OnVideo Guide to Home Video Releases

Flash: (May 12)

From the Big Screen:
Due this week: "The Great Debaters" "Mad Money," "Untraceable" and "Youth Without Youth." For more releases this week, see our "Weekly Guide to Home Video Releases."

DVD Collectibles:
This is the week for our favorite men, from Frank Sinatra to Indiana Jones to John McClane to John Wayne and Jean Luc-Godard. It's also a big week for fans of Frank Sinatra, with a profundity of releases -- including DVDs and CD compilations -- to honor the 10th anniversary of the singer-actor's death on May 14, 1998.

Warner Home Video will commemorate "The Chairman of the Board" by releasing a total of 22 of his films in five new collections, with 11 titles brand new to DVD. Capitol/EMI will celebrate Ol' Blue Eyes' musical contributions to many of Hollywood's most memorable films with the release of "Sinatra at the Movies," a new 20-track CD; Rhino Entertainment will release "Nothing but the Best," a single-disc collection from Sinatra's Reprise Years that features 22 classic cuts remixed and remastered from the original master tapes, plus a previously unreleased recording of "Body and Soul" featuring a new arrangement. Turner Classic Movies will run a month-long television film festival of Sinatra films. And the United States Postal Service will release a 42-cent Frank Sinatra commemorative stamp. The initiative is the first from the newly established Frank Sinatra Enterprises. For more on Sinatra, check out Sinatra.com.

The DVDs, all from Warner: "Frank Sinatra Collection: The Early Years" Five-disc set with "Double Dynamite," "It Happened in Brooklyn," "Step Lively," "Higher and Higher" and "The Kissing Bandit." $39.92 the collection; $12.97 individual titles. "Frank Sinatra Collection: The Golden Years" Five-disc set with "None but the Brave," "The Man With the Golden Arm," "Some Came Running," "The Tender Trap" and "Marriage on the Rocks." $39.92 the collection; $12.97 individual titles. "Frank Sinatra & Gene Kelly Collection" Three-disc set with Strong>"Take Me Out to the Ball Game," "On the Town" and "Anchors Aweigh." $24.98 the collection; $12.97 individual titles. "Frank Sinatra Collection: The Rat Pack Ultimate Collector's Edition" Four-disc set with "Ocean's Eleven," "4 For Texas," Strong>"Robin and the 7 Hoods" and "Sergeant's 3"; $59.92 for the collection; $12.97 individual titles (except &"Sergeant's 3," which is only available as part of the collection). (Warner). "Sinatra" (1992) a two-disc set of the CBS-TV mini-series starring Philip Casnoff , Olympia Dukakis, Joe Santos, Gina Gershon, Nina Siemaszko, Marcia Gay Harden, Bob Gunton and David Raynr. $19.98.

More heroes: Leading up to the May 22 release of "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull," Paramount will re-release the previous Indy adventures, all loaded with extras: "Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark Special Edition," "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom Special Edition" and "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade Special Edition." ... "Die Hard Ultimate Collection" arrives today in an eight-disc set with all four two-disc Die Hard special editions featuring Bruce Willis as the inimitable John McClane: "Die Hard," "Die Hard 2: Die Harder," "Die Hard With a Vengeance" and "Live Free or Die Hard," from Fox.

Fox celebrates the Wild West with its "Fox Western Classic Collection," a three-disc set with "Garden of Evil" (1954), with Gary Cooper, Richard Widmark, Cameron Mitchell and Susan Hayward; "Rawhide" (1951) with Tyrone Power, Susan Hayward, Edgar Buchanan, Hugh Marlowe and Dean Jagger; and "The Gunfighter" (1950) starring Gregory Peck; $25.98 ... Also from Fox comes a Fox Grandeur Special Edition 70mm widescreen restoration of Raoul Walsh's classic "The Big Trail " (1930), starring John Wayne, Marguerite Churchill, El Brendel, Tully Marshall. The two-disc set includes a standard full screen version as well as a host of bonus features.

French heroes: Koch Lorber Films releases two by Jean-Luc Godard: "La Chinoise" (1968), starring Anne Wiazemsky, Jean-Pierre Leaud, Juliet Berto and Michel Semeniako, restored and re-mastered; and "Le Gai Savoir (The Joy of Knowledge)" (1968), starring Juliet Berto and Jean-Pierre Leaud ... The Criterion Collection will release two films by Louis Malle: "The Fire Within" (1963) starring Maurice Ronet and Jeanne Moreau in a new, restored high-definition digital transfer, and "The Lovers" (1958), starring Jeanne Moreau, Jean-Marc Bory, Alain Cuny and Jose Luis de Villalonga, in a new, restored high-definition digital transfer of the complete, uncensored version.

"Saturday Night Live: The Complete Third Season" offers more of Bill Murray, Gilda Radner, Dan Aykroyd, Jane Curtin, John Belushi, Steve Martin, Al Franken and others, in a seven-disc set with 20 episodes, $69.98, from Universal ... "All You Need Is Love" is a five-disc set with all 17 episodes of Tony Palmer's "Story of Popular Music," a critically acclaimed TV series, originally broadcast worldwide between 1976-80, encompassing ragtime, blues, jazz, vaudeville, the musical, folk, swing, country and western, rock n' roll and beyond. Included are interviews with John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Elvis Presley, Jimi Hendrix, Jerry Lee Lewis, Stephen Sondheim, Benny Goodman, Bing Crosby, Mike Oldfield, The Beach Boys, Tina Turner, Sam Phillips, Dave Brubeck, Dizzy Gillespie, Richard Rodgersm Roy Rogers, Bo Diddley, Muddy Waters, Phil Spector, Bill Monroe, Bill Graham, Bill Wyman, Frank Zappa, Eric Clapton and many, many more. $99.95 from MVD Visual.

From TV to Video:
Here's a nifty set for collector's: "Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers -- The Collection: Volume 1" is a re-mastered four-disc set with the 1980's animated series' first 32 episodes (available for the first time ever in their proper chronological order). The series combined elements of classic Westerns and space operas with plausible science and logic, pushing the boundaries of children's television programming with thought-provoking story lines and well-developed characters. Featured the voices of Jerry Orbach, Bob Bottone, Maia Anziger, Laura Dean and Earl Hammond. $39.98 from Koch Vision ... "The Adams Chronicles" (1976) is a four-disc set with all 13 episodes of the miniseries that traces 150 years of history through the eyes of John Adams and his heirs, $59.99 from Acorn Media ... "American Idol: Season 6 Finale Performance Show -- The Top 2" is a two-disc set of the May 22, 2007 showdown between Jordin Sparks and Blake Lewis; $19.99 from Koch Vision ... "The Chase" is a two-disc set with eight episodes from the first season of the top-rated British series centered around the goings-on inside a struggling Yorkshire veterinary hospital, $29.98 from Koch Vision ... "DNA" is a two-disc set with five episodes of the British forensics series starring Tom Conti, $39.99 from Acorn Media ... "Drawn Together: Season Three -- Uncensored!" is a two-disc set with all 14 episodes from the third and final season, $26.99 from Paramount ... "The Magnificent Seven Complete Series Giftset" is a five-disc set with 17 episodes from the series' two seasons, plus four never-aired episodes, $49.98 from MGM ... "Mission Impossible: The Fourth TV Season" (1969-70) is a seven-disc set with 26 episodes, $54.99 from Paramount ... "The Rat Patrol Complete Series Giftset" is a seven-disc set with all 58 episodes, $49.98 from MGM ... "Stargate Infinity: The Complete Series" is a four-disc set with all 26 animated episodes, $34.99 from Shout! Factory ... "Twelfth Night" (1969) stars Tommy Steele, Ralph Richardson, Alec Guinness and Joan Plowright in this "ITV Saturday Night Theatre" version of the Bard's confection, $24.98 from Koch Vision ... "Two and a Half Men: The Complete Third Season" is a four-disc set with 22 episodes, $44.98 from Warner.

