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UK Video Rental/Retail Chart Analysis (w/e November 11th 1995)

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The Dominator

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Nov 14, 1995, 3:00:00 AM11/14/95

The initial bit :
-----------------
This week, and every week until Xmas or the end of the year, I'm going to
be taking votes on things like 'Best new artist' and 'Worst re-issued dance
track that wasn't any good first time around!' and I'll put the list of
results in a chart later on. See later for more details.
However, rather than this address, please send all votes to :
vo...@festive.demon.co.uk

Some info on box sets due out in time for Xmas...
Check out the new releases section at the end if you're a fan of :
Absolutely Fabulous
Ben Hur
Doctor Zhivago
The Mask
Reservoir Dogs
The Sound of Music
Star Trek Data Box Set
Star Trek Crossovers Box Set
Star Trek Movies 1-7 WS Box Set
Star Wars Trilogy THX (U, 79.99 WS, Fox) *details below*
Twins/Kindergarten Cop Box Set
Waynes World 1 & 2 Box Set

Plus one out on January 2nd :
Star Trek 30th Ann. Trial Pack

20th Century Fox have now announced the release of the THX Star Wars trilogy [%]
collectors boxed set:

Release Date : Dec 4
RRP : 79.99
Cat No. : 8877c
Certificate : U
Limited Run : 20,000 copies world wide

Includes:
- Star Destroyer Executor Black Metal Box with Galactic Empire emblem
- All three movies digitally THX remastered letterbox versions (2.35:1)
- Complete movie scripts for all three
- 6 art prints of matte paintings used in the movies
- 3 art prints of John Alvin's new art for the Star Wars movies
- Individually numbered "Darth Vader" Certificate of Authenticity
- Additional supplementary video material:
The making of Star Wars
SPFX Empire: The making of The Empire Strikes Back
Classic Creatures: The making of The Return of the Jedi
From Star Wars to Jedi: the making of a Saga
Original teaser and release trailers for each film
Interviews with George Lucas
The Lucasfilm Archive Tour
The Star Wars Gallery with Ralph McQuarrie
Sound Advice: An Interview with Benn Burtt
How Walkers Walk: Stop Motion Workshop Footage - Dennis Muren
The Flight Through the Asteroids: A Storyboard Comparison
The ABC's of Jedi Effects: An interview with Dennis Muren
Jedi Videomatics: A Moving Storyboard - Ken Ralston
Lapti Nek

I don't have any info yet on any of the Star Trek boxsets apart from the fact
that the Movies one contains all 7 films in widescreen.

If I have not written something about a particular title, it may be because
I don't know what it is about, or there may be nothing to say about it at this
time.
If you have any info which I can add in next week's chart about a particular
title, please email me.

I have included some info on PAL LD releases. If anyone knows any more,
with release dates if poss. please let me know.

Thanks to Paul Rhodes for the BBC Video releases info.
Thanks also to Keith Myles for some other new release info ("%")
( Keith Myles is editor of the UK Widescreen Review, available at
http://194.72.60.96/ent/widescreen/ )

Certificates and retail prices (where known for retail films in UKP)
are given.
UK Video certificates are :

U : Universal
Uc : Universal..but more suitable for children
PG : Parental Guidance
12 : Finally putting an end to films uprated to 15 for no reason
15 : Suitable for persons of only 14 or over (pardon?...) er make that 15
18 : Haven't got a clue on this one :)
18R: Restricted-18 films, which don't usually find their way to Woolies!
E : Exempt - usually applies to some music videos, and fitness videos.
Sadly does not apply to an uncut version of True Romance :(

Key :
STV - Straight-to-video

The RENTAL chart !!
-------------------
10 (7) FALLER : The Mask (PG, Entertainment)
(Also available to buy for UKP 14.99)

Jim Carrey's second hit film sees him cast as Stanley Ipkiss, a bank clerk
who leads a boring life, and tries to score points with co-worker Richard Jeni
as to who can score with the ladies. However, one day a vision appears in the
form of Tina Carlyle (Cameron Diaz), and Stanley will do anything to make her
his, including putting on a mask that one day flies into his apartment from
nowhere and transforms him into the man of the moment.

Although Jim Carrey didn't particularly impress me in Batman Forever, there
are some neat comic touches to be found here including a wealth of surround
sound material to blow your speakers away. Two such scenes are when he puts
on the mask for the first time, and later when he blows a guy's car windscreen
away with a small horn which has the words "Squeeze me" inscribed upon it.
Then Stanley gets a big horn (oo-er!) which shatters the windscreen to pieces.
A well-recommended video.

