 |
|
| 1.THE SURPRISES OF DECEMBER
I guess we can think of our December meeting as a gift. After we were told that chance of a major storm on the Saturday of our meeting was 100%, we got nary a flake. We had a lot of stuff going on. We had our Second (Annual?) Yankee Swap. With this year's limit of $20, we got and gave some pretty fine gifts (I want to thank whoever gave me the McFarland King Kong, it is now the centerpiece in our downstairs bathroom re-decoration, we're going with a King Kong theme!). For our first ever DVD night, we decided to put some coal in our collective stocking. We elected to watch Barry Murphy's copy of the 1962 film of the year, THE BRAIN THAT WOULDN'T DIE. After we recovered as best we could, we had a spirited discussion about the films of the year 2000 (that discussion is continued in this issue - see the "SPECIAL SECTION - CINEMA 2000"). If you missed it, you missed an excellent meeting. |
| 2.NEWS OF OUR NEXT MEETING
Our January meeting will be held on Saturday January 27th at 6:00 P.M. at the church hall behind the Perry Hall Presbyterian Church located at 8848 BelAir Road. Take Baltimore Beltway exit 32 north on Belair Road. Turn left onto Joppa Road. Immediately past the miniature golf course turn left into the parking lot. If you miss it there are ample turn-around opportunities. If you get stuck call 410-598-8005. That's Dave Henderson's cell phone. He'll talk you in. |
| 3.JANUARY AND THE CHAD-FREE ELECTIONS
Our annual elections take place in January. We strongly encourage all members to exercise their right to vote. The election will be to decide the five members of our Board of Directors. Technically anyone that is a member can be voted for, but we give anyone who'd like to stand as a candidate the chance to do so. So far we have six candidates for seats on the Board. The six candidates, in alphabetical order, are: Dave Henderson Joe Plempel Mike Schilling Regina Vallerani David Willard Charlie Wittig If you aren't able to attend the meeting in person, but would like to vote, then please cast an absentee ballot. Vote for FIVE, no more, no less. A ballot with any more or less names will be considered invalid. Votes should be sent to John Clayton/ 10354 Windstream Drive/ Columbia, MD. 21220. Please write on the outside of your envelope "BALLOT" so that John can be sure to bring it with him to the elections. |
| 4.JANUARY ANNIVERSARY
On January 24, 1999 something amazing and wonderful happened. THE IMAGINATIVE CINEMA SOCIETY WAS FOUNDED! We have moved with incredible speed to draft a constitution, agree on a name, elect a Board, find a secure meeting facility, have a monthly newsletter, raise over $2,000 for a video projector and grow our membership. Besides everything else, January's meeting will be a celebration of those accomplishments and a look at the road ahead. We hope that everyone can join us for the festivities. |
| 5.JANUARY MOVIES
Mike Schilling will be bringing movies along in January. Here's a tentative list of the movies that he'll be bringing. BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA, THE GOLDEN VOYAGE OF SINBAD, STAR TREK VI:THE UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY, ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK, TIME BANDITS, MAD MONSTER PARTY, TRON, THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS, THE DARK CRYSTAL, and ED WOOD. |
| 6.DUE NEWS
It's January. The dues, true to their name, are due. We ask for $20 per individual and $30 for a couple. You can mail your dues check (made out to "The Imaginative Cinema Society") to John Clayton/ 10354 Windstream Drive/ Columbia, MD. 21220. |
| 7.CALENDARS
Calendars were sold at the December meeting. For those of you who ordered calendars and haven't yet picked them up, either call or write to John Clayton (his phone number address appear at the end of the "DUES NEWS" item above). |
| SNOW ALERTS
We had a very close call with our December meeting. The foot high blizzard that had been prophesied by the whether oracles mysteriously missed us. In the event of snow, the best thing to do is to use your common sense. We won't meet in a blizzard. BUT sometimes that's not enough. There are plenty of iffy nights when it's hard to judge what will happen. In the next "ICS Files" I'll run the phone number and e-mail addresses of the new Board. Charlie will post a notice on the Website ("WWW.ICSFILM.NET"). I'll send out a general e-mail to everyone. We will also attempt to call everyone. If you weren't at the last meeting we'll need to get your current address and phone number. You can call Dave Henderson at 410-529-0726, or email him at HENDO8@JUNO.COM. |
| BADGES? WE DO NEED THOSE STINKING BADGES!
Some of us that have been around for a while have some terrific name badges done by Dave Henderson. They have your name and a picture from your favorite movie on them. Please try to remember to wear them at our meetings. We have several people that have joined us over the last several months. Out of courtesy for our newer members (and to help everyone else whose memory may be as bad as mine) please make an effort to wear them to meetings. If you haven't yet received a badge, write down on a slip of paper your name and your favorite film. Give it to Dave Henderson. He'll have a badge ready for you at the following meeting. |
| 10.THE HOUND OF THE FLEMING-VILLES
Holmes had his hound. Daniel his lion. Tim Fleming encountered his animal adversary in the form of Buttons, the Lhasa Apso from hell! For those of you not familiar with this particular form of demon, Lhasa Apsos are tiny dogs, not much more than ankle high. They have bodies that are about a foot long and draped in long luxurious fur. When Tim offered his hand to one that looked like it may be lost, Buttons sank his cute little teeth into what must have looked like a buffet table to the pugnacious pooch. Unfortunately, Buttons' owners couldn't be tracked down, leaving Tim to undergo a series of painful and expensive rabies shots. Tim, we hope that you're okay. Heather, you might want to keep an eye on him during the next full moon. If he starts looking shorter, cuter and furrier, you know what to do. |
| 11.HELLO TO GARY ROBERSON
Gary Roberson is one hell of a member. He drives down from Philadelphia and spends $80 to spend the night in a hotel. We really appeciate all that he does to be with us. Unfortunately, we won't be seeing his smiling face around for a while. He's got work scheduling conflicts that are going to keep him in Philly during meeting times. We won't see him again until spring. Gary, we'll miss you. We look forward to seeing you again! |
| 12.GET WELL TO DIANA GERVASIO
Peggy Gervasio was all set to come to the last meeting but couldn't make it. Diana was feeling sick. She was wrestling a nasty cold. Being a battle-scarred veteran of the phlegm-wars myself, I know they're no fun. Diana, we hope that you feel better soon and that we see as many Gervasios as possible at the next meeting. |
| 13.MEETING DATES FOR 2001
There was a request at the last meeting that, for those who didn't pick up an official ICS calendar for 2001, that we run the dates for the year 2001 in this issue. We're sticking to the basic rule that the meeting takes place on the last Saturday of the month, unless there is a holiday conflict. We're changing our meetings for Memorial Day and Thanksgiving this year. So get out your date books. Cue the PalmPilot. Here are the dates. JANUARY 27TH FEBRUARY 24TH MARCH 31ST APRIL 28TH MAY 19TH JUNE 30TH JULY 28TH AUGUST 25TH SEPTEMBER 29TH OCTOBER 27TH NOVEMBER 17TH DECEMBER 29TH And for the really obsessive/compulsive personalities in our midst, the January 2002 meeting is scheduled for the 26th of that month. |
| 30.THINGS TO COME
KATSUCON is coming to the Hyatt Hotel in Crystal City, Virginia on February 16-18. This is a convention dedicated to anime'. Their guest of honor will be Shinya Hasegawa. He is the character designer and illustrator of Revolutionary Girl Utena. In addition, he has worked as an animation producer on Sailor Moon and Neon Genesis Evangelion. They'll also be featuring a slate of other animators, voice-artists, directors and producers. There's a host of other special events and panels and a dealer's room available. Pre-registration is no longer available. The admission is $45.00 for all three days. Day rates are $20 for Friday only, $25 for Saturday only, and $15 for Sunday only. If you'd like more information either e-mail them at katsucon@katsucon.com or write them at Katsucon Entertainment, Inc./ P.O. BOX 577/ DUMFRIES,VIRGINIA 22026. CREATIONCON
is coming to the Valley Forge Convention Center on Saturday and Sunday
March 3-4, 2001. This is a corporate-run convention. Because it has big
money backing it they can attract some interesting celebs and offer a large
dealer's room. Because it's operated as a for-profit business everything
is quite expensive.