Buzzin' the 'B's:
During a heist in Russia, a professional thief (Stephen Dorff) finds himself dealing with twin serial killers, insane hostages, double-crossing psycho Russian hardmen and the real possibility of a horrible death in "Botched" (2007), starring Alan Smyth and Stephen Dorff, from Warner ... In "Cover" (2008), starring Vivica A. Fox, Aunjanue Ellis, Razaaq Adoti, Paula Jay Parker, Louis Gossett Jr., Leon, Patti LaBelle and Mya, a passionate murder leaves a devoted wife and mother as the primary suspect, from Fox ... Forced into hiding after their kidnapping plan goes awry, two rival siblings find themselves fighting for their sanity while they hole up in a secluded country cottage and come face-to-face with their psychotic axe-wielding neighbor -- a demented farmer with a dark, nasty secret, in "The Cottage" (2008) starring Andy Serkis, Jennifer Ellison and Reece Shearsmith, from Sony ... In "Graduation" (2006), starring Shannon Lucio, Riley Smith, Chris Marquette, Chris Lowell, Adam Arkin and Aimee Garcia, four high school friends -- just short of graduation -- plan a bank robbery to help one of their friends in need of financial assistance, from Magnolia Home Entertainment ... In "Blind Eye" (2006), starring Nick Mancuso, Levi Oliver and Roddy Piper, an ex-cop is called by his estranged wife to help find their missing daughter, only to discover that there's more to the disappearance than his "friends" are letting on, from MTI Home Video ... "The Shadow Riders" (1982) stars Tom Selleck, Sam Elliott, Ben Johnson, Geoffrey Lewis and Katharine Ross in a CBS Western telefilm based on the best-selling novel by Louis L'Amour, from Sony ... "Aces N' Eights" (2008) is a Westerner about ranchers who refuse to sell to the railroad, starring Ernest Borgnine, Casper Van Dien, Deirdre Quinn and Bruce Boxleitner, from Genius Products ... An undercover FBI agent who agrees to infiltrate the ruthless underground world of "choppers" is quickly thrown into a world of fast cars and high stakes in "Crash and Burn: Unrated" (2008), starring Erik Palladino and Michael Madsen, from Genius Products ... In "Bet Your Life" (2004), starring Sean Carrigan, Corinne Van Ryck de Groot and Billy Zane, a gambling addict bets his life against a sadistic millionaire's money, from Warner.

Exceptional Sound. No Exceptions!

On the Indie Front:
"Bon Cop, Bad Cop" (2006) stars Colm Feore and Patrick Huard in a comedy thriller about an unlikely pair of cops -- one from Montreal who only speaks French and one from Toronto who only speaks English -- who team up to investigate a serial murderer who drapes a dead body over the border sign dividing Ontario and Quebec, from BFS Entertainment ... In "Numb" (2007), starring Matthew Perry, Kevin Pollak and Mary Steenburgen, a chronically depressed screenwriter desperately tries to cure his condition when he meets the girl of his dreams, from Image Entertainment ... When the life of a mega film star (Randy Travis) is destroyed right before the most important day of his life, his faith is put to the ultimate test in "The Wager" (2007), starring Randy Travis, Nancy Stafford, Jude Ciccolella and Candace Cameron Bure, from Genius Products ... Set in Georgia, "Crystal River" (2008) is a romantic drama about a married woman who, grieving her inability to have children, finds comfort and healing in her friendship with another man, starring Emily Carpenter and Sean Patrick Flannery, from Lifesize Entertainment ... "A Good Man Is Hard to Find" (2008) stars Deborah Cox, Golden Brooks and Hill Harper in an adaptation of the gospel stage play about the roles of black women in the 21st century, from Fox.

For the Family:
In "Sesame Street: Dinosaurs" Elmo and Telly Monster invite pint-sized paleontologists in-training to use their imaginations to learn more about the Earth's ancient inhabitants; $14.93 from Genius Products ... "Garfield and Friends: A Cat and His Hero" is a single-disc with15 episodes of the "Garfield & Friends" series, picked by creator Jim Davis, $14.98 from Fox ... "The Care Bears: Ups & Downs" features two episodes from the CBS Saturday morning cartoons, $14.98 from Fox ... "The Care Bears: Share N' Summertime" includes four episodes from the CBS Saturday morning cartoons, $14.98 from Fox ... "Summertime Fun!" is a collection of five Summertime-themed episodes from "Barney," "Bob the Builder," "Thomas & Friends," "Angelina Ballerina" and "Fireman Sam," $14.98 from HIT Entertainment/Fox ... In "Bob the Builder: The Three Musketruck" Bob the Builder and his Can-Do Crew welcome friends Meg MacDonald, a Scottish dairy farmer, her assistant Piper and their dairy truck Dodger to Sunflower Valley in five new adventures for preschoolers, $14.98 from HIT/Fox.

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DVD Collectibles:
"Hiya, Kids!! A '50s Saturday Morning." is a four-disc set with the best kids' TV programs from the infancy of the genre, with 21 episodes culled from some of America's iconic television classics, including "Kukla, Fran and Ollie," "Howdy Doody," "Lassie," "Annie Oakley," "Flash Gordon," "Time for Beany," "The Paul Winchell Show," "The Roy Rogers Show," "Captain Z-RO," "The Rootie Kazootie Club," "Winky Dink and You," "Super Circus," "Andy's Gang," "The Cisco Kid," "Sky King," "The Magic Clown," Kids and Company," "Juvenile Jury," "The Pinky Lee Show" and "Sheena, Queen of the Jungle." Each DVD in the set is designed like a Saturday morning programming block from the era, with shows for the very young first on the menu. As the older siblings "wake up," the programs become more and more "sophisticated; $34.99 from Shout! Factory ... "The 2007 Academy Award Nominated Short Films" (2008) highlights the short works honored at the 80th Annual Academy Awards ceremony as well as the nominees. Includes Oscar winners "Mozart Des Pickpockets" (live-action) and "Peter & the Wolf" (animated) as well as Live Action Short Film nominees "At Night," "Il Supplente ( The Substitute)," "Tanghi Argentini" and "The Tonto Woman"; and Animated Short Film nominees "Madame Tutli-Putli" and "Meme Les Pigeons Vont Au Paradis (Even Pigeons Go Heaven)." From Magnolia Home Entertainment. (Posted May 5)

From TV to Video:
Due this week: "Bewitched: The Complete Sixth Season," a four-disc set with 30 episodes, $39.95 from Sony ... "The 4400: The Final Season," a four-disc set with 13 episodes, $42.99 from Paramount ... "Square Pegs: The Complete Series," a three-disc set with 19 episodes of the 1982 series that starred Sarah Jessica Parker, Jamie Gertz, Amy Linker, Tracy Nelson, from Sony. (Posted May 5)