9 (RE) The Shawshank Redemption (15)

8 (6) FALLER : Forrest Gump (12, CIC)
(available to buy for 14.99)

The film that scooped the most Oscars this year, including Best Film, Actor
(Tom Hanks, again) and Director (Robert Zemeckis), is a simple but engaging
tale of a man who does all the right things in life, doesn't always say the
right things, but gets to meet the right people, and be in the right place
at the right time. If you haven't seen it yet, I won't say anything to spoil
it, but I once saw a few articles in rec.arts.movies referring to the fate of
one particular character by putting what happened to them in the subject
header with NO spoiler!
Still, that was only part of it. As a whole I was expecting a good film, esp.
after all the hype, but it was (dare I say it) a masterpiece, and I'd like to
have seen it come 2nd behind Pulp Fiction at the Oscars.
Since it was directed by Robert Zemeckis, I spotted one thing in a scene where
Tom Hanks and Gary Sinise are going across a busy road, a car stops right in
front of them almost hitting them, and Sinise bangs on the bonnet of that car
saying "I'm walking here, I'm walking !"

which... is exactly what Michael J Fox said in Back TTF 2 as Marty Jnr when
the same thing happened in his town square....

which... is exactly what Dustin Hoffman said in "Midnight Cowboy" as
Ritzo Ratzo when trying to cross the road...

Maybe I watch too many films :)

7 (9) CLIMBER : I.D. (18)

6 (8) CLIMBER : Nell (12, Warner)

5 (5) NON-MOVER : Legends of the Fall (15, Columbia TriStar)

4 (4) NON-MOVER : Disclosure (18, Warner)

Another Michael Crichton book gets the film treatment. Barry Levinson directs
Michael Douglas, Demi Moore, Donald Sutherland and Caroline Goodall, in a tale
of corporate intrigue, power, sex and ambition.

Douglas plays Tom Sanders, a nice computer manager a nice Seattle-based
electronics company called Digicom, and everything's nice..until he discovers
that an ex-girlfriend, Meredith Johnson (Moore) is to be his new boss.
As soon as she arrives, she seduces him in a late-night 'meeting', but half-way
through he decides no.
Then a new CD-ROM system called "Arcamax" develops a fault, and obscene email
messages turn up on his computer system. He suspects that Johnson is the
culprit and sues for sexual harrassment.

It may not sound like the plot for a high-suspense thriller, but when the going
gets tough, and the heat begins to rise, all of Sanders' computer files begin
to disappear as he accesses them. Cue a trip inside the computer, via a
virtual reality headset, and some superb computer graphics, coupled with
excellent sound FX. Who will win in the end?

It's a shame that this release isn't widescreen because some of the computer
screens containing lines of text, often vital to the plot, get cut off the
screen. Also, the virtual reality scene will lose impact, as will two other
scenes which I remember from seeing the film in the cinema. One was of Douglas
and Goodall standing at opposite ends of the screen as a train goes past, both
in despair as the trial of the century was about to get underway.
The other is during the first hearing, and is a lingering shot covering all
the main characters so you can see for a brief time exactly what everyone is
thinking and feeling from their facial expressions.

Aside form all that, it's a damn good film. Rent it now!

Dominator's rating : 10/10

3 (3) NON-MOVER : Drop Zone (15, CIC)

Wesley Snipes gets rather peeved when his flight is interrupted by terrorists
who blow part of the plane away sucking out several of the passengers including
his brother (Malcolm Jamal-Warner, Theo from The Cosby Show). The terrorists,
led by Gary Busey, are a skydiving team, so Wesley has to learn all about that
before tracking them down, and this provides the love interest in the form
of Yancy Butler (last seen in Hard Target).
The plot's a bit dumb, but the surround sound is fantastic. My only gripe is
that as the video won't be in widescreen, John Badham's slick direction will
be impaired in fullscreen. Most of his films have tended to be in a 2.35:1 ratio
including the recent "The Assassin" and "The Hard Way".
Worth having a look at though.

Dominator's rating : 7/10

2 (1) FALLER : Dumb and Dumber (12, First Independent)

Jim Carrey's third feature film sees him teaming up with Speed's Jeff Daniels
as two idiots doing stupid things, all of which raked in tons of money at the
box office.
Apparently this has also been released on PAL laserdisc. I understand the film
was shot in 4:3 and that the NTSC LD is fullscreen only, so I presume the
PAL LD is too.

1 (2) CLIMBER : Outbreak (15, Warner)

Dustin Hoffman and wife Rene Russo are scientists trying to combat an outbreak
of a deadly virus which turns human organs into mush. Morgan Freeman turns in
a good performance too as Hoffman's commander and friend, but can he do enough
to overturn what top dog Donald Sutherland has got planned for a town filled
with victims of the virus including Hoffman's wife?

This is an excellent film, except for the ending which is a bit contrived, but
it's worth every penny of your rental-video money up until then. Also in
the film is a new army recruit played by Cuba Gooding Jr. who has to help
Hoffman in the critical final moments. The film was directed by Wolfgang
Petersen (In The Line of Fire)

I don't want to give much away about the film so you can see it for yourself,
but there's some parts that still linger in the memory such as the opening
scene before the credits as one disease-ridden village in the middle of
nowhere is 'helped', and later when the virus has travelled towards America
as one victim is followed from the moment of getting the virus through to....

As this film was released, real-life news reports of the Ebola Virus were doing
the rounds which had the same effect. Art imitating life perhaps or vice versa?

