Join the
Sixties generation

September 4

Adventures of the Wilderness Family Trilogy (1975 -- TV) A modern day family becomes bored with the hassles of the city life in Los Angeles and moves to the Rocky Mountains. Family film endorsed by the Dove Foundation. Formats: DVD. (Lionsgate).

Attack of the Herbals (2011) Calum Booth, Steve Worsley, Liam Matheson, Claire McCulloch, Richard Currie. When a mysterious crate of exotic tea washes ashore near a tiny fishing village, the locals find that the contents make an addictive herbal tea that turns the villagers into kill-crazy zombies. Formats: DVD. Extras: Making-of featurette. (MTI Home Video).

Bored to Death: The Complete Third Season (2011) Eight episodes. Formats: DVD, $39.98; Blu-ray Disc, $49.99. Extras: Deleted scenes, outtakes, "Inside the Episodes," commentaries. (HBO).

Advertisement

Criminal Minds: The Seventh Season (2011-12) Six-disc set with 23 episodes, $64.99. Formats: DVD. Extras: "Seven Stories" from the Seventh Season, "Mind's Eye" behind-the-scenes featurette, "Wedding Toast" video featurette, "Fireside Chat With Matthew Gray Gubler," "Wheels Up" music video, gag reel, deleted scenes, cast commentary. (CBS/Paramount).

8:46 (2011) In "8:46" (named for the time the first hijacked plane slammed into the north tower of the World Trade Center on 9/11/2001), actress and first-time director Jennifer Gargano ("The Sopranos") follows the lives of an ensemble of diverse characters living in New York, New Jersey and the vicinity. Beginning on September 10, the movie reveals lives both ordinary and extraordinary -- people falling in or out of love, facing heartache or basking in success, coping with illness or looking toward a bright future -- and then we see what fate holds in store for them on the following day, when nearly 3,000 innocent people would be killed. Seamlessly blending actual news footage from 9/11 into these fictional stories, director Gargano creates an unforgettable tableau of the day that changed the world forever. Formats: DVD. (Virgil Films).

The Five-Year Engagement (2012) Jason Segel, Emily Blunt, Chris Pratt, Alison Brie, David Paymer. Read more about "The Five-Year Engagement" in the September Calendar. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, VOD, Digital Download, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: Commentary by director-writer-producer Nicholas Stoller, producer Rodney Rothman, writer-star Jason Segel, and stars Emily Blunt, Chris Pratt and Alison Brie; deleted, extended and alternative scenes; gag reel; line-o-rama; experiment o-rama; "Weird Winton" bizarre chants, poses and mannerisims, with Segel, Blunt and Rhys Ifans. Blu-ray adds three documentaries; "Gonorrhea Trouble"; "Top Chef: Alex Eilhauer." (Universal).

For the Love of Money (2011) Yehuda Levi, Delphine Chaneac, Joshua Bitton, Jeffrey Tambor, Jonathan Lipnicki, Edward Furlong, Oded Fehr, Paul Sorvino, James Caan. Based on a true story about Izek, who leaves his old, seedy, gangster filled lifestyle to start over with his family. After relocating to Los Angeles, it isn't long before the world of crime that he tried to escape finds him. Threatened by a dangerously temperamental gangster, his criminal cousin and a drug lord, Izek finds making a fresh start almost impossible. As those close to him fall victim to the promises of quick money by way of the gun, violence surrounds him until he has no choice but to confront it. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. Extras: Behind-the-scenes featurette. (Lionsgate).

Frank Capra: The Early Collection Box set of five 1930s pre-code Capra classics coming to DVD for the first time, put together by Turner Classic Movies, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment and The Film Foundation. The set includes re-mastered editions of "Rain or Shine" (1930), and four early collaborations between Capra and his legendary leading lady, Barbara Stanwyck: "Ladies of Leisure" (1930), "The Miracle Woman" (1931), "Forbidden" (1932) and "The Bitter Tea of General Yen" (1933). Formats: DVD. Extras: Video introductions by TCM host Robert Osborne and filmmakers Martin Scorsese, Ron Howard and Michel Gondry; audio commentaries by film historians Jeanine Basinger and Jeremy Arnold; production stills; behind-the-scenes photos; lobby cards; movie posters; more. (TCM Vault Collection: http://shop.tcm.com).

Fringe: The Complete Fourth Season (2011-12) Six-disc set with 22 episdoes. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: "A World Without Peter," "The Observers," "Beyond the Fringe (Comic Book)," Peter Bishop audition tapes, gag reel, deleted scenes. Blu-ray adds "The Scientist Roundtable," "Fringe Decoded." (Warner).

The Garfield Show: Holiday Extravaganza (2012) Six new holiday-themed episodes. Formats: DVD. (Gaiam Vivendi Entertainment).

The Good Wife: The Third Season (2011-12) Six-disc set with 22 episodes, $64.99. Formats: DVD. Extras: Deleted scenes, "The Good Wife: A New Beginning" featurette, "Sexual Harassment" video, "A Bi-Coastal Affair" featurette, "Research & Development" behind-the-scenes production featurette, "Alicia Florrick at a Crosroads" featuette. (CBS/Paramount).

Grey's Anatomy: Complete Eighth Season (2011-12) Six-disc set with 24 episodes, $45.99. Formats: DVD. (ABC/Disney).

Grounded For Life: The Complete Series (2001-05) Thirteen-disc set with all five seasons, $44.98. Formats: DVD. (Mill Creek Entertainment).

The Guest House (2012) Ruth Reynolds, Madeline Merritt, Tom McCafferty. Before leaving for college, a recently dumped goth girl's life changes forever when she falls in love with a smart and professional college grad who is staying in the family's guest house. Formats: DVD, VOD, Digital Download. (Wolfe Video).

