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7/13/04 V8.28

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ONVIDEO'S WEEKLY GUIDE TO HOME VIDEO RELEASES
FOR TUESDAY, July 13 -- MONDAY, July 19

AGAINST THE ROPES
Inspired by the true story of Jackie Kallen, the most successful
female manager in boxing history. Kallen (Meg Ryan) is an up-and-
coming boxing promoter who has grown up with a love of the sport
running through her veins. Determined to become the first lady of
boxing, she comes across talented boxer Luther Shaw (Omar Epps)
in a brawl -- and she knows that he's a champion in the raw.
Determined to follow her heart, she becomes Luther's manager and
convinces him that he can fight his way out of a thug's life.
Together with veteran trainer Felix (Charles S. Dutton, who also
directed), Jackie and Luther discover they need each other to
realize their dreams and take the boxing world by storm. The film
was delayed for a year -- first when the war in Iraq superseded
Paramount's marketing program, then again when "In the Cut,"
starring Ryan, was released. Unfortunately, it wasn't worth the
wait: this typical boxing saga is altogether uninteresting and
loaded with trite dialogue. Director: Charles S. Dutton. Stars:
Meg Ryan, Omar Epps, Timothy Daly, Tony Shalhoub, Charles S.
Dutton. 2004, CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 110 min., Drama, Box office
gross: $5.881 million, Paramount, No VHS SRP, Priced for rental.
DVD: Day & Date.

AGENT CODY BANKS 2: DESTINATION LONDON
Frankie Muniz returns as super-cool teen spy Cody Banks in this
family comedy sequel. In Cody's new adventure, a rogue CIA agent
(and Cody's own instructor) has stolen a top secret mind-control
device from the U.S. government. With worldwide security at
stake, Cody has to go undercover in London to get it back. In hot
water right away, Cody is forced to pose as a student at an elite
music boarding school and keep the other kids from discovering
his true identity, all the while infiltrating covert hideouts,
tracking his target -- and practicing the clarinet. To help him
on his mission, Cody is assigned a new handler: a wisecracking
CIA reject named Derek (Anthony Anderson) who's desperately
trying to get back into the Agency's good graces. He's supposed
to be posing as the boarding school chef, but unfortunately he
has no idea how to cook. As things get more difficult, the duo
finds surprise help from a fellow student named Emily (Hannah
Spearritt), a hip, beautiful British Secret Service counterpart
to Cody's CIA teen. Together they journey above, below, and
around London to retrieve the mind-control device and keep from
getting caught. Director: Kevin Allen. Stars: Frankie Muniz,
Anthony Anderson, Hannah Spearritt. 2004, CC, MPAA rating: PG, 90
min., Teen action, Box office gross: $23.222 million, MGM, $22.98
VHS SRP. DVD: Day & Date.

BARBARIAN INVASIONS, THE
Director-writer Denys Arcand's sequel to his 1986 "The Decline of
the American Empire." A moving and entertaining story about the
humor, hope and unspoken bonds that hold family and friends
together. This witty and tender film tells the emotional story of
a father and son who think they have nothing in common, but learn
that they both share an insatiable appetite for life. It's has
been years since Sebastien (Stephane Rousseau), a wealthy London
investment banker, has been home to visit his parents in Canada.
He has been avoiding a run-in with his father, Remy (Remy
Girard), a spirited and lustful professor of history who long ago
divorced Sebastien's loving mother Louise (Dorothee Berryman.)
But when a crisis calls Sebastien home to Quebec, father and son
must confront one another at last. To Sebastien, his father Remy
is unreasonable and cold. To Remy, his son Sebastien is a symbol
of the coming "barbarian invasions," of all the negative changes
in the world. But desperate to bring his father some kind of
happiness, Sebastien pours his energy into an all-consuming
mission: to reunite the "merry band" that marked Remy's
complicated past -- friends, colleagues and former mistresses
included. In the process, Sebastien discovers more about his
father than he ever imagined, more about what he wants and hope
for in his own life, and more about the pleasures of wine, women,
conversation and the love and compassion of good friends. Winner
of the Academy Award for Best Foreign-Language; Marie-Josee Croze
won the 2003 Cannes Film Festival Best Actress Award for the role
of a young drug addict who offers unusual assistance to Remy.
French with English subtitles. Director: Denys Arcand. Stars:
Stephane Rousseau, Remy Girard, Dorothee Berryman, Marie-Josee
Croze. 2003, CC, MPAA rating: R, 99 min., Drama, Box office
gross: $1.649 million, Miramax, No VHS SRP, Priced for rental.
DVD: Day & Date.

