Alvin and the Chipmunks Special Edition
(2007) Jason Lee, David Cross, Cameron Richardson, Jane Lynch. Two-disc set. Also available as a Limited Edition Gift Set featuring the Special Edition DVD packaged with an exclusive "Alvin" Ty Beanie Baby Plush toy. Extras: Digital copy portable movie transfer, "Behind the Nuts" Munkumentary, "Get Munked" dance instructional featurette (hosted by Chipmunk choreographer Rosero McCoy), "Chipmunks Live on Tour!" featurette, "The Dudes Behind The Munks" featurette, "Chipmunk Funk Mixer" interactive feature, deleted scenes, "The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late)" music video, "Witch Doctor" music video. (Fox).
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Batman: The Complete Animated Series
Seventeen-disc set with 109 episodes, $107.92. Extras: Forty-page collector's book, commentaries, featurettes. (Warner).
A Christmas Story 25th Anniversary Ultimate Collector's Edition
(1983) Dir.: Bob Clark; Melinda Dillon, Darren McGavin, Peter Billingsley.Two-disc set housed in a Cookie Tin Cannister. Extras: Commentary, making-of featurette, "Red Ryder Rifle" featurette, "Leg Lamp" featurette, 50-plus page book, five cookie cutters inspired by the film, custom chef's apron; $39.99. Available on Blu-ray Disc, $49.99. (Warner).
Creatures of the Deep
Four-disc set with four National Geographic specials: "Dolphins: The Wild Side," "Tiger Shark: Predator Revealed," "Devils of the Deep: Jumbo Squid" and "Killer Whales: Wolves at Sea"; $39.98. (Warner). Extras:Available on Blu-ray Disc.
Futurama: Bender's Game
(2008) Third installment of all-new feature-length animated adventures. With fuel prices skyrocketing, the Planet Express crew sets off on a dangerous mission to infiltrate the world's only dark-matter mine, source of all spaceship fuel. But deep beneath the surface, they discover a far stranger place ... a medieval land of dragons and sorcery and intoxicated knights who look suspiciously like Bender.
Extras: Outtakes, cast commentary, an anti-piracy message from Bender, an interactive Futurama Genetics Laboratory, more. Available on Blu-ray Disc. (Fox).
NFL History of the New England Patriots
Five-disc set, $26.95. From the nomadic days in Boston, to Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, this NFL history covers all the great games, all the star players and all the unforgettable moments. (Warner).
Pee-wee's Big Advenutre
(1985) Dir.: Tim Burton; Paul Reubens, Elizabeth Daily, Mark Holton, Diane Salinger. Extras: Additional scenes; production notes, sketches and storyboards; commentary by Paul Reubens and Tim Burton; music-only track with commentary by Danny Elfman. (Warner).
Primeval: Volume 1
(2007) BBC TV series. When strange anomalies in time start to appear all over England, Professor Cutter and his team have to help track down and capture all sorts of dangerous prehistoric creatures from Earth's distant past. $49.98. Extras: Commentary, "The Making of Primeval," "Through the Anomaly" behnd the scenes featurette. (Warner).
Reaper: Season One
(Lionsgate).
What We Do Is Secret
(2007) Shane West, Bijou Phillips, Rick Gonzalez, Noah Segan, Ashton Holmes. Biopic of punk legend Darby Crash and his seminal L.A. band the Germs. Extras: Cast interviews, behind-the-scenes footage.
(Peace Arch Entertainment).
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November 11
The Hanoi Hilton
(1987) Michael Moriarty, John Edwin Shaw, Ken Wright, Paul Le Mat, David Soul. (Warner).
JFK Ultimate Collector's Edition
(1991) Dir.: Oliver Stone; Kevin Costner, Tommy Lee Jones, Kevin Bacon, Gary Oldman, Michael Rooker, Jack Lemmon, Laurie Metcalf, Sissy Spacek, Joe Pesci, John Candy, Pruitt Taylor Vince, Jay O. Sanders, Walter Matthau, Sally Kirkland, Donald Sutherland. Two-disc special edition. Extras: Seventeen minutes of additional footage, commentary by Stone, "Beyond JFK: A Question of Conspiracy" documentary, "The Kennedys: America's Emerald Kings" documentary, hardcover book of rare production photos, five photo cards profiling the film's major characetsr, collection of letters and photos of the Kennedy family including JFK's Inaugural address, more. Available on Blu-ray Disc. (Warner).
Scooby-Doo: Funland of Freak Frights
(2008) Scooby-Doo game can be played on a standard DVD console, includes six activities and can accommodate up to four players. The game is set in the Funland theme park as different areas of the park serve as stages for each of the game challenges. Help crime-solvers Scooby-Doo, Shaggy, Velma and the rest of the squad find clues as they investigate strange goings-on at the fascinating and freaky park; $19.98. (Warner).
Scrubs: The Complete Seventh Season
Two-disc set with 11 episodes, $29.99. Extras: "My Making of II: My Princess," "One-On-One With Ken Jenkins," deleted scenes, alternate lines bloopers, commentaries, Easter Egg: "Just a Other Typical Day In the Scrubs Elevator." (Disney).
