*****************************
ONVIDEO E-MAIL NEWS
******************************

8/31/04 V8.36

This is an automated mail list; please do not reply to this
message. Messages should be sent to mail@....

ONVIDEO'S WEEKLY GUIDE TO HOME VIDEO RELEASES
FOR TUESDAY, August 31 -- MONDAY, September 6

PASSION OF THE CHRIST, THE
"The Passion of the Christ" is a film about the last 12 hours of
Jesus of Nazareth's life. The film opens in the Garden of Olives
(Gethsemane) where Jesus has gone to pray after the Last Supper.
Jesus resists Satan's temptations. Betrayed by Judas Iscariot,
Jesus is arrested and taken back to within the city walls of
Jerusalem where the leaders of the Pharisees confront him with
accusations of blasphemy and his trial results in a condemnation
to death. Jesus is brought before Pilate, the Roman Governor of
Palestine, who listens to the accusations leveled at him by the
Pharisees. Realizing he is confronting a political conflict,
Pilate defers to King Herod in the matter. Herod returns Jesus to
Pilate who gives the crowd a choice between Jesus and the
criminal Barrabas. The crowd chooses to have Barrabas set free
and to condemn Jesus. Jesus is handed over to the Roman soldiers
and flagellated. Jesus is presented with the cross and is ordered
to carry it through the streets of Jerusalem all the way up to
Golgotha. On Golgotha, Jesus is nailed to the cross and undergoes
his last temptation -- the fear that he has been abandoned by his
Father. He overcomes his fear, looks at Mary, his Holy Mother,
and makes the pronouncement which only she can fully understand,
"it is accomplished." He then dies. In Aramaic and Latin with
English subtitles. Director: Mel Gibson. Stars: James Gaviezel,
Monica Bellucci, Claudia Gerini, Maia Morgenstern. 2004, CC, MPAA
rating: R, 127 min., Religious, Box office gross: $366.685
million, Fox, $24.98 VHS SRP. DVD: Day & Date.

TWISTED
Newly promoted police inspector Jessica Shepard (Ashley
Judd) is searching for a serial killer, and is shocked to
discover that men she has recently slept with are the victims.
The investigation becomes more and more twisted as her partner
(Andy Garcia) behaves strangely, and the police commissioner
(Samuel L. Jackson) is being asked to remove her from the
investigation as she is a prime suspect. All the clues point to
her and Jessica begins to suspect that she might be the killer
she is looking for. Nasty, overwrought thriller with a twist
ending telegraphed far too early in the proceedings. Director:
Philip Kaufman. Stars: Ashley Judd, Samuel L. Jackson, Andy
Garcia, David Strathairm, Russell Wong, Camryn Manheim, Mark
Pellegrino. 2004, CC, MPAA rating: R, 97 min., Thriller, Box
office gross: $25.195 million, Paramount, No VHS SRP, Priced for
rental. DVD: Day & Date.

YOU SHOULD NOT BE HERE
Two friends discover a chat room whose interest is putting
themselves in life-threatening situations. As some of the group
begins to question the sanity of what they are doing, others
begin to receive e-mails threatening death to anyone who stops
participating in the exercises. As some of the members start to
die, what was a nightmare for some becomes a nightmare for all.
In Spanish with English subtitles. Director: Jacoba Rispa. Stars:
Pablo Echarri, Tristan Ulloa. 2002, CC, MPAA rating: NR, 96 min.,
Erotic thriller, Razor Digital Entertainment, $19.95 VHS SRP.
DVD: Day & Date.

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


------------------------------------------------------------

NEWS

DVD COLLECTIBLES:
The Criterion Collection releases this week definitive versions
of two memorable films. David Cronenberg's 1983 "Videodrome,"
starring James Woods and Deborah Harry, will be presented in a
double-disc set with the full-length unrated edition of the
mindbending, influential film that fused social commentary with
shocking elements of sex and violence, featuring groundbreaking
special effects makeup by Academy Award-winner Rick Baker; and a
two-disc set of "Slackers" (1991), Richard Linklater's remarkable
film that presents a day in the life of a subculture of marginal,
eccentric, and overeducated citizens in and around the University
of Texas at Austin. Shot on 16mm for a mere $23,000, Linklater
eschewed a traditional plot and choose instead to employ long
takes and fluid transitions to create a tapestry of more than a
hundred characters. Both sets are loaded with extra features.

