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3/1/05 V9.9

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ONVIDEO'S WEEKLY GUIDE TO HOME VIDEO RELEASES
FOR TUESDAY, March 1 -- MONDAY, March 7

EXORCIST, THE: THE BEGINNING
Prequel to William Friedkin's "The Exorcist." Father Lankester
Merrin thinks that he has glimpsed the face of Evil. In the years
following World War II, Merrin (Stellan Skarsgard) is
relentlessly haunted by memories of the unspeakable brutality
perpetrated against the innocent people of his parish. In the
wake of all he has seen, both his faith in his fellow man and his
faith in the Almighty have deserted him. He can no longer
honestly call himself a man of God. Merrin has traveled far from
his native Holland in a desperate attempt to escape the horrors
that he witnessed there. While drifting through Cairo, he is
approached by a collector of rare antiquities to join a British
archeological excavation in the remote Turkana region of Kenya.
They have unearthed a Christian Byzantine church in inexplicably
pristine condition -- as if it had been buried on the day it was
completed. The collector wants Merrin, an Oxford-educated
archeologist, to find an ancient relic hidden within the church
before the British discover it. But beneath the church, something
much older sleeps, waiting to be awakened. Madness descends upon
the local villagers and the contingent of British soldiers sent
to guard the excavation. Merrin watches helplessly as the
atrocities of war are repeated against another innocent village -
- atrocities he had prayed never to see again. The blood of
innocents flows freely on the East African plain, and the horror
has only just begun. In the place where Evil was born, Merrin
will finally see its true face. Director: Renny Harlin. Stars:
Stellan Skarsgard, Izabella Scorupco, James D'Arcy, Remy Sweeney,
Julian Wadham, Andrew French, Ralph Brown, Ben Cross. 2004, CC,
MPAA rating: R, 114 min., Horror thriller, Box office gross:
$41.814 million, Warner, No VHS SRP, Priced for rental. DVD: Day
& Date.

FLIGHT OF THE PHOENIX
Remake of the 1965 Robert Aldrich film with James Stewart,
Richard Attenborough, Peter Finch, Hardy Kruger and Ernest
Borgnine. A retelling that keeps all the excitement of the
original with extra added dollops of suspense, intrigue, realism
and special effects. When cargo plane pilot Frank Towns (Dennis
Quaid) and co-pilot AJ are sent to the Tansag Basin in Mongolia
to evacuate the staff of an oil exploration operation that has
been shut down, they have no idea that this routine operation
will result in a life-and-death struggle. Shortly after take-off,
while flying across the Gobi Desert, the plane encounters a
massive sandstorm and they're forced to crash land in the middle
of the world's most foreboding desert -- in the middle of July.
The plane is damaged beyond repair, and the surviving 11
passengers and crew are stranded with little food and water. An
eccentric, mysterious man named Elliott (Giovanni Ribisi) -- a
last-minute addition to the passenger list who claims to be a
flight engineer -- offers hope by suggesting that they build a
new plane, to be named the Phoenix, from the undamaged components
of the wrecked C-119 cargo plane. Towns and the others dismiss
Elliott's plan as being impractical, if not absurd. But as their
numbers dwindle and all chance of being rescued fades, and facing
the brutal environment, dwindling resources, and an attack by
desert smugglers, they realize that Elliott's plan is their only
chance. The survivors put aside their differences and, under
Elliott's guidance, begin construction of the Phoenix. Director:
John Moore. Stars: Dennis Quaid, Tyrese, Giovanni Ribisi, Miranda
Otto, Tony Curran, Sticky Fingaz, Jacob Vargas, Hugh Laurie.
2004, CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 105 min., Action-adventure, Box
office gross: $20.479 million, Fox, No VHS SRP, Priced for
rental. DVD: Day & Date.

