US CC: MoPix News from WGBH- March 4

From: WGBH - Mar 4, 2005

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 Showtimes are also available at www.mopix.org and at AOL Keyword MoPix. To make sure you continue to receive MoPix update e-mails optimally and in your inbox (not sent to bulk or junk folders), please add mary_watkins@wgbh.org to your address book or safe sender list.

MoPix News from WGBH- March 4

MOPIX UPDATE NOW SPLIT IN TWO
This is the MoPix News weekly update. It contains information about new MoPix installations, the list of films that are available now with closed captions and descriptions and those that the Hollywood studios have committed to releasing with these access features in the months (and years!) to come. A list of current MoPix-equipped theaters, and the films and showtimes pertaining to each of those installations for this week came to you in a separate e-mail with the subject line: MoPix Locations and Showtimes from WGBH, Feb 18-24.

TWO ACCESSIBLE FILMS DEBUT THIS WEEK
Be Cool, starring John Travolta and Uma Thurman (rated PG-13, and based on a novel by Elmore Leonard) debuts today in select MoPix equipped theaters with closed captioning and descriptive narration. The Pacifier, starring Vin Diesel from Buena Vista Pictures (rated PG) debuts today with closed captions only in select theaters. Enjoy.

DESCRIPTION IN THE NEWS
Last Saturday, February 26, National Public Radio's Weekend Edition Saturday featured a story on WGBH's efforts to make films, television programs and videos accessible to people who are blind or visually impaired. As the host of the program noted, described programs and movies could also be used by folks without vision loss much in the same way a book on tape is used. To listen to the story, visit:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4513781

UPDATE ON MOVIE ACCESS LEGAL ACTIONS IN NEW JERSEY
The office of the attorney general and the Division on Civil Rights for the state of New Jersey this week announced they have amended a discrimination complaint against Regal Cinemas. Originally, the complaint cited Regal's failure to provide access the state deemed appropriate to its theaters and films for patrons who are deaf or hard of hearing. The amended complaint now includes a additional charge that Regal does not accommodate patrons who are blind or have low vision, a community that could be served by installation of the DVS Theatrical system, developed by WGBH. For more information, please visit:
http://nj.gov/lps/newsreleases05/pr2005030205a.html

RAY X 3
The Universal Pictures film Ray, which features an Academy Award-winning performance by Jamie Foxx of the late, great Ray Charles, was released on DVD by Universal Studios Home Video. A DVS enhanced version of the film is also available on DVD (for US and Canadian distribution only). You can purchase the disk, Ray "DVS Enhanced" at amazon.com, at walmart.com and through this toll-free phone number for Walmart: 1-800-966-6546. And here is the exact URL for the amazon.com site:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0007IF19K/ref=ed_oe_dvd/103-1583493-0972634

WGBH is proud to say we will take part in two special screenings of the described version of Ray. The first will be hosted by the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) and the American Council of the Blind (ACB) at MPAA's theater in Washington, D.C. Guests at the screening will include members of Congress and their staffs, as well as many of the folks in the D.C. area that have supported and advocated for greater access to television programs, feature films and other forms of mass media.

The second screening will be hosted by WGBH at this year's CSUN Conference (California State University at Northridge Technology and Persons with Disabilities Conference) in Los Angeles on March 17. Rear Window Captioning and description will be demonstrated via the film to researchers, corporate representatives and government representatives from around the world who interested in access issues. Awareness of description has grown a great deal in the past few years, thanks in large measure to the work of so many individuals and groups around within and outside of North America.

WELCOME MISSOURI
The AMC West Olive 16 in Creve Coeur, MO has become the first, first-run movie theater to install MoPix system in Missouri. The theater is offering two accessible films this week, Hitch and The Pacifier. The voice number of the theater is 314 576-1600. Consult the MoPix Films and Showtimes e-mail (posted earlier today) or the MoPix Web site, www.mopix.org, for information on showtimes for the week and the weeks ahead at this theater.

MOPIX ON THE ROAD TO RHODE ISLAND
We were on the road this week, traveling to the meeting of a local chapter of Self Help for Hard of Hearing People in Rhode Island. The folks down there are VERY excited about the pending debut of Rear Window Captioning and DVS Theatrical systems at their local National Amusements Showcase Cinemas. Members of the group have been travelling in excess of an hour to the Boston area to enjoy closed captioned films for quite a while, and now they'll be able to attend accessible screenings in their backyard. Thanks for the wonderful hospitality, and to National Amusements for making the folks down there so happy.

