HDTV Has Social Calling: Dale Cripps on the Magazine's Future Direction and HDTV's Societal Impact

Dear Readers

Last night I asked you for suggestions for a new direction for the HDTV Magazine. The responses were several and very mixed. The response rate tells me that some of the 6000 readers have found other means for gaining their HDTV program information. A guide is not a unique proprietary product. Anyone can make one. We were the first to have one for HDTV programs on the Internet, which was then, as is today, a consolidation of information from the signal sources. It was no doubt a convenience at one time and I think for many it still is now. But being first does not mean a great deal in Internet terms. Someone can spend their way right past you and the audience follows

I was surprised to hear some of you say that you didn't like scrolling through all of the guide to get to what you wanted. That tells me that the navigation system (directly above this letter) was not used to its fullest. This very simple, but highly effective, super fast navigation system works better than anything I have seen in full range grid guides. By clicking on any of the network logos above you are transported immediately to that network's listings. You need only scroll down to the hour you are interested in. That may be a little scroll from the 24 hour services (like the movie channels, INHD, and Discovery HD Theater). Most of a day's programming for one of the main networks is in one screen window. So that criticism, unless there is more to it, is more likely from a lack of knowledge on how to use our navigation system.

I have been encouraged to further the idea on creating departments--sports, lifestyles, behind the curtain, interviews, etc., and very pleased to do that with any new found time or outside talent. We have one who has already volunteered to contribute to a department on home theater installations and all that entails.

Under any circumstance I am going to continue with the guide in its present form (fewer graphics for now) until I have either constructed or found for you a suitable successor. It is clear that the grid guide is the more sought after and from some comments I received you are not concerned as to how attractive or unattractive it is. You just want the data.  Several have offered a helping hand from data base management companies. I will be contacting those soon in hopes of finding the holy grail of guide construction tools. There are those who say the present guide is fine--the love the graphics-and not to worry about the download times since wideband is here. I definitely agree with that and if you are on 28.8 dial up I feel for you but your are not the target audience we can accommodate easily.

Some said "Dump the guide. Turn to your value added news and features and give us the insight into the industry you are noted for." Getting arms around the rapidly expanding universe of HDTV activities and delivering useful information you can use is going to be a new challenge. This is not the same business it was just six months ago. I am not ready to dump the guide as yet either. I still think there are things to be done in guide development that are very supportive of the HDTV movement. I am a realist, however, and if it takes more energy to do it than it is worth to all of us, then dump it will be.

I have always believed that one day we would reach the tipping point where we would expand exponentially through our reader network.  It will take a great deal more original content to make that break through happen. If anything the Internet has worked against us a bit because it is able to raise rumor to accepted fact and is producing some confusion faster than it can be eradicated. You can spend a lifetime in the forums watching half truths turn to faux axioms.  Where fact is soundly presented the forums can make an outstanding contribution but I think that a moderated forum is the model that will stand the test of time. The rest will implode (in terms of credible value, not volume) as their errors accumulate. 

While members and guests are free to post what they will in our forums it would have been better for the health of the Magazine had the news items you posted been channeled first to the Magazine for redistribution. If you have ever been in the news business you know how important it is to be first in everything. The publication must stay in business and every time the magazine is second ni reporting something it is going more out of business than in it. I said in previous posts that you are the front line of the HDTV movement but that movement must have a single flag to be effective. To hoist your own is fine but diffuses effectiveness. Now I am the very first to realize that all such posts I have seen were done ONLY in the public interest. No one was trying to play one-upsmanship on anyone. So, this is far, far, far from a criticism but rather an advisory to the members of an adversarial group as to what works best for our cause. The chief thing is that the magazine has to stay in business to serve you and the cause. Every time it is bested by its own membership it losses a bit of it's grip on that business. 

 I want to go into some other things here which I believe will prove significant in time. First, if you are doubtful that HDTV can carry all of the social virtues I have been suggesting then I have not done my job very well. If you see HDTV sweeping the world, as I do, this social matter is far from trivial. There is too much power involved for it to be trivial. It has the potential for doing wondrous good that cannot be duplicated any other way. I would shudder to think that HDTV comes under the influence of some negative element that slowly draws a noose around the neck of humanity. That, by the way, is just as possible as having the good elements make their influence count. "But Dale," you say, "why do you ponder these things when all I want to do it get KCBS in LA on rabbit ears so I can see the Super Bowl. Why do I need to know about these big things?" [Continued]

8:00OM ET/7:00 C
My Wife and Kids

"The Sweet Hairafter"
Michael sees his once-bald friend, Jimmy, with a full head of hair, prompting him to start taking the same hair-growth pills as his buddy. When Michael grows three new strands of hair, he increases the dosage, resulting in unusual side effects. Meanwhile, Kady becomes jealous of the little girl that Claire is mentoring through the Big Sister program.

8:30PM ET/7:30 C
It's All Relative

"Tackleboxxx/The Love Below"
Mace's longtime friend, Dan, visits for a planned fishing trip, but before the fishing fun can begin, the two men have old scores to settle. Meanwhile, Maddy has eyes for Simon's new teaching assistant but fears that he may be out of her league. Simon concocts a plan to make the seemingly unlikely love connection.

