If you think you've seen the ultimate coffee table book devoted to a director, you're wrong. Author Tim Lucas is the longtime editor of the award-winning Video Watchdog magazine, as well as a critic, novelist, and one of the best at the fine art of the DVD commentary. Tim chatted with dOc about the forthcoming release of his work of several decades, Mario Bava All the Colors of the Dark, a massive and gorgeous biography of influential Italian director Mario Bava.

A good conspiracy movie can be a fun time, but when it moves into the arena of real life the concepts can get a bit disturbing. In the documentary TerrorStorm, filmmaker/radio host/writer Alex Jones lays out some heavy duty ammo that paints some very shadowy edges on our blissful day-to-day existence. dOc recently spoke with Jones to get his outlook on the big reach of the U.S. government, and things that he believes it is doing to move us toward what he calls "dark times."

With Dark Sky's slick new two-disc "ultimate edition" of the Tobe Hooper classic, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, in stores, once and forever Leatherface, Gunnar Hansen, sat down with dOc to not just look back at the world of chainsaws, but to reveal a little of what else has been going on with him in the years since 1974.

Arrested Development is dead! Long live Arrested Development! With the release of Season Three on DVD, one of the best (and most unjustly canceled) TV comedies of all time is officially over and done with. A few weeks ago, digitallyOBSESSED.com had the chance to chat with a certain hook-handed man about the series' cancellation, Jason Bateman's beauty regime, and the perils of performing a scene with one of the funniest tricksters in the business (I'm sorry, illusionists—a trick is what a whore does for money).

Since 1993, Big Idea has been teaching better living through produce with VeggieTales, a show in which limbless, talking veggies impart the morals and wisdom of the Bible with heart and plenty of humor.

dOc recently cornered the very busy Amazing Kreskin, who has nearly 60 years under his belt as a mentalist and thought reader. With the release of The Amazing Kreskin DVD he is venturing into new territory, but he took some time to talk about his influences, predictions, mediums, as well as his thoughts on Houdini.

The great stop-motion animator Ray Harryhausen chats with dOc about the new King Kong Collection, his thoughts on CGI, and the dark secret he's keeping from Jennifer Jones.

One of the foremost authorities on The Wizard of Oz chats with dOc about Warner's new collector's edition DVD, the film's history and timeless appeal, and the joy of Judy Garland.

On the eve of the DVD release of their comedy, Martin & Orloff, dOc had the opportunity to corner Matt Walsh, working in Gatlinburg, Tennessee on an upcoming documentary, and Ian Roberts, in Charlotte, for a role in an upcoming NASCAR comedy with Will Ferrell, to find out the status with UCB, the struggles of making an indie comedy, and just how the idea of a comedy about someone who has attempted suicide was born.

Catherine Wyler, film producer and daughter of director William Wyler, chats with dOc about Ben-Hur and her father's legendary career.

The star of Highlander: The Raven talks about her amazing life as a television star, a former Miss America, and a political football, and also lets us in on her next project.

Adrian Paul rocketed to stardom in the 1990s in the syndicated series Highlander, which has recently just completed the release of its six-season run on DVD from Anchor Bay Entertainment. dOc recently chatted with Adrian Paul about Season Six, the series as a whole, and his new career as a humanitarian.

Pauly Shore is Dead! No wait, he isn't, he just wrote and directed a movie imagining how a phony suicide might benefit his flagging career. Did he make the right move, or commit cinematic hari-kari? You decide, as dOc chats with the Weasel himself.

Why didn't Greg the Bunny score for Fox? Despite great reviews, a cast that had just begun to jell and a small but growing audience, the spring 2002 mid-season replacement was pulled barely a month into its run. But just like many too-good-for-television projects whose popularity increased once cancellation slips are distributed (Star Trek, Twin Peaks), "fabricated-Americans" who knew better the first time around are celebrating the complete series on DVD in a classy-two disc release from Fox Home Video.

Beakman's World was one of the bright spots of children's television in the early 1990s, a manic, high-energy show that made science fun and easy to learn, for kids as well as adults. Paul Zaloom had the role of Beakman, the guy with the 3-foot-high 'do and the bright green lab coat.

dOc recently had the opportunity to chat with Zaloom and uncover not just a few tidbits about the show, but of the adventurous and unusual projects he has been involved with since.