|
| 39.HOW THE GRINCH STOLE THE BOX OFFICE
HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS is the highest-grossing movie of 2000, surpassing MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE II in only 33 days. The film grossed over $250,000,000. In a statement, Universal's distribution chief Nikki Rocco said, "THE GRINCH is a textbook example of a mega-hit: a film that's been so embraced by the public that everyone feels they have to experience it, and many people are experiencing it over and over again. Brian Grazer, Ron Howard and Jim Carrey have not only given us the film event of the holidays, but the film event of the year." Tough year. Thanks to this and a couple of other holiday heavyweights, Hollywood was able to pull year 2000 out of the dumper. After thudding along at a zombie-like pace for almost the entire year, box-office 2000 managed to nose out 1999 by a hair. This still doesn't repair the devastation visited on the movie industry throughout the past year. |
| 40.DEMON WITH A GLASS HAND IS WORKING ITS WAY TO
THE BIG SCREEN
Some of you may remember the classic OUTER LIMITS episode entitled "Demon with a Glass Hand." It starred Robert Culp as a man who wakes up in a room with no memory and a glass hand, missing several fingers, that talks to him. He's being pursued by some strange looking people and he doesn't know why. It originally aired in 1964. It won a Writers' Guild of America Award for outstanding script for its author, Harlan Ellison. Now Ellison is collaborating with filmmaker David Twohy (PITCH BLACK) on a feature-film version of Ellison's classic story. Dimension Films, a unit of Miramax, is developing the project. Ellison and Twohy are slated to deliver a script by June 1, 2001. Twohy would direct. Just remember folks, this is Hollywood, the land of broken promises and aborted projects. But, if it actually happens, it could make one hell of a film. |
| 41.IMAGINATIVE CINEMA AND THE GOLDEN HANDSHAKE
The Golden Globe nominations are in. As expected, this wasn't a huge year for imaginative cinema (it wasn't a great year for anything!). However, there were a few noteworthy nominees. Take a look below. CAST AWAY: Best Actor Drama(Tom Hanks); CHICKEN RUN: Best Motion Picture-Comdey/Musical CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON: Best Director (Ang Lee); Best Original Score GLADIATOR: Best Motion Picture-Drama; Best Actor (Russell Crowe); Best Supporting Actor (Joaquin Phoenix); Best Director (Ridley Scott); Best Original Score HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS: Best Actor Comedy/Musical (Jim Carrey) OH BROTHER WHERE ART THOU: Best Motion Picture-Comdey/Musical; Best Actor Comedy/Musical (George Clooney) SHADOW OF THE VAMPIRE: Best Supporting Actor (Willem Dafoe) The 58th Annual Golden Globe Awards will be given out in a televised ceremony on Sunday, January 21st at 8:00 P.M. on NBC. |
| 42.2001: A SEATTLE ODYSSEY
In an apparent New Year's tribute to Stanley Kubrick's classic film, anonymous artists placed a black steel monolith in Seattle's Magnuson Park. The monolith, which resembled those that appeared in the movie, showed up on Dec. 31 on the park's Kite Hill, visible to the masses strolling along the lakeshore below. News of the monolith's appearance circulated late New Year's Eve on Capitol Hill as the Infernal Noise Brigade, a marching band of anarchists, led a peaceful parade downtown, where a bonfire was lit. Apparently, the anarchists were Seattle's version of bone tossing ape men. |
| 43.TOD BROWNING'S DRACULA WILL LAST FOREVER
Tod Browning's 1931 classic, DRACULA, has been granted eternal life by the National Film Registry. Every year the Registry at the Library of Congress chooses 25 films, from a list numbering in the thousands, to preserve forever. As long as the Library of Congress stands future generations will be able to see Bela Lugosi's ethereal and menacing performance. So far there are 300 films on the list. |
| 44.SIR STEVEN OF SPIELBERG
Steven Spielberg is to receive an honorary knighthood. Spielberg will be awarded the Insignia of a Knight Commander of the Civil Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire at ceremonies at the British Embassy in Washington on Jan. 29. The award to Spielberg will be presented on behalf of the queen by British Ambassador Sir Christopher Meyer. Only two other American entertainers have ever received the title, comedian Bob Hope and conductor Andre Previn. |
| 45.AHNOLD'S LOVE LIFE DANGLING BY A CHAD
Ahnold Schwarzenegger complained that the U.S. election turmoil has interfered with his sex life. As most of you know, Ahnold is a fervent Republican but he's married to a woman who is genetically Democratic. Maria Shriver is a member of the Kennedy family. The 53 year-old Man of Iron observed, "When Gore was ahead in the polls Maria was fantastic, wanting to make love all day. When Bush was ahead I found her bedroom door locked!" I'm tempted to make a pun here about "Bush" and "pole" but, having been seized with an uncharacteristic fit of discretion, I'll defer to the wit of my readers. |
| 46.AHNOLD THINKANATOR?
