City of Violence

REVENGE HAS NEVER HURT THIS BAD
YET LOOKED SO GOOD

2-Disc Ultimate Edition DVD Debuting September 4
From Genius Products And The Weinstein Company’s Dragon Dynasty Label
Featuring Explosive Special Features

SANTA MONICA, CA – The recent South Korean box office sensation,
THE CITY OF VIOLENCE, arrives stateside as a 2-disc Ultimate Edition DVD September 4. The latest release under the premier martial arts Dragon Dynasty label from The Weinstein Company and Genius Products, THE CITY OF VIOLENCE is a slick, edgy action-packed ride full of surprising plot twists and dazzling martial arts sequences. The follow-up film to award-winning director Ryoo Sueng-Wan’s critically acclaimed Crying Fist, THE CITY OF VIOLENCE follows Tae-su, an organized crime detective, as he returns to his hometown to attend his friend’s untimely funeral. Reunited with old friends, Tae-su along with his friends suspect foul play in their friend’s mysterious death. As they begin to dig deeper into the suspicious and deadly circumstances, they inevitably vow to avenge his murder. Featuring masterful performances by Jung Doo-hong (The Restless), Ahn Kil-Kang (Holy Daddy), Jeung Seok-yong (Highway Star) and Lee Beom-su (Go Go Sister), THE CITY OF VIOLENCE 2-disc Ultimate Edition DVD is packed with over three hours of bonus material including deleted/alternate scenes and cast interviews (additional details below) - and will be available for the suggested retail price of $24.95.

THE CITY OF VIOLENCE Synopsis
The story follows a pair of high school friends who reunite to investigate the murder of one of their own, hurtling toward an epic two-against-the world showdown where they will try to take vengeance at any cost.

THE CITY OF VIOLENCE Bonus Materials:
• Deleted/Alternate Scenes With Optional Commentary By Director and Star
Ryoo Seung-Wan
• Performance Management: Interviews With The Cast Of The City Of Violence
• Blow By Blow: A Behind-The-Scenes Exploration Of The Action Scenes From
The City Of Violence
• The Evolution Of Action featurette
• Creating Emotive Action With Action Director and Star Jung Doo-Hung
• The City Of Violence: Development And Pre-Production
• The Art Of War: Conceptual Designs
• Designer Action: The Development Of The Artwork For The City Of Violence
• Battle Plans: Technical Tests And Pre-Training
• Two Against The Rest: The Making Of The City Of Violence
• A Walk On The Wild Side
• Council Of War: A Commentary On The Movie's Action Sequences With Action Director Jung Doo-Hung
• Behind-The-Scenes At The Venice Film Festival
• Feature Length Audio Commentary By Director And Star Ryoo Seung-Wan
• Original Teaser Trailer
• Original Korean and US Theatrical Trailer

THE CITY OF VIOLENCE Basics
Street Date: September 4, 2007
Languages: English and Korean
Subtitles: English and Spanish
Screen format: Widescreen
Running time: 95 minutes

Two studios choose HD over Blu-ray

On Monday, Paramount Pictures and Dreamworks announced that they would throw their support behind the HD DVD and no longer release movies in the rival Blu-ray format. This means that such major forthcoming titles as Blades of Glory, Transformers and Shrek the Third will be available only on traditional DVD or HD DVD, not Blu-ray.

The move comes as a surprise after a string of developments that leaned in favor of Blu-ray. Blockbuster Video announced that it would stock only Blu-ray titles when it begins renting high-definition DVDs later this year, and Target announced that it would begin selling Blu-ray players this holiday season. Blu-ray sales have increased in part because the PlayStation 3 game console allows users to play Blu-ray discs.

The latest announcement leaves Warner Bros. Studios as the only major studio that is still releasing high-definition discs in both formats. Disney, Sony, Fox and MGM are in the Blu-ray camp, and Universal releases only HD DVDs. Two new Web sites have started up using the YouTube format of free online videos.

