December 2001
PICKS OF THE WEEK
ALMOST FAMOUS UNTITLED: THE
BOOTLEG CUT (Dreamworks)
Starring Kate Hudson, Frances McDormand
The acclaimed film that tells the (sort-of) true story of writer/director
Cameron Crowe who - when only a teen - went on tour with a rock band as a
reporter for Rolling Stone magazine. This 3-disc set includes:
Commentary by Crowe and Alice Crowe
Production notes
Trailers
Two versions of the film - the "Almost Famous Untitled: The Bootleg"
which contains 36 additional, never-before-seen minutes and the original version
A new behind-the-scenes featurette
Deleted scenes with commentary including Stillwater's Cleveland concert
featuring 6 original songs
Cameron Crowe's Top 10 Albums on 1973
Shooting script with Crowe's notes
Original Rolling Stones articles with commentary
Nancy Wilson's original music made exclusively for the DVD menus
Also new this week
BEETHOVEN'S 4TH (Universal)
Starring Judge Reinhold, Julia Sweeney, Art LaFleur, Dr. Joyce Brothers
The popular St. Bernard returns yet once again in this family-friendly tale
about two family dogs - one who lives with a spoiled rich family, the other who
lives with a busy middle-class family. Both families learn how important family
is via their dogs' behavior. $19.98. Also available on
DVD.
EXECUTION OF JUSTICE (Paramount)
Starring Peter Coyote, Tim Daly, Tyne Daly
The true story of the assassination of San Francisco Mayor George Moscone and
City Supervisor Harvey Milk on November 27, 1978. A terrific cast, headed by the
always underrated Coyote. Based on the play by Emily Mann. Rated R.
GHOSTS OF MARS
(Columbia/Tri-Star)
Starring Ice Cube, Natasha Henstridge, Jason Stathan, Pam Grier
Director John Carpenter combines horror and sci-fi movies in this futuristic
action/adventure. Also available on DVD featuring:
Commentary by Carpenter and Henstridge
Video Diary
Featurette: Scoring "Ghosts of Mars"
Filmographies
Special Effects Deconstructions
THE LAND BEFORE TIME: THE BIG FREEZE (Universal)
The ever-popular dinosaur kids - Littlefoot, Cera, Spike, Ducky and
Petrie - return in this new animated musical adventure. Here, they search out
the mysterious "frozen skywater" that is freezing out their food
supply. Rated G; 75m; $19.95. Also available on DVD
featuring sing-along's, a screensaver and more. $24.95.
MUSIC TITLES (Reprise)
GREEN DAY: INTERNATIONAL SUPERVIDEOS featuring
videos for "Longview," "Basket Case," "When I Come
Around," "Geek Stink Breath," "Stuck With Me,"
"Brain Stew - Jaded," "Walking Contradiction," "Hitchin
A Ride," "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)," "Reundant,"
"Nice Guys Finish Last," "Last Ride In,"
"Minority," "Warning," "Waiting."
LINKIN PARK: FRAT PARTY AT THE PANKAKE FESTIVAL contains
five videos: "One Step Closer," "Crawling" "In the End
(European Version)," "Points of Authority (European Version),"
and behind-the-scenes footage. Also included are 70 additional minutes that
include an audio-only bluegrass version of "Crawling," backstage
footage, hidden tracks and more.
RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS: OFF THE MAP which is the band's
first concert video and includes "Around the World," "Suck My
Kiss," "Give It Away" and covers of Jimi Hendrix's
"Fire" and Bob Dylan's "Subterranean Homesick Blues" and
George Clinton's "What Is Soul?" The DVD version also features bonus
live performances, documentary interviews and backstage footage.
NEW DVD RELEASES
BILL AND TED'S EXCELLENT ADVENTURE starring Keanu
Reeves and Alex Winter
BILL AND TED'S BOGUS JOURNEY starring Reeves and Winter and featuring a
"behind-the-scenes" featurette
THE DEFIANT ONES starring Tony Curtis and Sidney Poitier
DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS starring Steve Martin and Michael Caine featuring audio
commentary by director Frank Ox, a "behind-the-scenes" featurette.
