THE SPECIAL EDITION: 12.15.09

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT ADDING NETFLIX TO THE HOME VIDEO COVERAGE?

Netflix
Instant View and various Video on Demand services are changing the way
that we view our home entertainment. As I spotlighted last week,
Netflix Instant View had a handful of Universal titles available online
before their retail bows. I’m willing to bet that the readership also
noticed this.

Given the game console base for the Instant View
service and the various folk who only view entertainment online, I feel
that we’re missing out on something. Therefore, I propose adding a
Netflix/Hulu/Google Video section for new home entertainment additions.

What have been your experiences with these services in the
past? How often do you find yourself checking out Instant View before
hitting the video store? I’m going to toy around with this for the next
few weeks. If it seems viable and something that you’re interested in,
I’ll have the sub-section ready to go by the first week of January 2010.

COMING SOON TO YOUR HOME THEATER

1. Anchor Bay Entertainment proudly announces DANTE’S INFERNO: AN ANIMATED EPIC — coming to DVD and Blu-ray February 9th

Stretching the limits of the imagination, and breathing a whole new life into a
classic work of Medieval literature, Anchor Bay Entertainment releases the
stunning animated feature Dante’s Inferno: An Animated Epic on
DVD and Blu-ray™ February 9th. Prebook is January 6^th, and SRP for
the DVD is $26.97 and $34.98 for the Blu-ray™. This is a collaboration with
Electronic Arts, which first conceived of a new telling of the classic story and
will release its “Dante’s Inferno” videogame day-and-date with the animated
feature.

Film Roman, the acclaimed animation
studio behind such films as Dead Space:
Downfall (based on the Electronic Arts game “Dead Space”) and Hellboy Animated, took a wholly new
approach to creating the circles of Hell the films’ hero Dante must navigate.
Under the guidance of producer Joe Goyette and working from a story and creative
vision by EA/Visceral Games executive producer Jonathan Knight, this
unprecedented project enlisted some of the best animation studios in the
business to create unique visions of the underworld, including such noted Asian
animation studios as Production IG (Kill
Bill animated sequence), Dongwoo (Batman: Gotham Knight), Manglobe (Ergo Proxy, Samurai Champloo), JM
Animation (“Avatar: The Last Airbender”) and more.

Highlighting the feature’s unique
artistic signature, the Dante’s Inferno: An Animated Epic
DVD and Blu-ray™ boasts six limited edition customized covers specially created
by the six participating animation studios.

Dante’s Inferno: An Animated
Epic is just one
piece of a new project spearheaded by Electronic Arts, which also includes the
highly anticipated videogame and a previously released six-issue comic series
from DC Comics/WildStorm. Dante’s Inferno: An Animated Epic
expands this franchise with a must-see
feature that soars on high-octane energy and amazing visuals – combined, of
course, with a story that has haunted dreams since Dante Alighieri wrote it down
almost 700 years ago. This amazing journey takes viewers along with the warrior
Dante, and his spectral guide Virgil, into the legendary and frightening nine
circles of Hell. Join Dante as he travels through Limbo, Lust, Gluttony, Greed,
Anger, Heresy, Violence, Fraud, and Treachery, all in search of his one true
love, Beatrice.

By employing a range of animation studios steeped in
the anime tradition, Film Roman and EA created a completely unique vision of
Dante Alighieri’s 14^th century masterwork The Divine Comedy, with each circle of
hell having a distinct look and tone. While this gives it a modern twist, the
feature still stays true to the original elements of the poem that is known to
most as “Dante’s Inferno.” Dante’s Inferno:
An Animated Epic is sure to delight all gamers and fan boys, but
voice-over work by Mark Hamill (Star
Wars), Victoria Tennant (Legend of
the Mummy), Vanessa Branch (Pirates
of the Caribbean), and Graham McTavish (“Prison Break”) as Dante, give this
production extra dramatic depth and the literary source material makes this a
project that will appeal to an unusually broad range of adult
audiences.

Film Roman, which along with Anchor Bay Entertainment
is a division of Starz Media, first worked with EA on 2008’s Dead Space: Downfall. The venerable animation studio
also provides the animation production for Fox/Gracie’s “The Simpsons” and
Marvel Entertainment’s new hit “Super Hero Squad.”

