disc news
MONDAY, MARCH 7, 2005
Masks, Enterprise, Vera Drake

Mask and Mask again

Son of the Mask Box Art

In one of the more aggressive release efforts, barely three months after its theatrical premiere New Line Home Entertainment brings Son of the Mask Platinum Series to DVD on May 17th. Consistently trashed by the critics and earning the distinction of position twelve on the IMDB's bottom 100, expect this release to be packed with an anamorphic transfer, Dolby Digital 5.1 audio, and supplements including a commentary with director Lawrence Guterman and writer Lance Khazei, deleted scenes with optional director commentary, Chow Bella - Hollywood's Pampered Pooches featurette, Creating Son of the Mask: Digital Diapers and Dog Bytes featurette, Paw Prints and Baby Steps: On the Set of Son of the Mask featurette, storyboard and conceptual art gallery, and a theatrical trailer. The SRP will be $27.95. Perhaps more interesting is that The Mask will be released on that same day as a new Platinum Series DVD, finally replacing the March 1997 non-anamorphic disc. It will sport an anamorphic transfer, 6.1 DTS ES and 5.1 Dolby Digital EX audio, three featurettes (Introducing Cameron Diaz, What Makes Fido Run, and Cartoon Logic, Return to Edge City), two commentaries (one with filmmakers and New Line Cinema's Bob Shaye, and the other with director Chuck Russell), and deleted scenes (a carryover from the original DVD release). The SRP will be $19.97.

Worthy voyage cut short

Star Trek Enterprise Season One Box Art

Many fans are upset with the announcement that Star Trek Enterprise will be cancelled after it completes the 2004-2005 season. With the exception of NBC's shortsightedness with the original series in the mid-'60s, this is the shortest run of a Star Trek franchise series. In this writer's opinion, the cancellation is unjustified; the series was just getting warmed up. It will be fascinating (no pun intended) to see if the fan base can turn things around as their parents did in 1968. But for those who wish to preserve the experience, Paramount Home Entertainment will release Star Trek Enterprise - The Complete First Season on May 3rd. Seven discs will span 1147 minutes of content and will carry an SRP of $129.98. That's all I have for now.

Oscar Caliber

Vera Drake Box Art

Imelda Staunton's Academy Award nominated performance comes to DVD from Warner Home video on March 29th. Based on true events, Vera Drake portrays the story of a woman in Britain of the mid-'50s, devoted to her family, but secretly aiding women who want to terminate unwanted pregnancies. When the authorities discover her secret, her world and her family life unravel. Presented in the film's theatrical aspect ratio of 1.85 in anamorphic video, and supported by a Dolby Digital 5.1 audio track, expect the disc to have an SRP of $27.95.

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