❑ SciVee.com is a site on which scientific researchers and lecturers can post presentations in the form of podcasts, short video lectures and written material. “Other scientists can view the presentations and papers, as well as discuss the material with the authors and each other,” according to a report at InformationWeek.com. The site was created by the National Science Foundation, the San Diego Supercomputer Center and the Public Library of Science.

❑ GodTube.com is an online community of videos for Christians, including sermons, testimonials and short films. Some are traditional religious teachings; others take a more whimsical approach.

The site also includes videos in Spanish. Could MVI be the next CD? A report in USA Today on Monday looked at Music Video Interactive discs, a format that some believe will revitalize sales of “physical albums” now that digital downloads have become so popular.

MVI discs, which play in DVD players, computers and some game consoles (but not traditional CD players), include the audio files plus music videos and interactive digital content including ringtones, wallpaper and more. The format’s first title was Minutes to Midnight by Linkin Park, which has been followed by MVI albums by Rush, Donald Fagen and The Flaming Lips. The discs cost more than CDs but are cheaper than CD/DVD combo sets. Rush’s Snakes & Arrows, for instance, retails for about $19 on CD and $24 on MVI.

HBO Cancels `John From Cincinnati'

"John From Cincinnati" has caught its last wave on HBO. The surfer drama that aired its season finale this week will not return for a second run, the premium cable channel said Tuesday. The move represents a rare cancellation by HBO of an hourlong drama after its freshman season and a misfire as the channel tries to build its post-"The Sopranos" schedule.

"John From Cincinnati," which blended family drama with the metaphysical, earned mixed reviews and failed to spark audience interest.

The show, created by David Milch ("Deadwood") and "surf noir" novelist and screenwriter Kem Nunn, starred Bruce Greenwood and Rebecca De Mornay.

JOE KANE RELEASES “DIGITAL VIDEO ESSENTIALS: HD BASICS”– THE ULTIMATE HDTV SET-UP DISC

The DVD Acquisition and Development Group, Inc., the parent company of DVD International (DVDI), announces the release of Joe Kane Productions’ Digital Video Essentials: HD Basics on HD DVD and Blu-ray disc. Designed to benefit HDTV novices and aficionados alike, HD Basics has been created by Joe Kane, one of this country’s leading HD experts, designers and consultants. The comprehensive disc provides easy-to-use calibration tests and setup instructions for getting the most out of your HDTV set and offers valuable background information on today’s high definition systems. HD Basics is the successor to the popular Video Essentials and Digital Video Essentials. The HD DVD and Blu-ray versions of HD Basics will be available starting October 30, 2007, and will each retail for $29.95.

David Goodman, President of The DVD Acquisition And Development Group said, ”Joe Kane is the foremost high definition calibration expert in the world, and his Digital Video Essentials (DVE) is the best home theater calibration tool available. While HDTV sales are exploding, the reality is that most users still do not completely understand HD and are not enjoying the optimum picture on their sets. HD Basics is designed to rectify that, and we have made set up easier than ever by taking advantage of the interactivity that next-generation high definition formats are capable of delivering. The first thing that a consumer will discover after inserting HD Basics is that it is different from any version of DVE offered to date. A simple and straightforward menu asks you whether you want to just calibrate your television or whether you want to delve into all of the advanced features that HD Basics has to offer.”

The HD Basics “Setting Up My HDTV” section includes six essential calibration test patterns that can dramatically improve a high definition image after only a few minutes of use. Simple audio instructions allow the user to follow along until the optimal settings are achieved. The “Advanced Video Test Patterns” section includes many of the test patterns found in the Professional version of DVE while other parts of the program contain a trove of background materials on how HDTV works. Also new to the DVE line of programs, you’ll find an audio commentary track recorded by Joe Kane, describing what to look for in the demonstration materials, and Allen Daviau, (cinematographer for E.T., Empire of the Sun, and more), on color grading film for high definition presentation.

