By MIKE BARNES
“The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring” had a epic night at the DVD Premiere Awards, taking home five trophies Tuesday, including the award for overall new extra features (new release).
Other winners at the Wiltern event included Disney’s “The Hunchback of Notre Dame II” (animated DVD premiere movie); “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast” (overall new extra features, library title); and First Look’s “A Gentleman’s Game” (live-action DVD premiere movie).
Gary Sinise was on hand to accept the actor award for “A Gentleman’s Game,” which was also recognized for best cinematography. The latter award went to first-time d.p. Conrad W. Hall, son of the late Oscar-winning cinematographer Conrad L. Hall.
“Rings” producer Mark Ordesky accepted many of the awards for that title in person, with director Peter Jackson thanking the DVD Premieres Academy via videotape from New Zealand for a special DVD Premiere Director Focus Award.
Harvey and Bob Weinstein accepted a special DVD Premiere Producer Award presented by Kevin Smith. Vivica A. Fox presented the second annual DVD Premiere Pioneer Award to Quentin Tarantino. And Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen accepted the special DVD Premiere Franchise Performers Award from newly installed Warner Home Video president Jim Cardwell.
Warner’s groundbreaking DVD of “The Matrix” became the second title installed in the DVD Premiere Academy of Artistic Achievement.
Jackson’s Special Extended Edition of “Fellowship of the Ring,” released by New Line Home Entertainment, also won for New Enhanced or Reconstructed Movie Scenes, Original Retrospective Documentary (New Release) and Audio Commentary (New Release).
The movie was also named the Best Special Edition of the Year (new release) for the first AOL Movies DVD Premiere Award determined by consumers in an online poll during December and early January. The AOL Movies DVD Premiere Award for Best Special Edition of the Year (Classic Movie) went to the “Back to the Future” trilogy from Universal Studios Home Video.
There were two ties at the awards, with Cynthia Stevenson (“Air Bud: Seventh Inning Fetch”) and Lindy Booth (“Skulls 2”) tying for supporting actress, and John Woo (“Hostage”) and Mark Bollinger (“Save My Last Dance”) tying for Internet Video.
Other celebrity presenters and/or winners on hand at the third annual awards program hosted by Ben Stein included Maria Conchita Alonso, Lindy Booth, Bruce Boxleitner, Gary Busey, Coolio, Dean Cain, David Carradine, Nicole Eggert, John Landis, Nick Mancuso, Pras, Eric Roberts, Robbie Robertson, John Savage, Bo Svenson, Leah Thompson, Ike Turner, Caitlin Wachs, Henry Winkler and the Hanson Brothers, the latter of whom were named best supporting actor for their reprisal of goon hockey players in Universal’s “Slap Shot 2: Breaking the Ice.”
Buena Vista Home Entertainment was the top studio with seven wins, including one for the menu design of the DVD for “Monster’s, Inc.”
The DVD producing company of Kurtti-Pellerin dominated with two personal wins for Michael Pellerin and Jeff Kurtti as the winners of the top two overall extra features awards (“Lord of the Rings” and “Beauty and the Beast,” respectively).
The DVD Premiere Awards (formerly the Video Premiere Awards), are presented by DVD Premieres magazine, a sister publication of Variety. The awards honor movies that debut on DVD or the Internet and are voted on by members of the DVD Premiere Awards Academy.
