OnVideo Guide to Home Video Releases: DVDs

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Links to DVD news, information and sales sites.

Catalogs of DVDs released 1999 -- 2003

DVD Releases
December releases
December 7
December 14
December 21
December 28
July 2004
August 2004
September 2004
October 2004
November 2004
January 2005
February 2005
March 2005

All listings are based on information from the home video studios. Some release dates may change and titles may come out after a specified date (with no announcement from the studio). Additionally, some titles may be released with little or no advance announcement. And since all DVDs are priced at sell-through and are available for substantial discounts at both online and brick-and-mortar stores, we only list suggested retail prices for some special editions, box sets and collections.


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December 7

The Blue Collar Comedy Tour Rides Again (2004) Live with Jeff Foxworthy, Larry the Cable Guy, Bill Engval and Ron White. (Paramount).
The Bourne Supremacy (2004) Matt Damon, Franka Potente, Brian Cox, Julia Stiles, Karl Urban, Gabriel Mann, Joan Allen. Extras: Deleted scenes, "Crash Cam: Racing Through the Streets of Moscow" featurette, "Bourne to Be Wild: Fight Training" featurette, "Blowing Things Up" featurette, "The Go-Mobile Revs Up the Action" featurette, "Anatomy of a Scene: The Explosive Bridge Chase Scene" featurette, "Matching Identities: Casting" featurette, "Keeping It Real" featurette, "On the Move With Jason Bourne" location featurette. (Universal).
The Buster Keaton Collection Two-disc set with three Keaton films: The silents "The Cameraman" (1928) and "Spite Marriage" (1929) and Keaton's first talkie, "Free and Easy" (1930), $23.98. Extras: Kevin Brownlow's all-new documentary "So Funny It Hurt: Buster Keaton and MGM" (produced especially for this DVD release); photo montages from the two silent films; "Cameraman" commentary by Glenn Mitchell, author of "A-Z of Silent Film Comedy: An Illustrated Companion"; "Spite Marriage" commentary by John Bengston, author of "Silent Echoes: Discovering Early Hollywood Through the Films of Buster Keaton," and Jeffrey Vance, author of "Buster Keaton Remembered." (Warner).
Carnivale: The Complete First Season $99.98 Extras: Commentaries by series creator Daniel Knauf, executive producer Howard Klein, others; behind-the-scenes featurette; Museum of Radio & TV panel with cast, creators and crew; episodic previews and recaps. (HBO Video).
Crusade: The Complete Series Four-disc set with 13 episodes of the "Babylon 5" spinoff, $59.98. Extras: Commentaries, "The Making of Crusade" featurette, "Forging Excalibur" featurette on the show's spaceship. (Warner).
Daddy's Dyin' ... Who's Got the Will? (1990) Beau Bridges, Beverly D'Angelo, Keith Carradine, Tess Harper. (MGM).
Distant Thunder (1988) John Lithgow, Ralph Macchio. (Paramount).
DodgeBall: A True Underdog Story (2004) Vince Vaughn, Christine Taylor, Ben Stiller, Rip Torn. Extras: Commentary by director Rawson Marshall Thurber, "DodgeballBoot Camp: Training for Dodgeball" featurette, "The Anatomy of a Hit" featurette, alternate ending, bloopers/gag reel, seven deleted/extended scenes, six Easter eggs, more. (Fox).
The Flintstones: The Complete Second Season Four-disc set with 32 episodes, $44.98. Extras: Commentary, "Carved in Stone: The Flintstones Phenomenon" retrospective featurette, "And Now a Word From Our Sponsor" sponsor interstitials featurette, "Songs of the Flintstones," "How to Draw Fred Flintstone," Flintstone art. (Warner).
George Stevens Centennial Classics Seven discs celebrating the 100th anniversary of the birth of the great director. New to DVD are "Gunga Din," "I Remember Mama," "George Stevens: D-Day to Berlin" and "George Stevens: A Filmmaker's Journey," $19.97 each (see separate listings this week); Warner will also re-release "Alice Adams" and "Woman of the Year" at $19.97 each and the "Giant Special Edition" two-disc set for $26.99. (Warner).
George Stevens: D-Day to Berlin (1994) Documentary on George Stevens' World War II combat photo unit, which includes remarkable color footage of the war in Europe. (Warner).
George Stevens: A Filmmaker's Journey (1985) Documentary on the career of George Stevens, mastered in Hi-Definition. (Warner).
Gilmore Girls: The Complete Second Season Six-disc set with 22 episodes, $59.98. Extras: Unaired scenes, "Who Wants to Argue" montage of the season's best yelling matches, "Gilmore Goodies and Gossip" onscreen factoids in the "A-Tisket, A-Tasket" episode, "International Success" featurette, more. (Warner).
The Girl From Paris (2001 -- French) Michel Serrault, Mathilde Seigner. (Koch Lorber Films).
