The first season of the original "The Outer Limits" from 1964 is coming to Blu-ray (and back on DVD) on March 27 from Kino Lorber Home Video. The new seven-disc set release includes a 40 page booklet essay by David J. Schow and audio commentaries from film and TV historians.
Guest stars include Ed Asner, Macdonald Carey, Dabney Coleman, Robert Culp, Bruce Dern, Robert Duvall, Mimsy Farmer, Don Gordon, Harry Guardino, Gloria Grahame, Signe Hasso, Miriam Hopkins, Richard Jaeckel, Sally Kellerman, Shirley Knight, Martin Landau, George Macready, John Marley, David McCallum, Ralph Meeker, Gary Merrill, Vera Miles, Leonard Nimoy, Simon Oakland, Warren Oates, Carroll O'Connor, Donald Pleasence, Cliff Robertson, Ruth Roman, Barbara Rush, Martin Sheen, Henry Silva and more.
Special features include "There is Nothing Wrong With Your Television Set", a 40 page essay by David J. Schow, and audio commentaries by David J. Schow (The Outer Limits Companion), Tim Lucas (Mario Bava: All the Colors of the Dark; Video Watchblog), Craig Beam (My Life in the Glow of the Outer Limits), Dr. Reba Wissner (We Will Control All That You Hear: The Outer Limits & The Aural Imagination), Gary Gerani (Fantastic Television), Michael Hyatt (film historian), and Steve Mitchell (King Cohen: The Wild World of Filmmaker Larry Cohen).
This series was spooky. Maybe more so than "The Twilight Zone." Starting with the opening.
Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment announced the new, expanded DVD and first-time Blu-ray release of its classic animated film "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" on Wednesday.
The new version, to be released Oct. 6, available on both DVD and Blu-ray, will launch Disney's Diamond Collection series.
The release, comprised of two discs, will include several bonus features:
* Hyperion Studios – Audiences are digitally transported to 1937 and see how Hyperion Studios, the original studio Walt Disney himself built and where "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" was conceived and developed. Will include archival photos, never- before- heard animator recordings, archival transcripts and rare footage of Walt Disney himself.
* Magic Mirror (Blu-ray release only) – Using the latest in Blu-ray technology, the iconic Magic Mirror guides the audience through the "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" Diamond Edition serving as the “host,” recognizing viewing patterns, knowing where the audience has left off and even suggesting where to navigate next. This marks the first use of this type of technology in a Disney Blu-ray release.
* DisneyView (Blu-ray only) – Viewers can expand their viewing experience beyond the original aspect ratio of the film. Utilizing Disney Blu-ray™ technology, acclaimed Disney artist Toby Bluth ‘draws’ beyond the borders of classic full frame cinema and fill the otherwise dark edges of the screen with beautiful custom imagery, giving audiences an expanded view of the animated classic.
* About Toby Bluth – Disney artist Toby Bluth tells how the movie inspired him to create the superb DisneyView art.
* Mirror, Mirror On The Wall – Through BD-Live, this mirror can find the secret princess inside each viewer with a series of questions, then create for them a personal message from their favorite princess who will call them on the telephone.
* What Do You See? – Players must untangle scrambled images.
* Jewel Jumble – To win the game, players must put jewels from the Dwarfs’ mine in the proper order.
* Scene Stealer – Allows viewers to upload a personal photo and become one of the Seven Dwarfs—on-screen in the actual film.