Our Mark Zimmer was there when Patty Jenkins spoke with the press in a Q&A session about Monster and its recent release to DVD.

As fans of reality television fare continue to come down from the double-whammy high of Amber Brkich's win and marriage proposal on Survivor All Stars, carry on endless debating over whether Bachelor Jesse made the right choice by picking Jessica over Tara, and discuss the Fantasia vs. Diana singing showdown on American Idol, there's no better time than the present to chat with one of the tube's most unforgettable participants from the past season: Corbin Bernsen of ABC's Celebrity Mole.

As a few of Rogers' movies have finally hit DVD, and dOc talks about her films and the digital medium with one of the people who knew her best.

Mention the name Paul McCartney and several different images come to mind: consumate singer-songwriter, master showman, devoted dad, shrewd businessman, innovative bassist, and animal rights activist easily emerge. But what you may not know is that the former Beatle is a huge fan of animation, and lists vintage Disney and Looney Tunes amongst his favorites. Over the last 20 years, McCartney has made quite a name for himself across the pond as an executive producer of animated shorts, in collaboration with award-winning director Geoff Dunbar.

Husband-and-wife filmmaking team Robert Pulcini and Shari Springer Berman have received all sorts of good notices recently for American Splendor, but years before their movie about Harvey Pekar, they made a smart and wistful documentary about the closing of Chasen's, one of Hollywood's most storied restaurants. On the occasion of the DVD release of Off the Menu, Berman and Pulcini spoke with dOc about their fondness for this, their first film, the impact it has had on their professional lives, and perhaps most important, about Chasen's signature dish.

Andrew Jarecki's debut feature, Capturing the Friedmans, has rightly earned comparisons with the films of Kurosawa, Ophuls, and Frederick Wiseman. This story of a family rent apart from without and within by charges of child molestation has been widely celebrated for its craft and its sinuous narrative; and of course a film with this kind of inflammatory subject matter will invariably have some detractors. On the occasion of its DVD release, and shortly after being nominated for an Academy Award, Jarecki spoke with dOc about the film, the menace of birthday party clowns, and his previous, more entrepreneurial public venture, as one of the founders of Moviefone, which has since been sold to AOL Time Warner. (You've selected Capturing the Friedmans!)

I suppose it might be big news for the morbidly curious if the little girl who played the title role in the 1982 John Huston-directed musical, Annie, grew up and turned into a foul-mouthed wild child. That, I'm glad to report, is not the case here. When dOc recently had the chance to sit down with Annie's Aileen Quinn, to discuss movies, theater and of course DVDs, it was difficult to imagine anyone that could ever be more pleasant, friendly, or just plain nice to talk to. She even went above and beyond the call of duty and graciously fielded a question or two from a young fan, dOc's own 12-year-old junior correspondent, Samantha Rosell.

Quinn seems to have certainly risen well above the child star pitfalls that have tripped so many others, and if you can find someone out there who is nicer I will gladly eat my hat.

Sure, he faces bottom-line financial and marketing considerations, but Feltenstein's ultimate modus operandi is much the same as the old motto of MGM: "Do it big. Do it right. And give it class." And for Feltenstein and the rest of his Warner team, unqualified success has followed.

With his 2001 debut, Scenes of the Crime, French-born writer/director Dominique Forma attempts to tell a purely American crime story, starring Jeff Bridges, with distinct and subtle French cinematic undertones.

dOc recently had the opportunity to find out his thoughts on breaking into the film business, the differences between French and American movies, and the challenges involved in putting together a feature film for the first time.

Huntington Beach, California native and Loyola Marymount graduate John Albarian has come a long way from playing air guitar on his tennis racket to classic rock staples like "Won't Get Fooled Again." With a wildly diverse résumé including an internship for Lethal Weapon director Richard Donner, a stint at Playboy and an editor for several MTV projects, Albarian eventually wound up at Pioneer at the dawn of the DVD era, becoming one of the industry's most prolific producers of music-oriented titles, including The Kinks: One For the Road, Queen: We Will Rock You, Miles Davis: Live in Munich, and Psychedelic Furs: Live at House of Blues. But his pride and joy comes in the form of his most recent project: the two-disc special edition of the heralded documentary, The Kids Are Alright, a musical celebration of The Who.

