Home Media Magazine - January 13-19, 2007 - (Page 5)

www.homemediamagazine.com MENU FROM THE EDITOR BY THOMAS K. ARNOLD, PUBLISHER www.homemediamagazine.com A Plea for a Uniﬁed, Blu Future PUBLISHER & EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Thomas K. Arnold EDITOR IN CHIEF Stephanie Prange EDITORIAL Managing Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Angelique Flores Senior Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Erik Gruenwedel Senior Reporter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chris Tribbey Assistant Managing Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . John Latchem Associate Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Billy Gil, Kyra Kudick Contributors. . . . . . . . . John Gaudiosi, Anne Sherber, Fred Topel, Ralph Tribbey, Holly J. Wagner I ART Art Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Melbert Sebayan Graphic Designer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Charles Park RESEARCH Market Research Assistant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kelly Burner ADVERTISING 800/338-6700, FAX 714/338-6712 Advertising Sales Representative . . . . . . . . . . . . John Boezinger 714/338-6704 Advertising Sales Representative . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Julie Savant 714/368-1020 Advertising Sales Representative . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kurt Wohlman 714/338-6749 Group Administrative Coordinator. . . . . . . . . . Jennifer Guerena Business Analyst . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Joni Wu For reprints, call 800-290-5460, ext. 100 or HomeMediaMagazine@reprintbuyer. com For direct-mail lists, call Ilene Schwartz, Kroll Direct, 216/371-1667 FAX 216/371-1669 ilene@krolldirect.com t’s time to knock it off. Ever since the two rival next-generation Quite honestly, I never favored either Blu-ray Disc or HD formats launched in 2006, I have been calling for an end to DVD. I saw the advantages of both. I also believe we need a the format war, but without specifically telling one side or the successor technology, one that takes full advantage of HDTV other to get out. and presents viewers with a true high-definition picture. I’m doing so now. With Warner Home Video dumping HD I also never bought any of the arguments that sought to defuse DVD, the format has the support of just two of the six major the potential damage of the format war by presenting it as a good studios. It cannot win. At best, it can be a spoiler, but I’m hoping thing. Sure, multiple formats exist in other industries, such as Toshiba, Universal and Paramount will take games and computers, but home video isn’t the high road and, for the good of the entire WITH WARNER HOME like that. Much like music, we have the exact industry, bow out. Universal and Paramount, VIDEO DUMPING HD DVD, same product — the hit of the week. in particular, need to jump on the Blu-ray Disc THE FORMAT HAS THE The events of the past two years could be a textbandwagon so we can go into the new year SUPPORT OF JUST TWO OF book case for how not to launch a format. Blu-ray with a unified front and a unified mission: To THE SIX MAJOR STUDIOS. Disc was rushed to market simply because HD educate consumers about the advantages of IT CANNOT WIN. DVD was already there, fit and primed. That’s high-definition media and convince them the why we have these evolving players and technolotime to transition from standard DVD to Blu-ray is the day they gies such as Bonus View and BD-Live. Sure, it would have been nice bring that HDTV into their home. to have everything in Blu-ray’s final spec. But that didn’t happen. Prolonging a format war that never should have happened in Looking back, HD DVD never had the support it needed. One CE the first place makes no sense at this point. Study after study maker against dozens; just three of the six majors, and even that shows that consumer confusion is the No. 1 reason people aren’t was whittled down to two out of six when Warner bailed out. rushing out to buy HD media hardware or software, and the forThe writing’s clearly on the wall. Let’s do the right thing. mat war is the reason everyone’s so confused — why risk buying something that six months down the road could be obsolete? Thomas K. Arnold’s e-mail address is tarnold@questex.com MARKETING Marketing Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kristina Kronenberg 714/338-6743 Marketing Assistant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kaitlyn DeWaard Online Manager. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Renee Rosado IN THIS ISSUE JAN. 13-19, 2008 / VOL. 30 / NO. 2 News …………………………… CALENDAR PRODUCTION Production Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bonnie Ling Production Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Justin-Nicholas Toyama 714/338-6765 Assistant Production Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Brady Gallardo >> HIGH- DEF I 2008 NATPE The 45th annual NATPE Conference & Exhibition is dedicated to global multiplatform video content. Jan. 28-31 Mandalay Bay Resort, Las Vegas info: www.cesweb.org OFFICES 714/338-6700, 800/371-6897, FAX 714/338-6710 homemediamagazine@questex.com 201 East Sandpointe Ave., Suite 500 Santa Ana, CA 92707-8716 Movie Gallery posts more losses; Circuit City’s CEO says the company’s December losses were no surprise; Bill Gates speaks at his last CES. Chris Tribbey, Senior Reporter 818-788-8616, FAX 818-530-2486 16130 Ventura Blvd. #570 Encino, CA 91436 TV DVD ………………………… 12 Sales were up in 2007, with High School Musical 2 at the top of the class; a lost episode of “Father Knows Best” is added to the set; Fox to release Newhart. CREDIT Credit/Collections Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ron Wright Sr. News ………………………… I WONDERCON 2008 The comic book conference is returning to San Francisco for its 22nd anniversary. Feb. 22-24 Moscone Center South, San Francisco info: www.comic-con.org/wc CIRCULATION For subscriptions, please go online to www.homemediamagazine.com For current single copy, back issues or CD-ROM, call 866/344-1315 or 615/377-3322 for outside the U.S. Audience Development Manager. . . . . . . . . . . Sarah Joy Obaña Panasonic unveils at CES HDTVs both gargantuan and ultra slim; Samsung forges on with its dual-format player. >> EL ECTRONIC D EL IV ERY I PEVE DIGITAL ENTERTAINMENT 2008 Established in 1992, the annual PEVE conference caters to the international home entertainment business. Industry players from more than 20 countries attend the conference, which this year will tackle such issues as digital home entertainment. BUSINESS QUESTEX MEDIA GROUP INC. President & CEO: Kerry C. Gumas; Executive Vice President & CFO: Tom Caridi; Executive Vice President: Robert S. Ingraham; Executive Vice President: Tony D’Avino; Executive Vice President, Corporate Development: Claudia Flowers; Vice President & General Manager: Don Rosenberg; Vice President, Digital Media: Seth Nichols; Vice President, Human Resources: Diane Evans © 2008 Questex Media Group Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including by photocopy, recording or information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Authorization to photocopy items for internal or personal use, or the internal or personal use of specific clients, is granted by Questex Media Group, Inc. for libraries and other users registered with the Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Dr., Danvers, MA 01923 phone: 978-750-8400 fax 978-750-4470; call for copying beyond that permitted by Sections 107 or 108 of the U.S. Copyright Law. For those not registered with the CCC, send permission request in writing to questexpermissions@reprintbuyer.com or call 800-494-9051 ext. 100. High School Musical 2 Cine Mercado ………………… 14 Director Pablo Veliz discusses his new immigration drama, Clemente, from Laguna Productions; writer-director Joe Menendez gives a behind-the-scenes look at his film Ladrón Que Roba a Ladrón; ESL is translating to DVD, from Allumination FilmWorks. News ………………………… April 17-18 Maison Internationale, Paris info: www.peve.screendigest.com Comcast reveals high-speed HD-downloading technology; CinemaNow and TAVI have a new media player; Sony unveils online initiatives. sales while Lionsgate’s War comes out ahead in rentals. I LATINO DVD 5 Home Media Magazine, in cooperation with DEG: The Digital Entertainment Group, The Hollywood Reporter and the Entertainment Merchants Association, presents the ﬁfth annual Latino DVD Conference. The event will feature a day full of informational sessions and panel discussions on the growing Latino home entertainment market. April 8 InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Los Angeles info: aﬂores@questex.com Printed in the U.S.A. Reviews ………………………… 16 Is Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown: Deluxe Edition a treat for fans of Charles M. Schulz? Does Sarah Top 20 DVD Sellers ……………………… 20 Michelle Gellar make for the perfect Suburban Top 20 Rentals and Top 10 Charts ……… 21 Girl? Will In the Shadow of the Moon illuminate the history of space flight? Just Announced ……………… Paramount DreamWorks are abuzz with the upResearch ……………………… coming release of Bee Movie; Sony is playing Sleuth; It’s a battle atop the DVD sales and rental charts, Fox celebrates the 50th anniversary of 12 Angry as Sony Pictures’s Resident Evil: Extinction takes Men; Genius Products shines up Tin Man. Home Media Magazine January 13–19, 2008 http://www.homemediamagazine.com http://www.homemediamagazine.com http://www.cesweb.org http://www.homemediamagazine.com http://www.comic-con.org/wc http://www.peve.screendigest.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Home Media Magazine - January 13-19, 2007

Home Media Magazine - January 13-19, 2007 Contents News TV DVD Cine Mercado Reviews Research Top 20 DVD Sellers Just Announced Christian Entertainment Review

Home Media Magazine - January 13-19, 2007

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.