"The Beach Boys and the Satan" (Region 1 DVD). Also available through Amazon.co.uk, but only in Region 1 format: This oddball German documentary is as disjointed as its name implies. Roughly the first 45 minutes is a fairly straight Beach Boys documentary with a fairly comprehensive retelling of the Beach Boys story from the German Pop Annual TV series. It's augmented by lots of old film clips, some rare, some coming from "The Beach Boys: An American Band" and "I Guess I Just Wasn't Made For These Times" documentaries. Paul McCartney does appear in the disc in clips from "American Band" (the party scene with him and Linda), plus Brian Wilson discusses how "Rubber Soul" influenced "Pet Sounds." Offering thoughts on the Beach Boys career are Don Was, Kim Fowley, Greg Shaw (of the great Bomp! magazine) and Brian Wilson himself. When the documentary starts discussing Charles Manson, though, the film turns away from the Beach Boys almost entirely. Adding to the strangeness is the use all the way through of German subtitles you can't turn off. The disc also has no scene breaks or extra features. Given the fact, though, that most of the Beach Boys documentaries were done by the band themselves with their spin, it's nice to see the band get a fresh look. And the disc includes enough vintage Beach Boys clips to please any fan. Still, though, this is one strange trip.
Warner Home Video has announced "The Dark Knight" will be released on DVD and Blu-Ray on Dec. 9. Both the Blu-Ray and regular DVDs will consist of 2 discs. The Blu-Ray version will have 3 hours of special features, including documentaries on the psyche of Batman and his arsenal of weapons and a digital copy of the film.
Also coming from Warner HV: "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" and "Get Smart" (the movie) on Nov. 11 and "The Powderpuff Girls' 10th Anniversary Collection" on Jan. 20.
Reading the title of "Desperately Seeking Paul McCartney," you get a strong hint that this might not be a fan tribute. The film, which won the audience favorite award at the 2008 Mockfest Film Festival in Hollywood, is a documentary about how an obscure event still reverberates some 40 years after the fact.
In 1965, Ruth Anson, then an attractive young reporter for a local Los Angeles TV station, covered the arrival of the Beatles in the city. When she asked Paul McCartney if he had plans for marriage, his answer, caught on film and shown several times in the DVD, was "Only if you'll marry me." The words stuck with her. Forty years later, Anson, now Ruth Anson-Sowby, attempts to reconnect with the event and experience closure by getting in touch with McCartney. A filmmaker, Marc Cushman, decides to take on the project of making a documentary about her quest. When things don't work out as initially planned, it becomes a reality-TV project, and with it comes little regard for the feelings of Sowby, much to the dismay of some of her family and friends. Finally, Cushman decides the group should connect with McCartney at the Grammy Awards. The ups and downs of preparations, along with the efforts to even see Paul McCartney at the event, form the almost-comic climax of the film. There is plenty of vintage footage of Sowby interviewing celebrities here, including the original McCartney footage, plus others, including Ronald Reagan, Bob Hope and George Murphy. The McCartney footage is run several times. It is heard in the film the makers had to pay a large sum to license the footage and they use it often. Much of the time, reality TV goes for cheap entertainment at the participants' expense. That's the bottom line here. This is not a celebration of the Beatles, but like much of reality TV, this documentary of one woman's dream is a sad song that doesn't get better. (Bonus features include twelve Beatle-like songs.)
If a product breathlessly hyping itself makes you wary, be prepared. You'll hear that a lot throughout "The Beatles: Rare and Unseen."
The single disc DVD starts out with promoting its exclusive unseen footage through "rare and previously unseen home movies, personal photographs, recently discovered film and true stories told first hand by the people who were really there." And on that score, it lives up to the hype.
Well, sort of.
The rare footage includes the earliest known footage of the Beatles onstage in Liverpool in 1962, a rare film of the Caird Hall, Dundee, Scotland show in October, 1964, footage taking during the making of "Help!," home movie footage from the 1964 Paris Olympia show and a rarely seen French TV interview with John Lennon.
And it's all there -- if you don't mind the fact that the interviewees are superimposed over the rare footage more often than not. Sadly, none of the rare film is seen unedited. What is there, though, is tantalizing, like dangling a carrot in front of a horse. It sure makes you wish for more of it without the unnecessary obstructions.
