Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Blu-ray sharks eat HD for dinner

It didn't take long, did it? Once Warner Bros. said they weren't going to support HD any longer, the blocks fell quickly. Amazon.com, Best Buy and, finally, Wal-mart, came tumbling down like the walls of Jericho.
Toshiba saw the handwriting on the wall and gave up the ghost. But what's scary here is how quickly and with the savageness the end came.
One radio interviewer we heard wondered aloud if there was a little back-room politics that played into the decision. It wouldn't be surprising. A lot of money was at stake here.
Still, Toshiba says they'll still continue to support the format.
Here's the full press release:

Toshiba Announces Discontinuation of HD DVD Businesses

19 February, 2008

Company Remains Focused on Championing Consumer Access to High Definition Content

TOKYO--Toshiba Corporation today announced that it has undertaken a thorough review of its overall strategy for HD DVD and has decided it will no longer develop, manufacture and market HD DVD players and recorders. This decision has been made following recent major changes in the market. Toshiba will continue, however, to provide full product support and after-sales service for all owners of Toshiba HD DVD products.

HD DVD was developed to offer consumers access at an affordable price to high-quality, high definition content and prepare them for the digital convergence of tomorrow where the fusion of consumer electronics and IT will continue to progress.

"We carefully assessed the long-term impact of continuing the so-called 'next-generation format war' and concluded that a swift decision will best help the market develop," said Atsutoshi Nishida, President and CEO of Toshiba Corporation. "While we are disappointed for the company and more importantly, for the consumer, the real mass market opportunity for high definition content remains untapped and Toshiba is both able and determined to use our talent, technology and intellectual property to make digital convergence a reality."

Toshiba will continue to lead innovation, in a wide range of technologies that will drive mass market access to high definition content. These include high capacity NAND flash memory, small form factor hard disk drives, next generation CPUs, visual processing, and wireless and encryption technologies. The company expects to make forthcoming announcements around strategic progress in these convergence technologies.

Toshiba will begin to reduce shipments of HD DVD players and recorders to retail channels, aiming for cessation of these businesses by the end of March 2008. Toshiba also plans to end volume production of HD DVD disk drives for such applications as PCs and games in the same timeframe, yet will continue to make efforts to meet customer requirements. The company will continue to assess the position of notebook PCs with integrated HD DVD drives within the overall PC business relative to future market demand.

This decision will not impact on Toshiba's commitment to standard DVD, and the company will continue to market conventional DVD players and recorders. Toshiba intends to continue to contribute to the development of the DVD industry, as a member of the DVD Forum, an international organization with some 200 member companies, committed to the discussion and defining of optimum optical disc formats for the consumer and the related industries.

Toshiba also intends to maintain collaborative relations with the companies who joined with Toshiba in working to build up the HD DVD market, including Universal Studios, Paramount Pictures, and DreamWorks Animation and major Japanese and European content providers on the entertainment side, as well as leaders in the IT industry, including Microsoft, Intel, and HP. Toshiba will study possible collaboration with these companies for future business opportunities, utilizing the many assets generated through the development of HD DVD.
Information in the press releases, including product prices and specifications, content of services and contact information, is current on the date of the press announcement,but is subject to change without prior notice.

PC World suggests some of the technology could still be useful to Toshiba.
Still, it's an empty promise, at best. It's over.