Buzzin' the 'B's:
Highlight of the week is "Teeth!" (2007), a fascinating black comedy/horror tale about an innocent teenager who discovers quite by accident that she's developed choppers in the most unexpected place; stars Jess Weixler and John Hensley, from Weinstein Co./Genius products ... "Moola" (2007) stars William Mapother, Daniel Baldwin, Efren Ramirez, Charlotte Ross, Curtis Armstrong and Annabelle Gurwitch in a comedy about two best friends/business partners whose business and marriages are on the rocks -- until a huge deal unexpectedly materializes and promises to change their lives forever, from Allumination FilmWorks ... "Azumi 2" (2008) stars Aya Ueto, Shun Oguri and Chiaki Kuriyama in a sequel to the popular Japanese actioner featuring a female samurai assassin who tries to prevent a civil war in feudal Japan, from Urban Vision Entertainment ... In "Senior Skip Day" (2008), high school seniors plan the party of the year with gorgeous models, stripteases, a gigantic gravity bong, a funeral and some crepes; stars Larry Miller, Gary Lundy, Tara Reid, Lea Thompson, Norm MacDonald and Clint Howard, from First Look Studios ... In "Grizzly Rage" (2007),a group of high school grads accidentally hit a bear cub with their car and must fend off a massive mother grizzly hell-bent on revenge, from Magnolia Home Entertainment. (Posted May 5)

On the Indie Front:
"Delirious" (2007), directed by Tom DiCillo and starring Steve Buscemi, Michael Pitt, Gina Gershon and Alison Lohman, is an offbeat drama about a homeless youth, a pop music siren and a member of the paparazzi, from Genius Products ... "I Really Hate My Job" (2007), starring Neve Campbell and Shirley Henderson, focuses on one steamy night in the lives of five feisty women stuck in a second-rate London restaurant: three waitresses, one cook and a dishwasher who see themselves as an artist, an actor, a lover, an author and a revolutionary, from Magnolia Home Entertainment ... "Steel City" (2006), starring John Heard, Thomas Guiry, America Ferrera, Clayne Crawford and Laurie Metcalf, is the emotional story of two working-class brothers who must cope with their recently incarcerated father, from Peace Arch Home Entertainment ... "Tre" is a steamy outing that explores marriage, love, work and family by following the amorous adventures of two couples thrown together by fate, from Cinema Libre Studio ... "Neo Ned" (2005), starring Jeremy Renner, Gabrielle Union, Cary Elwes, Eddie Kay Thomas, Sally Kirkland and Ethan Suplee, is a unique take on the concept of race, love and fate as a young misguided racist (Jeremy Renner) meets and then falls in love with a young black woman (Gabrielle Union) while both are in a mental institution, from Code Black Entertainment ... "Military Intelligence and You" (2008) stars Patrick Muldoon, Elizabeth Bennett and John Rixey Moore in a spoof of a "long-lost" World War II training film, from Echo Bridge Home Entertainment ... "Love's Unfolding Dream" (2007) is the latest addition to the "Love Comes Softly" franchise, about a woman who struggles to choose between her career aspirations as a doctor and her feelings for a New York lawyer who wants a traditional wife, starring Erin Cottrell, Scout Taylor Compton and Drew Simpson, from Fox Faith.

For the Family:
"Madeline: Next Stop America" (2005) includes three animated adventures of Ludwig Bemelmans' little French girl: "Madeline in Hollywood," "Madeline in New York" and "Madeline and the Wild West," $14.98 from Fox ... "Barney: Hi! I'm Riff!" is the latest "Barney" to hit video: Barney's new friend Riff is the first new dino to join "Barney & Friends" in 13 years, $14.98 from Fox. (Posted May 5)

Special Interest:
In "The Passion of Greg the Bunny: The Best of the Film Parodies Volume 2," Greg the Bunny and his (tor)mentor, Warren "The Ape" Demontague, are back as they parody some favorite films: "Wacky Wednesday," "Blue Velveteen" and "Plush: Behind The Seems," $19.99 from Shout! Factory ... "David Beckham: Life of an Icon" (2008) is an unauthorized, uncompromised look at the soccer legend, including the scuffles, scandals and scurrilous headlines, $19.97 from Liberation Entertainment/Anchor Bay ... "The Business of Being Born" (2008) is a documentary on home birthing inspired by producer Ricki Lake and director Abby Epstein's unique child birth stories, from New Line ... "African American Lives 2" is a sequel to the popular PBS series, here exploring the family histories of Chris Rock, Morgan Freeman, Maya Angelou, Tina Turner, Tom Joyner, others, $24.99 from Paramount ... "Red Sox Memories: The Greatest Moments in Boston Red Sox History" is a documentary that covers the greatest moments in the 107-year history of the Boston franchise, $19.99 from Shout! Factory. (Posted May 5)

Just Announced:
Two great films getting the delicate Warner Home Video touch: On August 26 the studio will release "How the West Was Won," restored and remastered from the original three-panel Cinerama release. With three directors, five interlocked stories, some of movie history's most legendary action scenes and a constellation of acting talent: that's how How the West Was Won. Henry Fonda, Gregory Peck, Debbie Reynolds, James Stewart and John Wayne are among the big names in this big saga following a family's move West through generations -- marked by the spectacles of a raging river ride, a thunderous buffalo stampede and a bracing runaway train shootout. Via technological advances, this panoramic winner of three Academy Awards can now be seen with a new clarity eliminating its original "three- panel join lines" and in Dolby 5.1 audio. Westward ho! The title will be available as a two-disc special edition, Ultimate Collector's Edition and on Blu-ray Disc. ... On July 29 Warner will release "Dark City Director's Cut." The critically-acclaimed triumph from visionary director Alex Proyas is back with a brand new director's cut featuring enhanced picture and sound, never-before-seen footage and three commentary tracks that take you deeper than ever before into the world of one of sci-fi's most exciting and off-beat tales. When John Murdoch (Rufus Sewell) wakes with no memory at the scene of a grisly murder, he soon finds himself hunted by the police, a woman claiming to be his wife and a mysterious group of pale men who seem to control everything and everyone in the city. Stars Rufus Sewell, Jennifer Connelly, William Hurt and Kiefer Sutherland. (Posted April 30)

DVD Collectibles:
Three children's classics from Janus Films make their debut this week, headed up by Albert Lamorisse's "The Red Balloon" (1956 -- France), a deceptively simple, nearly wordless tale, in which a young boy discovers a stray balloon that seems to have a mind of its own on the streets of Paris. The two become inseparable, yet the world's harsh realities finally interfere. With its glorious palette and allegorical purity, the Academy Award-winning film has enchanted movie lovers, young and old, for generations. Newly restored and available for the first time on DVD, $14.95. Lamorisse's "White Mane" (1953 -- France), long unavailable in the U.S., is an extraordinarily shot wonder about the strong friendship between a boy and a horse in the south of France as the two go looking for the freedom that the world of men won't allow them; $14.95. "Paddle to the Sea" (1966) is based on Holling C. Holling's beloved Caldecott-awarded children's book. William Mason's stunning short film follows the adventures of a tiny, wood-carved canoe as it forges its own path from Lake Superior through the Great Lakes and down to the Atlantic Ocean; $14.95. (Posted April 28)

