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DVD BeatINTO THE WOOD: Long in the works, Warner finally delivers the Natalie Wood Collection, a boxed set saluting the diverse talents and beauty of the late acting fave. You’ll get a real cross-section of her work, starting with Bombers B-52 (1957), in which she plays second-fiddle to Karl Malden and Efrem Zimbalist Jr. in a tale of a former Air Force flyer trying to figure out his life. Cash McCall (1960) stars James Garner as a slick business operator falling in love with Natalie, daughter of the man whose plastics company he’s looking to acquire; Sex And The Single Girl (1964) finds sleazy journalist Tony Curtis romantically using Wood’s pop psychologist to find out about her feminist support group; and Inside Daisy Clover (1965) features Ms. Wood as a rising Hollywood star whose career affects marriage to hubby Robert Redford. The set is rounded out by two previously- and still separately available titles: Elia Kazan’s Splendor In The Grass (1961), in which sensitive farm girl Natalie finds grief after an affair with wealthy Warren Beatty, and Gypsy (1962), in which Ms. Wood learns “ya gotta have a gimmick” and other life lessons from mamma Rosalind Russell. The latter two are also available separately. Also on the way is a new edition of Brainstorm (1983), which was released posthumously after Ms. Wood’s tragic drowning in 1981. The sci-fi opus co-stars Christopher Walken and Cliff Robertson in a tale of scientists who develop electronic means to record human sensory experiences and play them back for others. TRUE BRIT: One of Britain’s most legendary filmmakers is saluted by Sony’s issuing a pair of his films in The Films Of Michael Powell. First, there’s 1946’s magnificent Stairway To Heaven (a/k/a A Matter Of Life And Death), in which WWII pilot David Niven lays in a near-death coma after being shot down. His spirit goes in front of a heavenly court, where he must plead his case for returning to Earth. Kim Hunter and Roger Livesey also star in this Powell production made with frequent collaborator Emeric Pressburger. The package is completed by Age Of Consent (1969), with James Mason as an artist in Australia who finds inspiration in the looks and wiles of sexy nude model Helen Mirren. THAT A TROY!: While it might be a stretch to deem the films in the Warner Bros. Romance Classics Collection real classics, they are films that delight viewers, and some are even among our most-requested titles. Included here are Parrish (1961) with Troy Donahue as a poor kid whose mother (Claudette Colbert) marries a New England tobacco baron, and whose own ambition to make it in the local leaf business is continually squelched. Connie Stevens shines as Susan Slade (1961), a naive teen who learns some tough lessons after she gives birth to the child of Donahue, the mountain climber she met during an Alaskan vacation. Everyone seems to love Rome Adventure (1962), positing Suzanne Pleshette as an American librarian who travels to the Eternal City to find romance, has a relationship with local Rossano Brazzi, and eventually falls for American art student Donahue. Angie Dickinson co-stars. Lastly, in Palm Springs Weekend (1963), college jocks and pretty young gals experience plenty of romance, jealousy, and fights at a California resort--Donahue, Stevens, Stefanie Powers, and Ty Hardin lead the cast. Additionally, Warner is unleashing a group of other interesting movies with romantic themes. Cannery Row (1982), adapted from John Steinbeck’s novel, stars Nick Nolte and Debra Winger as mismatched lovers in Monterrey’s canning district whose romance has its ups and downs. Far From The Madding Crowd (1967) offers John Schlesinger’s ravishing version of Thomas Hardy’s 19th century novel tracking the relationships of lovely Julie Christie with the three different men entranced by her. Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1969) is the big-budget musical remake of the classic 1939 Robert Donat starrer, with Peter O’Toole as the beloved milquetoast British English teacher and Petula Clark as the brassy dance hall gal he marries. Waterloo Bridge (1940) is the romantic classic with Vivien Leigh as the ballerina who falls for British officer Robert Taylor, and the tragic consequences that ensue when she believes him lost in battle. The Yellow Rolls-Royce (1964) is a three-part anthology about the owners of the titular auto, with an all-star cast that includes Rex Harrison, Shirley MacLaine, George C. Scott, Alain Delon, Omar Sharif, Ingrid Bergman, Art Carney and Jeanne Moreau (Bet you never seen those last two names together before). Ode To Billy Joe (1976): Based on Bobbie Gentry’s 1967 smash hit single, this cult favorite is set in 1953, and centers upon a doomed love affair between 16-year-old Robby Benson and 15-year-old Glynnis O’Connor. Max Baer Jr. of The Beverly Hillbillies fame directs. ISN’T THAT SPECIAL: Several movies have returned to the DVD market as much-in-demand special editions, showcasing featurettes, documentaries, commentaries, extra footage, etc., etc. Included are: The Last House On The Left (Collector’s Edition) (1972): Wes Craven’s notorious tale of parents gaining revenge against the of creeps that ruined their lives by raping and killing their daughter. Based on Ingmar Bergman’s The Virgin Spring. Friday The 13th (Uncut Deluxe Edition) (1980), Friday The 13th, Part 2 (Deluxe Edition) (1981) and Friday The 13th, Part 3 (3-D Deluxe Edition) (1982): With a new Jason picture in theaters, what better time than now to re-introduce the classics from the original Paramount series. Assault On Precinct 13 (Restored Collector's Edition) (1976): John Carpenter’s intense standoff between cops and gang-bangers gets an extras-filled special edition. Being There (Deluxe Edition) (1979): Peter Sellers excels as Chance the gardener in Hal Ashby’s astute political satire. YOU ASKED FOR IT!: Several movies that have been much requested by customers have finally made their way to DVD. Yentl (1983): Barbra Streisand’s directorial debut casts her as a young woman who disguises herself as a boy in order to enter the Yeshiva for religious training. Amy Irving and Mandy Patinkin also star in this musical saga. Inside Moves (1980): Long out of print on home video, this compelling drama centers on a set of misfits who congregate at a neighborhood bar where they form a common bond. John Savage, David Morse, Diana Scarwid and Harold Russell star; directed by Richard Donner and co-written by Barry Levinson. The Whole Shootin’ Match (1978): This early entry in the independent film world tells of two pushing-40 friends, who think time is running out on them and are trying to cash in on a cleaning device they’ve invented. The funny and touching look at losers in and around Austin, Texas was directed by the late Eagle Pennell (Last Night At The Alamo), and is said to have inspired Robert Redford to start the Sundance Film Festival. A CLOSER LOOK: When is a kid’s movie not a kid’s movie? How about when it’s called WALL-E, Pixar’s latest cutting-edge, computer-generated masterpiece? Kids under the age of 12 may grow restless with a film with minimal dialogue that’s leisurely paced—at least through its first half. But beyond that age, WALL-E should be a splendid experience: funny, thought-provoking, charming, insightful, and even romantic. Set 700 years in the future but with allusions to today’s environmental crises, the film centers on the title character, a robot that seeks out trash on our now-abandoned planet’s rubbish-strewn landscape, then compacts it and puts it in neat stacks. The solitary mechanism’s only friend is a cockroach. WALL-E’s existence is changed when another robot, named Eve, arrives from space on what seems to be a surveillance mission. The two bond—well, bond as much as robots can. When Eve mysteriously shuts down, WALL-E tries to revive her, and when she is spirited away by her mothership, WALL-E joins her. WALL-E—and the audience—soon discover where all the humans went, what they’ve become and, perhaps, why the world is in the desolate shape it’s in. WALL-E is a wonderful film, gorgeously animated and perfectly realized in its appropriately stripped- down fashion, a big positive step forward for Pixar after the disappointing (albeit quite popular) Cars. The DVD package is excellent as well. Besides a single-disc DVD edition, the film’s also available in a deluxe Blu-Ray and three-disc DVD special edition that’s loaded with fabulous extras including deleted scenes, two Pixar shorts (Presto and BURN-E, set in WALL-E’s universe), an inside look at the film’s futuristic landscape, a few expertly fashioned making-of featurettes that detail the film’s evolution, audio commentary by director Andrew Stanton and the fine full-length documentary The Pixar Story. HELLLLO…NEWMAN: The iconic actor Paul Newman may be