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Movies / TV
Smart Mark DVD Report
Posted by Jay Spree on Apr 29, 2002, 19:28
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Smart Mark DVD Report By Jay Spree
Welcome one and welcome all to the all-new Smart Mark DVD.
Yes, I�m back. Or rather, I�m the one that didn�t leave. I�m guessing most of you know who I am, given the inmates running the asylum nature of the new site, but in case you don�t, I�m your weekly DVD newscapper and occasional reviewer.
So then, why aren�t I over at 411 with Scott and the others? Well, there are a lot of reasons, but the long and short of it is that, ultimately, I didn�t feel that my jumping to 411 would have �made a difference�. Widro�s done an amazing job over there, and it�s a great site with a really talented roster. But what we�ve got here is something really special, and something that I really wanted to be a part of. Rantsylvania, TheSmarks, TheSmartMarks � whatever it�s been called, the site has always had its own identity and, more than anything, a sense of family. That�s what I signed up for when I first came aboard, and hopefully, I can help the site continue its tradition of greatness. Plus, that means I�ve been here longer than anyone else, so I can start using my Taker-esque stroke to get my way around here. IT�S MY YARD, DAMMIT!
So, that�s that. Amazingly, not a whole lot has happened since the big shakeup, to be honest. I finally picked up a few classics thanks to the RIDICULOUS DVD sale going on in the UK. If you�re able to play Region 2 movies, I would strongly recommend heading over to Play.com to check out the deals � a good example would be the Alien films, which are available for �9.99 ($14) each, down from �19.99. So you can pick up all four films for �40 ($57), as opposed to the �70 ($99) for the Legacy boxset.
I�m also on a bit of a Hong Kong action tip, as my copy of Tsui Hark gunfest Time and Tide just arrived, and Tokyo Raiders is on its way as we speak. Speaking of which, big props to Stephen Chow for winning Best Actor, Best Director, Best Young Director, and Best Picture for Shaolin Soccer (which, once we�ve all settled, I might actually get round to reviewing). I also discovered one of the most awful, AWFUL series of TV movies of all time, RoboCop: The Prime Directives. It was so bad that I think I�m actually going to review it, but suffice it to say that if you thought Robo 3 was bad� man, you really don�t even know.
Anyway, that�s enough banter. It�s time to HIT THE CONTENT~!
WHAT�S HOT THIS WEEK
Quite a few big name releases vying for your cash this week, although arguably only one or two worth actually buying.
Of course, Michael Mann�s Ali appears on a totally barebones disc in a shameless effort to double dip the consumer � seriously folks, a Special Edition is SURE to be on the way, so do yourself a favour and wait a couple months. Not Another Teen Movie is complete crap (literally, in one scene) except for that hot chick and the Marilyn Manson video. Jerry Maguire: SE, on the other hand, is a damn fine DVD; there�s a shitload of extras (including an all-star commentary with Cruise, Zelllllwegggger and Gooding Jr) and it�s a pretty good flick, so it qualifies as a must-have.
I�m not a huge fan of Friends, but nonetheless The Complete First Season is available on DVD this week with a bunch of commentaries (by the producers and crew, not the cast) and not much else, from what I�ve read, so I guess it�s worth getting if you like the series. A far superior series getting the DVD treatment this week is The Hitchhiker�s Guide to the Galaxy, adapted from the classic Douglas Adams novel. The set�s been out in the UK for a while now, and if you�re at all a fond of dry surrealist British humour, it�s definitely worth checking out. And of course, if you can play Region 2 discs, Angel: Series 2 is out as well.
There's some martial arts movie goodness too. We�ve got a Sammo movie in the form of Avenging Fist, Donnie Yen in Fist of Fury � Special Edition (nothing to do with Bruce Lee), Kickboxer with Yuen Biao, and the almighty Thunder Kick with (all together now) BOLO~! Actually, I don�t know anything about any of these films, except that Sammo and Donnie Yen kick ass, Yuen Biao was one of the Bruce Lee stand-ins in Game of Death, and Bolo� well, he�s Bolo.
We get a couple of wrestling DVDs in the form of Stone Cold Steve Austin � What? and WrestleMania X8. I�m not buying the Austin disc on my anti-What? principles, and I�m not really sure that the Hogan-Rock match really justifies purchasing Mania, especially given the way the Fed treats their DVDs these days. Oh yeah, there�s an XPW DVD out this week too, but Rob Black is an asshole, so I�m not writing anything more about it. Except to say that XPW is crap. And that Rob Black eats crap.
