Reel.com, premier online destination for film-related content and commerce, today announced the launch of a monthly print publication featuring columns by acclaimed entertainment industry journalists and critics, interviews with top actors and directors, and articles about new and classic films. Beginning today, Reel Magazine will reach movie lovers everywhere as an off-line extension of Reel.com's editorial content. The inaugural double-issue celebrates the Oscars®, America's favorite movie award, and 200,000 copies will be distributed to movie consumers who sign up through the Reel.com Web site or pick it up in off-line locations.

``Reel Magazine is a natural extension of the Reel.com brand,'' said Dave Rochlin, chief operating officer of Reel.com. ``We've assembled one of the top editorial staffs in the film world and the magazine is another way for us to present our editorial information to film lovers everywhere. The magazine, combined with our Web site, also offers an opportunity for advertisers to reach a highly concentrated filmed-entertainment audience.''

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Internet movie rental destination NetFlix and Circuit City, one of the nation's largest consumer electronics retailers, announced today that they are joining forces to offer a promotion designed to bridge the online and offline DVD marketplace. The move, expected to accelerate DVD hardware sales at Circuit City's more than 600 retail outlets nationwide, will provide an in-store coupon good for 13 free rentals from NetFlix to purchasers of DVD players beginning March 15 through August 31.

``NetFlix's partnership with Circuit City capitalizes on the benefits that a combined online and offline retail effort can bring to consumers,'' said NetFlix CEO Reed Hastings. ``Through alliances and promotions such as this, we have continuously sought to make NetFlix a valuable service for DVD hardware owners by providing them with simple rental programs and access to virtually every DVD published.''

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Spruce Technologies and InterVideo Inc. announced today that they have partnered to deliver a WebDVD player for Windows-based PCs, which Spruce customers can freely distribute with titles they create using Spruce Convergence(TM). When combined with Spruce's DVDonCD(TM) technology, the new Convergence-Enabled player enables Spruce customers to distribute DVD-quality material for use with on any of the over 200,000,000 CD-ROM equipped PCs installed today.

With the introduction of the new player, titles created using Spruce Convergence are optimized to work directly with InterVideo's renowned player engine. By including the player on their finished titles, DVD authors enable virtually any current Windows-based PC (98, 2000 and NT) to play DVD-quality titles without any additional specialized hardware or software.

``Spruce chose InterVideo Inc. because their player represents the highest level of performance and quality,'' said David Tinsley, Product Manager of Convergence for Spruce Technologies. ``We view the purpose of Convergence as truly integrating all aspects of the web, e-commerce, local and remote streaming media, with a better-than-broadband quality experience. We have big plans over the next few months to solidify our position as the forerunner in this technology, including evolving this new product into a player that raises the benchmark for multimedia deliverables. This is more than another promise of what the future will bring. We are delivering it now! In fact, we have clients that have already created and distributed titles using this technology.''

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Ultera Systems, the leading tape array controller and tape array system supplier, with unique and technically advanced storage controller products, today announced another move, immediately positioning the company in the DVD marketplace.

Ultera has signed an agreement with NewWave Technologies as a national distributor for the company's new DVD-R MultiMaster(TM), the most versatile DVD mastering solution available for short-run DVD duplication.

Ultera's DVD-R array controller allows up to 12 SCSI-based DVD-R drives to be connected to a single host, creating 12 DVD copies in the time it usually takes to record just one, making the Ultera DVD-R MultiMaster the most economical solution to create multiple DVD audio, video or data disks.

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Tired of watching the same old mega-budget films filled with inhumanly white teeth, extraordinarily sculpted bra-filler and mind numbing special effects? Tired of going to the movie rental joint only to be tempted by their candy counter? Tired of waiting until 3:00am just to see the films that you can relate to? Moviehead.com has the secret to fulfilling your deepest desires -- Free B-Movies.

"With hundreds of B-Movie titles such as "Hatchet For The Honeymoon," "Monster From Green Hell," "House of Exorcism," "Night of The Living Dead" or "Atomic Brain," Moviehead.com is to the B-Movie file what $70 million in campaign contributions is to George W. Bush," says James Nguyen, CEO and founder of Moviehead.com.

Imagine sitting in your stuffy little cubicle and logging on to titles like: "Reefer Madness," "Godzilla vs. Megalon" or "Convoy." What better way to kill the last couple hours before leaving work on Friday than to snuggle up with Frank Stallone in "Terror In Beverly Hills."

In addition to screening your favorite B-Movies, Moviehead.com also works closely with major film studios to bring its visitors in-depth information and trailers for current releases.