10:00PM ET/9:00 C
Celebrity Mole Yucatan

The executed players return for revenge, as they play a comic game of dodgeball that involves the remaining challengers, 40 bottles of tequila and a rickety bridge; later, the tequila-theme continues as the celebs are dared to eat the worm at the bottom of the bottle.
 

RETURN TO TOP

Advertise your new HDTV services and products in the HDTV Magazine and reach your audience without fail.

 

9:00PM ET/8:00 C
The King of Queens

"Affidavit Justice"
When the partners of CarrieÂ’s law firm notice DougÂ’s softball skills, they ask him to pretend that heÂ’s a lawyer in order to play on their company team. Meanwhile, after tracing his ancestry, Arthur believes his great-grandfather was a slave owner and makes it his own personal mission to correct things with Deacon on his ancestorÂ’s behalf.

9:30PM ET/8:30 C
Becker

"Subway Story"
Becker helps Jake with an errand and ends up completely missing an important dinner date with his former college roommate.
 

RETURN TO TOP

DAYTONA 500 IN HDTV ON NBC WHERE AVAILABLE ON FEBRUARY 15TH, BIG EVENT FOR HDTV!!

 

9:00PM ET/8:00 C
The West Wing

"The Dogs Of War"
The international crisis concerning the terrorist abduction of Bartlet's (Martin Sheen) daughter Zoey (Elisabeth Moss) reaches critical mass as Walken (guest star John Goodman, "Roseanne") presides over the bombardment of Qumari terrorist camps while the kidnappers issue a 24-hour deadline for the unlikely removal ofamerican troops from Qumar. Elsewhere, Josh (Bradley Whitford) fumes over his perceived notion that the Republicans will exploit and push forward their own legislative agenda while Toby (Richard Schiff) visits his newborn twins -- even as he oversees the drafting of two presidential speeches that hinge on Zoey's fate. John Spencer, Allison Janney, Dule Hill, Janel Moloney, Stockard Channing, Joshua Malina, Lily Tomlin and Mary-Louise Parker also star.

9:59PM ET/8:59 C
Law & Order

"Identity"
When a young corporate executive is shot to death the living room of his upscale brownstone, Detectives Briscoe (Jerry Orbach) and Green (Jesse L. Martin) discover the victim recently lost his job and was living off of a mysterious deposit of $400,000 to his savings account. Following the money trail, the detectives discover their prime suspect to be an elderly Harlem man whose identity was stolen by the victim in order to steal thousands of dollars. Lorraine Toussaint ("Any Day Now") reprises her roles as defense attorney Shambala Green in the episode. Sam Waterston, Elisabeth Rohm, Fred Thompson and S. Epatha Merkerson also star.

11:34PM ET/10:34 C
The Tonight Show With Jay Leno

Ashton Kutcher, Fefe Dobson
 

RETURN TO TOP

RETURN TO TOP

RETURN TO TOP

Surprise By Design II
Our guests surprise a loved one with a makeover of part of their home or yard, with the help of designers Robert Verdi and Rebecca Cole. Armed with some paint, a slide rule or two, and their own brand of creative ingenuity, Robert and Rebecca depend on the kindness of strangers — in this case, the homeowner's family and friends — to get the job done. In one day. With a budget that can't exceed $2,500. In each episode, they squeeze in a "Quick Change": a super-fast, and super-cheap, smaller project. Now in Hi-Definition every weekday on Discovery HD Theater.

Starting January: Monday — Friday every week, 1 p.m. ET/PT

South Georgia Island: Life Under the Furious Fifties
An island lost at the end of the world. A land battered by the furious winds of the Arctic. A cemetery of ships and whaling settlements. Witness nature's struggle for survival on one of the most remote and unforgiving islands on the planet.

---

 

On Superbowl Sunday...

...technology trend watchers expect many football fans will be as excited about watching the big game in high definition as they are about the actual event.

 

But what if the game's a rout?  What if youÂ’ve got one of the over 600,000 new HD sets purchased last December alone and want to take your friends for an HD test drive?  Or - could this be real - what if there's not a football fan in the house?  What other programming could possibly compete on February 1st?

 

Discovery HD Theater, a 24/7 network offering true high def content, plans to offer an extraordinary evening of HD viewers in any one of the above situations.  Offering the best of the HD best, Superbowl Sunday will feature programs of especially eye-popping features in 1080i HD.  Called Super Bowl Showcase: The Xs and Os of HD, the Discovery HD Theater extravaganza will feature a broad range of entertainment options all in crystal clear HD.  Plus, viewers who tune in will be treated to the first-ever sneak peek trailers of ARCTIC MISSION, a high def adventure through the beautiful, unexplored region of the world - the Arctic.  The series begins on Feb. 24 at 9 pm ET.

 

Below are brief descriptions of programming planned for Super Bowl Showcase.  For more information, please contact me.  Thanks for your time.

 

Dinosaur Planet: White Tip's Journey

Velociraptor named White Tip loses the rest of her pack and must struggle to survive on her own.  In time, she locates a new pack, as well as a mate, only to find that her hardships are just beginning in the harsh desert environment.  NARRATED by Christian Slater.

South Georgia Island: Life Under the Furious Fifties

An island lost at the end of the world and battered by the furious winds of the 50th parallel.  A cemetery of ships and settlements and a paradise for Antarctic species.  Life here remains in its original state: pure, tenacious, violent and savage, but above all, profoundly beautiful.

