Digital Videodiscs

It's a Bruce Springsteen fan's dream come true. "Bruce Springsteen: Video Anthology 1978-2000," which hit stores Tuesday, collects all 18 of the Boss' music videos and 15 previously unreleased performances--including a version of "If I Should Fall Behind" recorded at Madison Square Garden last year--on one DVD. And "Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band: Blood Brothers" brings to DVD the 1996 documentary chronicling the reunion of Springsteen with the E Street Band.

About a week before Christmas, I took a stroll around the Los Angeles Toy District and bought a pirated DVD. As I wrote on Dec. 21, curious about the quality of the merchandise for sale on the street, I shelled out five bucks for a copy of the movie "District 9," which was still days away from being available in your local retail store. As I've been informed, quite properly, by readers in and around the movie industry, that casual act made me part of a global problem that is killing jobs and eliminating opportunities for creative people everywhere.

On Wednesday evening, Mike Chauvet opened a red envelope from Netflix and popped "The Hangover" into his DVD player. "I try to get most of the movies I watch through Netflix," said the 30-year-old physician, who lives in Queens, N.Y. Now he's going to have to wait for the privilege. Warner Bros. has struck a deal with Netflix Inc. whereby the fast-growing DVD subscription firm won't offer the studio's movies until 28 days after they go on sale. Had the deal been in effect last month, "The Hangover," which went on sale Dec. 15, wouldn't be available on Netflix until Jan. 14. It's part of a strategy by several studios to create staggered releases of DVDs so that the most profitable transactions are available first and cheaper rental options take effect further down the road.

The raunchy comedy "Detroit Rock City," which features four pot-smoking teens who will do anything to get into a 1978 KISS concert in Detroit, is a DVD first. The DVD version, scheduled for release by New Line Home Video this month, will debut three weeks before the VHS version, marking the first time a DVD has appeared before a VHS release. Until now, new releases on both DVD--also known as digital videodisc or digital versatile disc--and VHS have shown up in stores on the same day.

Developers of high-definition DVDs have embraced technology from Microsoft Corp. to squeeze more video onto discs, marking another win for the software powerhouse in its drive to expand beyond the personal computer. The decision by the Blu-ray Disc Assn. is the latest sign of progress in Microsoft's efforts to gain a foothold in the entertainment industry. The Redmond, Wash.

A threat by cast members of "Seinfeld" not to participate in the planned DVD release of the hit sitcom is shining a light on a looming fight that could take center stage in Hollywood next year. Booming sales of DVD releases of feature films and television shows have become a financial bright spot for studios and production companies. With profits from a DVD retailing for $16 estimated to average close to $11, writers and actors are starting to ask for a piece of the revenue.

For those who like renting movies, Hollywood may soon have a message: Prepare to wait. In an effort to push consumers toward buying more movies, some major film studios are considering a new policy that would block DVDs from being offered for rental until several weeks after going on sale. Under the plan, new DVD releases would be available on a purchase-only basis for a few weeks, after which time companies such as Blockbuster Inc. and Netflix Inc. would be allowed to rent the DVDs to their customers.

They should just call it Bluebox and really have at it. NCR Corp., which is expanding aggressively in the DVD kiosk business via a partnership with Blockbuster Inc., has acquired competitor DVDPlay in a bid to catch up with market leader Redbox Automated Retail. NCR, which manufacturers self-service retail devices such as ATMs and grocery-store checkout devices, will put the Blockbuster brand name on its $1-a-night-DVD kiosks via a partnership with the struggling home video chain.

Hotel heiress and television personality Paris Hilton could face petty theft charges in connection with the alleged theft of a DVD from a West Hollywood newsstand, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. Sheriff's detectives are investigating a Dec. 15 incident in which Hilton visited the Swing News newsstand in the 8200 block of Sunset Boulevard and reportedly spotted a DVD that featured her and a former boyfriend having sex.

WANT to get a head start on viewing this year's Academy Award nominees-to-be? Unless you have a psychic in your pocket, there's really no way to be certain which films will get the Oscar nod, but there are some good candidates in this batch of upcoming DVD releases: "Cinderella Man."