Some of the interviews, on the other hand, are quite good. The best are Abbey Road recording engineer Norman "Hurricane" Smith, Gerry Marsden of Gerry and the Pacemakers and former Beatles press officer Tony Barrow. Others offering comments include Ken Dodd, Sylvie Vartan, Sam Leach, Quarrymen member Colin Hanton, Phil Collins and Steve Harley of Cockney Rebel. But even the interviews have a few snags. In near succession, different interviewees recall "the original Beatles" as having different lineups. An eight-page booklet features text by Barrow and more rare photos.
Even more frustrating is the fact that the disc's special features are extended interviews with everyone on the disc -- but not the raw unedited rare footage.
Sigh.
Still, just seeing this stuff is great. And at least some of the interviews aren't the deadweight talking head interviews usually found on many of the endless line of DVDs that tell the Beatles story.
If only, though, someone had figured out that the rare footage would have been better appreciated if left the producers had left it the hell alone.
APPLE CORPS LTD., CIRQUE DU SOLEIL AND EMI MUSIC ANNOUNCE THE GLOBAL DVD RELEASE OF 'ALL TOGETHER NOW' ON JUNE 24
Feature-Length Documentary Chronicles The Making Of The Beatles' "LOVE" by Cirque du Soleil
London, England - April 16, 2008 - On June 24, 2008 Apple Corps Ltd./Cirque du Soleil will release the feature-length documentary 'All Together Now' on DVD, which will be marketed and distributed worldwide by EMI Music. The film details the story behind the unique partnership between The Beatles and Cirque du Soleil that resulted in the creation and launch of "LOVE," the stage production still wowing audiences at The Mirage in Las Vegas, and the double Grammy-winning album of the same name. The film is dedicated to the memory of Neil Aspinall, an Executive Producer of the DVD.
The DVD's total running time is 122 minutes, including the 84-minute documentary film and bonus features. The film and extras are presented in DTS & Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround and Dolby Digital Stereo.
'All Together Now' faithfully recounts how the "LOVE" project came into being, borne from the personal friendship between George Harrison and Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberte. George saw how the twin talents of Cirque's artistry and The Beatles' music could be fused into something new and totally original.
The director, Adrian Wills, records early meetings between the Cirque & Apple Corps Ltd. creative teams, as well as contributions from Sir Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Yoko Ono Lennon and Olivia Harrison discussing how The Beatles' music can be used in a different way. We hear about the decision to utilize the combined talents of Sir George Martin and his son Giles Martin to produce what became a 90-minute soundscape created from The Beatles' multi-track recordings and how this new audio adventure was being quietly worked on in the famous Abbey Road Studios in London, England whilst the first creative ideas for the show were being formulated in Montreal, Canada.
These early stages of the project were all filmed, as were the first rehearsals at the Mirage Hotel theatre in Las Vegas, which was completely rebuilt with a one-of-a-kind sound system and complex round staging to house the "LOVE" show. George and Giles Martin, the show's Musical Directors, were involved every step of the way with the remarkable Cirque du Soleil creative team, performers and backroom staff.
It wasn't all "plain-sailing" and there has been no attempt to disguise some of the disagreements that took place along the way regarding how some of the songs would be portrayed visually. These creative differences, a necessary part of the overall process of bringing "LOVE" to its most vibrant life, illustrate the participants' love and respect for the music and vision of The Beatles.
In addition to their roles within the main feature, George and Giles Martin, along with engineer Paul Hicks, also pop up in another piece titled "Changing The Music" which reveals in fascinating depth how the music was created and the challenges they faced. They explain how they sourced some of the individual instruments and effects and how they were encouraged to experiment.
The 'All Together Now' documentary and bonus features provide a fascinating insight into the creative skills and passion that went into making this project a groundbreaking critical and commercial success.
DVD contents 'All Together Now' documentary (84:00) Bonus Features: - "Changing The Music" (22:00): A behind-the scenes look at the decision-making process for the "LOVE" concept and music production. - "Music In The Theatre" (07:00): A look at the process of creating the "LOVE" show's unique audio design. - "Making 'LOVE'" (09:00): A backstage pass to explore the design of "LOVE," including the art direction, costumes, props, screen imagery and the use of The Beatles' voices in the "LOVE" stage production and its soundtrack .