Neil Gaiman attracted a cult following with his Sandman comics, but his talent is impressive enough that the mainstream has taken notice—his novels Good Omens (which he co-wrote) and American Gods were award-winning best sellers, and attracted a shiver of circling film executives hungry for a bit of the writer's magic blood. Before he was offered the chance to direct a film based on his series of comics about a beautiful, feminine Death, however, he wrote a miniseries called Neverwhere for the BBC, which is now coming to DVD from A&E.

Documentary filmmakers Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky teamed up to release 1991's haunting Brother's Keeper, and over the years have gone on to tackle such diverse subjects as satanic murders and rock and roll with the same unflinching honesty.

dOc had the opportunity to speak with Berlinger and Sinofsky on the eve of the 10th anniversay DVD release of the award-winning Brother's Keeper, and get some insight into the documentary filmmaking process.

After a long and celebrated career with ABC Sports, Andy Sidaris became the undisputed king of the all-important girls-and-guns genre, working as a writer, director, and producer. He is responsible for a string of twelve (so far) mindlessly fun titles, all starring an array of Playboy Playmates.

John Steed was one of the most iconic characters to come out of the 1960s, with his unmistakeable bowler hat and bumbershoot. Patrick Macnee, who portrayed the unflappable Steed, has been indelibly associated with the television series The Avengers for four decades, fighting crime with style and wit alongside an array of some of Britain's top actors—and especially actresses.

Award-winning makeup artist Judy Chin recently put the finishing touches on her work for the Julie Taymor film, Frida, earning herself an Oscar® in the process. It was just another in a long line of successful jobs for the increasingly in-demand artist, who also created some truly memorable imagery in Darren Aronofsky's Requiem for a Dream.

Patrick Lussier, the director of the speculatively inventive Dracula 2000 has, of late, found himself holding court over of a pair of bloodsucking sequels, both shot in Romania: Dracula II: Ascension and Dracula III: Legacy. The followups continue the story of one of the horror genre's favorite undead characters, who here is endlessly tracked by a weapons-wielding, Tibetan-born Italian priest/vampire hunter.

dOc recently caught up with the busy director to pick his brain on vampires, Romania and shooting two films simultaneously.

David Benioff never expected that his book, The 25th Hour, would be made into a film, and he certainly didn't think that it would fall into the hands of a filmmaker as talented as Spike Lee. Though he's fairly busy these days writing screenplays for big-budget epics like Wolfgang Petersen's Troy, Benioff took the time to talk with digitallyOBSESSED about creative control and the difficulties of taking a novel from script to screen.

Tom Brady followed up his career writing for critically acclaimed shows like The Simpsons, Sports Night, and Home Improvement with a few not-so-critically-acclaimed Rob Schneider comedies—he wrote 2000's The Animal (co-starring Survivor's Colleen Haskell), and just recently signed off on the DVD for The Hot Chick, his first directing gig and one of the worst-reviewed films of 2002.

Most actors are lucky to find themselves in one acknowledged classic. Joanna Cassidy has had pivotal roles in at least two, Blade Runner and Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, and with her featured role in the hit HBO series Six Feet Under as the acerbic Margaret Chenowith, she seems to be adding a third classic to her lengthy filmography. dOc chatted with Joanna on May 6, 2003 regarding recent DVD releases and her current projects.

He's probably the best-known male adult film star of all-time, and until the documentary Porn Star: The Legend of Ron Jeremy came along, it's likely that most people didn't know much about the guy nicknamed The Hedgehog. With 25 years in the industry, and well over 1,600 films, Jeremy certainly deserves the tongue-in-cheek handle "the hardest working man in show business."

dOc recently had the chance to catch up with Ron Jeremy and find out a little more about the adult film industry and how the documentary came to be.

He describes himself in the title of his new novel, The Book of Omens, as a "self-made movie star," and while he may not be a household name, that hasn't stopped the multi-talented Jon Jacobs from taking his future in the film industry into his own hands. His do-it-yourself approach has built him an impressive body of work in the past seven years—starring roles in twenty independent features, a handful of directorial credits, writing five screenplays and a novel.

Director Andy Tennant has had a long and varied career. He started as an actor in movies like Grease and Midnight Madness. He directed first for television, then for the silver screen. He found success (Ever After), disappointment (Anna and the King), and finally, he found Reese. Sweet Home Alabama was a surprise hit in the fall of 2002, posting the biggest box-office take of any movie to open in October.