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Worldwide spending on DVDs will surpass that on videos by 2003 and there will be DVD players in 625 million homes by the end of the decade, according to a study released in London Tuesday.

"The implication is VHS is kind of a dead duck," said Bob Marich, senior editor of forecasting group Baskerville Communications Corp., which studies consumer habits.

"The growth of DVD software will continue through this decade despite competition from pay per view, satellite and cable."

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Daikin U.S. Comtec Laboratories announced today that its tests have confirmed the compatibility of Daikin's Scenarist(R) NT 2.0 advanced DVD authoring software with Panasonic(R)'s 5.2GB DVD-RAM drive. Enhanced with new productivity features, Daikin's professional premastering and authoring software simplifies the most difficult aspects of creating a DVD title so production time--and the associated costs--are substantially reduced. With drag and drop output to the Panasonic DVD-RAM drive, businesses and professional videographers can also realize significant savings in storage costs. By utilizing the same DVD-RAM drive for premastering, video storage, backup, database storage and for reading CDs at 20x speeds, Scenarist NT users can achieve even greater savings.

DVD-RAM technology offers DVD software developers, DVD publishers, post-production and creative content providers with compelling reasons for adding a DVD-RAM drive to their DVD authoring tools. The discs provide a removable storage capacity of up to 5.2GB (double-sided) and more than 100,000 write/rewrite cycles for about .008(cent)/MB. Applications that can benefit from combining Daikin's Scenarist NT with a Panasonic DVD-RAM drive range from entertainment, training, and educational videos to corporate product demonstrations.

"The versatility and capacity of the DVD format has raised the expectations for video content and interactivity," said Dr. Panos Nasiopoulos, Daikin U.S. Director of Marketing Communi-cations. "At the same time, increased competition and tight budgets are dictating the need for faster delivery of DVD titles at a lower cost. Scenarist NT helps DVD authors meet all of these expectations with tools that simplify production and support for DVD-RAM technology."

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Three of Hollywood's hottest young stars -- Matthew Perry (``The Whole Nine Yards,'' ``Friends''); Neve Campbell (``Drowning Mona,'' ``Scream 3,'') and Dylan McDermott (``The Practice,'' ``In the Line of Fire'') -- team up in the romantic comedy ``Three to Tango.''

The ``Three to Tango'' DVD version contains these extra features: dual format (pan and scan, widescreen), theatrical trailer, subtitles and Dolby Digital 5.1. ``Three To Tango'' will also be available on VHS with Spanish subtitles.

``A charming romantic comedy in the 'Tootsie' vein,'' according to the San Francisco Chronicle's Mick LaSalle, ``Three to Tango'' is about Oscar Novak (Perry), a boyishly handsome young architect on the rise who sooner or later will come out of the closet and declare before friends, parents, the cosmos and the 11-o'clock news that he is, well, straight. But will he do it? After all, the woman of his dreams feels comfortable around him ... because she thinks he's gay.

``Three to Tango'' is directed by Damon Santostefano, produced by Bobby Newmyer, Jeffrey Silver and Bettina Sofia Viviano and written by Rodney Vaccaro and Aline Brosh McKenna from a story by Vaccaro. Lawrence B. Abramson and Bruce Berman serve as executive producers; John M. Eckert and Keri Selig are co-producers.

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In ``House on Haunted Hill,'' the spine-tingling remake of William Castle's 1958 classic horror tale that starred Vincent Price, six strangers have the chance to make $1,000,000 each.

That is, if they can manage to make it through the night alive.

Combining white-knuckle terror with dark humor and cutting-edge special effects, ``House on Haunted Hill'' will debut April 18 from Warner Home Video on VHS for rent as well as on DVD.

Academy-Award winner Robert Zemeckis (``Forrest Gump,'' ``Contact'') and Joel Silver (``The Matrix,'' ``Lethal Weapon'' movies), along with Gil Adler (``Tales from the Crypt'') produced the movie which is a Dark Castle Pictures' production. William Malone directed.

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In a case of bad timing, Nintendo has confirmed that the release of its next-generation game console will be delayed until 2001, which likely will coincide with the release of Microsoft's first console.

The delay comes as Nintendo competitors Sega, Sony and now Microsoft increasingly are stealing the gaming pioneer's thunder. Sega and Sony both have beaten Nintendo to the punch with the release of the Dreamcast and the PlayStation2, respectively. Intended as home-entertainment hubs rather than mere game players, these consoles include features such as Internet connectivity and DVD players, as well as high-speed graphics and processing power.

Microsoft announced a similarly robust console, the X-Box, at an industry event last week.

