Here is a viewers guide to the notable animation and special effects releases on DVD and VHS for the month of October, 2001:
October 2:
THE MUMMY RETURNS That pesky mummy is resurrected via special effects by ILM. Not only do you get to see The Rock turn into a giant scorpion, but consumers will receive a FREE bag of Tootsie Rolls, Tootsie Pops or Charm Blow Pops candy with the purchase of THE MUMMY RETURNS DVD or VHS. Yum! DVD features include exclusive advanced footage from the Spring 2002 release, THE SCORPION KING starring The Rock, a behind-the-scenes featurette, interactive visual and special effects formations, commentaries with the director and editor, deleted scenes, outtakes and more. Suggested retail price: DVD (full-frame or widescreen anamorphic version) $26.98; VHS $22.98.
October 9
SCOOBY-DOO AND THE CYBER CHASE
Zoinks! Just in time for Halloween this all-new feature-length movie finds the gang zapped into a high-tech computer game. Hi-jinks ensue. DVD features include the world premiere of an all-new Scooby-Doo music video, a virtual detective game and a “making of” featurette. Suggested retail price: DVD $24.98; VHS $19.96.
SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS
The first full-length, full-color animated feature ever produced is restored and remastered and available in a 2-disc DVD box set (VHS release to follow in November). Both discs feature the animated Magic Mirror as a navigational guide. In addition to the film, Disc One includes "Dopey's Wild Mine Ride" game, THE GODDESS OF SPRING, an animated short which served as a test for the character Snow White, a karaoke sing-along, a new rendition of "Someday My Prince Will Come," sung by Barbra Streisand and audio commentary gathered from rare archival recordings of Walt Disney and hosted by film historian John Canemaker. Disc Two features highlights of Walt Disney's life and career, storyboard to film comparisons, preliminary designs and deleted concepts, original designs and renderings, camera and filter tests, a featurette on the original voice talent from the film, four partially animated (and one fully-animated) scenes that did not make the final film version, a short documentary about the restoration process, plus the original RKO opening and end credits and more. Preorder the SNOW WHITE DVD by October 8, 2001 from the Disney online store and receive a bonus lithograph, a collectible pin and one free Disney DVD. Suggested retail price: DVD (2-disc set) $29.99.
October 16
CATS AND DOGS
Ninja kitties abound. Dogs fight back. DVD features include a trivia game, storyboard to scene comparisons, commentary from actor Sean Hayes, producer Chris DeFaria, art director James D. Bissell and director Lawrence Guterman. Suggested retail price: DVD (full frame or widescreen anamorphic) $26.98; VHS $22.98.
STAR WARS: EPISODE ONE THE PHANTOM MENACE
The arrival of EPISODE I marks the first film of the STAR WARS saga to debut on DVD. Features include commentary by George Lucas, Rick McCallum, Ben Burtt, Rob Coleman and others. Exclusive deleted-scenes documentary features seven new sequences completed just for this DVD release, all-new hour-long documentary film culled from over 600 hours of footage including an insider's look at Lucasfilm and ILM during production, multi-angle storyboard to animatic to film segments featuring the submarine and pod race sequences, award-winning twelve-part Web documentary series that chronicles the production, never-before-seen production photo gallery with special caption feature, posters, trailers and DVD-ROM Weblink to exclusive STAR WARS content. Widescreen anamorphic format. Suggested retail price: DVD (2-disc set) $29.98.
Before the DVD, AWN met with Rob Coleman to discuss
“The Animated Side of Star Wars.”
October 23
FINAL FANTASY: THE SPIRITS WITHIN Special Edition
Dr. Aki Ross races to save the Earth from aliens, but will we forget she’s a synthespian first? Special Edition features include-- Disc One: two feature-length commentaries, isolated score with commentary by composer Elliot Goldenthal, Storyboard/Playblast selects of film with optional filmmaker commentary or subtitled factoids, trailers and production notes. Disc Two: original interactive documentary THE MAKING OF FINAL FANTASY: THE SPIRITS WITHIN, alternate opening sequence, mini-movie, multiple workshops including: seven in-depth character files, three vehicle scale comparisons (Bandit, Quatro, Black Boa), two face wraps (Aki, Dr. Sid), character morphs, compositing builds, matte art exploration, sets, props and DVD-ROM exclusive interactive film exploration. Widescreen DVD (2-disc set) Suggested retail price: $29.95.
Final Fantasy brings synthespians to the big screen with amazing results.
Learn more here:
DUMBO (60th Anniversary Edition)
Check out that crazy pink-elephant dream sequence one more time, now digitally remastered and restored! DVD extras include audio commentary, original Walt Disney TV introduction, featurette on the origins and history of DUMBO, two animated shorts ELMER ELEPHANT and THE FLYING MOUSE, art gallery, DVD-ROM content and a sneak preview of DUMBO II. Suggested retail price: DVD $29.99; VHS $22.99.
October 30
DISNEY/PIXAR 3-PACK
Titles included in this 3-pack are TOY STORY, TOY STORY II and A BUG’S LIFE. As an added bonus (as if we need one), a free redeemable movie ticket certificate for the new Disney/Pixar feature film MONSTERS INC., due in theaters November 2, 2001, is packed inside. Other features included in the DVD are: 1989’s Oscar-winning short TIN TOY, 1998’s Oscar-winning short GERI'S GAME, Oscar-nominated short LUXO JR. and outtakes. Suggested retail price: DVD; $44.99; VHS; $39.99.
Meet the mastermind of Pixar – John Lasseter. Mike Lyons speaks with John on the eve of Pixar's
TOY STORY follow-up, A BUG'S LIFE, 