[blindkid] DVDs with Audio Description

[Carrie Gilmer]

Thanks Robert-I knew WGBH had done more entertainment as well as
educational, but was unsure what the current was or their links...
I know they recently had some significant downsizing, but can't recall the
details...thanks for linking them in as well, they have also been at this a
long time and have made great efforts to do it professionally and with user
input...
The digital will be providing much more control than the VHS ever
could...this will be a good thing.

 
 
Carrie Gilmer, President
National Organization of Parents of Blind Children
A Division of the National Federation of the Blind
NFB National Center: 410-659-9314
Home Phone: 763-784-8590
carrie.gilmer at gmail.com
www.nfb.org/nopbc
-----Original Message-----
From: blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Robert Jaquiss
Sent: Friday, December 05, 2008 9:43 AM
To: NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,(for parents of blind children)
Subject: [blindkid] DVDs with Audio Description

MoPix Update from WGBH- December 5Hello List:

     I am forwarding the following from WGBH. The announcement mentions some
new DVS movies, but also contains a link to information on DVDs that have
descriptions. There were a few DVDs that had fully accessible menus. A few
commercial DVDs have DVS tracks. Hope this is useful.

Regards,

Robert

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Mary Watkins 
To: ncam at wgbh.org 
Sent: Friday, December 05, 2008 9:16 AM
Subject: MoPix Update from WGBH- December 5


If you received this message via a friend or a listserv and would like to
learn about closed captioned and described films directly from the Media
Access Group at WGBH, please subscribe at 
http://ncam.wgbh.org/mailinglist.html 

To make sure you continue to receive MoPix News e-mails optimally and in
your inbox (not sent to bulk or junkmail folders), please add
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TWO NEW ACCESSIBLE FILMS BOW THIS WEEKEND

Cadillac Records from Sony Pictures
(cc only) (rated R)
In this tale of relationships, violence, race, and rock and roll in 1950s
Chicago, "Cadillac Records" follows the exciting but turbulent lives of some
of America's musical legends, including Muddy Waters, Leonard Chess, Little
Walter, Howlin' Wolf, Etta James and Chuck Berry.

Frost/Nixon from Universal Pictures 
(cc dvs) (rated PG-13)
A dramatic retelling of the post-Watergate television interviews between
British talk-show host David Frost and former president Richard Nixon.
Directed by Ron Howard.

LIST OF DVDs WITH DVS TRACKS UPDATED

Please visit this page of the Media Access Group's site to learn which
mainstream (sold in stores and online) DVDs include a description track
created by WGBH:

http://main.wgbh.org/wgbh/pages/mag/resources/accessible-dvds.html

Most recent titles, or those soon to be available for sale or rent include:

Death Race (Universal Home Video, available 12/21)
Hellboy II: The Golden Army (Universal Home Video)
The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (Universal Home Video, available
12/16)
Wanted (Universal Home Video)

"COMING SOON" MOPIX LOCATIONS... 

AMC Otay Ranch 12, Chula Vista, CA (Mopix system set to debut soon)
AMC Tyler 16, Riverside, CA (MoPix system to debut soon)
AMC Castleton Square 14 Theatre, Indianapolis, IN (MoPix system to debut
soon)
Carmike Wynnsong 16, Johnston, IA (MoPix system, funded by the community!
System to debut soon)
Rave Theatres 14 Omaha, Omaha, NE (New chain, funded by the community!
System to debut in November)
National Amusements City Center 15, White Plains, NY (Second MoPix
auditorium at this location coming soon!)
AMC Highland Village 12, Highland Village, TX (MoPix system to debut soon)

Link to the full list of over 300 MoPix-equipped theater locations at
www.mopix.org. 

THEATER CHAIN WEB SITE ADDRESSES 

As several theater chains are now listing accessible films and showtimes on
their Web sites, we want to take this opportunity to provide you with those
site addresses. Helpful hint, some chains require you to know which theater
in your area is equipped prior to finding the info on their sites. For a
full list of MoPix locations, searchable by state, first go to www.mopix.org
and link to "View Theaters". 

You can also search for captioned movies near you at fomdi.com 

AMC Theatres: http://www.moviewatcher.com/jsp/amg.jsp 

Carmike Theatres: 
http://www.carmike.com/showtimedetails.aspx?theatrenumber=075623 

CEC Theatres: http://www.cectheatres.com (link to state, and then theater) 

Cerrito Speakeasy Theatre:
http://www.cerritospeakeasy.com/calendar/index.html 

Cineplex Theatres (Canada): 
http://cineplex.com/Theatres/MovieTechnology.aspx?aud=rwcdvs 

Clearview Cinemas: http://clearviewcinemas.com/tripod.shtml 

Cobb Theatres:  http://www.cobbtheatres.com/ (link to equipped theater near
you)

Empire Theatres (Canada): http://www.empiretheatres.com (link to province, 
then to theater) 

Celebration! Cinema RiverTown and Lansing Michigan: 
http://www.celebrationcinema.com (select RiverTown or
Lansing from list of locations) 

Kerasotes ShowPlace Theatres: www.kerasotes.com (select City North, Block E
or the Glen 10 from the list of locations) 

Megaplex Theatres: 
http://www.megaplextheatres.com/nowshowingdetail.php?th_code=all 

National Amusements Showcase Cinemas and Cinema de Lux locations: 
http://www.nationalamusements.com/wireless 
(link to theater under state heading) 

Regal Cinemas:
http://www.regmovies.com/nowshowing/opencaptionedshowtimes.aspx#MA

Additional chains with MoPix systems are not yet listing MoPix-accessible
film information on their sites at this time: Malco Theatres, Mann Theatres.


NOW PLAYING 

Available with closed captions using the Rear Window Captioning system, and
audio descriptions utilizing the DVS Theatrical System: 

Australia from Twentieth Century Fox Films
(drama/adventure - rated PG-13)

Bolt from Buena Vista 
(comedy/animated - rated PG)

Changeling from Universal Pictures 
(biography/crime/drama - rated R)

Four Christmases from Warner Bros. Pictures
(comedy - rated PG-13)

Frost/Nixon from Universal Pictures 
(historical drama) (rated PG-13)

High School Musical 3: Senior Year from Buena Vista Pictures 
(musical - rated G)

Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa from Paramount Pictures*
(animated - rated PG)

Quantum of Solace from Sony Pictures
(action/adventure - rated PG-13)

Role Models from Universal Pictures 
(comedy - rated R)

The Secret Life of Bees from Fox Searchlight
(drama - rated PG-13)

Twilight from Summit Entertainment
(fantasy/drama - rated PG-13)

Available with closed captions using the Rear Window Captioning system
(descriptive narration is not available for these films):

Cadillac Records from Sony Pictures
(drama) (rated R)

Pride & Glory from Warner Bros. Pictures
(crime/drama - rated R)

RocknRolla from Warner Bros. Pictures
(action/crime - rated R)

MORE ACCESSIBLE MOVIES TO LOOK FORWARD TO IN THE NEXT MONTH
(plot descriptions from imdb.com)

The Day the Earth Stood Still from Twentieth Century Fox Films 
(Dec 12) (cc dvs)
A big-budget remake of the 1951 classic sci-fi film about an alien visitor
and his giant robot counterpart who visit Earth.

Defiance from Paramount Vantage* 
(Dec 12) (cc only)
Three Jewish brothers escape from Nazi-occupied Poland into the Belarussian
forest, where they join Russian resistance fighters and endeavor to build a
village in order to protect themselves and others in danger.

New! Gran Torino from Warner Bros. Pictures
(Dec 12) (cc only)
Disgruntled Korean War vet Walt Kowalski (Clint Eastwood, who also directs
the film) sets out to reform his neighbor, a young Hmong teenager, who tried
to steal Kowalski's prized possesion: his 1972 Gran Torino.

Nothing Like the Holidays from Overture Films 
(Dec 12) (cc only)
A Puerto Rican family living in the area of Humboldt Park in west Chicago
face what may be their last Christmas together.