Daddy of The Week: For any newcomers, every week I select a new DVD release that is so unbelievable (in either a positive or negative sense) that it can only be known as �The Daddy�.
Well, it was a tough choice this week, what with Biker Zombies and Zombie Holocaust Dr. Butcher M.D., but I was in the mood for something a little more� naked. But not even Totally Nude Yoga & Tai Chi could wrangle the honours away from (drum roll�) Cooking With Porn Stars. If that�s not a must-have DVD folks, I just don�t know what is.
MEMENTO. WHAT? MEMENTO. WHAT?
Memento is one of those �oh, you�ve GOT to see that movie� flicks. Despite getting a pretty cool DVD last time round, director Chris Nolan has seen fit to dish out a very, very awesome looking Special Edition. Looking at the press release, it looks like a LOT of effort has been put into this two-disc set:
�the limited-edition DVD offers a series of mindbenders and challenges designed by Nolan that begin the moment one of the set�s two discs is inserted into the player. At its core, the DVD is constructed as an elaborate mental puzzle that the viewer must solve in order to watch the film and the added-value elements� The newly designed limited edition of MEMENTO will be housed in some of the most unique and creative packaging ever produced, and within it viewers will find hidden assistance to solving the puzzles of the DVD.�
� �I've enjoyed flexing my creative muscles to come up with something completely new and unique to the DVD format,� said writer/director Christopher Nolan. �I hope fans of MEMENTO will enjoy not only the film, but also the extra features and challenges that the DVD offers.� "
�The second disc offers a wealth of special features that includes the 23-minute documentary �Anatomy of a Scene.� Originally shown on The Sundance Channel, it breaks down a single scene from script to design to photography to its final screen version. Also included on the limited-edition DVD is the original short story by Jonathan Nolan, as well as a �director�s script� that allows viewers to dissect the film�s unique structure by switching between a scene and Nolan�s annotated film script by using a DVD player�s angle-change feature.�
Dunno about you, but I�m gonna be there on May 21st with my thirty bucks in hand.
The complete specs for the set are as follows:
- High definition, remastered, anamorphic widescreen transfer
- DTS and 5.1 audio
- Director�s commentary
- Director�s script
- �Anatomy of a Scene� (Sundance Channel doc)
- Original Jonathon Nolan short story
- Galleries, trailers and spots
Thanks to the Times for� well, everything.
RED DWARF � WHERE EVERYBODY KNOWS YOUR NAME
Exciting news for fans of the cult British sci-fi comedy; the BBC are set to release one of their most sought-after properties on DVD. Red Dwarf: Series 1 will be available from November 4 for a measly �19.99 ($28).
In an interview on the official Red Dwarf site, BBC DVD honcho Ross McGinley revealed that the plan is for each series is to get a two-disc release: The first disc will contain the all episodes with up to two audio commentaries (one with the cast, another with creators Grant and Naylor as well as the directors and crew). The second disc will host as much as 120 minutes of additional material, including deleted scenes, outtakes, interviews, galleries and anything else they can find.
Of course, more importantly than the supplemental features, diehard fans will want to know whether the episodes will be the original versions or the newer remastered (but cut) editions. While it hasn�t really been confirmed, the general feeling is that the episodes will be the original, un-remastered versions � it wouldn�t surprise me to see some sort of doc or featurette on the remastered editions.
And if you�re interested in classic British comedy, it�s worth noting that the official BBC Shop also has Young Ones: Series 1 and Bottom � The Very Best Of both scheduled for an August 5th release. Of course, all of these titles will be Region 2-only, so check up on your multi-region-ness. They may very well make it to Region 1 at some stage, but Britcom is a pretty niche market, so I couldn�t hold your breath.
Thanks to the Times for the heads up.
�WHERE YA GOIN�, McFLY?�
Of all the classic movie Trilogies that we�ve been clamoring for on DVD, Back To The Future is the only one we�re going to be seeing anytime soon (well, Spielberg was asked to do an Indy commentary a couple months ago which means work is at least underway on that, but we�ll be waiting at least another three years for Star Wars).
