Dominator’s News and Views Oct 1999

Best regards
Russ Freeman.

t: +44 (0)1395 274630
e: russf@gipsymedia.com

October 27th : 4later event to be held tonight…Channel 4’s 4later site are holdingan event to raise awareness of their bold and bizarre programmes.

Last night saw one in Leeds, while next Wednesday gives London a chance tothrive. Tonight it’s the turn of Manchester and I’ll be taking a trip downthere to see what it’s like. I’ll report back here on what it was like, butit may be Friday morning before you get to read about that (unless I can getThursday off due to a hangover :), since the event is due to finish ratherlate…

What is The Matrix…?What may well be Warner’s finest hour this Christmas, The Matrix comesto DVD on November 29th (day and date with VHS) with almost all of the extrasthat can be found on the Region 1 DVD, namely :

• Follow the White Rabbit (22:22): Re-watch the entire film with adifference. At 9 points during the film a white rabbit will appear on thescreen and selecting this will give a short background piece into how theSFX shots were done. I saw this on the R1 DVD and it can be easily done byviewing certain “titles” on the DVD itself (HINT: look for the latter ones).
• HBO First Look Special: Making The Matrix (25:48): an in-depthmaking of with interviews, which was also shown on ITV a few times around thetime of the film’s cinema release.
• What is Bullet Time? (6:12): An examination into how Keany managesto dodge the bullets as a circle of 120 cameras are positioned all around him.
• What is the Concept? (10:50): A featurette based on the originalstoryboards and ideas behind the film.

Plus DVD-ROM content :

• Web Enablement: Hyperlinks to the official Warner Bros and Matrixwebsites.
• Splash Page Red Pill/Blue Pill Choice: Watch the film on your PC(blue) or access more behind-the-scenes info (red).
• From Script To Screen: Download the screenplay, storyboards and stills.
• Are You The One?: Trivia challenge based on the concept.
• Do You Know Kung Fu?: Instant access to all the best high-octane scenes.
• Essays and related articles.
• Theatrical Website: screensaver, poster, chat room links, etc.

What’s missing:

• About 20 seconds of the film, thanks to BBFC cuts which leads to losing…
• Director’s commentary
• Isolated music score (at least I think that was on the R1 DVD)

The daft thing is that this title is the first Warner DVD to retail for£19.99, despite the fact that the Region 1 DVD can be bought for lessfrom importers.

First look: Turbulence, Return of the God of Gamblers and Ben Dover: Little Smart Arses…Thanks to both Michelle at Media Communications for EiV’s Turbulence,and David at The Associates for the other two titles which come from BMG.On first look…

• Turbulence : typical sparse EiV DVD – nice widescreen 2.35:1 picture,but non-anamorphic, only Dolby ProLogic sound and little in the way of extras.
• Return of the God of Gamblers : widescreen 1.66:1 picture (soobviously not anamorphic) and surround sound.
• Ben Dover: Little Smart Arses : Superdick whips it out for the girlsin a fullscreen outing with Zoe’s Fantasy, Naughty Nancy and more.

Updated cinema listings…Stuck for something to do this weekend? Live in the Manchester area? The listof the films showing at
Manchester Showcase Cinemacan be found on this page.

This week’s new films are : Blair Witch Project, Pushing Tin, Mad Cows,The Winslow Boy and John Carpenter’s Vampires.

October 25th : Queer As Folk comes out on DVD…Aiden Gillen, Craig Kelly and Charlie Hunnam are the threelove-struck men caught up in the gay soap operaQueer As Folk,which is online and out now. Will Westlife really make their third No.1 in a row…?Find out now on mymusic chart analysis page New DVDs and widescreen videos out this weekThe new DVDs available this week include :

The new widescreen videos available this week include :

October 24th : Who will get the Xmas No.1 single…

By Anthony Barnes, Showbusiness Correspondent, PA News

The Spice Girls and Robbie Williams are favourites to top the Christmasand millennium charts, new odds from bookmaker William Hill show today. But a flurry of bets for annual favourite Sir Cliff Richard has meantthe firm has halved the odds on the pop veteran having a Christmas numberone.

He is now at 33-1, from 66-1, after details of his seasonal single theMillennium Prayer were disclosed this week.

Sir Cliff’s song sets the words of The Lord’s Prayer to the tune of AuldLang Syne and will benefit the charity Children’s Promise – as will hisseries of millennium shows at the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham.

Fans have bet heavily despite the fact Sir Cliff, whose Christmas numberones include St Saviour’s Day, is expected to release his singlemid-November.

Graham Sharpe, of William Hill, said: “We thought Cliff’s days as achart-topper were long gone, but his fans clearly believe otherwise.” Spice Girls are at 6-4 to have the Christmas number one, to repeat theirfeat of the past three years, although they have said they may not evenrelease a single. Mr Sharpe said: “Methinks they do protest too much, but part of the funof this is that we are not always absolutely sure who the runners are. But the chances of them not releasing a single after three successiveChristmas number ones in this world of marketing, promotion and not wantingto let your rivals get a look in are about the same as Alan Shearer scoringa hat-trick in three consecutive England games and then saying he doesn’twant to play in the next one.”

A duet between Robbie Williams and Kylie Minogue hitting the top hasodds of 7-1, while Boyzone and the defunct Take That are at 8-1. Boyzone’s Ronan Keating and Steps have been given odds of 10-1. Robbie Williams is at 5-1 to be at the top of the charts on January 1with the Spice Girls at 6-1 and George Michael – who has recorded amillennium-themed single Y2K – is at 7-1.

No definitive odds have been given for a BBC charity single – featuringthe Spice Girls and Eurythmics – as yet, as it is unclear whether it willbe released in time for the January 1 chart.

Westlife to get third No.1 in a row…

By Anthony Barnes, Showbusiness Correspondent, PA News

Heart-throb band Westlife are set to become the first boy band to haveconsecutive number ones with their first three singles this weekend. Early sales indicate the group’s Flying Without Wings is way ahead ofrivals to clinch the top slot, joining an exclusive club of acts that haveseen their debut trio of releases go straight into the charts at poleposition.

Only Robson And Jerome and B Witched have done so previously – with thelatter going on to score a quartet of chart-toppers. Irish five-piece Westlife are co-managed by Ronan Keating of Boyzone,who they managed to topple from his first solo number one in August. Chart expert Jason Legg from the HMV chain said: “They are so far aheadon midweek sales that it will be almost impossible for anyone else to catchthem.”