Friday, February 8, 2008

Remembering the Man in Black



We weren't much of a fan of country music when "The Johnny Cash Show" came along in 1969. We liked rock music. And some rock music fans wrongly associated all country music with superpatriotism in the "I'm Proud to Be an Okie From Muskogee" mode.
But Johnny Cash and his show was different. Cash not only welcomed all kinds of music, including rock, but he embraced the downtrodden and even allowed a cross-section of political opinion, something not often seen in those days. And though his show was only on TV through three TV seasons, it made an impression on me and everyone who watched it
That is why "The Johnny Cash Show: The Best of Johnny Cash 1969-1971" will be in our top 10 DVDs for the year, even this early in 2008. The two-disc set features 66 performances from the landmark show. And even those don't begin to cover the wide berth of musical talent and influence the Man in Black's show presented.
Just the guest list of performers on the set gives you an idea, though. There's George Jones, doing a medley of his hits including the classic "White Lightning." James Taylor, just an up and coming talent at the time, sings "Sweet Baby James." Neil Young gives a stark, powerful performance of "The Needle and the Damage Done," a song about drug abuse that Johnny Cash himself was a victim of in his younger days. Jerry Lee Lewis, with his usual (in those days, anyway) cocky demeanor, gives a seminal performance of his rock classic "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On." Bill Monroe performing his classic "Blue Moon of Kentucky." And that's just the beginning.
Several of the performers and performances on the set go beyond just deserving a mere mention. They are outright stunners. Louis Armstrong and Johnny Cash get together on "Blue Yodel #9," which Cash introduces as a recreation of an old Satchmo recording session. When Satchmo blew the first few notes of the song, it hit us like a ton of bricks. It was that good.
Similarly, the two tracks by Derek and the Dominoes, led by Eric Clapton, are incredible. First, there's "It's Too Late," then Clapton, Cash, Carl Perkins and the band jam on Perkins' "Matchbox." Fantastic.
Bob Dylan, then pretty much a recluse, and Cash had something in common -- they were bold but individual, guys whose musical leanings were guided only by themselves. Dylan and Cash were great friends and recording buddies. Dylan's appearances on the Cash show, set around the time of the "Nashville Skyline" album, could only be called "events." This set includes "I Threw It All Away" and a duet with Cash on "Girl From the North Country."
And the spirit of his father was never more present in Hank Williams Jr. than when he performs a medley of Hank Sr.'s songs, including "You Win Again," "Cold Cold Heart" and "I Can't Help It If I'm Still In Love With You."
Of course, the clips of Cash himself really show why we crowded to the TV set on nights the show aired. Cash's songs, such as "Ring of Fire," "Ride This Train," "Man In Black" (in one of his first performances after he wrote it ... he admitted to needing the words on a cue card), "Folsom Prison Blues", "A Boy Named Sue" and "I Walk the Line" became familiar friends to his viewers. (Just one minor complaint is the absence of "Orange Blossom Special," which became a real highlight and an audience favorite.)
After seeing this double set, we hope another will be on the way. There are so many great clips not included here. To name just a few clips that have been circulating among collectors: there's the Monkees (post-Peter Tork), Mahalia Jackson, Roger Miller, Tex Ritter and Joe South.
In addition to the DVD, Cash fans will also want the audio single disc The Johnny Cash Show: The Best of Johnny Cash. It has 17 tracks, including a couple that aren't on the DVD.








Saturday, February 2, 2008

Coming soon -- upcoming street dates

(2/5/08)

From Disney:
The Aristocats Special Edition
From Paramount:
Black Rain / Fatal Attraction Double Feature
The Talented Mr. Ripley / School Ties Double Feature
The Hunt for Red October / K-19: The Widowmaker Double Feature
The Hours / Heartburn Double Feature Standard
Blue Hawaii / Paradise, Hawaiian Style
King Creole / G.I. Blues Double Feature
Go Diego Go!: Diego's Magical Missions
Beauty and the Beast: The Third Season
Soul Food - The Series: The Third Season
Blackout
Best of Comedy Central Presents
The Jewish Americans
From Universal:
Elizabeth: The Golden Age
From Warner Home Video:
Americanizing Shelley
Assassination of Jesse James, The
Black Woman's Guide to Getting Married
Charlie & Lola: Volume 7: This Is Actually My Party
Flogging Margaret
George Lopez: America's Mexican
LOVE AND BASKETBALL MUSIC EDITION
Legion of Superheroes: Volume 2
Perfect Strangers: The Complete First & Second Seasons
Showstoppers
The Brave One
Third Watch: The Complete First Season
You've Got Mail: Deluxe Edition
From Shout Factory:
Ironside, Season 2, Vol. 1
Comic Relief: The Greatest and the Latest