INCIDENT AT LOCH NESS
In the Summer of 2003, acclaimed filmmaker Werner Herzog set out
to make a documentary about Scotland's infamous Loch Ness,
purported home of a prehistoric creature known as "Nessie."
Herzog's stated intent was "to explore the origin and the
necessity of the monster" rather than to look for the creature
itself. The film was to be called "Enigma of Loch Ness." At the
time Herzog began production, noted cinematographer and filmmaker
John Bailey was already directing a documentary about him,
tentatively called "Herzog in Wonderland." This would not be the
first time that Herzog would be profiled while making a film, but
it would perhaps be the last. What neither Bailey nor Herzog
could have predicted is that "Enigma of Loch Ness" would never be
completed. The chaos that had followed Herzog on his other epic
quests would follow him to Loch Ness. The production ground to a
halt after a boating accident just weeks into shooting. Charges
of mismanagement, and even criminally negligent behavior, were
leveled in multiple directions. For the first time in his career,
Herzog would shut a film down for good. In the fall of 2003, the
unfinished "Enigma of Loch Ness" was combined with the footage
John Bailey had shot for "Herzog in Wonderland." The resulting
film, "Incident at Loch Ness," was completed by editors Howard
Smith and Abby Shwarzwalder, but due to numerous pending
lawsuits, the credits for that film remain undecided. In the
ensuing legal fracas, a series of startling film clips made their
way onto the internet. The footage was purported to be the
clearest ever taken of the elusive monster, but it was
accompanied by claims of a hoax. The answer as to the origin and
validity of these clips remain unclear. "Incident at Loch Ness"
chronicles the story of the making (and unmaking) of Herzog's
film, as well as the aftermath of that fateful effort. Shocking,
controversial, and strangely humorous, the film raises many
questions about where reality ends and fiction begins. It is also
the portrait of a great adventurer on his most bizarre and tragic
quest. Director: Zak Penn. 2004, CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 95 min.,
Documentary, Box office gross: $0.036 million, Fox. DVD: Only.

THE SEAGULL'S LAUGHTER
It's 1953, and Freya, who had gone to America as an officer's
bride, has returned home to begin a new life. She moves into a
small house of distant relatives in a quiet fishing village in
Iceland. But unlike the drab, plump girl who went abroad, Freya,
now in her twenties, is a stunningly beautiful woman. With her
long chestnut brown hair, slender figure, and chic American
fashions, she is somewhat of a mystery to the women of the
household, including the inquisitive 11-year-old Agga, and
especially to the men of the community. But as Agga soon notices,
strange things have been happening since Freya's arrival. Women
are asserting their independence and men are mysteriously keeling
over. Is Freya a murderess? A goddess of love? These are
questions young Agga would very much like to have answered. In
Icelandic with optional English subtitles. Director: Agust
Gudmundsson. Stars: Margret Vilhjaalmsdottir, Dilja Mist, Heino
Ferch, Ugla Egilsdottir, Hilmir Snaer Gudnason, Kristbjorg Kjeld.
2001, CC, MPAA rating: NR, 104 min., Drama, Home Vision
Entertainment. DVD: Only.

THE SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS MOVIE
Ah, the simple, quiet life of Bikini Bottom, where home is a
pineapple and a Krabby Patty is always served hot and fresh just
around the corner at the Krusty Krab. But things get wild in the
underwater paradise that SpongeBob SquarePants calls home. When
he and his dimwitted best friend Patrick set out on an epic
quest, SpongeBob finds himself driving a sandwich on a road trip
where he'll discover new worlds, dangerous monsters, and that
being a kid isn't such a bad thing after all. Director: Stephen
Hillenburg. Voices of Tom Kenny, Clancy Brown, Rodger Bumpass,
Bill Fagerbakke, Carolyn Lawrence, Alec Baldwin, Scarlett
Johansson, Jeffrey Tambor. 2004, CC, MPAA rating: PG, 90 min.,
Animated, Box office gross: $81.900 million, Paramount, $14.99
VHS SRP. DVD: Day & Date.