The Sopranos: The Complete Series
Thirty-three disc boxed set with all 86 episodes, $399.99. Extras: 56-page book; two soundtracks; 3 1/2 hours of features including Alec Baldwin conducting two revealing interviews with executive producer/creator David Chase, two never-before-seen roundtable discussions with David Chase and the cast and crew; panel discussion with some of the famous 'whacked' Sopranos; lost scenes; "Sopranos Spoofs"; 16-page episode guide. (HBO Video).
Quo Vadis
(1951) Dir.: Mervyn LeRoy Robert Taylor, Deborah Kerr, Peter Ustinov, Elizabeth Taylor. Two-disc set, restored and remastered. Extras: Commentary by filmmaker/writer F. X. Feeney, "In the Beginning: Quo Vadis and the Genesis of the Biblical Epic" documentary. (Warner).
Walt Disney Treasures Wave VIII
Three new two-disc sets, hosted by Leonard Maltin: "Destino," "Dr Syn, Alias the Scarecrow" and "Chronological Donald, Volume 4." Each limited edition, individually numbered volume includes an authenticity certificate, exclusive lithograph and comes in a unique, collectible tin.
"Destino" began in 1946 as a collaboration between Walt Disney and the famed surrealist painter Salvador Dali. A first-hand example of Disney's interest in avant garde and experimental work in animation, "Destino" was to be awash with Dali's iconic melting clocks, marching ants and floating eyeballs. However, "Destino" was never completed. In 2003 it was rediscovered by Walt's nephew, Roy E. Disney, who took on the challenge of bringing the creation to fruition. In addition to the completed "Destino", this Walt Disney Treasure also includes an all-new feature-length documentary that examines the surprising partnership between Dali and Disney plus two new featurettes: "The Disney That Almost Was," an examination of the studio's unfinished projects; and "Encounters With Walt," which addresses the surprisingly diverse group of celebrities and artists who were attracted to Walt Disney's early work.
"Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow," which first aired as three separate episodes on Disney's weekly TV show under the title "The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh," was edited for theatrical releases in England and the U.S. This set includes all three of the original TV episodes plus the theatrical version of the film that was released in England.
Disney fans will delight in "Chronological Donald, Volume 4," which includes 31 classic shorts starring Donald Duck. Each of these meticulously animated adventures was created between 1951 and 1961 and has rarely been seen. All of Donald's CinemaScope shorts will be presented in their original widescreen aspect ratio for the first time on video.
(Disney).
Warner Brothers and the Homefront
Three-disc set with three new-to-DVD films: "Hollywood Canteen" (1944) starring a bevy of Hollywood stars in a "documentary" look at Hollywood's effort to support the war effort in its own home town; "Thank Your Lucky Stars" (1943) starring Bette Davis, Humphrey Bogart, Errol Flynn, and Dinah Shore in a breezy, behind-the-Hollywood-scenes story about young talents hoping for a big break; and "This Is the Army" (1943), directed by Michael Curtiz and starring George Murphy, Joan Leslie and Alan Hale in an Irving Berlin World War II spirit-lifter; $39.92. Extras: WB shorts and cartoons from the 1940's, theatrical trailers, newsreels, commentaries, "Warner at War" new documentary narrated by Steven Spielberg. (Warner).
Warner Bros. Holiday Collection Vol. 1
Four-disc set with "Boys Town" (1938). "A Christmas Carol" (1938), "A Christmas in Connecticut" (1945) and "The Singing Nun" (1966); $29.98. (Warer).
Warner Bros. Holiday Collection Vol. 2
Four-disc set with "All Mine to Give" (19xx), "Blossoms in the Dust" (19xx), "Holiday Affair" (19xx) and "It Happened on 5th Avenue" (19xx).
Extras: Warner Brothers musical/comedy shorts, vintage newsreels and classic cartoons, plus the original theatrical trailers for each selection. Also available as singles at $19.97. (Warner).
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November 18
Doctor Who: The Complete Fourth Series
Six-disc set with 13 episodes, $99.98. Extras: Commentary. (Warner).
Fanfan La Tulipe
(1952 -- French) Dir.: Christian-Jacque; Gerard Philipe, Gina Lollabrigida. New, restored digital transfer Extras: New video program about actor Gerard Philipe, clip from the colorized version of the film, booklet featuring a new essay by Kenneth Turan and an excerpt from Georges Sadoul's monograph on Philipe.
(The Criterion Collection).
300 Limited Collector's Edition
(2007) (2007) Dir.: Zack Snyder; Gerard Butler, Lena Headey, Dominic West, David Wenham, Vincent Regan, Rodrigo Santoro. Extras: Includes all the special features on last year's two-disc Special Edition and adds a third disc with "To the Hot Gates: A Legend Retold," a behind-the-scenes documentary on the process the filmmakers followed to take an ancient legend through a graphic novel to a feature film. In addition there is a bonus Digital Copy of the film, a 52-page hardcover art book, a lucite display with motion film image and six collectible photo cards. (Warner).
