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Friday, March 26, 1999
9:43pm PST - Here's a quick preview of the image quality of American History X: It's a five glober. You can count every hair stuble on the faces and shaved heads of everyone in this film. It's as close to hi-def as DVD can get. Our full review is next.

2:25pm PST - In case we forgot to tell you, Artisan has announced the April 20, 1999 releases of BELLY, THE JAZZ SINGER, THE PUNISHER and MILLENNIUM. Today, Columbia Tristar announced the May 25th releases of GLORIA, THE CHINA SYNDROME, and HERO.

12:49pm PST - We just received a copy of AMERICAN HISTORY X today. Be looking for our exclusive review over the weekend.

12:30pm PST - TBP reader Joe Tracy thought you might like to take a gander at another headset display that renders a virtual 6-foot screen image, like the Glasstron headsets from Sony. With a mere 180,000 pixels, we can't imagine that they'd look very good, but we're always open to reviewing them if someone wants to send us a loaner set.

12:21pm PST - DVD Express to go public? Some think that they may, soon.

11:51am PST - After reading our special feature on the cordfree connection device below, Walter Warren wrote to remind us of another outstanding wireless device for DVD video transmission from one room to the next. Walter covers all the bases, so here's what he had to say...

"I'm using what I think is a fabulous cordless device for transmitting DVD video from my living room to my bedroom TV. It's called Wavecom and sells at Radio Shack, among other places for about $150. With DVD (hardware) prices coming down, its not as much of a factor, but when I got it, DVD players were going for $500. It uses a 2.4gHz trasmitter and receiver with little (paddle shaped) flat antennas that have to be aimed at each other. Picture quality is amazingly good (meaning still better than VHS). Stereo sound is also pretty good though a little compressed and sometimes a little hissy. It even transmits remote control signals between the two rooms. Before I got Wavecom, I tried a 900mHz transmitter which sucked, and a deivce that used the house electrical wiring, wich simply refused to work at all... Microwave ovens interfere with the signal, so make your popcorn first."

The BIG Picture can vouch for Walter's comments -- we also own the Wavecom Jr. (without remote control relay capabilities) and find that it works pretty darn well. In fact, we used it to obtain the screen shots used in our OF MICE AND MEN review.

10:04am PST - Another analyst says you can kiss those Blockbuster/Divx rumors good-bye. And may we add, good riddance. Congratulatons to all who called or wrote Blockbuster to tell them what you thought of the idea... Bully for you!

7:51 PST - In case you missed the Laserviews whopper of an update yesterday, here's the link. DVD is becoming a virtual horn 'o plenty for enthusiastic supporters of the format -- like the elderly gent from San Francisco who wrote to us yesterday -- with 1,079 DVD's in his collection! Wow!

7:47am PST - Here's a fairly critical review of the "The Library of Congress: Eyes of the Nation" CD-ROM that says the disc is anything but complete.

7:13am PST - SPECIAL REVIEW FEATURE: Like most of you, we receive a ton of computer catalogs on the mail every week. Parts, systems, accessories, etc. You know the drill. When we got our Compaq laptop last month, we stopped into our local CompUSA, looking for some sort of a cordfree link between our laptop and the phone line. After all, what good is a laptop if you have to have it tethered to your desk for Internet access? The rep at CompUSA told me that the only cordfree connection devices available were for networked computers. We were out of luck. Then, as we were flipping through one of the catalogs we receive, PC Connection, we spied a device made by IBM that claimed a range of 200' from the laptop transmitter that attaches to the PC via a small, unobstrusive clip to the base/recharger unit that connects to the phone line. We were very skeptical -- we've used other "wireless" products that promised the moon and ultimately disappointed us. But for $59, we were willing to give this unit a whirl.