Joe Kane, President of Joe Kane Productions and creator of HD Basics, notes, “My goal with DVE: HD Basics is to help make display device setup easier plus describe what I think consumers should expect from high definition. It’s really a great system and not everyone is seeing it for what it’s worth. This new disc allows users to choose the depth at which they want to learn about High Definition – or simply begin with calibrating their set. While this is not a watered-down version of DVE, I do feel that entry-level support is just as important as providing details for the more experienced users. The HD Basics program provides more tools and information than any prior consumer version DVE, but it is indexed in a way that lets you easily access what you need, when you need it.”

DVE: HD Basics includes a tri-color filter for use with the included test patterns, and will retail for $29.95. For a limited time, registered owners of the HD DVD of DVE will be offered a special upgrade price on DVE HD Basics. Due, in part, to the advanced menu features, HD Basics does not contain a standard definition side. For more upgrade and pricing information, consumers may visit: www.jkpi.net.

China to Export More Televisions than Ship Domestically in 2007

Despite numerous trade barriers, China’s television exports will surpass its domestic shipments for the first time in 2007, iSuppli Corp. predicts. China is set to export 39.6 million televisions in 2007, compared to 38.3 million sets shipped in the domestic market. In comparison, China in 2006 had 36.8 million domestic TV shipments and 34.8 million exports.

“China’s rising exports come as a direct result of the Japanese manufacturers exiting the Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) television market in order to focus their efforts on higher-margin LCD-TVs and Plasma Display Panel (PDP) TVs,” said Kathleen Zhang, China industry analyst at iSuppli. “Due to the availability of a local supply chain and continued international demand for CRT TVs, China has taken over this market from the Japanese.”

The strong exports are continuing despite a decline in shipments of CRT-TVs to the United States.

DTV transition troubles

China’s CRT-TV exporters are facing increasing obstacles to penetrating the U.S. market due to new requirements for digital tuners on sets sold in the nation. Starting on Mar. 1, all televisions that include a tuner must incorporate a built-in Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) Digital Television (DTV) tuner.

This requirement—which will allow consumers in the United States to receive digital television signals—had a major impact on exports in the first quarter as CRT shipments dropped 38 percent compared with the previous quarter and down 6 percent compared to the same quarter in 2006. Chinese OEMs are hesitating to export TVs to the U.S. market in fear of being charged high royalties—exceeding $20 a set.

Export growth ahead

However, Chinese TV makers already are beginning to adjust to adjust to the changed market conditions in order to preserve their rapid export growth. iSuppli believes the market for Chinese television exports will grow to 54.5 million units by 2011, managing a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 9.7 percent from 34.8 million in 2006. Domestic Chinese television shipments will grow to 45.8 million units by 2011, rising at a CAGR of 4.5 percent from 36.8 million units in 2006. As China transitions to LCD TVs, iSuppli believes television exports will continue to rise as OEMs shift from shipping CRTs to shipping more desirable and higher-margin flat-panel offerings.  The attached figure presents iSuppli’s forecast for China’s domestic and export television market for the period of 2006 through 2011.

A taxing situation

Currently, high duty rates and non-tariff barriers are preventing all China-branded televisions from entering high volume markets in Europe and the United States. To circumvent this, China’s TV manufacturers have begun to establish factories in European Union member countries and Latin America in order to avoid having the label of “Made in China,” despite the fact Chinese companies are producing the sets.

The ATSC royalties also represent a challenge for Chinese OEMs that want to avoid having to pay an additional fee for each set that is exported to a different country. iSuppli believes that China’s manufacturers have a long way to go before they can successfully sell their products under their own brand names in Europe and the United States.

HD DVD: Format War

As another blow to HD DVD, Video Business reported late last week that BJ's Wholesale club would stock only Blu-ray discs. And in June, Blockbuster announced that it would offer only the Blu-ray DVD format for rental in 1,700 of its stores. The HD DVD format is still being offered through the company's online channel, blockbuster.com, as well as through the 250 stores that currently carry both formats.

