By Peter M. Bracke

October 4 - 7

'Folk' tales - 11:40am

Just announced from Showtime Entertainment is a 1/8 release date for Queer As Folk: The Complete First Season. This six-disc set contains all of the first season's 22 one-hour episodes, uncut and unedited, with almost 3 hours of extras including extended scenes, original casting tapes, never-before seen outtakes, and commentary, Retail is $119.95 for the set.

Paint it 'Black' - 11:40am

While the average filmgoer has probably never heard of this one, for horror fans it is one of the few horror semi-classics still unavailable on DVD here in the States. Bob Clark's Black Christmas never quite had the success of future "slasher" flicks like Halloween or Friday The 13th, but it was even more ahead of its time. Though already released on DVD up in Canada, Music Video Distributing has just announced a 11/6 street date for a US region 1 version. The disc comes with a non-anamorphic widescreen transfer, 2.0 stereo track, cast and crew filmographies, and the trailer. Retail is $24.95.

Ken Burns returns - 11:40am

Debuting a week before its PBS broadcast, Warner has just announced a 1/8 arrival for the fifth film in Ken Burns's popular American Lives series, Mark Twain. Included on this DVD-18 release are numerous extras, including interview outtakes, twelve great Twain quotes and photographs, a "Making of" interview with Ken Burns, and the short documentaries Ken Burns: Making History and A Conversation with Ken Burns. No aspect ratio or sound format information is yet available, but retail is $24.95.

Do the 'Evolution' (10.03.01 - 3:55pm)

In what is likely the last big announcement of the year (but don't quote me on that), DreamWorks has just announced a 12/26 arrival date for the Ivan Reitman box office disappointment Evolution. The disc features an anamorphic widescreen transfer, English 5.1 Dolby Digital and DTS surround tracks, an interview with Reitman, 8 deleted scenes including an alternate ending, a making-of featurette and an additional featurette on the special effects, and the trailer. Retail is $26.95.

Fragility V2.0 (10.03.01 - 11:53am)

Hey Nine Inch Nails fans, 12/4 is gonna be your day. Just announced at the official NIN website, All That You Could Have Been is NIN's first-ever live album, which will also be released on DVD. Shot in full digital video, the disc features 18 songs, audio commentary, multiple angels, stills, and more. No word on aspect ratio or price, but check out the official site for the details.

In other NIN news, we received word from Trimark that the NIN Closure DVD, originally scheduled for 12/4, has been indefinitely postponed pending artist involvement. Stay tuned...

» Pre-Order: Click for best price

Buffy lives! (10.03.01 - 12:03am)

After a year of waiting, false starts, and dashed hopes, longtime Buffy The Vampire Slayer fans can be forgiven for being a tad cynical when it comes to any possible Buffy DVD release, but finally it seems we have the real deal. Fox has just sent out the full press release for Buffy The Vampire Slayer: The Complete Season One, as well as the rather neat-o box art. Just click on an image for an enlargement, and mark 1/15 on your calendars. Buffy lives, indeed!

Pixar turns 15 (10.03.01 - 12:03am)

Well, I just don't believe it. 15 years!? To celebrate the birthday of everyone's favorite animation great, Disney has announced a new Pixar 3-Pack due on 10/30. Nothing new here - simple repackagings of the existing releases Toy Story, Toy Story 2, and A Bug's Life. These are the "standard" editions that have some extras, but are not as feature-loaded as the currently-available deluxe editions of these three titles. Still, with a $44.95 price tag and a free redeemable movie ticket certificate inside each pack for the new Pixar epic Monsters, Inc., due in theaters on November 2, this ain't a bad deal.

Buena Vista has also announced specs for a number of their other November titles, all due on 11/20. Everybody's Famous is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen and Dutch 2.0 surround, along with the trailer, while the direct-to-video Jailbreakers is presented in 1.33:1 full screen and 2.0 surround, with no extras. Buena Vista will also bow two foreign imports on 11/13, the comedy The Closet, presented in 2.35;1 anamorphic widescreen and French 5.1, along with eh trailer, and a special edition of Calle 54. Presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen and French and Spanish 2.0 surround, extras include an audio commentary with Latin Jazz Historian Nat Chediak, musician biographies and discographies, the trailer, and a full-length documentary on the history of Latin Jazz on the flipside of the disc. Retail is $32.95 a pop.

More MGM December titles (10.02.01 - 12:01am)

Just announced from MGM is their next wave of December catalog releases, another quite varied (and, as usual, extensive) mix of old and new. Arriving on 12/26 are Amazing Grace and Echo Park (both mono only), China Moon,, and Maria's Lovers, all presented in non-anamorphic widescreen and 2.0 stereo surround, and with trailers. Presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen and 2.0 stereo surround are Carrington (with featurette), The Russia House (in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen) The Favor, Lonely Hearts, Dudley Moore in Romantic Comedy, J.D.'s Revenge (in mono only), Fires Within, the Geena Davis comedy Speechless (with 5.1 track), one of my favorite Australian sleepers The Good Wife, and (yes!) that 80's camp classic Mannequin (and these last three all feature additional pan & scan versions). Retail is $19.95 a pop. Presented in full screen only are J.D.'s Revenge, the 1970 version of Wuthering Heights, and Jack & Sarah. Retail is $14.95 each.

Lastly, on 12/11 comes two special editions. First is the cult favorite Truly Madly Deeply, which includes a full screen transfer only, 2.0 surround mix, an audio commentary and video interview with director Anthony Minghella, and the trailer; Next up is the little seen but charming drama The Basket, presented in anamorphic widescreen and English 5.1 surround, along with an audio commentary with director Rich Cowan, deleted scenes with optional commentary; no less than 6 making-of featurettes, outtakes, and the trailer. Retail is $24.95 each.

The big summer hits just keep a-comin', with the latest big blockbuster DVD announcement. Raking in over $200 million at the US box office alone this past summer, New Line's Rush Hour 2 was even more popular than its predecessor. Debuting on 12/11, get ready for another big Infinifilm release, complete with 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer, new Dolby Digital Surround EX and DTS 6.1 Discreet ES "near field" mixes created especially for the DVD, tons of making-of material and more. Retail is $26.95, and check out the full press release for the full details.

Also coming on 12/11 is one of my favorite films this past year and the first movie musical worth anything in years, Hedwig And The Angry Inch. This Platinum Series title includes a 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer, English 5.1 Dolby Digital and DTS mixes, audio commentary with director and writer John Cameron Mitchell, all-new 90-minute documentary "Long Story Short: The Forging Of A Cult Legend From Stage To Screen," and the trailer. Retail is $26.95.