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Poised to repeat its online ``first'' from late last year, Warner Home Video (WHV) has announced a second event featuring the Web-enabled ``The Matrix'' DVD.

This time it spotlights the Academy Award®-nominated special effects and technical wizards who helped mastermind the hit futuristic action-thriller, which has become the No. 1 best-selling DVD of all-time.

On March 23, users all over the world will again share the unique opportunity of simultaneously watching ``The Matrix'' while chatting online with its creators -- as they did this past November with writer/directors Andy and Larry Wachowski. Now, three more filmmakers will participate: Editor Zach Staenberg, Visual Effects supervisor John Gaeta and Sound Designer/Supervising Sound Editor Dane Davis.

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Sony Europe GmbH and Warner Home Video are joining forces on a joint DVD-Video marketing campaign designed to drive both hardware and software sales in Europe.

The campaign, which will run through the year 2000, has been specifically designed to generate greater consumer awareness and interest in the DVD format. It follows a breakthrough year in 1999 for DVD-Video in Europe, where player sales are exceeding 1 million units. Expectations are that DVD hardware sales will reach 4 million units and DVD software sales of at least 60 million units will be achieved in Europe this year.

The joint marketing campaign is the largest ever in Europe involving both a hardware and a software company. Beginning in April, there will be new TV commercials and print advertising to support the program. The promotion will also be supported by retail activities that will include a special Sony DVD/Home Cinema 4D demonstration display as well as point-of-sales materials.

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Warner/Reprise Home Video is set to release THE SMITHS: THE COMPLETE PICTURE, a compilation of the band's greatest video hits and performance footage on DVD. The fifty-minute collection is set for release on April 4th and is a companion to the VHS of the same title, which was released in 1992. THE SMITHS: THE COMPLETE PICTURE DVD is also closed-captioned and is presented in linear PCM stereo for the finest sound quality.

Featured on THE SMITHS: THE COMPLETE PICTURE DVD are music videos for the songs ``Panic,'' ``Ask,'' ``Girlfriend In A Coma'' (with excerpts from the '60s cult classic ``The Leather Boys''), ``How Soon Is Now?'' and ``Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before'' (with members of The Smiths' Indeed fanzine enterprise impersonating Morrissey). Also found on the DVD is the earliest television footage of The Smiths performing ``This Charming Man,'' as well as some of the band's legendary performances on the British television show ``Top Of The Pops''.

In addition, THE SMITHS: THE COMPLETE PICTURE features the short film by Derek Jarman ``The Queen Is Dead,'' which includes the tracks ``The Queen Is Dead,'' ``There Is A Light That Never Goes Out'' and ``Panic.''

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FirstLook.com, Inc., the web's premiere preview network, today announced its expansion into home video and DVD previews. Visitors to FirstLook.com can now view streaming movie trailers for hundreds of new VHS and DVD releases.

In celebration of its movie launch, FirstLook.com is honoring the Academy Awards® by allowing users to preview and vote for the Academy Award nominated films in eight of the top categories, including Best Picture, Best Actor/Actress, and Best Director. American Beauty is currently the runaway favorite among FirstLook.com voters, earning 39% of the votes for Best Picture.

Similar to the music charts on FirstLook.com, visitors can click and instantly preview films from categories including DVD, Movies, and Kids & Family. The charts, which are updated daily, offer an easy way for consumers to browse and preview all the newest video releases so they can decide which videos to rent or purchase online or offline.

FirstLook.com has created the Internet's premier digital marketplace for music and videos. When a visitor to FirstLook.com clicks on a movie title, a movie trailer begins streaming and a pop-up window appears which includes a sponsor's website. All FirstLook.com previews are sponsored by distributors and e-tailers that position the music and video products they sponsor on FirstLook.com charts. Consumers view the sponsor's website as they preview and have an opportunity to buy (or learn more about) the products they are previewing. Charter sponsors on FirstLook.com's video charts include Winstar Home Video, SamGoody.com, iChristian.com and DVD EXPRESS.

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Buena Vista Home Entertainment Blooms Into Spring With the Release of Seven New Titles:

• Happy, Texas
• Mumford
• That's The Way I Like It
• Iris Blond
• Jet Li's The Enforcer
• The Wonderful World of Disney's 'My Date With the President's Daughter
• Noah

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Eyes Wide Shut

Stanley Kubrick’s daring last film is many things. It is a compelling psychosexual journey. A haunting dreamscape. A riveting tale of suspense. A major milestone in the careers of stars Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman. And “a worthy final chapter to a great director’s career” (Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times).

