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ONVIDEO E-MAIL NEWS
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3/25/03 V7.12

ONVIDEO'S WEEKLY GUIDE TO HOME VIDEO RELEASES
FOR TUESDAY, March 25 -- MONDAY, March 31


FEMME FATALE
Master manipulator Laure Ash (Rebecca Romijn-Stamos) plays a
crucial role in an involved and seductive diamond heist at the
Cannes Film Festival. After succeeding in the theft, Ash assumes
the identity of a high-profile, respected politico's wife, but
her true identity is revealed when Nicholas (Antonio Banderas), a
paparazzo, snaps her picture. Ash must now reinvent herself and
she uses Nicholas as part of her meticulous plot of deceit. A
wild twisting and turning thriller with all manner of double-
crosses, deceits and fake identities. What's real and what's not?
Director: Brian De Palma. Stars: Antonio Banderas, Rebecca
Romijn-Stamos, Peter Coyote, Eriq Ebouaney, Edouard Montoute.
2002, CC, MPAA rating: R, 118 min., Thriller, Box office gross:
$6.592 million, Warner, $22.98 SRP. DVD: Day & Date.

FRIDAY AFTER NEXT
Third installment in the hit "Friday" series finds Craig (Ice
Cube) and Day-Day (Mike Epps) back in the old neighborhood and
ready for Christmas. Although they've left behind the security of
living with their parents, the rundown Shady Palms apartment they
share is decked out in the spirit of the holiday season. It's a
time for giving -- until Craig wakes up in the middle of the
night to find a ghetto Santa Claus stealing their presents and
their rent money. With the rent due, Craig and Day-Day are forced
to score some quick cash at the local strip mall where their
fathers have opened Bros. Bar-B-Q restaurant and landed them jobs
as unarmed security guards. As the clock ticks down on another
unforgettable Friday, Craig and Day-Day learn some comic lessons
about the true meaning of the holiday season. Director: Marcus
Raboy. Stars: Ice Cube, Mike Epps, Katt Williams, Anna Maria
Horsford, Terry Crews, K.D. Aubert. 2002, CC, MPAA rating: R, 85
min., Comedy, Box office gross: $32.220 million, New Line, $22.98
SRP. DVD: Day & Date.

JACKASS: THE MOVIE
Big screen adaptation of MTV's popular and controversial reality
TV series featuring a bunch of dumb guys doing really gross and
stupid daredevil stunts. Director: Jeff Tremaine. Stars: Johnny
Knoxville, Bam Margera, Steve-O, Chris Pontius, Ryan Dunn, Jason
"Wee Man" Acuna, Preston Lacy, Dave England. 2002, CC, MPAA
rating: R, 84 min., Reality, Box office gross: $64.209 million,
Paramount, No SRP, Priced for rental. DVD: Day & Date.

KILLING ME SOFTLY
Too much of a good thing ... can be deadly. When Alice (Heather
Graham), an American living in London, meets Adam (Joseph
Fiennes), a striking adventurer, she's lured out of her mundane,
safe life to pursue an affair that brings her to the heights of
excitement and ecstasy. But when Adam's mysterious and violent
past begins to surface, Alice begins to investigate -- and learns
that Adam's past -- and her future -- may both point to murder.
Available in R-rated and unrated versions. Director: Kaige
Chen. Stars: Heather Graham. Joseph Fiennes. 2002, CC, MPAA
rating: R, 100 min., Thriller, MGM, No SRP, Priced for rental.
DVD: Day & Date.

