| As I've
been getting in touch with
studios, I've been able to obtain an increasing number of press
releases, so this area will be the new "storehouse" for family
DVD and video press releases. I hope you find them useful and
informative! Let me know what you think...
First,
is the press release for New Line Home Video's upcoming release of
"The Little Vampire":
|
A
Movie the Whole Family Can Sink Their Teeth Into!
FLIES ONTO SHELVES FOR SALE ON VHS
FOR $19.96 AND DVD FOR $24.98 ON MARCH 6 FROM NEW LINE
HOME VIDEO |
| LOS ANGELES, CA - New Line Home Video today
announced the VHS and DVD release of The Little Vampire, a
funny, yet heart-warming story for the whole family! Starring
Jonathan Lipnicki (Stuart Little, Jerry Maguire), The Little
Vampire is based on the characters created by Angela
Sommer-Bodenburg, whose The Little Vampire novels have been
adored by the world for 25 years and have sold more than 12
million copies worldwide. The Little Vampire is the story of an
American boy (Lipnicki) who moves with his family to the
sprawling Scottish countryside, where he makes friends with a
family of vampires whose lasting wish is to become human. The
film will be available in clamshell, day and date for
sell-through VHS for $19.96 and on DVD for $24.98 on March 6.
"Batty" Stars Both Behind the Camera
and On the Screen - Led by Jonathan Lipnicki, the
film’s cast includes Richard E. Grant (LA Story, Portrait of a
Lady), Jim Carter (Shakespeare in Love, The Madness of King
George), and Alice Krige (Chariots of Fire, Star Trek: First
Contact).
From the writers of The Addams Family, Beetlejuice, James and
the Giant Peach and Chicken Run, Larry Wilson and Karey
Kirkpatrick, The Little Vampire is a heartwarming, witty film
with worldwide appeal. In addition, the film’s costume
designer is three-time Academy Award winner, James Acheson (The
Last Emperor, Dangerous Liaisons and Restoration).
A DVD with real "Bite" -
The DVD contains features to encourage
"kid-interaction", including three animated menu-based
games as well as jokes and recipes. The Little Vampire DVD
includes full screen and widescreen versions of the film, 5.1
surround sound and 2.0 stereo surround sound, and the theatrical
trailer. The DVD-Rom content includes the script to screen
screenplay feature, which allows users to watch the film and
read the script at the same time, the original website, and cast
and crew filmographies.
A Cool Sweepstakes - Every VHS and
DVD will include a sweepstakes offer for a family of four to win
an all-expense paid trip to Legoland in California. This
sweepstakes will also be promoted through the Langer Juice
Company, Best Western Hotels, and AOL Kids.
New Line Home Video distributes all of New Line Cinema and
Fine Line Features theatrical films on video and select titles
on DVD. The company also distributes feature films and
non-theatrical programs acquired or produced by New Line Home
Video and New Line Television. New Line Cinema is the leading
independent producer and distributor of theatrical films. New
Line also licenses its films to ancillary markets including
cable and broadcast television as well as in all international
markets.
MPAA Rating: PG - Mild Peril - Run Time: 94 minutes -
Street Date: March 6 |
Another recent announcement from
New Line Home Video has to do with the release of their new
"Family-edited" movies on VHS. Currently these are not planned
for DVD, but I imagine if they sell well, we may see additional
family-edited titles appearing on DVD in the future. At the very least,
it sounds like an interesting movie viewing option!
|
NEW
LINE HOME VIDEO’S CHART TOPPING HITS
ARE NOW APPROVED FOR FAMILY VIEWING! |
| LOS ANGELES, CA - New Line Home
Video today announced the sell-through VHS release of three
family-edited films, The Bachelor, Blast From the Past and Lost
In Space. These titles have been edited for family viewing to
guarantee parents "safe," quality entertainment for
their children. Each of the titles has been certified with the
Dove Foundation’s Family Edited Seal.
"We are pleased to award the Dove Seal of Approval to
these edited titles," said Dick Rolfe, President of the
Dove Foundation. "There’s a significant market for family
edited product, and New Line is the only studio releasing major
titles in this format. We salute New Line’s management for
their willingness to serve the Family audience with these fine
films."
"We are confident that the market for these appealing
films in family edited versions will continue to grow,"
said Stephen Einhorn, President of New Line Home Video.