Haven: The Complete Second Season (2011) Four-disc set with 13 episodes. Formats: DVD, $44.98; Blu-ray Disc, $49.98. Extras: "Silent Night" Christmas episode, commentaries, six making-of featurettes, five behind-the-scenes featurette, more. (Entertainment One).

High School (2010) Adrien Brody, Michael Chiklis, Sean Marquette, Matt Bush, Colin Hanks, Yeardley Smith. A high school valedictorian who gets baked with the local stoner finds himself the subject of a drug test; knowing he'll fail, he concocts a plan to get the entire graduating class to face the same fate, and fail. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. Extras: Commentary with executive producer/writer/director John Stalberg Jr., deleted scenes. (Anchor Bay).

Holy Flying Circus (2012) Re-imagines the controversy surrounding Monty Python's 1979 film, "Life of Brian," which was greeted with widespread outcry and accusations of blasphemy. Matters reached a head when Michael Palin (played by Charles Edwards) and John Cleese (played by Darren Boyd) agreed to take part in a BBC talk show about "Life of Brian" with a Church of England bishop and a staunchly Catholic broadcaster. The ensuing TV debate put the Pythons in their most absurd role yet: the voice of reason. Formats: Blu-ray/DVD Combo. Extras: "Making of the Holy Flying Circus" phonotrope, deleted scenes, outtakes, production stills.(Acorn Media).

How to Make It in America: The Complete Second Season (2011) Two-disc set with eight episodes. Formats: DVD, $39.98; Blu-ray Disc, $49.99. Extras: "3 Days Downtown" featurette, "Inside the Series," commentaries. (HBO).

Hung: The Complete Third Season (2011) Two-disc set with 10 episodes. Formats: DVD, $39.98; Blu-ray Disc, $49.99. Extras: Four featurettes: "Hung: Inside the Series," "Pimpin' Ain't Easy," "Wellness Center Walkthrough" and "Where is Henry Ford?"; alternate endingfor the season finale; deleted scenes; commentaries. (HBO).

Jeepers Creepers BLU-RAY DEBUT (2001) Gina Philips, Justin Long, Jonathan Breck, Patricia Belcher. Extras: Director's cameo, commentary by director Victor Salva, "Behind the Peepers -- The Making of Jeepers Creepers," deleted and extended scenes, photo gallery -- "Last Looks," original theatrical trailer. (Fox).

Jolene: A Life -- Director's Cut (2008) Jessica Chastain, Dermot Mulroney, Chazz Palminteri, Rupert Friend , Michael Vartan, Denise Richards. A teenage orphan spends 10 years traveling cross-country experiencing life, love and heartbreak. Based on E.L. Doctorow's story, "Jolene: A Life." Formats: DVD.(Entertainment One).

Killer Klowns From Outer Space BLU-RAY DEBUT (1988) Grant Cramer, Suzanne Snyder, John Allen Nelson, John Vernon. Extras: Commentary with the Chiodo Brothers; five featurettes: "The Making of Killer Klowns," "Komposing Klowns," "Visual Effects with Gene Warren, Jr.," "Kreating Klowns," "Chiodo Brothers' Earliest Films"; two deleted scenes; bloopers; original theatrical trailer. (Fox).

Last Will (2010) Tatum O'Neal, Tom Berengr, Peter Coyote, James Brolin. An affluent woman is framed for the murder of her husband and faces a mountain of evidence stacked against her. Undeterred, she begins to put the pieces of the true story together. (Green Apple Entertainment).

The Legend of 1900 (1998) Dir.: Giuseppe Tornatore; Tim Roth, Pruitt Taylor Vince, Bill Nunn, Clarence Williams III. Based on a dramatic monologue by Italian novelist Alessandro Baricco, "The Legend of 1900" marks the first English language film for director Giuseppe Tornatore. An extraordinary tale of a virtuoso musician born at sea on the SS Virginian and named for the year in which he was born. 1900 grows up in a charmed world of stormy gales and swaying decks, and lives his life at sea, playing the piano and becoming a legend to the "outside" world he is forever afraid to enter. First time on DVD in the U.S. Formats: DVD. (Warner).

Mad Monster Party BLU-RAY DEBUT (1967) Voices of Boris Karloff, Phyllis Diller. Baron Von Frankenstein has decided to retire as the head of the Worldwide Organization of Monsters. But first, he must inform the other monsters about his plans. How to deliver the news? How else -- through a Mad Monster Party. Von Frankenstein's guests include a who's who of Halloween favorites, including the Werewolf, Dracula, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, the Mummy, the Invisible Man and more. Extras: "Mad Monster Party: Making of a Cult Classic" featurette, "Groovy Ghouls: The Music of Mad Monster Party" featurette, "It's Sheer Animagic! Secrets of Stop-Motion Animation" featurette, two bonus sing-along tracks for kids of all ages, trailer. (Lionsgate).

The Magic School Bus: The Complete Series Eight-disc set with all 52 episodes, $79.95. Features a striking 3D lenticular cover with new artwork that makes the vibrant characters leap off the page, the collectible thin-pack set also includes a guide for kids with teasers, trivia and experiments, plus a Parents' Guide with lessons and learning options. Formats: DVD. (Scholastic Media/New Video).

The Magic School Bus: Blast Off! From Sea to Space Three-disc set with 12 episodes, $24.95. Formats: DVD. (Scholastic Media/New Video).

The Magic School Bus: Field Trip Fun and Games Three-disc set with 12 episodes, $24.95. Formats: DVD. (Scholastic Media/New Video).

The Magic School Bus Singles "The Human Body" (Science topics include digestion and body mechanics), "Super Star Power" (science topics include stars and cells), "Takes a Dive" (Science topics include coral reefs and tidal zones) and "Takes Flight" (Science topics include weather and flying). Formats: DVD. (Scholastic Media/New Video).

