Library DVD Guide: June - August 2007

NEWS

High-def on the horizon for libraries
According to a survey conducted for this supplement by Library Journal, 3% of librarians say they are carrying the new high-definition disc formats, Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD. But the small percentage who have bought the discs are pleased with their performance so far. Full story

DVD is still growing in libraries
Although most libraries aren’t catering to the early adopters of the new high-definition physical disc formats, they’ve become entrenched in mainstream DVD. Full story

Libraries lead the way to movie downloads
Just as libraries have long acted as small-scale free video rental outlets, library Web sites are now beginning to offer some of the same titles as commercial digital rental sites. Full story

Smoothing the surface of scratched DVDs
Digital divots are more than just a nuisance for video stores and libraries that have neither the cash nor personnel to constantly replace and fix discs. Full story

UPCOMING TITLES

MOVIES

CodeBlack/Vivendi
Young Cesar (not rated; street June 26, prebook May 29; DVD $14.99) is the urban story of a man and his failure as a father to his two sons, one of whom follows his father’s footsteps into a life of crime.

Kultur
Tony Palmer directs England, My England, a drama about English composer Henry Purcell (not rated; street July 31, prebook June 26; DVD $24.95).

Lionsgate
Terrence Howard stars in Pride (rated PG; street June 26, prebook May 23; DVD $28.98), an inspirational family film about a charismatic schoolteacher in the ’70s who founded an African-American swim team in one of Philadelphia’s roughest neighborhoods.

Maverick Spirit
Available July 17, The Stonecutter (not rated; prebook June 22; DVD $16.98) is an inspirational fairy tale about a poor stonecutter who is taught to appreciate that the most valuable possession in life is the love of one’s family.

MTI
Deliberating on the fate of a man on trial for the brutal murders of 14 people, a jury has 11 ready to convict, but the holdout is swaying the others with his reasonable doubt in the thriller The Last Letter, starring Yancy Butler and William Forsythe (rated R; street June 26, prebook May 29; DVD $24.95).

New Video NYC
A Tale of Two Pizzas (rated PG; street June 26, prebook May 29; DVD $26.95) is a film-festival favorite that tells the tale of two feuding pizza parlor owners who square off in a decisive pizza contest.

New Line/Warner
Starring Jim Carrey, the recent theatrical release The Number 23 (rated R; street July 24, prebook June 19; DVD $28.98) is a psychological thriller about a family man whose life spirals out of control when the chilling murders in a mysterious novel begin to parallel his own life.

Paramount
Black Snake Moan (rated R; street June 26, prebook now; DVD $29.99, BD or HD $39.99) stars Samuel L. Jackson as a retired blues man who finds the town nymphomaniac (Christina Ricci) left for dead on the side of the road and vows to nurse her back to health and cure her of her wickedness.

Polychrome/Warner
Grindin’ (not rated; street Aug. 21, prebook July 17; DVD $19.97) tells the story of a struggling actor who constantly gets distracted from focusing on his career.

Screen Media/Universal
Forced to smuggle whiskey in an attempt to save his family, Quebec Bill (Kris Kristofferson) and his son embark on an unforgettable trip in the western adventure Disappearances (rated PG-13; street July 3, prebook June 5; DVD $24.98).

Sony
Sandra Bullock stars in the recent theatrical release Premonition (rated PG-13; street July 14, prebook June 14; DVD $28.95, Blu-ray $38.96), in which a woman must unravel a mystery to try and save her husband’s life.

Starz
Lives collide on a two-lane highway when a crash forces hundreds of people to a standstill in the sweltering heat in Jam (not rated; street July 3, prebook now; DVD $29.98).

ThinkFilm
Arriving June 26 (not rated; prebook now; DVD $27.98), The Last Confederate is about a strong-willed southern captain in the midst of the American Civil War whose leadership rallies his men to fight for their land.

Timeless
The 9/11 Commission Report (not rated) is a thriller based on the best-selling report (street Aug. 7, prebook July 10; DVD $19.98).

Universal
Based on Dan Millman’s best-selling novel, the recent theatrical release Peaceful Warrior (rated PG-13; street June 26, prebook now; DVD $29.98), starring Scott Mechlowicz and Nick Nolte, is an inspirational film about overcoming the odds and discovering life’s larger meaning.

Warner
TCM Spotlight: Esther Williams (not rated; street July 17, prebook June 12; five-disc set $49.92) features America’s favorite mermaid, who pioneered “aqua musicals” in Bathing Beauty, On an Island With You, Easy to Wed, Neptune’s Daughter and Dangerous When Wet, available only as a collection.

DOCUMENTARIES

A&E/New Video
Using newly released White House recordings, telephone calls and home movies shot by Nixon staffers, Nixon: A Presidency Revealed (street June 26, prebook May 29; DVD $24.95) goes inside the Nixon administration to understand how the President’s mistrust of his own staff lead to his ruin.

Docurama/New Video
Available Aug. 28 are two documentaries: Flock of Dodos presents both sides of the intelligent design/evolution clash from filmmaker and former evolutionary ecologist Dr. Randy Olson; The Refugee All Stars follows a band of six musicians from Sierra Leone as they make their way from their refugee camps back to their war-ravaged country (both prebook July 31; DVD $26.95 each).

Facets
In the documentary James Ellroy: American Dog (street July 24, prebook July 3; DVD $29.95), the American crime fiction writer returns to his mother’s murder scene.

First Run
Sacco and Vanzetti (street Aug. 21, prebook July 17; DVD $29.95) is a documentary that brings to life the Italian immigrant anarchists who were accused of murder and executed after a prejudiced trial, featuring Howard Zinn, Arlo Guthrie and Studs Terkel.

Westlake
The documentary Modify (street July 24, prebook June 19; DVD $19.98) shows how amazing body artists have changed the look of 30 people.

OTHER

Acacia/Acorn
With a street date of July 31, Dance of the Kama Sutra with Hemalayaa (prebook July 3; DVD $14.99) promotes the cultivation of sensuality through playful movements and heart-centered meditation.

Image
Swimming to shelves on July 10, Shark Week: 20th Anniversary Collection (prebook May 29; four-disc set $29.99) explores the science, myths and mystery of the fearsome predator in 14 Discovery Channel programs.

MPI
John Wayne’s Tribute to America (street July 31, prebook June 18; DVD $19.98), originally aired as Swing Out, Sweet Land on NBC-TV in 1970, is a patriotic journey through American history with music, comedy and many famous friends.

Tai Seng
Discover China: A Peking Duck’s Tale and Dim Sum Odyssey (both street July 24, prebook June 12; DVD $14.95 each) delve into the history of these tasty treats.

Starlight
Sybel’s Yoga for Sports & Fitness Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 (street July 31, prebook June 11; DVD $19.99 each) both offer ways to strengthen and relax the mind.

—Compiled by Barbara Wexler

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