Director Anthony Mann's varied career encompassed Westerns, musicals, actioners, war films, melodramas, and toward the end of his career, costume dramas "El Cid" and "The Fall of the Roman Empire." Following upon their restoration of "El Cid," the Weinstein Co. is giving the special Miriam Collection treatment to 1964's "Roman Empire," which starred Alec Guinness, Sophia Loren, Omar Sharif, Stephen Boyd, James Mason and Christopher Plummer, by releasing it in a three-disc Limited Collector's Edition ($39.92) and a two disc Deluxe Edition ($24.95). Extras include a reproduction of the original souvenir program (Collector's Edition Only); six color production stills (Collector's Edition Only); commentary by the producer's son Bill Bronston and film expert Mel Martin; and several featurettes: "Rome in Madrid," "Fall of the 'Real' Roman Empire," "Making of Fall of the Roman Empire," "Hollywood vs. History," "Dimitri Tiomkin: Scoring the Roman Empire" and much, much more ... Embark on thrilling adventures to South America and Mexico with Goofy, Donald Duck and Walt Disney in "The Classic Caballeros Collection," a two short feature set with "Saludos Amigos" (1942) and "Three Caballeros" (1944); $19.99; from Disney. (Posted April 28)

From TV to Video:
Due this week: "The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Volume 3" (1993-95), a 10-disc set; $117.99 from Paramount ... "Ain't Misbehavin'" (1997), a two-disc set of the three-part U.K. miniseries wartime comedy about two very different musicians and their misadventures with gangsters, from BFS Entertainment ... "Bernard and Doris" (2008), directed by Bob Balaban and starring Susan Sarandon and Ralph Fiennes, is an HBO telefilm Inspired by the true story of tobacco billionairess Doris Duke and her devoted Irish butler Bernard Lafferty ... "Beverly Hills 90212: The Fourth Season" is an eight-disc set with 31 episodes, $61.99 from Paramount ... "The Big Gay Sketch Show: The Complete Unrated Second Season" is a two-disc set with eight episodes of the LOGO series, $26.99 from Paramount ... "Cheers -- The Complete Ninth Season" is a five-disc set with 25 episodes, $39.98 from Paramount ... "Dark Shadows: The Beginning #4" features Episodes 106-143, which originally aired November 21, 1966-January 11, 1967, from MPI Home Video ... "Disraeli" (1978) stars Ian McShane as Benjamin Disraeli in this BBC biodrama about one of the most colorful and flamboyant political figures of the 19th century, in a two-disc set, $29.95 from A&E Home Video ... "Intelligence, Season One" is a four-disc set with 14 episodes of the Canadian crime drama series that tackles organized crime and the cops who keep tabs on it, $59.99 from Acorn Media ... "Keyshia Cole: The Way It Is -- The Complete Second Season" contains 10 episodes of the reality show, $19.99 from BET/Paramount ... "Night of the Fox" (1990), starring David Birney, Michael York, Deborah Raffin and George Peppard, is a two-disc set of the miniseries based on the World War II-set novel by best-selling author Jack Higgins, $29.95 from A&E Home Video ... "Paranormal State: The Complete Season One" is a three-disc set with 17 episodes, $34.95 from A&E Home Video ... "See No Evil: The Story of the Moors Murders" (2006) is a telefilm based on the chilling true story of child killers Ian Brady (Sean Harris) and Myra Hindley (Maxine Peak), from MPI Home Video ... In "A Touch of Frost Season 13: Endangered Species" (2006), award winning actor David Jason is back as maverick detective Jack Frost in this brand new adventure; $24.98 from MPI Home Video ... "The Waltons: The Complete Seventh Season" is a five-disc set with 23 episodes, $39.98 from Warner. (Posted April 28)

Buzzin' the 'B's:
"Diamond Dogs" (2007) stars Dolph Lundgren in an action-adventure about a band of modern-day fortune seekers bent on unearthing a priceless Buddhist artifact, from Sony ... In "Hero Wanted" (2008), starring Cuba Gooding Jr. and Ray Liotta, a small town trash collector stages a robbery in order to impress a girl by being the hero, until his "perfect" plan takes an awful turn, from Sony ... "The Weekend" (2007) is a teen comedy about the comings and goings at a weekend high school party, from Warner ... "Studio" (2005) is an urban crime thriller about three FBI agents who are sent to Los Angeles to investigate the murder of a Hip-Hop star, from Warner ... In "How She Move" (2008), a high school student is forced to leave her private school to return to her old, crime-filled neighborhood where she re-kindles an unlikely passion for the competitive world of step dancing; stars Tre Armstrong, Rutina Wesley, Raya Green and Keyshia Cole, from Paramount ... "Prism" (2007) is a supernatural thriller about a psychologist who takes on the challenge of helping a young autistic boy after he witnesses the brutal murder of his parents, from Monarch Homes Video. (Posted April 28)

On the Indie Front:
"Back in Business" (2007) is a light-hearted comedy about a group of con-men who try to pull the wool over the British government with a space exploration buggy that might solve the planet's energy problems, from BFS Entertainment ... In "Middletown" (2006), a priest returns to his home town and ends up battling against his brother for the heart of the locals, who are involved in all manner of sin, also from BFS Entertainment. (Posted April 28)

For the Family:
In "Moondance Alexander" (2007), a young girl who doesn't quite fit in with the rest of her classmates finds a runaway Pinto pony that will alter her life and those closest to her; stars Kay Panabaker, Don Johnson and Lori Loughlin, from Fox ... "Treasure Island Kids 2: The Monster of Treasure Island" (2004) is an Australian kids adventure that pits the girls against the boys at a summer camp until a giant sea monster threatens them all; sequel to "Treasure Island Kids: The Pirates of Treasure Island"; from PorchLight Home Entertainment ... "Sabrina: The Teenage Witch: The Complete Animated Series" (1971) is a three-disc set with all 31 episodes, $29.95 from Classic Media/Genius Products ... Trevor Romain is an international children's advocate and entertainer who promotes developmental wellness, advising kids and parents on social and emotional fitness, dealing with things like homework, cliques, bullies, divorce, grief, fear, nutrition and exercise; many of the topics are covered in his series of humorous, animated DVDs. "Trevor Romain: If You Don't Take Care of Your Body, Where Else Are You Going to Live?" (2008), is a 30-day fitness challenge to encourage physical fitness and healthy eating. $14.98 from Porchlight Home Entertainment. (Posted April 28)

Special Interest:
"A Generation Apart" (2005) is a powerful and emotional first-person documentary by filmmaker Jack Fisher, whose parents survived the Nazi death camps. Fisher explores the effects the Holocaust had on his family, as well as the families of neighbors and friends from New York to Israel to Australia. Released in time for the May 2 National Holocaust Remebrance Day. $19.95 from City Lights Home Entertainment ... "The True Story of Charlie Wilson" (2007) is the real story made popular by the Tom Hanks film (which was released last week); $19.95 from A&E Home Video ... "The British Empire in Color" (2002) is a major three-part series that examines the history and experience of the British Empire, $24.99 from Acorn Media ... "Nanking" (2007), an Academy Award nominee for Best Documentary Feature, tells the story of the Japanese invasion of Nanking, China in the early days of World War II and focuses on the efforts of a small group of unarmed Westerners who established a Safety Zone where over 200,000 Chinese found refuge, from ThinkFilm ... "Mahatma Gandhi: The Life and Times of a Modern Legend" is a documentary about the man whose belief in civil disobedience and passive resistance served as an inspiration for future struggles in the cause of civil rights and freedom, from Kultur International Films ... "Celebration of Gospel: Spirit in Song" is an evening of joyful music by gospel and R&B artists including Kirk Franklin, Patti LaBelle, John Legend, Pastor Shirley Caesar and more, $19.99 from BET/Paramount ... "Che Guevara: Hasta La Victoria Siempre" (2005) is a documentary that chronicles revolutionary Che Guevara's remarkable story, $19.99 from Kultur International Films ... "Great Writers: William Faulkner" is a documentary that examines the social and political events that influenced one of the greatest American novelists of all time, $19.99 from Kultur International Films ... "James Joyce: So This Is Dyoublong?" is an informative and entertaining documentary that takes an in-depth look into the life and works of the renowned Irish writer, $19.99 from Kultur International Films ... "Twist of Fate: The Matt and Jeff Hardy Story" is a two-disc set that profiles the brothers and their emergence as a dominant tag team in the world of professional wrestling, $29.95 from WWE/Genius Entertainment. (Posted April 28)