FROM TV TO VIDEO:
"I Love Lucy: The Complete Second Season," is a five-disc set
with 31 episodes, priced under $50 from Paramount ... "Russell
Simmons Presents Def Poetry: Season One," four half-hour episodes
on one disc, hosted by Mos Def, from New Line ... "South Park's
The Passion of the Jew," featuring three episodes ("The Passion
of the Jew," "Christian Rock Hard" and "Red Hot Catholic Love"),
from Paramount ... "Star Trek: The Complete First Season DVD
Set," an eight-disc set with 29 episodes packed in a cool plastic
pod, priced around $100, from Paramount ... and "Touched by an
Angel: The Complete First Season," a four-disc set with 13
episodes, priced under $40 from Paramount.

Other TV shows on video: Columbia TriStar will bring to video
this week the 1995 family friendly "Annie: A Royal Adventure!"
which follows the exploits of Little Orphan Annie (Ashley
Johnson) in England when Daddy Warbucks travels to the British
Isles to accept knighthood from the Queen, on DVD ... Also from
Columbia TriStar comes "Ike: Countdown to D-Day," the 2004
telefilm starring Tom Selleck as President Eishenhower in the
gripping drama that depicts the incredible events that shaped the
culmination of D-Day in 1944, on VHS rental and DVD ... Ardustry
Home Entertainment will present "Mary Higgins Clark's Before I
Say Goodbye," a 2003 telefilm about a politician's daughter who
uncovers a conspiracy surrounding the mysterious deaths of her
husband and his business associates, on DVD ... And, from MPI
Home Video, comes "Vendetta for the Saint," in which Roger Moore
returns as Simon Templar and goes up against the Mafia in Italy,
aided by a bevy of beautiful women; the 1969 NBC TV movie is
available on VHS and DVD at $14.98.

ON THE INDIE FRONT:
Vanguard Cinema will release three indie films this week:
"Enemies of Laughter" (2000) a romantic comedy about a
playwright/sitcom writer who can't get a break with women until a
friend produces a documentary on the hapless scribe, starring
David Paymer, Judge Reinhold, Rosalind Chao, Marilu Henner, Bea
Arthur and Peter Falk; "The Magic of Marciano" (2000) is a coming
of age story of a young boy who must cope with his emotionally
disturbed mother and her antagonistic boyfriend, starring
Natassja Kinski, Robert Forster, Jason Cairns and Cody Morgan;
and "The Singing Forest" (2003), a modern-day drama/fairy tale
about two gay lovers killed by the Nazi during the Holocaust who
are reincarnated and brought back together in the present; all on
VHS and DVD.

FOR THE KIDS:
Paramount will bring home this week "All Grown Up: Lucky 13,"
featuring the "grown-up" Rugrats in four adventures on $16.99 DVD
and two on $9.95 VHS; "Rugrats Holiday Celebration" on DVD and
VHS; "Dora's Halloween" on $9.95 VHS and $16.99 DVD (with two
bonus episodes); and three releases in the company's new Nick Jr.
Baby franchise, "Curious Buddies," featuring five colorful
puppets and their human friends aimed at engaging babies 3 to 36-
months-old: "Curious Buddies Look and Listen at the Park,"
"Curious Buddies Exploring at the Beach" and "Curious Buddies
Helping at Home," on $12.95 VHS and $16.99 DVD ... Two more
Strawberry Shortcake adventures arrive this week, in their usual
strawberry-scented pink packaging: "Adventures on Ice Cream
Island" and "Best Pals Yet," each containing two animated
adventures on $12.98 VHS and $14.98 DVD, from Fox ... Columbia
TriStar will release the fourth original Cabbage Patch Kids home
video, "Cabbage Patch Kids: The New Kids," in which Norma Jean
helps save the school's talent show, on $9.95 VHS and $14.95 DVD
... UAV Entertainment will release this week the first two
volumes in "Sabrina, the Animated Series," the "prequel" to the
hugely successful "Sabrina, the Teenage Witch" series: "Witch in
Training" and "Bat Attack!" on $9.99 VHS and DVD ... Lastly, for
older kids, there's the family action-adventure "Splat!" that
follows a troubled teen who overcomes his problems by learning to
cooperate with friends and family in a paintball tournament, on
VHS rental and DVD from MTI Home Video.