XMA: Xtreme Martial Arts

The World's legendary fighting styles, seen in an entirely new way.  Two young martial artists fight their way through the world's most prestigious tournament and through the power of modern scientific analysis and motion-capture animation, viewers travel inside a secretive, hidden world.

Dinosaur Planet: Pod's Travels

Pod, a Male Pyroraptor, is alone in the world after his sisters die in a tidal wave that sweeps him out to sea. After landing on an island populated with dwarf-sized dinosaurs, Pod discovers that he's become the apex predator. But, as a gregarious and social pack animal, Pod learns that it's lonely at the top of the food chain. NARRATED BY Christian Slater

 

6:00AM ET/5:00 C
Discoveries...Spain: The Mediterranean

From the Costa Brava to the Costa del Sol, history, culture, food and music are the highlights of Spain's sunny Mediterranean coast. Explore the dynamic coast of Spain, including fishing for anchovies, bullfighting lessons, a paella party aboard a canal boat, pueblas blancas, the beautiful and dramatic city of Ronda and the oldest conservatory of music in Europe.

7:00AM ET/6:00 C
Wild Secrets

Ostrich: Ultimate Survivors - When the dry season comes to the Savannah, most inhabitants move on to greener pastures. Three remote controlled cameras capture rare footage of egg-laying and chick raising in this harsh environment. We witness the dramas and dangers of parenthood and discover some interesting behaviors adopted by ostriches to protect their young.

7:30AM ET/6:30 C
Kamui of the Okhotsk

Famed marine photographer Ikuo Nakamura spent eight months recording everything from the ice floes to the beautiful creatures of the sea. Kamui of the Okhotsk is a truly remarkable viewing experience, unique in content, masterfully produced and spectacular in its appreciation of sights seldom seen anywhere in the world.

8:00AM ET/7:00 C
The Desert Speaks

Baja Boojums: Bizarre Plants - Turning inland, the intrepid travelers begin a thorough investigation into the weird, wild plants of Baja California. They quickly encounter the mystical, mythical Boojum tree. One of the oddest plants imaginable, the Boojum tree is leafless for most of the year and looks like a bit like an upturned turnip.

8:30AM ET/7:30 C
Bass Champs

2002 Bass Champs Classic Day One - Day One of the Classic on Lake Lewisville with over 80,000 dollars on the line.

9:00AM ET/8:00 C
Higher Definition Take Two

Pop culture writer/host Rober Wilonsky plays pool with writer, actor and director Edward Burns and talks with him about his latest film, Confidence.

9:30AM ET/8:30 C
Across America

People of Las Vegas - Can every day people live normal lives in the "city of sin?" Across America profiles several Las Vegas residents: a showgirl, a full-time gambler and a casino cocktail waitress living and working in this abnormal city.

10:00AM ET/9:00 C
Designing America

Summerall - A tour thru the home of legendary sports announcer Pat Summerall and a chat with actress, artist and home accessory designer Jane Seymour as well as tips on how to set the perfect holiday table.

10:30AM ET/9:30 C
Weekend Explorer

Durango, Colorado - Take a historic train to the picturesque old mining boomtown of Silverton, enjoy a cooling splash while careening down river whitewater rafting, soar like an eagle over the Rockies in a glider, jump off the same cliffs as Paul Newman and Robert Redford in the movie Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, mountain bike in a spectacular scenic wilderness area, hit the trail on horseback through fields of countless wild flowers, and relax in a natural hot spring once popular with stars like Marilyn Monroe.

11:00AM ET/10:00 C
Johnathan Brownlee's atHome

Hello My Name Is... - How to create a winning team involving the key players for a successful home renovation.

11:30AM ET/10:30 C
Beautiful Landscapes of Japan

amami Oshima, Kagoshima

12:00PM ET/11:00 C
HDNet World Report

Serengeti Migration - HDNet World Report travels to Africa to experience an extremey visual annual event. The migration of animals across the Serengeti is striking in its clarity and an overpowering experience to witness. But climactic and population changes may now be putting it at risk, and with it the volumes of animals that traditionally take part in this ritual of survival.

12:30PM ET/11:30 C
HDNet World Report

Iraq: Psychological Operations to Help the Peace - HDNet World Report travels to Iraq whereamerican and Coalition forces use more than muscle to help restore the nation. "Psyops" are an ever-increasing part of the Coalition's efforts to restore order in Iraq.

1:00PM ET/12:00 C
True Music: Extended Play

Spoonfed Tribe - Sit back and enjoy the experience known as The Spoonfed Tribe. This 30 minute special is dedicated to the unique sound and look surrounding this one of a kind musical act. The Spoonfed Tribe has an underground following that is forcing its way to the surface and is bound to break into mainstream. Compared to the Grateful Dead and Phish, The Spoonfed Tribe will inspire your body to move.

1:30PM ET/12:30 C
Hogan's Heroes

Casanova Klink - General Burkhalter's attempt to match his widowed sister Gertrude with reluctant Col. Klink threatens Hogan's sabotage project.

2:00PM ET/1:00 C
First Monday

Family Secrets - The Justices debate on the 1stamendment & National Security. When a book is published that could hurt National Security information. Ellie wants the book published so she can learn how her dad died.