MAID IN MANHATTAN
Charming romantic comedy that harkens back to social class
comedies of the 1930s. Marisa Ventura (Jennifer Lopez) is a
single mother born and bred in the boroughs of New York City who
works as a maid in a premiere, luxury hotel in Manhattan. A
street smart, beautiful young woman, Marisa is not initially
motivated to rise to greater things until she is given the chance
for a management position. But the future has some obstacles in
store for her. By a twist of fate and mistaken identity, she
meets Christopher Marshall (Ralph Fiennes), a handsome heir to a
political dynasty who believes that she is a wealthy guest at the
hotel. Fate steps in and throws the unlikely pair together for a
series of comical mix-ups and romantic interludes. But when
Marisa's true identity is revealed, the two find that they are
worlds apart -- even though the distance separating them is just
a subway ride between Manhattan and the Bronx. Director: Wayne
Wang. Stars: Jennifer Lopez, Ralph Fiennes, Natasha Richardson,
Stanley Tucci, Bob Hoskins, Frances Conroy, Chris Eigeman, Amy
Sedaris, Priscilla Lopez, Tyler Garcia Posey, Marissa Matrone.
2002, CC, MPAA rating: PG-13, 105 min., Romantic comedy, Box
office gross: $95.0 million, Columbia TriStar, No SRP, Priced for
rental. DVD: Day & Date.

SEX AND LUCIA
A daring, evocative look at elusive relationships and deep bonds
between people who thought they were strangers, and a landmark
film in its demonstration of explicit sex onscreen. Lucia is a
young waitress in Madrid, who seeks refuge on a quiet, secluded
Mediterranean island after the loss of her longtime boyfriend.
Amidst an atmosphere of fresh air, dazzling sun, and glistening
deep blue water, Lucia begins to piece together the dark corners
of her past relationship. The film is enthralling at every level
with its the labyrinthine plot, the breathtaking cinematography
and the erotic passion of the players. Julio Medem successfully
crosses the taboo of erotic passion that American films never
dare to touch. His depiction of sex goes beyond the typical
baring of only the female body, and audiences encounter bold and
erotic images of both sexes' anatomy. Medem's insistence on not
censoring the film for its U.S. run presented complications in
advertising the theatrical release. Seattle's two daily
newspapers banned advertising for "Sex and Lucia," even though
the film received four honors at the 2002 Seattle International
Film Festival. Spanish with English subtitles. Director: Julio
Medem. Stars: Paz Vega, Tristan Ulloa, Najwa Nimri. 2002, CC,
MPAA rating: R, 125 min. (unrated, 128 min.), Erotic Drama, Box
office gross: $1.490 million, Lions Gate, No VHS SRP, Priced for
rental. DVD: Day & Date.

March 28 (Friday):
GHOST SHIP
When an expert salvage team is called upon to investigate a
mysterious vessel adrift off the coast of Alaska, they discover
the remains of the fabled "Antonia Graza," thought lost at sea
for more than 40 years. The crew, under the direction of their
tough team leader (Julianna Margulies), claims the decrepit ship
and begins to excavate its cavernous interior. As soon as they
set foot on the eerie abandoned ship, however, they are shocked
to discover that the decaying vessel is anything but deserted,
and are forced to face the most horrifying thing ever encountered
on the open sea. "Ghost Ship" puts an interesting twist on the
conventional haunted house narrative. Chilling horror and gore
scenes that will freak you out. Marred by a hokey ending.
Director: Steve Beck. Stars: Gabriel Byrne, Julianna Margulies,
Ron Eldard, Desmond Harrington, Isaiah Washington. 2002, CC, MPAA
rating: R, 91 min., Horror, Box office gross: $29.320 million,
Warner, $22.98 SRP. DVD: Day & Date.


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


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THIS WEEK'S DVD RELEASES:

**CSI: The Complete First Season. All 23 episodes from the first
season in a six-DVD set. Extras: "CSI: People Lie ... But the
Evidence Never Does" featurette, the Who's "Who Are You" music
video, character profiles. (Paramount).
**Femme Fatale (2002) Dir.: Brian De Palma; Antonio Banderas,
Rebecca Romijn-Stamos, Peter Coyote, Eriq Ebouaney, Edouard
Montoute. Extras: Two featurettes: "From Dream to Reality,"
discussing the director and cinematographer's approach in
creating the film's look, and "Dream Within a Dream," exploring
the filmmaker's process and his influence; "Femme Fatale: Dressed
to Kill" montage; behind the scenes featurette. (Warner).
**Friday After Next (2002) Ice Cube, Mike Epps, Katt Williams,
Anna Maria Horsford, Terry Crews, K.D. Aubert. Extras: Filmmaker
commentary by Ice Cube, director Marcus Raboy and producer Matt
Alvarez; actor commentary by Katt Williams, Anna Maria Horsford,
Terry Crews and K.D. Aubert; deleted scenes with commentary; gag
reel; a host of documentaries: "Microphone Fiend," "It Was a Good
Day: Behind the Friday Franchise," "Ghetto Fabulous" (costume
design), "The Pork Report" (barbecue), "Hump Day" (production),
"Holiday in the Hood" (production design); fact track (trivia);
music video "It's the Holidaze" by the Westside Connection, Dolby
and DTS. (New Line).
**Futurama Volume 1. Three-disc set with the show's first 13
episodes. Extras: Commentary, deleted scenes; $39.98. (Fox).
**George Carlin: Back in Town. Taped live at New York's beacon
Theatre. (MPI Home Video).
**The Howards of Virginia (1940) Cary Grant, Martha Scott, Cedric
Hardwicke, Alan Marshal, Richard Carlson. (Columbia TriStar).
**Jackass: The Movie (2002) Johnny Knoxville, Bam Margera,
Steve-O, Chris Pontius, Ryan Dunn, Jason "Wee Man" Acuna, Preston
Lacy, Dave England. Extras: Commentary by Knoxville, director
Jeff Tremaine and cinematographer Dimitry Elyashkevich; group
commentary by the Jackass cast; MTV's "The Making of Jackass: The
Movie"; outtakes; more. (Paramount).
**Killing Me Softly (2002) Heather Graham, Joseph Fiennes.
Unrated and R-rated editions. (MGM).
**Lexx S4-V2 (2002) Four episodes from the last season
("Xevivor," "The Rock," "Walpurgis Night" and "Vlad"). Extras:
Story boards, behind-the-scenes photos, production sketches, CGI
gallery, interactive trivia, additional footage; $24.95. (Acorn
Media).
**Maid in Manhattan (2002) Dir.: Wayne Wang; Jennifer Lopez,
Ralph Fiennes, Natasha Richardson, Stanley Tucci, Bob Hoskins,
Frances Conroy, Chris Eigeman, Amy Sedaris, Priscilla Lopez,
Tyler Garcia Posey, Marissa Matrone. Extras: Blooper reel.
(Columbia TriStar).
**Sex and Lucia (2002 -- Spanish) Paz Vega, Tristan Ulloa, Najwa
Nimri. R-rated and unrated editions. Extras: Unrated only:
"Making of Sex and Lucia" featurette, photo gallery, location
stills, cast interviews. (Lions Gate).
**Straw Dogs (1971) Dir.: Sam Peckinpah; Dustin Hoffman, Susan
George. Extras: New high-definition digital transfer of the uncut
version; commentary by film scholar Stephen Prince; Dustin
Hoffman on the set of "Straw Dogs"; Behind-the-scenes footage;
video interviews with Susan George and Daniel Melnick; isolated
music and effects track. (Home Vision/The Criterion Collection).
**Tom Green: Subway Monkey Hour (2003) Tom Green comedy special
in Japan. Extras: Bonus footage from MTV's "The Tom Green Show."
(Paramount).
**Troop Beverly Hills (1989) Shelley Long, Craig T. Nelson, Betty
Thomas, Mary Gross, Stephanie Beacham. (Columbia TriStar).
**Who Framed Roger Rabbit 15th Anniversary Vista Series (1988)
Dir.: Robert Zemeckis; Bob Hoskins, Christopher Lloyd, Joanna
Cassidy, Stubby Kaye, voices of Charles Fleischer, Mel Blanc.
Extras: Two-disc Vista Series edition, THX-certified, anamorphic
widescreen and full screen transfers, Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1
surround tracks, commentary with the filmmakers, a deleted scene,
three Roger Rabbit theatrical cartoon shorts ("Tummy Trouble,"
"Roller Coaster Rabbit," "Trail Mix-Up"), "Who Made Roger Rabbit"
and "Behind the Ears: The True Story of Roger Rabbit"
featurettes, "Toontown Confidential" pop-up trivia, "The Valiant
Files" interactive gallery, set-top game "Trouble in Toontown,"
"Toon stand-ins": how to rehearse a scene for Toons, a
split-screen comparison and trailers, more; $29.95. (Buena
Vista).
**Without Evidence (1995) Angelina Jolie, Scott Plank, Anna Gun,
Andrew Prine. (MTI).