gone, but his films live on, thanks to Warner. The studio is now offering several of Newman’s own that were previously unavailable on DVD. Among the entries: The Silver Chalice (1954): Paul often grimaced about his feature debut, playing a Greek artisan sold into slavery who is enlisted to craft a replica of the chalice used by Jesus during the Last Supper. The Helen Morgan Story (1957): Ann Blyth is the sultry real-life chanteuse, and Paul is the bootlegging promoter helping her to forge the career that was eventually derailed by personal problems and alcoholism. The Outrage (1964): A western reworking of Akira Kurosawa’s Rashomon, with Newman as a Mexican outlaw sentenced to die for killing a man and raping his wife, as recounted through the multiple perspectives of the various “witnesses” to the event. Edward G. Robinson, William Shatner, and Laurence Harvey co-star. Rachel, Rachel (1968): Newman made an impressive directing debut with this vehicle for wife Joanne Woodward as a small-town teacher looking to break away from her lonely life and mother Estelle Parsons’ influence. When Time Ran Out (1980): In this all-star Irwin Allen production, Newman plays an oil drilling foreman trying to help a group of people on a tropical island dodge the volcano eruption about to entrap them. William Holden, Jacqueline Bisset, Red Buttons, and Edward Albert also star. THEY CALL HIM MR. POITIER: The Sidney Poitier Collection from Warner showcases a quartet of powerful performances of the great actor’s body of work. Included are Edge Of The City (1957), Martin Ritt’s drama about prejudice set against the backdrop of longshoremen in New York City, co-starring John Cassavetes and Jack Warden; Something Of Value (1957), based on the Robert Ruark tale of ‘50s Kenya with Poitier and Rock Hudson as childhood friends who find themselves on opposing sides of the Mau Mau uprising; A Patch Of Blue (1965) starring Elizabeth Hartman as the cloistered blind woman who is befriended by office worker Poitier, much to the dismay of her bigoted prostitute mother Shelley Winters; and A Warm December (1973), where Poitier directed and starred as a widowed single parent who finds romance while in London. MAY THE FARCE BE WITH YOU: The efforts of two of England’s greatest comic talents are returning to the DVD market in boxed sets, courtesy of Lionsgate. Those who only recall Alec Guinness as Obi-Wan Kenobi are in for a revelation if they check out the Alec Guinness Collection, which contains the Ealing Studios classics The Lavender Hill Mob (1951), Kind Hearts And Coronets (1949), The Man In The White Suit (1951), The Captain’s Paradise (1953) and The Ladykillers (1955). You’ll also again be able to obtain many of Peter Sellers’ notable projects for Ealing in the Peter Sellers Collection, which includes I'm All Right Jack (1959), The Smallest Show On Earth (1957), Carlton-Brown Of The F.O. (1959), Two-Way Stretch (1960) and Heavens Above! (1963). KIDS CORNER: Here's the latest in premium family fare that's on the DVD horizon: Pinocchio (70th Anniversary 2-Disc Platinum Edition) (1940): When you wish upon a star, you get a classic animated fable in the best Disney tradition. For its 70th anniversary, Disney has added a rarely seen alternative ending, deleted scenes, a making of documentary and more. From our perspective, it’s Disney’s finest animated feature ever, so this one should be really special. Oliver & Company (20th Anniversary Edition) (1988): Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist gets the Disney animated works, with a kitten named Oliver enlisted by a group of homeless mutts to swipe food and other goods. Joey Lawrence provides the voice of Oliver, and Billy Joel is the Artful Dodger. This includes a making-of documentary and bonus shorts. Mary Poppins (45th Anniversary Edition) (1964): The magical nanny played by Julie Andrews and Bert the chimney sweep played by Dick Van Dyke turn 45 in a special edition DVD loaded with great extras. Here's some forthcoming family fun of recent vintage: City Of Ember: Visually striking take on the Jeanne Duprau kidlit favorites about a subterranean metropolis whose energy sources are waning, and the young residents (Saoirse Ronan, Harry Treadaway) whose attempts to bring the truth to the populace are compromised by corrupt mayor Bill Murray. Tim Robbins, Toby Jones co-star. Fly Me To The Moon: Buzzworthy 3-D animated farce set back in ’69 follows a trio of