3:00PM ET/2:00 C
Presidio Med

Do No Harm - Jackie becomes more involved than she wished when the girlfriend of a badly burned fireman reconsiders her decision to marry him. Worried about her age and cancerous ovary, Jules considers using a sperm donor and harvesting her embryo--and Slingerland volunteers to donate

4:00PM ET/3:00 C
College Basketball

Oregon State @ ASU
Special Encore Presentation

6:30PM ET/5:30 C
Beat the Devil/Hostage/Ticker

Decades ago the legendary James Brown sold his soul for fame and fortune. Now he wishes to renogiate. Tony Scott directs Clive Owen in a satirical duel between good and evil. Preeminent action director John Woo and star Clive Owen pair up to create this fast-paced action thriller. Acclaimed new director Joe Carnahan helms a thrilling race against time, starring Clive Owen, Don Cheadle and F. Murray Abraham.

7:00PM ET/6:00 C
Across America

Across america has tips for revving up your weekend--from a dog. And co-host Kandace Krueger finds all kinds of creative ways to get rid of your leftover holiday fruitcake.

7:30PM ET/6:30 C
Higher Definition Take Two

Pop-culture writer/host Robert Wilonsky talks with Oscar nominated actor, Javier Bardem about his most recent film The Dancer Upstairs.

8:00PM ET/7:00 C
Designing America Premiere

Kelly Rasberry - We tour the home of syndicated Radio DJ Hostess Kelly Rasberry and newlywed husband Freddie. Valentines Day treats and ideas from Cantoni furniture and Mary Mohr has some fantastic faux finishing ideas.

8:30PM ET/7:30 C
Across America Premiere

On Across america this week, music as both a performance art and a healing one. Also, why fishtailing on icy roads can be a good thing.

9:00PM ET/8:00 C
HDNet World Report Premiere

Mt Kilimanjaro: An African Icon in Peril - HDNet World Report cameras travel to Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa. The mountain is big enough to develop and preserve its own weather, but world environmental changes may put that to an end.

9:30PM ET/8:30 C
Hollywood HD Premiere

A behind-the-scenes look at what it's really like to be on the red carpet at the Golden Globes. Academy Award Nominations. A tribute to Clint Eastwood. And the premieres of Barbershop 2 and Torque.

10:00PM ET/9:00 C
The Road is My Life

Take a journey from China's eastern coast to the to the far west interior in a five-ton truck. Breathtaking views, engine trouble, and hefty toll fees are all in a day's work for the driver who resolves, "The road is my life."

11:00PM ET/10:00 C
Designing America

Kelly Rasberry - We tour the home of syndicated Radio DJ Hostess Kelly Rasberry and newlywed husband Freddie. Valentines Day treats and ideas from Cantoni furniture and Mary Mohr has some fantastic faux finishing ideas.

11:30PM ET/10:30 C
Across America

On Across America this week, music as both a performance art and a healing one. Also, why fishtailing on icy roads can be a good thing.

12:00AM ET/11:00 C
HDNet World Report

Mt Kilimanjaro: An African Icon in Peril - HDNet World Report cameras travel to Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa. The mountain is big enough to develop and preserve its own weather, but world environmental changes may put that to an end.

12:30AM ET/11:30 C
Hollywood HD

An Academy Awards preview, Celine Dion & the Walk of Fame, "Miracle" Hockey Event with the 1980 US Hockey team and the stars who portray them in the movie. And the truth about "Star Maps"...

1:00AM ET/12:00 C
The Road is My Life

Take a journey from China's eastern coast to the to the far west interior in a five-ton truck. Breathtaking views, engine trouble, and hefty toll fees are all in a day's work for the driver who resolves, "The road is my life."

2:00AM ET/1:00 C
Johnathan Brownlee's atHome

Hello My Name Is... - How to create a winning team involving the key players for a successful home renovation.

2:30AM ET/1:30 C
Across America

On Across America this week, music as both a performance art and a healing one. Also, why fishtailing on icy roads can be a good thing.

3:00AM ET/2:00 C
True Music

True Music host Katie Daryl sits down today with 3 guitar acts, each with an individual style. Wade Bowen is an energetic country-rocker that comes to life on stage, while Django Walker knows how to get a crowd on their feet with his southern rock appeal. Plus don't miss the band Deep Blue Something as they perform their hit song "Breakfast at Tiffany's".

3:30AM ET/2:30 C
Equal Justice

What Color are My Eyes? - A homeless girl is too terrified to testify against her attacker. Rogan risks compromsing his vision for politics. Harris wants to go on a TV dating show with Bauer.

4:30AM ET/3:30 C
Big Apple

Chris kills Stark but Terry takes the blame after trying to make a deal to implicate other FBI agents in some of Stark's activities.

5:30AM ET/4:30 C
White Hot Winter

Out-Of-Bounds (Best of the Back Country - Alberta) - Today's skier wants something more than a double-black diamond run at the usual ski hill. This episode of White Hot Winter looks at why the backcountry is so hot and how to do it safely. Spend an afternoon with an avalanche expert at Banff's Sunshine Resort, who shows us how he blows up a cornice for avalanche control.
 

 RETURN TO TOP

 

6:00AM ET/5:00 C
Strange Brew

PG - 1:30
Cast: Dave Thomas, Rick Moranis, Max Von Sydow Director: Rick and Dave Thomas Moranis
Bob and Doug MacKenzie take over the family's brewery, and battle with the brewmaster.

