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The DVD Dossier is the free newsletter published weekly by DVD Direct 4 Less.
This is the archived issue for May 1, 2005.
Click Here To Subscribe To The DVD Dossier Newsletter
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Published weekly by DVD Direct 4 Less, the online source for DVD Discounts & Deals
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In This Issue
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May 1, 2005
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| Free Shipping From TimeLife.com |
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We goofed last week when we told you that "The Sandlot 2" was out. It was originally scheduled to debut last week, but the release date was in fact moved to this week. We regret the error.
It joins a bunch of other new DVDs that share the same release date, this coming Tuesday, May 3rd.
They include the big screen adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s world-renowned stage musical, "The Phantom of the Opera," available in both a 2-Disc special widescreen edition and also a single disc full screen edition.
The Special Edition adds a second disc of special features including an in-depth look at the making of "The Phantom of the Opera," the story of the musical’s legacy, a hidden sing-a-long and an additional scene.
Directed by Joel Schumacher, "The Phantom of the Opera" features Emmy Rossum, Gerard Butler, Patrick Wilson, Miranda Richardson and Minnie Driver. The movie tells the story of a disfigured musical genius who haunts the catacombs beneath the Paris Opera House, waging a reign of terror over its occupants.
When he falls fatally in love with the lovely young soprano Christine, the Phantom devotes himself to creating a new star for the Opera. But, alas, she has another admirer, her childhood sweetheart Raoul.
Furious at her betrayal, The Phantom becomes murderous. He hatches a plot to win her back and Christine is forced to choose between Raoul and the Phantom - her Angel of Music.
Another big film out this week is "National Treasure." it's a fun family-friendly film starring Nicolas Cage as a third generation treasure hunter on a wild scavenger hunt that leads him to one of the world's best-guarded documents. The film is available in both widescreen and full screen editions.
A runaway smash hit in France last year, "The Chorus" is an emotional, music-filled tale about how a very humble man’s simple dreams changed the future for a forgotten group of unapologetic rebels and misfits at a school for troubled boys.
And "SpaceBalls," Mel Brooks' uneven 1987 parody of the Star Wars trilogy is out this week in a widescreen Collector's Edition that includes lots of behind-the-scenes interviews and featurettes including a portrait of star John Candy.
Disney's "Pocahontas" also comes to DVD this week in a 10th Anniversary Edition 2-Disc Set, loaded with bonus features and all-new games.
The young Native American girl "Pocahontas" - along with her playful pals Meeko and Flit - relies on the guidance of her loving and wise Grandmother Willow when English settlers arrive on the shores of their village. Her chance meeting with the courageous Captain John Smith leads to a beautiful friendship that bridges the gap between two cultures, and changes history.
This animated Disney film won the 1995 Oscar® for Best Original Musical Score and Best Original Song ("Colors Of The Wind").
A hypnotic thriller that begins with a hot air balloon drifting over the English countryside, "Enduring Love" is our favorite movie this week you've probably never heard of. Based on a novel by Ian McEwan, this engaging film was directed by Roger Michell and stars Rhys Ifans, who we're normally accustomed to seeing in comic performances. This one is well worth a look.
The "John Wayne Legendary Heroes Collection" features 5 classic films from the larger-than-life American hero, all available on DVD for the first time and all also available individually: "Blood Alley," "McQ," "The Sea Chase," "Tall in the Saddle" and "The Train Robbers."
From television this week comes "The Job: The Complete Series." This short-lived but critically-acclaimed dark comedy stars Denis Leary as a self-medicating, hard-drinking, decorated New York City detective with a wife, a mistress and a crush on a coworker.
Surrounded by a partner and fellow squad members who are just as colorful, McNeil pursues his uniquely unconventional, yet effective, approach to crime solving while attempting to manage the chaos of his personal life.
Originally broadcast on ABC in 2001, "The Job" was shot entirely on location in New York City, which gives the show a gritty look to match its edgy comedy.
The Carol Burnett Show is back this week, too, with two DVDs.
The variety show ran from 1967 to 1978 on the CBS television network and was one of the most popular and longest-running variety shows ever. Out this week is ""The Carol Burnett Show: Show Stoppers," in which the legendary star reunites with her ensemble cast - Tim Conway, Harvey Korman, and Vicki Lawrence - and looks at some of the best moments from the show, along with outtakes.
Also being released is ""The Carol Burnett Show: Let's Bump Up the Lights," in which the cast introduces never-before-seen clips from spontaneous moments that were seen at the Q & A sessions at the beginning of every show.
Both of these DVDs are actually one hour TV specials - 42 minutes without commercials - which aired on CBS in the past few years. But if you're a fan, you'll want to own them. Fortunately, the folks at Paramount home Video have made that easy with an attractively-priced 2-Pack that includes both specials.
Rounding out our crop of TV shows this week are the complete First Seasons of "Star Trek Enterprise" and "The Partridge Family" (available separately), the Fourth Seasons of "King of the Hill" and "Three's Company" (available separately) and the Third Season of "Everybody Loves Raymond."
And that about does it for this week... as always, a more complete list of the week's DVD releases is below, as are the latest announcements of upcoming DVDs. (This week the spotlight is on four more TV shows making their way to DVD soon.)
We'll see you again next week.
Cheers.
DVD Direct 4 Less
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| This Week's New DVD Releases - Street Date: May 3, 2005 |
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Visit us online to see a comprehensive list of new DVD releases for the next six weeks.
Links above are for Region 1 (USA) Editions. Availability and release dates elsewhere may vary.
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The most talked about new show of the year - "Desperate Housewives" - comes to DVD for the first time in a 6-Disc boxed set on September 20th.