Westlife will end the two-week run of US teenager Christine Aguilera’shit Genie In A Bottle. Although it is now relatively commonplace for bands to have a string ofnumber ones, it has been fairly unusual for acts to do so from the verystart of their careers.

It was not until 1994, when Danish star Whigfield hit number one withSaturday Night, that a pop act went to the top with no previous chartexperience. Acts like the Spice Girls and Aqua scored number ones with their firsttrio of hits, but both their first singles entered the charts at number twoand then climbing – depriving them of the distinction of debuting at thetop. Irish acts have seen an unprecedented run of success in the last fewmonths with number ones for B Witched, Boyzone and of course Westlife.

Note from The Dominator: Aqua‘s first UK single was RosesAre Red which failed to chart in April 1997, and Spice Girls’Wannabe entered the chart at No.3, not No.2.

Copyright 1999 PA News.

ITC Ruling Forces BSkyB To Share Sky Sports 2…

An ruling by the Independent Television Commission (ITC) willforce BSkyB to share its sports channel, Sky Sports 2, with ONdigital. Thenews will end months of wrangling between the digital rivals over sportsrights.

The ruling comes from the results of a review of the digital points systemby the ITC, announced yesterday, which declared the total number of pointsin the digital universe to be 47. The system was designed to prevent onebroadcaster from dominating the platforms and allocates points to eachdigital programme service on digital terrestrial television. The allocationof more points to the universe as a whole means that BSkyB now has no excusefor withholding its sports service from its rival.

ONdigital released a statement today in response to the review: “The ITCruling is great news for our customers. Now ONdigital is able to offer itscustomers the full range of the best sports available on any platform.”

Independent Television Commission: 0171 306 7743

THE Government is preparing to scrap plans for a £24 a year digital…

THE Government is preparing to scrap plans for a £24 a year digitaltelevision levy and instead restore the link between the standardlicence fee and inflation.

Chris Smith, the Culture Secretary, is also seeking up to 400 millionfrom the Treasury to finance free or cheap television licences forpensioners. The aim is to garner support for a package of reforms thatcould see far bigger rises in the licence fee than have been imposed inrecent years.

The BBC desperately needs extra money to compete with commercial rivalsin the digital age, and a £24 levy for viewers subscribing to digitalservices was seen as one way of raising the cash. It was a corerecommendation of Gavyn Davies’s report on the future of the TV licenceearlier this year, but was swiftly dubbed a “digital poll tax” and someministers believe that its introduction would be a disastrous own goalin the run-up to the next election. One said: “Do governments introducenew taxes before general elections? No, successful governments do not.” Although no final decision will be taken until later this year, both MrSmith and the broadcasting minister Janet Anderson believe thatincreasing the 101 standard licence fee would be a more acceptable wayof raising money for the BBC.

But with fears that such a move would hit pensioners who would findthemselves contributing to digital services they were unlikely to use,Mr Smith is pressing Gordon Brown to release money to financeconcessionary licences. “It’s not a question of trying to take the heatout of the issue, it’s simply a matter of fairness,” a Whitehall sourcesaid yesterday.

Culture ministers have pointed out that the cost of TV licences is oneof the issues most regularly raised by pensioners on the doorstep andthat the existing system contains a “number of obvious injustices”.These include the anomaly thrown up by recent changes to the definitionof “sheltered accommodation” which means that some elderly people areentitled to concessionary licences while others living in the same blockare not.

The Chancellor is believed to accept that the Government must do morefor the elderly – especially after widespread criticism of theforthcoming 73p a week increase in the state pension – and allies saythat free TV licences could be one of a series of vote-winning measuresover the next year as Mr Brown begins distributing some of theTreasury’s 12 million “war chest”.

The Chancellor was at one stage sympathetic to proposals to give free TVlicences to pensioner-only households, but he eventually turned againstthe idea as too expensive and some of his advisers now favour analternative plan to provide another cash bonus for pensioners, similarto the 100 being given to them this Christmas, “so that they choosewhat to spend it on”.

The latest moves on financing have met with a muted response from BBCinsiders, who see subsidised pensioner licences as useful publicrelations but little help in raising extra revenue.

BBC accountants are adamant that future licence fee increases must bewell above the inflation rate, reversing the decline the corporation hasfaced under the existing five-year deal agreed with the last Government.Under that arrangement, the licence fee will go up by RPI minus 0.5 percent next year and by RPI minus 2.5 per cent in 2001.

October 23rd : Fox’s DVDs planned for December 1999…Thanks to The R2 Project for thefollowing info about Fox/Pathe’s DVD releases :

• SPEED & SPEED 2: Both Widescreen Anamorphic 2.35:1 with Theatrical Trailer.
• DIE HARD & DIE HARD 2: Both Widescreen Anamorphic with Original TheatricalTrailer, Filmographies & Biographies & Featurette
• JUDGE DREDD: Includes Stallone’s Law – The Making Of Judge Dredd,Theatrical Trailer, Teaser Trailer
• BOUND: Includes 2 Theatrical Trailers, Production Featurette &Director’s Audio Commentary
• SWINGERS: Includes Theatrical Trailer & Teaser Ad
• SHOWGIRLS: Includes Theatrical Trailer & Production Featurette
• PI: Includes Deleted Scenes with Commentary, Behind the scenesmontage, Original Trailer, Music Video PiR2, Director’s / Actor’s AudioCommentary

The prices have rumoured to be as “low” as £19.99, but it’s more likelythat they’ll sell for £22.99, despite the fact that they’re allback-catalogue titles and that Judge Dredd is censored.

Take a look at The R2 Project‘s siteas he has something interesting to say about review copies.

October 21st : VCI are ‘all that’ on DVD with a trio of top titles in November…Three acclaimed titles are coming to DVD from VCI in November :

• She’s All That: Set in the frivolous world of a trendy Los AngelesHigh School where grades come a poor second to designer clothes, lavish partiesand an obsession with the body beautiful, this film is the witty and charmingromantic comedy that has taken the box office by storm on both sides of theAtlantic.

  Starring Freddie Prinze Jr (I Know What You Did Last Summer) andthe gorgeous Rachael Leigh Cook (Dawson’s Creek), the DVD isreleased on November 22nd with an anamorphic 16:9 widescreen transfer,Dolby Digital 5.1 sound, EPK (Electronic Press Kit) with cast interviews andclips, trailer & TV spots. Price: £19.99.

