Primedia, the leading targeted media company, announced March 30 the newsstand arrival of its recently launched <I><A HREF="http://www.connectedguide.com">Connected Guide To The Digital Home</A></I>. Part of Primedia's Home Technology & Photography (HT&P) Group, <I>Connected</I> is the first consumer magazine dedicated entirely to adopting and integrating audio, video, information, telecommunications, security and other personal and home technologies.
L<I>aserdisc. Mel Gibson, Julia Roberts, Patrick Stewart. Directed by Richard Donner. Aspect ratio: 2.35:1. Dolby Digital. 3 sides. 135 minutes. 1997. CLV/CAV. Warner Bros./Image Entertainment Widescreen Edition WB 115091. $39.95.</I>
G<I>lenn Close, Julianne Moore, Liv Tyler, Chris O'Donnell, Charles S. Dutton, Patricia Neal, Ned Beatty, Courtney B. Vance, Donald Moffat, Lyle Lovett, Danny Durst. Directed by Robert Altman. Aspect ratios: 1.85:1 (widescreen), 1.33:1 (pan&scan). Dolby Digital 5.1. 118 minutes. 1999. USA Home Entertainment 0518. PG-13. $24.98.</I>
<I>Omar Sharif, Julie Christie, Geraldine Chaplin, Rod Steiger, Alec Guinness, Tom Courtenay, Siobhan McKenna, Ralph Richardson, Rita Tushingham. Directed by David Lean. Aspect ratio: 2.35 (anamorphic). Dolby Digital 5.1 (English, French). Two discs. 200 minutes. 1965. Warner Home Video 6557. PG-13. $29.98.</I>
<I>E.T. the Extra Terrestrial</I> makes its first appearance on DVD on Tuesday, October 22. It will be available in three versions: widescreen and pan&scan Limited Collector’s Editions at $29.98 and the Ultimate Gift Boxed Set at $69.98. All three editions include both the original 1982 version and the 2002 release, the latter including a number of alterations and updates.
On Monday, July 2, 2001, Primedia announced that it has agreed to acquire emap usa from Emap plc. This transaction, which will create the second largest magazine company in the United States, is currently under a customary regulatory review. It is expected to close during the third quarter of the calendar year.
<I>Christian Bale, John Malkovich, Miranda Richardson, Nigel Havers. Directed by Steven Spielberg. Aspect ratio: 1.85:1. Dolby Digital 5.1, Dolby Surround 2.0 (English, French). 152 minutes (film). 1987. Warner Bros. 89391 17532. PG. $24.98.</I>
A<I>rnold Schwarzenegger, Gabriel Byrne, Kevin Pollak, Robin Toney, Rod Steiger. Directed by Peter Hyams. Aspect ratio: 2.35:1 (anamorphic). Dolby Digital 5.1. 123 minutes. 1999. Universal Collectors Edition 20721. R. $26.98.</I>
<I>Jude Law, Joseph Fiennes, Ed Harris, Rachel Weisz, Bob Hoskins, Ron Perlman. Directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud. Aspect ratio: 2.35:1 (anamorphic). Dolby Digital 5.1. 131 minutes. 2001. Paramount Home Video 33862. R. $29.99.</I>
Fans of the long-running medical drama ER will be delighted to learn that the full first season will appear on DVD later this summer. Early birds will also get to enjoy bonus "promotional content" if they are among the first customers to order the ER package from Amazon.com.
N<I>arrated by Liam Neeson. Directed by David Brashears, Greg MacGillivray, and Stephen Judson. Aspect ratio: 1.33:1 (full frame). 45 minutes. 1998. Dolby Digital 5.1. Miramax Collector's Series 16539. NR. $24.98.</I>
Now here's the kind of of re-release I think we can all get behind. It's no secret at all that longtime DVD demo favorite, Luc Besson's <I>Fifth Element</I>, was released early on Blu-ray in a transfer that was shockingly poor. Sony is essentially admitting it was wrong (excuse me, I think I just saw a pig fly by my window), and is re-releasing <I>Fifth Element</I> on Blu-ray on July 17th and is offering an replacement program for people who bought the original Blu-ray Disc.
B<I>rad Pitt, Edward Norton, Helena Bonham Carter. Directed by David Fincher. Aspect ratio: 2.40:1 (anamorphic). Dolby Digital 5.1, Dolby Surround 2.0 (English, French), THX-certified. 139 minutes (film). 1999. Fox Home Entertainment 200035. R. $34.98.</I>