DVD New Releases

Greetings from Amazon.com Delivers DVD New Releases

Editor, Jeff Shannon

FEATURED IN THIS E-MAIL:
* Dive into "The Matrix": 1999's box-office hit is about to
explode on DVD
* Top New Releases This Week: "Analyze This," "EDtv: Collector's
Edition," "Frankenstein," "The Rocketeer"
* Full List of New Releases
* Future Releases: "Go," "Titanic," "The Nightmare on Elm
Street Collection"
* DVD Starter Kit: Building a great collection

DIVE INTO "THE MATRIX"
**********************
"The Matrix"
starring Keanu Reeves and Laurence Fishburne; directed by
Andy Wachowski
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00000K19E/entertainmentsit
While every wag, pundit, and industry watchdog was
predicting a "Phantom Menace" blitzkrieg this summer, Warner
Bros. made a brilliant preemptive strike and released "The
Matrix" as a springtime appetizer. A dazzling combination of
cyberpunk style and full-throttle action, the box-office hit
arrives on DVD on September 21, loaded with bonus features
and DVD-ROM capabilities. To experience the adrenaline rush
of this alternate-reality thriller, you can pre-order "The
Matrix" now. As Keanu Reeves might say: Whoa!

TOP NEW RELEASES THIS WEEK
**************************
"Analyze This" (R) released August 17
starring Robert De Niro, Billy Crystal, and Lisa Kudrow;
directed by Harold Ramis
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00000JGPE/entertainmentsit
What does a Mafia kingpin do when he gets an acute case of
anxiety? If you're Robert De Niro in "Analyze This," you
clandestinely hook up with a New York psychiatrist (played
by Billy Crystal) to work through your guilt, anger, and--
dare we say it--familial issues. One of the best comedies
of 1999, this witty variation on mob movies was a critical
and box-office hit. It's now available on DVD with some
tantalizing extra features, including two commentary
tracks--one with De Niro and Crystal and one with director
Harold Ramis--and a gag reel of outtakes that are almost as
funny as the movie itself.

"EDtv--Collector's Edition" (PG-13) released August 17
starring Matthew McConaughey, Jenna Elfman, Woody Harrelson,
and Elizabeth Hurley; directed by Ron Howard
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00000JMOD/entertainmentsit
Ron Howard and the producers of "EDtv" needn't have worried
about this breezy comedy being compared to "The Truman
Show"--they're very different movies. Matthew McConaughey's
just right in the title role of an everyday Joe who becomes
an instant celebrity when he agrees to let his life become a
24-hour-a-day TV show. Universal's done their usual fine job
on the Collector's Edition DVD, with a bevy of bonus
features including deleted scenes, outtakes, an alternate
ending, and an exclusive behind-the-scenes featurette.

"Frankenstein" (NR) released August 17
starring Boris Karloff, Mae Clark, and Colin Clive; directed
by James Whale
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00000JMOF/entertainmentsit
Not many movies can claim a permanent hold on our collective
imagination, but Universal's classic 1931 version of
"Frankenstein" is just such a film, and Boris Karloff's
portrayal of Dr. Frankenstein's monster provides the most
famous icon in the history of cinematic horror. Based on
Mary Shelley's novel, it's a stupendous, timeless classic,
directed by James Whale (immortalized in "Gods and
Monsters"). Befitting a film of this stature, the
"Frankenstein" DVD includes a wealth of supplementary
materials, including an exclusive documentary by horror
expert David J. Skal and an informative audio commentary by
film historian Rudy Behlmer. Consider this one a must.

"The Rocketeer" (PG) released August 17
starring Bill Campbell, Jennifer Connelly, and Timothy
Dalton; directed by Joe Johnston
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/6305428514/entertainmentsit
Joe Johnston, who scored a sleeper hit with "October Sky"
and was recently chosen by Steven Spielberg to direct
"Jurassic Park 3," made his directorial debut with this
delightfully nostalgic throwback to the charm of 1930s
superhero adventures. Based on Dave Stevens's splendid comic
books, it's about a daredevil flyer who discovers a top-
secret rocket pack, and uses his newfound flying skills to
battle the Nazis on the eve of World War II. Underrated at
the time of its release, "The Rocketeer" has since gained a
loyal throng of admirers, and it's sure to be dazzling on
DVD.

