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Friday, March 12, 1999
4:47pm PST - Still on the fence about whether or not to cough up the scratch for VE? Check out this infomative article about Video Essentials and some current DVD titles in the Virginia News Pilot by Bill Kelly III.

4:41pm PST - Is Sony Wining the Living Room Race? An article in MSNBC seems to suggest it. Check out the amazing graphic that the next generation Playstation is capable of rendering. Wow. Dear Santa: I know what I want for Christmas 2000!!

4:28pm PST - Our DVD sPy that provided us the earlier DVD release info about the STAR WARS series has told us that he's just received a DVD containing both of the PHANTOM MENACE trailers and that they appear to be anamorphic and authored by Lucasfilm directly. We've asked him to let us borrow his copy so we can confirm it. According to him, the DVD demo of the trailers looks and sounds fantastic.

A big apology from The BIG Picture for our sparse updates the last two days... Knee-deep in some massive computer upgrading, we're still drowning in a sea of cables, expansion cards and empty boxes. Configuring all the tools to enhance the maintenance and appearance of this site takes time -- and we're doing the best we can. In addition, my duties as a professional voice-over artist took me out of the editor's chair and into the recording studio this morning. If you ever pick up a copy of the current PC game M1 TANK PLATOON or EUROPEAN AIR WARS by Microprose -- or the upcoming Fox Interactive "DIE HARD TRILOGY II" game, you'll hear my voice, barking out commands, getting beaten up by Bruce Willis, getting run over by a car, etc. I do several voices on each game. In yet another shameless plug, be listening for my voice featured in the upcoming DRAKAN - ORDER OF THE FLAME game, as the heavily-processed voice of the lead dragon, "Arokh". You can even lose your shirt to me online at the Gold Club Casino, where I'm featured as the voice of your friendly, online dealer. Will that be Visa or Mastercard?

Thanks again for your patience. Bob's review of DIE HARD II is coming soon, along with an in-depth interview with the folks at Pixar responsible for the upcoming A BUG'S LIFE DVD. Yesterday, we sent email to our VIP subscribers asking for some input for questions -- and the response was phenomenal. Thank you. The number one question that we'll be asking based on your input? "How come it's not anamorphic, guys?"

4:25pm PST - Roberts DVD News page says that Divx is on the ropes, cutting spending and scaling back disc production. To this we simply say: Good. Big thanks to Mick Brown for the link!

12:00noon - The BIG Picture proudly presents our in-depth advance peek at New Line Home Video's PLEASANTVILLE. The review may take longer than usual to load because it's filled with several screen shots from the disc itself. We think you'll be impressed. We sure were.

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Wednesday, March 10, 1999

7:41pm PST - Yippee eye-oh keigh-ayyy...Here's Bob Banka's take on one of the titles we've all been waiting for (and some of us still are!) DIE HARD.

5:56 p.m. PST - Okay, so we have some news for you today after all. And it's good news for those of you who have been waiting for the absurd comedy, KINGPIN. Up until today, the last we heard was that MGM was releasing a full-screen version of this film at the wishes of the Farrelly Brothers. Whether this was just a rumor -- or cooler heads prevailed, we may never know. But the bottom line is this: KINGPIN debuts on DVD for $24.98 on May 18, 1999. The film will be presented in both Widescreen and standard formats and will include an audio commentary by the directors -- and one of those MGM-trademark eight-page "collectible" booklets on the making of the movie in addition to the new footage that will be presented. Oh, did I forget to mention that already? KINGPIN will feature an additional four "hilariously tasteless" minutes of never-before-seen footage and a new "R" rating to go along with the mirth and twisted merryment. No word on whether the Widescreen side will be anamorphic -- but we certainly would expect so.

9:00am PST - The good news is, the new DVD-ROM drive works. The bad news is, that due to unexpected configuration problems with several of our other computer upgrades, we regret that there will be no news updates today -- at least not until later -- unless you consider this announcement news... Be looking for our exclusive, first peek at PLEASANTVILLE in our in-depth review tomorrow! And by the way, the following shots aren't publicity stills -- they're (compressed) screen shots off the DVD itself! Wow!

7:05am PST - Parting is such sweet sorrow... With today's announcement of the closing of all U.S. Future Shop Stores (and the instant elimination of the franchise as an outlet for Divx), we realized that we never stopped to consider that their alliance with Divx might have been one of their last-ditch efforts to stay afloat. Obviously, Divx sales were not enough to help the Canadian electronics giant keep their doors open in this country. Special thanks to our reader, Geoff, for the link!