Now, the movie that made Reese a megastar is coming to DVD. Tennant chats with digitallyOBSESSED about his propensity for working with blondes, the importance of having a sense of humor, and 16th-century philosophy. No, really.

Kevin Smith, the popular director of Clerks, Chasing Amy, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, and the upcoming Jersey Girl, has always been nothing if not upfront with his legion of fans. He posts essays outlining his film's production on his website, visits comic book conventions around the country, and has developed his college campus "lecture series" into a cottage industry (but don't let him hear you call them lectures—he thinks he's a random idiot with very little to teach his thronging devotees).

The central theme of Jill Sprecher's Thirteen Conversations About One Thing is happiness, and to speak to Jill one immediately recognizes her as an authority on the subject. Raised in Wisconsin before moving east to New York, Sprecher made her debut with the sharply written Clockwatchers, a film also co-written with her sister Karen. Sprecher's gift for humor as well as sharp insight into nearly every aspect of life is as evident one-on-one as it is in her scripts. digitallyOBSESSED had a chance to speak with Ms. Sprecher about the release of her critically touted second film.

The brother and sister documentary team of David and Laurie Shapiro are responsible for creating Keep The River On Your Right, a truly remarkable film that chronicles Tobias Schneebaum. Schneebaum, a New York artist/anthropologist, disappeared into the Amazon in 1955 with no guide, no map, and with only the vaguest of instructions: "Keep the river on your right." His nearly year-long adventure amongst a tribe of cannibals, which Schneebaum documented in a book of the same name in the early 1960s, was the impetus for the Shapiros to take him back to the Amazon 45 years after his original adventure. Their film, though, is much more than a travelogue; it is a spiritual, moving experience that is equally surreal as it is touching.

Writer, filmmaker and sometime dOc contributor Matt Perry recently directed the short film Trance, which will debut at the Sacramento Festival of Cinema on October 5. Recently, he discussed the making of the film with digitallyOBSESSED. The film is notable for its wide-open collaboration between the director and his 30 actors. Perry invited the actors to create, from scratch, an entire movie in a single day. The actors not only starred in the movie but are given writing credit—they created their own scenarios on the morning of filming, with Perry acting as shepherd for the project.

Victor Spinetti appeared in all three Beatles movies and enjoyed lifelong friendships with "the lads." The candid, animated and oh so charming "6th Beatle" shares his experiences with the Fab Four, Beatlemania and the making of A Hard Day's Night. While humor is still apparently his trademark, Spinetti is a thoughtful man who also speaks many words of wisdom.

In 1955, Gerry Anderson's involvement with A.P. Films (a company he co-founded) led to the production of The Adventures of Twizzle, a British puppet show that was quite popular in its day. Because animation proved more profitable to produce—and that he was good at it—Anderson moved into the world of marionette animation that would soon become the domain defining most of his career. Eventually working under Lew Grade, Anderson produced projects like Fireball XL5, Stingray, and, of course, Thunderbirds, arguably his most familiar and popular production. Later productions such as Captain Scarlet and UFO cemented Anderson's reputation in the world of sci-fi television.

The dOc participated in a press tele-conference with Jim Belushi Wednesday to promote Universal's upcoming release of K-9: P.I. to DVD. Topics ranged from dogs and kids to, well, dogs and kids. Our hosts opened the forum so that we all had free access to this very comfortable and amiable star. Belushi may refer to himself as "second banana," but there's little doubt he's an alpha male. And yes, there's "talk" about a fourth K-9 installment....

Academy® Award-winning director Ron Howard held a press tele-conference Wednesday morning to promote Universal's upcoming release of 2001's Best Picture, A Beautiful Mind to DVD and discussed Disney's plans for a 20th anniversary edition of Splash (to include a commentary with Howard, Tom Hanks, Daryl Hannah, Brian Grazer and Babaloo Mandel, et al). The not-so-digitally-OBSESSED Howard says he still prefers theaters, but his own kids are winning him over to the format.

Robert Meyer Burnett has worked in nearly every element of the film industry. He began his career as an art department assistant on Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III and has worked on numerous productions ranging from Free Willy to the "Star Trek: The Experience" attraction in Las Vegas. In 1998, Burnett co-wrote and directed Free Enterprise, a clever film in which two science-fiction fans meet their idol, William Shatner. It incorporates many elements from Burnett and co-writer Mark Altman's real life. More recently, he produced the excellent special edition release of The Usual Suspects. Burnett is currently working as an editor on the gargantuan Lord of the Rings DVD set. A self-called "film fanatic," he claims to own at least 2,000 DVDs.