Cruise plays Dr. William Harford, who plunges into an erotic foray that threatens his marriage – and may even ensnare him in a lurid murder mystery – after his wife’s (Kidman) admission of sexual longings. As the story sweeps from doubt and fear to self-discovery and reconciliation, Kubrick orchestrates it with masterful flourishes. Graceful tracking shots, controlled pacing, rich colors, startling images: bravura traits that make Kubrick a filmmaker for the ages are here to keep everyone’s eyes wide open.

"Eyes Wide Shut" is rated "R" and has a running time of 159 minutes.

Double Jeopardy

The chase is on! Ashley Judd shines in this unstoppable, untoppable box-office smash that co-stars Tommy Lee Jones in his “best performance since The Fugitive.”

Judd plays Libby Parsons, who discovers that the husband she's convicted of murdering staged his own death and framed her for the crime. Released on parole, she skips town to find him – and that puts parole officer Travis Lehman (Jones) on her trail. Packed with more crowd-pleasing excitement than several movies put together, Double Jeopardy delivers “lots of action and spine-tingling suspense from start to finish.”

"Double Jeopardy" is rated "R" and has a running time of 105 minutes.

Key Largo

A hurricane swells outside, but it’s nothing compared to the storm within the hotel at Key Largo. There, sadistic mobster Johnny Rocco (Edward G. Robinson) holes up and holds at gunpoint hotel owner Nora Temple (Lionel Barrymore) and ex-GI Frank McCloud (Humphrey Bogart).

McCloud’s the one man capable of standing up against the belligerent Rocco. But the postwar world’s realities may have taken all the fight out of him. John Huston co-wrote and compellingly directs this film of Maxwell Anderson’s 1939 play with a searing Academy Award–winning performance by Claire Trevor as Rocco’s gold-hearted, boozy moll. In Huston’s hands, it becomes a powerful, sweltering classic.

"Key Largo" has a running time of 101 minutes.

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MGI Software, a leader in e-commerce imaging and digital video, today announced a commercial partnership with DVDplus, the UK's leading online DVD retailer. The partnership will provide European users of MGI SoftDVD MAX - MGI's software-only DVD player - with a direct link to the DVDplus web site (www.dvdplus.co.uk ) which stocks every DVD released to the UK market.

Simply clicking on the MGI logo in SoftDVD MAX immediately launches the user's browser and transports them to the DVDplus site. Once there, visitors can choose from an extensive range of DVD titles and take advantage of the regular discounts and special promotions featured on the DVDplus web site. In return for attracting interested MGI SoftDVD MAX users to the DVDplus web site, the companies have entered into a revenue sharing agreement. The partnership is similar in nature to the relationship MGI Software has established with DVD EXPRESS for North American users..

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Warner Home Video (WHV) has launched an exclusive Web site, www.bogartfilms.com, dedicated to Humphrey Bogart, America's greatest movie star.

Packed with information about the Warner film legend, the new site coincides with this week's debut of WHV's ``The Humphrey Bogart Collection,'' which re-introduces 19 Bogart classics.

Two unique featrures of www.bogartfilms.com will be 1) posting historical studio correspondence involving Bogart and 2) inviting particiapnts to share their memories of Bogart and his films (the best will also be posted). Visitors to the site will find detailed information about Bogart's movies and his career, as well as photographs and trivia.

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Microsoft Corp said on Thursday it will hold a news conference at 02:00 GMT on Friday in Tokyo about a new game business. "The company will talk about its new game business. We can't comment any further" a Microsoft spokesman said.

Microsoft Vice President Rick Thompson, who is in charge of hardware, will attend the conference.

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"Three Kings," the highly praised action adventure film starring George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg and Ice Cube, will be available from Warner Home Video (WHV) on VHS rental and DVD on April 11.

"Three Kings" was voted best picture of the year by Newsweek's David Ansen and by the Boston Film Critics Association, who also gave a best director nod to David O. Russell. To date, the film has landed on more than 125 U.S. critics' top 10 lists. The Wall Street Journal's Joe Morgenstern said "Three Kings" sets "a gold standard for all other movies this (past) year."

The DVD (presented in 16:9 Widescreen) will be a specially enhanced, Web-enabled version with loads of extras priced at $24.98 SRP.

The DVD will include these special features:

• Behind-the-scenes documentary: "Under the Bunker: On the Set of Three Kings"
• Two feature-length audio commentaries with director David O. Russell and producers Chuck Roven and Ed McDonnell
• Tour of the Iraqi village set
• Interview with director of photography Tom Sigel
• David O. Russell's Video Journal
• Deleted scenes with commentary from director Russell
• Special photography from Spike Jonze, actor-director ("Being John Malkovich")
• An intimate look inside the acting process with Ice Cube
• Bunkers: Three hidden features found on menu pages. (Two bunkers reveal codes that will unlock special features on the Web and one bunker will unlock a TV spot.)