Gunga Din (1939) Dir.: George Stevens; Cary Grant, Victor McLaglen, Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Sam Jaffe. Extras: Commentary by historian Rudy Behlmer, "On Location With Gunga Din" making-of documentary, original and re-issue trailers, vintage Porky Pig Looney Tunes cartoon "The Film Fan." (Warner).
Hell's Angels (1930) Dir.: Howard Hughes; Jean Harlow, Ben Lyon, James Hall, John Darrow. (Universal).
Hi, Mom! (1970) Dir.: Brian De Palma; Robert De Niro, Jennifer Salt, Allen Garfield. (MGM).
The Hound of the Baskervilles (1978) Peter Cook, Dudley Moore, Denholm Elliott. (MGM).
How to Steal a Million (1966) Dir.: William Wyler; Audrey Hepburn, Peter O'Toole, Charles Boyer, Eli Wallach. Extras: Commentary by Wallach and Catherine Wyler, "Biography: Audrey Hepburn: The Fairest Lady." (Fox Studio Classics).
I Remember Mama (1948) Dir.: George Stevens; Irene Dunne, Barbara Bel Geddes, Oskar Homolka, Ellen Corby. Extras: New introduction by George Stevens Jr. (Warner).
Infernal Affairs (2002 -- Hong Kong) Tony Leung, Andy Lau, Anthony Wong, Eric Tsan. Extras: "The Making of Infernal Affairs," "Confidential File" behind-the-scenes featurette, alternate ending. (Miramax).
Jinxed (1982) Dir.: Don Siegel; Bette Midler, Ken Wahl, Rip Torn. (MGM).
Kim Possible: The Villain Files Four animated episodes from the Disney Channel series. (Disney).
The King of Kings (Special-Edition Double Disc Set) (1931) Dir.: Cecil B. De Mille; Ernest Torrence, H.B. Warner, Joseph Schildkraut.New, restored digital transfers of both versions: DeMille's 155-minute roadshow version and his subsequent 112- minute general release. Extras: New Dolby Digital 5.1 scores by composers Donald Sosin (1927 version) and Timothy J. Tikker (1931 version), plus the original score for the 1931 release by Hugo Riesenfeld; behind-the-scenes footage from the making of "The King of Kings"; cast portraits by photographer W.M. Mortensen; production and costume sketches by renowned artist Dan Sayre Groesbeck; stills gallery of rare production and publicity photos; original illustrated program and press book featuring photographs from the film's gala premiere at Grauman's Chinese Theatre and studio correspondence from DeMille; original theatrical trailers; booklet featuring a 1927 essay by DeMille, an excerpt from Robert S. Birchard's new book "Cecil B. DeMille's Hollywood," production notes, and a new essay by film critic Peter Matthews. (The Criterion Collection).
M (Special-Edition Double Disc Set) (1931) Dir.: Fritz Lang; Ellen Widmann, Peter Lorre. New, restored high-definition digital transfer. Extras: Commentary by German film scholar Eric Rentschler, author of "The Ministry of Illusion: Nazi Cinema and Its Afterlife," and Anton Kaes, author of the BFI Film Classics volume on "M"; conversation with Fritz Lang, an interview film by William Friedkin; Claude Chabrol's "M le Maudit," a short film inspired by "M"; classroom tapes of "M" editor Paul Falkenberg discussing the film and its history; interview with Harold Nebenzal, the son of "M" producer Seymour Nebenzal; a physical history of "M"; stills gallery, with behind-the-scenes photos, and production sketches by art director Emil Hasler; booklet featuring an essay by film critic Stanley Kauffmann, a 1963 interview with Lang, and the script for a missing scene. (The Criterion Collection).
Maria Full of Grace (2004 -- Columbia) Dir.: Joshua Marston; Catalina Sandino Moreno, Guilied Lopez, Bobby Plasencia, Patricia Rae, Orlando Tobon, Yenny Paola Vega. Extras: Commentary by writer-director Joshua Marston. (HBO Video).
M*A*S*H Television Season Seven Three-disc set with 26 episodes, $39.98. (Fox).
Out Cold (1989) Teri Garr, Randy Quaid, John Lithgow, Bruce McGill. (MGM).
The Phantom of the Opera (1989) Dir.: Dwight H. Little; Robert Englund, Jill Schoelen, Alex Hyde-White, Bill Nighy. (MGM).
Rodney Dangerfield -- The Ultimate No Respect Collection Three-disc set of the comedian's TV performances, $49.99. (R2 Entertainment).
A Show of Force (1990) Amy Irving, Andy Garcia, Lou Diamond Phillips, Robert Duvall. (Paramount).
Smooth Talk (1985) Laura Dern, Treat Williams, Mary Kay Place. (MGM).
