I must say, Dr. Hill, I’m VERY disappointed in you. You steal the secret of life and death, and here you are trysting with a bubble-headed Co-Ed? You’re not even a second-rate scientist! THE RETURN OF DR. HERBERT WEST!!!Also some stuff on SPEED RACER: COLLECTORS EDITION!!!The Final CARY GRANT film…DRUMLINE…… ANALYZE THAT!……. SONNY AND CHER!!!News from COMEDY CENTRAL!!!COLUMBIA TRISTAR and MTI releases…And one more delay on PUNCH DRUNK LOVE First up today, is the big news from the good folks at Artisan, about their upcoming SPEED RACER: COLLECTORS EDITION which will include the first 11 episodes of the 52 Ep classic anime series, featuring 2.0 Dolby Digital Surround and the original Fullframe aspect ratio. Packaged in “Real Rubber Tire” packaging, this set will also feature SPEED RACER FILES, an interactive demo of the Mach 5 controls, karaoke theme song, production notes and a “Villains Gallery”. This one hits the streets on April 22, with the rest of the series to follow if this title proves successful… In other Artisan news, look for BEHIND THE LINES, DEADLY SPECIES, LIVIN’ THA LIFE, MONSTER GARAGE, DRUG WARS: THE CAMARENA STORY, SCARLET AND THE BLACK and CHILDREN ON THEIR BIRTHDAYS as well as a new YOUNG GUNS: SPECIAL EDITION set and the recent hit docu-mentary STANDING IN THE SHADOWS OF MOTOWN all also due on April 22.A&E Home Video has announced SECRET AGENT: SET 6, RONALD REAGAN: A LEGACY REMEMBERED, TESS OF THE D’UBERVILLES and the acclaimed TEDDY ROOSEVELT:AN AMERICAN LION all skedded for March 25.Also for March 25, Rhino Home Video has 4-disc sets of KIMBA THE WHITE LION and THE LONE RANGER ready to ride the range…And not to be left out, Buena Vista Home Entertainment gets in on the March 25 date with PATH TO WAR. as well as having THE OTHER SIDE OF HEAVEN ready for April 1.Fox Home Entertainment has announced that they will debut the recent sleeper-hit DRUMLINE on DVD for April 15. The urban teen drama will be available in separate Fullscreen and 2.35:1 Anamorphic Widescreen versions, both with 5.1 DDS sound, and extras including 10 deleted scenes with optional commentary , a BET making-of featurette, trailers, a soundtrack promo and 2 music videos. Also look for audio commentary from director Charles Stone III, just don’t expect his “Whasssuuup” buddies to be invited…April 15 is the day to remember for all of you fans of Bobby D comedy. Warner Brothers Home Entertainment have announced that to be the day they will unleash ANALYZE THAT, the somewhat less-than-successful follow up to the 1999 hit ANALYZE THIS. Bobby D, Billy Crystal, Joe Viterelli and Lisa Kudrow all reprise their roles from the original, and are joined by Cathy Moriarty and Anthony LaPaglia in this continuing tale of Wiseguys with issues. Anamorphic Widescreen with 5.1 DDS, look for an audio commentary by director Harold Ramis (Egon did this!) a making-of featurette, theatrical trailer and the Mafia Associate Degree Exam (M.A.D.E.) test.Also on the WB horizon are a couple of high profile BBC productions heading our way in April. DANIEL DERONDA has been adapted from the classic George Eliot novel, and features a star-studded cast, including Barbara Hershey, Edward Fox, and Greta Scacchi. No details have been revealed, but the 210 minute mini-series will be available in a single-disc set on April 1.April 15 sees the release of the now near-legendary BBC presentation of THE SINGING DETECTIVE. This musical homage to Film Noir stars Michael Gambon, Joanne Whalley and Patrick Malahide. The 413 minute mini-series is presented in it’s original Fullscreen aspect ratio on 3 discs, with extras including audio commentary from Gambon and director Jon Amiel, a photo gallery and 2 behind-the-scenes featurettes.