After playing around with the IBM Cordless Computer Connection, we must admit -- we're impressed. Range seems good, with indicator LED's that keep you apprised of range (and hence, connection quality) at all times. Our favorite spot is downstairs and through the wall from the receiver, but we have been a good 150' away from the base without any trouble. While the device promises high-speed connections of up to 33kBs, we haven't been able to connect to our ISP (which limits us to 28.8k) at anything faster than 26,400k so far, but the minimal decrease in connection speed (which frankly, we haven't been able to perceive) is more than made up for by the mobility this device gives us. The battery needed a 15 hour charge before our first use, and the charge lasts a bit longer than 2 hours, about the same time length as our laptop battery. An optional power supply can be purchased to plug the transmitter into the wall -- but that sort of defeats the purpose of being able to move around. The transmitter is easily undocked from the clip that is adhered to the back of the screen with a strong adhesive square (a second square is provided in case you want to change the position later). The transmitter docks neatly and easily into the receiver/recharger. We know that companies like Qualcomm are working on wireless Internet connections that promise much greater range (at a much greater cost, we assume), but for now, this cordfree solution from IBM has provided us just what we were looking for -- and it really works.

"Been in the pool too long, ay shorty?"

8:06pm PST - As prolific as Bob is with writing his top-knotch reviews, you'd almost think that he didn't have a day job -- but he does! Way to juggle your schedule to crank out all these reviews, Bobby B! Here's his latest -- ONE FALSE MOVE

7:50pm PST - For our legion of loyal review pals, here's another one from your friend and ours, Bob Banka. John Woo's BROKEN ARROW.

7:26pm PST - Ah, John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara. What's the scoop on the image and sound quality of this new transfer from Republic/Artisan? Bob Banka gives you the full scoop on THE QUIET MAN -- No quiet men here..

5:01pm PST - "Remember when we were in Africa? The music was new, black polished chrome and came over the summer like liquid night..." The latest wave of titles from Universal arrived today and among them THE DOORS Collection, filled with classic Doors performances seperated by Jim Morrison's strange poem recitals (gee, he sounds exactly like Val Kilmer!) and other transcendental pop art images. Groovy, baby. As can be expected, the video ranges from crisp, clean with no caffeine to muddy waters, cat. The disc includes classic performances, like the one on Ed Sullivan's show in which the group defied TV's moral convention of the day by using the word "higher" in their lycrics of "Light My Fire". Sullivan had wanted them to substitute the word "better" instead. This DVD is just one, big happy music video and a definite must for any DOORS fan. If you think Jim Morrison's poems were nutty (or inspired), check out Jeff McNeal's original prose of nonsense, aptly titled, NONSENSE, made available by direct link for the first time, anywhere! These were written several years ago when Jeff was a radio DJ, working paltry four-hour shifts with clearly too much time on his hands...We think that Jim Morrison might have dug it, though.

4:49pm PST - Dragon's Lair gets some competition...Disappointed that there aren't enough games to play on your standalone DVD player? Chin up, Bunky... Here's another one for ya.

4:44pm PST - Image Entertainment prepares for the growing DVD market with three new hires in strategic positions.

4:42pm PST - If you've got a ZV (Zoomed Video) notebook PC, then MARGI Systems has a DVD player just for you...

4:23pm PST - There's one for you, nineteen for me... Sorry for the late edition of today's top DVD and Home Theater-related stories. We were out of town visiting with our tax man. Ouch. We've been receiving a lot of email from folks who read our interview with Warner Brothers yesterday. Some are a but puzzled that the venerable studio seemed unaware that there's a strong consumer preference for keepcases versus the snapper-doodles.

6:22pm PST - Here's the exclusive interview we had with Warner Home Video this afternoon. We asked them about their reluctance to part with snapper cases, whether or not Babylon 5 is coming to DVD in Widescreen, what's the real sory behind the delay of Shawshank Redemption and lots of other topics besides the one they contacted us to discuss in the first place: YOU'VE GOT MAIL.