Pre-Order The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (Platinum Series Special Extended DVD Edition) !!!

Stuart Gordon, legendary director behind the 1985 H.P. Lovecraft-inspired Re-Animator, has been entertaining horror fans for years with a steady stream of darkly memorable films, such as Dolls, From Beyond and The Pit and the Pendulum.

dOc had a chance to sit down with Stuart Gordon during a recent film festival in Chicago, where his latest Lovecraftian film, Dagon, made its midwest premiere. Gordon sets the record straight on theater, Peter Pan, similarities between Honey! I Shrunk the Kids and Re-Animator, as well as working in Spain.

When it comes to an eclectic catalog of impressive DVD releases, Synapse Films is certainly in the forefront. With titles ranging from the controversial Triumph of the Will to the kinky horror of Vampyros Lesbos, Synapse has earned a stellar reputation as a company that treats the term "high quality" as a mantra.

dOc recently had the opportunity to chat with Synapse Films founder Don May Jr., who also co-founded Elite Entertainment, and pick his brain on the trials and tribulations of remastering a title, the DVD format, and his fascination with the horror film genre.

Bob Sabiston served as the Art Director for Waking Life, Richard Linklater's remarkably unique 2001 film. It showcased his rotoscoping technique that involves painting over previously shot video footage. The result is stunning animation that brings colorful energy to an intriguing discussion about dreams and philosophy. Sabiston has also worked on numerous short features, including the award-winning Snack and Drink and the PBS series Figures of Speech. digitallyOBSESSED! recently spoke at length with Sabiston about the intricacies of the Waking Life production and his inventive process.

Julie Delpy has starred in acclaimed independent and European films and worked with numerous renowned directors. She is best known for her work in Richard Linklater's Before Sunrise, Krzysztof Kieslowski's "Trois Couleurs" movies, and Jean-Luc Godard's Detective and King Lear. She's most recognizable to American audiences by her roles in Killing Zoe and An American Werewolf in Paris. She recently reprised her character from Before Sunrise in a brief scene with Ethan Hawke in Waking Life, Linklater's beautifully animated and complex 2001 film. digitallyOBSESSED! recently talked with Julie about Waking Life, her recent roles, directing a film, and the continual downward spiral of Hollywood cinema.

Wiley Wiggins first appeared in front of film audiences as nervous teen Mitch Kramer in Richard Linklater's 1993 cult classic Dazed and Confused. Since that time, he has appeared in Boys, Love and a .45, and The Faculty. Wiley recently played the featured role in animated form in Linklater's ambitious and stunning Waking Life, which presented a groundbreaking format never before seen on the feature-film level. Wiley also worked as an animator on the picture, and he possesses significant background and experience in the design field.

When he's not acting, Wiley also devotes his time to writing short stories, which appear on his web site www.wileywiggins.com. He is currently working on his first novel, The Queen of the Ant-Lions. digitallyOBSESSED recently asked the 25-year-old about Waking Life, his DVD collection, the state of the film industry, and specifically the science fiction genre.

A.I. is sure to be one of the biggest DVD releases of 2002. But putting together these million-sellers is no easy task. You need some real intelligence to get them to come out right.

Mark Rowen, who oversees production for all of the DVDs at DreamWorks, is especially proud of his work on this particular release. He sat down with us to talk a smidge about Stanley, Steven, and a little known composer with the last name Williams. Who is he again?

Haiku Tunnel is the debut independent film by brothers Josh and Jacob Kornbluth. It is a comic story of an office temp, played by Josh Kornbluth, who needs to mail seventeen very important letters, but somehow just can't find the time.

digitallyOBSESSED.com recently talked with Josh and Jacob about their latest film, its origins, and the general rigors of independent filmmaking.

Vincent Fremont began working with Pop Art legend Andy Warhol in 1969. Fremont was heavily involved in the artist's film and video productions for many years, and came to know the regulars at Warhol's "Factory," including the loquacious renegade heiress Brigid "Polk" Berlin. He and his wife Shelly Dunn Fremont produced and directed the recent documentary, Pie in the Sky: The Brigid Berlin Story, and they spent some time talking with digitallyOBSESSED.com about the project and the Warhol mystique. Our conversation has been edited for continuity and clarity.