Winner of two 2005 Golden Globe® awards for Best Television Series (Musical or Comedy) and Best Actress – Teri Hatcher (Musical or Comedy), "Desperate Housewives" is a certifiable cultural phenomenon.
The release date is timed so that fans can relive all 24 episodes of the First Season just before the Season Two premiere airs on ABC.
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"Desperate Housewives" is a sexy, funny and highly engaging look at a suburban neighborhood where the secret lives of housewives aren’t always what they seem. Mary Alice Young (Brenda Strong) narrates and takes us into the lives of her family, friends and neighbors.
There’s Susan Mayer (Teri Hatcher), divorcee and single mom of Julie Mayer (Andrea Bowen); Lynette Scavo (Felicity Huffman) the ex-career woman and mother of four unmanageable kids; and Bree Van De Kamp (Marcia Cross), the Martha Stewart on steroids.
There's also Gabrielle Solis (Eva Longoria), the ex-model and cheating wife and serial divorcee Edie Britt (Nicollette Sheridan), whose romantic conquests have everyone buzzing.
Then there are the men, including 17-year old gardener John (Jesse Metcalfe); hunky neighbor Mike (James Denton); fed-up husband Rex (Steven Culp); Gabrielle’s domineering husband Carlos (Ricardo Antonio Chavira); and the suspiciously newly-widowed husband Paul (Mark Moses).
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The Housewives dish the dirt and spill more secrets In hours of exclusive, unrated bonus material, including an alternate ending to the Season One finale and unrated extended episodes.
Also included is a featurette on the making of the Season One finale; cast commentaries on favorite episodes; creator Marc Cherry’s favorite episodes with audio commentary; a short documentary on the Housewives’ phenomenon worldwide; a Wisteria Lane Fashion show and more.
Also of note and available separately on June 7th is "Footballers Wives," the trashy UK hit that is said to have been the inspiration for "Desperate Housewives."
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Series One of "Footballers Wives" includes all 8 episodes from the First Season on 3 discs.
You can pre-order "Desperate Housewives" now and save 35%.
And save 25% when you pre-order "Footballers Wives." |
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| Malpractice Makes Perfect |
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"Scrubs," the Emmy® And Golden Globe®-nominated television show starring Zach Braff comes to DVD May 17th.
In the series, Braff stars as J.D., a medical resident at Sacred Heart Hospital. Joining him are fellow residents Turk (Donald Faison) a college buddy who is part of the more elite surgical group, and the beautiful but socially awkward Elliot Reid (Sarah Chalke).
Also appearing in "Scrubs" are John C. McGinley as the sure-of-himself Dr. Cox, Neil Flynn as a terrorizing janitor, Ken Jenkins as the fatherly Dr. Kelso and Judy Reyes as feisty Nurse Carla.
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Every episode of the show’s highly acclaimed First Season will be included in this new 3-Disc boxed set, which will also have the following bonus features: never-before-seen dream sequences, audio commentaries on six shows with show creator Bill Lawrence and select cast members, a gag reel of flubs and bloopers, deleted and alternate scenes and a collectible "Scrubs" X-ray.
Pre-order "Scrubs" now and save 30%. |
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Showtime will be bringing "Fat Actress," co-created by and starring Kirstie Alley, to DVD on May 24th.
The show, a seven-episode, half-hour hybrid comedy/reality series starring two-time Emmy® Award winner Alley was inspired by her recent struggles to be viewed as something other than an overweight and unemployed has-been.
Alley plays a fictional version of herself - a successful television and movie star whose weight gain has become tabloid fodder, as she tries to find work and true love in an unforgiving Hollywood.
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The show is unscripted, with each episode filmed from a story outline and the actors largely improvising their dialogue. While it may share a creative process (and even a producer) with HBO's "Curb Your Enthusiasm," that's as far as the comparisons go.
Without a doubt, the show started off with a bang... thanks to an unprecedented publicity blitz, "Fat Actress" debuted on March 7th with nearly a million viewers and became Showtime's highest-rated series premiere since "Queer As Folk" in 2000.
The problem, though, is that "Fat Actress" has - essentially - only one joke and it very soon wears thin. Critics didn't like the show (for the most part) and, apparently, neither did viewers. The show lost 70% of its audience in its second week.
If three and a half hours of jokes about anorexia, bulimia and binge eating sounds like a lot of fun to you, then you may enjoy "Fat Actress."
Pre-order "Fat Actress" now and trim 30% off the suggested retail price. |
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| Preview of Next Week's Releases - Street Date: May 10, 2005 |
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Coming up next week is "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou" starring Bill Murray, "In Good Company" with Dennis Quaid, Topher Grace and Scarlett Johansson, "The Merchant of Venice" with Al Pacino, Joseph Fiennes and Jeremy Irons and "Racing Stripes," featuring the voices of Whoopi Goldberg, Dustin Hoffman, Frankie Muniz, Mandy Moore, Joe Pantoliano, Steve Harvey, David Spade, and Snoop Dogg.
From TV comes new collections featuring "The Perils of Penelope Pitstop," "The Dastardly & Muttley Show" and the complete "Jamie's Kitchen" featuring British chef and culinary heartthrob Jamie Oliver. Also: the First Season of HBO's "Entourage," the Fifth Season of "Dawson's Creek" and Season Three of "In Living Color."
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Support The DVD Dossier by buying your DVDs online from these respected merchants...
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The DVD Dossier is a free weekly newsletter that contains objective information about new DVD releases that has been researched and written by the editors at DVD Direct 4 Less, as well as advertisements and promotional information provided by movie studios.
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