Species III (2004) Sunny Mabrey, Robin Dunne, Amelia Cooke, J.P. Pitoc, Robert Knepper, guest appearance by Natasha Henstridge as "Eve." Second sequel airing on Sci Fi Channel. Rated and unrated editions. Extras: Commentary by director Brad Turner, writer Ben Ripley, and Dunne; "Alien Odyssey: Evolution" making-of featurette; "Alien Odyssey: Species DNA" production design featurette; "Alien Odyssey: Alien Technology" visual effects featurette; "Alien Odyssey: Intelligent Lifeforms" FX creature featurette; Easter egg; photo gallery. (MGM).
Star Trek: Voyager -- The Complete Sixth Season Seven-disc set with 26 episodes, under $100. Extras: Six featurettes: "Braving the Unknown: Season 6," "Voyager Time Capsule: Chakotay," "One Small Step: A Mars Encounter," "Guest Star Profile: Vaughn Armstrong," "Red Alert! Amazing Visual Effects," "Lost Transmissions From the Delta Quadrant." (Paramount).
Testament (1983) Jane Alexander, William Devane, Kevin Costner, Luka Haas, Rebecca DeMornay. Telefilm. Extras: "Testament at 20" and "Testament: Nuclear Thoughts" featurettes, "Timeline of the Nuclear Age." (Paramount).
That's So Raven: Supernaturally Stylish Four episodes from the Disney Channel series starring Raven Simone. (Disney).
Top Cat: The Complete Series Four-disc set, $44.98. Extras: Commentaries, storyboard showcase, retrospective featurette, sing-along, art collection. (Warner).
24 Season Three Seven-disc set with 24 episodes, $69.98. Extras: Commentary, special DVD-only prequel linking Seasons 3 and 4 together, branching deleted scenes, Season 4 promo, "24: On the Loose" making-of featurette, "Boys and Their Toys" making-of the final episode featurette, "Biothreat: Beyond the Series" featurette, multi-angle study. (Fox).
The Ultimate Matrix Collection Ten-disc set with all three "Matrix" films, with 35 hours of extras including 100 featurettes and documentaries, $79.92. "The Ultimate Matrix Collection Limited Edition" adds a limited-edition Neo mini-bust figurine and an 80-page CollectorOs Book, $129.92. Disc One: "The Matrix" in a new digital transfer supervised by the Wachowski Brothers and director of photography Bill Pope; two all-new commentaries with written introduction by the Wachowski Brothers, one by the critics -- Todd McCarthy, John Powers and David Thomson -- and one by the scholars -- Dr. Cornel West and Ken Wilber. Disc Two: "The Matrix Revisited" with 17 making-of featurettes, including "What is Bullet Time?" Disc Three: "The Matrix Reloaded" with two all-new commentaries with written introduction by the Wachowski Brothers, one by the critics -- Todd McCarthy, John Powers and David Thomson -- and one by the scholars -- Dr. Cornel West and Ken Wilber. Disc Four: "The Matrix Reloaded Revisited" with 21 featurettes plus 23 extra scenes shot for the "Enter the Matrix" console video game. Disc Five: "The Matrix Revolutions" with two all-new commentaries with written introduction by the Wachowski Brothers, one by the critics -- Todd McCarthy, John Powers and David Thomson -- and one by the scholars -- Dr. Cornel West and Ken Wilber. Disc Six: "The Matrix Revolutions Revisited" with 28 featurettes. Disc Seven: "The Animatrix," a fusion of CG- animation and Japanese anime with nine short films exploring the world of The Matrix, including commentaries, making-of documentaries, biographical profiles of the directors and animation producers, "Scrolls to Screen: The History and Culture of Anime" featurette. Disc Eight: "The Roots of the Matrix" with two insightful documentaries: "Return to Source: Philosophy & The Matrix" and "The Hard Problem: The Science Behind the Fiction." Disc Nine: "The Burly Man Chronicles" that profiles the "society" of craftspeople, actors and filmmakers who shaped the movie trilogy and the "Enter the Matrix" console game; 21 additional featurettes. Disc Ten: "The Zion Archive" showcases production assets developed for the universe of The Matrix, including concept artwork, storyboards, drawings, music videos, TV spots and trailers, plus a special preview of "The Matrix Online," a new multi-player online gaming experience. (Warner).
Walt Disney Treasures: The Mickey Mouse Club (Week One) Showcases one of the most famous television programs in the world: The first week's worth of hour-long shows that aired Monday to Friday on the ABC Television Network. Two-disc set in collectible tin, includes copious extras. $32.99. (Disney).
Walt Disney Treasures: Mickey Mouse in Black and White (Volume Two) Features 21 of Mickey's incredibly entertaining black and white shorts from 1928 through 1935. Two-disc set in collectible tin, includes copious extras. $32.99. (Disney).
Walt Disney Treasures: The Complete Pluto (Volume One) Collects 28 of the animated "Pluto" cartoon shorts into one collection. Two-disc set in collectible tin, includes copious extras. $32.99. (Disney).
Warriors of Heaven and Earth (2004 -- Chinese) Jiang Wen, Nakai Kiichi, Zhao Wei, Wang Xueqi. Extras: Making of "Warriors of Heaven and Earth" featurette, Music video: "Warriors of Peace" by Jolin Tsai. (Columbia TriStar).
