MUTANT ALIENS, the latest feature by maverick animator Bill Plympton, who is graphic in both his art and point of view, resurfaced in a fully-loaded DVD on July 1, 2003 (Ventura Distribution, $19.90). In MUTANT ALIENS, an astronaut left in space returns after 20 years with a vengeance after being betrayed by a greedy corporate shark.
That elusive kangaroo from down under made his DVD debut on June 24, 2003, when KANGAROO JACK (Warner Home Video, $27.98) hit stores with a host of supplements. With VFX by The Secret Lab and animatronics by Neal Scanlan Studio, you can get a closer look at the celebrated work. Visual effects supervisor Hoyt Yeatman contributes audio commentary to go along with segments on animal casting sessions, gags and outtakes and marsupial magic.
COWBOY BEBOP THE MOVIE makes its eagerly awaited DVD debut on June 24, 2003 (Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment, $26.95) in a worthy special edition. Based on the popular anime TV series, the feature couldn't be more topical with the unleashing of a deadly viral infection by terrorists. The film not only looks striking in this widescreen anamorphic transfer (the production companies include Bandai Visual Co.
Only two days after its North American TV broadcast, WALKING WITH CAVEMEN hits the DVD shelves on June 17, 2003 (BBC Video, $19.99). The Discovery Channel/BBC co-production breaks the mold of DINOSAURS and PREHISTORIC BEASTS by combining CGI, animatronics and actors dressed in prosthetics in recreating our earliest ancestors.
Don't look now, but Frostbite Falls will be getting closer than you think with the DVD debut of Rocky and Bullwinkle on Aug. 12, 2003. ROCKY & BULLWINKLE & FRIENDS: COMPLETE SEASON 1, a 4-disc set featuring 26 episodes of the classic Jay Ward series, will retail for $39.98 and be distributed by Sony Music. It's the first release from Bullwinkle Studios, a joint venture formed last year between New York-based Classic Media and Jay Ward Prods. (headed by Tiffany Ward).
Disney's JUNGLE BOOK 2, which premiered in theaters earlier in the year, comes to DVD (Walt Disney Home Entertainment, $29.99) on June 10, 2003. The sequel to the popular 1967 feature (the last under Walt's reign), was produced by DisneyToon Studios under the supervision of director Steve Trenbirth and producers Chris Chase and Mary Thorne. In the production notes, Trenbirth states "computer imaging was crucial during the 'W-I-L-D' musical sequence. Meanwhile, art director Mike Peraza says he rediscovered, among other things, how "circular designs and soft shapes are non-threatening and very well received by kids." The voice cast is headed by John Goodman (Baloo) and Haley Joel Osment (Mowgli).
Coinciding with the 20th anniversary of the Cabbage Patch Kids, IDT Media is developing two animated projects, a music video and an active play video through its 3D animation unit, Digital Productions Solutions (DPS), which recently bought a majority stake in Film Roman Inc. This marks the first-ever computer-animated depiction of the franchise, and the latest indication of DPS' aggressive pursuit of dolls and action figures to animate. The Cabbage Patch Kids is licensed by Original Appalachian Artworks (OAA) and represented exclusively by 4Kids Entertainment.
20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA, Disney's first live-action star vehicle (Kirk Douglas, James Mason and Peter Lorre), is available on DVD in a lavish two-disc special edition ($29.99 suggested retail price from Buena Vista Home Entertainment).
The much ballyhooed anthology of nine MATRIX shorts premiered June 3, 2003 on DVD ($24.98 suggested retail from Warner Home Video), with its unprecedented fusion of computer animation and anime, delving deeper into the complex virtual world of the Matrix and featuring some of the top anime creators, including Yoshiaki Kawajiri (VAMPIRE HUNTER D), Shinchiro Waanable (COWBOY BEBOP) and Koji Morimoto (AKIRA'S animation supervisor).
DIE ANOTHER DAY, the record-breaking 20th James Bond feature starring Pierce Brosnan and Halle Berry, shipped more than 16 million units worldwide on DVD June 3, 2003, becoming MGM Home Entertainment's best-selling title. The two-disc special edition a first for a Bond film, retails for $29.98, and offers seven hours of bonus features, including an inside look at the stunts and action sequences, especially the franchise's first foray into CGI, courtesy of Cinesite, Double Negative, Framestore CFC, Mill Film and The Moving Picture Co.