Dominator's rating : 10/10

New RENTAL Releases for November :
----------------------------------
Boys on the Side (15, Warner)
Circle of Friends (15, Polygram) 15th
Circumstances Unknown (CIC)
Clockwork Mice (Polygram) 15th
Excessive Force (First Independent)
Exotica (18, Fox Video, #A113R) 20th [%]
Friday (15, Entertainment in Video, #EVV1328) 14th [%]
Fudge-a-mania (CIC)
Guarding Tess (12, Columbia TriStar) 8th
Heatseeker (High Flyers)
In the Mouth of Madness (18, Entertainment in Video, #EVV1309) 7th [%]
(uprated from cinema's 15-cert it seems)
Killer (First Independent)
Little Rascals (U, CIC)
Love Cheat and Steal (High Flyers)
Mad Dogs and Englishmen (18, Entertainment in Video, EVV1323) 14th [%]
The Madness of King George (PG, Columbia TriStar)
Milk Money (12, CIC)
Miracle on 34th Street (U, Fox) 20th
Muriel's Wedding (15, Buena Vista)
Other Woman (Odyssey)
Patriots (Fox)
Phantasm 3 (Fox)
Power Rangers (PG, Fox) 6th
Rent-a-kid (Columbia TriStar)
Richie Rich (PG, Warner)
Rob Roy (Warner)
Rudy (20:20 Vision)
Sexual Malice (20:20 Vision)
Street Fighter (20:20 Vision)
Terminal Velocity (Buena Vista)
Undercover (High Flyers)

New RENTAL Releases for December :
----------------------------------
The Brady Bunch Movie (12, 4th)
Ed Wood (15, 5th)
Jefferson in Paris (12, 5th)
Six Degrees of Separation (18, 15th)
Tank Girl (15, 22nd)

New RENTAL Releases for January :
---------------------------------
Bad Boys (18, 3rd)

The RETAIL Chart :
------------------
This week : 9 new entries, none going up, none staying still,
leaving 11 going down.

20 (12) FALLER : Paul and Pauline Calf's Video Diaries (15, 12.99, BBCV5699)

More Steve Coogan, firstly as drunken lout Paul Calf in "Paul Calf's Video
Diary" and then as his sister Pauline in "Three Fights, Two Weddings and a
Funeral" (I wonder which film they got that title from :), plus an interview
with Paul and Pauline.

19 (10) FALLER : The Fox and the Hound (U, 15.99, Disney)

A fox cub and a puppy become the best of friends not knowing that they're
supposed to be the opposite. A series of tasks and trials test their friendship
to the ultimate conclusion. This is one of my all time favourite animations.

18 NEW ENTRY : Mighty Morphin Power Rangers : The Movie (PG, 14.99, Fox)

The film of the TV Series, out in time for Xmas, and for the kids.

17 (6) FALLER : Maverick (PG, 14.99, Warner)

Mel Gibson stars as Brett Maverick in the big-screen version of the TV
series. This is a reunion in more ways than one....

- Danny Glover, Mel's partner in Lethal Weapon 1-3, makes a cameo appearance
near the start of the film.
- The director is Richard Donner, director of all three Lethal Weapon films
which starred Mel Gibson and Danny Glover.
- James Garner who played Brett Maverick in the original TV series makes a
cinema comeback as Mel's father.

The film has a basic plot. Mel rides into town needing several thousand dollars
to be able to play in a big card game tournament coming up soon. It's not
hard to work out if he makes it there, but it's a lot of fun finding out.
Along the way he comes across a love interest, Jodie Foster, and also
Graham Greene from Dances With Wolves and Thunderheart.

16 NEW ENTRY : Soldier Soldier Series 5 Part 1 (19.99)

Part 2 out next week...

15 (7) FALLER : Four Weddings and a Funeral Special Edition
(15, 18.99, Polygram)
(Widescreen PAL LD available. Ask for details)

The film that won much acclaim for its main star Hugh Grant, is now out again
on video and set to reap many a sale. With this special edition you will find
the soundtrack CD of the film, as well as a free cinema ticket to see the
new Meg Ryan film "French Kiss" (on a buy one, get one free basis)

14 (5) FALLER : The Specialist (18, 14.99, Warner)

Sylvester Stallone is Ray Quick, an explosives expert who works undercover
as a sort-of hitman to bump off those people that he's paid to kill by whoever
asks him. One day he gets a phone call from Sharon Stone, whose parents were
murdered by Eric Roberts when she was a kid. She wants him dead, but will he
take the job? Of course he does, and they end up in bed together and also in
the shower. Also involved in the film is one of my favourite actors,
James Woods who isn't exactly pushing his talents to the limit with this film
but he still turns in one of his usual, excellent uptight performances.

The cinema certificate was 15, but the BBFC have up-rated it to an 18 for
video for two counts of violence (and I don't know what those are) and a
lengthy bout of groin-soaping in the shower scene.

Dominator's rating : 9/10

13 (2) FALLER : Schindlers List WS (14.99, 15, CIC, cat.no. VHR1803)
(Widescreen PAL LD available. Ask for details)

There can't be many people who haven't heard of Steven Spielberg's true story
of the life of Oskar Schindler, a member of the Nazi party, a womaniser, and
war profiteer who saved the lives of over 1,100 Jews during the Holocaust,
and all played by Liam Neeson.
The film won 7 Oscars last year including Best Picture and Best Director, and
has now been announced by CIC Video as being released in widescreen format.