• Hilary and Jackie: The acclaimed Academy Award-nominated film classedby the Sunday Times as “one of the best British films of the decade”,it is based on A Genius in the Family, written by Hilary and Piers duPre about the life and untimely death of their sister, legendary cellistJacqueline du Pre.

  Starring Rachel Griffiths and Emily Watson (Breaking The Waves),the DVD is released on November 15th with an anamorphic 16:9 widescreen transfer,Dolby Digital 5.1 sound, trailer, deleted scenes & subtitles for the hard ofhearing. Price: £19.99.

• My Name is Joe: Ken Loach’s funny and moving drama – essentiallya love story in which two principled people from different walks of Glasgowlife struggle to build a relationship. Peter Mullan‘s (Braveheart,Shallow Grave, Trainspotting) performance earned him a host of nationaland international awards, gaining him Best Actor at both the 1998 Cannes FilmFestival and the Empire Awards, not to mention the Association of London FilmCritics’ Britsh Newcomer of the Year Award.

  The DVD is released on November 15th with an anamorphic 16:9 widescreen transfer,Dolby Digital 5.1 sound, a making-of documentary, trailer, TV ads and subtitlesfor the hard of hearing. Price: £19.99.

Manchester United DVD delayed again…No, I’m not necessarily repeating myself, but I finally got the officialconfirmation of this a day late. I hope the DVD doesn’t get further delayedthough, but it’s looking to be a good one when it gets released.

October 20th : Manchester United DVD delayed again…Thanks to The R2 Project for the infothat due to more problems involved in this well-featured DVD, ManchesterUnited: The Treble, it has now been put back to November 1st. Sega Dreamcast outperforms expectations…

DREAMCAST OUTPERFORMS THROUGHOUT EUROPE OVER LAUNCH WEEKEND

• Over 185,000 Dreamcasts sold across Europe
• Retail sales value œ52,000,000 ($80,000,000)
• Over 350,000 software units sold
• 280,000 peripherals sold

  Sales for Dreamcast, the most powerful video games console ever created,continue at a blistering pace. Dreamcast has sold more than 185,000 unitsacross Europe in the first four days since its October 14 launch generating$80,000,000 worth of sales.

  JF Cecillon, Chief Executive Officer, Sega Europe, said:

  “The phenomenal interest shown throughout Europe for Dreamcast has beatenall of our highest expectations. The considerable software line-up and theevolving capability of Dreamcast’s on-line capability, shows that Dreamcastis leading the games console industry to new levels and proves that it isthe console for the next millennium.”

  Dreamcast provides gamers with free pan-European internet access through theconsumers’ television sets. Some 25,000 people registered for internet usein the first hours of the launch weekend and BT registered 1.2 millionInternet minutes over the launch weekend. In order to support thisunprecedented demand for on-line access on Dreamcast, BT and its Europeanpartners have dramatically increased both network and port capacities toensure that all users can have the Dreamarena experience immediately.

  “I know that some people had difficulty in getting through to register” saidJF Cecillon, “but Internet on the TV is a first and our consumers have showngreat confidence in Dreamcast by breaking all previously held sales figures.Together with BT we have put the right measures in hand for everyone to beaccommodated “.

  In the UK, 63,000 Dreamcast consoles were sold through many of the country’sleading retailers including Blockbuster, Comet, Currys, Dixons, ElectronicsBoutique, Game, HMV, @Jakarta, MVC, PC World, Toys ‘R’ Us, VirginMegastores. This smashes all other records for the fastest selling consolein history. According to industry figures, following their own launches,PlayStation took nine days to sell 19,335 consoles with Nintendo takingeight days to sell 28,611 consoles.

  Mike Sherlock, Managing Director, Sega UK, said:“The strong team work shown between all of Sega UK’s partners has been thekey to the fantastic success of Dreamcast’s launch in the UK. We now lookforward to maintaining the momentum by providing up to 40 software titles byChristmas.”

  For further details please contact:
  Dreamcast press office on Tel; 0171 603 2040
  email: dreamcast@powerhousepr.com

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  October 19th : Kate and Leo get it on Titanic on DVD…Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio have some high-jinks in thesink-or-swim dramaTitanic,which is online and out now. Updated cinema listings…Stuck for something to do this weekend? Live in the Manchester area? The listof the films showing at
  Manchester Showcase Cinemacan be found on this page.

  This week’s new films are : Tarzan, Bowfinger, Detroit Rock City and Simply Irresistible.

  Offspring offed…Thanks to Fiona Ball from Sony for the info that the proposed Offspring: Live in VegasDVD has now been cancelled.

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  October 18th : Jackie Chan gets caught in the Rush Hour on DVD…Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker team up for action and laughs inRush Hour,which is online and out now. Will Gary Barlow have the No.1 album this week…?Find out now on mymusic chart analysis page New DVDs and widescreen videos out this weekThe new DVDs available this week include :

• American History X (19.99, Entertainment in Video)
• Anna Nicole Smith Exposed (18.99, Planet Distribution)
• The China Syndrome (19.99, Columbia TriStar)
• Dragonheart (19.99, Columbia TriStar)
• Kindergarten Cop (19.99, Columbia TriStar)
• Living Out Loud (19.99, Entertainment in Video)
• Madeline (19.99, Columbia TriStar)
• Manchester United: The Treble (19.99, VCI)
• Message in a Bottle (15.99, Warner)
• Pleasantville (19.99, Entertainment in Video)
• Private Parts (18, 15.99, Entertainment in Video)
• Stalingrad (15, 15.99, Entertainment in Video)
• Sudden Death (19.99, Columbia TriStar)
• True Romance (15.99, Warner)

  The new widescreen videos available this week include :

• The Italian Job (PG, 12.99, CIC)
• Lock Stock And Two Smoking Barrels: Director’s Cut (18, 16.99, Universal)
• Star Trek 1-9 Movie Box Set (15, 69.99, CIC)
• Zulu (PG, 12.99, CIC)

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  October 16th : It’s a Closed Road for Gary Barlow…After his last album, Open Road, sold well, his latest, 12 Months 11Days (the length of time he took to cancel more rescheduled concerts ?) wasBANNED by Woolworths earlier this week as they felt it would not sell.

