Columbia TriStar Home Video just sent some additional information for their December 28 titles this way, for us to share with you. To close out the year, Columbia will release Desert Blue day and date with the VHS video. It is set in the off-beat California town of Baxter, pop. 89. Baxter’s only traffic consists of tourists who stop to gawk at its landmark
– a giant pink ice cream cone – on their way to more “exciting”
destinations. The town is also home to Baxter Beach, an unfinished
desert ocean park complete with water slide, boats and canoes.
Seemingly stuck for good in Baxter are Blue and his innocently rebellious teenage friends, who constantly try to
relieve their boredom and find a sense of purpose in a place devoid of
opportunities.
But all changes when a truck carrying a secret ingredient to the local
soda factory crashes, spilling its contents and resulting in the mysterious
death of the truck’s driver. The FBI quarantines the town until it can
determine the exact contents of the tanker. A toxic chemical scare is in
full effect. The disc will contain “The Frug” music video by Rilo Kiley and extensive talent files.

Universal Soldier 2: The Return is the next film to ring out the year for Columbia. Luc Deveraux (Jean-Claude Van Damme) has survived his experiences as a Universal Soldier and is now a caring father and widower. He serves as a technical expert on a special government project preparing a new, stronger breed
of soldier that is more sophisticated, intelligent and agile. All goes well
with the project until the soldiers’ supercomputer, S.E.T.H. (Michael Jai
White), develops a mind of its own. Knowing that his days are
numbered, S.E.T.H. decides to seek revenge by destroying his creator
and implementing a reign of terror on the outside world. S.E.T.H. begins
to unleash his wicked plan and when all else fails, Luc must take
charge.

“Universal Soldier 2: The Return” also comes day and date with the film’s VHS release and contains a Michael J. White Featurette called “A Universal Soldier’s Workout”, a Jean Claude Van Damme Featurette named “Looking Back, Moving Forward” and a “Making-Of” Featurette. The disc will contain a 5.1 channel Dolby Digital soundtrack and contain a 16×9 enhanced widescreen transfer as well as apan&scan presentation of the film.

Third on the list is Frank Capra’s Academy Award-winning It Happened One Night. It is the story of rebellious socialite Ellie Andrews (Claudette Colbert) who marries King Wesley but her wealthy father has it annulled. Tired of her father’s control, she runs away by diving off the family yacht in Miami and heading for New York. On the bus she meets street-smart reporter Peter Warne (Clark Gable) and they end up traveling together as Warne hopes to get a great story, and Ellie needs his worldly help.

The disc will contain a commentary track by Frank Capra, Jr., Vintage Advertising Materials and an Original Live Radio Broadcast. The film is presented in fullscreen with English and Spanish mono soundtracks.