Wild at Heart Special Edition (1990) Dir.: David Lynch; Nicolas Cage, Laura Dern, Willem Dafoe, Isabella Rossellini, Harry Dean Stanton, Crispin Glover, Diane Ladd. Extras: All-new interviews with Lynch, Cage, Dern, Dafoe, Ladd; "Love, Death, Elvis & Oz: The Making of Wild at Heart" documentary; "Specific Spontaneity: Focus on David Lynch" featurette with cast and crew; "David Lynch -- On the DVD" featurette on the transfer of the film to DVD; original Electronic Press Kit featurette on the film; image gallery, more. (MGM).
Wyclef Jean's All Star Jam at Carnegie Hall (Eagle Rock Entertainment).
Young Doctors in Love (1982) Dir.: Garry Marshall; Michael McKean, Sean Young, Harry Dean Stanton. (MGM).

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December 14

The Beverly Hillbillies (1993) Dir.: Penelope Spheeris; Dabney Coleman, Lily Tomlin, Cloris Leachman, Jim Varney, Lea Thompson, Rob Schneider. (Fox).
Collateral (2004) Dir.: Michael Mann; Tom Cruise, Jamie Foxx, Jada Pinkett Smith, Mark Ruffalo, Peter Berg, Bruce McGill. Two- disc set. Extras: "City of Night: The Making of Collateral" highlights footage specifically shot for the DVD, with segments on Cruise as he goes through weapons training, Foxx's preparation with cab drivers and his stunt driving practice, and Mann's use of state-of-the-art equipment that enabled him to capture a gritty view of nighttime Los Angeles; "Special Delivery" featurette shows Cruise donning a Federal Express uniform and striding through a busy marketplace in Los Angeles to hand deliver a package, all captured on hidden camera; more behind- the-scenes and never-before-seen footage. (DreamWorks).
Curse of the Komodo (2003) Tim Abell, Melissa Brasselle, William Langlois. (Fox).
The Door in the Floor (2004) Jeff Bridges, Kim Basinger, Elle Fanning, Jon Foster. Extras: Commentary by writer-director Tod Williams, others; "Frame on the Wall" behind-the-scenes featurette; "Novel to Screen" featurette with novelist John Irving; Sundance Channel "Anatomy of a Scene." (Universal).
Dragon Storm (2004) John Rhys-Davies, Tony Amendola, Iskra Angelova, Angel Boris. Telefilm. (Fox).
Epoch: Evolution (2003) David Keith, Bill Dee Williams. Sci-Fi Channel mini-series.
Everybody Loves Raymond: The Complete Second Season Five-disc set with 25 episodes, $44.98. Extras: Blooper reel, deleted scenes, commentaries. (HBO Video).
Family Guy: The Freakin' Sweet Collection Five of the best episodes from Seasons 2 and 3, $19.98. Extras: Commentary by creator Seth MacFarlane, inside look at Season 4, preview of MacFarlane's new series, "American Dad," more. (Fox).
Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids Five episodes from the TV series. (Urbanworks Entertainment).
Fat Albert's Greatest Hits -- The Ultimate Collection Four- disc set with 20 episodes, $49.99. (Urbanworks Entertainment).
Godzilla 3-Pack Three Godzilla films: "Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S." (2003), "Son of Godzilla" (1967) and "Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla" (1974); $72.95 the set or $24.96 each. (Columbia TriStar).
I, Robot (2004) Will Smith, Bridget Moynahan, Alan Tudyk, James Cromwell, Bruce Greenwood. Extras: Commentary by director Alex Proyas and screenwriter Akiva Goldsman, "The Making of I, Robot" featurette, photo gallery, more. (Fox).
Jack the Bear (1993) Danny DeVito, Reese Witherspoon, Gary Sinise, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Robert J. Steinmiller Jr. (Fox).
Kitchen Stories (2004 -- Swedish) Joachim Calmeyer, Tomas Norstrom, Bjorn Floberg, Reine Brynolfsson, Sverre Anker Ousdal, Leif Andree. (MGM).
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King Special Extended DVD Edition (2003) Dir.: Peter Jackson; Sean Astin, Cate Blanchett, Orlando Bloom, Ian Holm, Ian McKellen, Viggo Mortensen, John Rhys-Davies, Liv Tyler, Hugo Weaving, Elijah Wood; four-disc set for $29.95. Extras: Fifty minutes of new and extended scenes, new interviews with cast and crew, more. (New Line).
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King Collector's DVD Set (2003) Dir.: Peter Jackson; Sean Astin, Cate Blanchett, Orlando Bloom, Ian Holm, Ian McKellen, Viggo Mortensen, John Rhys-Davies, Liv Tyler, Hugo Weaving, Elijah Wood; five-disc set for $69.95, housed in a Minas Tirith polystone keepsake box. Extras: Includes all the Extended Edition bonus material plus a fifth disc with "Creating The Lord of the Rings Symphony" by Howard Shore. (New Line).