SPECIAL INTEREST:
"Chris Rick: Never Scared" is an HBO standup concert featuring
material from the comedian's "Black Ambition Tour" sold-out tour
as well as 13 minutes of never-before-seen footage from the
concert and Rock's first solo HBO half-hour comedy special "Chris
Rock: Big Ass Jokes"; on DVD from HBO Home Video ... "Apollo 13:
To the Edge and Back" gives viewers a first-hand account of the
heroic struggle to bring home the astronauts from their aborted
mission to the moon, new to DVD from WGBH Boston Video ... Also
from WGBH Boston comes "Medieval Siege," a docu that takes a
close look at the state of warfare in the Middle Ages, a time
when -- 200 years before the invention of the cannon -- the
feared "Warwolf" catapult was capable of hurling boulders, bee
hives and plague-infected corpses long distances to put castles
under dire siege, new to DVD ... for lovers of hot Latin music,
Paramount will release "Celia Cruz & Friends: A Night of Salsa,"
on DVD only ... MPI Home Video has three interesting
documentaries new to DVD this week: "First Steps on Mars," a
fascinating docu featuring a 3-D simulation of a manned Mars
landing, based on NASA research; "History of the 80s," a 10-disc
set of the best and worst in people, world events, sports,
science and technology culled from ABC News vaults, $89.98 for
the set; and "The Hajj: One American's Pilgrimage to Mecca," an
ABC News Nightline program in which reporter Michael Wolfe takes
viewers on his second Hajj (or pilgrimage) to Mecca ... And, last
but not least, Paramount will release the direct-to-DVD sequel
"Trekkies 2," a docu that follows "Star Trek" fans where "no man
has gone before."


------------------------------------------------------------

THIS WEEK'S DVD RELEASES:

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

** The Black Orchid (1959) Sophia Loren, Anthony Quinn.
(Paramount).
** Broadway Bill (1934) Dir.: Frank Capra; Warner Baxter. Extras:
Introduction by Frank Capra Jr. (Paramount).
** Chris Rock: Never Scared. HBO Chris Rock comedy special. (HBO
Video).
** Come Back Little Sheba (1952) Burt Lancaster, Shirley Booth.
(Paramount).
** Desire Under the Elms (1958) Sophia Loren, Burl Ives, Anthony
Perkins. (Paramount).
** Dora the Explorer: Dora's Halloween. Animated. Extras: Bonus
episodes, game. (Paramount).
** First Steps on Mars. Documentary. (MPI Home Video).
** The Happy Gilmore/Billy Madison Collection. Two-disc set with
Adam Sandler's "Billy Madison Special Edition" and "Happy Gilmore
Special Edition," $27.98. Extras: Deleted and alternate scenes,
outtakes, more. (Universal).
** History of the 80s. Three-disc set using ABC News footage.
(MPI Home Video).
** I Love Lucy: The Complete Second Season. Five-disc set with 31
episodes, priced under $50. (Paramount).
** The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride Special Edition (1998) Two-disc
set, $29.99. Extras: New animated short, "One by One," by the
film's creators; "Timon & Pumbaa's Virtual Safari 2.0"; "Find Out
Why" shorts; "Timon & Pumbaa's Pride Land" games; "Rafiki
Challenge" game; "Lots About Lions" featurette; "Proud of Simba's
Pride" making-of featurette; "Love Will Find a Way" music video;
"Backstage Disney: The Lion King's Matter of Facts": "Music and
More: Disney's Song Selection" feature that allows viewers to
skip to a favorite song or play them all. (Disney).
** The Passion of the Christ (2004) Dir.: Mel Gibson; James
Gaviezel, Monica Bellucci, Claudia Gerini, Maia Morgenstern. In
Aramaic and Latin with English subtitles. (Fox).
** Physical Evidence (1989) Burt Reynolds, Theresa Russell, Ned
Beatty. (Columbia TriStar).
** Relentless (1989) Judd Nelson, Robert Loggia, Leo Rossi, Meg
Foster. (Columbia TriStar).
** Relentless 2: Dead On (1992) Leo Rossi, Miles O'Keeffe, Meg
Foster. (Columbia TriStar).
** Riding High (1950) Dir.: Frank Capra; Bing Crosby.
(Paramount).
** Rugrats All Grown Up: Lucky 13. Animated. Extras: Three bonus
episodes. (Paramount).
** Rugrats Holiday Celebration. Two-disc set with "Rugrats:
Thanksgiving," "Rugrats: Christmas," "Rugrats: Chanukah,"
"Rugrats Kwanzaa." (Paramount).
** Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry: Season One. Four half-
hour episodes on one disc, hosted by Mos Def. (New Line).
** Slackers (1991) Dir.: Richard Linklater; Richard Linklater,
Rudy Basquez, Jean Caffeine, Jan Hockey, Stephan Hockey, Mark
James. Two-disc set. Extras: "It's Impossible to Plow by Reading
Books," Linklater's little-seen, first full-length feature, with
commentary by the director; commentaries on "Slacker" by the
director and members of the cast and crew; rare casting tapes;
deleted scenes and on-set footage; footage from the "Slacker"
10th Anniversary reunion in Austin in 2001; stills galleries
featuring hundreds of rare production and publicity photos, plus
early script versions; a history of the Austin Film Society,
founded by Linklater with Lee Daniel; more. (The Criterion
Collection).
** South Park's "The Passion of the Jew." Three episodes: "The
Passion of the Jew," "Christian Rock Hard" and "Red Hot Catholic
Love." (Paramount).
** Star Trek: The Complete First Season. DVD Set Eight-disc set
with 29 episodes packed in a cool plastic pod, priced around
$100. Extras: Five featurettes: "The Birth of a Timeless Legacy,"
"Life Beyond Trek: William Shatner," "To Boldly Go ...,"
"Reflections on Spock," "Sci-Fi Visonaries"; original preview
trailers, photo log. (Paramount).
** Touched by an Angel: The Complete First Season. Four-disc set
with 13 episodes, priced under $40. Extras: Commentary on select
episodes, three featurettes. (Paramount).
** Trekkies 2 (2004) Documentary on "Star Trek" fans. Extras:
Commentary with filmmakers, deleted scenes, fan films.
(Paramount),
** Twisted (2004) Dir.: Philip Kaufman; Ashley Judd, Samuel L.
Jackson, Andy Garcia, David Strathairm, Russell Wong, Camryn
Manheim, Mark Pellegrino. Extras: Commentary by Kaufman,
"Creating a Twisted Web of Intrigue" featurette, "The
Investigators: The Clues of Crime" featurette, 10
extended/deleted scenes. (Paramount).
** Vendetta for the Saint (1969) Roger Moore returns as Simon
Templar in this NBC TV movie. (MPI Home Video).
** Videodrome (1983) Dir.: David Cronenberg; James Woods, Deborah
Harry. Double-disc set with full-length unrated edition. Extras:
Cronenberg's short film "Camera"; a new half-hour documentary
featurette on the film's landmark special effects; multiple audio
commentaries; a vintage roundtable discussion between Cronenberg
and directors John Landis and John Carpenter about censorship,
special effects, and horror cinema; 1982 promotional featurette;
stills galleries; more. (The Criterion Collection).
** The White Dawn (1974) Dir.: Philip Kaufman; Warren Oates,
Timothy Bottoms, Louis Gossett Jr. Extras: Commentary by Kaufman,
"Welcoming the Dawn" and "A Way of Life -- The World of the
Inuit" featurettes. (Paramount).
** You Should Not Be Here (2002 -- Spanish) Pablo Echarri,
Tristan Ulloa. (Razor Digital Entertainment).

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


------------------------------------------------------------

THIS WEEK'S VHS SELL-THROUGH RELEASES:

** Dora the Explorer: Dora's Halloween. Animated (Paramount):
$9.95
** The Passion of the Christ (2004) Dir.: Mel Gibson; James
Gaviezel, Monica Bellucci, Claudia Gerini, Maia Morgenstern
(Fox): In Aramaic and Latin with English subtitles, $24.98
** Rugrats All Grown Up: Lucky 13. Animated (Paramount): $9.95
** Vendetta for the Saint (1969) Roger Moore returns as Simon
Templar in this NBC TV movie (MPI Home Video): $14.98
** You Should Not Be Here (2002 -- Spanish) Pablo Echarri,
Tristan Ulloa (Razor Digital Entertainment): $19.85


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


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

An archive of past issues of the OnVideo E-Mail News can be found
at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/onvideoguide

Messages and missives: e-mail: mail@...

Thanks to the Woo family of Culver City, Calif. and Leslie
Rigoulot for helping support this issue of the news.

Subscriptions to OnVideo E-Mail News are
free for the asking by sending an e-mail request to
onvideoguide-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
No subject or body text is required.

If you no longer wish to receive this newsletter, you can
un-subscribe by sending an e-mail message to
onvideoguide-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
No subject or body text is required.

And don't forget to bookmark our major OnVideo Web site located
at http://www.onvideo.org