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


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NEWS

COMING SOON:
Due May 10 is director Wes Anderson's "The Life Aquatic With
Steve Zissou," starring Bill Murray, Owen Wilson, Cate Blanchett,
Anjelica Huston, Willem Dafoe, Jeff Goldblum, Michael Gambon and
Bud Cort, on VHS and in two DVD editions: a single-disc from
Buena Vista and an extras-packed two-disc set from The Criterion
Collection ... On April 12 MGM will release "Hotel Rwanda,"
starring Don Cheadle, Sophie Okonedo, Nick Nolte and Joaquin
Phoenix, on VHS and DVD ... New Line will release on April 26
"Blade: Trinity," the continuing adventures of the vampire
hunter, starring Wesley Snipes, Kris Kristofferson, Dominic
Purcell, Jessica Biel, Ryan Reynolds, Parker Posey, Mark Berry,
Paul Anthony, James Remar and Natasha Lyonne, on VHS and in a
two-disc DVD set.

DVD COLLECTIBLES:
Disney will release this week for the first time "Bambi Special
Edition" (1942), a two-disc Platinum Series set featuring a
detailed frame-by-frame digital restoration of the classic
animated film ... The Criterion Collection will release "The
River" (1951), Jean Renoir's first color feature, a sumptuously
photographed story of a young British girl's coming of age in
1920s India, based on the memoirs of Rumer Godden and shot
entirely on location; the DVD features an introduction by Martin
Scorsese ... "L'Eclisse" (1962) is the third film in Michelangelo
Antonioni's trilogy that began with "L'Avventura"; the film is
the story of a doomed love affair between Vittoria (Monica Vitti)
and Piero (Alain Delon). Antonioni's gorgeously shot but
typically minimalist story explores a wealth of modern themes:
alienation, the inability of two people to communicate, and
trying to find connection in a materialistic world; from The
Criterion Collection ... Milestone Film & Video will release the
classic silent film "Little Lord Fauntleroy" (1921), starring
Mary Pickford in the role that cemented her true position as a
rough-and-tumble comedic genius with a flair for drama (as
opposed to the saccharine sweet image foisted upon her by
unknowing film writers through the years). The $29.99 DVD will be
available through many video speciality stores, Amazon.com or
direct (800-603-1104).

FROM TV TO VIDEO:
Due this week: "The Brady Bunch -- The Complete First Season," a
four-disc set with 25 episodes, under $30 from Paramount ...
"Lost in Space: Season Three -- Vol. 1," a four-disc set with the
first 15 episodes from the final season, $39.98 from Fox ...
"Oliver's Travels" is a 1995 BBC romantic mystery miniseries
starring Alan Bates as an eccentric professor who teamss up with
a suspended policewoman (Sinead Cusack) to solve a crime
committed by another police officer, in a three-disc set for
$39.99 from Acorn Media ... "SCTV Volume 3," a five-disc set with
nine episodes from the fourth season, $89.98 from Shout! Factory
... "Tom Brown's Schooldays," a two-disc set of the award-winning
Masterpiece Theatre family drama, $39.99 from Acorn Media.

BUZZIN' THE 'B's:
"Virginia's Run" (2002) is a family drama about a teenage girl,
her horse and the transformative power of a dream, starring
Gabriel Byrne, Joanne Whalley and Lindze Letherman, from MGM on
VHS and DVD ... In "Alien Crackdown" (2004 -- TV) a deranged
scientist awakens a dormant alien lifeform that spawns the
ultimate creature of destruction, starring John Savage, James
Marshall and Martin Kove, from First Look Home Entertainment on
VHS and DVD ... Miramax has three DVD-only releases this week:
"In the Weeds"(2000), which takes a look at one night at a cool
New York City restaurant, starring Joshua Leonard, Molly
Ringwald, Ellen Pompeo, Bridget Moynahan and Eroc Bogosian; "The
I Inside" (2003), a suspenser about a man who awakens in a
hospital after a near-fatal accident with no memory of the last
two years of his life, starring Ryan Phillippe, Sarah Polley,
Piper Perabo, Robert Sean Leonard and Stephen Rea; and "Nirvana"
(1997), a futuristic thriller about a video game programmer who
creates aggressive characters that become all too real, starring
Christopher Lambert.