March 28 (Friday):
**Ghost Ship (2002) Gabriel Byrne, Julianna Margulies, Ron
Eldard, Desmond Harrington, Isaiah Washington. Extras: Three
featurettes that take an in-depth look at the making of the
movie: "A Closer Look at the Gore," "Designing the Ghost Ship"
and "Visual Effects"; "Max on Set: Ghost Ship Behind the Scenes";
"Secrets of the Antonia Graza": Break the code of Katie's twist
toy game to view spooky new footage that delves into "Strategy of
the Villains" and how they plotted to take over the boat,
"Artwork of an Innocent Child," a collection of Katie's
paintings, "Back Story of Francesca," and "Radio," the story of
the previous group killed on the ship; Music video for Mudvayne's
"Not Falling." Also comes housed in very cool lenticular 3-D
packaging. (Warner).


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:

**Femme Fatale (2002) Dir.: Brian De Palma; Antonio Banderas,
Rebecca Romijn-Stamos, Peter Coyote, Eriq Ebouaney, Edouard
Montoute (Warner): $22.98
**Friday After Next (2002) Ice Cube, Mike Epps, Katt Williams,
Anna Maria Horsford, Terry Crews, K.D. Aubert (Warner): $22.98
**George Carlin: Back in Town. Taped live at New York's beacon
Theatre (MPI): $14.98
**Who Framed Roger Rabbit 15th Anniversary Edition<BR> (1988)
Dir.: Robert Zemeckis; Bob Hoskins, Christopher Lloyd, Joanna
Cassidy, Stubby Kaye, voices of Charles Fleischer, Mel Blanc
(Buena Vista): Restored with digital sound, includes Roger Rabbit
short "Tummy Trouble," $19.99

March 28 (Friday):
**Ghost Ship (2002) Gabriel Byrne, Julianna Margulies, Ron
Eldard, Desmond Harrington, Isaiah
Washington (Warner): $22.98


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


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NEWS

DVD COLLECTIBLES:
Due April 15: "A Chorus Line (1985), starring Michael Douglas,
with a "From Broadway to Hollywood" featurette with Marvin
Hamlisch (MGM) ... "Roadie" (1980), starring Meat Loaf, with
performances by Blondie, Alice Cooper and Roy Orbison (MGM) ...
"Kiki's Delivery Service" (1989), directed by the legendary Hayao
Miyazaki, with the voices of Kirsten Dunst, Phil Hartman, Matthew
Lawrence, Debbie Reynolds and Janeane Garofalo, in a two-disc set
with the original Japanese language track, an introduction by
John ("Toy Story") Lasseter, voice talent featurette "Behind the
Microphone," original Japanese trailers and original storyboards
(Disney) ... six MGM Midnite Movies Double Features, with two
films on one disc: "Psych-Out" and "The Trip" (with such extras
as "Psych-Out's" "Love and Haight" featurette, commentary on "The
Trip" by director Roger Corman, and three featurettes: "Tune In,
Trip Out," "Psychedelic Light Box" and "Allen Daviau, ASC:
Psychedelic Film Effects"); "Angel Unchained" and "Cycle
Savages"; "Invisible Invaders" and "Journey to the Seventh
Planet"; "Muscle Beach Party" and "Ski Party"; "Cry of the
Banshee" and "Murders in the Rue Morgue; $14.95 each. (MGM).