young houseflies who decide to fill their need for adventure by stowing away on the Apollo 11 flight. Voice talent includes Christopher Lloyd, Tim Curry, Kelly Ripa, Adrienne Barbeau. Igor: Oddball animated family farce offers a nod to scare films of yesteryear by presenting the misadventures of a hunchbacked lab assistant (voiced by John Cusack) with dreams of moving up in the ranks to mad scientist. Molly Shannon, Eddie Izzard, Steve Buscemi, John Cleese, Sean Hayes, Jay Leno co-star. Space Buddies: More golden retriever mayhem from the successful direct-to-DVD franchise, as the pups get into an adventure in outer space. CRITERION CORNER: Once again the nice folks at Criterion impress with the latest batch of special edition DVDs designed for collectors. The newest batch includes: El Norte (1983): Gregory Nava’s powerful saga of a brother and sister fleeing Guatemala for a better life in the United States. Magnificent Obsession (1954): Douglas Sirk’s glossy, much-revered melodrama with Rock Hudson as the playboy who takes a liking to Jane Wyman, wife of a recently deceased doctor. This set includes the 1935 version of the story with Irene Dunne and Robert Taylor. The Taking Of Power By Louis XIV (1966): Historical epic of France’s “Sun King,” courtesy of Italian maestro Roberto Rossellini. SCARE TACTICS: Warner has snuck up and said “Boo” by prepping a pair of horror double features that boast a quartet of oft-demanded shockers from the ‘60s, and will certainly gratify those vintage fright fans among you. First off is Chamber Of Horrors / Brides Of Fu Manchu. The classic bloodcurdler Chamber (1966) stars Patrick O’Neal as a condemned criminal who lops off his own hand in a perverse gambit for freedom, and then fits himself with a hook to take his vengeance against those who sentenced him. Brides (1966) offers Christopher Lee in one of his memorable turns as Sax Rohmer’s criminal mastermind, as he kidnaps the daughters of world leaders in pursuit of his latest scheme for conquest. Next up is It! / The Shuttered Room. It (1966) casts Roddy McDowall as a museum curator who discovers that his newly-acquired, massive stone statue is actually the Golem of Hebrew lore, and animates the monster for a destructive rampage. Shuttered (1967) adapts the Lovecraft tale of a family that inherits a New England manse, and takes too lightly the warning of the locals to let the building’s sole sealed room alone. Gig Young, Oliver Reed and Carol Lynley star. BLUE ZONE: In our opinion, retro sex cinema is better than current sex cinema. And we’re happy to report two fascinating examples of retro sex for adults who remember the days before camcorders and one-day shoots. The Stewardesses 3D: 40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition (1969) offers you a look at how the skies got so friendly, focusing on swinging sweeties who offer coffee, tea or them. The film is offered in both 2-D and 3-D versions (glasses included), so it’s a real collectible treat. Also, Viva (2007) is a real kick, a contemporary take on a ‘70s sexploitation film directed by and starring Anna Biller as a housewife who joins a neighbor to explore the joys of swinging. The fashions, language and interludes are both hilarious and hot, in a definite retro way. LION ITEM: A landmark three-part 1992 documentary on the great MGM Studios, MGM: When The Lion Roars finally arrives on DVD in of its Tinseltown glory. Follow the studios success from its origins through the 1940s with executives Louis B. Mayer, Samuel Goldwyn, Irving R. Thalberg and the amazing stars who worked there, including Clark Gable, Katharine Hepburn, Spencer Tracy, Judy Garland, Gene Kelly, Elizabeth Taylor and others. FIELDS DAY: W.C. Fields and D.W. Griffith? An unlikely pair, you say. Well, the cranky comic genius and the pioneering, controversial director did actually team for Sally Of The Sawdust, a 1926 silent classic with Fields as a conniving circus juggler who tries to help his young ward find her grandparents. More romance and drama than comedy, Sally is a must-see for those interested in “the Great Man” or the ever-innovative Griffith. SARTANA MOST: In the wake of the international success of the James Bond films and the Clint Eastwood “Man with no Name” westerns rode Sartana, the spaghetti sagebrush hero who combined elements of both. The 10-film, three-disc Sartana: The Complete Saga offers the talents of John Garko, George Martin, George