Like his co-star in PREDATOR, Jesse Ventura, it seems that when we think "Ahnold Schwarzenegger" we should be thinking more brain than body. He swears that he's turned his back on his tough guy image - to make "more intellectual" movies. He's desperate to revamp his image with more intelligent roles. He says, "In the 1980s men were not very secure and were happy to see a man with muscles. Now no one is interested in that." And Arnie has a definite plan about how to recreate himself - he's planning a project with Woody Allen. He adds, "We are talking about the script at the moment." Hmmm. Maybe it'll be SLEEPER 2. Ahnold will have to fight his way out of the orgasmitron. |
| 47.HANNIBAL SCREENPLAY DEPARTS FROM THE BOOK'S
ENDING
Many people in the club who've read Thomas Harris's sequel to SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, HANNIBAL, loved the novel but hated the ending. Screenwriter Steven Zaillian agrees. Without giving anything away, the relationship between F.B.I. agent Clarice Starling and the predatory Hannibal Lecter takes an unexpected turn. Zaillian shared his concern with Harris and was invited to see what he could do with it. Reports are that Harris was happy with the screenplay. |
| 48.HANNIBAL 'S SCREENPLAY DEPARTS FROM THE ITS
PREDECESSOR'S AUTHOR
Ted Tally, who wrote the screenplay for THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, passed on writing the screenplay for HANNIBAL because he was troubled by the "excesses" of author Tom Harris in two vital plot points. The original screenplay for HANNIBAL was written by David Mamet, then turned over to Steven Zaillian for rewriting after Jodie Foster called it "too grisly." (Foster later declined to appear in the sequel). Tally is now working on a new film script for RED DRAGON, the novel in which Harris first introduced the Hannibal Lecter character. It was originally released on film under the title MANHUNTER in 1986. "I think Anthony Hopkins will do it," Tally said. |
| 49.MOVIES DON'T KILL PEOPLE, GUNS DO
I don't know when this happened but Catherine Zeta Jones isn't the only unusual thing in Michael Douglas's life. When we weren't looking he got himself declared the United Nations Messenger of Peace. Hmmm. Well, be that as it may, in that capacity he recently spoke up in defense of violence in the movies. He believes that blaming movies for violence is just an excuse for the real problem, which is gun control. He stated, "FACE/OFF, for example, was a tremendous hit in Canada and a big hit in Japan but nobody's getting shot over there because they don't have guns! I'm out of the school where violence in the media can be an issue. But for me it's a little bit of an election year issue and sort of camouflage for the problems that our country has got an awful lot of guns." |
| 50.BIGGER AND BADDER REPTILES FOR JURASSIC PARK
3
Hollywood reminded us (endlessly) with their GODZILLA promos, that size does count (in Hollywood). So the boys at the Universal Studios production department for JURASSIC PARK 3 are thrilled to announce that their new critter, a spinosaurus, can kick any of the t. rex's butt from the first two films. The spinosaurus is described as a 44-foot long, 11-ton monster with 'raptor-sized arms and a fin on its back. The movie will also feature 10 other dino species. The film will begin with an airplane crash on Isla Sorna, the Site B of THE LOST WORLD: JURASSIC PARK. Sam Neill's JURASSIC PARK character, Alan Grant, is hired by a divorced couple, played by Téa Leoni and William H. Macy, to find a boy who was lost in the crash. Neither John Hammond (Sir Richard Attenborough) nor Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum) appear in the film. |
| 51.JURASSIC TROUBLES
William H. Macy, star of the upcoming JURASSIC PARK 3, said that the production has been troubled. "What you want to say is, 'Who launched a $100 million ship without a rudder? And who's getting fired for this?'" . . . But that's the way it goes with these movies. I think someone should be shot, but you know, I'm not in charge." Despite the movie's problems, Macy said, "there will be a moment that will bring all of us to our knees, a Frank Capra moment where we're so childishly delighted in the magic that just happened." |
| 52.A PRODUCTION TO REMEMBER
Many of the cast members of LORD OF THE RINGS won't soon forget their involvement in the movie. They'll be reminded with every shower, splash on the beech and trip to the doctor's. They have a permanent reminder on their skins. To celebrate the wrapping of the 274-day marathon shoot, stars Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Dominic Monaghan, Billy Boyd, Orlando Bloom, Viggo Mortensen, Ian McKellen and John Rhys-Davies were all tattooed with a Rings Brotherhood motif, designed especially by conceptual artist Alan Lee, at the production's invitation-only wrap party. Their work is far from over. Besides the extensive effects shots that need to be created, they'll be a little dubbing to do. Sound technicians on set say only about 2% of the dialogue recorded during filming will be usable, due to the noise of smoke machines and planes flying overhead. |
| 53.SIMIAN HIGH
Actor Glenn Shadix, who will play an ape in Tim Burton's upcoming PLANET OF THE APES movie, said that the cast has to attend a special "ape school" for the role. "Ape school is a trip," Shadix said "We stretch and warm up, and then learn specific movements and posturing. I play an orangutan, and my posture and movement is different from that of a chimp or a gorilla. There is a lot of pre-production work with our makeup, which includes personalized ape dentures that require some getting used to, as well as some work with how to handle props in an appropriately ape-like manner, using our 'ape extremities.' We also spend time examining ape psychology in terms of how it affects behavior and movement." Hmmm, I wonder if they teach them that throwing crap thing? |
| 54.DARKNESS COMES TO STAR WARS
Look for STAR WARS: EPISODE II to be far darker than its predecessor. The upcoming prequel will begin to deal with Anakin Skywalker's transformation into Darth Vader. "He's cursed by the same flaws and issues that he has to overcome - that all humans are cursed with," Lucas noted. "There's a lot going on there. It must be a real challenge to handle the transformation from the kid we saw in EPISODE I to the Darth Vader that we see in EPISODE IV." He added, "The whole point is - and the reason I started the story where I did - is that Anakin is a normal, good kid. And how does somebody who is normal and good turn bad? What are the qualities - what is it that we all have within us - that will turn us bad?" Lucas said the EPISODE II will be darker than its predecessor. "It's definitely getting a little bit more intense," Lucas said. "The next one will probably be the darkest of all of them. Ultimately, I have to tell a story. So the story comes first. And I can't really play it to an audience. I mean, the story is what the story is. I knew that it was going to go very dark. You know, it may not be very successful when I get down that dark. But, you know, at least the thing will be finished, and it will have been good to me. There's not much I can do about that. I can't take a story that's basically very, very dark and make it happy. Because it's not. . . . You're going to find that there's a lot of similarity between what Anakin goes through and what Luke goes through. They follow the same path. And it's a similar situation with some of the other characters, such as Boba Fett." |
| 55.MATT DAMON'S BATHROOM SURPRISE