Mad about "Mannix": Par will release "Mannix: The First Season" on June 3.
Complete with action-packed fistfights, high-speed car chases and determined justice, the first season of "Mannix," television's long-running detective drama about a tough and cynical private investigator, debuts on DVD June 3 from CBS Home Entertainment and Paramount Home Entertainment, just in time for the show's 40th anniversary. Mike Connors starred as the cool-headed, classic American detective Joe Mannix. An old school detective with rugged good looks and a snazzy convertible car, Mannix was known for being able to take a barrage of physical punishment, play out hunches and make decisions based on gut feeling. Fans have clamored for the release of this classic series -- and their wishes have been granted. The six-disc set with 24 episodes (including the pilot) will sell for $49.99. (Posted April 23)

DVD Collectibles:
"Death of a Cyclist" (1955 -- Spain) is a tale of guilt, infidelity, and blackmail revolving around a wealthy married couple who hit a cyclist and run. The film was notorious for revealing the wide gap between the rich and the poor in Spain and for surveying the corrupt ethics of a society seduced by decadence. In a new, restored high-definition digital transfer from The Criterion Collection ... Also from Criterion comes "Silent Ozu: Three Family Comedies (Eclipse Series #10)," a no-frills box set of three comedies by the great director Yasujiro Ozu: "Tokyo Chorus" (1931), "I Was Born But . . ." (1932) and "Passing Fancy" (1933); $44.95 ... and for Shirley Temple fans there's "The Shirley Temple Collection Volume 6," a three-disc set with "Young People" (1940), "Stowaway" (1936) and the John Ford classic "Wee Willie Winkie" (1937), co-starring Victor McLaglen (in black-and-white and colorized versions); $29.98 the set or $14.98 each, from Fox. (Posted April 21)

From TV to Video:
Due this week: "The Best of Backyard Habitat, Volume 1," a collection of 12 episodes of the do-it-yourself backyard makeover series, $14.95 from Genius Products ... "Casanova's Love Letters" (2005) stars Patrick Bergin, Tom Frederic, David Acton and Sophie Lovell Anderson in the docudrama miniseries that follows the exploits of the "World's Greatest Lover," in a three-disc set from BFS Entertainment ... "Friday Night Lights: The Second Season" (2007-08) is a four-disc set with 15 episodes, $29.98 from Universal ... "Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! Season 1" features 10 episodes of the Adult Swim series, from Warner. (Posted April 21)

Buzzin' the 'B's:
"Last Request" (2006) is a comedy about a dying man's last request is for his sons to continue the family name. When his brother dies trying, Jeff leaves the seminary and encounters crazy women and oddball characters in an effort to honor his dad's request; stars T.R. Knight, Danny Aiello, Mario Cantone, Frank Vincent, Sabrina Lloyd, Joe Piscopo, Vincent Pastore, Tony Lo Bianco, Barbara Feldon, Mary Birdsong, Gilbert Gottfried; from MTI Home Video ... "Black House" (2007 -- South Korea) is a gory horror thriller about an insurance claims agent who faces off with a client whom he suspects of committing murders with the intention of collecting insurance premiums ... but he digs a bit too deep for his own good, from Genius Products .. In "Flashpoint" (2007 -- Hong Kong) , a police detective (Donnie Yen ) battles three brothers of a powerful Vietnamese gang; a two-disc ultimate edition from Dragon Dynasty/Weinstein Co./Genius Products ... In "Sick Nurses" (2007 -- Thailand) a group of sexy nurses who harvest organs are haunted by the vengeful spirit of one of their dead patients; from Magnolia Home Entertainment. (Posted April 21)

For the Family:
"Call of the Wild" (2000) is an Animal Planet live-action adventure based on Jack London's novel, $14.98 from Allumination FilmWorks ... In the feature "Gumby the Movie" (1995), based on the 1950s "claymation" cartoon series, the crazy Blockheads threaten to ruin Gumby's benefit concert for farmers by replacing the band with clones; from Classic Media ... In "Mist: The Tale of a Sheepdog Puppy" (2006), a sheepdog pup tries to impress her boss with her skills while coping with gruff and grumpy rams; $14.98 from Allumination FilmWorks ... "Oban Star-Racers Volume One: The Alwas Cycle" (2006) is a two-disc set with all 13 Uncut Episodes of the 2-D and 3-D animated futuristic sci fi series, $19.99 from Shout! Factory. (Posted April 21)

Special Interest:
"We Are the Music!" (1964 -- Cuba) is a documentary on the genesis of the music from the Buena Vista Social Club, $29.95 from First Run Features ... "Wetlands Preserved: The Story of an Activist Rock Club" (2008) is a documentary that tracks the history of the first-ever activist nightclub, set up in the 1990s in an ex-Chinese restaurant in New York City. Features interviews and concert footage with Dave Matthews, Warren Haynes (of the Allman Brothers Band), Bob Weir, Phish, Blues Traveler, more. $24.95 from First Run Features. (Posted April 21)

DVD Collectibles:
Director Allen Baron's New York City noir "Blast of Silence" (1961) is a sensational surprise. This low-budget, carefully crafted portrait of a hit man on assignment in Manhattan during Christmastime follows its stripped-down narrative with mechanical precision, yet also with an eye and ear for the oddball idiosyncrasies of urban living. In a new, restored digital transfer from The Criterion Collection. (Posted April 14)

From TV to Video:
"Alien Nation: Ultimate Movie Collection" is a three-disc set with all five post-series TV movies: "Alien Nation: Dark Horizon" (1994), "Alien Nation: Body and Soul" (1995), "Alien Nation: Millennium" (1996), "Alien Nation: The Enemy Within" (1996) and "Alien Nation: The Udara Legacy" (1997); $49.98 from Fox ... "The Ambassador: Series Two" (1998) is a three-disc set with seven episodes of the U.K. series about the female ambassador to Ireland who diplomatically solves problems ranging from territorial disputes and kidnapping to cults, sabotage and murder, from BFS Entertainment ... "American Dad Volume Three," a three-disc set with 18 episodes from Season Two and Three, $39.98 from Fox ... "Clive Cussler's The Sea Hunters, Set 2" includes six episodes of the underwater documentary series, including "The Search for Andrea Gail" (the boat immortalized in "The Perfect Storm"), "Catherine the Great's Treasure Ship," "The Search for the SS Alabama" (a Confederate vessel sunk during the Civil War); more. $39.99 from Acorn Media ... "College Hill: Interns" (2007), a two-disc set of the BET realty-TV show, $19.99 from Paramount ... "Melrose Place: The Fourth Season" (1995-96), a nine-disc set with 32 episodes, $61.99 from Paramount ... The 2007 U.K. version of "A Room With a View," starring Elaine Cassidy, Laurence Fox and Rafe Spall, from WGBH Boston Video ... "A Shot at Love With Tila Tequila," a three-disc set with 11 uncensored episodes, $39.99 from Paramount. (Posted April 14)