"These films offer entertainment for the whole
family."
The action and laughs of these titles will appeal to kids as
well as parents. Following is a brief synopsis of the titles
featured in this promotion: |
|
|
The Bachelor
- A bachelor has 24 hours to get married in order to collect a
$100 million inheritance. Stars Chris O’Donnell (Vertical
Limit, Batman & Robin) and Renée Zellweger (Nurse Betty,
Me, Myself & Irene). |
|
|
Blast From the Past
- A young man raised in a Cold War-era bomb shelter emerges 35
years later to look for love…and a couple hundred pounds of
ground beef... in this charming fish-out-of-water comedy. Stars
Brendan Fraser (The Mummy, Bedazzled, upcoming The Mummy
Returns) and Alicia Silverstone (Clueless). |
|
|
Lost in Space
- The Robinson family find themselves on a mission to save the
human race... and themselves in this sci-fi action space
adventure. Stars Gary Oldman (The Contender, Air Force One),
Matt LeBlanc (Charlie’s Angels, TV’s "Friends"),
Heather Graham (Bowfinger, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged
Me). |
| The Dove Foundation is a
nonprofit organization that encourages and promotes the
creation, production and distribution of wholesome
entertainment. The Foundation's Review Board awards a Dove
"Family- Approved" or "Family- Edited" Seal
to movies that it considers to be "safe for family
viewing."
Street Date: April 24 |
There was also an announcement
from Anchor Bay about their recent Thomas the Tank Engine VHS release:
|
The
newest title in the Award-Winning Video Series From Anchor Bay
Entertainment... THOMAS THE TANK ENGINE'S 'THOMAS' TRACKSIDE
TUNES & OTHER THOMAS ADVENTURES' |
| Thomas and his engine friends take children
on a magical musical ride with Thomas' Trackside Tunes &
Other Thomas Adventures, the newest title in the award-wining
Thomas video series. Children delight at the expressive faces of
Thomas and his steam-powered pals, each with its own distinct
personality, as they face everyday issues and try to be useful
to the residents of the Island of Sodor.
Thomas' Trackside Tunes will enchant young viewers as they
sing, clap their hands and dance to six all-new, sing-along
songs featuring Sir Topham Hatt and some "really useful
engines."
Storytellers Alec Baldwin and George Carlin will also
captivate children with two all-new exciting, story adventures
on the 34-minute video, available NOW from Anchor Bay
Entertainment for a suggested retail price of $12.98.
As an added bonus Anchor Bay is also releasing a special
Limited Edition of Thomas' Trackside Tunes (only $14.98 SRP)
packaged with "Toby the Tram Engine," a popular
character from Learning Curve International's Thomas &
Friends Wooden Railway System. When sold separately, "Toby
the Tram Engine" retails for $9.99. While watching the
video children can play with the wooden "Toby," making
viewing the video a truly interactive experience. Hurry because
these are only available in a limited quantity!
Peep! Peep! Travel the Island of Sodor with Thomas, Percy,
James and the rest of your Sodor friends as you embark on this
magical, musical ride. Follow the bouncing steam cloud and sing
along to 6 delightful music adventures. Fly high in the skies
with Harold the Helicopter, quack along with Donald's Duck, and
find out that accidents really do happen. Also included are two
All-New stories, "Gordon and the Gremlin" with
storyteller Alec Baldwin, and the never-released,
"Trucks" with storyteller George Carlin.
Hop aboard for an unforgettable journey of musical
excitement! |
For those of you with little
Thomas fans, I recently saw the limited edition
VHS version at Target for $9.99, so keep your eyes open!
Finally, there
are a couple of electronic polls that are being conducted that will help
two studios decide on the content for some DVD collections. First, Fox
Home Video is conducting an ePoll here
about "The Simpsons" DVD box set(s) due later this year, so be
sure you go there and take the time to tell them what you want to see!
I'm not sure how much longer the poll will run, so get there soon.
The second poll is being put on by Paramount Home Video and
Amazon.com to determine the 10 most popular episodes of "I Love
Lucy." Go here
and vote for your favorites, and the 10 most popular episodes will
appear as VHS and DVD box sets in the last quarter of 2001! Voting
started on February 14th, and it will conclude on February 27th. Don't
delay, time is running out!
That's it for now,
but stay tuned for more! |
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