Celebs just never know when they're going to be called on for service. A little while ago Matt Damon, who'd been dining in a Hollywood restaurant, excused himself to visit the men's room. Much to his shock, a girl fan followed him into the toilets, stripped and offered him her body. According to reports, he turned her down and ran out "pale and stunned". And here I thought that I was the only one this ever happened to. |
| 56.THE SPIDER-MAN OF BALTIMORE
For those of you who can't wait for Sam Raimi's SPIDER-MAN to hit the big screen, relief is here! Baltimore fan Dan Poole has already made a Spidey flick, 10 years ago! You can see it on the web. Poole played the web slinger himself and did all the stunts (including hopping onto a moving car). In the movie, entitled GREEN GOBLIN'S LAST STAND, we see Spider-Man's efforts to stop Norman Osborn from becoming the villainous Green Goblin. |
| 57.SAM RAIMI DISCUSSES CASTING AND STORY FOR SPIDER-MAN
Sam Raimi has announced that casting is all but complete on SPIDER-MAN. Of course we've got Tobey Maguire as Peter Parker. Kirsten Dunst will play Mary Jane. After several false announcements (involving stars like John Malkovich, Jim Carrey and Robin Williams) Willem Dafoe will play Norman Osborn, aka the Green Goblin. Cliff Robertson will be Uncle Ben, Rosemary Harris will appear as Aunt May and a there'll be a surprise appearance by Bruce Campbell (who worked with Raimi in the three EVIL-DEAD movies). Campbell will play a ring announcer during a fight sequence in the film Raimi also confirmed rumors that the movie's script, credited to David Koepp (JURASSIC PARK), has been the subject of numerous rewrites. "I would say that the script is always in need of work," Raimi said. "I'm not happy with it yet. But I think it's a very good script now. What we need to do is make it more than great, though. That's the problem. The expectation is so high that a very good script that I would have shot, and happily, isn't good enough. So I would say it's true, but that's the relative terms that it's true in. But no, the studio . . . [is now] happy. Now it's worse than that. Now I've got to get happy." Raimi also revealed the film's theme and said he wouldn't resort to the flashy camera tricks of his early films, such as DARKMAN. SPIDER-MAN is "the story of a young man who is irresponsible and is selfish and has petty goals. And it's a story of how he learns to be a responsible young man," he said. "So it can't be about the shots. It's got to be about the character. Now I also have a responsibility to make it as exciting as possible. That's my conflict. I think I have to move the camera in such a way and so fast and so much so that it's exciting, and you're flying and swinging with Spider-Man, but not so much that you think it's a cool shot. [I have to] somehow [tread] that line." |
| 58.STAR TREK X TEASERS
John Logan, writer of the upcoming tenth STAR TREK feature film, said that the movie will be mindful of the long legacy of the series. A longtime fan of the franchise, Logan hinted that the movie may feature Federation races rarely seen beyond the original STAR TREK series and may allude to STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE's Dominion War and Worf's assignment on Qo'noS, the Klingon homeworld. There will also be new things, including a worthy adversary for Capt. Jean-Luc Picard on a par with Khan in STAR TREK II. "Picard needs an adversary or a foe that is up to his level," Logan told the site. "That's why James Bond should always fight Blofeld; that's his adversary. We hope this adversary will be every bit as memorable not only for who he is, but how and why he behaves as he does." Logan confirmed earlier reports that the Romulans will appear in TREK X. He added, "I have some great new races and ships in this script, and I already have a shelf cleared off for the new merchandise for the movie." |
| 59.LOOK FOR A NEW RACE OF DROIDS IN THE NEXT STAR
WARS
John Duncan loves robots. All kinds of them. It began with TV shows like LOST IN SPACE and movies like FORBIDDEN PLANET and METROPOLIS. His life long passion led him to the job of designing the battle droids for STAR WARS: EPISODE I. He was invited back to come with new and different robots in EPISODE II. Duncan, and his model-making partner John Goodson, will gradually shift the aesthetic from the smooth, streamlined designs of EPISODE I to the more plate-and-armor look of the classic STAR WARS trilogy. "You're definitely starting to see things that are going to integrate these first movies into the original three films," Goodson said. "There's definitely that theme that's starting to come in. There were a few things that looked like traditional STAR WARS, the Federation battleship and the Republic cruiser in particular had that kind of plated look, with little chunks taken out of the edge of the plating and little chips for detail. But we're now seeing things that are starting to kind of cross that line." |
| 60.TOMB RAIDER HELPS TO BRING CAMBODIA BACK FROM
OBLIVION
For years Cambodia has been in the grips of a hideous blood-soaked nightmare, from which it has only begun to emerge. In its aftermath devastation and hopelessness are still gripping the Southeast Asian nation in their merciless reign. Shooting the $100-million TOMB RAIDER in Cambodia has resulted in an enormous boost to the country's impoverished economy. One report from Angkor Wat observed, "There is not a single person in or around the temple complex who does not know that Hollywood and its big bucks have arrived in Angkor Wat after a 36-year break." (The last Hollywood film to shoot in Cambodia was 1965's LORD JIM which starred Peter O'Toole.) The devastation that occurred during the interim - when the country was wracked by civil war and thrown into the violent chaos of the Khmer Rouge regime - have made TOMB RAIDER a difficult shoot. The Cambodian army had to be brought in to repair blown up roads and bridges so that camera equipment and sets could be trucked in from Thailand. The screen version of the electronic game stars Angelina Jolie (as Lara Croft). She said that she was awed by Cambodia's Angkor Wat temples "I feel very blessed and very lucky to be able to be part of this film, part of this whole experience," Jolie said. "This has changed my life, being here in this country. . . . It makes me feel differently about everything - about my life, about work, about what we can all do. . . . It's the most amazing place I've ever been to in my life." |
| 61.SHYAMALAN SAYS DON'T HOLD YOUR BREATH FOR AN
UNBREAKABLE SEQUEL
Contradicting statements by his star, Bruce Willis, UNBREAKABLE's director M. Night Shyamalan has clearly said that he's not interested in making a sequel, much less a trilogy as Willis said. Shyamalan said, "I'm definitely not the kind of guy who wants to do sequels or be known for just one type of movie. I want each movie to be very, very original, the most original movie you can think of. It's kind of a conflict for me. If one day down the line I come up with an emotional story to tell that I'm feeling that [the UNBREAKABLE characters] David and Elijah could tell, then I'll use them to tell the story. But if I was going to do another movie with these two characters, then it would have to be a whole revisiting of the idea in a different way. But I have no plans for that right now. It's certainly not going to be the next movie." Shyamalan added that his next movie will be lighter in tone than either UNBREAKABLE or its predecessor, THE SIXTH SENSE. "I just started writing it about a week ago," he said. "I've been traveling, promoting the film and writing in hotel rooms. I'm really enjoying this story." |
| 62.BUSH IS IN, BALDWIN AND ALTMAN ARE OFFERED HELP
LEAVING
