If at first you don't succeed... - 6:09pm

...Try, try again. Hoping to get it right the second time around, Anchor Bay Entertainment and director Michael Mann have worked together to bring you a two-disc Restored Director’s Edition of Manhunter on July 8th. While the previous two-disc special edition of the first Hannibal Lecter adventure (known as Red Dragon in novel form) met with fairly good notices, this new version seems poised to easily eclipse it. Minted from a new high-definition master, this extended and fully director-approved new cut of the film is presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen and Dolby Digital Mono, plus new extras including an audio commentary by Mann, the original screenplay, deleted and alternate scenes, multiple still galleries and the trailer. Retail is just $19.95.

War and remembrance - 6:09pm

Just in is Fox Home Entertainment's July lineup of announcements. In addition to the debut of their new Hong Kong Legends collection and MASH Season Four (see March 19 update for the full details), they will also release two revered classics in new feature-laded special editions.

The war favorite Brigham Young debuts on July 15th and includes a newly restored 1.37:1 transfer and English and French mono tracks, plus an audio commentary (participants TBA), the featurettes "The Mormon Trail," "Tyrone Power Script" and "Jane Darwell Script," a MovieTone premiere newsreel, extensive publicity and promo still galleries, and the theatrical trailer.

As part of Fox's Studio Classics line comes the 1956 version of Anastasia, starring Yul Brenner and Ingrid Bergman. Newly restored, the film is presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen and English Dolby 2.0 surround, with tons of extras: audio commentary by Jon Burlingame, Sylvia Stoddard, Arthur Laurents son of Helen Hayes and James MacArthur, the Biography TV special"Anastasia," MovieTone newsreels, Oscar footage, a still gallery, restoration comparison and a trailer gallery. Retail is $19.95.

Note that Fox has also announced a new street date for the There's Something About Mary special edition, which will now be released on July 1st. Features and retail price remain the same.

The horror, the horror... - 6:09pm

Can you handle the terror!? The madness!? The horror!? on August 26th, MGM Home Entertainment will release a very extensive wave of horror favorites new and old. The goodies? Be afraid, be very afraid...

Leading the "pack" is the long-awaited special edition of The Howling. This re-release features a 1.85:1 anamorphic transfer and Dolby Digital 5.1 surround track, the audio commentary from the laserdisc with director Joe Dante and actors Robert Picardo, Dee Wallace-Stone and the late Christopher Stone, a brand-new 48-minute documentary, deleted scenes and outtakes and the trailer. Retail is $19.95.

Next we have Boris Karloff in The Ghoul, which will get the 70th Anniversary Edition treatment. Newly restored in its original 1.37:1 aspect ratio and English mono, extras include a featurette and the trailer. A recent favorite also getting some nice extras includes horror titles the spooky Burnt Offerings, remastered in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen and English 2.0 Dolby surround, with audio commentary by director Dan Curtis, screenwriter William F. Nolan and star Karen Black. Retail is $19.95 each.

Other 80's horror faves include Clownhouse, I, Madman, the early Jim Carrey spoof Once Bitten, Raw Meat (in its original uncut British version), and the delightful Squirm (also uncut), which also features audio commentary by director Jeff Lieberman. All feature new anamorphic widescreen transfers and trailers, and retail is $14.95 each.

For you Midnite Movies fans, get ready for a new batch of double feature greats: Comedy of Terrors/The Raven (both featuring new interviews with screenwriter Richard Matheson and director Roger Corman, plus a rare promotional record featuring the voices of Boris Karloff, Peter Lorre and Paul Frees), Countess Dracula/The Vampire Lovers (the former in its uncut British version, the latter with a still gallery, and both featuring new audio commentary by director Peter Sasdy, screenwriter Jeremy Paul and star Ingrid Pitt, and director Roy Ward Baker, screenwriter Tudor Gates and star Ingrid Pitt, respectively), The Haunted Palace/Tower of London (featuring new interviews with director Roger Corman and producer Gene Corman) and The Tomb of Ligeia/An Evening of Edgar Allen Poe (the former with two audio commentaries by director Roger Corman and star Elizabeth Shepherd and film historian David Del Valle). All are presented in anamorphic widescreen (except An Evening of Edgar Allen POE, presented in 1.37:1 full screen. Retail is $14.95 a pop.

Last but not least, we have three more 80's double feature discs, each with new anamorphic widescreen transfers and trailers: Ghoulies/Ghoulies 2, Poltergeist II: The Other Side/Poltergeist III, and Troll/Troll 2. Retail is $14.95 each. They're here!!!

Lois and Clark - 6:09pm

Rounding out today's news, word has just come in from Warner Home Video to watch for - at long last - E/R: The Complete First Season and Smallville: The Complete First Season in late summer/early fall. Specs for these sets are not yet available, but as always, watch this space!