Buzzin' the 'B's:
Based on the popular "Dungeon Siege" video game series "In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale" (2008) follows a hardworking family man who becomes a reluctant warrior after an evil sorcerer sends an army of murderous beasts to ransack his peaceful village and capture his wife. Stars Jason Statham, Leelee Sobieski, John Rhys-Davies, Ray Liotta, Matthew Lillard, Burt Reynolds, Will Sanderson, Ron Perlman, Claire Forlani, Brian J. White, Kristanna Loken and Gabrielle Rose, from Fox ... In the thriller "Border Lost" (2008), starring Chris Cleveland, Kelly Noonan, Emilio Roso, David Schultz and Marian Zapico, three U.S. border agents decide to take the law into their own hands, from Allumination FilmWorks ... "Inside" (2007) is an ultra-violent, horrifying French thriller about a pregnant woman terrorized by a raging psychopath, from The Weinstein Company/Genius Products ... In "Loch Ness Terror" (2007), the residents of Lake Superior are falling prey to a Loch Ness monster, from Sony ... In "Impulse" (2008), starring Angus Macfadyen and Willa Ford, a beautiful ad executive believes she has finally managed to unleash her husband's wild side in bed -- only to discover that her erotic game of role-playing leads to a dangerous game of seduction, from Sony. (Posted April 14)

On the Indie Front:
"The Pied Piper of Hutzovina" (2008) In the summer of 2004, on a car journey in Eastern Europe, Pavla Fleischer met and fell in love with Eugene Hutz, lead singer of the New York-based Gypsy Punk band Gogol Bordello; this film is her documentary that follows Eugene and Pavla on their subsequent road trip through Eugene's' home country, Ukraine; $19.95 from Arts Alliance America ... "The Final Season" (2005), starring Sean Astin, Powers Boothe, Rachael Leigh Cook, Tom Arnold and Michael Angarano, follows a small-town high school team from Norway, Iowa (population 586) that lives and breathes American's favorite pastime -- baseball -- and has won 19 State Championships ... until a series of unexpected blows threaten to rob them of their 20th championship win. Based on a true story; from Fox ... A frustrated and underappreciated actor who still lives with his mother overeats to deal with his problems in "I Want Someone to Eat Cheese With" (2006), starring Jeff Garlin, Sarah Silverman, Amy Sedaris, Gina Gershon, Bonnie Hunt, Dan Castellaneta and Richard Kind, from Genius Products. (Posted April 14)

For the Family:
"Classical Baby: (I'm Grown Up Now): The Poetry Show" features the hallmark animation of HBO Family's Peabody and Emmy Award-winning "Classical Baby" franchise. This edition presents the diaper-clad "conductor" now as a young boy reading lines from timeless treasures from the world of poetry, including classics by William Shakespeare, Robert Louis Stevenson, Robert Frost, Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Langston Hughes; $9.97 from HBO Video ... "SpongeBob SquarePants: Pest of The West" includes seven SpongeBob episodes, $16.99 from (Nickelodeon/Paramount). (Posted April 14)

Special Interest:
"A Global Warning?" is a History Channel documentary that surveys the frontline of scientific research and climatic impact to look at global warming; $24.95 from A&E Home Video ... "How the Earth Was Made" is a History Channel documentary that reveals the entire 4.5 billion-year journey of our planet, $24.95 from A&E Home Video ... "The Canine Conspiracy/The Cat Connection" is a pair of Discovery Channel documentaries on the origin of domestic dogs and cats; $9.98 from Warner ... "Diana: Queen of Hearts" (1998) is a documentary that celebrates Princess Diana's life and legacy while avoiding scandal and gossip; $9.95 from Genius Products ... In "War/Dance" (2007), three children living in a displacement camp in northern Uganda compete in their country's national music and dance festival; the film was an Academy Award nominee for Best Documentary Feature; from ThinkFilm. (Posted April 14)

DVD Collectibles:
A second studio has weighed in with a tribute to Bette Davis, honoring the 100th birthday of Hollywood's first lady of film with "The Bette Davis Collection," a six-disc set with five films from Davis' Fox years. The collection sells for $49.98; each title is available individually for $19.98.

"All About Eve" (1950) Dir.: Joseph L. Mankiewicz; Bette Davis, Ann Baxter, George Sanders, Gary Merrill, Hugh Marlowe, Celeste Holm, Thelma Ritter, Marilyn Monroe. Two-disc set. Extras: Commentary by writer-director Joseph L. Mankiewicz, Celeste Holm, biographer Ken Geist and Christopher Mankiewicz; commentary by author Sam Staggs; isolated track score; "Directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz" featurette; "Joseph L. Mankiewicz: A Personal Journey" featurette; "The Real Eve" featurette; "The Secret of Sarah Siddons" featurette; "AMC Backstory: All About Eve" featurette; Bette Davis promotion; Ann Baxter promotion; "MovieTone News: 1951 Academy Awards Honor Best Film Achievements, 1951 Hollywood Attends Gala Premiere of 'All About Eve';" restoration comparison; theatrical trailer; theatrical pressbook gallery; advertising gallery; still gallery.

"Phone Call From a Stranger" (1952) Dir.: Jean Negulesco; Bette Davis, Gary Merrill, Michael Rennie, Keenan Wynn, Shelly Winters, Beatrice Straight. Extras: Restoration comparison, theatrical teaser. theatrical trailer, interactive pressbook gallery, poster gallery, lobby card gallery, still gallery.

"The Virgin Queen" (1955) Bette Davis, Richard Todd, Joan Collins, Herbert Marshall, Dan O'Herlihy. Extras: "Virgin Territory : The Making of the Virgin Queen" featurette, restoration comparison, theatrical trailer, TV spots, interactive pressbook gallery, poster gallery, lobby card gallery, still gallery.

"Hush Hush Sweet Charlotte" (1964) Dir.: Robert Aldrich; Bette Davis, Olivia de Havilland, Joseph Cotton, Agnes Moorehead, Cecil Kellaway, Victor Buono, Mary Astor, William Campbell, Bruce Dern. Extras: "Hush . . . Hush, Sweet Joan: The Making of Charlotte" featurette, "Bruce Dern Remembers" featurette, "Wizard Work" vintage featurette narrated by Joseph Cotton, theatrical trailer, interactive pressbook gallery, poster gallery, lobby card gallery, still gallery.