6:52am PST - We're entering another dimension... We must be TWILIGHT ZONE addicts around here. Yesterday, when we received copies of volumes 10, 11 and 12 in the mail, some of us literally got the chills, we were so excited. In our humble opinion, the series keeps getting better and better with each four-episode volume released.

6:42am PST - FREE DVD ALERT We've received some extra copies of New Line Home Videos' FRIDAY, RUSH HOUR and FIRST STRIKE and rather than give them to relatives or our drinking buddies -- we'd rather give them away to YOU. We've got two sets of the above titles -- six discs in all -- to be given away. Here's how we're going to do it: We're going to place our random contest banners on the actual review pages for the titles we're giving away, as soon at the same time their in-depth technical reviews are posted on The BIG Picture... The only exception will be FIRST STRIKE -- the review for that title is already up -- the contest banners will begin to appear on that page tomorrow morning anytime between 9am and 9:30am PST. Then, keep an eye on our newly added reviews! As soon as you see RUSH HOUR or FRIDAY posted -- be looking for our contest banner to win a copy of the movie! (One winner per title, please!) Good luck!

6:40am PST - To mark our upcoming first anniversary on April 3rd (my, how time flies when you're watching movies and bashing Divx!), The BIG Picture is preparing to add a new and exciting feature to our website. Details coming soon! Think of this announcement as... a theatrical trailer of sorts...

9:32am PST - The world's first DVD Audio authoring system has hit the streets; be listening for DVD hit music in the near future...And lest you think that illegal copying of DVD audio is going to be a concern...

9:28am PST - TeleServices International Group has added DVD to its online and telephone ordering product line.

9:23am PST A day late and a dollar short...Last week, in the midst of our computer upgrades, plus other behind-the-scenes goings on that we won't bore you with, we neglected to inform you of the scads of new title announcments by Image Entertainment on their Laserviews DVD News site -- so here you go!

9:15am PST - "Full of grace! Full of grace!!..." The BIG Picture congratulates Shawn Bogard from Lawrenceville, Georgia and Steve Hauben of Purchase, New York for winning our free DVD copies of the PECKER. Way to go, guys! More free DVD's coming soon!

9:12am PST - Want to know how serious Sony is about investing in their next generation DVD-enabled Playstation? They're sinking $1 billion dollars into the manufacture of the key chip components. Thanks to Chad Beaudin for the link!

8:38am PST - When all he really needed was a good vacation...Venerable sympathetic tough-guy Charles Bronson enjoyed a nice run at the box office with DEATH WISH. So nice that DEATH WISH 2, 3 and 4 all followed. But does the DEATH WISH franchise have enough gas left to make a FIFTH movie in the series? Or do we all want to rise up from the balcony together and shout in unison: DIE ALREADY! Bob Banka ventures into uncharted territory with his review of DEATH WISH V: FACE OF DEATH.

8:28am PST - Circuit City to investors -- Don't worry, be happy...One of our readers, Daniel Deganis, is amused by the positive spin that Circuit City is placing on their losing Divx proposition. Daniel quoted Circuit City Chairman Richard Sharp in his email:

"Because the Divx marketing program is designed to support the promotions of retailers, the higher-than-expected sales pushed retailer incentives above our initial projections for the full quarter. We anticipate that Divx will reduce the Circuit City Group’s fourth quarter earnings by approximately 31 cents per share."

And the classic don't worry it can't be any worse this year statement:

"We are in active discussions with potential financing and distribution alternatives for Digital Video Express and are optimistic that we will complete one or more transactions this year," Sharp said. "Nevertheless, in the unlikely event that additional financing is not obtained, we believe that the costs associated with Divx will not exceed those incurred in the fiscal year that just ended."

http://www.circuitcity.com/help/pr030499.htm

WEEKEND UPDATE
Revered by many, reviled by a few and reclusive to all, Director Stanley Kubrick ( A CLOCKWORK ORANGE, FULL METAL JACKET, THE SHINING, SPARTACUS) has died at the age of 70 in England...

Celebrate the moments of your life... Here's another revew for you to linger over, with that double tall nonfat latte... Bob takes a look at Columba Tristar's THE ALARMIST.