John Singleton burst onto the scene in 1991 with the release of Boyz 'N the Hood, a powerful, touching tale of young life in South Central Los Angeles. Only 24 at the time, John became the youngest individual and first African-American ever nominated for the Best Director Academy Award®. He followed this success with a more lowkey approach in Poetic Justice, then broadened his scope to a diverse college campus in Higher Learning. Rosewood's historical tale of a real-life 1923 massacre represented his most impressive work to that point. In 2000, he undertook his first big budget project with an energetic remake of Shaft, starring Samuel L. Jackson.

John's most recent film is Baby Boy, the story of a young man struggling to face his responsibilities and become a man. This setting returns to South Central, the site of John's first two pictures, and represents his most accomplished work in terms of visual and emotional complexity. Released this past summer, Baby Boy stars Tyrese Gibson, A.J. Johnson, Ving Rhames, Snoop Dogg, Taraji P. Henson, and Omar Gooding. digitallyOBSESSED.com recently talked with John about his latest film, the DVD format, and his directing style.

Actor Kenneth Mars has contributed memorable performances to such films as The Producers, Young Frankenstein and Radio Days. His voice has also given life to King Triton of Disney's The Little Mermaid and Grandpa Dinosaur of Universal's long-running Land Before Time series. Mr. Mars recently discussed his long and varied career with dOc on the eve of Universal's release of The Land Before Time: The Big Freeze. Our conversation has been edited for continuity and clarity.

Comedian Margaret Cho's concert film I'm The One That I Want made a splash on the independent scene in 2000, grossing over one million dollars with only 10 prints in circulation, and spawning a successful autobiographical book. Ms. Cho recently discussed her work with digitallyOBSESSED.com. Our conversation has been edited for continuity and clarity.

Grover Crisp, in his capacity as Vice President of Asset Management and Film Restoration at Sony Pictures, recently spent some time discussing the studio's restoration of Funny Girl, currently playing in limited theatrical engagements with a DVD release on 10/23/2001.

You may not know his name, but you certainly know his cuts. Having edited Pearl Harbor, Detroit Rock City, Rambo: First Blood II, and both Terminator films, his work has been seen by millions. dOc's Daniel Hirshleifer had the pleasure of interviewing Mark Goldblatt, the man who helped bring us some of the biggest blockbusters of the 1990s.

Chicago-area actress Elisabeth Oas recently spent some time with digitallyOBSESSED, discussing her debut on the big screen and the DVD format in Paramount's teen drama Save the Last Dance.

On April 24, Paramount DVD is releasing of one of the most beloved episodes of the original Star Trek series, The Trouble With Tribbles.

The writer of that episode, David Gerrold, became the youngest member of the Writers Guild of America when he sold the script for Tribbles to Gene Roddenberry, the creator of the series. The episode has gone on to be a fan favorite and was nominated for the prestigious science fiction Hugo Award as best dramatic presentation of 1968.

dOc was able to connect with Gerrold and convince him to take time off from writing his latest book to answer a few questions about tribbles, Star Trek and science fiction.

Scott King is the writer/director/cinematographer of Treasure Island, a picture which defies easy description. Set in 1945, it concerns the efforts of two cryptographers at Treasure Island, a (recently defunct) naval base in the San Francisco Bay, to create a past for The Body, which will be used to deceive the Japanese as to America's intentions in the Pacific Theater. But it is also a darkly humorous examination of sexuality in the 1940s, as well as a slightly surreal take on human relationships. dOc spoke to the witty and articulate King recently about his film, and the state of independent motion pictures today.

You know, one might assume that a former music video director who's first feature film grossed $125 million in the U.S. might be a bit cocky. Stupid Hollywood people, driving cars and dressin' nice. Some of us think it's a treat to eat fast food, but NO, these people...

Oh, sorry. Hey, it turns out that McG, the director of a small art film called Charlie's Angels, isn't like that at all. He considers himself a "knucklehead" from Michigan who got lucky. Hey, I didn't have many dates in high school. Will I be a director? Only time will tell. Anyway, McG ruminates on such notable subjects as method acting, action sequences, and Drew Barrymore's cleavage.