SPECIAL INTEREST:
"Ramses: Wrath of God or Man?" is a Discovery Channel special
that raises new questions about an ancient mystery and shines a
scientific spotlight on one of the Old Testament's most famous
stories: Exodus, from Sony ... "Toulouse-Lautrec and Montmartre"
is a 2004 documentary on the famed artist and his relationship
with the avant-garde culture of Montmartre, using works of art by
Lautrec and his colleagues, rare archival footage and sound
recordings, period photographs, and interviews with contemporary
scholars, from Home Vision Entertainment on DVD ... Warner Home
Video, the National Football League and NFL Films have joined
forces to release "NFL Super Bowl XXXIX Champions" -- just 23
days after the big game -- giving fans a comprehensive look at
the road to glory for the New England Patriots, on DVD for
$24.98.


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

THIS WEEK'S DVD RELEASES:

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

** Bambi Special Edition (1942) Two-disc Platinum Series.
Detailed frame-by-frame digital restoration. Extras: "Inside
Walt's Story Meetings" takes viewers back in time to experience
the production of "Bambi" with Walt Disney and his creative team;
deleted sequences; all-new "Forest Adventure" game; sneak-peek at
the upcoming new movie "Bambi and the Great Prince"; Disneypedia
about the real-life animals in "Bambi" with animal and animated
character comparisons; Disney 1942 time capsule; "Disney's
Storytime: Thumper Goes Exploring" new story based on the Golden
Book classic Thumper; "The Making of Bambi: Original Circle of
Life" featurette; more. (Disney).
** The Brady Bunch -- The Complete First Season. Four-disc set
with 25 episodes, under $30. Extras: Commentary on select
episodes, "The Brady Bunch -- Coming Together Under One Roof"
featurette. (Paramount).
** Bringing Up Baby (1938) Dir.: Howard Hawks; Cary Grant,
Katharine Hepburn, Charles Ruggles. Two-disc set. Extras:
Commentary from writer/director Peter Bogdanovich; two
documentaries: The feature-length "Cary Grant: A Class Apart"
from filmmaker Robert Trachtenberg and narrated by Helen Mirren,
and Richard Schickel's "The Men Who Made the Movies: Howard
Hawks"; Howard Hawks movie trailer gallery; two Vintage Vault
Treasures: The comedy short "Campus Cinderella" and the cartoon
"A Star Is Hatched." (Warner).
** Dinner at Eight (1933) Dir.: George Cukor; Jean Harlow,
Wallace Beery, Billie Burke, Marie Dressler, John Barrymore,
Lionel Barrymore. Extras: Documentary "Harlow: The Blonde
Bombshell," hosted by Sharon Stone; comedy short "Come to
Dinner." (Warner).
** The Exorcist: The Beginning (2004) Dir.: Renny Harlin; Stellan
Skarsgard, Izabella Scorupco, James D'Arcy, Remy Sweeney, Julian
Wadham, Andrew French, Ralph Brown, Ben Cross. Extras: Commentary
by Harlin, behind-the-scenes featurette. (Warner).
** Flight of the Phoenix (2004) Dennis Quaid, Tyrese, Giovanni
Ribisi, Miranda Otto, Tony Curran, Sticky Fingaz, Jacob Vargas,
Hugh Laurie. Extras: Commentary by director John Moore, extended
and deleted scenes, "The Phoenix Diaries" behind-the-scenes
featurette. (Fox).
** Incident at Loch Ness (2004) Documentary. (Fox).
** L'Eclisse (1962) Dir.: Michelangelo Antonioni; Alain Delon,
Monica Vitti, Francisco Rabal. (The Criterion Collection).
** Libeled Lady (1936) William Powell, Jean Harlow, Myrna Loy,
Spencer Tracy. Extras: Audio-only bonus: "Leo Is on the Air"
radio promo. (Warner).
** Max & Ruby: Springtime for Max & Ruby. Twelve episodes from
Nick Jr.'s television show. (Paramount).
** My Own Private Idaho (1991) Dir.: Gus Van Sant; River Phoenix,
Keanu Reeves. Two-disc special edition features a new Dolby
Digital 5.1 soundtrack. Extras: Audio conversation between Van