“Direct-response” company Respond2, will release a 3-disc compilation called THE SONNY AND CHER COLLECTION derived from “the best” of THE SONNY AND CHER COMEDY HOUR and THE SONNY & CHER SHOW. Seven hours (!) of material for all of you Sonny and Cher fans, available only through exclusive Infomercial offers – so stay up late and keep that cordless phone charged up… riiiiiiiiiiight.Comedy Central has announced their new slate of series coming to DVD. Shows on the horizon in 2003 include THE BEST OF INSOMNIAC WITH DAVE ATTELL (UNCENSORED), STRANGERS WITH CANDY, CRANK YANKERS, PRIMETIME GLICK and the made-for-net movie PORN N’ CHICKEN. Rumored to begin these releases in May, no deets have been announced yet. Stay tuned for more…Lion’s Gate has announced a September 23 DVD debut for the long awaited threequel to cult epic REANIMATOR. BEYOND RE-ANIMATOR features the return of insane genius Dr. Herbert West, played by B-legend Jeffrey Combs, who is still trying to master the power of reanimating dead tissue. No rating has been given to the film, and no DVD details announced, but you can check out the production company and some trailers here – Who’s going to believe a talking head? Get a job in a sideshowOur good friends at MTI Home Video have announced three titles in their April release schedule. April 1 sees the release of the Western thriller CHEYENNE starring Bobbie Phillips, Gary Hudson, Bo Svenson and M.C. Hammer – Yes, I did indeed say “Hammer”.April 8, MTI follows that one up with the Urban drama GENIUS about a desperate guy who pays an obnoxious teacher to help him win the love of a beautiful and intelligent girl. This one come courtesy of award-winning writer/director Babar Ahmed, and stars newcomers Dioglerin Linares and Kelly Walters.Also on April 8, MTI will team with Bedford Entertainment to release SANITARIUM, an eerie psychological horror flick starring real-life telekinetic Uri Geller and Kate Copeland of the Royal Shakespeare Company.Finally, on April 15, MTI releases the Gator Home Entertainment production PHOBIC starring Billy Parish and Anthony Azizi in a story of a nightmarish serial killer stalking the one witness to his crimes.Finally, we come to Columbia Tristar, the busiest little studio by far…CTHE has announced an April 22 release date for the Master P project LOCKDOWN. The ubiquitous rapper produces, stars in and provides music for the film about the harsh reality of life in prison. Costarring Richard T. Jones, Clifton Powell and Gabriel Casseus, the film will be presented in Anamorphic Widescreen with 5.1 DDS sound and trailers.April 29 sees the release of the 1968 Burt Lancaster classic THE SWIMMER. Lancaster plays a middle-aged Ad man who is strangely inspired to “swim home” across the yards of his Connecticut suburb, swimming pool by swimming pool. Along the way, he reveals his dreams, his desires and his fears, as he interacts with a cavalcade of friends and neighbors. Costarring Kim Hunter, Janet Landgard and Joan Rivers, this adaptation of a John Cheever story is full of late 60’s social commentary and biting dialogue. Presented in Anamorphic Widescreen with remastered audio, this is definitely one to check out.Also making it’s debut on April 29, is the Cary Grant comedy WALK, DON’T RUN. Grant plays a wealthy British industrialist, stuck in Tokyo during the 1964 Olympics. When he can’t find a hotel, he smooth talks his way into the apartment of a beautiful girl and then complicates matters by inviting a member of the U.S. Olympic team to move in as well. Costarring Samantha Eggar and Jim Hutton, this was the inimitable Cary Grant’s last screen role. Featuring both AW and Fullscreen presentations with remastered audio and trailers for extras, this is a must-have for any fan of the legendary Archie Leach.On May 6, CTHE has a “Special Edition” version of THE PEOPLE VS. LARRY FLINT, as well as KING RAT, NAKED LIES, CHANCES ARE, DREAM WITH THE FISHES and the Ray Harryhausen classic IT CAME FROM BENEATH THE SEA.And last, but not least, one more slap in the face of P.T. Anderson fans…CTHE has announced, yet again, the postponement of Anderson’s 2002 hit PUNCH DRUNK LOVE. Rumor has it that ol’ P.T. asked for the delay himself, to fine tune the extras package on the film, so it better be a damn fine package…That’s all for today, Rabies and Germs, but check back for more reviews, more news and more O’ that good ol’ down home ECDVD lovin’ that we dish out by the pantload every single day.Till next time… Don’t you go changin’!