The enhanced features for DVD-ROM PCs will include:

• Links to CNN's Gulf War archives
• Special Web events: Online screenings and chats with filmmakers/stars (details to be announced)
• Original theatrical Web site and more

"Three Kings" centers around career soldier Archie Gates (Clooney), who has been marking time in his Gulf War base camp while high-tech U.S. specialists fight. But now, after the war's end, it's time for action as Gates and three other restless Americans decide to raid a bunker holding a stash of gold stolen by the Iraqi army. Get in, get out, get rich: the plan couldn't be easier. Or so they thought.

"Three Kings" is rated "R" and has a running time of 114 minutes.

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TEAC, a world leader in the manufacture of CD-ROM, DVD-ROM and CD-R/RW storage technology, today begins shipping the industry's lightest external CD-ROM drive, the 24X PortaCD, for laptop and subnotebook computers. Designed to fit easily into a laptop PC carrying case, the new drive compliments the mobile convenience of the thinnest laptop or subnotebook computer with a sleek, metallic clamshell design that is not much larger than a CD jewel case. The compact 24X PortaCD can be found at participating retailers throughout the country and is available to resellers and VARs through the Company's network of authorized distributors.

Weighing less than nine ounces and just 1/2`` thick, the top-loading TEAC 24X PortaCD performs at a maximum data transfer rate of 24X or 3.6MB/sec with a 130ms random access time. The high-speed data transfer rate allows smooth video playback without noticeable delay and the drive's low average access time provides quick database searches and access to reference materials. The external drive easily connects to a laptop or subnotebook PC using its accompanying PCMCIA Type II connector. It is powered directly through the PCMCIA connection so there is no need for an AC adapter or power cable. The drive is plug and play compatible with Windows 95/98 and Windows NT. It has front controls and a headphone jack to make it convenient to listen to and playback audio CDs.

``Even at a time when CD-ROM drives are relied on for so many standard applications on all PC Systems, there is a new wave of slim subnotebook computers that have opted out of built-in CD-ROM drives in order to stay ultra slim,'' stated Les Luzar, division manager, TEAC's Data Storage Products Division. ``TEAC has designed the sleek, lightweight 24X PortaCD to fit the demand of the traveler who can not be weighed down by bulky notebook peripherals and wants the advantages of a high-performance CD-ROM drive with their portable computer.''

The 24X PortaCD (model #CD-224PE) is shipping at an MSRP of $199.00.

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The organizers of the Oscars took no chances Tuesday and mailed out 4,000 duplicate ballots after a first batch of ballots disappeared before getting to members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

The original ballot papers, representing about four-fifths of the total of those deciding the film industry's most prestigious awards, went missing after being handed over to the Post Office a week ago.

Academy spokesman John Pavlik said the Academy first realized something was amiss on Sunday night when the Scientific and Technical Awards were handed out. Members attending that ceremony asked why they had not yet received their ballots. Then the Academy started receiving calls from other members on Monday asking what had happened to the voting forms.

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Capitol Records will release new, expanded special DVD and VHS editions of ``Endless Harmony: The Beach Boys Story,'' the highly rated, critically acclaimed documentary, produced by Stephanie Bennett of Delilah Films and directed by Alan Boyd, which made its U.S. television debut on VH1 in 1998.

A soundtrack CD of ``Endless Harmony,'' originally released to coincide with the VH1 airing, is also available. The DVD will feature five bonus video clips, including recently rediscovered and previously unreleased footage from the vaults, as well as new 5.1 Surround Sound mixes of seven of their classic songs.

The VHS release will also contain rare archival footage which has never aired before. In this two-hour documentary on their musical life, The Beach Boys tell the story of their remarkable career, a career that has spanned eight presidents and survived through tremendous personal and professional obstacles.

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The Digital Bits has released its great "Anamorphic Widescreen for Dummies" article that will teach even the most tech-savvy person something.

Bill Hunt, editor of TheDigitalBits, has produced a great guide for all those people who have questions about what an anamorphic transfer is and how it benefits them. It's a great article for anyone with a DVD player.

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March DVD Releases Include ``Eyes Wide Shut'' and ``Pokemon: the First Movie'' Plus Vintage Scooby-Doo and Tom & Jerry Episodes

Two of the hottest movies of 1999 will be part of the exciting DVD lineup for March, Warner Home Video (WHV) announced today.

