HDNet Movies to Celebrate Director Steven Spielberg With Six of His Greatest Films in Six Days

HDNet Movies to Celebrate Director Steven Spielberg With Six of His Greatest Films in Six Days

High definition network to present some of the early works of this acclaimed director featuring 'E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial,' 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind' and 'Jaws'

DALLAS, July 21 /PRNewswire/ -- This month, HDNet Movies presents a programming event to celebrate director Steven Spielberg as one of the most influential figures in cinema.

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Beginning Monday, July 28, HDNet Movies subscribers will get a chance to sample some of the early work that helped solidify Spielberg's position as a top Hollywood director, including "E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial," "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," and "Jaws."

The tribute kicks off on Monday, July 28 at 8:05 p.m. ET with Spielberg's first theatrical film, "The Sugarland Express " starring Goldie Hawn and William Atherton.

Tuesday, July 29 at 8:00 p.m. ET is the drama "Empire of the Sun" starring a thirteen year-old Christian Bale, John Malkovich and Miranda Richardson. This film received Academy Award nominations for Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing, Best Sound, Best Art Direction - Set Decoration, Best Costume Design, and Best Music - Original Score, in addition to Golden Globe Nominations for Best Motion Picture - Drama and Best Original Score, Motion Picture.

On Wednesday, July 30 at 8:00 p.m. ET it's "Duel" starring Dennis Weaver, Tim Herbert and Charles Seel. This thriller was Spielberg's first TV film, receiving a Golden Globe nomination for Best Movie Made for TV.

Thursday, July 31 at 8:00 p.m. ET is the classic film, "E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (20th Anniversary Edition)" starring Henry Thomas, Dee Wallace and Drew Barrymore. This film won Academy Awards for Best Sound Effects Editing, Best Sound, Best Visual Effects and Best Music and Golden Globes for Best Motion Picture - Drama and Best Original Score - Motion Picture.

On Friday, August 1 at 8:00 p.m. ET it's "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" starring Richard Dreyfuss, Francois Truffaut and Teri Garr. "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" won an Academy Award for Best Cinematography and received Academy Award nominations for Best Director and Best Supporting Actress and Golden Globe nominations for Best Motion Picture - Drama, Best Motion Picture Director, Best Screenplay and Best Original Score.

The celebration wraps up on Saturday, August 2 at 8:00 p.m. ET with the classic thriller "Jaws" starring Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss and Robert Shaw. "Jaws" won Academy Awards for Best Film Editing, Best Sound and Best Music - Original Score and was also nominated for Best Picture.

About HDNet

HDNet (http://www.hd.net/) provides viewers with the best in original comedy, drama, news, sports and music programming.

HDNet is your exclusive, high definition home for popular, critically acclaimed original programming, including television's only HD news feature programs "HDNet World Report," "Dan Rather Reports," featuring legendary journalist Dan Rather and "NASA on HDNet" (presenting live shuttle launches through 2010). HDNet presents championship sports coverage featuring the National Hockey League, Major League Soccer, the NASCAR Camping World Series, NASCAR Sprint Cup re-broadcasts, boxing and premiere Mixed Martial Arts from "HDNet Fights;" behind-the-scenes sports news with "Inside the NHL" and "Inside MMA;" groundbreaking music programming with the HDNet Concert Series featuring leading artists and bands including Coldplay, Gwen Stefani, Black Eyed Peas and more; and entertaining and irreverent lifestyle programming including "Deadline!," "Art Mann Presents," and "Get Out!" HDNet is also the exclusive high definition home to critically acclaimed and award winning programs such as the Emmy Award winning "Arrested Development," "The Black Donnellys," "Star Trek: Enterprise," "Dead Like Me," "Smallville" and the hit series "Torchwood."

HDNet Movies features a wide selection of major studio theatrical releases -- all uncut, unedited, and appearing in their original aspect ratio so that HDNet Movies viewers get the best possible home theater experience.

Only HDNet Movies' exclusive "Sneak Previews" bring feature films to viewers before they premiere in theaters! Some of the HDNet Movies "Sneak Previews" have included the Academy Award nominated "Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room," Toronto Film Festival nominee "The War Within," and "Bubble," the first of six movies by acclaimed director Steven Soderbergh and produced exclusively for HDNet Films. Other featured films include "Cashback," written and produced by Sean Ellis, "Broken English," from Zoe Cassavetes, starring Gena Rowlands, Parker Posey, Drea de Matteo and Griffin Dunne, the critically acclaimed "Redacted" directed by Brian De Palma, "Flawless," starring Michael Caine and Demi Moore, "Quid Pro Quo," starring Nick Stahl and Vera Farmiga and most recently, "Finding Amanda," starring Matthew Broderick and Brittany Snow. Upcoming "Sneak Previews" include "Red," starring Brian Cox, "Special," starring Michael Rapaport, "Great Buck Howard," starring Colin Hanks, John Malkovich and Tom Hanks, "Harlem Aria," starring Damon Wayans and "Humboldt County," starring Fairuza Balk, Peter Bogdanovich and Frances Conroy.

Launched in 2001 by Mark Cuban and General Manager Philip Garvin, the HDNet networks are available on AT&T, Bright House Networks, Charter Communications, DIRECTV, DISH Network, Insight, Mediacom, Time Warner Cable, Verizon and more than 40 NCTC cable affiliate companies. For more information visit http://www.hd.net/.

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Source: HDNet Movies

CONTACT: Colette Carey of HDNet, +1-303-542-5576, ccarey@hd.net

Web site: http://www.hd.net/

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