12 NEW ENTRY : The James Bond Collection (PG, 9.99 P&S, 12.99 WS, Warner)

In preparation for the latest James Bond film, Goldeneye, due in cinemas on
November 24th, six Bond films have just been re-released in new packaging.
They are :
Dr. No, From Russia With Love, Goldfinger, Thunderball,
You Only Live Twice, and On Her Majesty's Secret Service

Also, "Diamonds are Forever" and "Live And Let Die" are out, but curiously
only in P&S. I can only presume that since the Connery films (and Lazenby
film) are out now, then the Moore and Dalton ones will follow in WS.

11 NEW ENTRY : Red Dwarf - Smeg Outs (15, 12.99, BBC)

Craig Charles, Chris Barrie and the rest are back with more out-takes, this
time from Series 1-3.

10 NEW ENTRY : Wyatt Earp (12, 15.99 Widescreen, Warner)

Lawrence Kasdan's western with Kevin Costner finally gets a widescreen outing.
I've seen listing of a Director's Cut for 19.99. Anyone else seen this?

9 NEW ENTRY : The Sound of Music
(U, Fox, 12.99 P&S, 14.99 WS, Boxed Set 49.99 WS) [%]

The hills are alive! The boxed set contains the widescreen movie
(digitally remastered); Ernest Lehman's book "Saga of a Screenplay"
an actual strip of original theatrical print; an 86 minute
documentary "From Fact to Phenomenon" an original theatrical poster;
a pictorial brochure; and 6 colour prints.

8 (4) FALLER : The Star Wars Trilogy THX :
Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi
(U, 12.99 P&S, 13.99 WS, 79.99 WS Box-Set, Fox)

Last year these films were released on video made from digital PAL masters,
and this year they're back with a vengeance in THX form.
For those who don't know, THX is a label usually given to NTSC American
laserdiscs which have been remastered to the best possible sound quality.

The video of the first in the trilogy, Star Wars, will only be available
between now and January 31st 1996, never to be seen again.
The videos of Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi will still be
available however.
The videos also contain a different Leonard Maltin interview with George Lucas.

In 1997, a new cut of Star Wars will come to the cinema, and later on video,
containing a few extra minutes of unseen footage.
The next trilogy of films in the Star Wars saga will come to the cinema in
1998, and will be based on the trilogy of books which come BEFORE the currently
available trilogy.

7 (3) FALLER : Highlander (Widescreen, 12.99, 15, Warner/Beyond Vision)

"There can be only one...". Immortals fight it out from 16th century Scotland
to present day USA, and the only way to win a fight is to behead your opponent.
Christopher Lambert is one of the Highlanders, Connor McLeod, and he is taught
all he knows from his friend Juan Villa Lobos Ramirez, played by Sean Connery.

This film really doesn't need an introduction, suffice to say that it's long
overdue for a widescreen release, and this video comes complete with the
original theatrical trailer.

6 NEW ENTRY : Clear And Present Danger (12, 13.99, CIC)
(Widescreen PAL LD available. Ask for details)

Harrison Ford is back as CIA agent Jack Ryan, this time being promoted to
Deputy Director of the CIA as he goes up against Colombian drug barons, and
for those of you with a surround sound set-up, take a listen to the
rocket-attack scene about an hour into the film. Better still, pump up the
volume and let your neighbours hear it too. It is quite exceptional!

5 NEW ENTRY : True Romance BoxSet (18, 19.99 Widescreen, plus T-Shirt, Warner)

Written by Quentin "Reservoir Dogs" Tarantino, directed by Tony Scott (Last
Boy Scout, Crimson Tide), and stars Christian Slater, Patricia Arquette,
Dennis Hopper, Val Kilmer, Gary Oldman, Christopher Walken, Brad Pitt, and
Bronson Pinchot.

Christian Slater plays Clarence Worley, a loner who works in a comic book store
and is out on his birthday night watching a triple-feature of Sonny Cheba movies
at the local fleapit. Patricia Arquette (Alabama), a call-girl, walks into his
life by tipping popcorn all over him. They get married, go after her pimp,
Drexyl (Gary Oldman), steal his drugs and visit Clarence's Dad (Dennis Hopper).
They're in big trouble, and are being followed by the mafia led by Christopher
Walken. However, help for Clarence comes in the form of his hero, Elvis (Val
Kilmer) who gives him advice...and a gun.

This version is meant to be the same as the UK cinema release, hence the
billing on the front of the box "Original Cinema Version", but when it came
out for rent it was listed as "Uncut Version" which is misleading as the
NTSC Laserdisc version is the "Unrated Director's Cut", which is also in
widescreen, but I can't afford an LD player however much I'd like one :)

At least this time the video release is in widescreen, which is essential for
any Tony Scott film.

4 NEW ENTRY : Star Trek Movies 1-7 WS Box Set (15, 69.99, CIC, cat.no. VHR4152)
(Widescreen PAL LD available. Ask for details)
(Boxset Films 1-6 : RRP UKP 149.99. Generations RRP UKP 24.99. All widescreen)
All 7 Star Trek films in widescreen, in one box-set.