Director and co-screenwriter Joe Berlinger spent some time recently with dOc discussing his film, Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2. Berlinger's sequel to The Blair Witch Project met with harsh media criticism and middling box-office business during its theatrical release, largely due to its unconventional approach, which satisfied neither rabid fans nor mainstream moviegoers. Fortunately, Berlinger retains his good humor, and shared some candid thoughts about the project with us. Our conversation has been edited for continuity and clarity.

David Kalat has the kind of luminous voice that should find him mixed up in radio, commercials, or even Moviefone, but that cannot help but reflect the almost childish glee he gets out of "shameless self-promotion," as he guiltfully admits to several times on the pages below. But how is a guy basically operating as a one-man-show, who is trying to scratch out a living bringing old obscure foreign horror and sci-fi flicks into the consciousness of a DVD-buying public overly consumed with new releases and Hollywood blockbusters supposed to get word of his product out to the niche market that does or might care? Martin Blythe of Paramount spoke to the dOc about niche market... well, David is the REAL niche market, folks. Don't believe me? Check out his foray into the modern era, Treasure Island.

Well, besides learning that one shouldn't perform an interview while sick as a dog, I also learned that directing a hit film, one that brought in $60 million more than he spent, doesn't necessarily have to pervert your outlook on the world. Not that Peyton Reed, the director of question, didn't needed an excuse for that. Here is a guy on his first film, Bring It On, who was so meglomaniacal that he had to have total control over every aspect of the DVD, down to gluing the layers of the disc together and inspecting the grooves for foreign substances. No, just kidding. As you're about to read - and hear on his very funny commentary on the DVD itself - Peyton may not have taken much improv, but his tongue-and-cheek sense of humor is a crack up. I tried to keep up wits with the man Ebert called a "smut peddler."

Richard Gordon might best be described as the face behind many memorable entries in the science fiction and horror catalogue. Although his career as a producer may very well be most remembered for the classic chiller, Fiend Without A Face (a fact he doesn't seem to mind too much), his contributions to cinema are further reaching than one might think. From two sides of the U.S., Richard (in New York) and his brother Alex (in California) created something of an era in film. While Richard developed noteworthy British prospects under his company 'Amalgamated Productions,' Alex was busy with the early years of American International Pictures. We spoke on the subject of Fiend Without A Face and other topics in a pleasant, friendly conversation with Richard Gordon, which has been slightly rearranged and edited for presentation.

The intelligent, articulate Ann Druyan, CEO of Cosmos Studios, graciously gave digitallyOBSESSED.com some time recently to discuss Cosmos, the landmark TV series she co-created with her husband, the late Dr. Carl Sagan. The complete Cosmos series has recently been remastered and released on DVD. Our conversation has been edited slightly for continuity and clarity.

Look at over 90% of the DVDs of silent films on the market, and you'll find the name of David Shepard or his company, Film Preservation Associates, somewhere on the box. Shepard, through his ownership of the Blackhawk Films library and his film and video restoration efforts, has done as much as nearly anyone to promote preservation of our early film heritage. More importantly, he makes these early films available to the home video market, first in laserdisc and VHS formats and now through high-quality DVD releases, where the clarity and beauty of these early motion pictures can really be fully appreciated.

Born in 1940 in New York City, and raised in New Orleans and the New York suburbs, Shepard has had a lifelong love of film and has devoted most of his life to film preservation. dOc caught up with the busy David Shepard on December 20, 2000, where he graciously chatted with us for several hours about his career, his discs and future plans (including a number of extraordinary releases that will be out in 2001).

Sitting down to talk with Road Trip director Todd Phillips is a lot like having a conversation with a friend. Nothing seems to be out of bounds. Having received his big break at Sundance with the controversial documentary Frat House, with two other acclaimed documentaries under his belt, as well as a $70 million dollar hit in Road Trip, Todd Phillips is someone you would want to be friends with.

I talked on the phone with Todd on the afternoon of November 21st, and the following is an excerpt from what turned out to be a great conversation.

Someone once said that half of filmmaking is luck. Well, maybe. If they didn't, then they should've. The point is, sure, it takes hard work, determination, and love of the craft to get a film made and released, but sometimes it also takes a lot of luck to get your project off the ground.

Greg Harrison knows all about that. In creating the Sundance smash, Groove, he had to find the cash, hire the talent, and tell a story that was very personal. Sounds like a lot of hard work, doesn't it? Maybe a bit of determination in there as well? Oh, and did I mention that his career began with a chance encounter? Yup. Always be on your toes, because you never know who's going to walk into the room.