"The Nanny" (1965) Bette Davis, Wendy Craig, Jill Bennett, William Dix. Extras: Interactive Pressbook Gallery, Poster Gallery, Lobby Card Gallery, Still Gallery. (Posted April 7)
Also due this week: "Classic Musicals From the Dream Factory Volume 3," a nine-disc set with "Hit the Deck" (1955), "Deep In My Heart" (1954), "Kismet" (1955), a Jane Powell two-disc set "Nancy Goes to Rio" (1950) and "Two Weeks With Love" (1950), "Broadway Melody of 1936/Broadway Melody of 1938" two-disc set, and an Eleanor Powell two-disc set "Born to Dance" (1936) and "Lady Be Good" (1941); $69.92. The three single-discs are available separately at $19.97; the three two-disc sets sell for $24.98 each; from Warner ... and a 20th anniversary edition of "The Adventures of Baron Munchausen" (1988), directed by Terry Gilliam and starring John Neville, Sarah Polley, Eric Idle, Oliver Reed, Uma Thurma and Charles McKeown. Extras include commentary by Gilliam and co-writer/actor Charles McKeown; "The Madness and Misadventures of Munchausen," an all-new three-part documentary on the making of the film; storyboard sequences; deleted scenes. The film is also available on Blu-ray Disc; from Sony. (Posted April 7)
From TV to Video:
Due this week: "Fortysomething," a two-disc set with six episodes of the hit British comedy starring Hugh Laurie as a middle-aged doctor confronting mid-life crises, a philandering wife and three oversexed sons who mock him; $39.99 from Acorn Media ... "Hell's Kitchen Season 1," a three-disc set with 11 episodes of the cooking series in which 12 aspiring chefs endure a grueling culinary boot camp, $26.99 from Visual Entertainment Inc. ... "The Last Detective, Series 4," a two-disc set with five episodes of the British mystery series about everyman detective Dangerous Davies, $39.99 from Acorn Media ... "Matlock: Season One." a seven-disc set with 25 episodes, $30.00 from Paramount ... "Perry Mason 50th Anniversary Edition," a four-disc set with 12 exceptional episodes of the classic TV series starring Raymond Burr, Barbara Hale, William Hopper; the fourth disc contains bonus features; $39.99 from Paramount ... "Sense and Sensibility" (2007), a two-disc set of the BBC version of the Jane Austen classic, starring David Morressey, Janet McTeer, Dominic Cooper and Dan Stevens, from Warner ... "Random Passage" (2002), a two-disc set of the award-winning Canadian miniseries about a courageous woman's journey from servitude in England to the harsh life of Outport Newfoundland in the 1800s, starring Colm Meaney and Aoife McMahon, from BFS Entertainment ... "Rock of Love -- The Complete First Season," a three-disc set with 13 episodes of the sleazy no-holds-barred competition to find a female companion for Poison's Bret Michaels, $34.97 from Anchor Bay ... "Three Sheets: Season Two," a two-disc set with 10 episodes of MOJO HD channel's top-rated cult drinking hit in which comedian Zane Lamprey spans the globe seeking out the world's best watering holes, most unique international cocktails and craziest locals, $24.98 from Infinity Entertainment. (Posted April 7)
Buzzin' the 'B's:
A young woman is held hostage and terrorized by a psychopath on the P2 parking level of her office building on Christmas eve in "P2" (2007), starring Grace Lynn Kung, Rachel Nichols, Simon Reynolds and Wes Bentley, from Summit Entertainment ... "Cruel World" (2005) stars Edward Furlong and Jamie Pressly in a horror-thriller about a jilted suitor out to get revenge after being humiliated on reality TV by the show's beautiful star, from Echo Bridge Home Entertainment ... In "Reservation Road" (2007), starring Joaquin Phoenix, Mark Ruffalo, Jennifer Connelly, Mira Sorvino and Elle Fanning, two families become intertwined -- and face revenge -- when the father from one kills the son of the other in a hit-and-run, from Universal ... When a beautiful lawyer from Chicago travels alone to Tijuana in search of her missing sister, she ends up on a mind-bending journey as she attempts to unravel the truth, in "Between" (2005), starring Poppy Montgomery, Adam Kaufman, Jose Yenque and Danny Pino, from Porchlight Home Entertainment ... A broken-down healer discovers that a wizard has broken the Code and is using his power for evil in "Magus" (2008), starring Ron Fitzgerald, Bill Steele, Lizzy Strain, Eva Derrek and Julie Strain, from MTI Home Video. (Posted April 7)
On the Indie Front:
In "Partition" (2007), amidst the chaos and bloodshed unleashed when India and Pakistan are split into separate states in 1947, Sikh and former soldier Gian risks everything to save Naseem, a young Muslim woman, from a violent mob. When they fall in love, religious zealots try to tear them apart. Stars Jimi Mistry, Kristin Kreuk, Neve Campbell, John Light and Madhur Jaffrey, from Allumination FilmWorks ... "Thank Heaven" (2001) stars Jenny McCarthy, Matt Keeslar and Kadeem Harrison in a comedy about a couple deeply in love who make each other miserable until the man finds God on the golf course, from Echo Bridge Home Entertainment ... In "Silver Man" (2000), a street performer fights a pathological man for his girlfriend's love, starring Eugene Levy, Joe Pantoliano and Daniel Baldwin, from Echo Bridge Home Entertainment. (Posted April 7)
Foreign:
In Spanish director Luis Mandoki's "Innocent Voices" (2004), starring Carlos Padilla, Leonor Varela and Xuna Primus, a young boy, in an effort to have a normal childhood in 1980's El Salvador, is caught up in a dramatic fight for his life as he desperately tries to avoid the war raging all around him, from Warner. (Posted April 7)
For the Family:
"Travel With Kids: New York" is the latest in the series that takes families on vacation trips to exciting locales; a resource for preparing for a family vacation by introducing children to local customs, food, and breath-taking scenery prior to departure or researching a school report. This outing explores New York City, featuring money-saving tips, topical pop-up facts, advice for traveling with children and fun segments filled with all things great about the city that never sleeps; $14.98 from Porchlight Home Entertainment ... "Meerkat Manor" is a two-disc set with all 13 episodes of the Animal Planet series that uses state-of-the-art camera technology above and below the ground to track a group of meerkats 24 hours a day; $24.95 from Genius Products ... "Ben 10: Race Against Time" (2005) is a feature-length Cartoon Network film based on the live-action series starring 10-year old Ben Tennyson and his arsenal of aliens; $14.97 from Warner. (Posted April 7)
Special Interest:
"East LA Marine: The Guy Gabaldon Story" (2006)is the untold true story of Guy Gabaldon, the Hispanic Marine who accomplished the impossible by single-handedly capturing 1,500 Japanese prisoners in the Pacific Theater during World War II. The 1960 film "Hell To Eternity" told Gabaldon's story, but he was portrayed by blue-eyed all-American Jeffrey Hunter. This documentary sets the story straight; $19.95 from Arts Alliance America ... "The 11th Hour" (2007) is the Leonardo DiCaprio produced and narrated documentary that takes a look at the state of the global environment, including visionary and practical solutions for restoring the planet's ecosystems. The environmentally friendly DVD packaging is produced with 100% certified renewable resources, and a portion of the profits will be donated to Global Green. $5.00 from Warner ... "Tilt: The Battle to Save Pinball" (2006) is a fascinating documentary about the death of pinball machines, in particular the story of the designers at Williams Electronic Games in 1998, who have to come up with something new or see the world's largest pinball manufacturer shut down forever. A two-disc set with a host of bonus features; $29.95 from C3 Images ... "Fog City Mavericks: The Filmmakers of San Francisco" (2007) is a Starz documentary that looks at the San Francisco Bay Area's unique artistic film community, featuring interviews with George Lucas, Francis Ford Coppola, Steven Spielberg, Clint Eastwood, Robin Williams, Saul Zaentz, John Lasseter, Matthew Robbins, Chris Columbus, Milos Forman, Anthony Minghella, Michael Douglas, Sofia Coppola, Steve Jobs and many, many more; $19.97 Anchor Bay ... "The Private Life of a Masterpiece" (2003) is a seven-disc set of the award-winning series that reveals the fascinating stories behind some of the most famous works of art, including "The Last Supper," "David," "Whistler's Mother," more; $99.98 from BBC Video/Warner ... "Sharkwater" (2006) is a documentary that debunks the stereotype that sharks are bloodthirsty, man-eating monsters, revealing the reality that sharks -- pillars in the evolution of the seas -- are being dangerously over fished and brutally slaughtered; $19.98 from Warner ... "Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry 6" (2007) is a two-disc set with six episodes of original material performed by contemporary poets and well-known music/comedy artists. Taped as always before a live audience at The Supper Club in NYC; from HBO Video. (Posted April 7)