Generations is the first feature film for the Next Generation crew, and Captain
Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) gets some help from an old friend Captain
Kirk (William Shatner).

A bolt of energy of some sort called the "Nexus" is about to pass over and
Malcolm McDowell is about to make the most of it. When you enter the Nexus,
everything else explodes into oblivion while you are transported into whatever
you idea of heaven would be.

I'm not a big fan of the Star Trek series, but I'll go and see the films for
a laugh and the SFX, and this one is very good indeed. Captain Kirk, Scotty
and Chekov are invited onto the latest Enterprise, helmed by Alan Ruck (Ferris
Bueller's Day Off, Young Guns II), but there's a problem down below and Kirk
goes to sort it out. The spaceship enters the Nexus, the hull explodes and
sucks out Kirk. Everyone assumes the worst...

Later, when Picard goes to find out what McDowell is doing on a rock, McD
presses a few buttons and a large rocket appears from nowhere. The Nexus
passes over, the rocket goes off, and hey presto, they both find their Nirvana,
and Picard also finds Kirk. Can Picard convince Kirk that they're not really
living in reality and that there's a bad guy out there who needs to be stopped?
Dumb question really.

One thing to point out for home cinema enthusiasts is the scene where the
Enterprise complete with Next Generation crew crash lands. I'll say no more
about the sound than that apart from - check it out. And you should see the
mess it leaves behind afterwards...

BTW, hands up all those who were just waiting for Malcolm McDowell to utter
the famous words, "It's time for a bit of the old ultra-violence..." :)

3 (1) FALLER : Jurassic Park WS (14.99, PG, CIC, cat.no. VHR1776)
(Widescreen PAL LD available. Ask for details)

The film that needs NO introdution apart from the fact that it is now
available in widescreen format.
Let's just say it's the one about the dinosaurs. :)

2 NEW ENTRY : Stargate (PG, 14.99 P&S, 15.99 WS, Guild)
(Widescreen PAL LD available. Ask for details)

Special effects abound in this 2hr film about a gateway to another world...
James Spader is a lecturer in Egyptology who is ridiculed for suggesting that
perhaps the ancient pyramids WEREN'T built by the Egyptians, and after being
thrown out of his apartment is greeted by an old woman who tells him that
60 years ago when she was a young girl she was given a pendant at the same
time a large circular block of nothing was dug up in the desert.
In present day USA they still don't know what it does, but Spader provides the
key to make it work, and hey presto - from a big block of nothing to a
gateway to another world.

After that Spader joins a team of US army men including their leader Kurt
Russell to see what's on the other side. They find a world that's just like
Egypt...apart from the fact that it's ruled by Jaye Davidson (The Crying Game),
an eccentric alien taking human form (almost) who's an oddball to say the least.
Can Spader and Russell defeat Davidson and save this new world for all the
inhabitants, and can Spader find true love in a place he never knew of until
he stepped through the Stargate? What a silly question.

This film has some fantastic sound effects - especially the 'going through
the Stargate' sequence which NEEDS to be heard in stereo, preferably surround
sound.

When I reviewed this film for the rental video I wrote :
"Also, the video will be P&S, and it's a film that needs to be seen in
true widescreen to make full sense of the film. Perhaps Guild will see sense
and make a widescreen retail video in 6 months?

If you intend to watch this film in P&S and mono...rent something else more
TV-ratio friendly :)"

Gladly a widescreen release has been granted.

1 NEW ENTRY : Reservoir Dogs (18, 24.99 and 49.99, Widescreen, Polygram)
(Widescreen PAL LD available. Ask for details)

Reservoir Dogs...here at last...and it's reportedly uncut with respect to the
cinema release. If anyone's seen it yet can you tell me if this is correct?

For those who don't know what it's about (you must've been hiding under a rock
for the last three years :), it's the story of 6 men hired to do a raid on
a jewellery store : Mr. White (Harvey Keitel), Mr. Blonde (Michael Madsen),
Mr. Brown (Quentin Tarantino, director of the film itself), Mr. Pink (Steve
Buscemi), Mr. Blue (Eddie Bunker) and Mr. Orange (Tim Roth).
The big man in charge of the operation is known only as Joe (Lawrence Tierney),
and he has a helping hand from his son, 'Nice Guy Eddie' (Chris Penn).

But...things don't quite go according to plan. The cops arrive on the scene
and cause trouble for our 6, so they try and make it back to the warehouse
to work out what to do next, but as the cops arrived way too quickly, someone
must've tipped them off. The question is...who's the rat in the house?

I'd recommend this one most of all to those people who reckon it's the most
violent film in the world..and haven't yet seen it! Now it's out for you
to try. SEE IT NOW!!

A widescreen version has been released, but for those who have only seen
the fullscreen version, then this won't be such a problem for the following
reason. The film was filmed with the "Super 35" process in which a 1.33:1 image
(same ratio as a TV set) is filmed, and the picture is masked to give a 2.35:1
image.

For special-effects films which have been shot with Super 35, (eg. True Lies,
The Abyss, and Terminator 2) the special-effects sequences are shot at a ratio
close to the intended cinema ratio, so they will have to be P&S'd for the
non-widescreen video.