Groove follows a night in the lives of several people attending a rave (an all night warehouse party, complete with DJ and nifty lighting, for all you un-hip people out there). There is the new guy out for his first, the long-time ravers who don't call it a night before 4 a.m., and the first time DJ desperate for just the right beats. In the film, Harrison attempts to capture an accurate piece of the culture that has emerged around the rave scene.

Before speaking with him a couple weeks ago, I had spent a couple months emailing back and forth with Paramount's VP of PR, Martin Blythe, who I found to be a straight shooter, but not undisciplined in this regard. If you participated in or read the transcripts from his chat on Home Theater Forum, you know he isn't going to give out future-looking information unless you tie him up at gunpoint and rifle through his desk. Even then, most likely, the information would probably be outdated (see below).

While I WAS surprised by his accent, Martin is a New Zealander who has been living in Los Angeles since 1987, I wasn't surprised by some of the questions I knew he just wouldn't answer. Still gotta ask ‘em, right?

So, while Martin may not always be forthcoming (you can't blame him, really), he is always engaging…and above all, an outspoken and somewhat unique voice among the many interesting people I have to deal with on a daily basis. I may not always agree with him, but I do respect anyone who stands by his beliefs, no matter what.

Martin came to Paramount at the turn of the millennium from Buena Vista, where he toiled from 1989 until 1999, holding a variety of posts in international marketing and promotions, domestic publicity, etc He has degrees in English (New Zealand) and Film & Television (UCLA).

What are Martin's main entertainment interests? Movies and gaming.

In 1969, filmmaker Haskell Wexler invited the Maysles brothers, David and Albert, to film the Rolling Stones in concert. At a cost of only $650,000, Gimme Shelter documents their free concert at a racetrack in Altamont, California, which drew over 300,000 fans. At first a sort of "Woodstock West," the atmosphere quickly grew ominous as difficulties in staging the huge event - combined with the notorious efforts of the Hell’s Angels, hired for crowd control - caused general pandemonium. The concert, and therefore the film, culminated in the killing of a man who pulled his gun during the performance of the song, Under My Thumb.

Anchor Bay has rapidly become one of the highest quality "niche" title DVD producers in the business. We were able to visit the company's headquarters in an unassuming single-story office building in Troy, Michigan, nestled behind a couple of large car dealerships. Jay Douglas, Anchor Bay's Vice President of Acquisitions, generously gave dOc two hours of his time to talk about movies and DVD.

New Line Home Video may not be the largest studio, but it has taken DVD from the place Criterion has been credited for beginning on laserdisc into the stratoshpere with special edition treatments not soon forgotten. Action titles such as Blade and The Corruptor got the treatment. Space adventures like Lost In Space got the treatment. Atom Egoyan's critically acclaimed The Sweet Hereafter was not overlooked, and it got the treatment. Heck, even the urban comedy Next Friday got the treatment. So, what gives? We asked New Line's V.P. of DVD Content Development, Mike Mulvihill, how the heck they decide which film gets to put on the fancy new dress for Easter.

Quickband Networks has been bought out by On2, but from day one they have helped push the DVD format, and proven their unflinching, unconditional love for short films and their wish to share them with the public. Kim Adelman, who founded fXM Shorts, the short film division of the Fox Movie Channel, produced 19 short films which played in over 150 film festivals worldwide that won more than 30 awards. She became editor of the Short series at Short 7, and was also involved with the reissues of Short 2 and 3. Prior to fXM Shorts, she produced the independent feature film Just Friends. Most recently, she has taught a class at AFI on "Producing for DVD," and has written several articles for IFILM on DV filmmaking for the internet. I found Kim to be funny and straight forward, but most of all passionate about her love for short cinema...

Ron and Parker. Parker and Ron. Two sides of the same coin; one without the other and you don't have currency. Two down-to-earth guys next door who just happen to have quietly built the classiest, most respected DVD and home theater related forum on the web, Home Theater Forum. How easy is it to arrange time to sit down with two guys who have day jobs and still run an 11,000 member board at night? Not too. But not only are Ron and Parker the James Browns of web forum administration, they are simply nice guys. Just don't talk to them about politics, religion or bootleg DVDs - because these nice guys won't take any guff from you if you do.