  Since they control about 25% of the market for singles and albums, this won’thelp matters and the midweek sales chart had him positioned at No.28 with only2,185 sales. See where he ends up this Sunday – will he trounce fellowTake That-er Robbie Williams, or will he go the way of NikKershaw ?

  December DVD releases from MGM…Er… there aren’t any. I was looking forward to this press release after beinginformed that it was on its way, but it just confirmed titles for the 25thOctober (West Side Story, Fiddler on the Roof and Rob Roy),while stating theRoninwas being “released” on December 27th, to coincide with the video retailrelease, despite the fact that the DVD has been available for months and areview can be foundHERE.

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  October 15th : Sega Dreamcast’s first Top 10 chart…

  100,000 DREAMCASTS SOLD ON FIRST DAY

  Demand for Dreamcast and launch software has surpassed all expectations andbroken all previously held sales record for a video games console with anastonishing 100,000 Dreamcast consoles sold within the first 24 hours.

  The sales rush began at midnight, Wednesday October 13, as prime retailersremained open late in major European cities, including London, Dublin,Edinburgh, Paris, Madrid, Stuttgart and Essen, to service the huge demand.Thousands of eager consumers queued to be among the first to buy Dreamcastand select from its exciting line-up of launch software and innovativeperipherals.

  JF Cecillon, Chief Executive, Sega Europe, said:

  “The industry has never witnessed such enthusiasm for a new games console. Iam delighted that our confidence is so widely shared with our Europeancustomers.”

  Dreamcast is here. Retailing in the UK at £199.99, it is the world’s mostpowerful home entertainment system and hosts an impressive line-up of launchparty titles with further titles being released each week from now toChristmas.

  Dreamcast is the first console to come with a built-in 33.6K modem whichwill provide gamers with free pan-European Internet access, including chat,e-mail and surfing of the worldwide web, through your television set.

  Thousands of Dreamcast fans herald SEGA’s super console across Europe

  Retail outlets throughout London, Paris, Stuttgart and Madrid opened theirdoors last night to meet the demands of thousands of Dreamcast supporters,who wanted to be the first to purchase the evolutionary games console.

  In London, Oxford Street retailers Virgin Megastore, HMV, ElectronicsBoutique, and Tower Records in Piccadilly Circus, held celebrity eventswhich attracted huge crowds. Virgin renamed their flagship store the’Segastore’ for the evening where revelers competed on Sega Rally 2 to winan exclusive Dreamcast Honda scooter. HMV hosted a champagne cocktail party,while fifty drummers banged around Piccadilly Circus and space-age acrobatson stilts counted down the minutes to midnight outside Tower Records. Worldboxing hero Chris Eubank made a showbiz-entrance is his American-stylejuggernaut, dubbed The Dream Machine, to compete head-to-head against Nigel”the Dark Destroyer” Benn on Virtua Fighter 3tb. All venues reported recordsales for the launch night.

  In Germany, Stuttgart’s independent electronics dealer OIT opened frommidnight to early morning for the Dreamcast Launch Party. Dreamcast fanswho attended were able to purchase the new console and were entertained bylive music from cult band ‘Dropzone’.

  In Spain, Madrid’s major electrical retailer Centro Mail sold 500 Dreamcastswithin the first two hours of opening. A queue of Dreamcast fans started toform more than three hours before Dreamcast officially went on sale, asconsumers wanted to be the first in the country to own SEGA’s new console.

  In France, Rocco Siffredi unveiled Dreamcast to crowds at the VirginMegastore on Paris’ Champs-Elysees. Eager customers scrambled against eachother to purchase the evolutionary console. The winner of the SEGA Rally 2head-to-head competition was awarded a specially-branded Dreamcast scooterand a VIP cocktail party was held for well-known singers, televisionpresenters, and actors at the Virgin Cafe.

  REVEALED: THE UK’S FIRST DREAMCAST TOP 10 CHART

  JUST HOURS AFTER MIDNIGHT LAUNCH, ELECTRONICS BOUTIQUE – ANNOUNCES SEGA’S BEST SELLERS.

  London – 08:30, Thursday 14 October – After opening over 100 stores in thevery early hours of this morning, Electronics Boutique – the UK’s leadingspecialist video game retailer – has already declared the launch of the newSega Dreamcast console a success.

  Thousands of pre-ordered machines were collected as soon as the storesopened at midnight. Sales of Dreamcast software got off to a storming startand, after an absence of a few years, Sega star Sonic the Hedgehog is backat the top of the charts.

  Now just hours into Dreamcast’s first day, Electronics Boutique can revealthe first ever Sega Dreamcast top ten – compiled from game sales betweenmidnight and 8.00am today, Thursday 14 October:

  SEGA DREAMCAST LAUNCH DAY: TOP TEN GAMES
  • 1.Sonic Adventure
  • 2.Sega Rally 2
  • 3.Ready to Rumble
  • 4.Powerstone
  • 5.Tokyo Highway Challenge
  • 6.Trickstyle
  • 7.Virtua Fighter 3TB
  • 8.Blue Stinger
  • 9.Monaco GP
  • 10.Dynamite Cop

  Chart : Electronics Boutique

  “It was a fantastic start for the Dreamcast,” says Steve Wilson, ElectronicsBoutique’s Console Buying Director. “At store level, there was an incrediblebuzz in build up to launch and, with our Dreamcast@Midnight event, we areexpecting to attract a significant share of first day sales. As for thesoftware chart – it’s pretty obvious Sonic hasn’t lost his touch.”

  European Dreamcast online registrations at noon today were standing at morethan 3000 only twelve hours after the console went on sale.

  Chris Eubank and Nigel Benn battle it out, but Dreamcast wins

  Dreamcast night stormed into the ring backed all the way by ChrisEubank and Nigel Benn. The two celebrity world champion boxers attendedlaunch events at Virgin Megastore (Oxford Street) and Tower Records(Piccadilly Circus), causing a road block as crowds gathered to see the twoput the gloves back on for the first time since their historic fight in ’93- this time battling it out on the stunning new Dreamcast.

  The Virgin gathering were invited to compete on a range of Dreamcast gamesto win a Dreamcast Honda scooter by beating Chris Eubank in the final. Thewinner was decided after a number of grueling rounds of the spectacularReady 2 Rumble Boxing* game and looked particularly pleased with himself forwinning not only a Dreamcast Honda scooter but also for beating Eubank athis own game. His details are Tom Arnold, 17, from Chelsea, missed hisboxing training to see the Middleweight heroes and grab a Dreamcast, said hewas ecstatic and appeared close to tears as he scooted off.

