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Friday, May 7, 1999
1:38pm PST - After a week of playtime with MARGI System's "DVD To Go" package, we'll have a review for notebook DVD viewing posted sometime this weekend. Stay close.

1:32pm PST - You've got glitches.... Here's a story in the San Jose Mercury News groussing over the lack of standards for DVD-ROM enabled movies. Amen, brother. We've been screaming for DVD standardization -- and not just for DVD-ROM, but the platform itself, since day one. Is there anyway we can throw a fake party for all the studios, then lock all of them in the dance hall until they've scratched out common, minimum standards for all discs on dampened cocktail napkins?

1:29pm PST - Have you heard about the special STAR WARS promotion going on right now at Digital Eyes? Fans of the flicks will want to investigate...

1:21pm PST - We finally have a name behind the face of the Divx pitchman, thanks to one of our valued readers who signed his e-mail with "not always proud to be from Richmond, VA" We told him to keep his chin up. We expct the Divx building to be selling auto parts in time for the new millennium. There are also some provocative posts on The BIG Picture Forum regarding Divx. Check 'em out. Anyway, Juan Conde works for WRIC TV-8 as the new co-anchor on the six o'clock news.He was a DJ on a local radio station before his thrust into the national spotlight as the smiling champion of Divx. Here's to hoping he did the spot in trade for a Divx player and a few titles. Actually, being in "the business" of advertising myself, the truth is, our friend Juan is probably a very nice guy. Why, just last week I voiced an infocommercial for a pitchman who thinks he can talk to the dead -- and show you how for just four easy payments of $19.95!!

12:03pm PST - The polls closed a few minutes ago and The BIG Picture congratulates Kenneth M. for his come-from-behind rally to overtake the runner up in a very tight race for the autographed ARMAGEDDON DVD, courtesy of Disney and director Michael Bay. Be looking for our mystery screenshot contest to resume sometime this weekend on The BIG Picture! A special thanks to all who participated in the contest. Our message board has never been so distinguished with such fine posts!

11:55am PST - Step right up to the tragical history tour! Jeff reviews Wes Craven Presents CARNIVAL OF SOULS. We're not sure if this clown could even scare up some fries at Jack In The Box.

7:05am PST - What, me worry? Even though Circuit City has slacked off their print ads for that demon-seed of a format Divx, we were still subjected to this goofball's pitch on cable TV the other day. So don't count the push for pay-per-view discs out just yet. But just for fun, has anyone seen published reports of first quarter or YTD sales of either Divx-restricted players or Divx software or Divx registered accounts?

6:08pm PST - We've received some interesting Divx information recently. For instance, after a rather light release schedule in April, did you know that there are only eight Divx titles scheduled for release in May? Another reader, Michael Jacobson (whose monitors newspaper ads across the country as part of his job), points out that in the last few weeks "Circuit City hast constantly dropping ALL mention of DIVX in their full page ads in favor of open DVD players only! Some of the ones I've seen show an RCA and a Pioneer version displayed, and also make mention of Warner's 5 free disc offer... Is this the beginning of a slow fade to black for the beleagured pay-per-view rival DVD format?

6:00pm PST - Fear & loathing, a.k.a. Don't worry, the doctor says it's "okay"... This afternoon, we received an obscenity-riddled, contemptuous, loathing e-mail from someone accusing us of plagiarizing reviews from DVD Empire. In other words, we were accused of plagiarizing our own review. Although our site name and authors' names appears at both sites as the original source of these reviews, we'd like to take this opportunity to remind all our valued readers (even the third-graders that daddly lets play with the computer), that The BIG Picture officially licenses our review content to both DVD Empire and BigStarDVD... So if you see a review over there (or even over here) that looks familiar, well, chances are good that it's because we wrote it. Case closed.

11:35am PST - Jeff takes a good look at a good-looking DVD. STEPMOM was a pleasant surprise for our sappy editor. The big goof failed to realize, however, that Bob Banka already reviewed STEPMOM 10 days ago. So now, we have two reviews of the same movie. Oops! It is interesting to note however, that despite the differing impresions that Bob and Jeff had of the film, each led to nearly identical views on image and sound quality.

9:47am PST - If you're an aspiring actor, or are interested in the type of information that can help inspire thespians to even greater heights, then be sure to check out the brand new ActorsCraft web site. The BIG Picture was flattered and honored when published author and director Larry Silverberg (who's written several books on acting) asked if we would allow him to post The BIG Picture's original reviews as a special monthly feature on his new site. If our work can help inspire a future Robert DiNiro or Dustin Hoffman, Meryle Streep or Kathy Bates, who are we to stand in the way of art? Bob Banka's outstanding review of THE APOSTLE is the first of our reviews to be featured on ActorsCraft.com. We've noticed that longtime BIG Picture sponsor Digital Eyes is sponsoring a DVD giveaway on the site, too!

12:14am PST - Ron Epstein of Home Theater Forum fame dropped us the link to what he believes is the Internet's first review of THE PHANTOM MENACE. See what you think. Aint-it-cool-news also covers the event (no spoilers).