Legendary director Stanley Kubrick's final masterpiece and the first Pokemon movie lead the diverse slate of releases, along with the DVD debut of beloved cartoon characters Scooby-Doo and Tom & Jerry. With each priced from suggested retail prices of $24.98-$26.98, there's something for every family member to enjoy.

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With all the talk of new digital technology in entertainment -- DVD, HDTV, the Net -- movie fans might think digital movies will be in local theaters any day, but that won't happen for years, industry experts said Monday.

The state of digital cinema took much of the spotlight here on the first day of the anual ShoWest trade show where theater owners meet each year to consider the health of their industry, and the health this year is anemic at best.

Despite a $33 billion 1999 at box offices worldwide, theater operators are overburdened with debt after recent years of building expensive mega-plexes. Many hope new digital films with crisp pictures and clear sound will enhance moviegoing and draw more people into theaters, but others aren't so sure.

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Multimedia projection company InFocus, Wilsonville, Ore., said Monday that it is acquiring Norway-based Proxima in a stock swap valued at $478 million. The combined companies will be the world's largest manufacturer of projection systems for PCs, video players, and DVD players. InFocus will continue to use Proxima brand names.

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Yamaha Electronics Corporation introduces the RX-V1, the first-ever DTS-Extended Surround home theater receiver. The RX-V1, the first to offer Dolby Digital DTS Surround 6.1 Matrix and DTS-ES, made its worldwide debut in Los Angeles with an exclusive audio and video demonstration at Ken Crane's Home Entertainment Center.

The new receiver is an expression of Yamaha's Digital ToP-ART Design – an engineering, performance and quality standard for the new era of digital electronics. The RX-V1 incorporates a pair of newly designed LSIs which deliver High Density Cinema DSP. Other new digital features include the use of Burr-Brown PCM 1704 -- 96 kHz, 24-bit -- DACs for all 10 channels and a wide-range, precise digitally controlled analog volume control.

The RX-V1 is an 8-channel receiver which maintains Yamaha's flagship tradition of adding two front-effects speakers to the conventional surround array. The new receiver delivers 110 watts to the six full-range channels required by the latest DTS and Dolby surround formats, and 35 watts each to the two front effects channels. Total power for the 8-channel amplifier is more than 700 watts RMS. For future external decoders, the RX-V1 is also equipped with 6-channel analog inputs.

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Sony Corp said on Monday it had sold 980,000 of its PlayStation2 video game consoles since the Saturday launch, nearly matching its sales target of one million for the first two days.

That is more than 10 times the sales scored by the original PlayStation console in the same period when it was launched five years ago, the company said in statement. The figures, however, included consoles sold over the Internet which had not yet been delivered to customers.

Sony's shipments seemed to have fallen short of demand and it admitted that production was 10 days behind schedule due to a shortage of memory cards, which are used to store games.

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Procom Technology Inc. (Nasdaq:PRCM - news) today announced the latest software upgrade for its industry-leading DataFORCE(TM) CD/DVD-ROM network attached storage (NAS) servers.

The servers have enhanced DVD-ROM capability as well as protocol support for Macintosh(a) and Windows(a) 95 and 98/NT networks, opening up the benefits of Procom's CD-ROM networking technology to a broad new set of users.

The new Version 2.4 of Procom's Managed Enterprise Software Architecture (MESA(TM)) is being deployed across the complete DataFORCE product line, encompassing workgroup, mid-range and enterprise-class models, allowing MIS administrators to manage all DataFORCE NAS servers from a single, consistent interface.

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Academy Award Winner Al Pacino and Russell Crowe star in The Insider, a suspenseful edge of your seat thriller, based on the true story that stunned the nation when whistle-blower Jeffrey Wigand jeopardized everything he had to reveal the shocking practices of the tobacco industry.

The Insider is one of those movies in which the message, not the medium, is more important, Marshall McLuhan's communication theories aside.

As co-written by Eric Roth and Michael Mann and directed by Mann, The Insider is a lumbering giant that sprawls across the screen, demanding attention.

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Sonic Solutions (Nasdaq:SNIC - news) today revolutionized the market for streaming video applications with the introduction of Streaming DVD(TM), a new technology that combines the interactivity of DVD-Video with the ability to broadcast video content over the Web.

Built on industry standards such as DVD-Video, MPEG-2 video and MP3 audio, Streaming DVD enables anyone with a personal computer and a high-speed Internet connection to create and broadcast interactive video from their desktop.

