Media giant CBS continues to push the high-definition envelope with the first-ever broadcast of a prime-time dramatic series in HDTV. "The Other Cheek," the episode of Chicago Hope that aired last Wednesday, November 18, was produced by 20th Century Fox Television in cooperation with Sony Electronics' Broadcast and Professional Company using an extensive array of Sony's new HD equipment. It was relayed to 11 CBS affiliates, and it was available on the DirecTV satellite service. The program was broadcast in 1920x1080i, the highest-resolution version of HDTV.

Last week, the American Film Institute (AFI) commemorated the first 100 years of American movies by officially announcing their prestigious list of the 100 greatest films of this century, as determined by a "blue-ribbon" panel of more than 1500 members of the American film community. In a nationally televised broadcast, "AFI's 100 Years . . . 100 Movies," Orson Welles' classic Citizen Kane claimed the No.1 position.

Laserdisc. Mel Gibson, Julia Roberts, Patrick Stewart. Directed by Richard Donner. Aspect ratio: 2.35:1. Dolby Digital. 3 sides. 135 minutes. 1997. CLV/CAV. Warner Bros./Image Entertainment Widescreen Edition WB 115091. $39.95.

Jeremy Davies, Angela Lindvall, Elodie Bouchez, Gérard Depardieu, Massimo Ghini, Giancarlo Giannini, John Phillip Law, Jason Schwartzman, Billy Zane. Directed by Roman Coppola. Aspect ratio: 1.85:1 (anamorphic). Dolby Digital 5.1. 88 minutes. 2002. MGM. 1003757. R. $26.08.

E.T. the Extra Terrestrial makes its first appearance on DVD on Tuesday, October 22. It will be available in three versions: widescreen and pan&scan Limited Collector’s Editions at $29.98 and the Ultimate Gift Boxed Set at $69.98. All three editions include both the original 1982 version and the 2002 release, the latter including a number of alterations and updates.