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

Be Cool starring John Travolta and Uma Thurman from MGM
(rated PG-13)

Because of Winn-Dixie from Twentieth Century Fox Films
(rated PG)

The Wedding Date starring Debra Messing (Will & Grace) and Dermot Mulroney from Universal Pictures
(rated PG-13)

Hitch starring Will Smith from Sony Pictures
(rated PG-13)

In Good Company starring Dennis Quaid, Scarlett Johansson and Topher Grace from Universal Pictures
(rated PG-13)

Meet the Fockers starring Ben Stiller, Robert DeNiro, Dustin Hoffman and Barbra Streisand from Universal Pictures
(rated PG-13)

Now playing with closed captions only (no descriptions are available for these films)

Pacifier starring Vin Diesel from Buena Vista Pictures
(rated PG)

Man of the House starring Tommy Lee Jones and Anne Archer from Columbia Pictures
(rated PG-13)

Constantine starring Keanu Reeves and Rachel Weisz from Warner Bros. Pictures
(rated R)

Pooh's Heffalump Movie from Buena Vista Pictures
(rated G)

Are We There Yet? starring Ice Cube from Columbia Pictures
(rated PG)

Million Dollar Baby starring Hilary Swank, Morgan Freeman and Clint Eastwood and directed by Eastwood from Warner Bros. Pictures
(rated PG-13)

The Aviator starring Leoardo DiCaprio and directed by Martin Scorsese from Miramax
(rated PG-13)

UPDATE ON MOPIX INSTALLATIONS

Connecticut - First MoPix Systems in the State
National Amusements Showcase Cinemas Buckland Hills, Manchester, CT - System to debut shortly
National Amusements Showcase Cinemas Orange - System to debut late Winter

Iowa - First MoPix System in the State
National Amusements Showcase Cinema Davenport - System to debut late Winter

Kentucky - First MoPix Systems in the State
National Amusements Showcase Cinema Stonybrook, Louisville - System to debut shortly
National Amusements Showcase Cinemas 16 de Lux, Okolona - System to debut late Winter

Massachusetts
Comcast 3D IMAX Theater, Jordan's Furniture, Reading - System to debut shortly
National Amusements Showcase Cinema West Springfield - System to debut late Winter
National Amusements Showcase Cinema Randolph - System to debut late Winter
National Amusements Blackstone Valley 14 Cinema de Lux, Millbury - System to debut late Winter
National Amusements Showcase Cinema Lowell - System to debut late Winter

Michigan - First MoPix Systems in the State
National Amusements Showcase Cinemas Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti - System to debut late Winter
National Amusements Showcase Cinemas Flint-West - System to debut late Winter

Missouri
AMC Independence 20, Independence - System to debut shortly
AMC West Olive 16, Creve Coeur - System now up and running!

New Jersey
Loews Brick Plaza, Brick - Rear Window Captioning System to debut shortly (no description (DVS) system will be installed at this theater)
Loews Cherry Hill Theater, Cherry Hill - RWC System to debut shortly (no DVS)
Loews East Hanover 12 - RWC System to debut shortly (no DVS)
Loews Menlo Park 12, Edison - RWC System to debut shortly (no DVS)
Loews Jersey Gardens, Elizabeth - RWC System to debut shortly (no DVS)
Loews Freehold Metroplex 14, Freehold - RWC System to debut shortly (no DVS)
Loews Newport Centre 21, Jersey City - RWC System to debut shortly (no DVS)
Loews Mountainside 10, Mountainside - RWC System to debut shortly (no DVS)
Loews New Brunswick, New Brunswick - RWC System to debut shortly (no DVS)
Loews Route Seventeen 3, Paramus - RWC System to debut shortly (no DVS)
Loews Ridgefield Park, Ridgefield Park - RWC System to debut shortly (no DVS)
Loews Meadow Six, Secaucus - RWC System to debut shortly (no DVS)
Loews Plaza 8, Secaucus - RWC System to debut shortly (no DVS)
Loews Seacourt 10, Toms River - RWC System to debut shortly (no DVS)
Loews Wayne 14, Wayne - RWC System to debut shortly (no DVS)