DREAMERS, THE
Left alone in Paris while their parents are on holiday, Isabelle
(Eva Green) and her brother Theo (Louis Garrel) invite Matthew
(Michael Pitt), a young American student, to stay at their
apartment. Here they make their own rules as they experiment with
their emotions and sexuality while playing a series of
increasingly demanding mind games. Set against the turbulent
political backdrop of France in the spring of 1968 when the voice
of youth was reverberating around Europe, the film is a story of
self-discovery as the three students test each other to see just
how far they will go. In NC-17 and R-rated editions. Director:
Bernardo Bertolucci. Stars: Michael Pitt, Eva Green, Louis
Garrel, Anna Chancellor, Robin Renucci. 2004, CC, MPAA rating:
NC-17 and R, 115 and 112 min., Erotic drama, Box office gross:
$2.492 million, Fox, No VHS SRP, Priced for rental. DVD: Day &
Date.

NEVER DIE ALONE
Based on legendary street novelist Donald Goines' book of the
same name, this film noir tale is about King David (DMX), a hard-
boiled, stylish criminal who returns to his hometown seeking
redemption and finding only violent death. King David's final
moments are spent with Paul (David Arquette), an aspiring
journalist who knows him for just a few minutes but is changed
forever by their meeting. King David -- half preacher, half
Satan, and all street smarts -- gives to Paul an audiotape
featuring the story of his recent exploits, leaving behind a
riveting, poetic sermon on villainy and its consequences. The
tapes reveal that the cycle of violence and retribution King
David's actions spawned have come back on him full circle, as he
suspected they might all along. Director: Ernest Dickerson.
Stars: DMX, David Arquette, Michael Ealy. 2004, CC, MPAA rating:
R, 89 min., Crime Thriller, Box office gross: $5.573 million,
Fox, No VHS SRP, Priced for rental. DVD: Day & Date.

UN DEUX TROIS SOLEIL
The dreamlike tale of Victorine, a young girl growing up in the
slums of Marseilles with her alcoholic father (Marcello
Mastroianni), and her crazy mother. Bizarre and surreal at the
same time, reminiscent of Bunuel and Fellini, "Un, deux, trois,
soleil" is innovative, outrageous, and a triumph for Mastroianni,
in one of his most unusual roles. In French with English
subtitles Director: Bertrand Blier. Stars: Olivier Martinez,
Marcello Mastroianni, Anouk Grinberg. 1993, CC, MPAA rating: NR,
104 min., Drama, Home Vision, No VHS SRP. DVD: Only.

For more release info, check out our calendar pages at
<http://www.onvideo.org/calendar.htm>

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NEWS

DVD COLLECTIBLES:
MGM will release this week "The Manchurian Candidate Special
Edition" timed to coincide with the summer release of Jonathan
Demme's remake starring Denzel Washington, Meryl Streep and Jon
Voight. The 1962 original -- a chilling vision of psychological
warfare and betrayal at the highest levels of U.S. government --
was directed by John Frankenheimer and starred Frank Sinatra,
Laurence Harvey, Janet Leigh and Angela Lansbury. Extras include
commentary by Frankenheimer; interviews with Sinatra,
Frankenheimer and screenwriter George Axelrod; "Queen of
Diamonds" new interview with Lansbury; "A Little Solitaire"
interview with William Friedkin; Easter eggs and a photo gallery
... Home Vision will release this week "Un deux trois soleil"
(1993 -- French), a dreamlike tale of a young girl growing up in
the slums of Marseilles with her alcoholic father (Marcello
Mastroianni) and her crazy mother. Bizarre and surreal at the
same time, reminiscent of Bunuel and Fellini, director Bertrand
Blier's film is innovative, outrageous, and a triumph for
Mastroianni, in one of his most unusual roles.

