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created 12/15/97. |
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created: 2/25/99
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Studio
News -
Artisan Entertainment (Live) |
Here's
the text of Artisan's new press release, announcing the first use of
DVD-18 discs:
ARTISAN HOME ENTERTAINMENT REVOLUTIONIZES
DVD INDUSTRY WITH PRODUCTION OF THE FIRST EVER DVD 18
Stephen King's THE STAND To Be The First Title Offered In New
Format
SANTA MONICA, CA (February 25, 1999) - Artisan Home Entertainment,
the leading independent DVD and home video distributor, today
announced a major DVD Industry breakthrough with start of production
on the world's first ever dual-sided, dual-layered disc to be called
DVD 18. According to Jeff Fink, President, Sales and Marketing,
Artisan Home Entertainment, Stephen King's The Stand will be the
first title offered in the new format.
"With the first DVD 18 title, we are achieving an
eagerly-awaited technical breakthrough in the world of DVD
technology," said Fink. "We were the first to pioneer DVD
9 within the home entertainment industry with the launch of James
Cameron's Terminator 2: Judgment Day and plan to do the same with
the new DVD 18 to the benefit of retailers and consumers alike. DVD
18 enables Artisan to offer our extensive library of compilations
and mini series on a single, high-quality disc.
With multiple layers on each side which can hold up to eight hours
of digital information at high quality, DVD 18 eliminates the need
for multiple discs for a single title and the special packaging they
require. In addition, DVD 18 economizes shelf space by allowing
double the currently available duplication area on a single disc.
The first DVD 18 title, Stephen King's The Stand, will feature a
continuous six-hour special edition of the critically acclaimed
television miniseries. Stephen King's The Stand is the powerful film
version of King's best-selling novel of the same name. Starring Gary
Sinise, Molly Ringwald, Jamey Sheridan, Laura San Giacomo, Ruby Dee,
Ossie Davis, Miguel Ferrer, Corin Nemec, Matt Frewer, Adam Storke,
Ray Walston and Rob Lowe, the film is about the end of civilization
and the ultimate battle between good and evil.
The specialized DVD 18 replication will be handled by Warner
Advanced Media Operations (WAMO), with processing scheduled to begin
by September 1, 1999.
Artisan Entertainment Inc., headquartered in Santa Monica,
California with satellite offices in New York and Dallas, is the
leading independent entertainment company specializing in the
domestic and international marketing and distribution of
feature-length motion pictures. In addition, Artisan controls a
library of more than 6,300 titles, including Terminator2: Judgment
Day, Reservoir Dogs, Dirty Dancing, Total Recall, The Piano and the
Rambo series of films. The company distributes to the theatrical,
non-theatrical, home video and television markets around the world
through its subsidiaries, including Artisan Entertainment; Artisan
International; Artisan Television; Artisan Pictures; and Artisan
Home Entertainment and its children's label Family Home
Entertainment, which jointly distribute Hallmark Home Entertainment
under an exclusive, long-term domestic sales servicing agreement.
The company recently licensed home video sell-through rights for the
US and Canada to all films in Spelling Entertainment Group's
Republic Entertainment subsidiary, representing a collection of more
than 3,000 titles. The library includes such classic films as It's a
Wonderful Life, High Noon, Rio Grande and John Ford's The Quiet Man.
Also include are such modern titles as Tender Mercies, Highlander
and Highlander 2 and several Stephen King pictures including Stephen
King's The Stand, Stephen King's Thinner and Stephen King's The
Langoliers.
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PREVIOUS
NEWS (10/13/98)
Artisan Entertainment has released information about their
forthcoming DVD releases of Earth Girls
Are Easy and Weekend at
Bernie's. The discs will be released on December 15th,
and will include the following features:
Earth Girls Are Easy -
anamorphic widescreen, Dolby Surround 2.0, additional scenes,
production notes, Earth Girls TV, karaoke songs, Spanish subtitles,
99 mins, SRP $29.98
Weekend at Bernie's -
widescreen, Dolby Surround 2.0, production notes, Spanish subtitles,
101 mins, SRP $24.98
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PREVIOUS
NEWS (9/12/98)
Artisan has issued a series of press releases, indicating the disc
features and release dates for some upcoming DVD titles.
First of all, Artisan is re-releasing a DVD version of Dirty
Dancing. The new release has been digitally enhanced and
remastered. It will include both widescreen and pan & scan, and
will feature English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. A 2.0
soundtrack will be provided in French, and also 1.0 mono Spanish.
There will be subtitles in all three languages, as well as English
captioning. The disc will also include interactive menus, scene
access, production notes, cast and crew bios and a theatrical
trailer. The SRP is $24.98, and the title streets October 13th.
NOTE: I'm also told it will be re-released in Amaray keep case
packaging.
On October 20th, look for new DVD versions of First
Blood, Rambo: First Blood Part
II and Rambo III.
All have been digitally remastered for 16x9 widescreen. Each disc
will contain the 25 minute, behind-the-scenes documentary, An
American Hero's Journey. First
Blood will also contain a unique featurette First
Blood: A Look Back, and Rambo
III will include a similar featurette, Rambo
III: Full Circle. All three will include unique
commentary tracks as well, (with David Morrell, George Cosmatos and
Peter MacDonald respectively). All will feature Dolby Digital 2.0
sound, theatrical trailers, trivia games, interactive menus, scene
access, cast & crew bios, Spanish subtitles and Close
Captioning. SRP is $24.98 each. Amaray keep case packaging.
NOTE: I've been told that a 5.1 mix was originally planned, but
unfortunately the original audio stems could not be located to
create one. |
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