The fearless explorers from ATLANTIS: THE LOST EMPIRE are back in a brand new direct-to-video, ATLANTIS: MILO'S RETURN (Buena Vista Home Entertainment, $29.99). Toby Shelton (MICKEY'S ONCE UPON A CHRISTMAS) and Victor A. Cook (THE LEGEND OF TARZAN) share directing duties, while several original cast members return, including Cree Summer, John Mahoney, Don Novello and Phil Morris. Working from Mike Mignola's inspiration, the animation team from Walt Disney Television Animation was headed by supervising character designer Greg Guler (THE LEGEND OF TARZAN), lead prop designer Chuck Puntuvatana (X-MEN: EVOLUTION), lead background painter Sy Thomas (HOUSE OF MOUSE) and lead color stylist Tracy Jones (HOUSE OF MOUSE).
Ardustry Home Entertainment has created a new kids division for the acquisition and marketing of children's DVD and interactive entertainment. The new unit has already signed a deal with Santa Monica, California-based children's entertainment company Bali Hai Titles included in the deal are INVISIBLE DAD, A KID CALLED DANGER, CLUBHOUSE DETECTIVES, DEAR SANTA, MY BROTHER THE PIG, MY MAGIC DOG, JUNGLE BOY, TREASURES OF PIRATES POINT, MY TEACHER ATE MY HOMEWORK, THE ROBIN HOOD GANG and P.U.N.K.S.
After being on moratorium for a while, A BUG'S LIFE COLLECTOR'S EDITION DVD (Buena Vista Home Entertainment, $29.99) returned May 27, 2003 with an all-new activity game and FISHY FACTS from FINDING NEMO. In A BUG'S LAND, Heimlich the caterpillar and Francis the Lady Bug each have their own segments. Heimlich finds an enormous melon, but needs help devouring it, while Francis remains in hiding until a few trivia questions can be answered. With FISHY FACTS, learn all about the fish of FINDING NEMO.
Chatsworth Television Distributors has signed a number of video deals for its pre-school animation series BUSY BUSES (39 x 5), which will see its animated characters go multi-lingual.
Video distributor UFG will release the first French version title of the series on video and DVD in fall 2003 in France with more titles to follow. In Korea, two video titles have been released in Korean, as well as an English-language version accompanied by a teaching aid to help children learn English in a fun and effective way. BUSY BUSES airs on EBS, Korea and Kids Station, Japan.
Artisan Home Entertainment Inc. will issue TERMINATOR 2: JUDGMENT DAY (EXTREME EDITION), that will feature both high-definition and standard resolutions versions of the film for the first time on the same DVD. The two-disc set offers a digitally remastered theatrical version of the film in high-definition video and full surround sound on a single DVD-ROM in Microsoft Windows Media 9 Series. It offers an image nearly 3.5 times shaper than a standard DVD video and will require more horsepower to view it.
Disney's Academy Award-nominated animated feature TREASURE PLANET if now for sale on DVD and home video. This updated version of Robert Louis Stevenson's literary classic TREASURE ISLAND, is a blend of 2D and 3D animation. It features the story of young Jim Hawkins, a troubled youth who teams up with the villainous and comical cyborg cook, John Silver in an outer space treasure hunt. Voice cast stars Joseph-Gordon Levitt (THIRD ROCK FROM THE SUN) as Hawkins, Emma Thompson (MAYBE BABY) as Captain Amelia, Brian Murray (three-time Tony Award nominee) as Silver and Martin Short (PRIMETIME GLICK) as Hawkin's crazy robot pall B.E.N.
DVD extras include commentary by directors John Musker and Ron Clements, behind-the-scenes specials and deleted scenes (including an alternate ending). The DVD features a digital transfer picture and Dolby Digital sound, presented in the animator's original aspect ratio and a game featuring a virtual 3D tour of the ship and a treasure hunt. DISNEY'S ANIMATION MAGIC takes viewers behind the scenes with Roy Disney, plus there are still art and character galleries, an animation featurette, a music featurette and a music video. The 95-minute Buena Vista Home Ent. release retails for $29.99 DVD and $24.99 VHS.