DODSWORTH starring Walter Huston
FRANKIE AND JOHNNY starring Al Pacino and Michelle Pfeiffer
FRITZ THE CAT - Ralph Bakshi's legendary rendition of Robert Crumb's famous
comic book character in a special unrated version.
THE HANDMAID'S TALE starring Natasha Richardson, Faye Dunaway and Robert Duvall
THE INDIAN RUNNER starring Sean Penn
INHERIT THE WIND starring Gene Kelly, Spencer Tracy and Fredric March
THE LOVER narrated by Jeanne Moreau, this is an adaptation of Marguerite Duras'
autobiographical novel.
LOOK BACK IN ANGER starring Claire Bloom
MIXED NUTS starring Steve Martin, Madeline Kahn, Robert Klein, Anthony LaPaglia,
Liev Schreiber, Juliette Lewis, featuring trailers, filmographies. $19.95
THE NINE LIVES OF FRITZ THE CAT - the sequel to Bakshi's original.
THE PARTY starring Peter Sellers
SEPARATE TABLES starring David Niven and Wendy Hiller
SHEENA starring Tanya Roberts featuring trailers;
SILENT RAGE starring Chuck Norris and Ron Silver featuring trailers
SOAPDISH starring Sally Field, Kevin Kline and Elisabeth Shue
SPACEHUNTER: ADVENTURES IN THE FORBIDDEN ZONE starring Peter Strauss, Molly
Ringwald, Michael Ironside featuring trailers;
‘TIL THERE WAS YOU starring Jeanne Tripplehorn and Dylan McDermott
TOPKAPI
WEEKEND AT BERNIE'S 2 starring Andrew McCarthy, Jonathan Silverman, Terry Kiser,
Barry Bostwick featuring trailers. $19.95
WHITE WATER SUMMER starring Kevin Bacon, San Astin, Jonathan Ward featuring
trailers
WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION based on Agatha Christie's play
PEARL HARBOR (Touchstone)
Starring Ben Affleck, Kate Beckinsale, Cuba Gooding Jr., Alec Baldwin,
Jon Voight, Mako
The ultra-big-budget epic about the infamous attack on Hawaii finally comes to
homevideo. Also available on DVD including:
Introduction by director Michael Bay
Documentary on Pearl harbor Veterans returning to the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial
Documentary on the real attack
Documentary on the unsung heroes
Faith Hill music video
Cast interviews
2-discs.
PICKS OF THE WEEK
THE SCORE (Paramount)
Starring Robert DeNiro, Marlon Brando, Ed
Norton, Angela Bassett
A terrific heist picture starring DeNiro as a jewel thief looking to get out,
Brando as his old friend who needs one last favor and Norton as the young
upstart who can make them all rich or get them all sent to prison. Riveting,
incredibly-well acted and told with a slow-burn tension and pizzazz by director
Frank Oz, "The Score" is one of this year's best pictures. DVD
features include:
Widescreen presentation; enhanced for 16X9 TVs
Dolby Digital - English 5.1 Surround; English Dolby Surround; French Dolby
Surround
English Subtitles
Trailer
The Making of featurette
Additional footage, including some terrific multiple-take footage of Brando and
DeNiro ad-libbing a scene;
Commentary by Frank Oz and Director of Photography Rob Hahn, which is unusually
detailed and engrossing. Oz even indirectly addresses his much-reported friction
with star Brando by briefly mentioning it and then declaring his respect for the
legendary actor. Very interesting stuff, indeed.
JURASSIC PARK III (Universal)
Starring Sam Neill, William H. Macy, Tea
Leoni, Michael Jeter, Laura Dern
This third chapter in the "Jurassic Park" film series is just as much
fun as the others, if perhaps a little dumber. But that's okay - it's the
thrills that count here and the strong cast makes even the silliest things fun.
Neill stars as Dr. Grant, who finds himself - against his will - once again
stranded on dinosaur island. Terrific special effects, some great frights and
smart direction by Joe Johnston make this one a stronger than usual sequel. Also
available on DVD featuring:
Widescreen or Fullscreen versions (Make sure you choose the one you want!)
