MASTER AND COMMANDER: THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD arrives from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment on April 20, 2004 in its DVD and rental VHS debut. Garnering 10 Academy Award nominations, and taking home the Oscar for both Best Achievement in Cinematography and Best Achievement in Sound Editing, the $90 million box office hit journeys to DVD in a beautifully packaged double-disc Collectors Giftpack.
TOKYO GODFATHERS, the third feature by Satoshi Kon, arrived April 13 on DVD on (Columbia TriStar Home Ent., $26.96) and demonstrates further thematic and stylistic growth of this anime director. Taking inspiration from John Ford's classic THREE GODFATHERS, and produced by the Mad House animation studio, Kon focuses on Tokyo's oddest trio of homeless in search of the parents of an abandoned baby on New Year's Eve.
KILL BILL VOL. 1 slew the competition on April 13, 2004 by selling 2 million combined units on DVD and video in North America.
Rick Sands, Miramax coo, said, "We are thrilled by the response from consumers to KILL BILL VOL. 1. It is an extraordinary achievement and reaffirms that Quentin's films are true movie events. The strong sales confirm that the DVD is sought after not only by Quentin's loyal following, but also by a wide range of movie fans across the country."
Sir Paul McCartney reveals a true passion for traditional animation with his new MUSIC & ANIMATION COLLECTION (Miramax Home Ent., $29.99), a DVD first for the ex-Beatle that streets April 13. "Macca," as he's referred to on the disc, serves as exec producer, composer and voice artist on this trio of shorts directed by Geoff Dunbar devoted to childhood innocence and the celebration of animals and nature.
The recently released PANIC ROOM three-disc special edition (Columbia TriStar Home Ent. $39.95) sets a whole new standard in virtual film school education on DVD. Director David Fincher reveals his obsession with details, which is a prevalent theme throughout the individual commentary tracks that accompany the slick-looking thriller on disc one. The second disc focuses on pre-production, particularly the groundbreaking previs animated storyboards utilized by previs supervisor Ron Frankel.
Buy KILL BILL, VOL. 1 on DVD April 13 (Miramax Home Ent., $29.99) and watch it again or for the first time before checking out VOL 2 in theaters this weekend. That was always the shrewd marketing plan and, if Quentin Tarantino has his way there will be an anime prequel in the future. For now, enjoy the orgasmic blood and gore of this Hong Kong samurai/spaghetti western homage with left for dead assassin Uma Thurman getting her revenge. Splashy color, anime (from Production I.G.) a climactic swordfight in black and white (to appease the MPAA), flashbacks, flashforwards - it's a '70s dream.
ADV Films and ADV Manga will be releasing five new manga and four new anime titles as well as the third season of GENE RODDENBERRY'S ANDROMEDA on April 20, 2004. ADV Film's anime DVDs will include AURA BATTLER DUNBINE, KNIGHTS OF THE ZODIAC, MAGICAL SHOPPING ARCADE ABENOBASHI and WEDDING PEACH. ADV Manga's titles include ARIA, Volume 1 of 3, THE RULER OF THE LAND, Volume 1 of 31, TO HEART, Volume 1 of 3, AZUMANGA DAIOH, Volume 4 of 4 and FULL METAL PANIC! Volume 4 of 5.
In honor of the 40th anniversary of THE PINK PANTHER franchise, and with Steve Martin's Inspector Clouseau just around the corner along with a new animated look for the sleek panther, the April 6, 2004 DVD release of THE PINK PANTHER COLLECTION (MGM Home Ent., $69.96) couldnt be more welcome. In addition to five of the six Peter Sellers films that comprise the UA package on this six-disc set - THE PINK PANTHER, A SHOT IN THE DARK, THE PINK PANTHER STRIKES AGAIN, REVENGE OF THE PINK PANTHER and TRAIL OF THE PINK PANTHER - there's a treasure trove of extras on the bonus disc:
On May 4, 2004, Warner Home Video wields a powerful sword with the debut of the two-disc collector's set, SAMURAI JACK: SEASON ONE ($29.98), containing all 13 original episodes from the critically-acclaimed Cartoon Network animated series currently in its fourth season.
From Genndy Tartakovsky, the acclaimed creator of Cartoon Network's animated "mocro-series" STAR WARS: CLONE WARS, comes the tale of a young samurai cast far into a high-tech future by the evil shape-shifting wizard Aku.
MATRIX REVOLUTIONS, the concluding chapter in the blockbuster MATRIX film trilogy, bows on DVD April 6, 2004 (Warner Home Video, $29.95). One of the great aspects of the two-disc set is the way it shows off ESC Ent.'s neglected vfx in the various docs and featurettes. Follow the white rabbit to go further into the elaborate features and effects.
Extras include:
Entertainment Rights Plc (ER) had announced that it has acquired the distribution rights to Mattel's fourth feature length film, BARBIE AS THE PRINCESS AND THE PAUPER. ER will release the title in the U.K. on DVD and video on its own label Right Ent. ER has also secured international TV rights, excluding North America.
The very underrated BROTHER BEAR (Walt Disney Home Ent., $29.99) arrives on DVD March 30 in a stunning two-disc set that does justice to the mostly traditional animated work, especially in light of the movie about bonding with nature representing the last Florida studio production. Includes both theatrical widescreen and "family friendly" anamorphic presentations. Viewers will notice some interesting differences too for this Disney DVD.