3:25pm PST - The BIG Picture has just completed an exclusive interview with the DVD development team over at Warner Brothers, who are anxious to promote their upcoming title, YOU'VE GOT MAIL. Be looking for another special report to find out what we've learned, coming soon. The interview came about on very short notice; so we went to our VIP members asking them for input. Though we didn't have the opportunity to ask Warner Bros. all the questions that were submitted, we were able to ask them a lot, including "what's the deal with the snapper cases?" Their answer and many other issues may surprise you.

11:59am PST - Ain't too proud to beg... One good five-glober deserves another... It's a rare happenstance when we actually post two reviews on the same day that score our highest honors for image quality -- and it brings us great pleasure to do so... Here's Jeff's review of THE TEMPTATIONS.

10:09am PST - So, you've read the raves, but how does ANTZ look on the BIG home theater screen? Looks like DreamWorks has their first, bonafide five-glober from The BIG Picture with ANTZ. We knew that DreamWorks could do it! Congratulations are in order. Here's Bob's review of the computer-animated winner.

10:06am PST - Have you seen this Best Buy DVD vs. Divx page? We hadn't either, but it packs a knockout punch under a velvet glove. Thanks to Jason Graham for providing the link...

9:30am PST - From the "we'll believe it when we see it" file.... A company is claiming a pending service that will allow hi-def video transfers via the internet. A typical movie would take about 10 minutes to download, with no special user hardware requirements. Here's their self-aggrandizing press release. Draw your own conclusions. Here's another take on the story from Wired News.

9:08am PST - That's one twisted sister, baby... Turning his focus from Rock 'n Roll to filmmaking, Dee Snyder's STRANGELAND has found its' way into an article on TV Guide Online. We'll be providing a review on that one soon -- once we can work up the courage.

9:04am PST - Good news. We've received word that the interview we were promised with Pixar will take place the week of April 4th. We'll let you know more as soon as we have a definite date in place.

8:52am PST - Okay, okay, it has nothing to do with DVDs or Home Theater, but... Ever since we were taken in by the liberating charms of laptop computing a few weeks ago during our system upgrades, we've been searching for a reliable way to add "wings" to our computer and allow us to connect to the Internet anywhere we want within TBP HQ. We think we've found the solution -- and for just fifty-nine bucks, the IBM Cordless Computer Connection seems to be working like a charm. We'll provide a full review after we've had a few days to put this puppy through its' paces, but so far, we're impressed. By the way, we know for a fact that Qualcomm is developing a similar device to connect laptop users to the Internet wherever they are -- land lines not required. Stay tuned...

Thank you for your e-mail. We apologize for the delay in responding.
Fortunately, our customers have found Blockbuster's web-site helpful and
informative. Unfortunately, the response we have received from e-mail
communication has been overwhelming our staff's ability to keep up with
them. However, we are in the process of increasing staff to ensure a
faster response to our customer's inquiries and concerns. Please accept
our apologies for any inconveniences this delay may have caused. Customer
feedback is very important to us, and we are glad you took the time to
write. At Blockbuster, we realize that nothing is more important than our
members. We are dedicated to creating and maintaining an outstanding level
of customer service.

We would like to address your concerns as we greatly value your membership.
Blockbuster has not made any announcements regarding our support of DIVX.
The information released last Thursday is simply speculation. Therefore,
as a matter of policy, Blockbuster does not comment on such a rumor.

We take your comments and suggestions as a welcome show of interest and
loyalty. Your patronage is very important to us, and we hope that you will
continue to allow Blockbuster the opportunity to serve your entertainment
needs.

Sincerely,
BLOCKBUSTER Customer Service
800/800-6767

7:07am PST - Parents searching for good, clean, family entertainment for their brood are going to really go ape over Bob Banka's latest review of MIGHTY JOE YOUNG

4:30pm PST - A little coffee in your cream? We're taking a look (and listen) at Image's FRESH LIVE CREAM, featuring some great documentary footage on the legendary rock band. 1993 interviews with various band members including Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker and Jack Bruce make for a fascinating retrospective. Will there ever be a CREAM reunion? The question is posed to the band members at the end of the feature...