THE CRITERION COMPLETION PROJECT (120 out of 495)

The
Chewer
Nation has been having fun with the little monthly challenges I’ve
thrown down. I’ve got a new one that just might take us through the end
of 2009. What I want us all to do is to review The Criterion
Collection. But, there’s a catch. The number of words you can use will
be determined by the spine number.

Due to length, click on the titles to access the spine specific reviews.

1 – 100.  The First Hundred
101. Cries and Whispers
102. The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoise
103. The Lady Eve
104. Double Suicide
105. Spartacus
108. The Rock
116. The Hidden Fortress
121. Billy Liar
139. Wild Strawberries
147. In the Mood for Love
151. Traffic
157. The Royal Tenenbaums
175. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
186. Stolen Kisses
187. Bed and Board
188. Love on the Run
191. Jubilee
247. Videodrome
267. Kagemusha
281. Jules and Jim

and so on and so on.

Post your Criterion reviews on the CHUD message board.

Arizona Dream
Bleach, Vol. 23
The Book Of Ruth
Boys Over Flowers, Vol. 2
Brick City
Case Closed: The Last Wizard Of The Century
El Cazador De La Bruja, Pt. 1
El Cazador De La Bruja, Pt. 2
Chai Lai Angels: Dangerous Flowers
Criss Angel: Mindfreak – Collector’s Edition DVD Set
Dominick Dunne: After The Party (Collector’s Edition)
G-Force (One-Disc Standard Edition)
G-Force (Two-Disc Deluxe Edition)
George Lopez: Tall, Dark And Chicano
Ghost Hound, Collection 2
The Girl From Monaco
The Goods
The Hangover (One-Disc Standard Edition)
The Hangover (Unrated Two-Disc Special Edition)
The Head: The Complete Series (DVD-R)
The Headless Woman
Herb And Dorothy
Honey And Clover, Box 2
Ice Road Truckers: The Complete Season Three (The History Channel)
Inglourious Basterds (One-Disc Standard Edition)
Inglourious Basterds (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Know Your Mushrooms
La Boheme: The Film
Mental Scars
Miike Collection
Miss Mend
MLB: The New York Yankees 2009 World Series Collector’s Edition
Murder By Decree
One Piece: Season Two, 4th Voyage
The Other Man
The Paper Chase: Season Two
Psycho Ward
Red Canyon
Robot Chicken: Season Four
Roller Derby Chronicles
SEC: Arkansas Classics
The Sherlock Holmes Collection (BBC 1960s)
Taking Woodstock
Test Lab: Body Armor (The History Channel)
To Love-Ru, Collection 1
The Tudors: The Complete Third Season
20th Century Boys 1: Beginning Of The End
Wagon Train: The Complete First Season
Wizards Of Waverly Place: The Movie
World War III? Beyond Lebanon (The History Channel)

BLU-RAY: IT’S GETTING CHEAPER

Basilisk: The Complete Series
BluScenes: The Classic Fireplace
BluScenes: Coral Reef Aquarium
BluScenes: Journey Through Space
The Butcher
G-Force (Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack)
The Hangover (Unrated Special Edition)
HD Moods: Blu Ocean
Inglourious Basterds (Two-Disc Special Edition)
La Boheme: The Film
The Mel Brooks Collection
MLB: World Series 2009 Philadelphia Phillies Vs. New York Yankees – The Official World Series Film
The Other Man
P
Samurai Champloo: The Complete Series
Star Trek The Original Series: Season Three
Taking Woodstock

SPEND YOUR MONEY!

NEW RELEASES


*Blu-Ray prices are in BOLD BLUE

G-Force                                                             $15.99 $22.99  $19.99
The Hangover                                                     $15.99 $22.99  $19.99
Inglorious Basterds                                             $16.99  $24.99  $19.99
The Tudors: The Complete Third Season            $26.99
Wizards of Waverly Place Extended Movie        $16.99
The Goods: Live Fast Sell Hard                          $16.99
                                                                                 
19.99

Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince
Terminator Salvation
Angels & Demons
Fight Club
Watchmen
Transformers
Wall-E
A Bug’s Life
The Davinci Code
The Dark Knight
X-Men Origins: Wolverine
Casino Royale
Quantum of Solace

14.99

Independence Day
Pearl Harbor
Donnie Darko
Kingdom of Heaven
Constantine
Office Space
Kill Bill Vol. 1
Apocalypto

9.99

Terminator
Reservoir Dogs
Predator
The Punisher
Speed
The Wedding Singer
Bullitt
Swordfish