``Until today, video on the Internet has consisted only of individual video clips or webcasts,'' said Robert Doris, President and CEO of Sonic Solutions. ``Streaming DVD changes all that, and brings interactivity to streaming media for the first time, providing a far more engaging experience. Combined with Sonic's new PersonalBroadcast(TM) technology, DVDit! users can even set up their own personal DVD broadcast station.''

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Sony Electronics today introduced eight new DVD-Video systems designed to maximize the home theater experience for any lifestyle and budget.

With more than 7 million new DVD buyers expected in 2000 and more than 5,000 software titles available, Sony is introducing its broadest range of DVD systems ever. All the new systems feature single- or multi-disc Sony DVD players, Dolby Digital(TM) 5.1 channel surround sound processing, pre-programmed A/V remotes, and six-piece speaker packages.

Specifically, these new DVD home theater products include the DVD Dream System(TM), a fully featured lifestyle system combining DVD/CD functionality with a digital multi-channel amplifier and Dolby Digital decoding, a newly designed five-disc DVD/CD SAVA(TM) sound system, two ``Home Theater in a Box'' packages, three full size A/V rack systems and a mini-system.

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American Airlines, the first airline in the world to use DVD inflight video players on regularly scheduled flights, today announced a major expansion of the feature. American is adding DVDs to first class service on a wider range of flights between the United States and both Europe and South America, and to first class on eight U.S. cross-country routes.

All of the DVD players come with new Bose Acoustic Noise Cancelling Headsets, which were another American Airlines service innovation.

Since introducing DVDs last September, American has been offering the high-technology systems in first class on six MD11 aircraft serving three European routes and two routes to and from South America.

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Pinnacle Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: PCLE - news ) today announced that its DVD1000 product will be shipping with new advanced features bringing even more power to what has already become an industry-leading video and DVD creation as well as web streaming solution. New features include direct digital control of popular DV camcorders and the new Minerva Impression 2.0 DVD authoring software that provides a powerful collection of authoring features, such as motion menus and multi-angle, previously only available in systems costing several times more.

DV camcorders have become very popular tools for shooting video since they record in a digital format and provide a higher level of quality than analog camcorders. DVD1000 can now control popular DV camcorders directly through the IEEE-1394 (Firewire) connection to deliver automated capture of video for editing and delivery playback to the DV camcorder. This new high-powered feature provides DVD1000 video editors with significant time savings and workflow accuracy.

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We just received information about two more movies that will be THX EX enhanced when they hit movie theaters shortly. Ridley Scott's Gladiator and Brian DePalma's Mission To Mars have both been mixed with the THX EX extension in their Dolby Digital mixes. With these two titles, the total number of THX EX-encoded theatrical movies climbs to 15 now, a number of which are also using the THX EX Extension in their DVD releases. Here is a list of the movies that currently make use of the additional rear channel in the mix that is fully compatible with existing 5.1 channel configurations. "Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me", "Bats", "The Bone Collector", "Chicken Run", "Fight Club", "Gladiator", "The Haunting", "The Messenger: The Story Of Joan Of Arc", "Mission To Mars", "Pitch Black", "Spooky House", "Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace", "Toy Story 2", "The World Is Not Enough" and "X-Men".

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Yamaha Electronics Corporation introduces the RX-V1, the first-ever DTS-Extended Surround home theater receiver. The RX-V1, the first to offer Dolby Digital DTS Surround 6.1 Matrix and DTS-ES, made its worldwide debut today in Los Angeles with an exclusive audio and video demonstration at Ken Crane's Home Entertainment Center. "The RX-V1 is the most advanced, most captivating home theater receiver ever made," said Steve Caldero, vice president, Yamaha Electronics Corp. "It is capable of delivering frequency response of more than 100kHz, thereby offering the highest audio resolution ever available to consumers. The RX-V1 brings amazingly lifelike sound detail to any home theater experience and represents a bold new direction in home entertainment."

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The unparalleled Academy Award(R)-winning actress Meryl Streep (Best Actress, 1982, "Sophie's Choice,"), earns her twelfth Oscar(R) nomination for her uncompromising and compelling performance in MUSIC OF THE HEART, the inspirational story of one teacher's profound effect upon her many students' lives.

Making its triumphant debut on home video and DVD April 25, from Miramax Home Entertainment, MUSIC OF THE HEART received a second Academy Award(R) nomination in the category of Best Original Song. Boasting an exceptional cast, the film also stars Angela Bassett ("What's Love Got To Do With It," "How Stella Got Her Groove Back"), Aidan Quinn ("In Dreams"), Cloris Leachman ("The Beverly Hillbillies") Jane Leeves (TV's "Frasier") and marks the feature film acting debut of the incomparable, Grammy(R) Award-winning performer Gloria Estefan.