7:30AM ET/6:30 C
Bloodhounds Of Broadway

PG - 1:27
Cast: Madonna, Matt Dillon, Jennifer Grey Director: Howard Brookner
Set in the 1920's, the film follows the parties and adventures of the flashy characters of that time.

9:00AM ET/8:00 C
A Chorus Line

PG-13 - 1:57
Cast: Michael Douglas, Alyson Reed, Vicki Frederick Director: Richard Attenborough
Film version of the Broadway musical about a group of dancers auditioning for a chorus line.

11:00AM ET/10:00 C
The Music Man

NR - 2:31
Cast: Robert Preston, Shirley Jones, Buddy Hackett Director: Morton DaCosta
A con man travels to River City, Iowa and convinces the town to finance a children's marching band. He plans on stealing the money before the instruments arrive, but falls in love with the town librarian.

1:30PM ET/12:30 C
Heart and Souls

PG - 1:44
Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Charles Grodin, Alfre Woodard Director: Ron Underwood
A man, whose body is inhabited by four lost souls, deals with their loose ends before they go to Heaven.

3:15PM ET/2:15 C
Gotcha!

PG-13 - 1:41
Cast: Anthony Edwards, Linda Fiorentino, Nick Corri Director: Jeff Kanew
A college kid, who plays a mock assassination game called "Gotcha", travels to Europe, and finds himself on the run with a female Czech graduate student who is really an international spy.

5:00PM ET/4:00 C
Strange Brew

PG - 1:30
Cast: Dave Thomas, Rick Moranis, Max Von Sydow Director: Rick and Dave Thomas Moranis
Bob and Doug MacKenzie take over the family's brewery, and battle with the brewmaster.

6:30PM ET/5:30 C
Bloodhounds Of Broadway

PG - 1:27
Cast: Madonna, Matt Dillon, Jennifer Grey Director: Howard Brookner
Set in the 1920's, the film follows the parties and adventures of the flashy characters of that time.

8:00PM ET/7:00 C
A Chorus Line

PG-13 - 1:57
Cast: Michael Douglas, Alyson Reed, Vicki Frederick Director: Richard Attenborough
Film version of the Broadway musical about a group of dancers auditioning for a chorus line.

10:00PM ET/9:00 C
The Music Man

NR - 2:31
Cast: Robert Preston, Shirley Jones, Buddy Hackett Director: Morton DaCosta
A con man travels to River City, Iowa and convinces the town to finance a children's marching band. He plans on stealing the money before the instruments arrive, but falls in love with the town librarian.

12:35AM ET/11:35 C
Slaves Of New York

R - 2:05
Cast: Nick Corri, Bernadette Peters, Adam Coleman Howard Director: James Ivory
Eleanor, a struggling artist, finally finds success upon leaving her abusive boyfriend.

2:45AM ET/1:45 C
Bloodhounds Of Broadway

PG - 1:27
Cast: Madonna, Matt Dillon, Jennifer Grey Director: Howard Brookner
Set in the 1920's, the film follows the parties and adventures of the flashy characters of that time.

4:15AM ET/3:15 C
Shakedown

R - 1:52
Cast: Peter Weller, Sam Elliott, George Loros Director: James Glickenhaus
Two unlikely partners work to stop the corruption in the N.Y.P.D.
 

RETURN TO TOP

 

6:00AM ET/5:00 C
Heavyweights

PG Time: 97  
A bunch of chubby adolescents arrive at Camp Hope expecting the usual summer of snacking and bonding. But the kindly camp owners have gone bankrupt and have been replaced by none other than a madly obsessive fitness guru (Ben Stiller) hell-bent on whipping the kids into shape and using them in an upcoming infomercial! Trying to hold their own against the new regime, the kids learn--and teach--some important lessons. With Tom McGowan, Aaron Schwartz, Shaun Weiss, Tom Hodges. Directed by Steven Brill, written by Judd Apatow and Steven Brill.

7:35AM ET/6:35 C
The Wash

R Time: 96  
Rappers Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg play roommates who find themselves at odds after they begin working together in this raucous comedy. Dre has just been fired from his job and can't pay his share of the rent, leading Dogg to land him a managerial position at a car wash he works at (and uses as a place to meet ladies and sell weed!). When Dre begins taking his new authority a bit too far, it leads to trouble between the two friends until they are forced to team up to save their boss (George Wallace) from idiotic kidnappers! With Angell Conwell and Tommy "Tiny" Lister, and featuring cameos by Pauly Shore, Shaquille O'Neal and Tommy Chong. Written and directed by D.J. Pooh (Friday).

9:15AM ET/8:15 C
Above The Law

R Time: 99  
Don't mess with Nico Toscani. Once a CIA agent, now an undercover detective, he's a martial-arts master who's as potent with kicks, chops and punches as he is with a police revolver. Tough Nico's out to clean up Chicago--and that means getting rid of the city's drug kings, as well as battling a murderous CIA agent. Martial-arts expert Steven Seagal plays Nico in this action-packed drama. With Pam Grier and Sharon Stone.

