News and update posts about the first american release of 2002 He-Man cartoon series to DVD from BCI Eclipse
Star Tribune (July, 2007) article online [original link: http://www.startribune.com/459/story/1319735.html]
He-Man rules at BCI
He-Man has the power.
DVDs of the animated TV adventures of the Most Powerful Man in the Universe have been the biggest sellers for BCI, a California label that's owned by New Hope-based Navarre Corp. And the line is about to become stronger.
Early next year, BCI plans to release Mattel's 2002 version of "He-Man and the Masters of the Universe," to go with previously released discs of the 1980s and 1990s incarnations of the show. The upcoming release will be widescreen and in surround sound, with loads of extras, said Cliff MacMillan, BCI's director of acquisitions.
"Mattel has every sketch that was ever drawn, every painted background, everything," he said. "It's going to be a big title."
BCI hopes to release a deluxe set of all of its He-Man titles in about a year, he added. The company's other big-selling cult-TV DVDs are the 1960s Japanese live-action series "Ultraman" and the 1980s "He-Man" spinoff "She-Ra: Princess of Power." Other high-quality titles include the live-action '70s shows "Jason of Star Command" and "The Ghost Busters," and the 1979-80 animated series "Flash Gordon."
MacMillan said one of his favorites in BCI's catalog is the Japanese live-action TV show "Shadow Warriors," starring Sonny Chiba. Also admired by Quentin Tarantino, it inspired the director to include Chiba and his character in "Kill Bill."It's a great show, and not a lot of people know about it," MacMillan said.
RANDY A. SALAS