Mother's Day BLU-RAY DEBUT (1980) Nancy Hendrickson, Deborah Luce, Tiana Pierce, Frederick Coffin, Michael McCleery, Beatrice Pons. The cult classic remastered. Three young women are abducted by homicidal momma's boys Ike and Addley while camping. Ike and Addley are goaded by their "Mother" into violent and graphic acts of torture against the three women. While doing everything to stay alive, the three women muster the courage to escape, and serve their maniacal abductors some old-fashioned justice. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. Extras: Commentary, behind-the-scenes footage, new featurette with genre favorite Eli Roth. (Anchor Bay).

The Musical Brain (2012) Inspired by Dr. Daniel Levitin's book, "This is Your Brain on Music," international recording superstar Sting agreed to put his own musical brain to the test to find out how various types of music -- complex and simple -- affect him, on an emotional and a physical level. Also features interviews with Michael Buble, Feist and Wyclef Jean. Formats: DVD, $24.99. (PBS Distribution).

My Sucky Teen Romance (2012) Elaine Hurt, Patrick Delgado, Lauren Lee, Lauren Vunderink. Tired of girls their age swooning over sparkling vampires, highschoolers Kate and Allison attend the weekend SpaceCON, where they're determined to be swept off their feet by real men. Little do they know an actual bloodsucker has turned local grocery store clerks Paul and Cindy into real-life vampires. And soon after Kate falls for a boy at the con, she's accidentally bitten and turned into one of the undead. Luckily for the lovestruck Kate, Paul has fallen for her too -- and with the help of their friends, this bunch will do anything they can to reverse the curse. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. (MPI/Dark Sky Films).

Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation -- Volume One (1997) Two-disc set with 13 episodes, $19.93. Formats: DVD. (Shout! Factory).

The Office: Season Eight (2011-12) Five-disc set with 23 episodes. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, Digital Download, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: Extended episodes, deleted scenes, webisodes, Football Championship promos, more. (Universal).

Person of Interest: The Complete First Season (2011-12) Six-disc set with 23 episodes, $59.98. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: The original broadcast pilot with producer commentary, an extended (unaired) pilot with producer commentary, gag reel, "Living in an Age of Surveillance" featurette. (Warner).

The Pinochet Case (2001) This investigation of the Spanish charges against General Augusto Pinochet is an essential part of filmmaker Patricio Guzman's career-long exploration of Chilean history since Salvador Allende's 1973 election and the bloody coup -- led by Pinochet and aided by the U.S. government -- that followed. In September 1998, Pinochet flew to London on a pleasure trip, and shortly thereafter began experiencing back pain and underwent an operation in a London Clinic. Upon waking from surgery, he was arrested by the London police. The case against Pinochet had begun in Spain two years before his arrest. "The Pinochet Case" explores how a small group of people in Madrid laid the groundwork for this incredible feat -- catching a dictator 25 years after his rise to power, making him the first to be humbled by the international justice system since the Nuremberg trials. When Pinochet finally returned to Chile, he faced 200 accusations of crimes, this time in Chilean courts. Eventually the Chilean Supreme Court also stripped him of his immunity, and on January 29, 2001, Judge Juan Guzman placed Pinochet under house arrest. $24.98. Formats: DVD. (Icarus Films Home Video).

Piranha 3DD (2011) Danielle Panabaker, Matt Bush, David Koechner, Chris Zylka, Katrina Bowden, Gary Busey, Christopher Lloyd, David Hasselhoff. After the terror unleashed on Lake Victoria in "Piranha 3D," the prehistoric school of bloodthirsty piranhas are back and this time, no one is safe from the flesh-eating fish as they sink their razor-sharp teeth into the visitors of summer's best attraction, The Big Wet Water Park. Packed with ferocious flesheaters and scantily-clad young victims. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. (Anchor Bay).

Pokemon DP: Sihhoh League Victors Set 3 (2011) Tw0-disc set, $19.99. Formats: DVD. (VIZ Media).

Quick (2011 -- South Korea) Min-ki Lee, Ye-won Kang, In-kwon Kim. A former motorcycle gang member who now earns his living as a bike messenger makes a delivery to an office building, which then blows up. Never suspecting he could have anything to do with the disaster, he moves on to his next job -- which involves escorting a girl group singer to a TV station. As she puts his helmet on, a timer mechanism is triggered, a countdown clock appears, and he gets a call from a stranger telling him that the helmet is booby-trapped and will blow up if he fails to make a series of deliveries within a fixed time limit. With the police hot on his trail, he races to complete the deliveries and stop the timer on the helmet. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, Digital. Extras: "Making-of" featurette. Blu-ray adds CGI featurette, stunt featurette. (Shout! Factory).

Re-Animator BLU-RAY DEBUT (1985) Dir.: Stuart Gordon; Jeffrey Combs, Bruce Abbott, Barbara Crampton, David Gale, Robert Sampson. Extras: "Re-Animator Resurrectus" documentary, commentary by director Stuart Gordon, commentary by producer Brian Yuzna and actors Bruce Abbott, Jeffrey Combs, Barbara Crampton and Robert Sampson, interview with Gordon and Yuzna, interview with writer Dennis Paoli, interview with composer Richard Band, music discussion with composer Richard Band, interview with Fangoria Magazine editor Tony Timpone, deleted and extended scenes, theatrical trailer, TV spots. Also available on DVD. (Image Entertainment).

R.L. Stine's The Haunting Hour: The Series Volume 1 and Volume 2 (2010-11) Each volume contains five fiendishly delightful episodes from the kids series, $14.97 each. Formats: DVD. Extras: "Behind the Screams" of select episodes. (Shout! Factory).