As Reservoir Dogs isn't a special-effects film, on the non-widescreen video
there will be more picture top and bottom, but sometimes you will lose some
picture at the sides. The reason for this is because there may be something
in the 1.33:1 filmed image that the director did not want to keep, such as
boom mikes getting in shot by accident.

People have different opinions about whether they prefer the widescreen or
regular version with a film shot with the "Super 35" process.
The widescreen version will always be the way the director originally intended
though.

Here's the details of the two box-sets available :

Reservoir Dogs - Collector's Edition Box Set (24.99 WS, Polygram)
Contents : Widescreen video, set of stickers badges, and Joe Cabot's
little black book

Reservoir Dogs - Mr. Blonde's De Luxe Edition Box Set (49.99 WS)
Contents : Widescreeen video, comb, hair grease, shades and case,
lighter, toothpick holder, cufflinks, quotes book, dog tags, and
a specially-filmed guide to the making of the film.
(sorry, but the inclusion of a severed ear is as yet unconfirmed :)

No news yet on "Platinum Edition" (99.99).
Official video release on sale in January 96.

Videos that dropped out this week :
-----------------------------------
20 (18) Bon Jovi - Live from London (12.99, Polygram)

Shot at Wembley Stadium in July this year, 13 tracks are on this 90 minute
video including "This Ain't a Love Song", ""I'll Be There For You", "I'll
Sleep When I'm Dead", "Livin' on a Prayer" amd many more of their hits.

19 (11) Speed (15, 14.99 P&S, 15.99 Widescreen, Fox)

FBI agents Keanu Reeves and Jeff Daniels save a lift full of workers, in an
incredibly tense situation, and then get another call from the man with a crazy
plan, Dennis Hopper, who has rigged a bus to explode when the speed drops below
50MPH. Keanu gets hands-on experience on the bus, while Jeff co-ordinates things
from the office. Passenger Sandra Bullock ("Demolition Man") takes over the
wheel after the driver is shot, and as the bus approaches the impossible 50ft
gap in the middle of the freeway, tourist Alan Ruck ("Ferris Bueller's Day Off")
whinges "I shouldn't be here".

Nothing but action all the way, and some of the most amazing sound I've heard.
However, if Dennis Hopper had really wanted a challenge he should've made
Keanu take the same bus along the M6 Thelwall Viaduct during rush-hour when
it's down to one lane each way thanks to on-going bloody roadworks!

The Special Edition Widescreen Version also contains a 25-minute 'behind the
scenes' featurette about the making of "Speed".

18 House of Cards (15, 16.99, cat.no BBCV5567) and
To Play the King (15, 16.99, cat.no BBCV5515, BBC)

Michael Dobbs first two novels of a trilogy now available on video after
being brought to the screen by the BBC, starring Ian Richardson as the
devilish Francis Urquhart.
Coming to TV this month is the third part, "The Final Cut".

17 (10) Pulp Fiction (18, 14.99 P&S and WS, Buena Vista)

Tarantino's Oscar Winner for Best Original Screenplay has 3 stories woven
together. One is of two hitmen, one (John Travolta) who has to take his boss's
(Ving Rhames) wife (Uma Thurman) out for an evening, and both hitmen (Travolta
and Samuel L. Jackson) having to take care of their boss's briefcase and the two
guys who stole it (one of them being Frank Whaley).
The second is of a young couple (Tim Roth and Amanda Plummer) who hold up a
diner, and the third is of a boxer (Bruce Willis proving he can act when he
puts his mind to it) about to have his final fight and then come home to the
woman he loves (Maria De Medieros) before embarking on a search for his father's
watch of which wouldn't be fair to detail the incredible story here.

The question still remains though : Just what is it in the briefcase?
(and why doesn't Harvey Keitel smile in pictures?)

16 (9) The Lion King (U, 16.99, Disney)

The latest Disney animated epic to hit video won two Oscars, one of which was
for the Tim Rice/Elton John song "Can You Feel The Love Tonight ?"
Simba the lion is having trouble accepting the responsibilities of adulthood
and being the next king of the jungle. The many characters he meets along his
journey help him to find his way in the great circle of life.
Voices include Jeremy Irons, Rowan Atkinson and James Earl Jones.

15 No Way Out (Widescreen, 15, 12.99, Encore)
(Widescreen PAL LD available. Ask for details)

Top marks to all concerned for getting a number of films out in widescreen
out this week including this story of a cover-up in the Pentagon, as Kevin
Costner's boss's mistress is murdered, he has the job of tracking down the
murderer said to be a Soviet agent seen lurking near the house, but the prob
is that *he* was that shadowy figure. Also stars Sean Young and Gene Hackman.

14 (8) The Mask (PG, 14.99, Entertainment in Video)

13 Knowing Me, Knowing You (12, BBC)
(Two tapes, 12.99 each; and a single boxset 29.99)
Steve Coogan stars as idiotic TV personality, Alan Partridge, in the TV version
of the radio show in all 6 episodes of the series plus unseen footage.
Available on two tapes or a single-boxset.

