Plenty of mustard, hold the onions (Hotdog)

Member Name: Chev

Product:	Hotdog
Date:	01/10/01 (277 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great features, Worthy reviews, Great price if you subscribe

Disadvantages: Perhaps too in-depth for the casual movie goer

I first picked up a copy of Hotdog when it was first launched, back in July 2000. Admittedly, I was attracted by the low first issue cover price (£1.50), and simply by the fact that I was interested in a new film magazine on the market - but the clincher was the fact that it was a Robert De Niro special. Features on the man himself, as well as a special section listing and rating each and every one of the great man's films, complete with availability and classic quotes. Needless to say, I was impressed. The mag as a whole was fresh and informative, so I decided to buy the following month's effort. As I remember, it was decent enough, but no particular feature grabbed me like the De Niro special had. I decided to stick with my tried and tested Empire, and leave Hotdog for others to peruse.

Recently, however, I have become somewhat disheartened with Empire. Since the major redesign (and apparent staff shake-up), my usual first choice has fallen by the wayside. A lack of meaty features, almost every blockbuster movie getting a decent rating - and, worst of all, the introduction of lightweight "funny" articles. Not so.

I decided to give Hotdog a reassessment - I'm glad I did. Let's start with the basics. At £2.99 per issue, Hotdog is averagely priced within its market. The front cover is simplistic, with a main image and accompanying text, as well as minimal advertising for features within the magazine. This style ensures that the front cover does not become too cluttered or messy. For example, this month's issue (November 2001) displays the magazine's title towards the top, as is the norm, and one main image of three faces - Brando, Pacino and De Niro. We learn that these faces are displayed because the magazine carries a feature on what they deem "The Greatest Movie Ever" - The Godfather.

This is where Hotdog's major strength lies. Yes, this is a magazine that brings you the latest movie revie
ws and news from the world of film, but it is also unashamedly cult film orientated. Taking the Godfather issue into account once again, we get 10 pages devoted to the infamous Mafia movie, focusing on the production of the film, why certain actors were cast, and how the whole thing was pulled together. The feature is given further relevance by the fact that The Godfather Trilogy is to be released this month for the first time on DVD. This is just one example of the superb features contained in this publication - the only downside being that major plot points are discussed, meaning that if you haven't seen the movie, then you're going to know what happens before you get a chance to view it. However, it is fair to say that Hotdog isn't aimed at the casual moviegoer.

Again, this is one of Hotdog's strengths. Whilst it may put off any members of the public who just want to know when Adam Sandler's next "hilarious" caper is scheduled to hit the silver screen, Hotdog makes up for that by attracting those who take pride in their film collection. This point is strengthened with the monthly short feature "What about..." - a double page piece profiling a cult character from the movies. This month sees the turn of Jesus Quintana, the result of John Tuturro's stunning cameo in The Big Lebowski.

The Coen Brothers theme continues with an interview with Joel and Ethan themselves - a four page article mainly to do with their upcoming Cannes favourite 'The Man Who Wasn't There' starring Billy Bob Thornton. This continuity is pleasing; meaning there is form to the magazine, rather than simply a series of disjointed articles.

Aside from the feature articles, (others this month include a 2002 preview, as well as other interviews with Tara Reid and Chris Penn), there are the regulars. You've got your standard letters page, something I'd like to see extended to at least two pages - as it is, this
month's issue only manages to squeeze six short efforts in, the same as last month's edition. Next comes the excellent element - the "Must-See Triple Whammy". Six pages are given over every month to three movies that Hotdog highly recommends the reader checks out, be they out that month at the cinema, to rent, or to buy.

Another standard feature, as you'd expect, is the movie news section - a healthy portion of snippets hinting at what certain actors/directors next projects may be, gossip from on-set, pre-production woes, or whatever is making big splashes in the movie world that particular month. I found the movie rumours section to be particularly interesting, although "Futurama", the section on new films in the can and ready to hit the big screen sometime soon, whilst informative, is woefully brief.

So what's left? Ah, of course, the reviews. 30 pages plus are generally given over to rundowns on new movies at the cinema, to buy and to rent as well as film-related books, soundtracks and home cinema technology. The only annoying addition is the page of computer game reviews, which are just plainly out of place in a movie magazine - although Hotdog is not the only culprit here. Reviews are generally concise and to the point, with the odd exception for new movies at the cinema. The five star method of rating is employed, and therefore it is fairly straightforward at-a-glance to see if Hotdog deems a film much cop or not.

The refreshing aspect of Hotdog's review section is its concentration on DVD in respect to its movies to buy/rent section. This ensures films aren't reviewed twice (on video and DVD), and opens up space to expand on any extra features the DVD may contain. This is done extremely well, with all DVDs being given two ratings out of five, the first for the film contained on the disc, the second for the quality of extras. Nice touch, that.

Tucked away towards the back of the ma
g, you'll also find a nice optional extra. Four pages are given to "Going Underground", an in-depth section on indie/short films, which also encourages readers to send in their short films in for perusal. Another nice feature that makes this particular publication stand out from the rest.
All in all then, with quality regular sections and constantly interesting feature articles month by month, coupled with good competitions and first-class reviews, Hotdog is a magazine for the serious film buff - despite minor grumbles.

At £2.99 a month, the magazine is reasonably priced, but take out a subscription and you'll be getting even better value for money. The current offer sees you receive your first three issues for just £1. Following that, it costs £9.99 for every six issues you receive - resulting in a saving of a whopping 44% on off-the-shelf price. If you're interested, you can fill out the coupon in the back of the magazine, or simply phone the following instant order phone number:

01454 642495

Now, I don't know about you, but to me that sounds like an offer I can't refuse...

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