<I>Voices of Rowan Atkinson, Matthew Broderick, Whoopi Goldberg, Robert Guillaume, Jeremy Irons, James Earl Jones, Nathan Lane, Ernie Sabella. Directed by Rob Minkoff and Roger Allers. Aspect ratio: 1.66:1 (anamorphic). Two discs. Dolby Digital 5.1 (English, French), 5.1 Disney Enhanced Home Theater Mix (English), THX. 88 minutes. 1994. Walt Disney Vista Home Entertainment 62971. G. $29.99.</I>
<I>Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Robert Patrick, Edward Furlong, Joe Morton. Directed by James Cameron. Aspect ratio: 2.35:1 (anamorphic). THX, Dolby Digital 5.1 EX, Dolby Headphone. Two discs. 152 minutes. 1991. Artisan Home Entertainment 14638. R. $29.98.</I>
The model designation "DM" might not sound like anything special, but it has a long history with B&W. Models such as the DM 6, fondly remembered by audiophiles as the "pregnant penguin," enjoyed a modest following in the 1970s, when then-small English speaker company Bowers & Wilkins was knocking out attendees at hi-fi show demonstrations. B&W is now, by most accounts, the biggest speaker company in the UK. Its model range has increased exponentially since those early days, but the DM prefix is still very much alive.
<I>Kirk Douglas, James Mason, Paul Lucas, Peter Lorre. Directed by Richard Fleischer. Aspect ratio: 2.55:1 (anamorphic). Two discs. Dolby Digital 5.1, THX. 127 minutes. 1954. Walt Disney Home Video 27853. G. $29.99.</I>
To a videophile who cut his or her teeth on CRT units, a 7-pound video projector that is no larger than a fat dictionary and can be mounted inconspicuously on a ceiling or table is hard to believe. It can even be stored out of sight and set up again, when needed, in minutes. How good can it be?
<I>Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Kenneth Branagh, John Cleese, Robbie Coltrane, Warwick Davis, Richard Griffiths, Richard Harris, Jason Isaacs, Alan Rickman, Fiona Shaw, Maggie Smith, Julie Walters. Directed by Chris Columbus. Aspect ratio: 2.35 (anamorphic). Dolby Digital 5.1 EX (English, Spanish). Two discs. 161 minutes. 2002. Warner Home Video 23592. PG. $29.95.</I>
If you haven't already taken a peek at the "Specifications" sidebar, you might want to read this review before checking out the price of the Mark Levinson No.40 surround preamplifier-processor. Drat—you looked. Now I have to find a way to hold your attention for this, the first US review of the production version of what may well be the most ambitious piece of home-theater electronics ever assembled.
<I>Voices of Daveigh Chase, Jason Marsden, Suzanne Pleshette, Michael Chiklis, Lauren Holly, John Ratzenberger, Susan Egan, David Ogden Stiers. Directed by Hayao Miyazaki. Aspect ratio: 1.85:1 (anamorphic). Dolby Digital 5.1 (English, Japanese, French, Spanish). Two discs. 132 minutes. 2001. Walt Disney Home Video 04784. PG. $29.99.</I>