  Chris Eubank had earlier brought Oxford Street to a standstill as he parkedhis Dreamcast branded ‘big rig’ truck outside, dubbed “Dream Machine” theVirgin SEGA-store (as it was called last night). He later proceeded toincite crowds further, honking his fog-horn as he left Oxford Street forTower Records in Piccadilly Circus, where a special midnight opening wasabout to start to service the huge customer demand from some of the 42,000people who had pre-ordered their Dreamcasts.

  By midnight, Piccadilly Circus was heaving with eager crowds waiting to getinto Tower Records to get hold of one of the first Dreamcasts on sale. Allthe while cyber-circus entertainers on stilts towered above the throng,chanting to the rhythms of the tribal drummers parading around Eros’ statue,and then, as they reached the doors, Chris Eubank’s Dreamcast ‘Big Rig’pulled up outside Tower Records to a rapturous welcome…

  Finally shop doors across the country were thrown open at midnight and theDreamcast-hungry rabbles poured through the doors.

  Dreamcast is here and it packs a mighty punch!

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  October 14th : Keenan Ivory Wayans is Most Wanted on DVD…Keenan Ivory Wayans, Wolfgang Bodison, Robert Culp, Paul Sorvino andJon Voight ham it up in the actionerMost Wanted,which is online and out now.

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  October 13th : Updated cinema listings…Stuck for something to do this weekend? Live in the Manchester area? The listof the films showing at
  Manchester Showcase Cinemacan be found on this page.

  This week’s new films are : Deep Blue Sea and American Pie.

  Sega Dreamcast’s launch titles and a promotion event…DREAMCAST PRE-SALE ORDERS exceed 40,000 UNITS.
  DREAMCAST IS UK’S FASTEST SELLING GAMES CONSOLE

  Sega of Europe today announced that Dreamcast, the world’s first consolewith a built-in modem allowing users to surf the web or send emails fromtheir television, has set a UK retail record with pre-orders of more than40,000 units shattering the previous record for any games consoles.

  Dreamcast is set to become the top selling electronic item for Christmas1999 and Sega has set another industry first launching a console at under£200.

  Retailers participating in the Dreamcast pre-sell campaign include:Blockbuster, Choices Video, Comet, Currys, Dixons, Electronics,Boutique,Game, HMV, @Jakarta, MVC, PC World, Toys’R’Us, Virgin Megastore,Woolworths, and over 400 independant retailers.

  The new 128-bit, Internet-ready Dreamcast has a revolutionary architecturewhich makes it the first console with evolutionary, capabilities, allowingit to grow and change to match advances in technology and the needs anddesires of the consumer.

  In addition, Dreamcast is the first console to utilize hand-held gamingthrough its Visual Memory unit (VM), which allows players to swap games withfriends in the home, arcade or head-to-head using two VM’s.

  Dreamcast is the most powerful video game console ever created and the firstto offer Internet connectivity including e-mail, browsing and chat. It is 15times more powerful than a Sony PlayStation, ten times more powerful than aNintendo 64 and has four times the graphics processing power of the fastestPentium II processor.

  Dreamcast launches on Thursdsay 14th October 1999 retailing at £199.99.100’s of stores across the UK will be opening at Midnight on October 13th toservice the huge demand. Virgin Megastore Oxford Street will be changingit’s name to “Segastore” from Midnight on Thursday 13th and heralding thearrival of Dreamcast with a star studded launch.

  Sega and Swatch agree to co-operate.
  Two major forces meet in Cyberspace.

  Sega Enterprises Ltd., the Japanesecomputer games company and Swatch, the leading Swiss watch brand, member ofthe Swatch Group and creator of Swatch Internet Time (measured in Swatchbeats) today agreed to cooperate. The collaboration revolves around theimplementation of the contactless technology from Swatch into Sega’s latestproducts.

  Sega’s revolutionary games console, Dreamcast, is the world’s first toincorporate a modem and web browsing capabilities. It has found a real soulmate in Swatch with its watches that “think” via integrated micro-chips andSwatch Internet Time which has established Swatch as Timekeeper ofCyberspace. The planned co-operation between the two companies willencompass three main areas of activity:

  • The integration of Internet Time (Swatch beats) into Sega’s world.
  • Incorporation of a reader in the Dreamcast machine to link withswatch watches to give access to the innovative new game world.
  • Creation of new games using the pooled creativity of Swatch and Sega

  Dreamcast is the revolutionary digital entertainment system for the newmillennium. Thanks to cutting-edge technology Dreamcast’s 128bit performanceimmerses the user in incredibly realistic 3D environments and delivers thefastest gameplay ever created by Sega. Dreamcast is the world’s firstconsole to offer networking capabilities, which will include e-mail,internet access and multiplayer gaming on TV.

  Swatch is the world’s best known watch brand and member of the Swatch Group,the largest watch making company in the world. Since its birth in 1983 over250 million Swatch watches have been sold around the world. In 1998 Swatchinvented Swatch Internet Time, a new universal time measurement whichdivided the old 24 hour day into 1000 units known as Swatch beats. Sincethen well over half a million companies and individuals have beguntimekeeping in beats.

  Isao Okawa, Chairman of Sega Enterprises Ltd., commented today:

  “We are delighted that Swatch has agreed to join the already long list ofworld class brands working in particular with Sega and Dreamcast. Thecollaboration with Swatch is part of our commitment to bring the potentialof Cyberspace to games users and will enhance Sega’s position as theundisputed world leader in on-line gaming technology. Together we will beable to offer our gamers a host of other activities which will ensureDreamcast continues to emerge as the worlds leading games console”

  Nick Hayek jnr., President of Swatch concluded, “Cyberspace has no limits -nor does the potential of our Internet activities”

  For further details please contact:
  Dreamcast press office on Tel; 0171 603 2040
  email: dreamcast@powerhousepr.com

  and for Swatch:
  Amanda Blair, Swatch PR Int’l; phone +41 32 343 90 93; fax +41 32 343 96 69;
  email: amanda.blair@swatch.com
  …and tell them you saw this press release on SONICSTATE

  ---

  October 12th : Sega Dreamcast’s launch titles and a promotion event…

  TAKE ON EUBANK AT HIS OWN GAME AT THE SEGA DREAMCAST MIDNIGHT LAUNCH

  This Thursday 14th October SEGA Dreamcast, the world’s most powerful gamesconsole, will go on sale for £199.99. Several of the UK’s largest retailersare opening at midnight on Wednesday to service the huge demand but visitorsto Virgin Megastore will get a bit more than they bargained for when theyturn up to collect their Dreamcasts.