But the HD DVD camp is saying, in effect, that the battles are swaying this way and that, and that the war is still on. Each side has competitive advantages that it is emphasizing, although most observers agree that Blu-ray has been doing better in promotions.

HD Is 'More Affordable'

Ken Graffeo, an executive vice president at HD-backer Universal Studios, said that the Target news boils down to Sony having bought "an end cap," which is a much-coveted and visible display at the end of a store aisle. He noted that HD DVD has purchased such end caps as well, in Best Buy and Circuit City.

Target has said that it will continue to make both DVD formats available in the discs it offers. Target is still offering the Xbox 360 HD DVD drive at its stores, and that add-on plus a Toshiba HD DVD player are offered on its Web site.

"What's important," he said, "is that standalone HD DVD players are still much more affordable than Blu-ray players." Graffeo also said that HD DVD provides a better experience, and he invited a direct comparison between movies such as 300 and Blood Diamond, which are available in both formats.

While HD DVD players are less expensive than Blu-ray ones -- some HD DVD players are a bit less than half the cost of a typical Blu-ray player -- Blu-ray has a wider array of backers among major Hollywood studios.

'Ping-Pong Match'

The Blu-ray backers say they have the edge in players because of the PlayStation 3. While Microsoft's Xbox 360 has an HD DVD add-on, all of Sony's PlayStation 3 consoles come with a Blu-ray drive built right in. Sony had been criticized heavily for the decision to include Blu-ray, with many observers saying it delayed the console's release, added to its price, and, consequently, is the central cause behind its current third-place showing among current video game consoles.

But, for the Blu-ray camp, even the PS3's meager sales have been heaven-sent. The PS3 has sold about four million units worldwide, giving the Blu-ray-ers a major leg up in creating an installed base. Among standalone players, however, sales reports indicate that HD DVD players in the U.S. are selling about 50 percent more than Blu-ray players.

One critical factor is not being openly promoted by either side, though. The porn industry had been credited with helping VHS become the home video format in its war with Betamax, so its inclinations could help create the tipping point in the next-gen DVD wars. Reportedly, the U.S. porn industry is leaning toward HD DVD, but its Japanese counterpart is trending toward Blu-ray.

In this "ping-pong match," neither side can claim victory right now, said Jupiter Research analyst Michael Gartenberg. "It absolutely is still a toss-up." He said that consumers are still holding back in making format decisions, because of a lack of content or a "fear of picking the wrong format."

Gartenberg suggested that there will be a much better sense of the competition after this year's holiday season. But he also suggested that consumers' hesitation might lead them to leapfrog high-definition players entirely. As broadband access, transmission speeds, and storage capacities increase and their prices drop, he concluded, users might prefer to get their high-definition movies -- as they do much of their music -- via the Web.

Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs

Icon MES will release the Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs DVD on July 10th.

In 1976 a collection of 55 treasures from the tomb of the Pharaoh Tutankhamun left the Cairo Museum en route to the United States, taking the country by storm and introducing millions of Americans to these wonders of the ancient world. Now, Egypt has granted another opportunity for us to view such treasures, and again, spectators are mesmerized. Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs DVD is hosted by Omar Sharif and includes interviews with Dr. Zahi Hawass, Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities in Cairo Egypt, as well as may other individuals that were instrumental in organizing this exhibit.

The DVD – hosted by the legendary Omar Sharif - draws you into the exhibit, where viewers will come face to face with Tut's contemporaries, see and hear about the fascinating times in which the young king lived and learn how his short reign changed history. This DVD gives you an up-close and incredibly detailed look beyond the shimmering gold and beautiful treasures – isolating each piece with multiple camera angles, and beautiful moving images. The DVD also features National Geographic images and film footage about the golden age of the pharaohs as well as information on cutting-edge research into the life and death of Tutankhamun.

