8 - The Michigan Daily -- Friday, January 22, 1999 I DVDs update old video format 'Diaries' DVD includes DiCanrio interview By Erin Podoisky Daily Arts Writer Fans call it the next revolution in home movie viewing. Detractors call it the '90s version of the failed Betamax video format. So what's the truth about DVD? The truth is actually pretty simple. Remember back in the day when you had your oh-so-cool cassette boombox and bought those clunky, hard-to-navi- gate, easy-to-tangle tapes? Remember when you bought your first compact disc, a new media format that offered clear sound, no deterioration of quality over time and the ability to play your favorite song over and over without wait- ing for rewind? Imagine that kind of power when you're watching the latest video release. No more tape rewinding, no more track- ing static and garbled audio. Laserdiscs once tried to be to video- tape what CDs are to cassettes. But they failed in the mass market because of high prices and the need to handle record-sized discs several times per movie. Now DVD (digital versatile disc) video has arrived in force at electronics and computer stores across the nation, and the features and quality it offers are making it the next big thing in home the- atre at affordable prices. Merely the size of a CD, DVDs can store more than four gigabytes of data. Because they're digital, and not analog like videotapes, DVDs can be used for both software and movies - which is why many computers now come equipped with DVD drives, enabling you to watch movies on your monitor or patch the signal out to a television. The huge amount of space available on a DVD also means that much more content can be put on the disc than on a videotape. Quite a few DVD releases contain extra audio tracks that viewers can access during the movie, allowing one to listen to a director or star talk about making the film. Some discs also include deleted scenes, music videos, behind-the-scenes featurettes, TV spots and trailers for the film, among other wonderful features. Most of the movies released on DVD are presented in a "letterboxed" format or offer both widescreen and "pan-and- scan" (standard) versions, giving view- ers a choice about how to view a movie - choices that videotape never could offer. But the crisp, clear picture provided by a DVD would never justify the price of a player ($300-600 average for the player; $20 average for movies) without the final piece of the movie puzzle: sound. Nearly every DVD being produced offers sound in the Dolby Digital format, which means theatre-quality sound with five discrete channels (front left, center, front right, rear right, rear left speakers) and a dedicated output to a subwoofer. Titles such as "Air Force One," "Contact" and "The Fifth Element" will give most sound systems a workout com- parable to any first-run movie theater. Watch out for DVD's ugly step-sister DIVX, currently being thrust upon con- sumers at Circuit City stores nationwide. This so-called "enhanced" format costs $4.50 per disc (never mind that a DIVX player costs a good $100 more than a DVD player), but does not include the extensive extra content available on many DVDs. Most notably absent is the letterboxed format. DIVX allows you to watch the movie as many times as you want in a 48-hour period. After that, the DIVX player uses a modem line to charge your credit card every subsequent time you want to watch the movie. DIVX purports to replace rental in that you can just throw out the DIVX disc when you are done watching it instead of returning it to a store, but with major video store chains like Hollywood Video now stocking DVDs (at prices much lower than $4.50 and for five-day rentals) DIVX looks like an idea that was over before it even began. All of the major studios are now putting out movies on DVD, and 1999 is shaping up to be the year that the format comes into its own in the mainstream with titles like "The Princess Bride" "The X-Files," "Ghostbusters" and a rumored Christmas release of the "Star Wars" holy trilogy scheduled (and yes, that barge that swept the Oscars last year should be out by summer). If you've got a few bucks to spend or still need to send your belated Christmas wish list to the guy in the red suit, think about picking up DVD player. It will blow your VCR back into the stone age and take your home video experience into the 21st century. courtesy of United Artists Pierce Brosnan Is Bond. James Bond. Bond never dies on 'Tomorow' DVD By Ed Sholinsky Daily Film Editor Definition of irony: River Phoenix was supposed to star in "The Basketball Diaries," a loose adapta- tion of Jim Carrol's book, which was an actual diary of his drug life. Well, before shooting could start Phoenix overdosed on drugs and died.1 Replacing him was Leonardo DiCaprio, who would later sign to play Dirk Diggler in "Boogie Nights." DiCaprio would eventually drop out of this role, to be replaced by his "Basketball Diaries" co-star Mark Walhberg, while he played Jack Dawson in "Titanic." And you thought six degrees of1 Kevin Bacon was a mess. Nevertheless, "The Basketball Diaries" is a solid film, and seeing it in the widescreen format on DVD really brings to life the film's beauty. Though the film has very little to do with Carrol's actual "Basketball Diaries," the film captures the spirit of the book quite nicely. Bonuses on the DVD include the film trailer (the cop out when the stu- dio can think of nothing else to add to the DVD), an anti-drug message (bet River was wishing he'd seen that before he overdosed) and interviews with the cast and director. The best part of this DVD is watc. ing DiCaprio explain why the fil' makers had to alter the diaries in order to make the film work. You'll laugh so hard you'll want to watch it again. If you're one of those people whb think actors and actresses are above the common man, smarter and more refined, watch this and come back to reality. Even if you don't watch the bonus material, however, there is mu enjoyment to be taken from the fill itself. By Matthew Barrett Daily Arts Writer Bond. James Bond. Yes, Pierce Brosnan is back as the alcohol-swigging secret agent in "Tomorrow Never Dies." Bond is set against Elliot Carver (Jonathan Pryce), a media tycoon obsessed with making headlines for his various news outlets. Of course, no Bond film would be complete without the ladies, and the Bond girls appear in the form of Teri Hatcher as his ex-love and martial arts expert Michelle Yeoh as his partner. The Special Edition DVD, which fol- lows a normal edition, has numerous extras that should appeal to fans of the series. There's a "Secrets of 007" fea- turette that includes some history on the James Bond franchise and the interesting tidbit that Cary Grant was originally desired for the part of Bond. Along with the trailer and a few other basic features, there are two commentary 'E xor cist'si tracks, one with director Roger Spottiswoode and the other with the film's stunt director and producer. The biggest thing to come out of the commentary tracks is the fact that world' renowned sleight-of-hand artist Ricky Jay used playing cards as weapons in some scenes that didn't make the film's final cut. It's cruel to tease the audience with this info and never show it, but maybe the second special edition will have these sacred scenes. By far, the best of the bonus material is the feature that allows viewers to play the storyboards for the film simultaneously with some of the action scenes. This pro- vides a very worthwhile look into the construction of the scenes and how high octane sequences are first visualized. With or without Jay's card antics, "Tomorrow.Never Dies: Special Edition" is stocked with enough special features to make the DVD a must have for all fans of the Bond series. *ll terr-ifies 25 years after release By Erin Podolsky Daily Arts Writer More than 25 years ago, William Friedkin's "The Exorcist" made movie history by sending viewers running from the theatre straight into the bath- room to vomit, just like the charming, sweet demon-possessed girl in the film. WB has rereleased "The Exorcist" as a special edition DVD with such goodies as a director's commentary and full- length documentary on the bone-chill- ing, gross-out of a horror flick. "The Exorcist" deals with the blas- phemy-spewing, scenery-chewing pos- session of young Regan MacNeil (Linda Blair), and her mother's (Ellen Burstyn) quest to restore her daughter's health. She seeks counsel and ultimate- ly exorcism from various quarters, most importantly from priests Karras (Jason Lift your voice and share ur deas with women from across the Midwest at Miller) and Merrin (Max Von Sydow). Death, pea soup-esque vomit, masturba- tion with a crucifix and house-shaking convulsions pepper the film, making it a scary excursion into the supernatural with effects worthy of today's comput- ers - even though the movie was released in 1973. The special edition content of the disc includes two audio commentary tracks, one by Friedkin and the other by screen- writer/producer William Peter Blatty. Both are interesting, with megalomani- cal Friedkin telling tales of casting the film and various anecdotes, while Blatty spends much of his time telling tales of Friedkin. The documentary is more of the same, with interviews of cast mem- bers and tons of information about how many of the effects were done. The video transfer of the film itself is spotless, although the soundtrack is per- haps a bit more understated than it should be in the effects department. "The Exorcist" is one of the greatest horror movies of all time, and this spe- cial edition is a worthwhile addition to any collection. (gp Ocan& for Pageant at M.S.U. on 3-12-99; age 17-21. Prizes $500.00 and a free trip to Houston, Texas. Call Judy Schmaltz at 248-627-4556. courtesy of Miramax Fimg Minnie Driver and Matt Damon look Intellectual In "Good Will Hunting." 'Good Will Hunting'SJ DVD hitsth mark By Matthew Barrett Daily Arts Writer And the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay goes to "Good Nate Hunting." Scratch that, "Good Will Hunting." Believe it or not, the title character was named Nate in some of the early drafts of the film's script. This tidbit of information comes cour- tesy of the commentary track by writ- ers and stars Matt Damon and Ben Affleck on the DVD version of the film, a must have for all "Good Will Hunting" hounds. In the film, Damon plays Will Hunting, someone who can slice through the toughest math problems with ease and yet has no desire to rise above his current position as janitor at M.I.T. Will gets in trouble with the law and as a result he has to work with a professor (Stellan Skarsgard) and a therapist (Robin Williams). Complicating Will's life is whether or not he should leave his best friend Chuckie (Ben Affleck) to follow Skylar (Minnie Driver), who could be the girl of his dreams. The DVD of "Good Will Huntin* comes stocked with plenty of features and information of interest to fans of the film. The aforementioned com-s mentary track with Affleck, Damon and director Gus Van Sant is a joy to listen to as all three participants feel a great deal of passion for the filt Topics covered include how actor§ approached certain scenes, improvisa- tions, ideas for the film that didnT' make the final cut and a boatload of interesting production stories. * Also included is a production feae turette with brief interviews of Damon, Affleck, Van Sant, Driver and Williams, the trailer, several televisions commercials for the film, and deleted scenes. The disc also contains the Elliot Smith "Miss Misery" musict' video for those of you who didn't catch it on MTV With excellent performances fro the cast and a bevy of bonus materia' the "Good Will Hunting" DVD hits the mark like a Carlton Fisk flyball. Kol Of DAVE MATTHEWS AND I REYNOLDS LIVE AT LUTHER COLLEGE SPECIALLY PRICED 23 LIVE ACOUSTIC SONGS includes CRASH INTO ME * SATELLITE* ANTS MARCHING and PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED SONGS GRANNY* DEED IS DONE - STREAM and LITTLE THING W( Feb Univei For mor: v and an ~p. plica ifon contact Danielle Gordon at 747.8851 or danigord@umich.edu .. _ l i _ Our Fast Copiers Don't need Coins or Cards! We have great self-serve copiers that can collate, staple, reduce and enlarge. So why bother with the hassles of other copy shops. I I I