Mark your calendars! Universal Studios announced that BRIDGET JONES: THE EDGE OF REASON will be available on DVD and VHS March 22, 2005.

The somewhat breathless press release lists the following bonus features to be included on the DVD:

* Deleted Scenes, including Alternate Beginning: Introduced by director Beeban Kidron, the deleted scenes take fans further into the comic mishaps of Bridget Jones.

* Bridget Jones Interviews Colin Firth: A hilarious interview between serious journalist Bridget Jones and actor Colin Firth.

* The Big Fight: A comical look at the designing and planning of the infamous Daniel/Mark fight sequence.

* Who’s Your Man Quiz: Take a quiz while watching the movie and find out if Daniel Cleaver or Mark Darcy is your type of man.

* Mark & Bridget Forever?: Renee Zellweger and Colin Firth discuss the ups, downs and wobbly bits of their onscreen relationship.

* Lonely London: A look at how visual effects imagery was used to create the tone of loneliness against the sprawling London background.

* Feature commentary with director Beeban Kidron

Can hardly wait. Broody, simmering Colin is v. good.

The Free Lance-Star profiles children’s author Katherine Paterson, best-known for her Newbery Award-winning novels “Jacob Have I Loved” and “Bridge to Terabithia.” In the article, Mrs. Paterson reveals herself to be a Friend of Jane.

As an adult, she said she’s a fan of Ann Patchett, author of “Bel Canto,” Marilynne Robinson, who wrote “Gilead,” and Anne Tyler, author of books such as “Back When We Were Grownups” and “Breathing Lessons.” Jane Austen, who wrote in the late 1700s and early 1800s, is another favorite, as is Charles Dickens.

“But I think he needed a good editor,” Paterson said.

(Hmm, this Cub Reporter has made that same observation about another very successful author.)

Reuters has the weekend box office report, including the take for the limited release of BRIDE AND PREJUDICE:

In the limited-release world, “Bride and Prejudice,” a “Bollywood”-inspired update of Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice,” opened with a strong $388,000 from 32 theaters. It was released by Disney’s Miramax Films.

In other B&P news, several of the Sunday papers had in-depth articles about Gurinder Chadha, the film’s director. The San Francisco Chronicle talks about how Ms. Chadha’s background as an Indian growing up in the U.K. affects the themes of her films. Steven Rea of the Philadelphia Inquirer talks with Ms. Chadha about the similarities between Jane Austen’s story and contemporary Indian culture. Ann Hornaday of the Washington Post tells of Ms. Chadha’s frustrations at being unable to make the films she wanted to make before BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM.