Video Business back issues from February 2008:
'Round and 'round.
Feb 04, 2008 ... By Buzz McClain Recyclers help keep toxic discs out of landfills and incinerators Hundreds of millions, if not billions, of DVDs, CDs and game discs are discarded each year. Damage and production errors cause some of the problems. But the majority of ...
Green titles growing for Earth Day.
Feb 04, 2008 ... Compiled by Cheryl Biggs A&E/New Video A Global Warning? Released in eco-friendly, soy-inked packaging is this History Channel program showing that as the planet continues to warm, a litany of disasters may follow, including melted ice caps and mass extinctions ....
Cinema Libre creates New Earth.(Brief article)
Feb 04, 2008; ... By Susanne Ault Green label marks first dedicated to environment Cinema Libre Studio's new home entertainment chief, Martin Mair, has plans to launch a new green DVD label as part of his goals to strengthen the indie supplier. Mair envisions the label, ...
Don't trash that disc!(Brief article)
Feb 04, 2008 ... By Staff Recycling tips for CDs, DVDs, HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc NEVER throw away discs in the trash. Collect unwanted discs, separating them from other regular recyclable plastics. Contact a professional disc recycler for pick up or shipping ....
Spring cleaning?
Feb 04, 2008; ... By Marcy Magiera When we set out to develop this week's Green Report (starting on page 11), we really had no idea if, or how, DVDs could be recycled. Common sense suggested there must be a way, and I was hoping against hope that we would find you can just throw them into ...
New Releases.
Feb 04, 2008 ... Edited by Samantha Clark ...
Cable cooks DVD combo.
Feb 04, 2008 ... By Jennifer Netherby Studios offer New Yorkers VOD and a disc in the DVD window Cablevision has begun offering on demand movies from Universal Studios and Warner Bros. the same day they debut on DVD with one caveat-viewers must also purchase the movie on disc. ...
Videogame software to take spotlight this year.
Feb 04, 2008 ... By Susanne Ault Consumer demand for advanced consoles led the videogame industry's growth in 2007, with hardware sales growing 54%, to $7.04 billion, while software grew a slower but still whopping 34%, to $8.64 billion. Expect software to lead this year, however, said NPD ...
DEG plants summit.(Digital Entertainment Group )(Brief article)
Feb 04, 2008 ... By Staff The Digital Entertainment Group will present its first Green Media Summit April 2 at the Luxe Hotel in Los Angeles. The one-day conference is intended to be the first in a series of events aimed at educating the studio and entertainment communities about environmentally ...
VOD hardware landscape.
Feb 04, 2008 ... By Jennifer Netherby As cable companies get more aggressive with VOD, the competition to connect the Internet to the TV also is heating up following a price cut on the Apple TV and more new devices coming that will deliver movies to consumers where they watch them most. Last ...
Scene & Noted.(Koch)(appointments)(Brief article)
Feb 04, 2008 ... By Staff SCENE : Razor & Tie has promoted Edith Bellinghausen to senior VP of digital business, from VP of new media, and Tim Foisset to senior director of digital marketing, from director of digital marketing. - First Look has named ...
BTP, Image merger on the rocks.(BTP Acquisition Co.)(Image Entertainment )
Feb 04, 2008; ... By Susanne Ault Image suing to distribute ThinkFilm, Capitol titles BTP Acquisition Co.'s purchase of Image Entertainment appears close to collapse, with each party claiming the other is in breach of the merger agreement. Image's board of directors is ...
Legend, Lions to spring.(Brief article)
Feb 04, 2008 ... By Staff Warner will release its futuristic I Am Legend on March 18 (prebook Feb. 19) on DVD and Blu-ray and as an HD DVD Combo on April 8, before the studio stops releasing titles on HD DVD in May. Starring Will Smith, I Am Legend grossed $248.5 million in ...
Redbox expands in Midwest.
Feb 04, 2008 ... By Danny King No. 1. DVD rental kiosk operator Redbox is further expanding its presence in the Midwest by adding machines in HyVee and Buehler's supermarkets. The company, which tripled its kiosks to 6,300 in 2007, has added 400 more since the beginning of this year, ...
HD DVD pushes on with promos.
Feb 04, 2008 ... By Susanne Ault Format featured during Super Bowl, Sundance Film Festival Down but not out, HD DVD backers promoted the format during the Super Bowl and at the Sundance Film Festival as price cuts bolstered player sales in January. HD DVD hardware totaled ...
Some Blu-ray players more advanced.
Feb 04, 2008 ... By Susanne Ault Studios are promising their most elite Blu-ray Discs to date in 2008, but not all available and upcoming devices can playback advanced features. Due to a decision by the Blu-ray Disc Assn. to keep certain hardware requirements optional, there is a ...
DVD vet Bersch broadens reach at Sony.
Feb 04, 2008 ... By Susanne Ault Steven Bersch has been named president of Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions Group, replacing Peter Schlessel, who was recently promoted to president of worldwide affairs at Sony Pictures Entertainment. Going forward, Bersch will report to Schlessel ....
Rickles warms up on DVD.
Feb 04, 2008 ... By Laurence Lerman VB's Laurence Lerman spoke to the legendary Don Rickles about Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project (Vivendi Visual Entertainment, street: Feb. 19), a feature-length tribute directed by John Landis. The relatively insult-free discussion included Rickles' reason ...
No surrender.
Feb 04, 2008 ... By Paul Sweeting There's a scene near the beginning of Gladiator where the Roman army under Marcus Aurelius is preparing for its set-piece battle against the Barbarian tribes. Thomas Arana, playing Quintus, turns to Russell Crowe's Maximus and says, 'People should know when ...
Otis goes South.(Brief article)
Feb 04, 2008; ... By Susanne Ault Warner's newest Raw Feed production, Otis , is expected to be the label's most mainstream offering to date. To support it, the studio will premiere the movie at the South by Southwest Film Festival next month before a possible limited theatrical run. Starring ...
Top DVD Sellers.
Feb 04, 2008 ... By Staff Week ended January 26, ...
Top Blu-ray Titles.(Table)(Brief article)(Company rankings)
Feb 04, 2008 ... By Staff Week ended January 26, 2008 <Pre> Top Blu-ray Titles ---------------------------------------------- Rank Title (label/distributor) 1 SAW IV (LG, $39.99) 2 THE GAME PLAN (DIS, $34.99) 3 3:10 TO YUMA ...
Top HD DVD Titles.(high definiton digital video drives)(Table)(Brief article)(Company rankings)
Feb 04, 2008 ... By Staff Week ended January 26, 2008 <Pre>Top HD DVD Titles -------------------------------------------------------- Rank Title (label/distributor) 1 TRANSFORMERS (DW/PAR, $39.99) 2 HARRY POTTER: PHOENIX (WB, $35.99) 3 BATMAN ...
Top DVD Renters.
Feb 04, 2008 ... By Staff Week ended January 26, ...
Top Specialized Renters.(Statistical table)(Brief article)(Company rankings)
Feb 04, 2008 ... By Staff Week ended January 26, 2008 <Pre> Top Specialized Renters ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Title (label/distributor)Index NONTHEATRICAL 1...
Top Download-to-Own.(Table)(Brief article)(Company rankings)
Feb 04, 2008 ... By Staff Week ended January 26, 2008 <Pre> Movielink ---------------------------------------------- Rank Title (Label/Distributor, SRP) 1 GOOD LUCK CHUCK (LG, $19.99) 2 SAW IV (LG, $19.99) 3 DRAGON WARS (SONY, $19.99) 4 ...
The Rage.(Brief article)(Video recording review)
Feb 04, 2008; ... By Ed Grant SCREEN MEDIA/UNIVERSAL Street: Feb. 26 Prebook: now > Gross-out thrill ride about a deadly virus. The gore flows freely in this fusion of Race With the Devil , Re-Animator and any number of zombie movies you'd care to ...
Darkon.(Brief article)(Video recording review)
Feb 04, 2008; ... By Ed Grant PORCHLIGHT Street: Feb. 26 Prebook: now > Sympathetic, slightly strange portrait of a hardcore role-playing community. Role players get their day in the sun in this entertaining study of a group of Baltimore residents ...
Things We Lost in the Fire.
Feb 04, 2008 ... By Cheryl Cheng PARAMOUNT Street: March 4 Prebook: now > A-list cast should draw attention to this underperforming drama. In the latest from Danish director Susanne Bier (Best Foreign Language Film Oscar-nominated After the Wedding ...
Kurt Cobain: About a Son.
Feb 04, 2008 ... By Cheryl Cheng SHOUT FACTORY Street: Feb. 19 Prebook: now > Kurt Cobain doc lacks visual element. Even hardcore Nirvana fans will find this film difficult to watch, but not because of heart-rending footage of late musician Kurt ...
B. L. Stryker: The Complete First Season.
Feb 04, 2008 ... By Ed Hulse ARTS ALLIANCE AMERICA Street: Feb. 26 Prebook: now > Fans of vintage Burt Reynolds should find this appealing. Burt Reynolds returned to network TV for the first time in more than a decade as the star of this 1989-90 ...
The Inner Life of Martin Frost.(Brief article)(Video recording review)
Feb 04, 2008; ... By Ed Hulse NEW YORKER Street: Feb. 19 Prebook: now > Self-conscious and unnecessarily confusing film for those who appreciate the offbeat. Novelist Paul Auster wrote and directed this occasionally enticing but generally pretentious ...
Death at a Funeral.(Brief article)(Video recording review)
Feb 04, 2008; ... By Irv Slifkin MGM/FOX Street: Feb. 26 Prebook: now > Dark British farce showcases a fine cast of droll performers. After such troubled productions as The Score and The Stepford Wives , director Frank Oz heads to merry, old England ...
New Releases.
Feb 11, 2008 ... Edited by Samantha Clark ...
Warner slides DVD window.
Feb 11, 2008 ... By Jennifer Netherby Six big Q1 titles debut simultaneously on VOD Warner Bros. is stepping up its slate of films debuting simultaneously on DVD and video-on-demand, giving Michael Clayton , The Brave One and No Reservations a day-and-date release in February ...
Appetite for Blu-ray grows.
Feb 11, 2008 ... By Susanne Ault Consumer demand remains weak for both formats, but Warner swings momentum toward Blu-ray Consumers are expressing more desire to purchase Blu-ray Disc players following Warner Bros. Entertainment's swing to back that format exclusively, according to ...
Rentrak fiscal Q3 drops 10.5%.(revenue report)(Financial report)(Brief article)
Feb 11, 2008; ... By Marcy Magiera Rentrak Corp.'s revenue fell 10.5% to $23.9 million in the fiscal third quarter ended Dec. 31, despite gains in its Advanced Media Information division. The company's overall net income fell 49%, to $547,000. Revenue rose 38.4% over the same period a year ...
Bankruptcy Court approves Gallery plan.
Feb 11, 2008 ... By Cindy Spielvogel The U.S. Bankruptcy Court has approved the disclosure statement for Movie Gallery's reorganization plan. Movie Gallery can now solicit votes from its creditors, many of whom have already agreed to support the ...
HD VMD pitches low cost option.
Feb 11, 2008 ... By Susanne Ault SANTA MONICA, Calif.-Armed with a new replication facility and a veteran of the TV industry as its new chairman, New Medium Enterprises continues to try to convince content owners and consumers that its HD VMD high-definition format is a less expensive ...
Scene & Noted.(Paramount)(appointments)(Brief article)
Feb 11, 2008 ... By Staff Prend joins Anchor Bay Anchor Bay has named veteran studio marketer Gordon Prend senior VP of worldwide marketing. He will report to Anchor Bay president Bill Clark. Prend, who most recently was senior VP of marketing at First Look, will lead brand-building ...
Warner celebrates 85 years.
Feb 11, 2008 ... By Susanne Ault Studio to release nine catalog promotions and a documentary BURBANK, Calif.-Warner Home Video will mark the studio's 85th anniversary with a yearlong retail event that includes nine catalog promotions, spanning 50 new to disc titles, and the release of ...
Netflix considers higher prices for high-def.(Brief article)
Feb 11, 2008; ... By Danny King Netflix hasn't ruled out raising prices on high-definition rentals if a resolution to the format war between Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD drives up costs, according to chief financial officer Barry McCarthy. Blu-ray market share has risen since Warner said it would ...
Launch at full Speed.(Brief article)
Feb 11, 2008; ... By Marcy Magiera Lionsgate on May 6 will release Speed Racer The Next Generation: The Beginning , a 66-minute feature that sets up the new NickToons series of the same name. The title will bow on NickToons May 2, just prior to the DVD release (prebook April ...
Redbox will roll across Wal-Mart.(Wal-Mart Stores Inc.)
Feb 11, 2008; ... By Danny King Deal brings machine company's total to 9,400 locations DVD rental kiosk operator Redbox will add machines in about 2,700 U.S. Wal-Mart stores by the end of next year. The plan will boost the number of Redbox kiosks by about 40% and put its machines in ...
Bionic to disc as Vol. 1.(Brief article)
Feb 11, 2008 ... By Staff Universal isn't waiting for a full season of Bionic Woman to air before releasing the show on DVD. The studio will deliver the first eight episodes-the number of episodes that have aired since the Writers Guild of America strike began-on March 18 (prebook Feb. 12) in ...
A third party.
Feb 11, 2008 ... By Paul Sweeting It's too early yet to know the full impact of Warner Bros.' embrace of Blu-ray Disc on the battle between Blu-ray and HD DVD, but the expectation that it would bring clarity to the high-def DVD business still looks like a long shot. According to the ...
Anchor Bay seeks bigger screen.
Feb 11, 2008 ... By Susanne Ault Pitches retailers on high-profile slate Anchor Bay Entertainment is getting theatrical about its release slate. The indie last month held its first-ever retail summit, hosting executives from Amazon, Blockbuster, Netflix, Trans World ...
Image, BTP merger off.(Image Entertainment mergers with BTP Acquisition Co)(Brief article)
Feb 11, 2008 ... By Susanne Ault The troubled merger of Image Entertainment and BTP Acquisition Co. was officially called off last week, with each side claiming to have initiated the break and demanding cash compensation from the other. Image on Feb. 5 demanded payment of $4.2 million ...
Chipmunks sing for spring.(Brief article)
Feb 11, 2008; ... By Susanne Ault Fox will street holiday hit Alvin and the Chipmunks on DVD and Blu-ray Disc on April 1 (prebook March 5; DVD $29.98, BD $39.98). The title will get a marketing blitz in excess of 3 billion consumer impressions, including TV spots on American ...
Borders convenes classes.
Feb 11, 2008 ... By Danny King Borders Group is offering free classes taught by local professionals and entrepreneurs at three Sacramento, Calif.-area stores as part of a trial effort to boost foot traffic. The stores are offering 30 classes per week, with subjects ranging from finance to ...
Top DVD Sellers.
Feb 11, 2008 ... By Staff Week ended February 2, ...
Top Blu-ray Titles.(Table)(Brief article)(Company rankings)
Feb 11, 2008 ... By Staff Week ended February 2, 2008 <Pre> Top Blu-ray Titles ---------------------------------------------- Rank Title (label/distributor) 1 THE GAME PLAN (DIS, $34.99) 2 THE INVASION (WB, $35.99) 3 3:10 TO ...
Top HD DVD Titles.(high definition digital video drives)(Table)(Brief article)
Feb 11, 2008 ... By Staff Week ended February 2, 2008 <Pre>Top HD DVD Titles -------------------------------------------------------- Rank Title (label/distributor) 1 TRANSFORMERS (DW/PAR, $39.99) 2 THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM (UNI, $39.98) 3 THE KINGDOM ...
Top DVD Renters.
Feb 11, 2008 ... By Staff Week ended February 2, ...
Top Specialized Renters.(Statistical table)(Brief article)
Feb 11, 2008 ... By Staff Week ended February 2, 2008 <Pre> Top Specialized Renters ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Title (label/distributor)Index NONTHEATRICAL 1...
Top Download-to-Own.(Table)(Brief article)
Feb 11, 2008 ... By Staff Week ended February 2, 2008 <Pre> Movielink ---------------------------------------------- Rank Title (Label/Distributor, SRP) 1 3:10 TO YUMA (LG, $19.99) 2 THE INVASION (WB, $17.99) 3 GOOD LUCK CHUCK (LG, $19.99) 4 ...
Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium.(Brief article)(Video recording review)
Feb 11, 2008; ... By Gary Frisch FOX Street: March 4 Prebook: now > Enjoyable, family-friendly fare was overlooked at box office. Although it was critically drubbed upon its theatrical release in the fall, this visual spectacle has more than a toy ...
Company K.(Brief article)(Video recording review)
Feb 11, 2008; ... By Ed Grant INDICAN Street: March 11 Prebook: Feb. 14 > WWI drama benefits from sober, solid scripting. A timeless parable about the nature of war, this low-key character piece concerns a World War I veteran (Ari Fliakos) who ...
Into the Wild.(Brief article)(Video recording review)
Feb 11, 2008; ... By Marcy Magiera PARAMOUNT Street: March 4 Prebook: now > Sean Penn's man-against-nature tale is compelling and tragic. At the center of writer/director Sean Penn's compelling translation of the bestseller by Jon Krakauer is an ...
Alpha Male.(Brief article)(Video recording review)
Feb 11, 2008; ... By Ed Hulse THINKFILM Street: March 18 Prebook: Feb. 21 > Substantive, mature drama is appealing but not easy to follow. Ambitious arthouse fare, Alpha Male deals with the dissolution of seemingly strong family ties following the ...
Pierrot Le Fou.(Brief article)(Video recording review)
Feb 11, 2008; ... By Ed Grant CRITERION/IMAGE Street: Feb. 19 Prebook: now > Godard's colorful 1965 tale of doomed love looks bolder and brighter than ever. Jean-Luc Godard's Breathless may have changed film history forever, but among fans of the ...
Experiment.(Brief article)(Video recording review)
Feb 11, 2008; ... By Buzz McClain MTI Street: March 4 Prebook: now > Amnesiac assassins raise interesting questions in this effective, low-budget film. Proof that a small budget ($250,000) goes a long way in Eastern Europe (in this case, Prague), ...
Lake of Fire.(Brief article)(Video recording review)
Feb 11, 2008; ... By Ed Grant THINKFILM Street: March 11 Prebook: Feb. 14 > Challenging, often disturbing examination of the abortion issue. Filmmaker Tony Kaye (American History X ) tackles the hot-button topic of abortion in this engrossing and ...
To Kill a King.(Brief article)(Video recording review)
Feb 11, 2008; ... By Ed Hulse UNION STATION/ANCHOR BAY Street: Feb. 26 Prebook: now > Neatly acted, engrossing period drama from Britain. This talky but powerful period drama plays out against the backdrop of Britain's 17th century civil war, as Sir ...
Duke Ellington at the Cote d'Azur With Ella Fitzgerald.(Brief article)(Video recording review)
Feb 11, 2008; ... By Ed Grant EAGLE VISION Street: March 18 Prebook: Feb. 27 > The Duke in his domain, performing in 1966 France. The musical genius of 'Sir Duke' is on display in this 1966 film about a string of concerts he gave at the Cote d'Azur. ...