FROM TV TO VIDEO:
"Hercules: The Legendary Journeys -- Season Four" is a nine-disc
set with 22 episodes, $69.98, from Anchor Bay ... "Project
Greenlight: The Complete 2nd Season" is a three-disc set with 13
episodes of the TV series that follows the production of a film
from "greenlighting" to finished product; the Project was created
by Ben Affleck and Matt Damon; $39.99 from Miramax.

BUZZIN' THE 'B's:
A deep-sea drilling operation goes horribly wrong, releasing the
deadliest ocean predator that has ever roamed the seas since
prehistoric times, the Carcharodon "Megalodon" -- the giant
ancestor of the Great White Shark -- 60 feet and 11 tons of
killing machine that destroys and devours everything in its path;
from Monarch Home Video on DVD and VHS rental.

FOR THE KIDS:
For the preschool set, the folks at HIT Entertainment has
released the latest Barney video: "Now I Know My ABCs,"
containing 14 sing-along songs, such as "Alphabet Soup" and "I Am
Learning to Spell My Name," that help little ones learn about
colors, shapes and letters; the VHS version ($12.99) includes
"Three Lines, Three Corners" and "The Barney Boogie" music video,
while the DVD ($16.99) includes all of the above plus two
interactive games, a jukebox, and more ... Seguing into the
bathroom are two new preschool releases: "Potty Power," a 30-
minute video that teaches children potty training in an engaging
musical format, on $14.95 VHS and DVD, from Thinkeroo (800-477-
7811 or www.bigkidsvideo.com) and "High Noon in the Bathroom,"
five animated adventures based on Nick Jr.'s Rubbadubbers series
with an ensemble cast of fun-loving bath toys, from HIT
Entertainment on $9.99 VHS and $14.99 DVD ... for older kids
there's "Justice League: Starcrossed -- The Movie," a 66-minute
animated feature (compiled from three of the series' episodes)
featuring Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, The Flash, Hawkgirl,
Wonder Woman and Martian Manhunter joining forces to destroy
aliens and super-villains; $14.94 VHS and $19.97 DVD from Warner
Home Video ... Finally, from Koch Vision comes the first releases
from an interesting new series inspired by Popular Mechanics
magazine, "Popular Mechanics for Kids," which features engaging,
behind-the-scenes explorations of things kids love to explore and
know more about. The first two 90-minute releases each contain
four episodes: "Radical Rockets and Other Cool Cruising Machines"
looks at "Submarines," "Cool Cars," "Boats" and "Spaceships,"
while "Slither & Slime and Other Yucky Things" basks in
"Garbage," "Creepy Crawlers," "Slimy and Slithery" and
"Underground"; $12.98 VHS and $14.98 DVD.

SPECIAL INTEREST:
Eagle Rock Entertainment will release this week "Joe Cocker: Live
Across From Midnight," a concert video filmed at Waldbuhnem in
Berlin during the European leg of Cocker's 1997 world tour,
featuring 90 minutes of his greatest hits, on DVD only ...
Director John ("Animal House," "The Blues Brothers") Landis'
first documentary, "Slasher," takes an incisive look at a new
breed of car salesman: the slasher, called in to help dealerships
dump their stale inventory as quickly as possible. If you have an
image of the car salesman as a fast-talking huckster, you ain't
seen nothin' yet until you meet Michael Bennett, a chain-smoking
auctioneer who is flown all over the country to slash prices and
clear entire lots within a few short days. From Docurama on DVD
for $24.95 ... With the popularity of Poker tournaments on TV,
Anchor Bay will release "Poker for Dummies," a 60-minute DVD --
hosted by poker champion Chris Moneymaker -- that shows you all
you need to know about betting, bluffing and poker strategy,
$16.98.


