Here are a few of the notable special effects and animated films being released this month:

JEEPERS CREEPERS –- January 8

JEEPERS CREEPERS was a surprise summer hit in 2001. The story of two teenaged siblings running from a flesh-eating monster gets the double-disc treatment from UA/MGM home video. Available on January 8, 2002, the 2-sided DVD features screen-specific audio commentary with director Victor Salva, a 59-minute documentary THE MAKING OF JEEPERS CREEPERS and deleted scenes. Suggested retail price: 2-sided DVD $26.95.

Gullane Entertainment has extended its partnership with Anchor Bay Entertainment for the distribution of THOMAS & FRIENDS videos and DVDs through the year 2007. The lengthening of the home video and DVD agreement will see Gullane Entertainment providing Anchor Bay with new episodes of THOMAS & FRIENDS for distribution in September 2002. Scheduled releases are "The Best of James," to be released on video and DVD and "Make Someone Happy," to be released on DVD. Both titles will have a street release date of March 5, 2002.

That's right Ladies and Gentlemen, we have yet another DVD sales champ. Booting the family-friendly Grinch out of the number one spot after only two weeks, PEARL HARBOR, the patriotic war drama chock full of special effects, managed to sell 3.7 million DVDs in one week, claiming a new sales record. To commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attacks, the wartime epic was made available on VHS and DVD in two editions (a 60th Anniversary collector's edition and a gift set) and went on sale December 4,, 2001.

Since its release on November 2, 2001, SHREK has become the best-selling DVD of all time. With more than 5.5 million DVDs sold to consumers in North America, the big green Ogre surpassed the previous record-holder GLADIATOR, another DreamWorks film, which has sold over 5 million units since its November 2000 release.

There's a little something for everyone this month, from another installment in the LAND BEFORE TIME series, to classic Disney, to dinosaurs running amok. Check out selected highlights of the new animation and DVD releases for the month of December 2001.

December 4, 2001

WALT DISNEY TREASURES

Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs has become the top-selling video and DVD animated title of all time overseas, reported variety, with the DVD selling 8 million units since its release. Adding in the sales for the original video release in 1994, the total is 26 million units, stealing the crown from previous record holder The Lion King, which sold 24 million copies.

Even before DVD, Disney was making a killing in the home video market. Read about it in Dig This! Millions of Disney Videos.

Remember when SHREK held the record for highest grossing first week DVD sales? Those were the days. Oh wait, that was just three weeks ago! Another green baddie has the highest grossing sales this week. DR SEUSS' HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS stole the U.S. Thanksgiving weekend video and DVD sales, generating $145 million since its release on November 20, 2001. According to estimates, 8.5 million copies total, including a record 3 million DVDs, were sold.

A new animated series called THE KANGAROO CREEK GANG is bouncing into production. Based on the books and comic strip of the same name, the 26 x 12’ animated series is an international co-production between production and distribution outfit Southern Star Pacific, the Shanghai Animation Studios (China) and Australian-based company The Kangaroo Creek Gang. The series is scheduled to air in Australia on the Nine Network and will be sold internationally by Southern Star Kids.

Warner Home Video is recalling DVDs of recent Annie winner THE POWERPUFF GIRLS: MEET THE BEAT-ALLS because certain DVD-ROM programs included on the disc contain the "FunLove" computer virus. Warner Home Video stated that a computer virus was inadvertently incorporated into the DVD-ROM features during the replication process. Any computer that installs the supplemental software from the DVD-ROM special features will contract the FunLove virus, which infects PE EXE (Windows portable executables) on local and network drives.

Once again, a newly-released DVD has shattered all previous sales records. This time it’s the top grossing theatrical movie of the year, SHREK. The DreamWorks film bested the DVD sales record of 2.2 million sold set the week of October 16th by STAR WARS: EPISODE ONE. EPISODE ONE had overtaken THE MUMMY RETURNS, which previously held the record with first week DVD sales of 2 million.