Take the animated adventures of a family of wildlife documentary filmmakers out in Africa home by way of Paramount Home Entertainment's release of THE WILD THORNBERRYS MOVIE on DVD and home video. The movie, produced by Klasky Csupo and Nickelodeon Movies, based upon the hit TV series, features the Oscar-nominated song by Paul Simon, "Father and Daughter" as a music video.
Redefining fractured fun, Seth MacFarlane's impossibly twisted FAMILY GUY series is out in a four-disc collection containing all 28 episodes from the first and second seasons (1999-2000) aired in primetime on FOX. FAMILY GUY VOLUME ONE DVD COLLECTION from Fox Home video (suggested $49.98), includes commentary by exec. producer/creator MacFarlane and other cast and crew on eight episodes. Enjoy the exploits of the Griffin family, lead by the patriarch, Peter, who always says what's on his mind. His diaper-bound baby Stewie is sadistically bent on destroying the world while the smooth-talking family dog, Brian, calmly puffs on his cigarettes amidst the calamity, contemplating the proper amount of vermouth to go into a martini. Wife Lois and the other two kids, Chris and Meg, complete the dysfunctional family.
If you missed Miyazaki's SPIRITED AWAY at movie theaters or the Japanese director's KIKI'S DELIVERY SERVICE and CASTLE IN THE SKY, Buena Vista Home Ent. has released them as a triple treat on DVD and home video, April 15, 2002. You may buy a two-disc DVD or VHS of the Oscar-winning feature SPIRITED AWAY by Studio Ghibli for a retail price of $29.99 DVD and $19.99 VHS.
Celebrate the 15th anniversary of the groundbreaking live-action/animated classic WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT? by picking up the deluxe Vista Series 2-disc DVD set and an exclusive VHS bonus edition of the film available from Touchstone Home Ent. for the suggested retail price of $29.99 DVD and $19.99 VHS. Directed by Robert Zemeckis and produced by Steven Spielberg, the landmark comedy mystery starred
Feeling nostalgic for FUTURAMA, Matt Groening's fractured futuristic family that starting airing regularly in primetime on FOX April 6, 1999? Now you can buy the first year of episodes on FUTURAMA VOLUME ONE DVD COLLECTION from Fox Home Entertainment. The collectable three-disc set features lively commentaries from Groening and the rest of the crew, deleted scenes, a featurette, animatics, a script/storyboard and an interactive still gallery for the suggested retail price of $39.98. FUTURAMA chronicles the adventures of Philip J.
4Kids Entertainment Home Video, Inc., the newly-established home video unit of 4Kids Entertainment, Inc., in association with FUNimation, will release Volumes 7 and 8 of the YU-GI-OH! home videos of the anime sensation on March 18, 2003. DOUBLE TROUBLE DUEL and FACEOFF: YUGI VS. KAIBA, each with three episodes from the hit television series, will be available at retail and at the www.4KidsHomeVideo.com Website in both DVD and VHS formats. Based on a popular Japanese comic book series, YU-GI-OH!
Independent film producers Jeffrey Sneller (The Adventures of Pinocchio) and Charles Fries have recently formed Santa Barbara Home Video to market and distribute indie films on home video. The independent distribution company is a subsidiary of Santa Barbara Filmed-Entertainment, which is co-producing the feature film Doctor Lopez in the fourth quarter of 2003 in association with Andrew Steven's Powerhouse Entertainment. The first SBHV release is the Sneller/Raju Patel produced The New Adventures of Pinocchio.
Scooby-Doo and his famous gang of mystery-solving sleuths are on the trail of a Australian vampire in SCOOBY-DOO AND THE LEGEND OF THE VAMPIRE released on DVD and home video on Tuesday, March 4, 2003 by Warner Home Video. The direct-to-video 80-minute feature was produced by Warner Bros. Animation. On vacation in Australia, Scooby-Doo and the Mystery Inc. gang attend a music festival held at Vampire Rock. But the music goes flat when the gang learns that a legendary Australian creature called the Yowie Yahoo is kidnapping the musical acts and turning them into vampires.
Toy giant Mattel, Inc. has commissioned Vancouver-based Mainframe Entertainment to produce a series of animated videos based on Hot Wheels storylines and characters created by Starlight Runner Entertainment to promote the 35th anniversary of the toy car products. The CGI toons, HOT WHEELS HIGHWAY 35, will follow five Hot Wheels race teams as they compete across the challenging terrains of parallel universes thwarted by a cadre of villains.