Roseanne -- Season Five (1992-93) Three-disc set with 25 episodes, $14.98. Formats: DVD. (Mill Creek Entertainment).

Roseanne -- Season Six (1993-94) Three-disc set with 25 episodes, $14.98. Formats: DVD. (Mill Creek Entertainment).

Sacrifice (2010 -- China) Dir.: Chen Kaige; Ge You, Wang Xue-Qi, Fan Bing-Bing, Zhang Feng-Yi, Huang Xiaoming. Written and directed by Kaige ("Farewell My Concubine") and set during the opulent Yuan Dynasty in the 5th century B.C., this epic is the story of a newborn prince whose entire family, the Zhao clan, is wiped out by a rival general who ruthlessly seizes the throne. The faithful doctor who delivered the baby secretly raises the child as his own and devise his own plot for revenge and makes the cold-blooded General, Tu Angu, the boy's godfather, allowing the would-be-King to infiltrate the royal palace as a guest. When the boy becomes a man, he must choose between two fathers, while the destiny of a nation rests with his decision. Formats: DVD. (Indomina Releasing).

Safe (2012) Jason Statham, Catherine Chan, Robert John Burke, James Hong, Anson Mount, Chris Sarandon. Read more about "Safe" in the September Calendar. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, VOD, Digital Download. Extras: Commentary by writer-director Boaz Yakin, "Cracking Safe" featurette, "Criminal Battleground" featurette, "The Art of the Gunfight" featurette. (Lionsgate).

Sixteen Candles BLU-RAY DEBUT (1984) Dir.: John Hughes; Molly Ringwald, Anthony Michael Hall, Michael Schoeffling, Paul Dooley, John Cusack, Jami Gertz, Joan Cusack, Gedde Watanabe. (Universal).

Storytime With Spot (2012) Five stories plus two bonus stories, $9.97. Formats: DVD. (BBC Home Entertainment).

That '70s Show -- Season Five (2002-03) Three-disc set with 25 episodes, $14.98. Formats: DVD. Extras: Episode promos, "A '70s Flashback: Interview with Wilmer "A '70s Flashback": Interview with Danny, Season 5 highlights. (Mill Creek Entertainment).

That '70s Show -- Season Six (2003-04) Three-disc set with 25 episodes, $14.98. Formats: DVD. Extras: Episode promos, "Six Minutes of Season Six," "A 70s Flashback": Featurette about Debra Jo Rupp and the Kitty character, "A 70s Flashback": Kurtwood Smith. (Mill Creek Entertainment).

Tom & Jerry: Tricks & Treats (2012) Showcases 20 Tom and Jerry cartoons plus two bonus cartoons. Formats: DVD, $19.97. (Warner).


Touchback (2011) Brian Presley, Melanie Lynskey, Mark Blucas, Kurt Russell, Christine Lahti. A man looks back 15 years to the injury that ended his career as a promising high-school football player. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. (Anchor Bay Films).

Two Broke Girls (2011) Twenty-four episodes, Formats: Three-disc DVD: $44.98, two-disc Blu-ray: $54.97, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: Behind-the-scenes featurette, unaired scenes. (Warner).

Umberto D. BLU-RAY DEBUT (1952) This neorealist masterpiece by Vittorio De Sica follows the daily life of an elderly pensioner as he struggles to make ends meet during Italy's postwar economic recovery. Alone except for his dog, Flike, Umberto is determined to maintain his dignity in a city where human kindness seems to have been swallowed up by the forces of modernization. His simple quest to satisfy his most fundamental needs -- ­food, shelter, companionship­ -- makes for one of the most heartbreaking stories ever filmed, and an essential classic of world cinema. High-definition digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack. Extras: "That's Life: Vittorio De Sica," a 55-minute documentary made for Italian television in 2001; video interview with actress Maria Pia Casilio from 2003; booklet featuring an essay by critic Stuart Klawans and reprinted recollections by De Sica and Carlo Battisti, who plays Umberto D. (The Criterion Collection).

White Vengeance (2011 -- China) Leon Lai, Feng Shaofeng, Yifei Liu, Zhang Hanyu, Anthony Wong, Jordan Chan. Two brothers contend for success and power during the fall of China's Qin Dynasty. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, Digital Download. Extras: Interviews. (Well Go USA ).

Woman Thou Art Loosed: On the 7th Day (2012) Blair Underwood, Sharon Leal, Nicole Beharie, Clyde Jones, Pam Grier, Jaqueline Fleming, T.D. Jakes. Read more about "Woman Thou Art Loosed: On the 7th Day" in the September Calendar. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. (Codeblack Entertainment).

Back to top

September 7

Harry Potter Wizard's Collection New limited and numbered 31-disc collection features all previously released content plus five hours of never-before-seen exclusive material, with all eight movies in Blu-ray and DVD as well as UltraViolet digital copies (and with " Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows -- Part 1 and Part 2" in 2D and 3D). Packaged in a gift box measuring 12-3/4” x 10-9/16” x 11-1/4” and weighing 19 lbs, with eight must-have pieces of collectible movie memorabilia. Read the complete press release. (Warner).