(2/12/08)
From Classic Media:
George of the Jungle: The Complete Original Series
From Paramount:
Wonder Pets: Save The Dinosaur
Girlfriends: The Third Season
Family Ties: The Third Season
Comedy Central Roast of Flavor Flav: Uncensored!
From Warner Home Video:
Batman: Mask of Phantasm Batman and Mr. Freeze: Sub Zero
Battle of the Bulge Featuring Bone Crusher
Beatrix Potter Collection
Black August
Blade: The Series
Coleccion Pedro Infante: !?Que te ha dado esa mujer?!
Coleccion Pedro Infante: Arriba las Mujeres
Coleccion Pedro Infante: Las mujeres de mi General
Coleccion Pedro Infante: Viva mi Desgracia
Dallas: The Complete Eighth Season
Introducing The Dwights
Joan Crawford Collection Vol. 2
Martian Child
NBA Street Series - Volume 5
No Reservations
Prehistoric Predators
Sopranos, The: Season 6 Part 2
TELL ME YOU LOVE ME: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON
Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle & Mr. Jeremy Fisher & Other Stories (Beatrix Potter)
Tale of Pigling Bland and Other Stories (Beatrix Potter)
WB Home Entertainment Presents: Academy Award® Animation Collection 15 Winners, 26 Nominees
Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Presents: Academy Awards® Animation Collection, 15 Winners
World of Peter Rabbit & Friends, The (Beatrix Potter)

(2/19/08)
From Paramount:
Walker, Texas Ranger: The Fourth Season
Shark Tale / Antz 2-Pack Spring 2-Pack with Tattoos
Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron / The Road to El Dorado 2-Pack Spring 2-Pack w/Tattoos
The Prince of Egypt / Joseph: King of Dreams 2-Pack Spring 2-Pack w/Tattoos
Shrek Spring 2 Pack w/Tattoos
Flushed Away Spring 2 Pack w/Tattoos
Flushed Away Spring 2 Pack w/Tattoos
Max & Ruby: Springtime for Max & Ruby/Afternoons with Max & Ruby 2-Pack
Dora the Explorer:Big Sister Dora/City of Lost Toys 2-Pack
Max & Ruby: Springtime for Max & Ruby/Afternoons with Max & Ruby 2-Pack
Dora the Explorer:Big Sister Dora/City of Lost Toys 2-Pack Standard DVD
SpongeBob Squarepants: Home Sweet Pineapple/SpongeBob Goes Prehistoric 2-Pack Standard DVD
SpongeBob Squarepants: Home Sweet Pineapple/SpongeBob Goes Prehistoric 2-Pack Standard DVD
Nick Jr. Celebrates Spring/Blue's Clues:Blue's Room: It's Hug Day 2-Pack Standard DVD
Dora the Explorer: Super Silly Fiesta!/Nick Jr. Favorites 4 2-Pack Standard DVD Blue's Clues: Blue's Room: Shape Detectives/Beyond Your Wildest Dreams 2-Pack Standard Charlotte's Web (1973)/Charlotte's Web 2 2-Pack Standard DVD Full Screen Rugrats: Tales From the Crib: Snow White/Three Jacks & a Beanstalk 2-Pack Standard DVD Drake & Josh: Go Hollywood/Suddenly Brothers - Volume 1 2 Pack Standard DVD
Margot At The Wedding Standard DVD Widescreen Comedy, Drama 1/15/2008 Jakers!: Treasure Hunt on Raloo Farm Standard DVD Widescreen
From Warner Home Video:
Easter Bunny Is Coming To Town: Deluxe Edition
Father Ted: The Definitive Collection (DVD)
Helen Mirren at the BBC
In the Valley of Elah
Invasion, The
Les Miserables (1995) (BBC)
Looney Tunes: Movie Collection Vol. 3
Looney Tunes: Spotlight Collection Vol. 5
Michael Clayton
My Dog Skip/ Shiloh 3: Saving Shiloh (DBFE)
Peanuts: It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown Deluxe Edition
Rendition
Riverdance: Live from Radio City Music Hall: Collector's Edition
Swordfish/Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (DBFE)
Tom and Jerry: Shiver Me Whiskers
Tom and Jerry: Tales Vol. 1
From Universal:
American Gangster
Lust, Caution

(2/26/08)
From Warner Home Video:
Extras: The Extra Special Series Finale
Hooligans
Hotel Babylon Season 1.
Justice League: The New Frontier
Justice League: The New Frontier Special Edition
NFL Super Bowl XLII
Pinochet's Last Stand
Silk (DVD)
Smurfs, The: Season 1, Volume 1
State of Play (2003) (BBC)
From Paramount:
Beowulf Standard
Caillou's Family Favorites
Beowulf Director's Cut
The Fugitive: The First Season, Volume Two
Backyardigans: Tale Of The Mighty Knights
Max & Ruby: Berry Bunny Adventures Standard DVD