Ardisson, William Berger, and Robert Widmark as the cowboy with the small pistol bringing justice to the old west in such efforts as I Am Sartana, Your Angel Of Death, Four Come To Kill Sartana, Sartana Does Not Forgive, Django Defies Sartana, and Sartana Kills Them All. FROM THEATERS TO YOU—IN NO TIME FLAT: Here are the latest first-run titles that were just in theaters a second ago… An American Carol: Right-leaning romp from David Zucker offers Kevin Farley as a Michael Moore manqué who gets a tutorial in patriotism from the spirits of General Patton (Kelsey Grammer) and George Washington (Jon Voight). Dennis Hopper, Robert Davi co-star. Babylon A.D.: Sci-fi opus from the director of Gothika set in a near-future American dystopia stars Vin Diesel as a mercenary hired to spirit a mysterious young woman (Melanie Thierry) from a European convent to the states, unsuspecting of the uncanny secret she harbors. Gerard Depardieu, Michelle Yeoh, Charlotte Rampling co-star. Bangkok Dangerous: The Pang brothers craft a Hollywoodized re-do of their ’99 opus, offering Nicolas Cage as the veteran hitman who accepts an assignment in Thailand, and begins re-thinking his purpose when he forms an unlikely bond with a beautiful, hearing-impaired pharmacist. Blindness: Director Fernando Meirelles offers a stylish and chilling tale of a world stricken with a global plague of sightlessness, with Julianne Moore as a woman who must guide stricken ophthalmologist husband Mark Ruffalo through the ensuing chaos. Danny Glover, Gael Garcia Bernal co-star. Burn After Reading: The Coen brothers are in top dark-farce form in this eccentric tale starring Brad Pitt and Frances McDormand as none-too-swift gym trainers who think they’ve found easy money when they stumble upon the explosive personal memoirs of alcoholic intelligence operative John Malkovich. George Clooney, Tilda Swinton co-star. Death Race: Re-imagining of the classic Corman B is set in a future where convicts participate in deadly PPV auto races to buy their freedom, and framed-for-murder motorhead Jason Statham is exploited by sinister warden Joan Allen. Ian McShane, Tyrese Gibson co-star. Disaster Movie: Those irrepressible creators behind Date Movie and Epic Movie are at it again, taking on Cloverfield in the major (and Juno, Enchanted, Sex And The City, etc., etc., etc. in the minor) as Matt Lanter tries to make his way across a collapsing NYC to find estranged honey Vanessa Minnillo. The Duchess: Handsome historical drama offers a memorable vehicle for Keira Knightley as Georgiana, the 18th century British noblewoman whose prefeminist perspectives outraged the gentry and endeared her to the masses. Ralph Fiennes, Charlotte Rampling co-star. Eagle Eye: Kinetic suspenser stars Shia LaBeouf and Michelle Monaghan as ordinary Chicagoans whose lives and freedom are abruptly upended by an anonymous and seemingly omnipotent cell-phone caller, who requires their cooperation—or else—in a perilous mission to penetrate the Pentagon. Billy Bob Thornton, Rosario Dawson co-star. The Express: Inspirational sports bio offers Rob Brown as Ernie Davis, the Syracuse running back who became the first African-American Heisman Trophy winner, and whose life was tragically cut short before he could assume a pro career. Dennis Quaid, Charles S. Dutton co-star. The Family That Preys: Tyler Perry ventures into different waters with this dramatic tale offering Alfre Woodard and Kathy Bates as two matriarchs who have their lifelong friendship challenged when Woodard’s daughter (Sanaa Lathan) and Bates’ son (Cole Hauser) fall into an extramarital affair. Flash Of Genius: Fascinating drama with a remarkable performance by Greg Kinnear as Robert Kearns, the engineer who developed the intermittent windshield wiper, and his David-and-Goliath legal battle with Ford over the idea. Lauren Graham, Dermot Mulroney, Alan Alda co-star. Frozen River: Acclaimed indie effort concerning a desperate single mom (Melissa Leo) who falls into a friendship with a Mohawk woman (Misty Upham) and gets involved with her lucrative operation smuggling aliens from Quebec into the States. Michael O’Keefe, Mark Boone Jr. co-star. Ghost Town: Supernatural farce stars Ricky Gervais as a priggish NYC dentist who has a near-death experience and is now harassed by restless spirits that only he can see, including that of philanderer Greg Kinnear, who wants his help in making good with betrayed wife Tea Leoni. Hamlet 