  Not one but two of the most powerful British champs will be in the house andReady 2 Rumble. Former world champions Chris “Simply the Best” Eubank andNigel “The Dark Destroyer” Benn, will be launching Dreamcast – the world’smost powerful console.

  Customers on the night can enter gaming tournaments where the winner gets tobox against Chris Eubank himself on Dreamcast’s boxing game. The top prize,going to the winner who takes out Chris is a Dreamcast Honda scooter, otherprizes available on the night include Dreamcast consoles, software andmemorabilia.

  Nigel Benn will be taking full advantage of The Virgin Megastore musiccollection as he DJ’s to the crowd waiting inanticipation of the biggest consumer electronics launch of the year.

  Chris and Nigel will also be signing Dreamcasts and software for the firstpeople to collect their new superconsoles at midnight on Wednesday.

  Dreamcast launch Virgin Megastore 10pm – Midnight Wednesday 13th OctoberDreamcast, a double knockout!

  SEGA Europe unveils more than forty titles for Dreamcast by Christmas

  SEGA Europe will launch Dreamcast – the most powerful games console evercreated – throughout Europe on October 14th with an unprecedented number oftitles hitting the market from launch to Christmas.

  The wide range of first and third party Dreamcast titles including action,arcade, sports, fighting and adventure games, take full advantage ofDreamcast’s unparalleled technology.

  Dreamcast’s advanced hardware provides developers with a new platform tocreate video games that are so advanced and realistic that they set newstandards in graphics and gameplay.

  The amazing racing game, SEGA Rally 2, offers adrenaline rushes on 17different courses with an incredible 19 licensed world rally cars. Win thechampionship by racing in rain, sleet, snow, mud and ice and customise thecars to perform even better.

  Sonic Adventure sees the hero through ten massive 3D landscapes, fightingChaos the water monster and Evil Doctor Robotnik, as well as working with 5other characters to retrieve the Chaos Emeralds.

  The definitive arcade fighting game, Virtua Fighter 3tb, includes 12characters and 2000 moves. Challenge Dreamcast or a competitor or take on afive-person team to win.

  In House of the Dead 2 zombies created by Dr Currien come under attack fromspecial agents, whose brief is to protect civilians and eliminate the livingdead. This Dreamcast version of the hit arcade shooting game has newoptions and weapons which can be saved in the Visual Memory unit forstrategic use in later games.

  First party titles include the frantic action thriller Dynamite Cop, wherethe mission is to save the President’s daughter from pirates who havebesieged the luxury liner ‘Bermuda’.

  Provisional Software Line-Up to Christmas 1999TitlePublisherGenreStreet Date——————————Blue Stinger ActivisionAction / Adventure14-OctDynamite CopSegaFighting14-OctIncomingRageShooting14-OctMillennium Soldier:ExpendableInfogramesShooting14-OctMonaco GP Racing Simulation 2UbisoftRacing / Driving14-OctPowerstoneEidosFighting14-OctReady to RumbleMidwaySports14-OctSega Rally 2SegaRacing / Driving14-OctSonic AdventureSegaAction / Adventure14-OctTokyo Highway ChallengeCraveRacing / Driving14-OctTrick StyleAcclaimRacing / Driving14-OctVirtua Fighter 3tbSegaFighting14-OctAerowingsCraveSimulationOctoberBuggy HeatSegaRacing / DrivingOctoberHouse of the Dead 2SegaShootingOctoberMortal Kombat GoldMidwayFightingOctoberPen Pen InfogramesRacing / DrivingOctoberSpeed DevilsUbisoftRacing / DrivingOctoberToy CommanderSegaAction / AdventureOctoberFighting Force 2EidosFightingNovemberFormula 1Video SystemsRacing / DrivingNovemberHydro ThunderMidwayRacingNovemberJimmy White’s 2: Cue BallVirginSportsNovemberMarvel vs CapcomVirginFightingNovemberNBA ShowtimeMidwaySportsNovemberNFL Blitz 2000MidwaySportsNovemberNFL Quarterback Club 2000AcclaimSportsNovemberPsychic ForceAcclaimFightingNovemberRed DogSegaShootingNovemberSega Bass FishingSegaSportsNovemberSnow SurfersSegaSportsNovemberSoul CaliburNamcoFightingNovemberSoul FighterMattelAction / AdventureNovemberSouth Park: Chef’s Luv Shac AcclaimOtherNovemberSuzuki Alstare Extreme RacingUbisoftRacing / DrivingNovemberUEFA StrikerInfogramesFootballNovemberWorldwide Soccer 2000SegaSportsNovemberWorms ArmageddonHasbroStrategyNovemberWWF AttitudeAcclaimSportsNovemberEvolutionUbisoftRPGDecemberShadowmanAcclaimAction / AdventureDecemberStreetfighter Alpha 3VirginFightingDecemberVigilante 8: Second OffenseActivisionShootingDecember

  NOTE: All dates are subject to change.

  For further details please contact:
  Dreamcast press office on Tel; 0171 603 2040
  dreamcast@powerhousepr.com
  …and tell them you saw this press release on SONICSTATE

  ---

  October 11th : Will B*Witched get their 5th No.1 in a row…?Find out now on mymusic chart analysis page New DVDs and widescreen videos out this weekThe new DVDs available this week include :

