Audio Video News

<I>Marilyn Monroe, Clark Gable, Montgomery Clift, Eli Wallach, Thelma Ritter. Directed by John Huston. Aspect ratio: 1.66:1. Dolby Digital mono. 125 minutes. 1961. MGM Home Entertainment 1002063. NR. $19.95.</I>

If you've ever installed a stack of A/V equipment in an armoire or cabinet with a sealed back, you know the meaning of "pain-in-the-neck." Struggling with a hand mirror and a flashlight to hook up cables in a cramped compartment can make you wish you'd never heard of home theater.

Absent from the market for more than half a year, Aragon audio products have come back with a bang. Indianapolis-based <A HREF="http://www.klipsch.com">Klipsch Audio Technologies</A>, one of the oldest and most respected names in American audio, <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/shownews.cgi?966">acquired</A> Mondial Designs, maker of both the Aragon and Acurus brands, in a friendly buyout early this year.

If they build it will you want it? That's the DTV question of the month for <A HREF="http://www.zenith.com">Zenith Electronics</A> and <A HREF="http://www.TriveniDigital.com">Triveni Digital</A>, who are partnering with the <A HREF="http://www.PBS.org">Public Broadcasting Service</A> (PBS) to provide technical support for a new interactive television series, <I>Life 360</I>, which had its debut last week.

Philips Consumer Electronics has announced plans to offer a special edition DVD of DreamWorks' animated hit film Shrek free with the purchase of a select group of DVD-Video players and other products during the winter holiday season.

<I>Michael Douglas, Benicio Del Toro, Don Cheadle, Luiz Guzm&#225;n, Dennis Quaid, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Erika Christensen, Amy Irving, Albert Finney, Steven Bauer. Directed by Steven Soderbergh. Aspect ratio: 1.85:1 (anamorphic). Dolby Digital 5.1. 147 minutes. 2001. USA Home Entertainment 98306 0181-2. R. $26.98.</I>

<A HREF="http://www.blockbuster.com">Blockbuster</A>, the world's largest video rental chain, will label video games and movies with terrorist themes, company executives announced September 26.