DVD Collectibles:
Coming up on the centenary of Bette Davis (April 5, 1908), Warner Home Video will release "The Bette Davis Collection Volume 3," A six-disc set with:
- "In This Our Life" (1942) Dir.: John Huston; Bette Davis, Olivia de Havilland, Walter Huston. Extras: Commentary by film historian Jeannine Basinger; "Warner Night at the Movies 1942" short subjects gallery: vintage newsreel, patriotic short "March On, America!" musical short "Spanish Fiesta"; classic cartoon "Who's Who in the Zoo."
- "The Old Maid" (1939) Bette Davis, Miriam Hopkins. Extras: Warner Night at the Movies 1939 short subjects gallery: Vintage newsreel, historical short "Lincoln in the White House," Howard Hill sports short "Sword Fishing"; classic cartoons "The Film Fan" and "Kristopher Kolumbus."
- "All This, and Heaven Too" (1940) Bette Davis, Charles Boyer, Barbara O'Neil. Extras: Commentary by "The Women of Warner Bros." author Daniel Bubbeo; Warner Night at the Movies 1940 short subjects gallery: vintage newsreel, patriotic short "Meet the Fleet," classic cartoons "Hollywood Daffy" and "Porky's Last Stand"; audio-only bonus: radio show adaptation with the film's stars.
- "The Great Lie" (1941) Mary Astor, Bette Davis, George Brent. Extras: Warner Night at the Movies 1941 Short Subjects Gallery: vintage newsreel, "Broadway Brevities" short "At the Stroke of Twelve," Sports Parade short "Kings of the Turf," Hollywood Novelty short "Polo With the Stars," classic cartoon "Porky's Pooch."
- "Deception" (1946) Bette Davis, Paul Henreid, Claude Rains. Extras: Commentary by film historian Foster Hirsch; Warner Night at the Movies 1946 short subjects gallery: vintage newsreel, Sports Parade short "Facing Your Danger," Specials Short "Movieland Magic," classic cartoon "Mouse Menace."
- "Watch on the Rhine" (1943) Paul Lukas, Bette Davis, George Colouris. Extras: Career profile "Bette Davis: A Basically Benevolent Volcano"; commentary by film historian Bernard F. Dick; Warner Night at the Movies 1943 short subjects gallery: patriotic short "March On, America!; musical short Ozzie Nelson and His Orchestra, classic cartoon "The Wise Quacking Duck."
(Posted April 1)
Also this week Fox Lorber will release "Three films by the Taviani brothers":
- "The Night of the Shooting Stars" (1982 -- Italy) Dir.: Vittorio and Paolo Taviani. Acclaimed drama about a woman who tells her child about "The Night of Shooting Stars" (when dreams come true) in 1944 when the residents of her small town defied their Nazi occupiers.
- "Kaos" (1984 -- Italy) Dir.: Vittorio and Paolo Taviani. Five tales adapted from the short stories by the great Italian playwright Luigi Pirandello.
- "Fiorile" (1993 -- Italy) Dir.: Vittorio and Paolo Taviani. On a long drive to visit their grandfather, two children are told the story of a family curse that has lasted 200 years. $26.98 each.
(Posted April 1)
From TV to Video:
Due this week: "Becker: The First Season," a three-disc set with 22 episodes, $39.99 from Paramount ... "Country Matters" (2005), a four-disc set with eight episodes of the lavish British series starring Ian McKellan, Peter Firth, Joss Ackland and Pauline Collins, set in the English countryside just after WWI; $34.98 from Koch Vision ... "The Cutting Edge: Chasing the Dream" (2008), the second sequel to 1992's ice skating romance, starring Matt Lanter, Francia Raisa, Ben Hollingsworth, Alycia Purrott and Christy Carlson Romano, from MGM ... "Doctor Who: The Time Warrior" (2005), with digitally remastered Dr. Who classics "The Time Warrior," "Timelash" and "Planet of Evil," $24.98 from Warner ... "Gene Simmons Family Jewels: The Best of Seasons 1 & 2" Eight episodes, $12.95 from A&E Home Video ... "John From Cincinnati: The Complete First Season," a three-disc set with 10 episodes, $59.99 from HBO Video ... "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit: The Sixth Year," a five-disc set with 23 episodes, $59.98 from Universal ... "Martin: The Complete Fourth Season," a four-disc set with 27 episodes, $29.98 from HBO Video ... "Murder She Wrote: The Complete Eighth Season," a five-disc set with 22 episodes, $49.98 from Universal ... "That '70s Show Season Eight," a four-disc set of the last season's 22 episodes, $49.98 from Fox ... "The Tomorrow Show With Tom Snyder: John, Paul, Tom, Ringo," a two-disc set of Tomorrow Show interviews by Tom Snyder: John Lennon Tribute aired 12/9/80 (one day after his murder); Paul McCartney interview, original air date 12/20/79 (with Linda McCartney and other Wings members); Ringo Starr interview, original air date 11/25/81 (with additional guests actress (and Ringo's wife) Barbra Bach, Angie Dickinson. $24.99 from Shout! Factory. (Posted April 1)
Buzzin' the 'B's:
In "The Cook" (2008), a handful of girls stay behind at the Lambda Epsilon Zeta sorority house during a long holiday weekend for three days of partying, sex games and strangely delicious meals prepared by the weird new chef; but as the sisters begin to disappear one-by-one, the remaining coeds begin to suspect that they're scheduled to be next on the menu; from Anchor Bay ... In "Fear House" (2008), friends of a missing best-selling author discover she's living like a frightened animal in an old dilapidated house as she struggles to finish her next novel -- but when they attempt to get her out, they learn that anyone who tries to leave the house is killed by their innermost fear; from LifeSize Entertainment ... look for two sequels this week: "Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II" (1987), starring Michael Ironside, Wendy Lyon, Justin Louis and Lisa Schrage, timed to the theatrical release of the remake of "Prom Night" in early April, from MGM; and "The Return of the Swamp Thing" (1989), starring Louis Jourdan, Heather Locklear, Sarah Douglas and Dick Durock, from Warner. (Posted April 1)
On the Indie Front:
The "Music Within" (2007) , starring Ron Livingston, Melissa George and Michael Sheen, is the true story of Richard Pimentel, a man on a quest to find the "music within" after losing his hearing to a bomb blast during combat in Vietnam; from MGM ... The New York-set comedy "The Good Night" (2007) features Martin Freeman as a washed-up pop star who writes ad jingles and suffers a midlife crisis. Penelope Cruz plays the object of his romantic interests and Danny DeVito plays a dream doctor who tries to get the troubled man back on track. Also stars Gwyneth Paltrow, Simon Pegg, and Michael Gambon; from Sony. (Posted April 1)
For the Family:
"Animal Planet: Growing up Wildcats" (2005) follows newborn cubs as they find their way through the joys, adventures, discoveries and challenges of their first days with the help of some professional caregivers in four themed episodes form the Animal Planet series: "Growing Up Lion," "Growing Up Tiger," "Growing Up Cheetah" and "Growing Up Black Leopard"; $14.95 from Genius Products ... Paramount has two Chipmunk adventures this week: "Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipmunk Adventure Special Edition" (1987), the Chipmunk's first full-length motion picture; and "Alvin and the Chipmunks Go to the Movies: Funny, We Shrunk the Adults" (1990), in which the Chipmunks spoof three of Hollywood's biggest comedies: "Back to Our Future," "Bigger" and "Funny, We Shrunk the Adults." (Posted April 1)

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