In 2000, in the heat of the election, director Robert Altman and actor Alec Baldwin swore that they'd leave the country in the event of a Bush victory. Well now a letter that's been circulating on the Internet by some Bush loyalists is trying to help them do just that. The tongue-in-cheek missive reads, "We need volunteers to help pack and to load moving vans. We also need airfare for these irreplaceable national treasures so they can relocate before they change their minds. For the cost of a small SUV, you can sponsor one of these celebrities and their unfortunate relocation. Operators are standing by." |
| 63.SLAVES FOR DISNEY
A Hong Kong church group has accused the Walt Disney Co. of contracting with toy factories in southern China at which workers are underpaid, overworked and sometimes exposed to highly dangerous conditions. A report by the Christian Industrial Committee accused Disney of failing to inspect conditions at the plants of its contractors. The group said that its undercover inspectors had found that workers in the factories were paid the equivalent of $46-$80 a month for working between 13 and 17 hours a day, seven days a week. |
| 64.STADIUM SUING
Donald Stern, the U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts, is taking National Amusements Inc.and the Hoyt's theater chain to court. The suit, being brought under the Americans with Disabilities Act, alleges that stadium seating discriminates against people with disabilities. The rationale is that those who are either in wheel chairs or who are too frail to climb stairs are relegated to inferior seats. At a press conference Stern noted, "I don't think it reflects well on corporate America that these [stadium-style theaters] are being built." So, what do you think? Does your blood boil at the thought of those frustrated wheel and walkers thudding uselessly on the bottom step of a tiered theater? Or do you hate the litigious nature of a society that would seek to tear down the first real innovation in theatrical exhibition in decades? Let's talk about it at our next meeting. |
| 65.HOLLYWOOD AND THE VANISHING "R"
In the year 2000, there was a marked decline in the number of films released with an "R" rating. In 1999, of 150 feature films 87 (58%) were rated "R." In 2000 that number became 58 out of 147 releases (39%). That's nearly a 20% drop from one year to another. The drop is another example of Hollywood's herd mentality. Producers and studios are spooked by the intense pressure on Hollywood film companies, including demands that exhibitors strictly enforce restrictions on admitting children to R-rated fare. So rather than move to comply with at the exhibitor level, to see to it that young children aren't subjected to inappropriate materials in previews, companies are overseeing the Disney-fication of American motion pictures. Producer John Davis said, "Everyone wants PG-13 now with all the government scrutiny. . . . That's Washington having an input." But Disney distribution chief Chuck Viane observed, "I think anybody who studies the top 10 movies in history sees they're all G and PG." |
| 66.IMAGINATIVE CINEMA FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY
JANUARY 12th: 13 DAYS recounts a time in American history when the nuclear threat wasn't posed by giant grasshoppers or ants. It was real and imminent. For two weeks, in October 1962, the world seemed to dance drunkenly on the edge of total annihilation. The movie takes place in the inner circle of JFK's (Bruce Greenwood) White House as news of missile in Cuba create an atmosphere of fear and danger, as seen through the eyes of Kennedy's Chief of Staff (Kevin Costner). Will the U.S. become locked in a nuclear war with a threat so close to its border? See it and find out. One other note, there's a special treat for audiences tucked among the trailers. There'll be a new trailer for LORD OF THE RINGS running with 13 DAYS. CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON is Ang Lee's filming of the fourth part of a five-part novel by Wang Dulu. An already announced prequel and sequel will address the rest of the novel. In 19th century Qing Dynasty China, a warrior (Chow Yun-Fat) gives his sword, Green Destiny, to his lover (Michelle Yeoh) to deliver to safe keeping, but it's stolen, and the chase is on to find it. As the search leads to the House of Yu, the story takes on a whole different level, including the manipulations of the wicked warrior, Jade Fox (Cheng Peipei), a mysterious young woman (Zhang Ziyi), and her desert lover (Chang Chen). Make no mistake, this is not the typical martial arts film. You'll see the explosive moves that you've become accustomed to enjoying, but you'll see characters dealing with real issues, like fear and death. The movie was shot in Mandarin (actually an archaic form that would be like Elizabethan English compared to our modern speech). It has English subtitles. The fights were choreographed by the finest martial arts director in the world, Yuen Woo-ping (who, among many other projects, choreographed the fight scenes in THE MATRIX). FOR A FASCINATING ARTICLE ON THIS FILM CLICK HERE. JANUARY 19TH: SNATCH
is a complex crime/comedy from the new Mr. Madonna, Guy Ritchie. If you'v
ever seen Ritchie's earlier film LOCK, STOCK AND 2 SMOKING BARRELS, you'll
get the idea. The plot on this one involves a diamond deal gone terribly
wrong, the dark world of underground boxing, a colorful Irish gypsy and
a dog. You've got to see it to figure it out. The ensemble cast includes
Benicio del Toro, Dennis farina and Brad Pitt in a co-starring role.
JANUARY 26TH: SHADOW OF THE VAMPIRE is a fictionalization of the story of the German actor Max Schreck (Willem Dafoe) while he was filming the 1922 German silent classic, NOSFERATU. In the film either Max Schreck is indeed one of the finest method actors, and all that he says and does is just part of his conviction, or he's just a bloodthirsty, craven vampire as he appears. The question of Schreck's humanity (or the lack thereof) is at the heart of the film. John Malkovich plays NOSFERATU's director, F.W. Murnau. |
| 67.VIDEO-ON-DEMAND TAKES ANOTHER STEP TO BECOMING
A REALITY
Blockbuster and Enron Broadband Services have begun testing a video-on-demand service in Seattle, Salt Lake City and Portland, OR. The service employs Enron's $600-million fiber-optic network system, allowing consumers to watch movies at any time, as if they had rented them from a Blockbuster store, and to pause, rewind and fast-forward them, all without leaving their homes. Assuming the service tests well, it will go nationwide in the next couple of years. Video-on-demand has long been the most dreaded nightmare of video store retailers. |
| 68.INDREMA IS THE NEXT STOP ON THE ROAD TO CONVERGENCE
"Convergence" is the magic word in technology. It's the dream of electronics and machines that perform multiple tasks and integrate with their users needs and with the other appliances and electronic hardware around them. This is a cutting edge that will continue to be honed as technology progresses. The Indrema box, named the L-600, could be a significant milepost on the march to that goal. It's being hailed as the next generation of video game technology, but it's more than that. Far more. One box combines a DVD player, a digital TV recorder (along the lines of TiVo), a search engine for Internet video channels as a way to download movies and games onto the system and a means of downloading MP3 files onto the hard drive of a portable MP3 player. It has four USB ports allowing everything from video game peripherals to video cameras to be plugged in. An add-on 56K modem will be available as well as an ethernet port for broadband. It will plug into other existing household devices, such as stereos. Indrema's dream machine will be available next summer. It should retail for $299. |