• Above Us The Waves (9.99, Carlton)
• The Brylcreem Boys (15.99, Pinnacle Records)
• A Canterbury Tale (9.99, Carlton)
• The Carpenters: Close to You (17.99, Second Sight)
• Dead End (19.99, Quantum Leap Group)
• The Debt Collector (19.99, VCI)
• Defence of the Realm (9.99, Carlton)
• Educating Rita (9.99, Carlton)
• Essential Lovers Guide (19.99, Carlton)
• Fever Pitch (15.99, VCI)
• The General (Silent) (15.99, Eureka)
• Genevieve (9.99, Carlton)
• The Gingerbread Man (17.99, Universal)
• Hamlet (9.99, Carlton)
• Henry V (9.99, Carlton)
• The Importance of Being Earnest (9.99, Carlton)
• In Which We Serve (9.99, Carlton)
• It Could Happen To You (PG, 19.99, Columbia TriStar)
• Jimmy Jones: As Good as Gold (15.99, Classic Pictures Entertainment Ltd)
• Laurel and Hardy: March of the Wooden Soldiers (15.99, Eureka)
• The Lovers Guide (19.99, Carlton)
• The Lovers Guide 2: Making Sex Even Better (19.99, Carlton)
• The Lovers Guide 3: How To Intensify Lovemaking (19.99, Carlton)
• Love Sucks (19.99, Quantum Leap Group)
• Nosferatu (Silent) (15.99, Eureka)
• Oliver Twist (9.99, Carlton)
• The Pillow Book (19.99, VCI)
• The Red Shoes (9.99, Carlton)
• The Second World War In Colour (19.99, Carlton)
• Secrets and Lies (15.99, VCI)
• Still Crazy (15, 19.99, Columbia TriStar)
• The Stranger (12.99, Eureka)
• A Tale of Two Cities (9.99, Carlton)
• A Town Like Alice (9.99, Carlton)
• We Dive At Dawn (9.99, Carlton)

  The new widescreen videos available this week include :

• A Perfect Murder (15, 15.99, Warner)
• Shakespeare in Love (15, 17.99, Universal)

  ---

  October 10th : Fox’s German DVD releases from Dec 99 – May 2000…Thanks toDVD Inside for the followinginformation on Fox DVD releases between now and next year. Some titles are inGerman and there are a few I can’t translate. Help required please with those :

  December 1999:

• Courage Under Fire (Mut zur Wahrheit)
• Die Hard
• Die Hard II: Die Harder
• Speed
• Speed 2: Cruise Control

  January 2000:

• Broken Arrow
• Chain Reaction
• Unlawful Entry (Fatale Begierde)
• Point Break (Gefahrliche Brandung)
• X-Files – The Movie
• Volcano

  February 2000:

• Romeo & Juliet
• Ever After (Auf Immer und Ewig)
• Picture Perfect (Der gebuchte Mann)
• One Fine Day (Tage wie dieser)
• The Object of My Affection (Liebe in jeder Beziehung)

  March 2000:

• Alien
• Aliens Special Edition
• Alien 3
• Alien Resurrection
• The Fly
• Independence Day

  April 2000:

• Die Wiege der Sonne
• Entrapment
• Rocky Horror Picture Show
• The Siege

  May 2000:

• Big
• Dr. Dolittle
• The Full Monty (Ganz oder gar nicht)
• The Longest DAy
• M*A*S*H
• Mrs. Doubtfire
• Oklahoma
• Patton
• South Pacific
• The Thin Red Line
• Tora! Tora! Tora!

  Rest of 2000:

• Braveheart

  ---

  October 9th : Universal’s 5-strong release for October on DVD…Thanks to Susie from Universal for the DVDs I’ve received, all of which werereleased this past week. Note that the first two state they have both widescreenand “full-frame” versions on the disc, but they only contain the widescreenversion. Full reviews will appear in due course, but initially here is what’son offer :

  • Twelve Monkeys: Widescreen 1.85:1 (non-anamorphic), Dolby Digital 5.1sound, featurette: The Hamster Factor and other tales of the Twelve Monkeys(87 mins)
  • Wilde: Widescreen 2.35:1 (non-anamorphic), Dolby Digital 5.1 sound,featurette: Simply Wilde (24 mins)
  • Quadrophenia: Full-frame 4:3, 8-minute photo montage
  • Citizen Kane: Full-frame 4:3, trailer
  • The Krays: Full-frame 4:3, featurette: Flesh & Blood – The Story ofThe Krays.

  See some Wild Things on DVD…Thanks to Michelle on behalf of Entertainment in Video for the copy ofWild Things I’ve received. A full review will follow in due course, buton first look it has a good, clean print – and is anamorphic, but onlyProLogic sound. It also has a trailer and a 4-minute featurette. October competition from Bensons World of Home Entertainment…The Gunman From Bodie, produced in 1941, is the second of the eight strong`Rough Riders` films, starring Buck Jones, Tim McCoy, and Raymond Hatton. Timand Buck, masquerading as the gunman of the the title on the run, are USMarshals. Together with Raymond they foil a plan by rustlers, led by outwardlyrespectable citizens, to run homesteaders out of the valley, and claim theirwater rights.

  ClickHERE toenter and win a copy of this video.

  ---

  October 8th : Sega Dreamcast sales top half-a-million…Thanks to Jools Moore on behalf of Sega for this press release :

  SEGA DREAMCAST TOPS HALF MILLION MARK IN UNITS SOLD
  BESTS RECORDS SET BY SONY, NINTENDO, APPLE AND DVD
  SAN FRANCISCO (September 23, 1999)

  Sales of Sega(R) of America, Inc.’s 128-bit, Internet-ready Sega Dreamcast(TM)videogame system continue at a blistering pace. The company announced todayat the Intelliquest Brand Tech Forum in San Francisco that in just two weeks,Sega Dreamcast has topped the half million units sold mark. The advancedvideogame console has sold through a total of 514,000 units since it launchedon 9.9.99.

  In contrast, Sony PlayStation(TM) reached the half million mark in four monthsin 1995 and Nintendo? 64 reached the same number after two months at retailwhen it launched in 1996, according to the NPD Group of Port Washington, NY.

  Sega Dreamcast’s record-breaking launch also beat sales milestonesset by other high-profile consumer products. The much-touted Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) iMac personal computer took six weeks to sell 278,000 units. And, DVDin its first year only sold 430,000 units. [1]

  Today’s announced sales figures for Sega Dreamcast well surpass thecompany’s previous projections of hitting 400,000 in the system’s firstmonth of availability at retail. Since its introduction, Sega Dreamcast hasbeen a sales leader, capturing more than 60% of all new console sales,according to NPD. In addition to hardware, software for Sega Dreamcast isalso selling at a brisk pace. NPD research shows that four of the top fivegames for the week ending September 11 were Sega Dreamcast titles, includingSega’s “Sonic Adventure(TM),” Sega Sports’ “NFL 2K(TM),” Namco’s “SoulCalibur(TM)” and Midway’s “Ready 2 Rumble Boxing(TM).”Consumer demand forSega Dreamcast is continuing at a record pace,” said Chris Gilbert, seniorvice president of sales, Sega of America, Inc. “All of our retailers arereporting huge sales for the system and we are working very closely withthem to meet the massive demand we are anticipating for the holiday season.”

