me and Dupree.(Video recording review)
Nov 13, 2006; ... By Ed Hulse Universal, color, PG-13, 110 min. plus supplements, widescreen, Dolby Digital 5.1, Street: Nov. 21, $29.98; First Run: W, July 2006, $754.6 mil. Two things will become apparent to anybody watching the supplements accompanying this so-so comedy. First, the ...
Home Alone: Family Fun Edition.(Video recording review)
Nov 13, 2006; ... By Mayna Bergmann Fox, color, PG, 105 min. plus supplements, widescreen, Street: Nov. 21, $19.98; First Run: W, Nov. 1990, $17 mil. Those who remember Macaulay Culkin as an adorably precocious towhead in the 1990 blockbuster Home Alone (and who missed the personal ...
The Celestine Prophecy.(Video recording review)
Nov 13, 2006 ... By Mekado Murphy Story Line: A teacher (Matthew Settle) who has recently been laid off from his job makes a trip to Peru to research a collection of nine ancient scrolls. Each scroll is said to contain insights into the universe and a pathway to spiritual enlightenment. ...
Palm plays with promotions.(Palm Pictures L.L.C.)(Brief article)
Nov 20, 2006; ... By Susanne Ault Company builds game Web site around release 13Tzameti Palm Pictures is gamely trying a new strategy to promote Feb. 13 release 13Tzameti . Instead of simply crafting ads around the psychological thriller, Palm has created its first online ...
Kid makes it official.(Brief article)
Nov 20, 2006; ... By Susanne Ault Entertainment Studios streets first title It took Entertainment Studios' new DVD unit two years to street its first title, The Kid & I , which bowed on Oct. 24. But the division is now rolling with new salespeople, a fulfillment deal with Starz Home ...
Coming soon.
Nov 20, 2006 ... By Cheryl Biggs Upcoming independent DVD offerings BFS Shadow Run stars Michael Caine as Haskell, a cold-hearted thief who is planning the ultimate heist. Street Jan. 9, prebook Dec. 5; DVD $26.98 Hart Sharp When Jack is told by a ...
Freedom Fries: And Other Stupidity We'll Have to Explain to Our Grandchildren.(Brief article)(Video recording review)
Nov 20, 2006 ... By Mekado Murphy Director Christman rips a page out of the Michael Moore documentary handbook with this didactic offering about the ways many Americans equate patriotism with consumerism. The movie mixes footage of America's leaders with TV ads, news pieces and stats to ...
The Weeping Meadow.(Brief article)(Video recording review)
Nov 20, 2006; ... By Ed Grant Story Line: A child named Eleni is adopted by a Greek family fleeing Russia. Years later, as an adult (Alexandra Aidini), she marries her adoptive father. But right after the ceremony, she runs off with his son (Nikos Poursadinis), an accordionist with whom she is ...
Bragging--not rental--rights.
Nov 20, 2006; ... By Marcy Magiera So Blockbuster is finally getting in the P.R. game as it pertains to rival Netflix Inc. , and it has got the perfect partner in consummate indie showmen Bob and Harvey Weinstein . Netflix has long been a darling of Wall Street and the consumer and ...
New Releases.
Nov 20, 2006 ... Edited by Samantha Clark ...
PS3: Gone in 60 minutes.
Nov 20, 2006; ... By Susanne Ault and Jennifer Netherby High-def DVD player base explodes The installed base of high-definition DVD players increased exponentially last week, as Sony's Blu-ray Disc-enabled PlayStation 3 game console sold out within minutes of going on sale on Nov. 17, ...
Lionsgate doubles security tags.
Nov 20, 2006; ... By Jennifer Netherby Move to aid rush delivery, curb theft Lionsgate in February will become the first studio to ship all new-release DVDs with both Sensormatic and Checkpoint electronic article surveillance tags. Lionsgate and other studios currently ...