Home Media Magazine - March 2-8, 2009 - (Page 3) www.homemediamagazine.com MENU FROM THE EDITOR BY THOMAS K. ARNOLD, PUBLISHER www.homemediamagazine.com PUBLISHER & EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Thomas K. Arnold S tarnold@questex.com EDITOR IN CHIEF Stephanie Prange S sprange@questex.com EDITORIAL Managing Editor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Angelique Flores aflores@questex.com Senior Editor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Erik Gruenwedel egruenwedel@questex.com Senior Reporter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chris Tribbey ctribbey@questex.com Assistant Managing Editor. . . . . . . . . . . John Latchem jlatchem@questex.com Associate Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . Billy Gil, Kyra Kudick bgil@questex.com S kkudick@questex.com Intern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Erika Carmona ART Art Director. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Melbert Sebayan msebayan@questex.com Graphic Designer. . . . Charles Park S cpark@questex.com RESEARCH Market Research Assistant . . . . . . . . . . . Kelly Burner kburner@questex.com DIGITAL MEDIA Executive Director . . . . . . . . . . Amy Coronato Osborn acoronato@questex.com S 714/338-6731 Online Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Renee Rosado rrosado@questex.com ADVERTISING 800/338-6700, FAX 714/338-6712 Advertising Sales Representative . . . . John Boezinger jboezinger@questex.com S 714/338-6704 Advertising Sales Representative . . . . . . . Julie Savant jsavant@questex.com S 714/368-1020 Advertising Sales Representative . . . . Kurt Wohlman kwohlman@questex.com 714/338-6749 Business Manager . . . . . Joni Wu S jwu@questex.com Group Administrative Coordinator . . Jennifer Guerena jguerena@questex.com 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 Oscars Will Hopefully Give Us a Boost I f there was ever a year we could use the Oscar bump, this is it. out in about a month, and everyone from Amazon to Netflix is If a film snags a significant win at the Academy Awards and it already accepting advance orders. Advance orders also are being accepted by most retailers for is still in theaters, its scheduled big-screen run generally gets extended due to a sharp uptick in business; if it’s out on home video, The Reader, for which Kate Winslet won a best actress Oscar, as well as most of the nominees in the major categories, including or nearing release, sales and rentals usually go up significantly. This year’s Oscars are good news, indeed, for the home enter- The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, which was nominated in tainment industry, which is looking into twin barrels of gloom 13 categories, more than any other film this year, even though it won just three. and doom: the plummeting economy and a Another likely gainer is best picture nomislowdown in sales attributed to this transiTHIS YEAR’S OSCARS ARE tional period we are in, with DVD at maturity GOOD NEWS, INDEED, FOR THE nee Milk, from Universal Studios, for which Sean Penn won a best actor award. The acand Blu-ray Disc taking a little longer to catch HOME ENTERTAINMENT claimed film is coming to home video March on than most of us had hoped. INDUSTRY, WHICH IS Our business desperately needs something LOOKING INTO TWIN BARRELS 10, and it’s a fair bet sales and rentals will be a lot stronger since Penn walked off with one of to kick a little life, a little excitement, back into OF GLOOM AND DOOM. the Academy’s most coveted awards. it, and the Oscars are prime time for feeding And then there’s The Dark Knight, from Warner, which has off the public’s infatuation with movies and getting them to buy been out for awhile, but which may see additional business with and rent lots of DVDs and Blu-ray Discs. Hopefully the mission will be accomplished this year, as most the late Heath Ledger’s best supporting actor win. The same of the big winners are, indeed, available on video, or slated to goes for Walt Disney Studios’ Wall-E, the year’s best animated come out soon. Slumdog Millionaire, with eight wins, includ- feature film. Let’s keep on keeping our fingers crossed ing best director and best picture, is truly in the best possible position: While 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment hasn’t formally set a release date, it’s believed the quirky film will be Thomas K. Arnold’s e-mail address is tarnold@questex.com IN THIS ISSUE MARCH 2-8, 2009 / VOL. 31 / NO. 9 DVD is a high point of a down quarter for DreamWorks Animation; Marvel is upbeat on its superpowered sales; a study touts consumer interest in 3-D. MARKETING Marketing Director. . . . . . . . . . . . Kristina Kronenberg kkronenberg@questex.com S 714/338-6743 Marketing Coordinator . . . . . . . . . . Kaitlyn DeWaard kdewaard@questex.com PRODUCTION Production Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rhonda Sande Production Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jennifer Evans jevans@questex.com S 714/338-6769 OFFICE 714/338-6700, 800/371-6897, FAX 714/338-6710 homemediamagazine@questex.com 201 East Sandpointe Ave., Suite 500 Santa Ana, CA 92707-8716 Chris Tribbey S Senior Reporter S 818/307-5197 4804 Laurel Canyon Blvd. No. 574 Valley Village, CA, 91607-3717 ON THE WEB News ………………………… News …………………………… 6 7 >> HIGH- DEF News …………………………… I OUR ONLINE COVERAGE With only so much space to print each week, Home Media Magazine extends far beyond its pages and onto the Web, with extended stories, coverage of such events as the upcoming South by Southwest Film Festival, and our exclusive Web Chatter. While you’re there, be sure to sign up for the daily newsletter, at homemediamagazine.com/daily. Image shareholders approve its acquisition; Peter Chernin will leave News Corp.; Target’s Q4 is down 41%. Blu-ray Disc sales are projected at 100 million units in 2009; more homes are ready for the digital TV transition; Lionsgate slates T2 on BD. WWW.HOMEMEDIAMAGAZINE.COM CREDIT Credit/Collections Director . . . . . . . . . Ron Wright Sr. CIRCULATION For subscriptions, please go online to www.homemediamagazine.com For current single copy, back issues or CD-ROM, call 866/344-1315 or 847/763-9594 for outside the U.S. Audience Development Manager . . . . Debbie Gullian BUSINESS QUESTEX MEDIA GROUP INC. TV DVD ………………………… 10 Sony Pictures lines up TV movies on DVD; a new “American Dad” volume is due from Fox. >> EL ECTRONIC D EL IV ERY CALENDAR I DISPLAYSEARCH USFPD CONFERENCE A conference on flat panel displays. March 2-4 HIlton Torrey Pines, San Diego Info: www.displaysearch.com SXSW …………………………… 11 The South by Southwest Film Festival provides filmmakers, distributors and others in the industry a chance to connect; see which Independent Spirit Award winners are on DVD and Blu-ray; Lea Thompson talks going tough in Exit Speed. President & CEO: Kerry C. Gumas; Executive Vice President & CFO: Tom Caridi; Executive Vice President: Tony D’Avino; Executive Vice President: Jon Leibowitz; Vice President, Human Resources: Diane Evans © 2009 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. News ………………………… I PEVE DIGITAL ENTERTAINMENT Europe’s longest-running home video conference. March 12-13 Cité Internationale Universitaire in Paris Info: www.peve.screendigest.com Reviews ………………………… 12 Is the 70th anniversary edition of Pinocchio the real deal on Blu-ray? Does Ace Ventura Jr. — Pet Detective follow in its franchise’s footsteps? Does Role Models set a good comedic example? Top 20 Sellers …………………………… Comcast is readying an online VOD service and also offers U2 videos in HD; Vudu has HD titles on demand; TV viewing hits a new high. Printed in the U.S.A. Research ……………………… 16 16 Top 20 Rentals and Top 10 Charts ……… 18 I SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST FILM FEST Austin’s premiere film festival. March 13-21 The Cumberland, London Info: sxsw.com/film High School Musical 3: Senior Year puts Disney at Just Announced ……………… the top of the sales class, while Warner’s Body of Genius Products and The Weinstein Co. open up Lies was the top renter. Oscar winner The Reader. March 2–8, 2009 Home Media Magazine http://www.homemediamagazine.com http://www.homemediamagazine.com http://www.homemediamagazine.com/daily http://www.homemediamagazine.com/daily http://www.homemediamagazine.com http://www.homemediamagazine.com http://www.displaysearch.com http://www.peve.screendigest.com http://www.sxsw.com/film
Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Home Media Magazine - March 2-8, 2009 Home Media Magazine - March 2-8, 2009 Contents News TV DVD SXSW Reviews Research Top 20 Sellers Top 20 Rentals and Top 10 Charts Just Announced Home Media Magazine - March 2-8, 2009 Home Media Magazine - March 2-8, 2009 - Home Media Magazine - March 2-8, 2009 (Page Cover1) Home Media Magazine - March 2-8, 2009 - Home Media Magazine - March 2-8, 2009 (Page Cover2) Home Media Magazine - March 2-8, 2009 - Home Media Magazine - March 2-8, 2009 (Page Cover3) Home Media Magazine - March 2-8, 2009 - Home Media Magazine - March 2-8, 2009 (Page Cover4) Home Media Magazine - March 2-8, 2009 - Home Media Magazine - March 2-8, 2009 (Page 1) Home Media Magazine - March 2-8, 2009 - Home Media Magazine - March 2-8, 2009 (Page 2) Home Media Magazine - March 2-8, 2009 - Home Media Magazine - March 2-8, 2009 (Page 3) Home Media Magazine - March 2-8, 2009 - Home Media Magazine - March 2-8, 2009 (Page 4) Home Media Magazine - March 2-8, 2009 - Contents (Page 5) Home Media Magazine - March 2-8, 2009 - News (Page 6) Home Media Magazine - March 2-8, 2009 - News (Page 7) Home Media Magazine - March 2-8, 2009 - News (Page 8) Home Media Magazine - March 2-8, 2009 - News (Page 9) Home Media Magazine - March 2-8, 2009 - TV DVD (Page 10) Home Media Magazine - March 2-8, 2009 - SXSW (Page 11) Home Media Magazine - March 2-8, 2009 - Reviews (Page 12) Home Media Magazine - March 2-8, 2009 - Reviews (Page 13) Home Media Magazine - March 2-8, 2009 - Reviews (Page 14) Home Media Magazine - March 2-8, 2009 - Reviews (Page 15) Home Media Magazine - March 2-8, 2009 - Top 20 Sellers (Page 16) Home Media Magazine - March 2-8, 2009 - Top 20 Sellers (Page 17) Home Media Magazine - March 2-8, 2009 - Top 20 Rentals and Top 10 Charts (Page 18) Home Media Magazine - March 2-8, 2009 - Top 20 Rentals and Top 10 Charts (Page 19) Home Media Magazine - March 2-8, 2009 - Just Announced (Page 20) Home Media Magazine - March 2-8, 2009 - Just Announced (Page 21) Home Media Magazine - March 2-8, 2009 - Just Announced (Page 22)
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