Man Trouble (1992) Dir.: Bob Rafelson; Jack Nicholson, Ellen Barkin, Harry Dean Stanton, Beverly D'Angelo. (Fox).
Mary Poppins 40th Anniversary Special Edition (1964) Julie Andrews, Dick Van Dyke, Glynis Johns, David Tomlinson. Two-disc set, restored. Extras: Commentary by cast and composer Richard Sherman, sing-alongs, trivia pop-up track, deleted song, featurettes, games and activities, movie magic, more. (Disney).
Meet the Parents Special Edition (2000) Ben Stiller, Robert De Niro. Extras: Commentary by director Jay Roach and editor Jon Poll, deleted scenes with commentary, 35 outtakes, "De Niro Unplugged" deleted scene of De Niro singing "Love Is in the Air" during the wedding, "Silly Cat Tricks" featurette, "The Truth About Lying" featurette about lie detectors, "Jay Roach: A Director's Profile" featurette. (Universal).
Newlyweds; Nick & Jessica -- The Complete First Season Two- disc set with 10 episodes, under $20. Extras: Extra footage, interviews, music videos, Nick and Jessica "moments." (Paramount).
Pact With the Devil (2001) Ethan Erickson, Malcolm McDowell, Victoria Sanchez, Ron Lea. (Fox).
Paris, Texas (1984) Dir.: Wim Wenders; Harry Dean Stanton, Dean Stockwell, Aurore Clement, Hunter Carson, Nastassja Kinski. (Fox).
Partners in Action (2002) Dir.: Sidney J. Furie; Armand Assante, Douglas Smith, Larry Day. (Fox).
The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement (2004) Dir.: Garry Marshall; Anne Hathaway, Julie Andrews, Heather Matarazzo, Hector Elizondo, Raven, Caroline Goodall, John Rhys-Davies, Callum Blue, Chris Pine. Extras: Commentary by Andrews and Marshall, bloopers, never-before-seen deleted scenes with Marshall's introductions; "Breakaway" music video by Kelly Clarkson; "The PD2 Makeover" with tips on how to transform into a princess; "Find Your Inner Princess" personality quiz; "Making a Return Engagement" behind- the-scenes look at the music in the movie hosted by Raven. (Buena Vista).
Quantum Leap -- The Complete Second Season Three-disc set, $59.98. (Universal).
Reba: The Complete First Season Three-disc set, $39.98. Extras: Commentary, bloopers, deleted scenes, featurettes. (Fox).
Rocky Anthology Six-disc set with all five "Rocky" films (with high-definition transfers, DTS sound) with a bonus disc featuring an A&E Biography, "Sylvester Stallone: The Rocky Road to the Top," $62.96. (MGM).
Star Trek the Original Series: The Complete Third Season Seven-disc set with 24 episodes packed in a cool plastic pod, priced around $100. Extras: Two versions of "The Cage," seven featurettes: "To Boldly Go ... Season Three," "Life Beyond Trek: Walter Koenig," "Chief Engineer's Log," "Memoir From Mr. Sulu," "Star Trek's Impact," "A Star Collector's Dream Come True" and "Red Shirt Logs." (Paramount).
This So Called Disaster (2004) Documentary. Sean Penn, Nick Nolte, Woody Harrelson. (MGM).
The Time of the Wolf (2003) Dir.: Michael Haneke; Isabelle Huppert. Beatrice Dalle, Patrice Chereau, Rona Hartner. (Palm Pictures).
Top Gun Special Collector's Edition (1986) Dir.: Tony Scott; Tom Cruise, Anthony Edwards, Val Kilmer, Kelly McGillis. Extras: Commentary by producer Jerry Bruckheimer, Scott, co-screenwriter Jack Epps Jr., Captain Mike Galpin, technical advisor Pete Pettigrew and Vice Admiral Mike McCabe; six-part "Danger Zone: The Making of Top Gun" documentary; four music videos; multi- angle storyboards; vintage Tom Crusie interview and behind-the- scenes featurettes. (Paramount).
We Don't Live Here Anymore (2004) Mark Ruffalo, Laura Dern, Peter Krause, Naomi Watts, Sam Charles, Haili Page, Jennifer Bishop. (Warner).