Sant and filmmaker Todd Haynes ("Far From Heaven"), making-of
documentary, video conversation between producer Laurie Parker
and Rain Phoenix, outtakes, more. (The Criterion Collection).
** Oliver's Travels (1995 -- TV) Alan Bates, Sinead Cusack. BBC
mystery minseries. Three-disc set, $39.99. (Acorn Media).
** The Philadelphia Story (1940) Dir.: George Cukor; Cary Grant,
Katharine Hepburn, James Stewart. Two-disc set. Extras: Two
documentaries: Joan Kramer and David Heeley's "Katharine Hepburn:
All About Me -- A Self Portrait" and Richard Schickel's "The Men
Who Made the Movies: George Cukor"; George Cukor movie trailer
gallery; Robert Benchley short "That Inferior Feeling"; cartoon
"The Homeless Flea"; audio-only bonus: two radio adaptations
featuring the movie's three stars. (Warner).
** Ramses: Wrath of God or Man? Discovery Channel special that
raises new questions about an ancient mystery and shines a
scientific spotlight on one of the Old Testament's most famous
stories: Exodus. (Sony).
** The River (1951) Dir.: Jean Renoir; Nora Swinburne, Esmond
Knight, Arthur Shields, Patricia Walters, Radha, Adrienne Corri.
Extras: Introduction by Martin Scorsese. (The Criterion
Collection).
** The Rutles 2: Can't Buy Me Lunch (2002) Eric Idle, David
Bowie, Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Fallon, Jewel, Garry Shandling,
Salman Rushdie, Clint Black, Billy Connolly, Bonnie Raitt.
Extras: Interviews, deleted scenes, alternate ending, Easter egg.
(Warner).
** SCTV Volume 3. Five-disc set with nine episodes from the
fourth season, $89.98. Extras: "SCTV -- The Producers," "That's
Life with John Candy," "Museum of Television & Radio's William S.
Paley Television Festival Presents SCTV." (Shout! Factory).
** The Seagull's Laughter (2001 -- Iceland) Dir.: Agust
Gudmundsson; Margret Vilhjaalmsdottir, Dilja Mist, Heino Ferch,
Ugla Egilsdottir, Hilmir Snaer Gudnason, Kristbjorg Kjeld.
Extras: Five deleted scenes, making of featurette, essay by
director Agust Gudmundsson. (Home Vision Entertainment).
** The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie (2004) Voices of Tom Kenny,
Clancy Brown, Rodger Bumpass, Bill Fagerbakke, Carolyn Lawrence.
Extras: "The Absorbing Tale Behind The SpongeBob SquarePants
Movie"; "The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie" 20-minute animatic,
featuring the voice of creator Stephen Hillenburg; "Saving the
Surf" featurette; special undersea" featurette: "Case of the
SpongeBob" with voiceover by Hillenburg and Jean-Michel Cousteau;
"Submarine" teaser trailer; SpongeBob Squarepants THQ game demo.
(Paramount).
** Stage Door (1937) Dir.: Gregory La Cava; Ginger Rogers, Ann
Miller, Lucille Ball, Eve Arden, Katharine Hepburn, Adolphe
Menjou. Extras: Musical "Short Ups and Downs," audio-only bonus:
radio production with Ginger Rogers and Rosalind Russell.
(Warner).
** To Be or Not To Be (1942) Dir.: Ernst Lubitsch; Jack Benny,
Carole Lombard, Robert Stack, Felix Bressart, Lionel Atwill.
Extras: Jack Benny comedy short "The Rounder," archival newsreel.
(Warner).
** Tom Brown's Schooldays. Two-disc set of the award-winning
Masterpiece Theatre family drama, $39.99. (Acorn Media).
** Toulouse-Lautrec and Montmartre (2004) Documentary. (Home
Vision Entertainment).
** Virginia's Run (2002) Gabriel Byrne, Joanne Whalley, Lindze
Letherman. (MGM).

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:

** The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie (2004) Voices of Tom Kenny,
Clancy Brown, Rodger Bumpass, Bill Fagerbakke, Carolyn Lawrence
(Paramount): $14.99


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


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Copyright 2005 CyberPod. All rights reserved.
ISSN 1094-3676

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