(3/4/08)
From Disney:
101 DALMATIANS: Platinum Edition
From Paramount:
Human Giant: The Complete First Season
The Love Boat: Season One Volume One
Things We Lost in the Fire
Into the Wild
From Warner Home Video:
Ben 10 Season 3
Doctor Who: Beginning Collection, The
Doctor Who: Ep. 13 - Web Planet, The
Doctor Who: Ep. 45 - Mind Robber, The
Doctor Who: Ep. 54 - Inferno
Doctor Who: Ep. 57 - Claws of Axos, The
Doctor Who: Ep. 69 - Green Death, The
Doctor Who: Ep. 78 Genesis of the Daleks
Doctor Who: Ep. 81 - Planet of Evil
Doctor Who: Ep. 87 - Hand of Fear, The
Doctor Who: Ep. 92 - Horror of Fang Rock
Doctor Who: Ep.104 - Destiny of the Daleks
Doctor Who: Ep.105 - City of Death
Doctor Who: Ep.110 - Leisure Hive, The
Doctor Who: Ep.143 - Revelation of the Daleks
Doctor Who: Ep.157 - Ghost Light
Doctor Who: Lost In Time - Patrick Troughton Years
Doctor Who: Lost In Time- William Hartnell Years
Doctor Who: Mark of the Rani, The (Ep. 140)
Doctor Who: Visitation, The (Ser. 120)
Horton Hears A Who: Deluxe Edition
Johnson Family Dinner
No Reservations
The Other Boleyn Girl
The UCLA Dynasty

(3/11/08)
From Paramount:
Lil' Bush: Resident of the United States - Season One
South Park: Imaginationland
Bee Movie
Bee Movie Jerry’s 2 Disc Special Edition
Love American Style Season 1, Volume 2
The Mod Squad: The First Season, Volume Two
From Warner Home Video:
Appleseed Ex Machina
Appleseed Saga:Ex Machina:LE (2D)
August Rush
Color of the Cross 2: Resurrection
Def Comedy Jam: Hughley
Dinosaurs Unearthed (NG)
Five Days
In the Valley of Elah
Last of the Summer Wine: Vintage 1976
Michael Clayton
Michael Palin: New Europe (DVD)
Nancy Drew (2007)
One Foot in the Grave Season 4
One Foot in the Grave: Season 3
Stompin
Tom and Jerry: Tales Vol. 4
WIGGLES: POP GO THE WIGGLES
Wiggles, The: Cold Spaghetti Western
Wiggles, The: Getting Strong
Wiggles, The: Here Comes the Big Red Car
Wiggles, The: Hoop Dee Doo! It's a Wiggly Party
Wiggles, The: It's a Wiggly Wiggly World!
Wiggles, The: Lights, Camera Action
Wiggles, The: Live Hot Potatoes!
Wiggles, The: Magical Adventure
Wiggles, The: Racing to the Rainbow
Wiggles, The: Sailing Around the World
Wiggles, The: Santa's Rockin'
Wiggles, The: Splish Splash Big Red Boat
Wiggles, The: Whoo Hoo! Wiggly Gremlins
Wiggles, The: Wiggle Around the Clock
Wiggles, The: Wiggle Dancing! Live in the U.S.A.
Wiggles, The: Wiggly Wiggly Christmas
Wiggles, The: Yule Be Wiggling

(3/18/08)
From Shout Factory
McHale's Navy: Season 3
From Paramount:
The Untouchables: Season Two, Volume One
The Wild Wild West: The Fourth Season
From Warner Home Video:
Autopsy: Postmortem with Dr. Michael Baden
Extreme Alaska: Denali National Park (NG)
I Am Legend
I Am Legend Special Edition
Justice League: The New Frontier Special Edition
Love in the Time of Cholera (DVD)
NFL Films Classics: Legends of Autumn Volumes IV-VI
Pebbles And Bamm-Bamm Show, The
Pup Named Scooby-Doo, A: The Complete First Season
The Sickhouse (DVD)