New York
National Amusements City Center 15 Cinema DeLux, White Plains - System to debut shortly
National Amusements Island 16 Cinema de Lux, Holtsville - System to debut late Winter
National Amusements College Point Cinemas, Whitestone - System to debut late Winter

North Carolina
Consolidated Mayfaire 16, Wilmington - System to debut shortly

Ohio
National Amusements Showcase Cinema Springdale, Springdale - System to debut shortly
National Amusements Showcase Cinema Dayton South, West Carrollton - System to debut late Winter
National Amusements Showcase Cinema Western Hills, Cincinnati - System to debut late Winter

Rhode Island - First MoPix system in the State
National Amusements Showcase Cinema Warwick, Warwick - System to debut shortly

Virginia
National Amusements Fairfax Corner 14 Cinema de Lux, Fairfax - System to debut late Winter

MOPIX COMING SOON

* Robots from Twentieth Century Fox Films (Mar 11) (cc dvs)
* The Ring 2, starring Naomi Watts from DreamWorks Pictures (Mar 18) (cc only)
* Guess Who starring Bernie Mac and Ashton Kutcher from Sony Pictures (Mar 25) (cc dvs)
* Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous from Warner Bros. Pictures (Mar 24) (cc only)
* Beauty Shop from MGM (Mar 30) (cc dvs)
* The Cave from Sony Pictures (Apr 8) (cc only)
* Fever Pitch from Twentieth Century Fox Films (Apr 8) (cc dvs)
* Rebound from Twentieth Century Fox Films (Apr 15) (cc dvs)
* The Interpreter starring Sean Penn and Nicole Kidman from Universal Pictures (Apr 22) (cc dvs)
* A Lot Like Love starring Ashton Kutcher and Amanda Peet from Buena Vista Pictures (Apr 22) (cc only)
* Kingdom of Heaven starring Liam Neeson and Orlando Bloom from Twentieth Century Fox Films (May 6) (cc dvs)
* House of Wax from Warner Bros. Pictures (May 6) (cc only)
* Kicking and Screaming from Universal Pictures (May 13) (cc dvs)
* XXX: State of the Union from Sony Pictures (May 13) (cc only)
* Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith from Twentieth Century Fox Films (May 19) (cc dvs)
* Madagascar with the voices of Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, Jada Pinkett-Smith and David Schwimmer from DreamWorks Pictures (May 27) (cc dvs)
* American Gangster from Universal Pictures (Jun 3) (cc dvs)
* Lords of Dogtown from Sony Pictures (Jun 3) (cc only)
* Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants from Warner Bros. Pictures (Jun 3) (cc only)
* Cinderella Man starring Russell Crowe from Universal Pictures (Jun 3) (cc dvs)
* Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo from Sony Pictures (Jun 10) (cc only)
* Mr. & Mrs. Smith starring Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie from Twentieth Century Fox Films (Jun 10) (cc dvs)
* Batman Begins from Warner Bros. Pictures (Jun 17) (cc dvs)
* Dukes of Hazzard from Warner Bros. Pictures (Jun 24) (cc only)
* Fun with Dick and Jane from Sony Pictures (Jun 24) (cc dvs)
* Herbie: Fully Loaded starring Lindsay Lohan and Michael Keaton from Buena Visita Pictures (Jun 24) (cc with dvs tbd)
* Fantastic Four from Twentieth Century Fox Films (Jul 1) (cc dvs)
* Chicken Little, an animated film from Buena Vista Pictures (Jul 7) (cc with dvs tbd)
* Bewitched starring Nicole Kidman and Will Ferrell from Sony Pictures (Jul 8) (cc dvs)
* The Skeleton Key from Universal Pictures (Jul 8) (cc dvs)
* Charlie and the Chocolate Factory starring Johnny Depp from Warner Bros. Pictures (Jul 15) (cc dvs)
* The Island starring Ewan McGregor, Scarlett Johansson from DreamWorks Pictures (Jul 22) (cc only)
* Doom from Universal Pictures (Aug 5) (cc dvs)
* Must Love Dogs from Warner Bros. Pictures (Aug 5) (cc only)
* Red Eye from DreamWorks Pictures (Aug 5) (cc only)
