Home Media Magazine - June 1-7, 2008 - (Page 8)

NEWS www.homemediamagazine.com Warner Showcases Catalog at Cannes By Thomas K. Arnold PRODUCT Warner Bros.’ 85th anniversary celebration continues to rev up DVD catalog sales for the studio’s home entertainment division. The campaign kicked off in March with an elaborate new “ultimate collector’s edition” of Bonnie and Clyde on both standard DVD and Blu-ray Disc. By the end of this year, the studio expects to generate an additional $100 million in consumer spending on catalog titles included in the campaign, according to Warner Home Video president Ron Sanders. “Our libraries are so essential for the continued success of DVD,” Sanders said. “The studio’s 85th anniversary gives us the perfect opportunity to reissue some of our most memorable films, in new packaging and, in many cases, with new extras. And the success we’ve had so far, less than three months into the campaign, indicates consumers are still excited to revisit some of their favorite films from the past.” The anniversary campaign touched down at the Cannes Film Festival. Warner Home Video held a black-tie screening at the Palais for the first two hours of You Must Remember This: The Warner Bros. Story, a specially commissioned documentary from film critic Richard Schickel. The screening was accompanied by a gala and a press conference. All three events were attended by Sanders, Schickel and Clint Eastwood, who executive produced and narrates the documentary. The full five-hour doc will be broadcast on PBS in September over three nights in partnership with PBS’ “American Masters” series. It will be issued on DVD that month as well, along with a the Dragon, Whatever Happened to cluding three editions (special, ulBaby Jane?, Blazing Saddles and The timate collector’s and Blu-ray Disc) Matrix — all coming to DVD and, in of the epic MGM Western How many cases, Blu-ray Disc, in restored the West Was Won, all slotted for editions as part of the 85th anniver- third-quarter release, followed in the fourth quarter by horror and holisary campaign. “We’re honored that Cannes gave day collections, the latter including our classic films such unprecedent- an ultimate collector’s edition of A ed support to celebrate Warner’s Christmas Story. “We have the single largest library 85th anniversary,” Sanders said. “It’s a fantastic platform to generate of any Hollywood studio,” Sanders interest in our documentary and said, “and we’re constantly picking films we feel are worthy of being video re-issues.” The Warner anniversary campaign, introduced to a new generation of announced in February, will see the fans.” Indeed, of the 6,800 films in WarAttending a May 21 Cannes screening of You Must Remember This: The Warner release of more than 50 restored classics as part of nine themed collec- ner’s library, only about 1,400 have Bros. Story were (L-R): Warner Home Video International president Philippe Cardon, Clint Eastwood, Warner Home Video president Ron Sanders and film tions. Bonnie and Clyde was part of the been released so far on DVD. “There’s always something new, first wave of releases, which focused critic Richard Schickel. on gangster films and Oscar winners. something we maybe haven’t 550-page companion book written sic Warner Bros. films screened at Next came Frank Sinatra movies and thought of,” Sanders said. “And this anniversary campaign gives us a by Schickel and fellow film critic Cannes. Other films shown to fes- the Dirty Harry collection. George Perry. Still to come: sets of superhero great opportunity to really dig into tival audiences on 10 consecutive Eastwood, who had come to nights include What’s Up, Doc, Enter films, musicals and Westerns, in- our vaults.” Cannes to promote his newest film, The Changeling, also personally introduced a beach screening THEATRICAL CATALOG RELEASES ON DVD of Dirty Harry, which is being YEAR TO DATE: 2005–2008* reissued by Warner June 3 in a 700 611 boxed set that contains all five Through the first 21 weeks of 2008, com600 499 491 “Dirty Harry” movies. Eastwood pared to the same period in previous years, 500 was welcomed by a standing ova- the number of theatrical catalog titles (pre356 400 tion from the overflow crowd and 1997 theatrical releases) is falling behind. 300 remarked that while the character This year we’ve seen 356 new releases, he introduced in the film 38 years versus 611 in 2005, 491 in 2006 and 499 last 200 ago has a lot more hair than he year at this point in time. 100 does today, “it doesn’t feel like it There are three primary reasons for the con0 2005 2006 2007 2008 was that long ago.” tinuing lower counts. First, libraries have been * 2008 results through May 20 and equivalent for 2005, 2006 and 2007 During the press conference, drained of the most important film-vault treawhen asked by a journalist to recall sures. Second, the number of public-domain I RELEASE ACTIVITY FOR DVD his favorite Dirty Harry scene, East- titles as stand-alone offerings has all but disap- Titles in Release Through wood slipped back into character peared. And finally, the overall number of Week Ended May 23, 2008. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . and uttered the classic line, “You single-film releases continues to decline in Total Net DVD Titles Announced and/or gotta ask yourself, kid — do you favor of multiple-film sets. — Ralph Tribbey In Release Through Sept. 30, 2008 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . feel lucky?” The press responded with appreciative laughter and ap- I RELEASE ACTIVITY FOR BLU-RAY I RELEASE ACTIVITY FOR HD DVD plause. As of Week Ended May 23 . . . . . . . Released 520 Scheduled 100 As of Week Ended May 23 . . . . .Released 426 Scheduled 3 Dirty Harry was one of 10 clas- 86,397+247 87,002+216 New Game Chain Is Born By John Gaudiosi GAMES A new start-up, Gamer Doc, is entering the market in the hopes of capitalizing on the surging game market. “We’re all about creating a very different gaming purchasing experience,” said David Huether, chairman of Gamer Doc. “We are making that experience one that draws the customer in. For the hardcore and pro gamers, they’re going to be able to quickly find and purchase what they want and go home and play the game. For the casual gamers, they’re going to find a comfortable environment and also be educated on how to play games and how it can become part of their home. They can make a purchase or rental decision easily.” Calif., as well as in the Tampa/St. Petersburg and Orlando, Fla., markets. “I look forward to working with Frank to open the first Gamer Doc store someHuether said the company plans time this summer,” said Jim Belangto open 15 to 20 stores across North er, president of Gamer Doc. America this year. In 2009, he expects At Gamer Doc, customers are in to open another 50 to 100 stores. charge of their own shopping experi“We’re focusing on the Southwest, ence, whether they are hardcore gamSoutheast and in New York, Virginia ers, casual players, moms and dads, or and Pennsylvania. We hope to get into senior citizens, according to Huether. Maryland and Texas,” he said. “ToronHuether Product is organized into Xbox 360, to, Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver are all Canadian cities we’ve targeted. We have PlayStation and Wii “Gamer Centers.” “Instead of being a rack retailer like an EBan office in Seattle, and we’re looking for a space there. We’re going to stay out of malls. Games, Play N Trade or Best Buy where you walk into the store and see long walls with a We’re looking at strip centers.” Gamer Doc signed with Frank Borges as the plethora of games, you see in our store two company’s first area developer. Borges will pro gaming areas with one to four gamers who develop stores throughout Orange County, have earned their place to compete,” Huether said. “After that you’ll see an Xbox 360 station with 30 of the top national, top retail and special interest games. PlayStation will have a section like this, as well as two big Wii sections with 50-inch screens.” Through an exclusive deal with Vizio, which will provide all of the screens for the stores, gamers will be able to purchase Vizio TVs at all locations. “In a typical store we’ll have 15 to 20 screens set up,” Huether said. In addition, Huether said DVDs, Blu-ray movies and an assortment of action figures, Tshirts and other merchandise will be featured. Stores will also offer used games. “We feel that a high level of merchandising expertise and presentation of product is missing from our competition’s stores, and we want to do that very cleanly and very effectively,” Huether said. Home Media Magazine June 1–7, 2008 http://www.homemediamagazine.com

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Home Media Magazine - June 1-7, 2008 Contents News Gay/Lesbian Reviews TV DVD Research Top 20 DVD Sellers Top 20 Rentals and Top 10 Charts Just Announced

Home Media Magazine - June 1-7, 2008

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