| 69.A COMMIE MONSTER WITH SEOUL
The story behind how PULGASARI: THE LEGENDARY MONSTER got to the screen in 1985 is far more compelling than the movie itself. PULGASARI is a gigantic city-stomping monster that hails from ultra-Communist North Korea (the guy who plays Pulgasari is none other than Kenpachiro Satsuma, who played Godzilla in the 1980's). The movie, set in 14th century Korea, shows the monster starting out as the toy of a little girl named Ami ("Pulgasari" means "immortal" in Korean). When she cuts herself and sheds some blood on him he comes to life. He eats any iron that he can find and he starts to grow. He saves the girl (Ami) from execution, and then rescues the farmers from greedy land tyrants (he is a Communist monster, after all). He turns on the villagers until Ami sacrifices herself to him. The effects in the movie fluctuate between weird and laughable. The original doll that is given to Ami is made out of partially chewed food. The gigantic monster effects were, at times, done with projecting footage of the monster on a drive-in screen and having people run away in terror. Other times they'd use a still fuzzy photograph to terrify the population. Remember, this is was done in a deeply impoverished country. Now here's where it gets strange. It's directed by Sin Sang Ok and produced by none other Kim Jong-Il, the son of North Korea's former commie captain, Kim Il Sung. Recently Kim Jong-Il took over as the communist party as general secretary. Apparently he's quite the film fan. He had Sin Sang Ok and his wife kidnapped in 1978, from South Korea, in order to make films in the north. Kim jr. had the plug pulled on distributing the film after Sin defected to the United States. It would have vanished altogether had it not been for the Japanese film critic Jun Edoki, who saved the film from the scrap heap and arranged for its world premiere in Tokyo in 1998. The movie has recently been picked up by an American distributor for video-release. You might want to take a look at it. It's apt to be the only film that you'll ever see produced by a Stalinist-style dictator and directed under duress by a victim of kidnapping. |
| 70.A GIANT STEP FOR DVD RETAILING
BestBuy, with its 400 retail outlets nationwide, is the largest seller of DVD's in the U.S. They account for 15% of all DVD's sold. That number is about to ratchet up. In an acquisition expected to be completed early in 2001, BestBuy is about to acquire Musicland's 1,331 stores. That includes Suncoast and Sam Goody. Once the deal's done Best Buy is expected to promote the same sort of aggressive pricing and depth for the DVD format that has led it to pioneer in the field. |
| 71.THE SIXTH SENSE TOPPED THE YEAR'S RENTALS
THE SIXTH SENSE was the most popular movie rented at Blockbuster Video stores in the year 2000. It topped both the VHS and DVD lists issued by the company. For the first time, Blockbuster released separate lists for each format, breaking the top ten this way. VHS: 1. THE SIXTH SENSE; 2. THE GREEN MILE; 3. DOUBLE JEOPARDY; 4. GLADIATOR; 5. THREE KINGS; 6. THE PERFECT STORM; 7. BLUE STREAK; 8. MISSION IMPOSSIBLE II; 9. RUNAWAY BRIDE; 10. RANDOM HEARTS. DVD: 1. THE SIXTH SENSE; 2. THE PERFECT STORM; 3. GLADIATOR; 4. MISSION IMPOSSIBLE II; 5. THE GREEN MILE; 6. X-MEN; 7. THE PATRIOT; 8. THE WHOLE NINE YARDS; 9. SLEEPY HOLLOW; 10. THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH. |
| 72.VIDEOCY
Rental titles releasing 1/2:WAY OF THE GUN has a pair of petty thieves (Phillipe and Bencio DelToro) who get in way, way way over their heads when they kidnap a surrogate mother (Julliette Lewis) that is about to give birth to a mob-connected businessman. The edgy violence that results is reminiscent of films from Sam Peckinpah and Quentin Tarrentino. The first time director, Christopher McQuarrie, has won an Oscar for his screenplay THE USUAL SUSPECTS. The VHS is a rental. The DVD sells for $24.98. . . . THE HOLLOW MAN is an updated telling of H. G. Welle's The Invisible Man. Kevin Bacon plays a scientist whose experiments in invisibility bringing out his homicidal tendencies. It has some great special effects. The VHS is priced to rent. The DVD is $24.95. Rental title releasing 1/9: ANIMAL FACTORY is the story of a 21-year-old first-time felon (Edward Furlong) sentenced to two years in a crumbling prison. We also find Willem Dafoe, Mickey Rourke and Tom Arnold there in the Big House. The movie was written by ex-con Edward Bunker. The director was Steve Buscemi. . . . . HORRORVISION is the ultimate rough trip on the Internet. A Web master stumbles onto an Internet site that kills all who access it. This is available in VHS only. . . .ONCE UPON A TIME IN CHINA is a Jet Li film filled with breathless action and thundering fights. Jet Li plays the real life fighter Wong Fei-Hong, a legendary 19th figure who fought against Western imperialism. In this movie he's repulsed by the his countrymen being sold into slave labor for the California gold barons. When a much-loved cousin is sold into prostitution against her will, that's the last straw. What follows is some of the most blistering display of martial arts ever to burn its way on the screen. The VHS is a rental. The DVD sells for $24.98. Rental titles releasing 1/16: PYTHON purports to be "This year's LAKE PLACID." Gee, I didn't much enjoy last year's LAKE PLACID. You can see Casper Van Dien, Robert Englund and Jenny McCarthy take on this "sixty feet of pure terror" for yourself. The VHS is a rental. The DVD is $34.99. . . . BATTLEFIELD EARTH is the most expensive cinematic piñata to emerge from 2000. You can rent the VHS or buy the DVD for $19.95 and cheer on Johnny Goodboy as he whups them nasty ol' Psyclos. . . . In SPIDERS a scientist accidentally alters the DNA of an ancient arachnid species discovered among the remains of a mummified alien. The result is a replicating species of massive spiders with jaws that can rip through metal and killer venom. The VHS is a rental. The DVD is $24.99. Rental titles releasing 1/23: FRANKS HERBERT'S DUNE comes to VHS today. This is the same version that appeared on the Sci-Fi Channel in December. Though you'll most likely rent this, the more eager among you can buy the VHS for $39.98. A special edition DVD will be available in March. . . . THE ADVENTURES OF ROCKY AND BULLWINKLE is about the struggle of moose and squirrel as they attempt to stop Boris and Natasha from world conquest, now that they've found a way to move from cartoons to our world. The tape is a rental. The DVD is $24.98. . . . CECIL B. DEMENTED, John Waters' story of an underground filmmaker and his guerilla tactics backfiring on him, hits the streets today. . . . TERROR FIRMER, from Troma, wanted to give their characters a real twist - something big to overcome. Okay, so they made the main character a blind low-budget film director. Fine, but he still needs more of a challenge. Alright, his cast and crew are all freaks and misfits. No, not challenging enough? Alright, how about this - making the film has become tougher since his cast and crew keep falling prey to a serial killer. NOW we got us a Troma film! . . . Rental titles releasing 1/30: WHAT LIES BENEATH, the ghost film that stars Harrison Ford and Michelle Pfeiffer, makes it way to stores today. Sell through titles releasing 1/2: THE BEST OF THE ORIGINAL AVENGERS is a six-episode set of the episodes considered by Patrick MacNee the best of the show's long run. They include episodes with sidekicks Honor Blackman, Dinan Rigg and Linda Thorson. The three VHS set is $29.95. The two DVD set is $39.95. . . . PORTRAIT OF AN ASSASSIN is a 1949 French crime movie, starring Erich VonStroheim. This is a story of lies, treachery seduction and murder, all at a French circus. On VHS for $29.95. Sell through titles releasing 1/9:THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS gets re-released today. You can watch Hannibal and Agent Starling spar on VHS for $9.94. . . . Three new entries from the Sci-Fi Channel's show, LEXX: THE DARK ZONE come out today. EATING PATTERN with Rutger Hauer, GIGA SHADOW with Malcom McDowell and I WORSHIP HIS SHADOW with Barry Bostwick. Each of them sells for $7.99 on VHS. . . . Five new entries from STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE arrive today. Episode 86, "Return to Grace," episode 87, "The Sons of Mogh," episode 88 "The Bar Association," episode 89, "Accession," and episode 90, "Rules of Engagement" all release today. The VHS are selling for $14.95. . . . A pair of landmark John Woo/Chow Yun Fat movies release today. A BETTER TOMORROW is the film that started it all, full of John Woo's now classic trademarks of action and gunfire mayhem. Chow Yun Fat stars in this story of suave gangsters and renegade cops who discover that in a world bound by honor, revenge comes at the speed of a bullet. Written and directed by John Woo, this is the breakthrough film that made international stars of both Woo and Chow Yun Fat. A BETTER TOMORROW II shifts locales. This time, the mayhem blasts its way from New York City to Hong Kong as renegade gangsters and hot shot cops take on the syndicate in a showdown of honor, loyalty, and bullet-riddled revenge. Considered by many fans to be superior to the original, A BETTER TOMORROW II has a final epic gun battle is one the most amazing sequences of John Woo's entire career. The VHS copy of each film is $9.99. The DVD sells for $24.98 each. . . . From LEXX: THE DARK ZONE comes TALES FROM A PARALLEL UNIVERSE with Tim Curry. The VHS sells for $7.99. . . . Today is heaven for BUFFY fans. BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER: THE SLAYER CHRONICLES comes to video today. Each of the three volumes has two episodes on it. Volume 1 has "Bad Girls" and "Consequences." Volume 2 contains "Enemies" and "Earshot." Volume 3 has parts one and two of "Graduation Day." You can buy them for $14.98 each or a three-pack for $39.98. You can also get BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON COLLECTOR'S EDITION. This three-tape or three-disc set includes all 12 of the episodes from the first season of show. The DVD special features include an interview with and commentary by creator Joss Whedon, a DVD-ROM, a photo gallery and an original pilot episode script. The VHS set is $39.98. The DVD collection sells for $59.98. . . . THE DEVIL'S ARITHMETIC was a 1999 Showtime movie. Kirsten Dunst plays a modern day Jewish girl who's reluctantly conforming to her religion. Everything changes for her when she's swept back in time to live within a prisoner of a Nazi concentration camp. It comes in VHS only for $9.98. . . . DOOM RUNNERS is basically sci-fi with training wheels on. This story of a post-apocalyptic world where a group of children move from one uncertain world to another in their quest for sanctuary. Is actually aimed at a young audience. Tim Curry vamps it up as the evil, mind sucking, Dr. Kao, who delights in tormenting his assistant with constant threats of mind-wipes when he screws up. There are some echoes of his ROCKY HORROR performance here. This VHS only film sells for $9.98. . . . DEMON WARRIOR KOJI is an anime' with a preternatural monster that is out for blood. Only the man-demon Koji can hunt it down. The VHS is $29.95. . . . MAZE: BEATING HEART is an anime' that has our titular heroine Maze taking a trip to a hot spring and getting trapped in the magic water. The VHS film is $19.99. . . . MIDNIGHT DETECTIVE is an anime' series. This contains episodes 1-4. A vampire detective keeps the streets safe from the excesses of supernatural scum. The VHS is $19.99. . . . SILENT SERVICE is a submersible anime'. The clock is ticking as the most dangerous submarine ever created has gone renegade. Top military leaders must annihilate the ship. You can view their animated sweat on DVD for $29.99. . . . VIRGIN FLEET New from the creator of SAKURA WARS. Girl cadets in the super-secret Virgin Fleet face "stiff competition" as they are trained to use their "virgin energy." Hmmmm. Your fantasies can come true on DVD for $29.99. Sell through titles releasing 1/16: No Roman numerals after the name. Here, simply, is the one that started it all. HIGHLANDER: DIRECTOR'S CUT hits the shelves today. It stars Christopher Lambert, Sean Connery, Clancy Brown and Roxanne Hart. It's on VHS for $9.99. . . . SISTER, SISTER is a tale of supernatural "Southern gothic." A pair of sisters Charlotte (Jennifer Jason Leigh) and Lucy (Judith Ivey) Bonnard live together in the gloomy Louisiana family mansion that they've turned into a guest house. But when a mysterious young man (Eric Stoltz) enters their lives, the sisters are forced to confront a dark past filled with forbidden passions and deadly secrets. It was directed and co-written by Academy Award winner Bill Condon (GODS & MONSTERS). It's on VHS for $9.99, DVD for $24.98. . . . THE BOILER ROOM is about a young hustler looking to get rich quick. He gets more than he bargained for in some shady Wall Street dealings. It's only on VHS for $14.98. . . . CURSE OF THE VOODOO is a 1964 British film. A big game hunter in modern day Africa bags a lion on Simbasa territory and is cursed by the tribe, who revere lions as gods. What results would be like watching the 1942 CAT PEOPLE only done by someone without Val Lewton's genius to sustain a thread of suspense without showing the monster. Our hunter seems to be haunted with lions and Simbasa warriors in both Afica and England, but we just don't much care. It's yours, on VHS, for $9.99. . . . HORROR HOSPITAL is a British 1973 blood-drenched comedy. It's about a mad doctor giving lobotomies to teenagers so he can turn them into controllable zombies. Meanwhile Jason, a member of a 60's pop group, decides he needs a break at a country retreat. Guess which one he unknowingly chooses. It's on VHS for $9.99. . . . INSEMINOID is a 1981 flick that blurred the line between sci-fi and horror. A group of scientists are working in a lab located on a distant planet. One of them, Sandy, is attacked, raped and impregnated by a monstrous creature. She then becomes a space vampire, stalking her colleagues one by one, killing them and drinking their blood. The VHS is $9.99. . . . A PERFECT MURDER COLLECTOR'S EDITION is a very clever 1998 re-make of the 1954 Hitchcock classic, DIAL "M" FOR MURDER. Watch Michael Douglas, Gweneth Paltrow and Viggo Mortensen play cat-and-mouse on VHS for $14.98. . . . THRILL SEEKERS has a reporter who uncovers the strange truth surrounding a group of time travelers who are present during all the major catastrophic events in history. It stars Casper Van Dien, Catherine Bell and Martin Sheen. Both the VHS and the DVD sell for $14.99. . . . CARDCAPTORS: POWER MATCH offers edge of your seat excitement (NOT) as Li learns how to capture the Clow Cards and she continues to criticize and challenge Sakura. You can savor every scintillating second on VHS for $14.98 or DVD for $24.98. Sell through titles releasing 1/17: SLEEPWALKERS is a 1992 movie from Stephen King. A teenage boy and his mother are supernatural, shape-shifting, nocturnal creatures that must feed on innocent young girls for survival. This DVD sells for $24.99. . . . DEATH WISH is a 1974 Charles Bronson classic, newly arrived to DVD. A New York City man turns vigilante after his wife and