DVD technical details 1 x DVD-9 PAL and NTSC All regions
Mike Douglas - Moments & Memories / John Lennon, Yoko Ono, Rolling Stones, Alfred Hitchcock, Martin Luther King Jr., Steve Martin: Back in the '60s, there are a hard and fast rule in our house. Nothing but nothing interrupted "The Mike Douglas Show." (Forgive me, Mom!) Looking back, however, it wasn't as bad of a thing as it seemed at the time. For one, Douglas, who got his start as a big band singer with Kay Kyser, was an easy-going guy who had a knack for bringing on great guests, some of them controversial. Folks like Bill Cosby, Steve Martin, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Ingrid Bergman, Marlon Brando, Don Rickles, Rodney Dangerfield, Groucho Marx, Bob Hope and John Lennon and Yoko Ono. Mike Douglas - Moments & Memories / John Lennon, Yoko Ono, Rolling Stones, Alfred Hitchcock, Martin Luther King Jr., Steve Martin, a new single disc DVD from Kultur International being released March 25, recounts Douglas' story and collects highlights of many of those performances. The clips are augmented by interviews, including fond recollections from Douglas' widow, Genevieve. (One fascinating fact about Douglas that we learned for the first time from the DVD: He was the voice of Prince Charming in Disney's "Cinderella.") But it's the clips that are the real attraction here. There's an early rare clip of the Rolling Stones in black and white that is fascinating to watch as the camera alternates from the faces of the gyrating Stones performing to the fans in the audience screaming and carrying on wildly. Another highlight is a clip featuring Bob Hope, who for years sponsored a major golf tournament in his name, watching a very young boy brought on the show for his early age talent for the game. The boy's name? Tiger Woods. It's Jack Benny acting naturally and, as usual, making the audience roar with laughter. It's KISS acting up in front of the cameras and showing off their makeup and costumes to housewives who probably had never seen such a sight before. It's Steve Martin, David Letterman, Jay Leno and George Carlin display the early talent that brought them later fame. It's a rare interview with Mother Teresa, who even then brought an aura of saintliness with her. There's so much here to enjoy, including a clip of Douglas performing his Top 40 hit, "The Men In My Little Girl's Life." One of the main highlights of the disc is the chapter featuring the unprecedented week of shows co-hosted by John Lennon and Yoko Ono. It was so unusual to have someone so conservative looking like Douglas allow Lennon and Ono to basically take over the show for a week. But he did and the result was fascinating. Lennon and Ono invited many of their politically active friends to appear -- Jerry Rubin, Ralph Nader and Bobby Seale were among those who showed up. The week also gave Lennon the chance to fulfill a dream -- to perform with Chuck Berry. The clip of the two singing "Johnny B. Goode," which has been passed around on bootlegs for years, is here in crystal clarity. As a Lennon fan ourselves, since the whole week's shows were once on video, we only wish a DVD of the whole week's shows would be released. (Actually, it was in Brazil for a while, but appears to be out of print.) This is a fun disc that we can't help but recommend. We really hope, like the Dick Cavett and "The Tomorrow Show" series of DVDs, that more releases will come with more moments and memories.
If Dick Cavett was the hip big brother of talk show hosts, Tom Snyder was the fuddy duddy uncle who you had to explain everything to. That's quite evident in "The Tomorrow Show With Tom Snyder: John Paul Tom & Ringo", an interesting new collection of vintage interviews of three of the Beatles available from Shout Factory on April 1.
The best of the interviews is clearly the one with John Lennon, which was first shown in 1975 and replayed the night after Lennon was killed with new guests added. It's the replay that's included here. If Snyder comes across a little, let's say, naive, John, in a very accomodating mood, sets Snyder straight. "Were the Beatles before the groupies?", Snyder asks at one point.
The replay includes comments from a still shocked "Double Fantasy" producer Jack Douglas and rock critic Lisa Robinson.