September 10

Titanic BLU-RAY DEBUT (1997) Dir.: James Cameron; Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Billy Zane, Kathy Bates, Frances Fisher, Gloria Stuart, Bill Paxton, Bernard Hill, David Warner. A four-disc Blu-ray/DVD combo (with digital copy), a four-disc 3D Blu-ray set and a two-disc DVD version. Both Blu-ray sets feature more than 2 1/2 hours of new bonus footage, including a fascinating in-depth exploration of the film with Cameron, as well as new National Geographic documentary footage that further probes the mysteries of why and how the "unsinkable" ship sank. The sets also boast previously released special features including 30 deleted scenes, over 60 behind-the-scenes featurettes, a look at the groundbreaking visual effects, over 2,000 photos, three commentaries and much, much more. The two-disc DVD set comes with deleted scenes and digital download. Breakdown: Four-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack: Disc 1 (Blu-ray): Hi-def version of the film. with commentary by director James Cameron, cast and crew commentary, historical commentary by Don Lynch and Ken Marschall. Disc 2 (DVD) and Disc 3 (DVD): Feature film in standard definition. Disc 4 (Blu-ray): Documentaries: "Reflections on Titanic," "Titanic: The Final Word with James Cameron (deleted scenes with commentary by James Cameron, behind-the-scenes featurettes, construction timelapse, Deep Dive presentation, "$200,000,001: A Ship's Odyssey" -- the Titanic crew video, videomatics, visual effects, music video: "My Heart Will Go On" by Celine Dion, trailers, TV Spots, still galleries), "Titanic Scriptment" by James Cameron, storyboard sequences, production artwork, photographs, Ken Marshall's painting gallery, concept posters and one sheets, "By the Numbers," Bibliography, "Titanic" Parodies. Four-Disc 3D Blu-ray: Discs 1 and 2: 3D version of the film. Discs 3 and 4: Same as Disc 1 and 4 in the Blu-ray/DVD Combo. Two-Disc DVD: Disc 1 (DVD): Feature film in standard definition (Part 1). Disc 2 (DVD): Feature film in standard definition (Part 2), deleted scenes with commentary by James Cameron. (Paramount/Fox).


September 11

Absolutely Fabulous: 20th Anniversary Specials (2012) International comedy sensations Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumley return to their celebrated roles as Edina Monsoon and Patsy Stone in three all-new specials, written by Jennifer Saunders. Twenty years since we first met them, the ladies are a tiny bit older, none the wiser, but definitely still Absolutely Fabulous. Formats: DVD, $24.98. (BBC Home Entertainment).

Appropriate Adult (2011) Dominic West, Emily Watson, Monica Dolan. Based on true events, "Appropriate Adult" tells the story of British serial killer Fred West and his relationship with his "appropriate adult," Janet Leach. After volunteering as West's appropriate adult -- a person from the community who assists vulnerable adults facing criminal charges -- Janet finds herself sitting with West during his highly-charged police interviews, where she was privy to unknown facts about the scale and the nature of his crimes. Formats: DVD. (Inception Media Group).

Awesome Adventures: Thrills & Chills (2012) Collection of seven Halloween episodes featuring Thomas & Friends, Fireman Sam and Bob the Builder, $14.98. Formats: DVD, Digital, VOD. Extras: (Lionsgate).

Bad Karma (2011) Ray Liotta, Dominic Purcell, Andy McPhee, Vanessa Gray. A near-death experience forces a con man to come to terms with his shady past, and although he builds a new life for himself, he's dragged back in for one last job .Formats: DVD. (Anchor Bay).

Barbie: The Princess & the Popstar (2011) Princess Barbie magically swaps places with a popstar who's visiting her kingdom on a music tour. Formats: DVD. Extras: Music video, outtakes, more. (Universal).

Beyond the Black Rainbow (2010) Michael Rogers, Eva Allan, Scott Hylands, Marilyn Norry. Set in the strange and oppressive emotional landscape of 1983, a heavily-sedated young woman tries to make her way out of Arboria, a secluded, quasi-futuristic commune, in this Reagan-era fever dream inspired by hazy childhood memories of midnight movies and Saturday morning cartoons. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. Extras: Extended scenes, behind the scenes, commentary with director Panos Cosmatos, "Making of Beyond the Black Rainbow." (Magnolia Home Entertainment).

The Big Bang Theory: The Complete Fifth Season (2011-12) Five-disc set with 24 episodes. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, UltraViolet (cloud). (Warner).

Blue Bloods: The Second Season (2011) Six-disc set with 22 episodes, $64.99. Formats: DVD. Extras: "Meet the Maestro: Tony Bennett on Blue Bloods," deleted scenes, commentaries, "On the Set With Donnie & Will," "Keeping It Real: Season 2," two-part behind-the-scenes documentary "A Higher Standard: The Story of the Reagans, Season 2." (CBS/Paramount).

Castle: The Complete Fourth Season (2011-12) Six-disc set with 22 episodes, $45.99. (ABC/Disney).

Cleanskin (2012) Sean Bean, Abhin Galeya, Charlotte Rampling. A British Secret Service Agent is forced to go "off the grid" in a desperate bid to thwart a radical group operating inside London. His relentless foe is Ash, a British-born law student turned extremist, whom the agent must stop by any means necessary. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. Extras: "Making-of" featurette (Entertainment One).

The Five Man Army (1969) Peter Graves, James Daly. Spaghetti western about a group of bandits, led by Graves, who plan on robbing a train transporting gold for the Mexican army. Formats: DVD. (Warner Archive).

For Greater Glory (2012) Andy Garcia, Eva Longoria, Bruce Greenwood, Oscar Isaac, Peter O'Toole, Nestor Carbonell, Bruce McGill Read more about "For Greater Glory" in the September Calendar. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, Blu-ray/DVD Combo. (Arc Entertainment).

Ghosts of the Abyss (2003) Director James Cameron travels back to the site of his greatest inspiration -- the legendary wreck of the Titanic. With a team of the world's foremost historic and marine experts and friend Bill Paxton, he embarks on an unscripted adventure back to the final grave where nearly 1,500 souls lost their lives a century ago. Using state-of-the-art technology developed expressly for this expedition, Cameron and his crew are able to explore virtually all of the wreckage, inside and out, as never-before. Formats: Three-Disc Blu-ray (Blu-ray 3D Disc + Blu-ray 2D Disc + DVD), $44.99 (original & extended versions). Extras: "Reflections from the Deep." (Disney).