  About Dreamcast

  Sega Dreamcast’s 128-bit architecture makes it the first console withevolutionary capabilities, allowing it to grow and change to match advancesin technology and the needs and desires of the consumer. Sega Dreamcast isalso the most powerful video game console ever created and the first tooffer Internet connectivity including e-mail, browsing and chat using theSega Dreamcast Network. It is 15 times more powerful than a SonyPlayStation, ten times more powerful than a Nintendo 64 and has four timesthe graphics processing power of the fastest Pentium II processor. Inaddition, Sega Dreamcast is the first console to utilize hand-held gamingthrough its Visual Memory Unit (VMU), which allows players to swap gameswith friends in the home, arcade or head-to-head using two VMUs.

  About Sega of America

  Sega of America, Inc. is the arm of Tokyo, Japan-based Sega Enterprises,Ltd. responsible for the development, marketing and distribution of Segavideo game systems and video games in the Americas. Sega Enterprises, Ltd.is a nearly $2.5 billion company recognized as the industry leader ininteractive digital entertainment media, and is the only company that offersinteractive entertainment experiences both inside and outside the home.Sega of America’s World Wide Web site is located atwww.sega.com

  [1] Sources: Associated Press, Consumer Electronics Manufacturers Association,NPD Group

  What’s on TV this week ?

The new widescreen videos available this week include :

October 1st : The Dominator is published in Home Entertainment…Looking to buy DVDs on the internet? Then read my article in the October issueof Home Entertainment out now (starts on page 88). Eureka Video open their Metropolis Merchandise store…Queen may have done one of the soundtracks for a version of this film,but Eureka Video have the merchandise to go with it, including the “False Maria”statue (see right)

Take a look atThe Metropolis Collectionand online ordering will be available soon.

What’s on TV this week ?

Saturday :Not much to offer apart from the usual diet of CASUALTY (BBC1, 8.05pm),AIRPORT (BBC1, 8.55pm) and ROGER ROGER (BBC1, 9.25pm), butSky have the premier of the seemingly age-old GATTACA (Sky Premier, 8pm)and a review of the DVD can be foundHERE !

Sunday :HOLLYOAKS (C4, 11am), is on the skids since it went three days a weeksince they just stretch out two days of scripts over three. Sean and Cindy geta visit from Social Services, something not helped by the nicked TV that Sean”acquired” for their caravan, while Lewis has Rob on the run.It’s the last episode in the current run of BEVERLY HILLS 90210(Sky One, 2pm) and Kelly comes face-to-face with her attacker. Will Sky showseason 10 though? They pissed us about with seasons 8 and 9, but there’s onlyone way to find out. John Cleese fans can find him plugging the forthcomingMonty Python Night on the religious HEAVEN AND EARTH SHOW (BBC1, 10am).It’s a day for confrontations as Gary meets up with Terry Fuckwit inCORONATION STREET (ITV, 7.30pm). The excellent COLD FEET(ITV, 9.30pm) continues, but will Adam and Rachel get back together now thatshe’s had an abortion? In preparation for their Walking With Dinosaurs series,Auntie Beeb gives you ANOTHER dose of JURASSIC PARK (BBC1, 6pm).

Monday :Sharon and Ian enjoy a night out together in CORONATION STREET (ITV, 7.30pm)and the trial begins for Matthew and Steve in EASTENDERS (BBC1, 8pm).After the Jurassic Park film yesterday, the BBC start a new CGI-enhanced seriesof WALKING WITH DINOSAURS (BBC1, 8.30pm), presumably starting withMary Whitehouse, then the BBFC..oh the list is endless. The team atLIVERPOOL ONE (ITV, 9pm) cock-up when the faeces hits the fan as anundercover buy goes up the creek. In PEOPLE LIKE US (BBC2, 10pm)Roy Mallard (Chris Langham) puts his foot in it again when he follows the policeas they go about their business and an insurance company employee threatens tocommit suicide.

Tuesday :Steve’s sister Jackie has some issues to sort out with him in EASTENDERS(BBC1, 7.30pm), while Jimmy feels that Shelley might turn Lindsey the way ofthe woofter in BROOKSIDE (C4, 8pm). Smacked-arse-face Jim Carver isoffered a way out of Sun Hill in THE BILL (ITV, 8pm). Finally, there’sanother double bill of the show I started watching last Tuesday,HOMICIDE: LIFE ON THE STREETS (C4, 11.30pm).

Wednesday :Toyah grows tired of the great outdoors in CORONATION STREET (ITV, 7.30pm),back at its usual time. Niamh prevents Josh from satisfying his thirst forrevenge in BROOKSIDE (C4, 8pm), while Nikki feels ready to let Jerome inon the secret of her tradesman’s entrance. The BBC get some mileage out oftheir new series with THE MAKING OF WALKING WITH DINOSAURS (BBC1, 8pm),while ITV counterstrike with the ONE thing that was missing from BBC’s TwisterWeek, ie. the film: TWISTER (ITV, 8pm), followed by similar tales of woein TOTALLY OUT OF CONTROL (ITV, 10.10pm).

Thursday :Kathy’s suspicions about Melanie are growing in EASTENDERS (BBC1, 7.30pm).Hollis blindly uncovers a protection racket on a council estate in THE BILL(ITV, 8pm) and gets into a bit of trub. Finally, for a change, THE ROYLE FAMILY(BBC1, 10pm) have a quiet night in front of the telly.

Friday :Mike drops a bombshell on Linda in CORONATION STREET (ITV, 7.30pm) whenhe announces it’s not all his own hair. In ITV’s answer to Airport, AIRLINE(ITV, 8pm), more pissed-up football-supporting lager-loving Nancy Boys who oughtto be strung upside down and battered to death cause trouble for Easyjet’sstaff. It’s a case of “Hello Stranger” at Susannah’s bedside in BROOKSIDE(C4, 8.30pm), while Lindsey spills the beans on Callum to Alasdair and it’sshow-down time as Mick wants an end to the racist violence.NEVER MIND THE BUZZCOCKS (BBC2, 9.30pm) makes full use of the widescreenformat with team captain Phill Jupitus and guest Jo Brand. Film fans shouldavoid the dreadful offerings THE FUGITIVE (ITV, 9pm) andLAST OF THE MOHICANS (BBC1, 10.50pm).