Crocodile rock - 12:04am

After taking a healthy bite out of the box office this past summer, Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin's first big-screen adventure Collision Course returns for seconds just in hopes of scaring up a fourth quarter holiday feeding frenzy. MGM Home Entertainment will debut a special edition DVD on December 17th loaded with family-friendly extras, including a making-of documentary, "Lights! Camera! Animals!" featurette, deleted scenes with director introduction, behind-the-scenes effects footage, a "Pop-Up Croc" factoid track, Outback interactive games, a still gallery, Baha Men music video, and theatrical trailers. The film will be presented in both anamorphic widescreen and full screen formats and English 5.1 Dolby surround, with a suggested retail price of $26.95.

Hoping to entice audiences to "Fall in love all over again!" with some of their greatest romantic catalog hits, MGM has also announced a special Valentine's Day promotion set to unwrap itself on January 7, 2003. Making their first-ever DVD debuts are such 80's "classics" as Mystery Date, Secret Admirer, Making Mr. Right, director Randal Kleiser's controversial drama Summer Lovers, the Gene Wilder comedy The Woman in Red, True Love, Much Ado About Nothing, Tune in Tomorrow, and Music from Another Room. All are presented in anamorphic widescreen (except Summer Lovers, Secret Admirer and True Love, which are full screen only) and extras include trailers. Retail is $14.95 each.

Also a part of the promotion are more romantic favorites, all newly repriced to $14.95 each: Born Romantic, China Moon, Carrington, Maria's Lovers, both the 1968 and 1999 versions of The Thomas Crown Affair, the decidedly unromantic Boxing Helena, Richard Gere's remake of Breathless, Just the Ticket, Best Picture nominee Four Weddings and a Funeral, the early Julia Roberts vehicle Mystic Pizza, and When Harry Met Sally. MGM will also reprice another Rob Reiner favorite The Princess Bride to $19.95, and the Reese Witherspoon smash Legally Blonde to a low $9.95.

John Huston's 'Fat City' makes DVD debut - 12:01am

Often credited for reviving the directing fortunes of the late John Huston and launching the acting career of Jeff Bridges, Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment will bow the first-ever DVD release of the acclaimed boxing drama Fat City on December 10th. Light on extras, the cult classic will be presented in anamorphic widescreen and full screen formats with English and French mono soundtracks, and three bonus trailers. Retail is $19.95.

StarWars.com explains widescreen - 12:01am

In an effort to help the DVD format's growing mainstream audience understand just what those funny black bars are for, Starwars.com has launched a "Choose the Correct Format" guide explaining the ins and outs of DVD aspect ratios.

With Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones expected to take retailers by storm when it invades stores on 11/12, Lucasfilm will be releasing the film in both widescreen and pan & scan formats, as well as reissuing Episode I: The Phantom Menace in a new full frame-only DVD edition to appease those disinclined towards "letterboxing."

While widescreen presentations have always been the preferred format of choice for dedicated home theater enthusiasts, more and more studios are offering a pan & scan option on major releases to appease retailers and consuemrs who prefer "full screen." By explaining in easy-to-understand language the value of widescreen, StarWars.com hopes to help viewers make a more informed buying choice, which can only be good news for early adopters and newcomers alike. Visit StarWars.com for more information.