Win a Copy of the program

Streaming Video of an Overview of the Exhibition

Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs MySpace Page

First Arrest Under NYC's New Piracy Law

A moviegoer caught secretly recording the sci-fi blockbuster "Transformers" has been charged with unauthorized use of a video camera in a theater in the first arrest under a new New York City law that stiffened penalties for pirating films. A criminal complaint accuses Kalidou Diallo of slipping a video recorder, video player and remote control into a sneak preview of the film at a Bronx theater Monday night.

"This is the first time someone has been arrested and charged with the new illegal camcording law," City Hall spokesman Jason Post said Thursday.

In May, Mayor Michael Bloomberg signed legislation that upgraded film piracy from a violation with a $250 fine to a misdemeanor that carries up to six months in jail and penalties of up to $5,000. , sometimes just hours after the movie has opened. Pirated movies cost major U.S. film studios more than $6 billion in 2005, according to the trade association. A study by the group showed that the New York movie industry loses an estimated $1.5 billion a year because of piracy, and the local economy suffers further with lost earnings, tax revenue and jobs.

Police arrested Diallo, 48, after an officer seated behind him in the theater saw him raise his right arm after the film began, court papers said. During a search shortly after the movie ended, police found a video recorder "strapped underneath his right arm via a body harness," and a video player and remote control in his jacket pockets, the papers added. Diallo was released on Tuesday without bail and ordered to return to court on Sept. 20. No telephone number was listed for his Bronx address, and the name of his lawyer was not immediately available.

"Transformers" broke box-office records on its official opening day Tuesday, taking in $27.4 million to set a new high for Tuesday openings.

The movie - based on the Hasbro toys that debuted in the 1980s - chronicles a war between two factions of giant shape-shifting robots that bring their battle to Earth. The cast includes Shia LaBeouf, Tyrese Gibson, Jon Voight, Josh Duhamel and John Turturro.

Microsoft Cuts Price of HD DVD Player, Offers Free Movies

Microsoft Corp. is cutting the price of an HD DVD (high definition DVD) player it offers as an add-on to Xbox 360 game consoles and will give away five free HD DVD movies with player purchases, a sign the battle between the HD DVD and the Blu-ray Disc high definition formats is heating up.The HD DVD player will sell for US$179 in the U.S. starting August 1, down from $199. Between Aug. 1 and Sept. 30 buyers will receive five free HD DVD movies chosen from a selection of 15, Microsoft said. The company indicated the free HD DVD movie offer was the same as that offered by Toshiba Corp., which is offering titles including Apollo 13, Seabiscuit, Constantine, Casablanca, We Were Soldiers, U-571, Blazing Saddles, and more.

Microsoft will also offer the movie "300" on its online service Xbox Live on demand starting Aug. 14. The price reduction of the Xbox 360 HD DVD player may be aimed at Sony Corp. The Japanese consumer electronics giant, which is championing Blu-ray Disc technology against HD DVD, reduced the price of the PlayStation 3 in North America by US$100 in anticipation of the launch of a newer version of the game console.

The PlayStation 3, which contains a Blu-ray Disc player, now costs US$499 or in North America with a 60G-byte hard-disk drive. A newer version of the PlayStation 3 with an 80G-byte hard-disk will sell for US$599 when it launches in August. The Xbox 360, on the other hand, sells for US$399 with a 20G-byte hard drive, while the 120G-byte Xbox 360 Elite costs US$479. Neither of the Xbox prices includes the HD DVD player.

Sony and other members of the Blu-ray Disc camp have been able to boast a large base of users of its HD technology because of the number of PlayStation 3s sold. Microsoft put out the HD DVD player for its Xbox 360 game machines as a way to compete with the PlayStation 3. The company is in the HD DVD corner, with Toshiba Corp. and other companies.

Atmel Unveils Industry's Smallest Laser Diode Driver Solution Supporting HD-DVD/Blu-ray, DVD, and CD Format

Atmel(R) Corporation announced today the availability of the ATR0881 laser diode driver IC for use in combined HD-DVD/Blu-ray, DVD, and CD drives. The ATR0881 is housed in a 4 mm x 4 mm QFN24 package. This is the industry's smallest laser diode driver solution and is especially suited for small slim drives used in notebook computers as well as for half-height drives in desktop PCs and consumer DVD recorders.

