Star Trek to hit DVD

by Brett Sporich and Betsy Scala

Paramount Home Video has followed up on its promise to support the DVD format (VB, 5/4) with its first slate of releases, which will include Star Trek: First Contact, one of its most requested movies for DVD, according to sources.

Executives at Paramount declined to comment on reports of the studio's DVD plans, but it's believed the supplier will release a handful of titles on DVD beginning on Oct. 6. All are expected to be priced at $29.99. 

Also due on Oct. 6 are The Saint, Face/Off, Kiss the Girls, and Twilight, sources said. 

A second group of five releases is due Oct. 20: Top Gun, Clear and Present Danger, Primal Fear, In & Out, and Neil Simon's The Odd Couple II. 

No preorder dates could be learned.

The sources said Paramount will release an additional 15 titles in November and December, including more Star Trek movies and comedy and action/adventure films. 

Paramount's DVD releases will include interactive menus, scene selection, and theatrical trailers. At least one, The Saint, will include commentary by its director, Phillip Noyce. 

All will be available in widescreen, with Top Gun and The Odd Couple II also in pan-and-scan on the same disk. 

Meanwhile, Paramount has signed a long-term agreement with Panasonic Disc Services to replicate its films on DVD, according to sources. 

Paramount is one of the last suppliers to enter the DVD market. The only holdout among the majors remains 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment, which still has made no formal announcement. 

Although Paramount has still not finalized plans for release of Titanic on DVD, sources said, it will probably be released in November or December. 

"If they wait for more people to buy the players, they can 're-release' Titanic on DVD just before Christmas and get a double-sale," said an executive from one major electronics chain, referring to consumers' buying Titanic on VHS initially and then again on DVD.

Paramount earlier agreed to release titles on DVD variation Divx, but has yet to do so.

No 'Titanic' on Paramount's Fall DVD Slate  

by Kevin Brass  

Paramount Home Video will officially enter the DVD business in October, but Titanic won't be among its first titles.   

As of presstime, Paramount was reportedly set to announce 10 titles to be released in two waves. The initial release list includes The Saint, Kiss the Girls, Twilight, Star Trek: First Contact, In & Out and Clear and Present Danger.  

Paramount is also reportedly targeting Face/Off and Top Gun for its initial DVD push, although release dates have not been finalized. A Paramount spokesperson declined comment.  

Titanic, which streets on VHS Sept.1, may not appear on DVD in 1998, sources say. Numerous factors are being blamed for the delay, ranging from piracy concerns to the relationship between Paramount and Twentieth Century Fox, which controls international rights to the film.  

Paramount has agreed to make titles available day-and-date on Divx, but Divx does not expect to release a version of Titanic before the open DVD, according to Divx executive v.p. Dick Sowa. 

Now that most of this information has already been leaked, I no longer feel uncomfortable revealing the rest of the Paramount information I've been sitting on for the last month. The titles and features that had been expected to be announced last Tuesday are: 

October 6th 

Kiss the Girls, Star Trek: First Contact, The Saint, Twilight and Grease 

October 20th 

In and Out, Face Off, The Odd Couple 2, Clear and Present Danger, Top Gun  

There's expected to be one wave of 5 or 6 titles each in Nov and Dec. The packaging is Amaray keep case. Most titles will be in widescreen and 16x9 (except possibly Twilight and Clear and Present Danger). Top Gun and Odd Couple 2 will be dual-layered and have both widescreen and pan & scan. All will have at least a theatrical trailer. The Saint will include director's commentary, and Grease will have a 17 minute documentary. Titanic will not be mentioned (as least wasn't to be mentioned if the announcement had been made last week) but is expected 2nd week of December. The Odd Couple 2 is Paramount's first day-and-date DVD release. Braveheart and The Odd Couple are also in the works, among other titles. Pricing is $29.99 SRP. 

The delay in announcing apparently resulted from a couple of minor but important issues. I've been told however, that we should be hearing from Paramount "very soon"