ON THE INDIE FRONT:
A wide range of independent films -- from a short about a woman
searching for the perfect pair of pants to a comedy about two
misfits trying to buy the same suicide weapon -- have been chosen
as the first finalists to kick off a unique in-video-store DVD
film festival, the Had to Be Made Film Festival. Audiences
"attend" the festival by renting the films on DVD at independent
retailers across the U.S., then voting online at
www.hadtobemade.com to determine the winners, which will be
announced at an awards ceremony gala on July 17 at the Video
Software Dealers Association Home Entertainment 2003 Event in Las
Vegas. Every finalist in the festival will receive a financial
award from festival revenue. By proving a film's appeal, the
festival aims to enhance acquisition and career possibilities for
its selected filmmakers. The films are available for rental on
DVD at more than 100 video stores around the country, including
Scarecrow, Vidiots, Penny Lane, TLA, Beyond Video, Kims in New
York and Cinefile in Los Angeles, among others. A second official
festival is slated to begin on August 1. For more information,
contact www.hadtobemade.com or e- mail info@....

FROM TV TO VIDEO:
The conclusion of Herman Wouk's epic drama "War and Remembrance"
will be released on DVD March 25 from MPI Home Video. Based on
Wouk's best-selling novel and directed and produced by Dan
Curtis, "War and Remembrance: The Final Chapter" completes the
grand World War II saga that began with "The Winds of War." The
six-DVD boxed set includes a new documentary "War and
Remembrance: Behind the Scenes" and an audio compact disc of the
original soundtrack; $129.98 ... Fox will release this week
"Futurama Volume 1," a three-disc set with the first 13 episodes
of Matt "The Simpsons" Groening's sci-fi animated series set in
New New York City in the Year 3000; with commentary and deleted
scenes; $39.98 ... A&E Home Video has several offerings due this
week: DVD Set 6 of the classic TV spy series "Secret Agent (aka
Danger Man)," starring Patrick McGoohan as the first anti- hero
secret agent, on three discs (nine episodes) for $59.95; "Teddy
Roosevelt: An American Lion," a History Channel profile of our
26th president, in two-disc DVD or four-volume VHS sets, $39.95;
"Ronald Reagan: A Legacy Remembered," a Biography episode
narrated by CNN Washington Bureau chief Frank Sesno, $19.95 VHS
and $24.95 DVD; and two BBC productions of classic novels,
William Thackeray's "Vanity Fair" ($59.95 for the six-volume VHS
set or $39.95 for the two-disc DVD set) and Thomas Hardy's "Tess
of the D'Urbervilles" ($29.95 VHS and $24.95 DVD).

BUZZIN' THE 'B's:
MTI Home Video will release this week "Crime Scene," about a
homicide detective assigned to investigate a series of sex crimes
in Los Angeles, starring Amber Smith ... Lions Gate will release
"Flashback," about a young woman who leaves an asylum years after
her parents were slaughtered by a serial killer only to find that
people close to her are now turning up dead.

SPECIAL INTEREST:
Legendary folk artist Judy Collins gets her due in a special
concert performance, "Judy Collins: Live at Wolf Trap," featuring
her classic hits "Someday Soon," "Mountain Girl," "Who Knows
Where the Time Goes" and many more, from Pioneer Entertainment,
due March 25 on DVD for $24.98 ... Docurama will release this
week a documentary -- uncut and unrated -- on the king of modern
porn stars, Ron Jeremy, in a wild and wacky expose, "Porn Star:
The Legend of Ron Jeremy, $26.95 on VHS and DVD (the R-rated
version, which played in theaters, will also be available) ...
Docurama will also release "Southern Comfort," a Sundance Grand
Jury Price winner in 2001, about a 52-year-old wisecracking
cowboy who was born female, $24.95 VHS and DVD ... From First Run
Features comes "Dance for Camera," an anthology of six short
dance films culled from festivals in Europe and North America,
$29.95 on DVD ... Chimera Entertainment has released the Japanese
black comedy "Happiness of the Katakuris," a 2001 feature about a
middle class family who open a bed-and-breakfast inn next to what
they hope will be a new highway, only to find that all their
guests start to die off -- in one bizarre way or another.


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Copyright 2003 CyberPod. All rights reserved.
ISSN 1094-3676

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