FULL LIST OF NEW RELEASES
*************************
Visit the complete list of new releases for this week.
DVD

These new releases are available now on DVD:

"3 Days of the Condor"
"54"
"Everyone Says I Love You"
"Grace of My Heart--Collector's Edition"
"Night of the Living Dead--30th Anniversary Edition"
"Playing by Heart"
"Simply Irresistible"
"Star Trek: The Original Series, Vol. 1"
"Star Trek: The Original Series, Vol. 2"
"Virus" (DTS)

FUTURE RELEASES
***************
The following DVD titles are available for pre-order, and
will be delivered as soon as they are released. (Note: All
release dates are subject to change.)

"Go" (R) scheduled for release August 24
starring Katie Holmes, Sarah Polley, Jay Mohr, and Scott
Wolf; directed by Doug Liman
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0767835093/entertainmentsit
Director Doug Liman's follow-up to "Swingers" was this hip,
outrageous black comedy that tells the same story from three
overlapping perspectives, about the nocturnal misadventures
of a group of slackers, dopers, and assorted renegades who
get into--and sometimes out of--plenty of high-energy
trouble. Essentially a showcase for a zesty ensemble, this
indie hit owes a debt to Tarantino while venturing into its
own invigoratingly fresh territory.

"Titanic" (PG-13) scheduled for release August 31
starring Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio; directed by
James Cameron
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0792156684/entertainmentsit
James Cameron's Oscar-winning blockbuster is a global
phenomenon, and its bestselling release on DVD--scheduled
for August 31--has enthusiasts drooling. You know the story:
Boy meets girl, girl dumps fiance, ships hits iceberg, and
millions of teenage girls go berserk at the box office. Now
you can relive the passion and the disaster that captured
audiences around the world.

"The Nightmare on Elm Street Collection" (R) scheduled for
release September 21
starring Robert Englund; directed by Wes Craven, Chuck
Russell, Stephen Hopkins, Renny Harlin, and others
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0780626966/entertainmentsit
And you thought Freddy Kruger was dead? You should know
better--horror icons never die; they just get respectable.
That would appear to be the case with this lavish eight-DVD
boxed set, collecting all seven of the "Nightmare on Elm
Street" movies--each accompanied by lavish bonus features--
along with an exclusive eighth DVD-ROM disc containing the
"Nightmare Series Encyclopedia." Pre-order this massive
Freddyfest--and watch out for those finger-blades.

Visit a larger list of upcoming releases.
DVD

Other future releases available for pre-order include the
following:

Scheduled for release August 24:

"Cool Runnings"
"The Dreamlife of Angels"
"The Mod Squad"
"Mr. Holland's Opus"
"Nights of Cabiria" (Criterion Collection)
"Romy and Michele's High School Reunion"
"Sanjuro" (Criterion Collection)
"Sense and Sensibility"
"Ulee's Gold"
"Yojimbo" (Criterion Collection)

Scheduled for release Aug. 31:

"200 Cigarettes"
"The American President"
"The Avengers '65: Set 1"
"The Avengers '65: Set 2"
"The Bear"
"Idle Hands"
"Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels"
"Office Space"
"One Magic Christmas"
"Only Angels Have Wings"
"Paul Simon: Graceland--The African Concert"

Scheduled for release September 7:

"Adventures in Babysitting"
"Halloween: Limited Edition"
"Hocus Pocus"
"Il Postino"
"Quiz Show"
"Ravenous"
"Rebecca"
"Spellbound"
"Strange Days"
"Wallace & Gromit: The Complete Collection"

DVD STARTER KIT: BUILDING A GREAT COLLECTION
********************************************
Whether you're a DVD neophyte or an experienced collector,
it's getting harder to wade through the rapidly growing list
of available titles. That's why we've assembled a DVD
Starter Kit--organized by a variety of helpful categories--
to guide you to the finest DVDs that no collection should be
without. From "showcase" DVDs that maximize your home
theater to feature-filled DVDs, action-packed thrillers, and
timeless foreign classics, this is your win-win scenario for
building a DVD collection that totally rocks.
DVD

******

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