11:00AM ET/10:00 C
Breakdown

R Time: 93  
A lonely road...a sudden breakdown...and a city couple is plunged into an unending nightmare in the american southwest. After their car breaks down, Kurt Russell accepts a trucker's offer to take his wife to the nearest town to call for help. But when he follows, she's nowhere around--and no one has seen her! What's his next move? "A tough, vigorous exercise in pure action" (Ne

12:35PM ET/11:35 C
White Oleander

PG13 Time: 109  
Alison Lohman stars as a teenage girl bounced through the foster care system during her mother's incarceration for murder in this moving drama. Ingrid (Michelle Pfeiffer) poisons her lover and is sent to prison while her daughter Astrid (Lohman) is forced into the state's foster care program. Shuffled through various foster parents including a born-again Christian, a former B-movie star and an eccentric Russian, Astrid is forced to grow up quickly in several families while she also attempts to keep her mother in her life. Based on the novel by Janet Fitch. Co-starring Robin Wright Penn and Renee Zellweger. Directed by Peter Kosminsky.

2:30PM ET/1:30 C
Trapped

R Time: 105  
A husband and wife fight back against the ruthless kidnappers who have abducted their daughter in a shrewdly planned ransom scheme. Will and Karen Jennings are the perfect couple whose lives are thrown into tumult when their six-year-old daughter Abby is snatched by cold-blooded criminal Joe Hickey, whose wife Cheryl and cousin Marvin assist him. Their bold plan--holding Abby for ransom, while simultaneously taking her parents hostage in separate locations--seems perfectly devised, but Will and Karen know a few tricks too, leading to a tension-packed finale. With Charlize Theron, Courtney Love and Kevin Bacon. Stuart Townsend and Pruitt Taylor Vince co-star. Directed by Luis Mandoki, based upon the novel 24 Hours by Greg Iles, screenplay by Greg Iles. "A stylishly filmed thriller" (Hollywood Reporter).

4:30PM ET/3:30 C
Divine Secrets Of The Ya-ya Sisterhood

PG13 Time: 116  
Ellen Burstyn and Sandra Bullock star as a lifelong feuding mother and daughter whose troubled relationship can only be saved with the help of her childhood best friends. Siddalee Walker (Bullock) is a successful New York playwright whose interview with Time magazine pinpoints her mother Vivi's (Burstyn) shortcomings and ignites a bitter feud between the two. After hurling hurtful words and angry promises, Sidda is drugged and kidnapped by Vivi's old pals, the Ya-Yas, who bring Sidda back to Louisiana where they unlock the secrets of Vivi's past in order to give Sidda a better understanding of her mother's eccentric and obstinate ways. With Ashley Judd, Dame Maggie Smith, Shirley Knight, James Garner and Fionnula Flanagan. Based on the novel by Rebecca Wells.

6:30PM ET/5:30 C
Murder By Numbers

R Time: 120  
Two high-school killers play a deadly game of cat-and-mouse with determined detective Sandra Bullock in this nerve-jangling thriller. Like a teenage Leopold and Loeb, Richard Haywood and his buddy Justin Pendleton forge a chilling contract to commit the perfect murder. But Cassie Mayweather (Bullock) is an emotionally tangled cop who isn't fooled so easily, and as she begins to connect the dots in a slaying that seems too random, it leads her down a dangerous path toward an inevitable clash with the young thrill killers. Ryan Gosling, Michael Pitt, Ben Chaplin and Chris Penn co-star. Directed by Barbet Schroeder (Single White Female).

8:30PM ET/7:30 C
Hellraiser: Bloodline

R Time: 84  
Hell's most diabolical demon Pinhead crosses the boundaries of time and space in this inventive fourth installment in the Hellraiser series. Bruce Ramsay stars in this shocking sequel as Paul, a descendent of the man who created the original puzzle box that opened the doorway to hell. Taking place over the course of three different time periods--past, present and future--the story reveals the story of the box and its horrific involvement within Paul's bloodline while he stands as the only chance to stop Pinhead and his masochistic minions. With Valentina Vargas, Doug Bradley and Kim Myers. Directed by Alan Smithee.

10:00PM ET/9:00 C
White Oleander

PG13 Time: 109  
Alison Lohman stars as a teenage girl bounced through the foster care system during her mother's incarceration for murder in this moving drama. Ingrid (Michelle Pfeiffer) poisons her lover and is sent to prison while her daughter Astrid (Lohman) is forced into the state's foster care program. Shuffled through various foster parents including a born-again Christian, a former B-movie star and an eccentric Russian, Astrid is forced to grow up quickly in several families while she also attempts to keep her mother in her life. Based on the novel by Janet Fitch. Co-starring Robin Wright Penn and Renee Zellweger. Directed by Peter Kosminsky.

12:20AM ET/11:20 C
Breakdown

R Time: 93  
A lonely road...a sudden breakdown...and a city couple is plunged into an unending nightmare in the american southwest. After their car breaks down, Kurt Russell accepts a trucker's offer to take his wife to the nearest town to call for help. But when he follows, she's nowhere around--and no one has seen her! What's his next move? "A tough, vigorous exercise in pure action"

2:00AM ET/1:00 C
Children Of The Corn The Gathering

R Time: 84  
A mysterious fever descends on a tiny Nebraska town, causing the local children--led by a demonic youth preacher--to begin systematically killing the adults in this eerie horror sequel. Naomi Watts (Mulholland Drive) stars as a medical student who returns to care for her sick mother only to discover the terror that must be stopped. With Karen Black (House of 1000 Corpses), Jamie Renee Smith, Mark Salling, William Windom and Brent Jennings. Directed by Greg Spence.