Girl in Progress (2012) Eva Mendes, Cierra Ramirez, Matthew Modine, Patricia Arquette, Eugenio Derbez, Raini Rodriguez. Read more about "Girl in Progress" in the September Calendar. Formats: DVD, Digital. Extras: Making-of featurette. (Lionsgate).

Goats (2011) David Duchovny, Vera Farmiga, Ty Burrell, Keri Russell, Justin Kirk, Graham Phillips, Dakota Johnson. When a young man prepares to leave Tucson for his freshman year at an East Coast prep school, he also faces separation from his flaky, new age mother and the only real father he has ever known: Goat Man. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. (Image Entertainment).

John Leguizamo: Tales From a Ghetto Klown (2012) Profiles award-winning actor and playwright John Leguizamo's unorthodox rise to success and his struggles to mount his latest one-man show on Broadway and beyond. Formats: DVD, $24.99. (PBS Distribution).

Karate-Robo Zaborgar (2011 -- Japan) Director Noboru Iguchi and special effects director Yoshihiro Nishimura, creators of "Mutant Girls Squad," reunite for the cyborg-filled action-packed comedy-thriller about a secret-police officer who teams up with his super robot "Zaborgar" to battle all manner of mechanized super weapons in their quest for justice. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, Digital Download. Extras: "Go, ZABORGAR Go!" short films, Sushi Typhoon Trailers. (Well Go USA).

The Loved Ones (2009) Xavier Samuel, Robin McLeavy. Winner of the Toronto International Film Festival's Midnight Madness People's Choice award. When Brent rejects his classmate Lola's invitation to the prom, he sets off a chain of events that leave him the victim of her twisted revenge. Now he's the only guest at Lola's terrifying and demented prom, and must fight to survive what could be his final dance. Formats: DVD, VOD, Digital Download, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: Cast and crew interviews. (Paramount).

Munger Road (2011) Bruce Davison, Randall Batinkoff, Trevor Morgan, Brooke Peoples, Lauren Storm, Hallock Beals. On the eve of the annual Scarecrow Festival, two St. Charles police officers search for a return killer the same night four teenagers go missing on Munger Road. Formats: DVD. (Freestyle Digital Media).

My Trip to Al-Qaeda (2010) Chronicles fundamentalist Islam's rise to power, the people behind it, and why they're terrorizing the entire world, while also exploring writer Lawrence Wright's struggle to maintain his objectivity as a journalist writing about Islamic terror. One of the interesting facts in the documentary: "the number of Muslims that have died at the hands of al_Qaeda in Iraq alone far exceeds the total of Americans that died on 9/11." Directed by Alex Gibney and based on Pulitzer Prize-winner Wright's play. Formats: DVD. (Docurama).

October Baby (2011) Rachel Hendrix, Jason Burkey, John Schneider, Jasmine Guy. Read more about "October Baby" in the September Calendar. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. (Fox).


Power Rangers Monster Bash (2011) Three Halloween-themed episodes from the "Power Rangers Samurai" series, $14.98. Formats: DVD, Digital. (Lionsgate).

Private Practice: The Complete Fifth Season (2011-12) Five-disc set with 22 episodes, $39.99. Formats: DVD. (ABC/Disney).

Rosewood Lane (2011) Rose McGowan, Daniel Ross Owens, Bill Fagerbakke, Ray Wise, Lesley-Anne Down. When radio talk show therapist Sonny Blake moves back to her childhood home on seemingly idyllic Rosewood Lane after her alcoholic father dies, she discovers her neighbors are terrified of the local paperboy, a cunning and dangerous sociopath who may have gruesomely killed her father ... and others. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. (Universal).

6 Bullets (2011) Jean-Claude Van Damme, Joe Flanigan, Bianca Bree, Anna-Louise Plowman. An unstoppable ex-mercenary with a dark past reluctantly returns to action in order to help rescue a kidnapped American girl from a foreign crime syndicate. Formats: DVD, Digital Download. (Sony).

Snow White and the Huntsman (2012) Chris Hemsworth, Kristen Stewart, Charlize Theron, Sam Claflin, Ray Winstone, Ian McShane, Lily Cole, Nick Frost, Toby Jones, Eddie Marsan, Bob Hoskins, Vincent Regan. Read more about "Snow White & the Huntsman" in the September Calendar. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo with extended version of the film, UltraViolet. Extras: Commentary with director Rupert Sanders, visual efects supervisor Cedric Nicolas-Troyan and co-editor Neil Smith; "A New Legend Is Born" featurette. Blu-ray adds "Reinventing the Fairy Tale," "Citizens of the Kingdom," "The Magic of Snow White and the Huntsman," "Around the Kingdom: 360° Set Tour," Universal's Second Screen interactive feature. (Universal).

Spartacus: Vengeance -- The Complete Second Season (2011) Three-disc set with 10 episodes. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. Extras: "Starz Studios: Spartacus: Vengeance," "The Making of Spartacus: Vengeance," "Behind the Camera: Directing the Rebellion," "On Set With Liam McIntyre," "The Legend of Spartacus," "Famous Last Words," bloopers. Blu-ray exclusive: Nine extended episodes and audio commentaries. (Anchor Bay).

Stealing Las Vegas (2012) Eric Roberts, Ethan Landry, Antonio Fargas , Michael Tylo. When greedy Las Vegas casino owner Alex Stratholme steals $20 million dollars from his employees' pension fund, ex-baseball-phenom-turned-electrician Nick Davis rallies a ragtag team of casino staff to pull off an against-all-odds Las Vegas heist with a twist. Formats: DVD. Extras: Commentary with co-writer/editor/director Francisco Menendez and co-writer/producer Warren D. Cobb; deleted & alternate scenes. (Anchor Bay).

Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 BLU-RAY DEBUT (1986) Dir.: Tobe Hooper; Dennis Hopper, Caroline Williams, Jim Siedow, Bill Moseley, Bill Johnson. Extras: Commentary with director Tobe Hooper and filmmaker David Gregory; commentary with Bill Moseley, Caroline Williams, special makeup effects creator Tom Savini and content producer Michael Felsher; "The Cutting Room Floor," "It Runs in the Family," original theatrical trailer. (Fox).

30 Rock: Season 6 (2012) Three-disc set with 22 episodes, $49.98. Extras: Two versions of "Live From Studio 6H," commentary, deleted scenes, behind-the-scenes featurette, Cheyenne and Jane's warm up songs. Formats: DVD. (Universal).

The Tim Burton Blu-Ray Collection Includes "Pee-wee's Big Adventure," "Batman," "Batman Returns," "Beetlejuice," "Mars Attacks!", "Charlie & the Chocolate Factory," "Tim Burton's Corpse Bride" as well as a 64-page collectible hardcover book. $59.99. (Warner).

Up All Night Season One (2011-12) Three-disc set with 24 episodes, $39.98. Formats: DVD. Extras: Deleted scenes, extended scenes, "Basically" music video by B-Ro featuring Ava. (Universal).

The Vampire Diaries: The Complete Third Season (2011-12) Twenty-two episodes. Formats: DVD, $59.98; Blu-ray Combo Pack, $69.97; UltraViolet Extras: "The Vampire Diaries: Stefan's Descent into Darkness" featurette), "The Original Vampires: The Beginning" featurette, "Second Bite: Gag Reel," deleted scenes. Blu-ray adds "The Producer's Pages" featurette, "Favorite Scenes -- The Series' Most Heart-Stopping Moments." (Warner).

Vile (2011) Eric Jay Beck, April Matson, Akeem Smith, Greg Cipes. Another "Saw" clone, this one about a group of strangers who find themselves imprisoned in a house, willing to do anything to survive. Formats: DVD. (Inception Media Group).

What to Expect When You're Expecting (2012) Cameron Diaz, Elizabeth Banks, Anna Kendrick, Jennifer Lopez, Brooklyn Decker, Dennis Quaid, Joe Manganiello, Rodrigo Santoro, Chace Crawford, Thomas Lennon, Matthew Morrison, Chris Rock. Read more about "What to Expect When You're Expecting" in the September Calendar. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, VOD, Digital Download. Extras: "The Dudes Unscrewed" featurette, "What to Expect and the Pregnancy Bible" featurette, deleted scenes. (Lionsgate).

Where Do We Go Now? (2011 -- Lebanon) Claude Baz Moussawbaa, Leyla Hakim, Nadine Labaki, Yvonne Maalouf. Blends humor and lighthearted musical moments to take a powerful look into the deeply rooted religious differences between Christians and Muslims living in a small Lebanese village: Follows the antics of the town's women to keep their blowhard men from starting a religious war, from faking a miracle to hiring a troop of Ukranian strippers. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. Extras: Commentary by director Nadine Labaki and composer Khaled Mouzanar, behind-the-scenes featurette. (Sony).

The Wrath of God (1972) Robert Mitchum, Frank Langella, Rita Hayworth (in her last role), Victor Buono, Ken Hutchison. An adventurer, a hard-drinking priest (Mitchum) and a smuggler team up to topple a Latin American despot in the 1920s. Formats: DVD. (Warner Archive).

Back to top

September 18



America's Book of Secrets (2012) Three-disc set with 10 episodes of the series that exposes the timeless mysteries of our most-guarded institutions: The White House, the Pentagon, Area 51, Fort Knox, West Point ... and even the Playboy Mansion. Formats: DVD, $29.95. (A&E).

American Experience: Death and The Civil War (2012) From Ric Burns, this documentary explores an essential but largely overlooked aspect of the most pivotal event in American history: the transformation of the nation by the death of an estimated 750,000 people in four dark and searing years from 1861 to 1865. With the advent of the Civil War, and the staggering and completely unprecedented casualties it ushered in, death entered the experience of the American people as it never had before. The impact would permanently alter the character of the republic, the culture of the government and the psyche of the American people -- down to this day. Formats: DVD, $24.99. (PBS Distribution).

The Babymakers (2012) Paul Schneider, Olivia Munn, Kevin Heffernan, Wood Harris. After failing to get his wife pregnant, a guy recruits his pals to steal the deposit he left at a sperm bank years ago. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc,. Extras: Behind the scenes, cast and crew interviews, featurettes. (Millennium Entertainment).

Bait 3D (2012) Xavier Samuel, Sharni Vinson, Alex Russell, Julian McMahon. Following a freak tsunami, a group of survivors in a sleepy beach town find themselves trapped inside a submerged supermarket. As they try to escape to safety, they soon discover that there is a predator among them more deadly than the threat of drowning -- ­vicious great white sharks lurking in the water, hungry for fresh meat. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc 3D, Blu-ray/DVD Combo. (Anchor Bay).

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2011) Bill Nighy, Maggie Smith, Judi Dench, Tom Wilkinson, Dev Patel, Tena Desae, Penelope Wilton, Celia Imrie, Russell Balogh, Liza Tarbuck, Lillete Dubey. Read more about "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" in the September Calendar. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. (Fox).

Best of Ancient Aliens (2012) Features four of the series most compelling episodes. Formats: Blu-ray/DVD Combo, $19.95. (A&E).

Best of Wubbzy: Fan's Choice (2012) Showcases six engaging stories -- the most popular as determined by a special "Wow! Wow! Wubbzy!" Facebook fan vote: "Follow The Leader," "The Wubbzy Shuffle," "Wubbzy The Star," "Tooth or Dare," "Wubbzy's Makeover" and "Wubbzy Bounces Back" -- plus a special bonus seventh episode, "Wubbzy The Hero." Formats: DVD, $14.98. (Anchor Bay).