TheDigitalBits had an interesting bit of news about the upcoming set (due in the US December-ish, due in other Regions a little sooner). According to DVDPortugal, the spec list for the collection are as follows:
BTTF
- Feature commentary
- Deleted scenes
- The Making of BTTF
- Time Travel: Fact, Fiction & Fantasy
- Screen tests and makeup tests
- Storyboards, conceptuals, photo galleries, prop museum
- Pop-up trivia quiz
- The Power of Love and Johnny B Goode music videos
- DVD-ROM features (including script-to-screen)
BTTF 2
The exact same features (with the exception of the Making of and Time Travel featurettes), plus:
- �Behind The Scenes� special presentation.
BTTF 3
Again, the same features as the first film (without the two featurettes), plus:
The Secrets of the BTTF Trilogy
Doubleback music video
Of course, none of this is confirmed, but information coming from Australia and Europe concerning this collection has been fairly reliable (the �prop musem� features would correlate with reports of a DVD crew at the recent BTTF prop convention), so treat this as an informed rumour.
KISS MY ASS KEANU: IT�S PAYBACK TIME
By now, everybody knows about the Speed: Five Star Edition DVD being put out by Fox on July 30th. Well firstly, if you want that disc a little sooner, you can import it from Region 2, as it�s being released here almost two months earlier on June 3rd. But if you�re a REAL man, you�ll be spending your money on Predator: Special Edition.
The two-disc, which Fox PR insist will be fully uncut, looks like this:
- Anamorphic widescreen
- Dolby 5.1 and DTS 5.1 audio tracks
- Commentary by director John McTiernan
- Text commentary (�by film historian�, whatever the hell that means)
- New 30-minute doc: �If it bleeds, we�ll kill it�
- Inside Predator series of seven featurettes
- Deleted Scene: Arnold fleeing Predator
- Outtakes
- Special effects segments and camouflage tests
- Predator text profile
- Galleries and trailers
Now, the bad news� it�s Region 2 only. At the moment. I don�t know why, that�s just the way it is. Much like the RoboCop: SE collection that we got here in February, it�s been forever scheduled for a Region 1 release, but if and when that actually happens is anyone�s guess. As it is, it�s due for release in the UK on June 3rd for �22.99 ($33), so if you want it, you�ll have to make sure you�ve got a multi-region player. As always, if you don�t know an importer, it�s worth checking Amazon UK.
Thanks to the DVD Times.
WIDESCREEN: TO BE OR NOT BE?
The widecreen versus pan & scam issue is a very sensitive and relevant one for DVD users. I know that most people reading here are fairly tech-wise when it comes to this, but for anyone who isn�t so sure, let me explain (in very simplified terms).
Most films are shot with an �aspect ratio� (the horizontal length of the picture compared to the vertical length) which is wider than the square shape of most televisions � in fact, sometimes the picture is as much as twice as wide as it is tall. So, to view most films in their correct aspect ratio, it is necessary to have black bars at the top and bottom of the screen in order to present the complete picture. This is what is commonly known as �widescreen�. Alternatively, in order to avoid having the black bars, the picture can be completely butchered by chopping off the additional width, thus making the picture �fit� the square shape of TVs. This is called �pan & scan� (or, more affectionately, �pan & scam�).
Since the majority of people are uneducated to the fact that the black bars actually allow you to see more of the picture, they tend to bug companies into giving us only horribly cropped pan & scam versions of films. Of course, being as DVD is supposed to be the ultimate movie-viewing medium, this is complete insanity, especially as the retail trend is fast moving towards the sale of widescreen TVs as the standard.
Anyway, TheDigitalBits have been fighting the good fight from day one, and (as always) they�ve got some really interesting articles on the matter. They�ve recently been talking to some of the DVD folks at Buena Vista (who are also guilty of butchering their kung-fu library, but that�s another matter) about the practicalities of separate widescreen/pan & scam releases, two-disc or double-sided sets � even about the possibility of DVD�s �pan & scan on the fly� feature, a proven technology which electronically creates a full-frame option from an anamorphic transfer.
The first of these interviews is with Chris Carey, and is certainly interesting in that it gives the studio�s perspective on things.
So here's the transcript
It�s definitely something that every DVD user should read up on.
Okay, I�m done.
By this time next week, we should all have a better idea where we�re at. For heaven�s sake go and check out all the other sections of the site, and read everything at least once. Unless it�s me, in which case click twice � I could use the hits.
NOW I�VE GOT YOUR FAT BLACK ASS~!
Peace.
Jay Spree
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