The Yakuza Papers (Battles Without Honor and Humanity) (1974) Six-disc boxed set, $99.95. Dir.: Kinji Fukasaku; Tatsuo Umemiya, Bunta Sugawara, Toshio Kurosawa, Reiko Ike, Seizo Fukumoto, Seizo Fukumoto, Akira Kobayashi, Goro Ibuki, Sonny Chiba, Meiko Kaji. The boxed set includes five episodes and a supplemental disc of extras; each episode is available separately for $19.95. Available for the first time in the U.S. on the 30th Anniversary of the original theatrical release. New digital transfers of each film, enhanced for 16:9 televisions. "The Yakuza Papers, Vol. 1: Battles Without Honor and Humanity," "The Yakuza Papers, Vol. 2: Deadly Fight in Hiroshima," "The Yakuza Papers, Vol. 3: Proxy War," "The Yakuza Papers, Vol. 4: Police Tactics," "The Yakuza Papers, Vol. 5: Final Episode." Extras: Special Features on each volume: Original theatrical trailer and director filmography. Supplemental disc extras: "Friedkin on Fukasaku": Director William Friedkin on Fukasaku and "The Yakuza Papers"; "Translating Fukasaku": An interview with subtitler Linda Hoaglund; "Kantoku: Remembering Fukasaku," a 20-minute group discussion; "Jitsuroku: Reinventing the Yakuza Genre," a 30-minute video essay featuring interviews with film scholars, friends, and family of Kinji Fukasaku; "Boryoku: Fukasaku and the Art of Violence," featuring interviews and rare archival footage; "Yakuza Papers Family Tree": A comprehensive story guide; 20+ page booklet featuring essays and articles. (Home Vision Entertainment).

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December 21

Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid (2004) Johnny Messner, Morris Chestnut, Eugene Byrd, KaDee Strickland, Nicholas Gonzalez, Karl Yune, Matthew Marsden. Extras: Deleted scenes, making-of featurettes. (Columbia TriStar).
Danny Deckchair (2004) Rhys Ifans, Mirando Otto, Justine Clarke, Rhys Muldoon. (Lions gate).
De-Lovely (2004) Dir.: Irwin Winkler; Kevin Kline, Ashley Judd, Jonathan Pryce, Kevin McNally, Alan Corduner, Sandra Nelson. Performances by Sheryl Crow, Diana Krall, Alanis Morissette, Natalie Cole, Robbie Williams and Elvis Costello. (MGM).
The 4400 Two-disc set, under $20. (Paramount).
Hester Street (1975) Dir.: Joan Micklin Silver; Carol Kane , Stephen Keats. New digital transfer enhanced for 16:9 televisions. In English and Yiddish with optional English subtitles. Extras: Commentary by director Joan Micklin Silver and producer Raphael Silver; interviews with Silver and Raphael Silver, Carol Kane and Doris Roberts; liner notes by Victoria Brownworth and Judith Redding, authors of "Film Fatales" (a book about independent women directors). (Home Vision Entertainment).
King Arthur (2004) Dir.: Antoine Fuqua; Clive Owen, Ioan Gruffudd, Mads Mikkelsen, Ray Winstone, Hugh Dancy, Keira Knightley, Stephen Dillane, Stellan Skarsgard, Til Schweiger. PG- 13 and unrated director's cut versions. Extras: "Blood on the Land: Forging King Arthur" making-of documentary, cast and filmmaker Roundtable discussion, alternate ending, "Knight Vision" pop-up trivia track, producer's photo gallery, "King Arthur" Xbox game demo; commentary by director Antoine Fuqua on unrated director's cut only. (Buena Vista).
The Manchurian Candidate (2004) Dir.: Jonathan Demme; Denzel Washington, Meryl Streep, Liev Schreiber, Jeffrey Wright, Kimberly Elise, Jon Voight, Ted Levine, Miguel Ferrer, Bruno Ganz. Extras: Commentary by Demme and screenplay co-writer Daniel Pyne; "The Enemy Within: Inside the Manchurian Candidate" featurette; "The Cast of the Manchurian Candidate" featurette; five deleted/extended scenes; two outtakes; Schreiber screen test; "Political Pundits." (Paramount).
Mikey & Nicky (1977) Dir.: Elaine May; John Cassavetes, Peter Falk, Ned Beatty. Extras: Interview with producer Michael Hausman ("Gangs of New York," "Man on the Moon," "The People vs. Larry Flynt"); interview with cinematographer Victor J. Kemper ("Dog Day Afternoon," "The Jerk"); behind-the-scenes documentary about the restoration of "Mikey & Nicky"; liner notes by Chicago Reader film critic Jonathan Rosenbaum; Michael Hausman and Victor J. Kemper discuss scenes from the film. (Home Vision Entertainment).
Napoleon Dynamite (2004) Jon Heder, Jon Gries, Aaron Ruell, Efren Ramirez, Diedrich Bader, Tina Majorini. Extras: Commentary by director/co-writer Jared Hess, actor John Heder and producer Jeremy Coon; "Wedding of the Century" epilogue; "Making of the Wedding of the Century" featurette; five deleted scenes; still gallery photos; MTV on-air promos. (Fox).
Shaun of the Dead (2004) Simon Pegg, Kate Ashfield, Nick Frost, Lucy Davis, Dylan Moran, Nicola Cunningham, Penelope Wilton. Extras: Commentary by the cast, including the zombies; "Missing Bits": outtakes and an all-new deleted scene not shown in theaters; "Raw Meat": casting tapes, Simon Pegg's video diary, Edgar & Simon's flip chart, special effects comparison and make- up tests; "T.V. Bits": Interview with the band Coldplay; "Story Gaps": Interviews with the actors on what happened to their characters, fun animated storyboards and voiceover by the talent; "Zombie Gallery": Photo gallery and theatrical poster designs. (Universal).