11 Mark Little Sucks - Live (18, 12.99)

Mark Little aka Joe Mangel from Neighbours, and part-time Big Breakfast
presenter live at the Assembly Rooms in Edinburgh. At 60 mins in length,
his performance certainly doesn't suck.

9 (6) Forrest Gump (12, 14.99, CIC)
(Widescreen PAL LD available. Ask for details)

which... is exactly what Michael J Fox said in Back TTF 2 as Marty Jnr when
the same thing happened in his town square....

which... is exactly what Dustin Hoffman said in "Midnight Cowboy" as
Ritzo Ratzo when trying to cross the road...

Maybe I watch too many films :)

8 Chris Barrie's Motoring Wheel Nuts (15, 12.99, BBC)

Chris's classic cars and comedy make for a classic comedy combination,
and plenty of alliteration :)

New releases :
--------------

PAL LDs :

Some new releases from Encore :
===============================
January 1996:
First Knight, UKP 34.99. 3 sides (CLV/CAV)
Bad Boys, UKP 26.99. 2 sides

February 1996:
The Madness of King George, UKP 34.99. 3 sides, with extras - possibly
as a boxed set?

Later in 1996:
The Quick and the Dead
The Net

Some new releases from Fox Video :

November 95 :
Die Hard
Die Hard 2
The Abyss SE
Speed
Aliens Box Set
X-Files - The Movie

December 95 :
Predator
Predator 2

Backdraft LB Early Sept UK#29.99
Apocalypse Now LB Early Sept UK#29.99
Forrest Gump LB Early Sept UK#34.99
Beverly Hills Cop III LB August 8th UK#24.99
The Pagemaster August 8th UK#24.99
It Could Happen To You LB August UK#29.99
Stand By Me August UK#29.99
Little Women LB End Sept UK#24.99
Legends of the Fall LB Mid October UK#34.99
Clear and Present Danger LB October UK#34.99
Star Trek: Generations LB November UK#24.99
Time Cop LB TBA UK#24.99
Top Gun LB TBA UK#19.99
Star Trek Movies Box Set LB Autumn UK#149.00
Indiana Jones Box Set LB December UK#75.00
Stargate LB 6 Nov UK#24.99
The Shadow LB Autumn UK#24.99
Junior LB Autumn UK#24.99
Rebecca (Hitchcock) B&W Autumn UK#29.99
Notorious (Hitchcock) B&W Autumn UK#29.99
Ghost LB Autumn UK#19.99
The Browning Version - lb (Oct 95)
Casper - lb (Mar 96)
Lassie - lb (Feb 96)
The Little Rascals - lb (Dec 95)
The Paradine Case - Pioneer Cinema Collection (Nov 95 ?)

November :
Captives (15, Entertainment in Video, #EVS1138, 12.99)
Carmen Jones (12.99, Fox Studio Classic)
Princess Caraboo (PG, Entertainment in Video, #EVS1173, 12.99)

November 1st :
The Road to Wellville (18, Entertainment in Video, #EVS1170, 12.99)
Bad Boy Bubby (18, Entertainment in Video, #EVS1172, 12.99)

November 6th :
Amateur (15, Artificial Eye, #ART109, 15.99) [%]
Clear And Present Danger (12, 13.99, CIC)
D'Artagnan's Daughter (PG, Artificial Eye, #ART115, 15.99) [%]
Doctor No (PG, 9.99 P&S, 12.99 WS, Warner)
East 17 - Up All Night
Electric Blue - Very Best of Vol. 2 (18)
Elle MacPherson - Super Shape-up Stretch and Stengthen with... (6.99)
Goldfinger (PG, 9.99 P&S, 12.99 WS, Warner)
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie (PG, 14.99, Fox) [%]
On Her Majesty's Secret Service (PG, 9.99 P&S, 12.99 WS, Warner)

Reservoir Dogs - Collector's Edition Box Set (24.99 WS, Polygram)
Contents : Widescreen video, set of stickers badges, and Joe Cabot's
little black book

No news yet on "Platinum Edition" (99.99).
Official video release on sale in January 96.

The Sound of Music (U, Fox, 12.99 P&S, 14.99 WS, Boxed Set 49.99 WS) [%]
The hills are alive! The boxed set contains the widescreen movie
(digitally remastered); Ernest Lehman's book "Saga of a Screenplay"
an actual strip of original theatrical print; an 86 minute
documentary "From Fact to Phenomenon" an original theatrical poster;
a pictorial brochure; and 6 colour prints.

Soldier Soldier Series 5 Part 1 (19.99)
Stargate (PG, 14.99 P&S, 15.99 WS, Guild)
Star Trek Data Box Set (PG, 34.99, CIC, cat.no. VHR4222)
Star Trek Crossovers Box Set (PG, 34.99, CIC, cat.no. VHR4223)
Star Trek Movies 1-7 WS Box Set (15, 69.99, CIC, cat.no. VHR4152)
Star Trek Voyager Vol 1.8 (12.99, PG, CIC)
Stone Roses - Complete Stone Roses
Stripper of the Year - Live (18)
True Romance BoxSet (18, 19.99 Widescreen, plus T-Shirt, Warner)
Waynes World 1 & 2 Box Set (15.99, 15 (yes, 15), CIC, cat.no VHR4288)
Wyatt Earp (12, 15.99 Widescreen, Warner)
- I've seen listing of a Director's Cut for 19.99.
Anyone else seen this?
Zig And Zag - Million Quid Vid