That's not the case with the Paul McCartney interview, originally aired on Dec. 20, 1979. It's Paul and Linda, first, who are then joined by Denny Laine and Laurence Juber via satellite discussing Wings before a show at London's Rainbow Theatre. The interview gets off to a horrible start as Snyder makes an impatient Paul and Linda wait (actually telling Paul to "hang on a minute ... we're not ready yet") for an incredibly long introduction (including a boring technical update of the equipment being used for the interview) and a playing of the "Spin It On" music video. Paul and Linda manage to stay polite, though various comments through the interview give evidence that they did not enjoy the experience. No surprise: Few of the questions rise above the pedestrian level. Despite the success being enjoyed by Wings, Snyder even asks about the possibility of a Beatles reunion. When Juber and Laine join the interview, Snyder has to ask the two to introduce themselves because he clearly doesn't know who is who.
The interview with Ringo, recorded in Los Angeles and first aired Nov. 25, 1981, is pretty run of the mill for Ringo, who seems to treat it like nothing special. It really isn't. Snyder starts off asking the meaning of the title of Ringo's then-current album, "Stop and Smell the Roses" after years of what Snyder calls "turmoil, frenzy and confusion," then following up with how Ringo likes being 40. Snyder also discusses John Lennon, who died less than a year before the interview was taped. Barbara Bach also is interviewed, and the couple discuss their apperances in the movie "Caveman."
The quality of the Lennon and Ringo interviews are excellent, especially the Lennon, which has been a favorite among collectors in copies taken from a long out-of-print video release. The McCartney interview, though not as sharp in quality as the other two, seems to have come from a decent video master. Still, it's surprising the quality isn't better.
Despite the reservations, "The Tomorrow Show With Tom Snyder: John Paul Tom & Ringo" is a set worth getting just for the Lennon interview alone. It's good to see this interview, one of Lennon's best, available again. The McCartney and Starr interviews are worth seeing for archival purposes only, but we all have some of that stuff in our collections, don't we?
Composing the Beatles Songbook: Lennon & McCartney 1957-1965: It's rare when a Beatles DVD that tries to summarize their career in any way makes any kind of sense. The store shelves are filled with slap-dash DVDs of the same old Beatle clips with shallow histories of the Fab Four. Composing the Beatles Songbook: Lennon & McCartney 1957-1965, to be released March 18 in the U.S., is a very rare and welcome exception. The 80-minute film is an intelligent (for a change) roundtable discussion of the Lennon and McCartney partnership by a number of well-known rock musicians, journalists and authors and broadcasters. The fact some of them have strong Beatle connections gives the project even more credibility. Those on board include Klaus Voorman, who drew the "Revolver" cover, Barry Miles, co-author of Paul McCartney's biography and Maureen Cleave, the journalist to whom Lennon uttered the infamous quote comparing the Beatles and Jesus, and broadcaster Paul Gambaccini, who has interviewed Paul McCartney for an official audio interview released by Columbia Records when Paul was on that label. Also on the disc are veteran journalist Robert Christgau (Village Voice), Anthony DeCurtis (Rolling Stone), authors Johnny Rogan, Pete Doggett, Steve Turner and Nigel Williamson. The group analyzes the development of Lennon and McCartney as songwriters. The disc includes clips from "The Ed Sullivan Show," The Royal Variety Performance and other appearances, plus there are clips of the Rolling Stones, the Byrds and Bob Dylan. Any discussion of Lennon and McCartney is, of course, subjective, but we think this disc will provoke a lot of discussion on its own. The disc includes extras with extended interviews, biographies and a Beyond DVD section. Don't miss this.
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.
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.
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
Heath Ledger, 28, was found dead around 3:30 p.m. ET of an overdose of pills, reports the Associated Press. He was to play the Joker in "The Dark Knight." He looked so good in the trailer. This is sad to hear.
