Thomas J. Norton

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>

Founded just a few years ago, Revel has rapidly developed a reputation as a speaker company to reckon with. Its designs have been consistently praised by reviewers and sought by audiophiles. Revel's speakers aren't cheap, but, as they say in the movie business, the budget is all up there on the screen&mdash;or, in this case, in the sound.

<I>Tom Hanks, Paul Newman, Tyler Hoechlin, Jude Law, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Stanley Tucci, Daniel Gray. Directed by Sam Mendes. Aspect ratio: 2.35:1 (anamorphic). Dolby Digital 5.1(English), French, Spanish. 107 minutes. 2002. DreamWorks Home Entertainment 90147. R. $26.99.</I>