Seven Pounds from Sony Pictures 
(Dec 12) (cc dvs)
An IRS agent with a fateful secret embarks on an extraordinary journey of
redemption by forever changing the lives of seven strangers.

New! Slumdog Millionaire from Fox Searchlight
(Dec 19 expanded release) (cc dvs)
The story of how impoverished Indian teen Jamal Malik became a contestant on
the Hindi version of "Who Wants to be A Millionaire?" -- an endeavor made
without prize money in mind, rather, an effort to prove his love for his
friend Latika, who is an ardent fan of the show.

The Tale of Despereaux from Universal Pictures 
(Dec 19) (cc dvs)
The tale of three unlikely heroes-- a misfit mouse who prefers reading books
to eating them, an unhappy rat who schemes to leave the darkness of the
dungeon, and a bumbling servant girl with cauliflower ears-- whose fates are
intertwined with that of the castle's princess

Yes Man from Warner Bros. Pictures 
(Dec 19) (cc dvs)
Jim Carrey stars as a guy who challenges himself to say "yes" to everything
for an entire year.

Bedtime Stories from Buena Vista Pictures 
(Dec 25) (cc dvs)
Adam Sandler stars in this family comedy about a hotel handyman whose life
changes when the lavish bedtime stories he tells his niece and nephew start
to magically come true.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button from Paramount Pictures*
(Dec 25) (cc only)
Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett and Tilda Swinton in the story of Benjamin Button,
a man who starts aging backwards with bizarre consequences.

Marley and Me from Twentieth Century Fox Films 
(Dec 25) (cc dvs)
Based on the best-selling book, a family learns important life lessons from
their adorable, but naughty and neurotic dog. Starring Owen Wilson and
Jennifer Aniston.

Valkyrie from MGM
(Dec 25) (cc dvs)
At the height of WW2, a group of high-ranking German officers hatched a plot
to assassinate Adolf Hitler, and seize power of the military command in
order to end the war. The operation was codenamed "Valkyrie", for the
emergency plan that was meant to be used in case of a revolt against the
Nazi government. This plan had been modified by the conspirators to ensure
their success, but for various reasons the plot failed when finally carried
out on 20 July 1944. The conspirators of the inner circle were shot after a
kangaroo trial or sentenced to death soon after. Tom Cruise stars.

New! The Reader
(Dec 25) (cc dvs)
Post-WWII Germany: Nearly a decade after his affair with an older woman came
to a mysterious end, law student Michael Burk re-encounters his former lover
(Winslet) as she defends herself in a war-crime trial.

Revolutionary Road from Paramount Vantage*
(Dec 26) (cc only)
A young couple living in a Connecticut suburb during the mid-1950s struggle
to come to terms with their personal problems while trying to raise their
two children. Based on a novel by Richard Yates and starring Leonardo
DiCaprio and Kate Winslet.


* WGBH has developed a conversion process to enable select Paramount and
DreamWorks films to be available via Rear Window Captioning systems. Some of
these titles will also be available with descriptions. The latter will be
designated "description" vs. DVS in our Updates to indicate availability of
that feature, though WGBH did not create those descriptions. 

-- 
CREDITS 

Closed captioning and description of films provided by the Media Access
Group at WGBH, a nonprofit division of Boston public broadcaster WGBH. The
Rear Window Captioning and DVS Theatrical systems were developed by WGBH to
make feature films accessible the date films open in theaters nationwide-
and during regular showtimes- to movie fans who are deaf, hard-of-hearing,
blind or visually impaired. 

For more information on the WGBH's Motion Picture Access (MoPix) efforts,
including how to encourage a theater in your area to install the access
systems, please visit <www.mopix.org >, e-mail access at wgbh.org or call 617
300-3700 v, 617 300-2489 TTY. 

- - 
Media Access Group at WGBH 
mary_watkins at wgbh.org 
< http://access.wgbh.org > 
One Guest Street
Boston, MA  02135
617 300-3700 v/fax, 617 300-2489 TTY    
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