The ATR0881's QFN housing is a lead-free paddle-up package with the exposed paddle on top to improve heat dissipation. A bottom-located exposed paddle, as found in conventional QFN packages, causes difficulties due to its inaccessibility for circuit design, particularly in optical pick-up products. This design restriction is eliminated with Atmel's ATR0881.

Although the ATR0881 has 3 outputs for connecting 3 laser diodes -- a blue (HD-DVD/Blu-ray), a red (DVD), and an infrared (CD) -- it still fits into the same small 24-pin package used by Atmel's well-known laser diode drivers for two-output combined DVD and CD drives. The ATR0881 is the first of its kind with a serial interface. Whereas conventional laser diode drivers have a fixed gain between input and output, the gain of each of the ATR0881's 5 channels can be individually programmed using the serial interface. As a result, the ATR0881 is extremely flexible and avoids complete re-designs if the users' gain requirements change.

The serial interface can also be used to set all parameters of the integrated oscillator including frequency, amplitude, and spread-spectrum settings. Current laser diode drivers need up to 6 external resistors and pins to set the oscillator parameters. With the ATR0881, these additional resistors are not required; thus the overall bill of material is reduced. The requirement for oscillator frequency accuracy is very high to ensure low electromagnetic interference. Due to resistor tolerances, common laser diode drivers enable a maximum accuracy of +/- 10%. In contrast, designs using the ATR0881 achieve a frequency deviation of less than +/- 5% thanks to the laser diode driver's integrated frequency counter.

Compared to competitor devices, the ATR0881 can optionally be set to a special synchronization mode, which synchronizes all write channels to the second channel, thus enabling the generation of very sharp output pulses for increased data security.

PLAY THE ICE ROAD TRUCKERS MEMORY GAME AND WIN!!!

With one hand on the wheel and one on the door at all times, always prepared for the ice to give way under the weight of their trucks, these drivers put their lives and financial security of their families on the line in an exhilarating dash for cash. Sundays at 10 PM EST on the History Channel, this adrenaline packed series reveals the raw, gripping quest of ice road truckers.

Play the Ice Road Truckers memory game!

Win either a shirt, hat, or $25 AMEX gift card

Europe May Give Boost to HD DVD Effort

It’s no secret that Blu-ray Disc has picked up more steam than HD DVD so far in 2007. With a greater number of sales and the strong backing from video rental juggernaut Blockbuster, Blu-ray appears to be gaining the edge in the overall high-definition optical format war.

While the above may all be true for North America, the situation is a little different across the pond. According to what executives from companies backing HD DVD told CNET UK, HD DVD may have a stronger foothold in Europe. The report says that, in mainland Europe, around 50 percent of movies are produced by studios independent of Hollywood. For these independent studios, whose budgets are much smaller than Hollywood, producing HD DVD media is cheaper than with Blu-ray Disc.

Furthermore, the HD DVD camp believes that the Blu-ray backers have largely ignored Europe, but instead is concentrating its effort in the U.S. market. The supposed lack of stronger Blu-ray presence is leaving an opening for HD DVD to take root in Europe.

HD DVD may also be getting a bit of assistance from the European Union. iTWire reports that the European Commission – which watches over antitrust matters – has become interested in why certain studios exclusively support one high-def format over another. While the answer to that question may be obvious for Sony and its subsidiaries, the European Commission would like to hear explanations from Disney, Fox, Lions Gate and MGM as to why they only back Blu-ray Disc.

Conversely, the European Commission may be posing the same question – but in the other direction – for Universal as to why they only support HD DVD. According to the story, the European Commission sent letters out to all studios that exclusively support one side or the other.

Of all major Hollywood studios releasing movies in high-definition optical formats, only Paramount and Warner Bros. are format neutral by releasing product for both sides.