3:30AM ET/2:30 C
Above The Law

R Time: 99  
Don't mess with Nico Toscani. Once a CIA agent, now an undercover detective, he's a martial-arts master who's as potent with kicks, chops and punches as he is with a police revolver. Tough Nico's out to clean up Chicago--and that means getting rid of the city's drug kings, as well as battling a murderous CIA agent. Martial-arts expert Steven Seagal plays Nico in this action-packed drama. With Pam Grier and Sharon Stone.

5:10AM ET/4:10 C
Truth Or Consequences, N.m.

R Time: 106  
Set in today's west, this "fast and furious" (New York Post) crime caper tells of an ex-con who wants to head home to his girlfriend and live the good life, the respectable way. All it will take is one last heist--and that's when the bloodshed and mayhem begin. Directed by Kiefer Sutherland. With Vincent Gallo, Mykelti Williamson (Forrest Gump), Kevin Pollak.
 

RETURN TO TOP

 

7:00AM ET/6:00 C
Durango Kids

PG Time: 91  
A group of kids searching for the legendary lost gold from a robbery committed more than a century earlier find themselves on the ultimate time-travel adventure in this family tale. Twelve-year-old Spencer convinces his pals to help him find the booty in a mine in an old ghost town. But inside the mine, the kids are transported back to 1891 where they have an opportunity to prevent the robbery and save the town from its desolate fate. With Larry Drake, Austin Nichols and Taylor Root. Directed by Ashton Root.

9:30AM ET/8:30 C
Praying Mantis

PG13 Time: 88  
In this thriller, the bride wears black...on purpose, and as often as possible. A serial killer with five slain husbands behind her moves to a new town and moves in on potential husband--and victim--number 6. Will her past catch up with her before another murder is committed? With Jane Seymour, Barry Bostwick, Frances Fisher, Chad Allen.

11:00AM ET/10:00 C
Mr. Wrong

PG13 Time: 96  
A single woman meets the man of her dreams only to be appalled by his psychotic behavior as they grow closer to marriage in this comedy. Ellen DeGeneres stars as Martha Alston, a 30-something bachelorette who is pressured to find love and marriage before she turns into an old maid. By chance, she meets the wealthy, handsome--and single--Whitman Crawford (Bill Pullman) who personifies Mr. Right. But as their admiration grows, Martha is shocked by Whitman's emergent lunatic behavior including breaking his pinky finger as a demonstration of true love and spiking her drink with LSD! Co-starring Joan Cusack, Dean Stockwell, Joan Plowright, Ellen Cleghorne, John Livingston, Robert Goulet, Polly Holliday and Louis Anderson. Directed by Nick Castle.

12:45PM ET/11:45 C
Spider-man

PG13 Time: 121  
"With great power comes great responsibility." For Peter Parker, his late uncle's words become his personal credo in this spectacular adaptation of the landmark comic book. Directed by Sam Raimi (the Evil Dead films) and written by David Koepp, the film stars Tobey Maguire as Peter, a nerdy high-school teen who lives with his aunt and uncle in Queens and pines for his sexy neighbor Mary Jane. Bitten by a radioactive spider, Peter suddenly develops incredible physical characteristics, but it is not until his uncle is tragically murdered that the youth realizes his true calling. For New York City, it's just in time, thanks to the arrival of the Green Goblin, an evildoer whose mask and murderous mission hide his true identity--and his disturbing connection to Peter! Willem Dafoe, Kirsten Dunst and James Franco co-star.

2:45PM ET/1:45 C
Juwanna Mann

PG13 Time: 91  
When star basketball player Jamal Jefferies (Miguel A. Nunez Jr.) is fired from the NBA for his on- and off-court arrogance and offensive behavior, he immediately loses his girlfriend, his home and his party lifestyle. Jamal vows to get his life back and is inspired by neighborhood girls playing ball. Wearing a big wig and falsies, Jamal cross-dresses into Juwanna Mann (a woman!) to join the all-female pro basketball league. Juwanna instantly becomes the star player, but fame doesn't come easy as he learns through a series of comic gender-benders--including awkward shower scenes and falling in love with a teammate (Vivica A. Fox)! With Tommy Davidson, Kevin Pollak, Ginuwine, Kim Wayans and 'Lil Kim.

4:30PM ET/3:30 C
Behind Enemy Lines

PG13 Time: 105  
Owen Wilson stars as a Navy pilot who is shot down over enemy territory and must rely on the rule-breaking tactics of his commanding officer to save his life in this intense thriller. Gene Hackman co-stars as Reigart, a veteran commander who is faced with the ultimate decision after Lt. Chris Burnett (Wilson) crashlands in the Balkans. With the enemy hot on the young aviator's trail, Reigart must defy NATO orders to send a rescue mission to find him...and risk his own career in the process! With Joaquim de Almeida, David Keith and Olek Krupa. Directed by John Moore; screenplay by Zak Penn.

6:15PM ET/5:15 C
The 'burbs

PG Time: 101  
Tom Hanks stars as a stressed-out suburbanite who vacations at home in order to spy on his bizarre new neighbors in this dark comedy directed by Joe Dante (The Howling, Gremlins). Carrie Fisher, Bruce Dern, Corey Feldman and Dick Miller co-star.