daughter are brutally raped in their own apartment. He gets a lot of publicity for hunting down criminals. and the cops aren't sure whether to stop him or let him do their job. The disc sells for $29.99. Sell through titles releasing 1/23: THE BLACK SCORPION and THE BLACK SCORPION II are Roger Corman's entry into the strange twilight world at the intersection of superheroes, low quitsch and T&A. The tapes are $9.98 each. The DVD's are $14.98 each. . . . DOGMA - SPECIAL EDITION includes the outrageous religious fantasy where a pair of rebellious angels try to use a loophole in Catholic dogma to gain re-entry into heaven and erase all of creation at the same time. This special DVD edition also includes lots of commentary; the documentary, "Judge Not. In Defense of Dogma;" a complete set of storyboards from three major scenes; 100 Minutes of Deleted Scenes; cast and crew outtakes; Jay and Silent Bob's Secret Stash Spot (hmmm); and character and actor bios, all in widescreen anamorphic format. The souped up disc runs $29.95. . . . IN THE DEAD OF SPACE is available on DVD and VHS. In checking the reactions of viewers who've seen it I've found comments like, "Don't buy it! Don't rent it! Don't even touch it! This has got to be one of the worst movies ever," and "I can only comment on the first 45 minutes of this movie - I couldn't stand to watch any more than that! . . . Between the horrible acting (fake accents which come and go, robotic delivery of dialog and clumsy fist fights), a jumbled plot, awful editing and 1970's quality special effects, this movie has no redeeming qualities." If you're interested in a touch of chez' stinker you can pick up the VHS or DVD for $9.98. . . . KNOCKING ON DEATH'S DOOR is a Roger Corman haunted house flick. The story follows a just-married husband and wife team of paranormal investigators who buy "Sunset House" and honeymoon there because of the ghost-rich history of the old place. Once inside, they don't have to wait long before not one but two ghosts take an interest in the wife (Kimberly Rowe). There are some truly scary and disturbing images here, and the production values are really high if you grade on a curve for King of Low Budgets having been responsible for the film. Both the VHS and DVD are $9.98. . . . AMAZING NURSE NANAKO VOL 3: THE LAST SPIRAL has Tibetan soldiers breaking into Dr, Ogami's hospital and try to steal Nanako's secret, interrupting a cloning attempt. You have your choice of subtitled or dubbed, VHS for $24.98 or DVD for $29.98. . . . BUBBLEGUM CRISIS: TOKYO 2040 VOL. 11 The Knight Sabers are mankind's last defense against a half-machine beast with a million eyes and the mind of a crazed child. The either subtitled or dubbed VHS is $19.98. . . . CARD CAPTOR SAKURA: EVERLASTING MEMORIES has Sakura standing up to the challenge of three new cards, the Jump, the Illusion, the Silent and the Thunder. Buy the VHS for $24.98, the DVD for $29.98. . . . FUSHIGI YUGI: THE MYSTERIOUS PLAY VOL. 3 - REFLECTIONS has the Suzaku Seven continuing to try to recover Tamahome's memories. You have your choice of dubbed or subtitled VHS for $24.98. . . . GASARAKI 3: BETRAYAL is set back in Japan (for those of you who haven't been keeping up. The T.A. team members find themselves prisoners in their own country. You can find out how they react with your purchase of the VHS for $19.98 or the DVD for $29.98. . . . GUNDAM WING VOL. 8 & 9 TOONAMI - BEHOLD, WING ZERO offers us more adventures from the brave Gundam Wing pilots. The VHS is $14.96 each. . . . LOST UNIVERSE VOL. 4 is about how Dark Seeder wants to destroy Kain Blueriver to avenge an old grudge. Kain reunites with an old friend who leads him on a dangerous mission. It comes in both subtitled and dubbed versions. The VHS and DVD are both $19.98. . . . MARTIAN SUCCESSOR NADESICO: DANGER ZONES is an anime' DVD for $29.98. . . . TRIGUN VOL. 6: PROJECT SEEDS features the latest adventure of the heroic but ruthless futuristic gunfighter, Vash the Stampede. It comes in both subtitled and dubbed. The VHS is $24.98. The DVD is $29.98. Sell through titles releasing 1/30: DINOSAUR, the mega-budget Disney film about a group of dinosaurs seeking shelter from extinction, hits the stores today. The VHS is $17.95. The DVD is $19.95. . . . BLACK MOON RISING has master thief Sam Quint (Tommy Lee Jones) getting hired by the government to steal top-secret data from a crime organization, he hides the stolen data in the experimental supercar, The Black Moon. But when the car is then stolen by high-tech auto thief Nina (Linda Hamilton), Quint must pull off the most daring heist of all: break into an impenetrable skyscraper and steal it back. With time running out and all sides closing in, Quint and Inna take The Black Moon on one final white-knuckle ride. It also stars Robert Vaughn, Richard Jaeckel, Bubba Smith and Keenan Wynn. It was written by John Carpenter. It's on VHS for $9.99, DVD for $24.98. . . . Something's rotten under the city of New York; and it's hungry. Time to come up and grab a bite! Meet C.H.U.D. (or "Cannabalistic Humanoid Underground Dwellers").John Heard, Daniel Stern and Kim Greist star in this 1984 movie. It's on VHS for $9.99, DVD for $24.98. . . . THE JACKIE CHAN GIFT SET contains the feature films GORGEOUS, WHO AM I and MIRACLES. The VHS sells for $31.95. The DVD special features include Chan's first audio commentary, a making-of featurette and a music video for GORGEOUS. The DVD sells for $53.95. . . . THE PHANTOM is a DVD that contains all 15 chapters of this 1943 serial. You can cheer The Phantom (and his alter ego, Godfrey Prescott) as his superhuman strength and his canine sidekick Devil work their way through avalanches, poison gas, flaming pyres and explosions as he pits himself against the evil Dr. Bremmer. The Phantom is played by Tom Tyler. Dr. Bremmer is played by Kenneth MacDonald. Devil Is played by Ace, The Wonder Dog. The disc sells for $29.99. . . . STARRY NIGHT is a fantasy/fable in which Van Gogh comes back to life in the present day. When he finds out how much his paintings are worth, he decides to take them back (since he only sold one during his lifetime, he assumes that the rest are still his) and sell them to raise money for scholarships for art students. Along the way, he runs afoul of art critics and manages to keep one step ahead of the police. This movie has only been shown at a handful of film festivals, and its been a steady crowd pleaser. It's on DVD only for $24.99. . . . GHOST CHASE focuses on a pair of horror filmmakers in desperate need of money think they are about to cash in when one of their grandfather's dies leaving an inheritance behind, but they're not so sure when the bequest turns out to be a pawn ticket. This 1987 film was written and directed by Roland Emmerich. As one viewer said, after seeing it, he was "surprised that Emmerich got work after this." It's on VHS for $9.98. . . . BIO HUNTER: SPECIAL EDITION is an animated horror movie that centers around two molecular biologists who are out to stop a deadly virus that turns humans into killers with demonic powers. It's on DVD only for $24.95. . . . DUAL VOL. 3: ARTIFACTS has our main character, Kazuki, wounded in battle. He's startled to wake up in the clutches of the evil Miss Rah. You have your choice of dubbed and subtitled, with the VHS selling for $24.98 and the DVD going out at $29.98. . . . GUNDAM WING - OPERATION 5 gives us more adventures from the brave Gundam Wing pilots. This DVD only release sells for $24.98. . . . TENCHI UNIVERSE COLLECTION VOL. 6: SPACE II is about how Tenchi and his friends are wanted by the Galaxy Police. They're forced to flee through space. It's exclusively on DVD for $29.98. |