The Wedding Director
(2006 -- Italy) Sergio Castellitto, Donatella Finocchiaro, Sami Frey. Franco Elica is a dissolute movie director who slides into despair after being asked -- to his horror -- to make a film. Hoping to avoid a looming sexual-harassment scandal, Franco flees to Sicily where he hides out and meets a host of colorful characters: a man who makes his living shooting wedding films, a film director who is faking his own death to finally achieve fame, and a cultured Prince. Beneath the film's farcical surface is a scathing vision of a cinema in decline. Extras: Making-of featurette, production gallery. (New Yorker Video).
Bottle Rocket
(1996) Dir.: Wes Anderson; Luke Wilson, Owen Wilson, Ned Dowd, Shea Fowler, Haley Miller, Robert Musgrave, Andrew Wilson, Brian Tenenbaum, Jenni Tooley, Temple Nash, Dipak Pallana, Darryl Cox, Stephen Dignan, Lumi Cavazos, Julie Mayfield. New, restored high-definition digital transfer supervised and approved by director Wes Anderson and director of photography Robert Yeoman; Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack (DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 on Blu-ray). Extras: Commentary by director/co-writer Anderson and co-writer/star Owen Wilson; "The Making of Bottle Rocket" original documentary by filmmaker Barry Braverman featuring Anderson, James L. Brooks, James Caan, Temple Nash Jr., Kumar Pallana, Polly Platt, Mark Mothersbaugh, Robert Musgrave, Richard Sakai, David and Sandy Wasco, Andrew and Luke and Owen Wilson, and Robert Yeoman; the original 13-minute black-and-white "Bottle Rocket" short film from 1992; deleted scenes; anamorphic screen test, storyboards, location photos, and behind-the-scenes photographs by Laura Wilson; "Murita Cycles," a 1978 short film by Braverman; "The Shafrazi Lectures, No. 1: Bottle Rocket"; booklet featuring an essay by executive producer James L. Brooks, an appreciation by Martin Scorsese, and original artwork by Ian Dingman. Available on Blu-ray Disc. (The Criterion Collection).
Chungking Express
(1994) Dir.: Wong Kar Wai; Tony Leung, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Brigitte Lin. New, restored high-definition digital transfer. Remastered Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack supervised by director Wong Kar Wai (DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 on Blu-ray). Extras: Commentary by noted Asian cinema critic Tony Rayns, booklet featuring a new essay by critic Amy Taubin and excerpts from a 1996 Sight and Sound interview with Wong by Rayns, more. Available on Blu-ray Disc. (The Criterion Collection).
Fred Claus
(2007) Vince Vaughn, Paul Giamatti, John Michael Higgins, Miranda Richardson, Rachel Weisz, Kathy Bates. Extras: Commentary, additional scenes, more. Available on Blu-ray Disc. (Warner).
The Price of Sugar
(2007) In the Dominican Republic, a tropical island-nation, tourists flock to pristine beaches unaware that a few miles away thousands of dispossessed Haitians have toiled under armed-guard on plantations harvesting sugarcane, much of which ends up in U.S. kitchens. They work grueling hours and frequently lack decent housing, clean water, electricity, education or healthcare. Narrated by Paul Newman, "The Price of Sugar" follows Father Christopher Hartley, a charismatic Spanish priest, as he organizes some of this hemisphere’s poorest people to fight for their basic human rights. This film raises key questions about where the products we consume originate and at what human cost they are produced. (New Yorker Video).
The Spy Who Came in From The Cold
(1965) Dir.: Martin Ritt; Richard Burton, Claire Bloom, Oskar Werne, Sam Wanamaker. Two-disc set with new, restored high-definition digital transfer. Extras: New interviews with author John Le Carre and cinematographer Oswald Morris; "The Secret Center: John Le Carre" (2000), a BBC documentary on the author's extraordinary life and work; "Acting in the '60s: Richard Burton," a 1967 interview with the BBC's Kenneth Tynan examining the actor's performances and accomplishments; gallery of set designs; booklet featuring a new essay by critic Michael Sragow and a reprinted interview with Ritt; more. (The Criterion Collection).
24: Exile
(2008) Kiefer Sutherland, Cherry Jones, Robert Carlyle, Gil Bellows, Tony Todd, Jon Voight. Feature-length program bridges the gap between Seasons 6 and 7, picks up with Jack Bauer in exile in Africa. Extras: Extended Edition "Creator's Cut" with more than 10 minutes of extra footage (not shown in the television broadcast version), behind-the-scenes making-of documentary, "Children of War" featurette, cast and crew commentary, "24 Season 6 in Four Minutes" featurette, Season 7 sneak peek: first 16 minutes of the premiere episode. (Fox).
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.
All DVDs are screened on a reference system consisting of a
Rotel RDV-1060 DVD Audio/Video Player, 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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