British independent production company Peppers Ghost has signed a distribution deal with UFG, one of Frances leading video labels, to release TINY PLANETS. The show has been screening on Canal Plus and The Disney Channel since last September. The deal, which was negotiated by Genevieve Dexter in her role as TINY PLANETS international licensing coordinator, covers all of French-speaking Europe.
Harvey Comics is releasing Filmation's ARCHIE and SABRINA animated TV episodes on DVD, March 29, 2004. Each of the four videos in The Legacy Collection will contain four complete half hour TV cartoons. This collection consists of the following videos: ARCHIE'S CLASSIC CARTOONS, THE ARCHIE SHOW, SABRINA THE TEENAGE WITCH and ARCHIE'S TV FUNNIES priced at $12.98 each. Harvey is offering a special -- all four for $44.98 plus a free Archie music CD. The Riverdale adventures will be available for purchase at the Harvey Website: http://stuffshop.archiecomics.com/videos.html.
HAMILTON MATTRESS (MGM, $14.95), the charming 30-minute stop-motion work produced by Harvest Films/Egmont Imagination in 2001, is currently available on DVD. The aardvark with a heart that drums, indeed. Sludger (voiced by David Thewlis) dreams of making it big in Beak City with his caterpillar agent (voiced by Henry Goodman) in this light fable from Christopher Moll, the producer of WALLACE AND GROMIT, and director Barry Purves.
SECONDHAND LIONS (New Line Platinum Series, $27.95), the eccentric yet warm-hearted coming of age story starring Michael Caine, Robert Duvall and Haley Joel Osment, is noteworthy for being Digital Domain's first in-house feature production (with Erik Nash serving as visual effects supervisor). The effects and digital animation are subtle but effective, as revealed in the supplementary comparisons.
Thanks to Warner Home Video, collectible DVD box sets of the initial seasons of THE FLINTSTONES and SCOOBY-DOO, WHERE ARE YOU? kick off a new Hanna-Barbera signature Gold series. Released March 16, 2004, each four-disc set retails for $64.92 and features transparent slipcases designed to resemble a vintage animation cel from each series.
The highest selling TV series on DVD will be returning in June. THE SIMPSONS SEASON FOUR DVD COLLECTION will arrive in stores on June 15, 2004 from Fox Home Entertainment. The collection will feature all 22 episodes from the fourth season (1992-1993) and include exclusive bonus material such as commentary on each episode, an introduction by Matt Groening, a voiceover featurette with James L. Brooks, an Animation Showcase multi-angle feature, animatics, commercials, deleted scenes and more. The four-disc set will have a suggested retail price of $49.98.
First CURIOUS GEORGE and now the upcoming DVD premiere movies for VAN HELSING and THE CHRONICLES OF RIDDICK. Just proves that 2D animation is alive and well at Universal.
With two major tent pole releases coming this summer, the studio is extending the marketing reach with two animated prequels produced exclusively for DVD with the participation of stars Hugh Jackman and Vin Diesel and directors Stephen Sommers and David Twohy: VAN HELSING: THE LONDON ASSIGNMENT (May 11) and THE CHRONICLES OF RIDDICK: DARK FURY (June 15).
Twentieth Century Fox Home Ent. confirmed that it has snapped up domestic DVD rights to Mel Gibson's THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST, which has earned an astounding $213.8M in 12 days. Fox, which has a first-look deal with Gibson's Icon Pictures and passed on domestic theatrical distribution, is also negotiating to distribute in key foreign theatrical markets. No release date has been officially set for the DVD, but one unconfirmed online report says it's August.
With THE FLINTSTONES and SCOOBY DOO, WHERE ARE YOU? debuting on DVD next week in full season glory, Warner Home Video is following up on May 11, 2004, with two more entries in the "Hanna-Barbera Golden Collection": THE JETSONS: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON and JONNY QUEST: SEASON ONE. Each four-disc set, featuring more than 11 hours of original TV programming and bonus content, will retail for $64.92.
SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS - SPONGEBOB GOES PREHISTORIC (Paramount Home Ent., $16.99) is the latest themed disc highlighted by last week's well-received Nick special, SPONGEBOB GOES PREHISTORIC, which drew nearly six million viewers on March 5, 2004. Includes eight other episodes: "Nature Pants," "Fools In April," "I'm With Stupid," "Patty Hype," "Squid On Strike," "The Great Snail Race," "Plankton's Army" and "Squilliam Returns."
Extras include BATTLE FOR BIKINI BOTTOM PC Game demo.
New Line Home Ent. announced on Monday that THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING will be released May 25, 2004 on DVD in its theatrical version for $29.95, and that the Extended Edition will arrive in time for the holidays.
Although a major disappointment when released theatrically last year, LOONEY TUNES - BACK IN ACTION has quickly become a cult favorite among LOONEY fans for its inspired irreverence (a wild pursuit through paintings in the Louvre is just one of the many highlights) and cutting edge hybrid animation and vfx. On March 2, LOONEY TUNES is back in action on DVD (Warner Home Video, $27.95).
As part of its promotion for the May 21, 2004 release of SHREK 2, DreamWorks will be releasing SHREK 3D, which was part of the Shrek 4-D attraction at Universal Studios, on DVD with the re-release of SHREK on May 11. The two-disk set will be priced at $16.95. Four pairs of 3D glasses will be included.
The 15-minute short follows Shrek and Donkey on another adventure to rescue his wife Fiona and features the original voice cast of Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz and John Lithgow.