The Simpsons Complete Fifth Season Four-disc set with 22 episodes, $49.98. Extras: Introduction by Matt Groening, commentary, animation showcase, storyboards, animatic with illustrated commentary, deleted scenes, "A Look Back With James L. Brooks" featurette. (Fox).
Stander (2004) Thomas Jane, Ashley Taylor, David O'Hara, Dexter Fletcher. Extras: Commentary by director Bronwen Hughes, "Anatomy of a Scene" featurette, deleted scenes. (Columbia TriStar).
Star Trek: Voyager -- The Complete Seventh Season Seven-disc set with 24 episodes, under $100. Extras: Six featurettes: "Braving the Unknown: Season 7," "Voyager Time Capsule: The Doctor," "Coming Home: The Final Episode," "Real Science With Andre Bormanis," "The Making of Borg Invasion 4-D," "Lost Transmissions." (Paramount).
Surviving Christmas (2004) Ben Affleck, James Gandolfini, Christina Applegate, Catherine O'Hara. Extras: Alternate opening sequence, behind-the-scenes featurette, storyboard gallery. more. (DreamWorks).
Thunderbirds (2004) Dir.: Jonathan Frakes; Brady Corbet, Deborah Weston, Bill Paxton, Ben Kingsley, Soren Fulton, Vanessa Anne Hudgens. Extras: Commentary by Frakes, "Secrets of Tracy Island" featurette on the Thunderbirds' headquarters, "Lady Penelope's World" accessories and gadgets featurette, "The Ultimate Action Sequence" featurette, more. (Universal).
Two Brothers (2004) Dir.: Jean-Jacques Annaud; Guy Pearce, Jean-Claude Dreyfus, Freddie Highmore, Oanh Nguyen. Extras: Commentary by Annaud; Annaud's menu-based journal filled with the director's extraordinary filming experiences, "Call of the Wild" montage of tiger roars set to music; "Wild About Tigers" featurette on the exotic lands where tigers live; "Tiger Trainers" featurette; "Tiger Brothers" featurette about the many cubs it took to play the tiger brothers; "Tiger Tech" special effects featurette; "Tiger Cam"featurette on the special cameras and techniques that capture the tigers; location scouting and costume design featurette; story boards. (Universal).
The Young Black Stallion (2004) Dir.: Simon Wincer; Richard Romanus, Biana Tamimi. Extras: Viewers have the option to play the theatrical version of the film, or play the film with 20 minutes of never-before-seen programming that tells the backstory of the film; "Finding Biana" featurette on the worldwide talent search that led to finding the film's star; "Building the Casbah" production sets featurette; "Shooting in Namibia" location featurette; "Taming the Stallions" featurette; "A Story in Imax" featurette on the challenges of capturing the film in the unique film format; "Big Black Horse Read Along & Read to Me" feature. (Disney).

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December 28

Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004) Will Ferrell, Christina Applegate, Paul Rudd, Steve Carell, Fred Willard. Unrated and Uncut edition and theatrical edition. Extras: Unrated and Uncut: Commentary by writer-director Adam McKay and Ferrell, bloopers, deleted scenes, ESPN Sports Center Audition, "The Making of Anchorman" featurette, MTV Movie Awards, "Afternoon Delight" music video. Theatrical edition: "Making-of" featurette, bloopers, deleted scenes, "Afternoon Delight" music video. (DreamWorks).
The Ultimate Ron Burgundy Two-Pack (2004) Includes the "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy Unrated and Uncut" edition and a second disc with an all-new feature-length Burgundy adventure, "Wake Up Ron Burgundy," as well as a host of extras. (DreamWorks).
Battlestar Galactica: The Miniseries (2003) $27.98. (Universal).
Blind Fury (1990) Rutger Hauer, Terry O'Quinn, Nick Cassavetes. (Columbia TriStar).
Code 46 (2004) Dir.: Michael Winterbottom; Samantha Morton, Tim Robbins, Om Puri. Extras: "Obtaining Cover: Inside Code 46" featurette. (MGM).
Cyber Bandits (1995) Martin Kemp, Robert Hays, Alexandra Paul, Grace Jones, Adam Ant. (Columbia TriStar).
Fantastic Films of Ray Harryhausen: Legendary Monsters Five-disc set, $57.95. "Jason and the Argonauts" (1963), "The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad" (1958), "Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger" (1977), "The Golden Voyage of Sinbad" (1974), "The Three Worlds of Gulliver" (1960). (Columbia TriStar).
