DVD Releases for March 2, 2004

March 1, 2004

Every week films get a second chance at success from the home market; or, in some cases, a first chance at success. Here is a list of wide releases, limited releases and a few from the growing TV on DVD section. A bit of a slow week, which means I was able to reduce my choices for DVD pick of the week to just one: School of Rock - (Buy from Amazon.) I'm not counting Father Ted - The Holy Trilogy, because it was one of my Picks of the Week when it was originally supposed to be released.

Here's the highlights, (and some lowlights) of the DVDs released today, January 20, 2004.

Cold Creek Manor - (Buy from Amazon)
Among the special features on this DVD is an alternate ending. Let's hope this one is good. It was the Scooby Doo like ending that hurt the film the most when it was first released, but it would take too much to change that on the DVD so I'm not holding my breath.

Duplex - (Buy from Amazon)
One of the biggest recent missteps in the careers of both its lead stars, Duplex failed both critically and at the box office.

Father Ted - The Holy Trilogy - (Buy from Amazon)
I know what you're thinking, you're thinking, 'Didn't we just see this set a few weeks back?' And you're right. But the release was delayed till now so I thought I'd mention it again.

Gods and Generals - (Buy from Amazon)
A lot of box office disappointments are being released this week, and this is one of the bigger ones. Big budget plus horrible reviews equals massive flop. At least the movies wasn't released without extras.

Good Boy - (Buy from Amazon)
A film best described as average. Average box office, average reviews, average DVD release.

Looney Tunes: Back in Action - (Buy from Amazon: Widescreen or Pan and Scan)
This DVD is packed with extra features, mainly because the movie alone won't be enough for people to buy it. Not that the revews are really bad, but the film bombed hard when it hit theatres. An $80 million movie shouldn't pull in only $20 million at the box office. Personally, I'm going to stick with the Golden Collection.

Mr. Toad's Wild Ride - (Buy from Amazon)
Originally released Stateside as The Wind in the Willows, this is a Monty Python reunion movie of sorts. Terry Jones directs and stars in, along with Eric Idle and John Cleese and Michael Palin have cameo roles. The film never managed to find the audience it deserved and the DVD is being dumped into an overcrowded marked without a single special feature to set it apart.

School of Rock - (Buy from Amazon: Widescreen or Pan and Scan)
One of the few pleasant surprises this past fall. Both at the box office where it earned more than $80 million, and critically where it earned 90% positive reviews. The DVD also has the best special features of all the wide releases coming out this week.

SpaceCamp - (Buy from Amazon)
A bit of trivia about this movie, it was supposed to be released early in 1986 to coincide with the first civilian in space. However, before the movie was released the Challenger disaster happened killing 7 astronauts. Because of that, this film never had a chance at the box office. And now, nearly 2 decades after it was first released, it is being dumped on DVD without any special features.

Starsky & Hutch - The First Season - (Buy from Amazon)
This set is being released just in time for the movie's release this Friday. However, the two incarnations are so different from each other that liking one is meaningless when trying to determine if you'll like the other. In fact, fans of one will probably hate the other.

Tales from Avonlea, Vols. 1-4 - (Buy from Amazon)
Sarah Polly, who stars in the upcoming remake, Dawn of the Dead got her first big break in this Canadian TV series. (If you don't count The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, which at one time was considered the biggest bomb in box office history having cost an estimate $60 million to make.) Road to Avonlea is a follow up to Anne of Green Gables, which is mostly unknown in the States but a national treasure up here in Canada.


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Filed under: DVD and Blu-ray Releases, Home Market Releases, Starsky & Hutch, School of Rock, Dawn of the Dead, Good Boy!, Cold Creek Manor, Looney Tunes: Back in Action, Gods and Generals, Duplex