Tale of the Tape: Rites of Passage mentioned

From “The Seattle Times”:

It’s a tale of the tape
Friday, March 17, 2000

By JOHN HARTL
Special from The Seattle Times

The line between straight-to-theaters and straight-to-video is getting fuzzy.

Disney’s “Toy Story 2” was originally supposed to be a video; instead, it became one of this season’s top-grossing theatrical events. But the long-awaited movie of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Cats” turned up first as a videotape.

Another Lloyd Webber adaptation, “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” is heading for video as well. Donny Osmond, who toured with the stage version for five years, stars in the $8 million production, which will be released March 28 on tape ($20) and DVD ($30). Like “Cats,” which sold more than 2 million copies, “Joseph” will appear on PBS a few days after its video release.

While Disney sent its remakes of “101 Dalmatians” and “The Parent Trap” through theaters first, the studio’s new version of “The Love Bug” made its debut on tape earlier this week. John Hannah plays the egotistical owner of Herbie, the personality-plus car that first appeared in Disney movies 31 years ago.

Another high-profile movie, “With Friends Like These,” will be released Tuesday on tape. A prize winner at 1998 festivals in Munich and Santa Barbara, Philip Frank Messina’s film revolves around a group of actors who fight over the part of Al Capone in an upcoming movie. Adam Arkin, Beverly D’Angelo, Amy Madigan, David Strathairn, Laura San Giacomo, and Elle Macpherson star, and there are cameo roles for Martin Scorsese, Bill Murray, Garry Marshall, and Michael McKean.

Also bypassing theaters:

“Rites of Passage” — Jason Behr (“Roswell”) plays a gay teenager in this contrived drama. Dean Stockwell is his gruff father, and James Remar is a prison escapee who stalks them.