4:10pm PST - If you haven't checked out the latest announcements over at Laserviews lately -- get over there for some good stuff. The best news in our humble opinion? All but one of Paramount's latest crop are 16x9 enhanced. Welcome back, Paramount. We're also thrilled with the confirmation that Artisan is releasing ALICE IN WONDERLAND on May 25th. My six year old son never got to see the ending, because we lost the remote with the speed control for our VCR and couldn't tape the entire series. If the recent treatment of THE TEMPTATIONS is any indication, we've got much to look forward to.

10:22am PST - Thanks once again to Dana for all the Techweb links this morning. Here's one detailing some new offerings from Sony -- including an awesome sounding laptop, and two new DVD models -- including one that holds 200 discs, available in the near future.

10:15am PST - Here's another Techweb article about the ramping-up of DVD hardware sales. 1.5 million units were sold in '98 -- 2 million are expected to be sold in '99. VHS is still the dominant video format,with 25 million units sold in '98, but the experts are forecasting a rosey future for DVD with the advent of recordable DVD's in about two years.

10:05am PST - Techweb reports that Radio Shack is planning to increase their selection of DVD players in a deal with either RCA or Sony. Given RCA's early support and continued commitment to pay-per-view Divx, we hope that Tandy will go with Sony models instead.

10:00am PST - If you're getting ready to take the plunge and buy a DVD player, here are two things to consider: Avoid purchasing a Divx-restricted player... and check out this cyber-guide to purchasing a player. Special thanks to Special Field Operative Dana for the link.

9:54am PST - Hope you enjoyed the Oscars telecast as much as we did - but seeing Monica Lewinski in attendance sort of diminished the grandeur of the evening -- and brought the lofty spectacle of the event crashing back down to earth. Will someone please tell us when her 15 minutes is up? On the bright side, we thought it was a classy thing for Whoopie Goldberg to acknowledge the passing of Gene Siskel, giving him a big thumbs up. Meanwhile, you can take a gander at Bob Banka's Oscar predictions below -- and see how he measured up.

And the winners will be...

It's Oscar Night, and what type of film fan would I be if I didn't at least take a stab at predicting who will win the top awards? Like many of you, I'll be sitting before my big screen this evening as the sun is just going down in Tinseltown, waiting for Whoopy to take the stage and kick off the show. Each time a presenter tears open an envelope, I'll be calling out who I think will get the statue. These are the names I'll be calling out:

Best Screenplay (Original) - Marc Norman and Tom Stoppard, "SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE"
Best Screenplay (Adaptation) - Terrence Mallick, "THE THIN RED LINE"
Best Supporting Actress - Kathy Bates, "PRIMARY COLORS"
Best Supporting Actor - Billy Bob Thornton, "A SIMPLE PLAN"
Best Actress - Gwyneth Paltrow, "SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE"
Best Actor - Nick Nolte, "AFFLICTION"
Best Foreign Language Film - "LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL"
Best Director - Steven Spielberg, "SAVING PRIVATE RYAN"
Best Picture - "SAVING PRIVATE RYAN"

Let's read about your picks over at The BIG Picture forum. Enjoy the show!
For lots more info on the Oscars, check out their site!

Now that we've taken all the mystery out of it, here's Jeff's review of THE PARENT TRAP. Stay close -- more reviews are coming soon!

On Friday evening for our regular "Family Fun Night" at The BIG Picture, we watched an installment from TWILIGHT ZONE Vol 12, followed by THE PARENT TRAP. While the former met our expectations (each episode is a gem), the latter exceeded them. We highly recommend this updated Disney Classic for great family viewing, with five-globe award winning picture and some terrific sound, too. It's our Editor's Choice this weekend, from TBP. Even though the transfer is not anamorphic, Disney deserves high marks for wringing the absolute best image quality from a letterbox disc. We were impressed. And we're not so easily impressed around here... To provide compelling evidence of our highest honors, the following stills are screen shots taken from the actual DVD itself. Highly recommended. Be looking for our full review, coming soon.