"The Making of Jurassic Park III"
"The New Dinosaurs of Jurassic Park III"
Feature commentary from the special effects team
A Guided Tour of the Stan Winston Studio
A Visit to ILM - see how the film's dinosaurs are created.
Dinosaur Turntable - a 3-dimensional look at the 12 dinosaurs created for the
film
Behind-the-Scenes footage
Storyboards to Final Feature comparison
Production Drawings
Montana: Finding New Dinosaurs with paleontologist Jack Horner
DVD-ROM features including game demos and more.
$26.98
Also new this week
THE BASKET (MGM)
Starring Peter Coyote, Karen Allen
The inspirational tale of a struggling farming community circa 1918. Winner of
MovieGuide's "Best Movie of the Year for Families" and more. Also
available on DVD featuring:
Audio commentary by director Rich Cowan and director of photography Dan Heigh
Six mini-featurettes on the making of the film
Deleted Scenes with audio commentary
Outtakes
Photo Gallery
CALL ME CLAUS (Columbia/Tri-Star)
Starring Whoopi Goldberg, Nigel Hawthorne,
Taylor Negron
Made for Cable movie starring Whoopi as a cynical Shopping Channel producer who
- due to a string of very unexpected events - finds out she's to be the next
Santa Claus. But if she rejects the job (and she seriously doesn't want
it) the world and Christmas may be in peril! Fun little holiday film starts out
great but fizzles a little near the end. Regardless, Whoopi is funny, as always
and Hawthorne, as Santa, is irresistible. Features new music by Garth Brooks. Also
available on DVD featuring:
In the Studio with Garth Brooks
Filmographies/Discographies
Trailers
DRUIDS (Columbia/Tri-Star)
Starring Christopher Lambert, Kluas Maria
Brandauer, Max Von Sydow
A historical drama set in the time of the Roman Empire. Also
available on DVD.
DVD RE-PRICES (Columbia/Tri-Star)
The following DVDs have
been re-priced to $19.95:
CRUEL INTENTIONS
DAS BOOT
DONNIE BRASCO: THE SPECIAL EDITION
JACKIE CHAN IS THE PRISONER
THE ADVENTURES OF MILO AND OTIS
CHARLIE'S ANGELS
THE BROTHERS
The following DVDs have been re-priced to $14.95
ARLINGTON ROAD
DESERT HEAT
DESPERATE MEASURES
FLATLINERS
GHOSTBUSTERS 2
JACKIE CHAN'S WHO AM I
NOWHERE TO RUN
FOLLOWING (Columbia/Tri-Star)
Starring Jeremy Theobald, Alex Haw, Lucy
Russell, John Nolan
This early, ultra-low-budget, black-and-white film by "Memento"
director Christopher Nolan is about a writer whose strange hobby of following
strangers leads him to a bizarre compatriot. Rated R; 70m. Also
available on DVD.
RUSH HOUR 2 (New Line)
Starring Jackie Chan, Chris Tucker
Chan and Tucker join forces in this huge box-office smash, a sequel that many
say is at least as good as the original. Also available on
DVD.
NEW TO DVD
CASUALTIES OF WAR starring
Michael J. Fox and Sean Penn featuring:
"Eriksoon's War: A Conversation with Michael J. Fox"
The Making of Casualties of War
Five deleted scenes
Filmographies
Trailers
$19.95
THE ELEPHANT MAN starring John Hurt featuring:
New reviews with the cast
An interview with make-up artist Christopher Tucker
Photo Gallery
Trailer
$29.99
SAHARA starring Humphrey Bogart featuring:
Anamorphic video
Trailers
Vintage Advertising
$24.95
New this week
ASOKA: DIRECTOR'S CUT (First
Look)
Staring Shah Rukh Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Danny Denzongpa, Ajit Kumar
Based on a true story, this film is about the emperor of one of India's great
dynasties in the third century, B.C. 150m. Also available
on DVD.
BLOOD MONEY (Paramount)
Starring Brian Bloom, Alan Arkin
A former mobster who has now become a Wall Street master, finds himself drawn
back into the criminal side when he returns home for the funeral of his murdered
brother. Rated R; 95m.