BBCV5737 Doctor Who Box - King's Demons/5 Doctors Special Edn U, 19.99
BBCV5738 Knowing Me, Knowing You Box (inc CD) 12, about 30.00???
BBCV5693 Red Dwarf - Smeg Outs (series 1-3 outtakes) 15, 12.99
BBCV5736 Alien Kingdom (wildlife) E, 12.99
BBCV5707 How to be a Little Sod 15, 10.99
BBCV5775 Official History Rugby Union E, 12.99
BBCV5461 Unofficial History of Football PG, 12.99

November 13th :
Andre (U, 13.99, Columbia TriStar)
The Avengers Vol.24 - The Morning After/Stay Tuned
The Avengers Vol.25 - The 13th Hole/You Have Just Been Murdered
Due South - Man Hunt/They Eat Horses Don't They?
Jenny Eclair - Top Bitch : Live At Her Majesty's Theatre (18, 12.99)
Robson & Jerome - So Far So Good
Roy Chubby Brown - Live in Blackpool : Clitoris Allsorts (18, 14.99)
Frank Sinatra - This is Sinatra
Soldier Soldier Series 5 Part 2 (19.99)

November 20th :
Eurotrash - The Uncensored Video (18, 12.99)
Miracle on 34th Street (U, 14.99, Fox) [%]
Rebel/Death Race 2000 (18)
The Running Man/Conan the Destroyer (18)
Space Precinct Vols 3 and 4 (12.99)

November 25th :
Christmas Memories (E, Readers Digest Video 12.99) [%]
Compilation from British Pathe News

GREAT FINDS OF THE ANTIQUES ROADSHOW (E, Readers Digest Video) [%]
Vol 1: Magic Moments of Discovery (12.99)
Vol 2: Antiques for Everyday Living (12.99)
Vol 3: Today's Collectibles: Tomorrow's Antiques (12.99)

GREAT WONDERS OF THE WORLD (E, Readers Digest Video) [%]
Vol 1: Wonders of Nature (12.99)
Vol 2: Wonders of Man's Creations (12.99)
Vol 3: Wonders Sacred and Mysterious (12.99)

December :
Titanic (12.99, Fox Studio Classic)

December 4th :
Batman Forever (PG, 14.99, Warner)
Marc Bolan - The Groover - Live in Concert
Gladiators - The Power to Win
Junior (PG, 13.99, CIC)
Twins/Kindergarten Cop Box Set (15.99, 15, CIC, cat.no. VHR1895)
Star Trek Voyager Vol 1.9 (PG, 12.99, CIC)
Star Wars THX Boxset (U, 79.99, Fox)

Cat No. : 8877c
Limited Run : 20,000 copies world wide

December 27th :
The Shadow (12, 10.99, CIC)
Star Trek Generations (PG, 13.99, P&S, CIC)
- WS version only available in boxset (released Nov 6th)

BBCV5766 Wallace & Gromit - A Close Shave ???,???

January 2nd, 1996 :
Star Trek Voyager Vol 1.10 (PG, 12.99, CIC)
Star Trek 30th Ann. Trial Pack (PG, 24.99, CIC, cat.no. VHR4229)

Time to vote!
-------------
Please send votes for the following to : vo...@festive.demon.co.uk
All votes must correspond with singles released or anything else that happened
in 1995 only.

Best & Worst New Artist
Best & Worst Single
Best & Worst Band
Best & Worst Male Singer
Best & Worst Female Singer
Best & Worst Album
Best & Worst Pop Video
Best & Worst Film
Best & Worst Video
Best & Worst Male Film Star
Best & Worst Female Film Star
Best & Worst TV show
Best & Worst Male TV Personality
Best & Worst Female TV Personality

The end bit :
-------------
Well, that's it for now. If you want to be added to the list, just mail
me at "charts-...@festive.demon.co.uk" to tell me.
Otherwise, read it on rec.music.misc, and read the video version on
rec.video.releases and alt.video.laserdisc. Read both on uk.misc too!

Also, if you have any questions about CDs, videos, tapes or LPs you're after
please send an enquiry to me at PastelBlue : "d...@pastel.demon.co.uk".
If it's available we'll be able to get it.
Plus, read my monthly video/CD chart mumblings on PastelBlue, by sending
a message to "sea...@pastel.demon.co.uk" with the following line in the
message (with no quotes) :

"send monthly-news"

Also, for more info on PastelBlue, include the line :

"send help"

Bye for now,

Dominator
/----------------------------------------------------------------------------\
| McClane The Dominator presents "Aortic-Valve Man" in his widescreen ratio |
|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|
|Dom 'McClane' Robinson <mcc...@festive.demon.co.uk>|
|Chart reviews - with a vengeance! <mu...@festive.demon.co.uk>|
|Video reviews & Widescreen Video List! <vi...@festive.demon.co.uk>|
|See my hot video links page <http://www.demon.co.uk/pastel/hot-links>|
\____________________________________________________________________________/

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