Garden State (2004) Dir.: Zach Braff; Zach Braff, Peter Sarsgaard, Natalie Portman, Ron Leibman, Ian Holm, Method Man. Extras: Commentary by Braff and Portman, making-of featurette, 16 deleted scenes, outtakes and bloopers. (Fox).
Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence (2004) After nine years, acclaimed writer-director Mamoru Oshii follows up his cult anime hit "Ghost in the Shell" with this long-awaited sequel. (DreamWorks).
The Intended (2004) Dir.: Kristian Levring; Janet McTeer, Olympia Dukakis, Brenda Fricker, Tony Maudsley. Extras: Cast and crew interviews. (New Video).
Intimate Strangers (2004 -- France) Dir.: Patrice Leconte; Sandrine Bonnaire, Fabrice Luchini, Michel Duchaussoy, Anne Brochet, Gilbert Melki, Laurent Gamelon. (Paramount).
John Le Carre's A Murder of Quality (1991) British TV adaptation of the Le Carre novel, starring Denholm Elliott, Glenda Jackson, Christian Bale. (A&E Home Video).
King of the Hill Season Three Three-disc set with 24 episodes, $39.98. (Fox)
Omega Doom (1997) Rutger Hauer, Shannon Whirry. (Columbia TriStar).
Open Water (2004) Blanchard Ryan, Daniel Travis,Saul Stein, Estelle Lau, Michael E. Williamson, Cristina Zenarro, John Charles. (Lions Gate).
Resident Evil: Apocalypse (2004) Milla Jovovich, Sienna Guillory, Oded Fehr, Sandrine Holt, Mike Epps, Jared Harris. Two-disc set. Extras: Commentary by director Alexander Witt, producer Jeremy Bolt and executive producer Robert Kulzer; cast commentary by Jovovich, Fehr, and Guillory; writer and producer commentary by writer/producer Paul W.S. Anderson and producer Jeremy Bolt; 20 deleted scenes; cast outtakes; "Game Over: Resident Evil Reanimated"; six-part making-of featurette; "Apocalypse Corporate Malfeasance" featurette on the real world similarities to the Umbrella Corporation; "Game Babes" featurette on the emergence of female action stars in film; "Symphony of Evil" special effects featurette; poster gallery from the film's online poster design contest. (Columbia TriStar).
Rumpole of the Bailey, Set 1 Four-disc set with all 12 episodes from Seasons 1 and 2, $69.95. (A&E Home Video).
Rumpole of the Bailey, Set 2 Four-disc set with all 12 episodes from Seasons 3 and 4, $69.95. Extras: Interviews, more. (A&E Home Video).
Sapphire and Steel: The Complete Series (1979-1982) Six-disc set of the British precursor to "The X-Files," starring Joanna Lumley and David McCallum, $99.95. Extras: Commentary, photo gallery, more. (A&E Home Video).
Sex and the City: Season Six, Part Two Three-disc set with the final eight, uncut episodes, $49.99.Extras: Three alternate endings to the final episode, two 30-minute farewell tributes including bloopers and outtakes, deleted scenes, commentaries, more. (HBO Video).
A Short Film About John Bolton (2003) Mocumentary on artist John Bolton by Neil Gaiman. Extras: Commentary by Gaiman and actor Marcus Brigstocke; feature-length documentary on Neil Gaiman: "Live From the Aladdin"; "The Making of John Bolton" interview with Neil Gaiman; John Bolton photo gallery; Neil Gaiman audio recording: "Drawn in Darkness; Neil Gaiman biography; 10-minute interview with Gaiman, appropriately named "A Short Film About a Short Film About John Bolton." (Docurama).
The Twilight Samurai (2002 -- Japan) Dir.: Yogi Yamada; Horoyuki Sanada, Rie Miyazawa. Extras: Interbiew with Yamada and Sanada. (Empire Pictures).
Venus Rising (1995) Jessica Alba, Joel Grey, Morgan Fairchild, Meredith Salenger. (Columbia TriStar).
Wicker Park (2002) Josh Hartnett, Rose Byrne, Matthew Lillard, Diane Krueger. Extras: Commentary by director Paul McGuigan, Hartnett, deleted scenes, blooper reel, behind-the-scenes photo gallery, music video. (MGM).
Wimbledon (2004) Kirsten Dunst, Paul Bettany, James McAvoy, Jon Favreau, Austin Nichols, Sam Neill, Bernard Hill. Extras: Commentary by director Richard Loncraine and Bettany; "A Look Inside" interviews with cast, director and legendary tennis figures; "Welcome to the Club" featurette on the All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club" location; "Ball Control" behind-the-scenes featurette; "Coach a Rising Star" tennis coaching and training featurette. (Universal).


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All DVDs are screened on a reference system consisting of a Oppo BDP-83 Blu-ray Disc Player w/SACD & DVD-Audio, a Rotel RSX-972 Surround Sound Receiver, and Phase Technology 1.1 (front), 33.1 (center), and 50 (rear) speakers and Power 10 subwoofer.


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November 29, 2004
(ISSN 1094-3676).