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THIS WEEK'S DVD RELEASES:

Weekly listings of DVD releases can now be viewed on mobile
devices at www.tagtag.com/onvideo

** After Image (2001) John Mellencamp, Louise Fletcher,
Terrylene. Extras: "The Making of After Image," "Portraying
Death: The Art of Special Effects Make- Up." (Miramax).
** Against the Ropes (2004) Dir.: Charles S. Dutton; Meg Ryan,
Omar Epps, Timothy Daly, Tony Shalhoub, Charles S. Dutton.
(Paramount).
** Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London (2004) Frankie Muniz,
Anthony Anderson, Hannah Spearritt. Extras: "Agent Mode"
interactive quiz, hosted by Muniz, Anderson and Spearritt, tests
viewers about certain scenes as they are watching to discover if
they are worthy of becoming a secret agent; "Spy on the Set"
scene specific cast commentary (viewers can click on an icon at
the bottom of a scene to freeze it and "enable" a cast member to
"step into the frame" to provide "top-secret" information");
"Agent Cody Banks: Back in Action" featurette; deleted and
extended scenes; outtakes; Easter Egg; photo gallery. (MGM).
** The Assassination Bureau (1968) Oliver Reed, Diana Rigg, Telly
Savalas, Curd Jurgens , Philippe Noiret. (Paramount).
** The Barbarian Invasions (2003 -- French Canadian) Dir.: Denys
Arcand; Stephane Rousseau, Remy Girard, Dorothee Berryman, Marie-
Josee Croze. (Miramax).
** The Bourne Identity Extended Edition (2002) Dir.: Doug Liman;
Matt Damon, Franka Potente, Chris Cooper, Clive Owen, Brian Cox.
Extras: Alternate opening and ending; "A New Identity" featurette
with never-before-seen opening sequence and complete alternate
ending; "From Identity to Supremacy -- Matt and Franka"
featurette with interviews with Matt Damon and Franka Potente;
"Declassified Information" deleted scenes; "The Bourne
Mastermind" featurette that looks at the late Robert Ludlum, the
actor-turned-best-selling novelist who created the "Bourne"
trilogy; "Access Granted" featurette with an interview with
screenwriter Tony Gilroy; "The Bourne Diagnostic" featurette
offers insights from a UCLA psychologist into the causes and
effects of Jason Bourne's struggle with amnesia; "Cloak and
Dagger" featurette with CIA liaison officer Chase Brandon that
offers a detailed, real-world analysis of the making of a super-
spy; "Inside a Fight Sequence" featurette; "The Speed of Sound"
sound design featurette; music video. (Universal).
** The Counterfeit Traitor (1962) William Holden, Lilli Palmer,
Hugh Griffith. (Paramount).
** The Dreamers (2002) Dir.: Bernardo Bertolucci; Michael Pitt,
Eva Green, Louis Garrel, Anna Chancellor, Robin Renucci. Extras:
Commentary by Bernardo Bertolucci, writer Gilbert Adair and
producer Jeremy Thomas; "Events of May '68" featurette; "The
Making of The Dreamers" featurette; Michael Pitt "Hey Joe" music
video. NC-17 and R-rated editions. (Fox).
** Everybody Loves Raymond: The Complete First Season. Five-disc
set, $44.98. (HBO).
** The 5th Musketeer (1979 -- Austrian) Beau Bridges, Sylvia
Kristel, Ursula Andress, Lloyd Bridges. (Columbia TriStar).
** Hercules: The Legendary Journeys -- Season Four. Nine-disc set
with 22 episodes, $69.98. Extras: Commentary by Kevin Sorbo and
others, behind-the-scenes interviews with cast and series
creators, "Bringing Monsters to Life at K.N.B. EFX Group"
featurette, dailies from the "Stranger in a Strange World"