* The Perfect Man from Universal Pictures (Aug 12) (cc dvs)
* 46 Year Old Virgin from Universal Pictures ((Aug 19) (cc dvs)
* Exorcism of Emily Rose from Sony Pictures (Sept 9) (cc only)
* Just Like Heaven from DreamWorks Pictures (cc only)
* Syriana from Warner Bros. Pictures (Sept 16) (cc only)
* Legend of Zorro, starring Antonio Banderas and Catherine Zeta-Jones from Columbia Pictures (Sept 23) (cc dvs)
* Stealth from Sony Pictures (Sept 23) (cc dvs)
* Tim Burton's Corpse Bride from Warner Bros. Pictures (Sept 23) (cc only)
* Oliver Twist from Sony Pictures (Sept 30) (cc only)
* Serenity from Universal Pictures (Sept 30) (cc dvs)
* Class Action from Warner Bros. Pictures (Oct 7) (cc only)
* In Her Shoes from Twentieth Century Fox Films (Oct 7) (cc dvs)
* Wallace and Gromit Movie from DreamWorks Pictures (Oct 7) (cc only)
* The Fog from Sony Pictures (Oct 21) (cc only)
* George A. Romero's Land of the Dead from Universal Pictures (Oct 21) (cc dvs)
* Jarhead from Universal Pictues (Nov 11) (cc dvs)
* Rent from Sony Pictures (Nov 11) (cc dvs)
* Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire from Warner Bros. Pictures (Nov 18) (cc with dvs tbd)
* Walk the Line (a biography of Johnny Cash) starring Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon from Twentieth Century Fox Films (Nov 18) (cc dvs)
* Underworld 2 from Sony Pictures (Dec 9) (cc dvs)
* Memoirs of a Geisha from Sony Pictures (winter 2005) (cc dvs)
* King Kong from Universal Pictures (Dec 14) (cc dvs)
* The Producers starring Nathan Lane, Matthew Broderick and Uma Thurman from Universal Pictures (Dec 21) (cc dvs)
* Rumor Has It from Warner Bros. Pictures (Dec 21) (cc only)
* Zathura from Sony Pictures (Dec 21) (cc dvs)
* The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe from Buena Vista Pictures (Dec 23) (cc dvs)
* Nanny McPhee from Universal Pictures (TBD 2005 debut) (cc dvs)
* Annapolis starring James Franco from Buena Vista Pictures (tbd 2005 debut) (cc with dvs tbd)
* 4 Christmases from Sony Pictures (tbd 2005 debut) (cc with dvs tbd)
* Final War from Sony Pictures (TBD 2005 debut) (cc with dvs tbd)
* In the Pink from Sony Pictures (TBD 2005 debut) (cc with dvs tbd)
* Prom Night from Sony Pictures (TBD 2005 debut) (cc with dvs tbd)
* A Sound of Thunder from Warner Bros. Pictures (TBD 2005 debut) (cc only)
* Cars, an animated film from Buena Vista Pictures and Pixar Entertainment (Finding Nemo, The Incredibles) with the voices of Paul Newman, Bonnie Hunt and Richard Petty (May '06) (cc with dvs tbd)
* Over the Hedge from DreamWorks Pictures (May 19 '06) (cc with dvs tba)
* Flushed Away from DreamWorks Pictures (Nov 3 '06) (cc with dvs tba)
* Shrek 3 from DreamWorks Pictures (May 18 '07) (cc with dvs tba)

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CREDITS

Closed captioning and description of all 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@wgbh.org or call 617 300-3400 v, 617 300-2489 TTY.

Thanks to AMC Theatres, CEC Theaters, Clearview Theaters, Consolidated Theaters, Crown Theatres, Douglas Theatre Company, Famous Players, Gateway Theaters, Loews Cineplex, Malco Theatres, Mann Theatres, and National Amusements Theatres, IMAX and OMNIMAX theatres, Disney themeparks, Busch Gardens Adventure Parks, SeaWorld, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology/MIT the Hollywood studios and to all the movie fans out there.

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Media Access Group at WGBH
mary_watkins@wgbh.org
http://access.wgbh.org
125 Western Avenue
Boston, MA 02134
617 300-3700 v/fax, 617 300-2489 TTY

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