The DVD is a two disc Collector's Series featuring the music video, "Music Of The Heart" performed by Gloria Estefan and NSYNC, the documentary film "Small Wonders," as well as other special behind-the-scenes bonus footage.

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Village Roadshow and Warner Home Video have announced a joint venture in the home entertainment sector.

A video sales company, called Warner Roadshow, will focus on boosting the sale of video and digital video disc (DVD) operations, although both companies will continue to market their products individually.

Warner Home Video will buy certain physical distribution services from Roadshow's existing facilities, including warehousing and information technology functions.

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Expect big things when "Stuart Little" arrives on DVD.

The disc, which is scheduled for release April 18 -- the same day as the regular video release -- will retail at $27.95 (US), a mere three bucks above the VHS list price.

The Hollywood Reporter says the disc will include two audio-commentary tracks, a visual-effects gag reel, a blooper gag reel, screen tests, video games, a read-along feature for kids, six deleted scenes and three music videos.

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Cine Magnetics Video & Digital Laboratories Wednesday announced it has completed authoring New Yorker Films first-ever DVD offering, ``Jazz on a Summer's Day,'' which required the digital re-mastering of the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival.

The new release incorporates the latest in DVD technology and capabilities, while featuring an incredible collection of classic live jazz performances.

Previously available on 16mm and VHS only, ``Jazz on a Summer's Day'' features an exclusive 30-minute interactive journey behind the scenes with director and master photographer Bert Stern. Special features include a 5:1 Surround Sound Stereo soundtrack; Web links; multifunctional chapter access to live performances; reflections of the star performers; highlights of the 1958 America's Cup and a complete festival play list as a bonus.

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Toshiba America Electronic Components (TAEC), Disk Products, Wednesday announced the availability of its combination CD-RW/DVD-ROM drive via distribution as well as the Toshiba Web site.

The ideal optical storage product, the SD-R1002 provides the low-cost rewritability of a CD-RW drive with the high-capacity storage and the multimedia capabilities of DVD. The drive offers ``three-in-one'' functionality with CD-R/CD-RW, DVD and CD-ROM compatibility and is available in a complete kit with a suggested list price of $349.

Toshiba's three-in-one combination drive kit contains all of the necessary equipment to begin using the drive immediately. The kit includes Adaptec® Easy CD Creator(TM) software and DirectCD(TM) for Windows(TM), making recording CDs user-friendly for all skill levels. Toshiba includes CyberLink's DVD software decoder so you can enjoy DVD movie playback. Also in the kit is one piece each CD-R and CD-RW media, IDE and audio cables, and a Bonus Game Sampler featuring samples of today's hottest games.

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If Richard Rush's ``The Stunt Man'' veered left when other more conventional action-comedies of the early '80s veered right, so too does Rush's loopy, feisty and overlong work about his signature film, ``The Sinister Saga of Making 'The Stunt Man','' in relation to more generic making-of documentaries.

Commissioned by Fox Video as part of a planned ``Stunt Man'' DVD package intended for release this year, this behind-the-scenes look at the business of Hollywood filmmaking appears threatened, according to Rush, with an uncertain future. Fox Video would be savvy to release the entire package without delay; feature and documentary fit hand-in-glove, and DVD audiences as well as the fervent ``Stunt Man'' cult crowd are primed for its release.

Reported Fox concerns about the picture's length are, on one hand, well-founded. Just as the feature is hobbled by scenes that far outstay their welcome, so ``Saga'' becomes nearly lost in its own story, with Rush coming dangerously close to sounding like a bitter guy at the bar recounting his tale o' woe. This ignores, however, the beauty of the DVD format, which liberates the viewer to put the loquacious Rush on pause or eject for revisiting another day -- something many non-hardcore viewers are likely to do.

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Consumer electronics giant Sony has recalled 415,000 battery packs used in DVD players, camcorders, digital cameras and other devices.

The recall follows the discovery of three defective battery packs in Japan and Germany. A malfunctioning welding machine cracked some battery cells during manufacturing, causing them to overheat or smoke when recharged, according to the company.

Sony is recalling about 415,000 InfoLithium battery packs distributed worldwide--160,000 in the United States--manufactured between March and June 1999.

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Ausralian entertainment group Village Roadshow Ltd said on Wednesday it had formed an alliance with Time Warner Inc's Warner Home Video to create a new video sales company.

The new venture, to be known as Warner Roadshow Home Entertainment, would focus on growing the sell-through DVD and video operations, although both companies would continue to market products individually.

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