JACOB THE LIAR (First Run)
Starring Armin Mueller-Stahl, Vlastimil Brodsky
The original 1977 version of the film remade in 1999 (with Robin Williams), this
is the story of a man who becomes a bulwark against despair during World War II
The Oxford History of World Cinema describes this film thusly: "Jacob the
Liar broke with the tradition of the anti-fascist genre by treating the story of
Jews in a Nazi ghetto as a sentimental fairytale." Also available on DVD.
To order, please call 1-800-488-6652 or visit http://www.firstrunfeatures.com.
MOULIN ROUGE
Starring Nicole Kidman, Ewan MacGregor, John Lequizamo
The acclaimed musical, which many consider one of the year's best, comes to
homevideo and DVD. The story deals with a poet who
falls in love with a beautiful courtesan who is also the heart's desire of a
jealous duke.
PETITS FRERES (First Run)
Starring Stephanie Touly
A story of a young, strong runaway, her pet pit bull and life in the suburban
projects. Also available on DVD featuring:
Widescreen
Trailers
Interview with film scholar Kent Jones
$29.95
SCARY MOVIE 2
Starring Veronica Cartwright, Andy Richter, Natasha
Lyonne, Robert Schimmel, James Woods, Marlon Wayans, Shawn Wayans, Tori
Spelling, Tim Curry, Chris Elliott, Richard Moll
More of the same - in fact, too much more of the same - gross-out humor from the
Wayans brothers.
TERMINAL
COUNTDOWN (First Look)
Starring Louis Gossett Jr., Malcolm McDowell
When a top-secret nuclear missile silo starts an erroneous countdown, a CIA
officer and his special ops team must fight their way through a drug lord and
other obstacles to prevent it from starting WWIII. Way over the top cheapy with
Gossett steeling his way through and McDowell chewing holes in the TV screen.
Big, fat holes. Rated R. Also available on DVD.
New this week
ROMANTIC FILMS (MGM)
The following films are released to DVD at $19.98
each:
TRULY MADLY DEEPLY
CARRINGTON starring Emma Thompson
CHINA MOON starring Madeline Stowe, Ed Harris
ECHO PARK starring Susan Dey, Tom Hulce
FIRES WITHIN starring Greta Scahcchi, Vincent D'Onofrio, Jimmy Smits
The following films are released to DVD at $14.95 each:
JACK AND SARAH starring Richard H. Grant
LONELY HEARTS
MARIA'S LOVER starring John Savage, Nastassja Kinski
THE FAVOR starring Harley Jane Kozak
THE GOOD WIFE starring Rachel Ward, Bryan Brown, Sam Neill
MANNEQUIN starring Andrew McCarthy, Kim Cattrall
ROMANTIC COMEDY starring Dudley Moore and Mary Steenburgen
RUSSIA HOUSE starring Sean Connery and Michelle Pfeiffer
SPEECHLESS starring Michael Keaton and Geena Davis
WUTHERING HEIGHTS starring Timothy Dalton
SOUL CINEMA COLLECTION (MGM)
The following films are released to DVD at $14.95:
AMAZING GRACE starring Sleppy White, Moses Gunn, Moms Mabley
J.D.'S REVENGE starring Louis Gossett Jr.
BLACK MAMA WHITE MAMA starring Pam Grier
COFFY starring Pam Grier
COTTON COMES TO HARLEM
FRIDAY FOSTER starring Pam Grier
SLAUGHTER starring Jim Brown
SLAUGHTER'S BIG RIP-OFF starring Jim Brown
TRUCK TURNER starring Isaac Hayes, Yaphet Kotto
TWO CAN PLAY THAT GAME (Columbia/Tri-Star)
Starring Vivica A. Fox, Morris Chestnut, Anthony Anderson, Tamala Jones,
Bobby Brown
A successful marketing executive, who always tells her friends that she has the
"perfect" relationship, discovers otherwise and must fix the problem
while her friends look closely on. Rated R; 91m. Also
available on DVD featuring:
Widescreen and fullscreen
Audio commentary by director Mark Brown
Two Can Play That Game: Surviving the Battle of the Sexes
Making of Featurette
KeKe Wyatt music video
Vivica A. Fox featurette
Trailers
$27.96