2: The inspirational classroom drama gets hit with a spitball by this farce featuring Steve Coogan as a failed actor turned drama teacher who tries to reach his kids by staging an upbeat musical sequel to Shakespeare’s tragedy. Amy Poehler, Catherine Keener co-star. Lakeview Terrace: Old-school suspenser stars Samuel L. Jackson as an L.A. cop who’s less than pleased that an interracial couple (Kerry Washington, Patrick Wilson) are his new next-door neighbors, and whose efforts to make their lives miserable takes a frightening escalation. Neil LaBute directs. The Lucky Ones: Unusual road-buddy movie teams Tim Robbins, Rachel McAdams and Michael Pena as disparate returnees from service in Iraq thrown together for a memorable cross-country drive when their outbound flights from JFK are cancelled. Miracle At St. Anna: Spike Lee’s compelling WWII tale tracks the multiple threats faced by a quartet of African-American soldiers hoping for extraction from their Tuscan outpost before the German tanks roll in. Derek Luke, Omar Benson Miller, Laz Alonso, Michael Ealy, Valentina Cervi star. Mirrors: Re-do of a South Korean shocker from the director of High Tension offers Kiefer Sutherland as a disgraced cop reduced to department store security, who starts seeing disturbing images in the premises’ looking glasses. My Best Friend’s Girl: Dark rom-com offers Dane Cook as a handsome creep with a gift for sending ladies scurrying back to their boyfriends, or does until he tries to work his magic for buddy Jason Biggs on his just-friends coworker Kate Hudson. Alec Baldwin co-stars. Nick And Norah’s Infinite Playlist: Agreeable teenage rom-com offers Michael Cera as a freshly-dumped guy, and Kat Dennings the girl who’s crushed on him from a distance, as they share a fateful night in NYC hunting his favorite band and her lost ‘n’ loaded friend (Ari Graynor). Pineapple Express: Hit stoner-buddy comedy offers co-scripter Seth Rogen as a perennially wasted process server and James Franco as his slacker connection, who find themselves running for their lives when their proclivities tag them as murder witnesses. Gary Cole, Rosie Perez co-star. Quarantine: Docu-style shocker wherein a news crew’s study of two beat cops (Jay Hernandez, Johnathon Schaech) goes horribly awry, as a 911 call brings them to an apartment building gone into lockdown because of a spreading contagion turning those infected into cannibalistic killers. Jennifer Carpenter co-stars. Righteous Kill: Al Pacino and Robert De Niro share the screen for the first time since Heat, playing a pair of veteran New York cops on a controversial hunt for a serial killer who targets crooks that got off on technicalities. Carla Gugino, John Leguizamo, 50 Cent co-star. Saw V: There’s dependably more deathtraps and gore in store, when Costas Mandylor returns as the twisted cop out to reclaim Jigsaw’s lethal legacy. Scott Patterson, Betsy Russell, Julie Benz, Meagan Good and Tobin Bell co-star. Swing Vote: Contemporary Capraesque comedy stars Kevin Costner as a hard-drinking stiff who literally finds the world’s eyes turned to him when the American presidential election hinges on his ballot alone. Kelsey Grammer, Dennis Hopper, Nathan Lane, Stanley Tucci co-star. Traitor: Thoughtful espionage opus (co-scripted by Steve Martin, if you can believe it) starring Don Cheadle as a Sudanese Muslim who goes undercover in Yemen to help U.S. intelligence crack a terrorist cell. Jeff Daniels, Guy Pearce co-star. The Wackness: Critically-hailed, ‘90s-set dark farce following the skewed relationship between an insouciant young stoner/dealer (Josh Peck) and his aging psychiatrist (Ben Kingsley), who’s also a client. Olivia Thirlby, Famke Janssen, Mary-Kate Olsen co-star. The Women: The all-distaff ’39 comedy of manners is brought into the new millennium, with Meg Ryan as the Wall Street wife having the happiness of her home challenged by counter girl Eva Mendes. Annette Bening, Debra Messing, Jada Pinkett Smith, Bette Midler, Candice Bergen, Cloris Leachman co-star. Zack And Miri Make A Porno: Unsurprisingly askew romantic farce courtesy of Kevin Smith teams Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks as longtime platonic buddies/roomies who conclude that the only way out of their financial straits is to lens and market an amateur skin flick. Jason Mewes, Brandon Routh, Traci Lords, Katie Morgan co-star.
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