11:50PM ET/10:50 C
Ghost Ship

R Time: 90  
The crew of a salvage boat thinks their ship has finally come in after they claim an abandoned ocean liner in international waters--until they discover it's a floating house of horrors! On board the empty vessel, the salvagers discover a treasure trove of gold, but strange visions begin to plague them, and when their own boat is mysteriously destroyed, they find themselves stranded on the open sea with the bloodthirsty spirits of a bygone era. Gabriel Byrne, Julianna Margulies (TV's E.R.), Ron Eldard, Desmond Harrington and Isaiah Washington star. Directed by Steve Beck.

2:20AM ET/1:20 C
Rage

R Time: 94  
Being in the wrong place at the wrong time sends a California schoolteacher on the run from both a right-wing organization and the law in this high-speed chase drama filled with spectacular stunts. He's stumbled onto a plot to create a private army of cloned, high-tech warriors, and the group will do anything to keep him from exposing them!

4:00AM ET/3:00 C
Cyborg

R Time: 86  
Jean-Claude Van Damme battles a band of post-apocalyptic anarchists while helping a cyborg reach doctors who need her in their efforts to save a future world decimated by a killer plague. Deborah Richter, Vincent Klyn, Alex Daniels and Dayle Haddon co-star. Directed by Albert Pyun.
 

RETURN TO TOP

 

7:35AM ET/6:35 C
Slappy And The Stinkers

WIDESCREEN OAR HDTV
Surround / CCAP
PG 1h 19m
Five feisty second-graders nicknamed the "Stinkers" set out to rescue their new friend, Slappy the sea lion, from an animal thief in this family comedy starring Jennifer Coolidge, Bronson Pinchot, B.D. Wong and Sam McMurray.

12:05AM ET/11:05 C
My Beautiful Laundrette

WIDESCREEN OAR HDTV
R 1h 38m
A young Pakistani immigrant (Gordon Warnecke) and his British friend (Daniel Day-Lewis) transform a run-down London laundry into a flashy new establishment in this sharply observed comment on race relations, sexuality and economics in modern England. Derrick Branche and Shirley Anne Field costar in this acclaimed film from director Stephen Frears ("Dangerous Liaisons," "High Fidelity").

3:25PM ET/2:25 C
Hey Arnold! The Movie

WIDESCREEN OAR HDTV
Dolby Digital 5.1 / CCAP
PG 1h 16m
Nickelodeon's popular hero with the football-shaped head gets his very own feature film with this animated family adventure that finds Arnold and his friends trying to stop a crooked developer from ruining their neighborhood, with the help of a superhero and a shadowy inside source. Featuring the voices of Paul Sorvino, Jennifer Jason Leigh and Christopher Lloyd.

6:15PM ET/5:15 C
A Woman's A Helluva Thing

WIDESCREEN OAR UPCONV
Stereo / CCAP
R 1h 31m
A sexist womanizer returns home following his estranged mother's death and soon discovers that the power of attorney for her estate is assigned to her lesbian lover - a woman who just happens to be his ex-girlfriend from years past. Angus MacFadyen, Penelope Ann Miller, Ann-Margret, Kathryn Harrold and Mary Kay Place star in this romantic comedy.

10:45PM ET/9:45 C
Let's Do It

WIDESCREEN OAR HDTV
Dolby Digital 5.1 / CCAP
TVMA - SLD 46m
Bette and Tina wait eagerly to see if Tina will get pregnant; Tim, unaware of her encounter with Jenny, invites Marina to a dinner party, while Kit tries to make amends with Bette.

11:35PM ET/10:35 C
Lolita

WIDESCREEN OAR UPCONV
Surround / CCAP
R 2h 18m
In the second screen version of the novel by Vladimir Nabokov, Jeremy Irons plays a middle-aged novelist who begins a scandalous, obsessive affair with the young daughter of the woman from whom he's renting a room. Dominique Swain, Melanie Griffith and Frank Langella costar in director Adrian Lyne's sober, modern adaptation.

3:45AM ET/2:45 C
Cement

WIDESCREEN OAR UPCONV
Stereo / CCAP
R 1h 41m
The directorial debut of actor Adrian Pasdar, this crime thriller mix of "GoodFellas" with "Reservoir Dogs" stars Chris Penn as Holt, a violent cop-turned-criminal who has captured a drug kingpin's henchman (Anthony DeSando) that slept with his girlfriend (Sherilyn Fenn). As he tortures the unfortunate thug by chaining him inside an iron box that's slowly filling with cement, Holt becomes increasingly unhinged - even as his more level-headed partner Nin (Jeffrey Wright) tries to reason with him. Henry Czerny costars.

5:30AM ET/4:30 C
A Woman's A Helluva Thing

WIDESCREEN OAR UPCONV
Stereo / CCAP
R 1h 31m
A sexist womanizer returns home following his estranged mother's death and soon discovers that the power of attorney for her estate is assigned to her lesbian lover - a woman who just happens to be his ex-girlfriend from years past. Angus MacFadyen, Penelope Ann Miller, Ann-Margret, Kathryn Harrold and Mary Kay Place star in this romantic comedy.
 

RETURN TO TOP