With all of today's matter-of-fact technological advances, it's humbling to remember back when science was a world of ooooo's and aaaaaah's. The vintage TV "Watch Mr. Wizard," which began on NBC in 1951 and ran 15 years, was a lightning rod for curious kids in the '50s and early '60s. It showed young viewers (and older ones, too) how science was all around them in every day life. Two new DVDs from Digiview "Watch Mr. Wizard - Everyday Illusions and More" and "Watch Mr. Wizard - Electricity and More" feature three rare episodes each from the vintage series. Mr. Wizard himself, Don Herbert, was the kind of genial kind of guy everyone wished was his teacher. He had the magical knack of taking the mystery of science. The first segment on "Watch Mr. Wizard - Electricity and More" has Herbert guiding young Alex to figure out six different methods of ways of producing electricity in a Rube Goldberg type of labyrinth. Among the objects: a slide projector, a balloon, a speaker, a motor, a hinge, a bicycle wheel, a moustrap, a medicine dropper and a measuring cup. The answers aren't as easy as you might guess. Herbert shows how electricity can be produced from ordinary objects. Some of the methods he uses are quite ingenious. In "Everyday Illusions," he shows a wheel that looks like it's turning in different directions, but it really isn't. He takes a paper plate and cuts off around the middle, leaving the edge. Cut two sections out of the edge the same size, then lay them down side by side. The one on top looks smaller than the one on the bottom. Things like this make these shows fascinating. Adults will surely find themselves drawn to them, too. For a show of this vintage, the quality is exceptionally good. All the shows, three on each DVD, are in black and white. For anyone who grew up with "Bill Nye the Science Guy," these shows will be a revelation. For those of us who watched Mr. Wizard regularly, it will bring back some great memories. "Watch Mr. Wizard - Everyday Illusions and More" features "Everyday Illusions," "Musical Instruments" and Puzzles in Geometry." "Watch Mr. Wizard - Electricity and More" features "Six Kinds of Electricity," "How Animals Move" and "Sticks and Stones."
. Also available 
: This oddball German documentary is as disjointed as its name implies. Roughly the first 45 minutes is a fairly straight Beach Boys documentary with a fairly comprehensive retelling of the Beach Boys story from the German Pop Annual TV series. It's augmented by lots of old film clips, some rare, some coming from "The Beach Boys: An American Band" and "I Guess I Just Wasn't Made For These Times" documentaries. Paul McCartney does appear in the disc in clips from "American Band" (the party scene with him and Linda), plus Brian Wilson discusses how "Rubber Soul" influenced "Pet Sounds." Offering thoughts on the Beach Boys career are Don Was, Kim Fowley, Greg Shaw (of the great Bomp! magazine) and Brian Wilson himself. When the documentary starts discussing Charles Manson, though, the film turns away from the Beach Boys almost entirely. Adding to the strangeness is the use all the way through of German subtitles you can't turn off. The disc also has no scene breaks or extra features. Given the fact, though, that most of the Beach Boys documentaries were done by the band themselves with their spin, it's nice to see the band get a fresh look. And the disc includes enough vintage Beach Boys clips to please any fan. Still, though, this is one strange trip. 
you get a strong hint that this might not be a fan tribute. The film, which won the audience favorite award at the 2008 Mockfest Film Festival in Hollywood, is a documentary about how an obscure event still reverberates some 40 years after the fact.
: Back in the '60s, there are a hard and fast rule in our house. 
, an interesting new collection of vintage interviews of three of the Beatles available from Shout Factory on April 1. 
It's rare when a Beatles DVD that tries to summarize their career in any way makes any kind of sense. The store shelves are filled with slap-dash DVDs of the same old Beatle clips with shallow histories of the Fab Four. 
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.
. It has 17 tracks, including a couple that aren't on the DVD. 
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(Warner Home Video): Warner Home Video has become the master of the boxed set. They've boxed up their gangster films, film noir, tough guy and legends, among others. Of course, they have a huge and rich catalog to choose from. 
and