episode, photo gallery, CD-ROM extras. (Anchor Bay).
** I Like It Like That (1994) Desiree Casado, Isaiah Garcia,
Jesse Borrego, John Seda, Tomas Melly, Loren Velez, Rita Moreno,
Laura Velez. (Columbia TriStar).
** Joe Cocker: Live Across From Midnight. Recorded live at
Waldbuhnem in Berlin during Cocker's 1997 world tour. (Eagle Rock
Entertainment).
** Joni Mitchell: Painting With Words and Music. Recorded in May,
1998, at Warner Bros. soundstage in Los Angeles. (Eagle Rock
Entertainment).
** Justice League: Starcrossed -- The Movie (2004) Feature-length
animated film starring the world's greatest super heroes. Extras:
"Hawkman: From Comics to Cartoon" featurette, "The Flash's Tour
of the Justice League Watchtower," cast and filmmaker interviews.
(Warner).
** The Manchurian Candidate Special Edition (1962) Dir.: John
Frankenheimer; Frank Sinatra, Laurence Harvey, Janet Leigh,
Angela Lansbury. Extras: Commentary by Frankenheimer; interview
with Sinatra, Frankenheimer and screenwriter George Axelrod;
"Queen of Diamonds" new interview with Lansbury; "A Little
Solitaire" interview with William Friedkin; Easter eggs, photo
gallery. (MGM).
** The Moody Blues: The Lost Performance: Live in Paris '70.
Filmed performance never-before-released. (Kultur).
** Never Die Alone (2004) Dir: Ernest Dickerson; DMX, David
Arquette, Michael Ealy. Extras: Commentary by DMX and Dickerson,
11 deleted scenes, making of featurette. (Fox).
** Project Greenlight: The Complete 2nd Season. Three-disc set
with 13 episodes, $39.99 Extras: "The Battle of Shaker Heights"
feature film, "jump-to-scene" feature between the film and
production scenes in the series, 13 deleted scenes, gag reel,
more. (Miramax).
** The Soldier's Tale (1984) R.O Blechman's Emmy-winning visual
adaptation of Igor Stravinsky's "The Soldier's Tale," marrying
animation and classical music. Produced for PBS' "Masterpiece
Theatre." (Koch Lorber Films).
** The Spy Who Came in From the Cold (1966) Dir.: Martin Ritt ;
Richard Burton, Claire Bloom, Oskar Werner, Sam Wanamaker.
(Paramount).
** The Tree of Wooden Clogs (1978 -- Italy) Dir.: Ermanno Olmi;
Luigi Ornaghi, Francesca Moriggi. (Koch Lorber Films).
** Un deux trois soleil (1993 French) Dir.: Bertrand Blier;
Olivier Martinez, Marcello Mastroianni, Anouk Grinberg. New
digital transfer, enhanced for 16x9 televisions. (Home Vision).
** Vacuuming Completely Nude in Paradise (2001) Dir.: Danny
Boyle; Timothy Spall, Michael Begley, Katy Cavanagh. (Koch
Vision).
** The Wooden Man's Bride (1994 -- Taiwan) Dir.: Jianxin Huang;
Chang Shih, Wang Lan, Yumei Wang. (Koch Lorber Films).


For more DVD info, check out our DVD calendar pages at
<http://www.onvideo.org/calendar/cal_dvd.htm>


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THIS WEEK'S VHS SELL-THROUGH RELEASES:

** Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London (2004) Frankie Muniz,
Anthony Anderson, Hannah Spearritt. (MGM): $22.98
** Justice League: Starcrossed -- The Movie (2004) Feature-length
animated film starring the world's greatest super heroes.
(Warner): $14.94


For more sell-through info, check out our Sell-Through/Repriced
pages at <http://www.onvideo.org/reprice.htm>


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Copyright 2004 CyberPod. All rights reserved.
ISSN 1094-3676

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