3:04pm PST - Watch out! There's a 7 foot Tyrant Lizard with chaffed thighs that's headed your way at a half-mile an hour! Run for your lives!! Jeff takes a fond look at the 1948 Sci-Fi thriller (insert low octave descending trombones here) UNKNOWN ISLAND.

12:43pm PST - So... where are the new reviews? The good news is, Bob Banka is taking the week off, but beginning the work on three or four new DVD titles. The bad news is: Bob Banka is taking the week off and your friend and mine, Jeff McNeal, is holding the venerable review bag. We'll have Jeff's reviews of UNKNOWN ISLAND later today and a look at BADLANDS and STEPMOM within 24 hours. Here's a short take on STEPMOM. Great movie, outstanding image and sound, too. Thanks for your patience.

12:42pm PST - Hey there, bright eyes! Have you picked up your $9.99 copy of YOU'VE GOT MAIL at CompUSA yet? That makes this disc the absolute best value we've seen for your money. Get it!

9:22am PST - There's no need to adjust your television set... The BIG Picture will soon be accessible from your browser simply by typing www.thebigpicturedvd.com There's no need to change any of your bookmarks for the time being... But if you find yourself at Auntie Donna's house for the weekend and need your fix, just remember www.thebigpicturedvd.com and you're in like Flynn!

8:54am PST - A big thing just gets better... The BIG Picture is pleased to announce the next chapter in our evolution of the site. The rest of the picture - The BIG Picture Guest Review Index will be launched imminently. Anyone wishing to contribute their own reviews, regardless of screen size will be welcomed to participate! The Rest of the Picture will follow the same format as our "official" reviews, however. Each will contain the name of the reviewer, a brief listing of their HT setup, comments, synopsis, image, sound, special features and conclusion section. Although the "official" reviews that Bob and Jeff write will continue as always, we feel that the addition of reader reviews will only add depth and interest to The BIG Picture! Anyone wishing to contribute should begin formatting their reviews to the above standards. We'll let you know when the page is ready for your valued input! We're also looking at this as a potential farming opportunity in which one or more talented writers might eventually be invited to join our official review staff!

8:52am PST - Be sure and VOTE FOR THE WINNER of the Criterion DVD of ARMAGEDDON, personally signed by Director Michael Bay, courtesy of Buena Vista Home Video! This is the first contest in which our readers decide who should win, so BE SURE TO VOTE! Our contestants are counting on you!

9:20am PST - Warner Bros. has announced the July 6th day and date release of their animated feature THE KING AND I. In conjunction with the release, Warner Bros. and Princess Cruises are launching a sweepstakes to win a 14-day cruise in which a family of four can "experience Southeast Asia like kings"... etc., etc. etc.

the 8:03am PST - Time is on my side, yes it is...It's being widely rumored that the STAR WARS TRILOGY will be released either this November or "not for another year and a half" because George Lucas has "something very special planned". Let's hope none of us get hit by a bus while we're waiting.

7:53am PST - Reuters/variety reports that DVD is set to explode this year and predict DVD recordable devices from major manufacturers priced as low as $250 during the holiday season will contribute to the boom in sales. Yes, but we wonder if anticipation of recordable DVD might stifle the growth of DVD players in the meantime? Special thanks to Chad A. Beaudin for the link. We appreciate tips like these now that Special Field Operative Dana is MIA and the DVD sPy is sunning on the sandy beaches of San Tropez after undergoing plastic surgery to alter his identity. Hope he's wearing lots of suncreen...

7:30am PST - Congratulations to Whit Neubauer of Northville, Mississippi for being the first to correctly identify RESERVOIR DOGS as the DVD where our last Mystery Screenshot came from! Way to go, Whit!

Bob Banka takes a (oh-so-brief) break from his DVD player to take in the latest BIG Picture Box Office Review of ENTRAPMENT. Is Sean Connory finally getting too long in the tooth to keep up with the likes of Catherine Zeta-Jones?

Remember, to qualify for the hand-signed autographed copy of Michael Bay's Criterion Collection version of ARMAGEDDON, you have until Sunday midnight to make an intelligent contribution to The BIG Picture DVD & Home Theater Forum (see details below). If puzzles are more your game, be sure to lok in on our latest mystery screenshot on our contest page.

...in the category of worst DVD packaging we've seen this year, the award goes to... may I have the envelope please.... ACADEMY AWARD WINNERS! The other day, we received this crushed and crumpled, flimsy cardboard box containing "A complete 10-hour documentary series chronicling the first half century of Oscar-winning motion pictures." The cover art depicts celebrities galore posing with their trophies and we thought that this set was going to feature some memorable acceptance speeches from the stars of yester-year receiving their awards. That's not the case. The series is actually a fairly dry documentary, looking back and touching briefly on the films that were honored for the awards. Image quality varies wildly, as you might expect. Although you can't judge a book by its cover, you can certainly get an idea of how much investment went into the publication. We'll provide more in-depth comments after we've had the chance to really sit down and watch the contents in earnest.

In the first of what we hope will be many similar hardware reviews in the future, The BIG Picture will be providing a firsthand look at MARGI Systems "DVD to Go" notebook DVD decoder card. We've received the equipment -- and this week we'll be putting it through its paces. Stay close! We'll let you know what we learn this coming week.