(3/25/08)
From Shout Factory:
Jayce & The Wheeled Warriors Volume One
From Warner Home Video:
Black Legion
Bonnie and Clyde
Bonnie and Clyde: Special Edition
Bonnie and Clyde: Ultimate Collector's Edition
Brother Orchid
FRISKY DINGO: SEASON 1
Greatest NBA Rivalries Volume I
IFL Championship 2007
Lady Killer
Mayor Of Hell
NBA Boston Celtics 1985-86
NHL All-Access (2008)
Picture Snatcher (1933)
Pu-239
Smart Money (1931)
Warner Gangsters Collection Volume 1
Warner Gangsters Collection Volume 2
From Universal:
Battlestar Galactica, Season Three

(4/1/08)
From Warner Home Video:
Appleseed Saga:Ex Machina:LE (2D)
August Rush
BBC Natural History Collection, The
Bette Davis Collection Volume 3
David Attenborough: Wildlife Specials
Doctor Who: Ep. 70 - Time Warrior, The
Echo and Other Elephants
Harold & Kumar: Special Edition (WS/DVD)
John From Cincinnati: The Complete First Season
Martin: The Complete Fourth Season
Terry Jones: Medieval Lives
The Return of Swamp Thing

(4/8/08)
From Warner Home Video:
11th Hour
Ben 10 Race Against Time
Born to Dance/Lady be Good
Broadway Melody of 1936/Broadway Melody of 1938
Classic Musicals from the Dream Factory Volume 3
Deep in My Heart
Eden at the End of the World
Hit the Deck
I Am Legend
Innocent Voices
Kismet (1955)
Nancy Goes to Rio/Two Weeks with Love
Planet Earth: From Pole to Pole/Mountains/Fresh Water
Planet Earth:Caves/Deserts/Ice Worlds
Planet in Peril (CNN)
Private Life of a Masterpiece, The: Collection
Private Life of a Masterpiece, The: Impressionism and the Post Impressionists
Private Life of a Masterpiece, The: Masterpieces of Sculpture
Private Life of a Masterpiece, The: Renaissance Masterpieces
Private Life of a Masterpiece, The: Seventeenth Century Masterpieces
Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry 6
Sense and Sensibility (2007) (BBC)
Sense and Sensibility Deluxe Edition Gift Set
Sharkwater
Six Degrees Could Change the World

(4/15/08)
From Warner Home Video:
Bonnie and Clyde
Canine Conspiracy, The /The Cat Connection
Classical Baby:I'm Grown Up Now:The Poetry Show
Human Footprint
Tenant of Wildfell Hall, The

(4/22/08)
From Warner Home Video:
Coleccion Pedro Infante: No desearas la mujer de tu hijo
Gettin' Grown
My Boy Jack (2007)
Tim & Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!: Season 1

(4/29/08)
From Disney:
THE CLASSIC CABALLEROS COLLECTION: Saludos Amigos and Three Caballeros
From Warner Home Video:
Bernard and Doris
The Golden Compass (DVD)
The Golden Compass 2-Disc Special Edition
The Weekend
Waltons, The: The Complete Seventh Season

(5/6/08)
From Warner Home Video:
Allo 'Allo: Complete Series 8
Bridges of Madison County, The: Deluxe Edition
Macon County Line
Seven Wonders of the Industrial World (2003) DVD
Twister Special Edition
Twister: Special Edition

(5/13/08)
From Warner Home Video:
Essential Classic American Musicals
Essential Classic Dramas
Essential Classic Family Films
Essential Classic Musicals
Essential Classic Romances
Essential Directors: Clint Eastwood
Essential Directors: Martin Scorsese
Legends, Icons & Superstars of the 20th Century
Lovejoy: The Complete Season Three DVD
Two and a Half Men: The Complete Third Season

(5/20/08)
From Warner Home Video:
New Maverick(Pilot 1)
Richie Rich/Scooby-Doo Hour: Volume One
Robot Chicken Star Wars

(5/27/08)
From Warner Home Video:
Reza: Shooting Back

(6/10/08)
Anton Chekhov Collection, The

(6/17/08)
From Warner Home Video:
Rails & Ties

(8/12/08)
From Warner Home Video:
Glittering Prizes, The (1976) DVD

(10/28/08)
From Disney:
Tinker Bell: The Movie

(1/1/09)
From Warner Home Video:
Brando: Documentary, The