Beverly Hills Chihuahua 3 (2012) Marcus Coloma, Erin Cahill; voices of George Lopez, Odette Annable, Miguel Ferrer, Eddie Sotelo, Emily Osment. Direct-to-video sequel continues the adventures of Chihuahuas Papi and Chloe and their brood. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, Digital Download. Extras: Bloopers, music video. (Disney).

The Brothers McMullen BLU-RAY DEBUT (1995) Dir.: Edward Burns; Edward Burns, Michael McGlone, Jack Mulcahy. Extras: Commentary by director Edward Burns, Fox Movie Channel presents Fox Legacy with Tom Rothman, 28-page booklet on the making of the film with an in-depth profile of the director and production stills. (Fox Filmmaker Signature Series).

The Cabin in the Woods (2012) Kristen Connolly, Chris Hemsworth, Anna Hutchison, Fran Kranz, Jesse Williams, Richard Jenkins, Bradley Whitford, Brian White, Amy Acker. Read more about "The Cabin in the Woods" in the September calendar. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, VOD, Digital Download. Extras: Audio commentary with writer-director Drew Goddard and writer-producer Joss Whedon; "We Are Not Who We Are: Making The Cabin in the Woods" featurette; "The Secret Secret Stash" featurette" "Marty's Stash" and "Hi, My name is Joss and I'll be your guide"; Wonder-Con Q&A with Joss and Drew; "An Army of Nightmares: Make-Up & Animatronic Effects" featurette; "Primal Terror: Visual Effects" featurette; "It's Not What You Think: The Cabin in the Woods" bonus view mode (Blu-ray exclusive). (Lionsgate).

Cajun Pawn Stars: Season One (2012) Single disc with eight episodes. Formats: DVD, $19.95. (A&E).

Chico & Rita (2011) Cuba, 1948. Chico is a young piano player with big dreams. Rita is a beautiful singer with an extraordinary voice. Music and desire unite them as they chase their ambitions and each other from Havana to New York and Hollywood to Paris, in an epic story of love and heartbreak spanning six decades. Nominated for a 2012 Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. Original soundtrack by multi-Grammy-winning Bebo Valdes, featuring the music of Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonius Monk, Charlie Parker, Tito Puente and others. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. (Flatiron Film Company/New Video).

Children of Paradise (1945) Poetic realism reached sublime heights with "Children of Paradise (Les enfants du paradis)," widely considered one of the greatest French films of all time. This nimble depiction of 19th-century Paris's theatrical demimonde, filmed during World War II, follows a mysterious woman (Arletty) loved by four different men (all based on historical figures): an actor, a criminal, a count, and, most poignantly, a street mime (Jean-Louis Barrault, in a longing-suffused performance for the ages). With sensitivity and dramatic elan, director Marcel Carne and screenwriter Jacques Prevert resurrect a world teeming with hucksters and aristocrats, thieves and courtesans, pimps and seers. Thanks to a major new restoration, this iconic classic looks and sounds richer and more detailed than ever. New high-definition digital transfer from Pathe's 2011 restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray edition. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. Extras: Audio commentaries by film scholars Brian Stonehill and Charles Affron; video introduction by director Terry Gilliam; "Once Upon a Time: Children of Paradise," a 2010 documentary on the making of the film; new visual essay on the design of "Children of Paradise" by film writer Paul Ryan; "The Birth of Children of Paradise," a 1967 German documentary that visits Nice, where the film was partially shot, and features interviews with cast members Arletty, Jean-Louis Barrault, Pierre Brasseur, production designer Alexandre Trauner and others; restoration demonstration; U.S. trailer; booklet featuring an essay by film scholar Dudley Andrew and excerpts from a 1990 interview with director Marcel Carne. (The Criterion Collection).

Conception (2011) Pamela Adlon, David Arquette, Aaron Ashmore, Moon Bloodgood, Julie Bowen, Connie Britton, Jennifer Finnigan, Tim Griffin, Steve Howey, Sarah Hyland, Jennifer Jostyn, Leila Charles Leigh. Romantic comedy that proves it takes more than sex to make a baby. From a couple fighting the odds of fertility to young teenagers losing their virginity, the film follows nine very different couples on the night they conceive, showing that sex can sometimes be more neurotic than erotic. Formats: DVD. (Tribeca Film/Cinedigm).

Detachment (2011) Dir.: Tony Kaye; Adrien Brody, Marcia Gay Harden, Sami Gayle, Christina Hendricks, William Petersen, Bryan Cranston, Tim Blake Nelson, Betty Kaye, Lucy Liu, Blythe Danner, James Caan. A substitute teacher (Brody) who drifts from classroom to classroom and school to school finally finds a connection to the students and teachers during his latest assignment at an apathetic public school. Formats: DVD. (Tribeca Film/Cinedigm).

Devil's Advocate: Unrated Director's Cut BLU-RAY DEBUT (1997) Dir.: Taylor Hackford; Al Pacino, Keanu Reeves, Charlize Thereon. Extras: Commentary by Hackford, deleted scenes. (Warner).

The Do-Deca Pentathlon (2011) Two very competitive brothers decide to hold their very own private 25-event Olympics. Written and directed by the comically competitive Duplass Brothers ("Cyrus"). Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. Extras: "Meet the Real Brothers," "Rock, Paper, Scissors with the Real Brothers." (Fox).

Ed Wood BLU-RAY DEBUT (1994) Dir.: Tim Burton; Johnny Depp, Martin Landau, Sarah Jessica Parker, Patricia Arquette, Jeffrey Jones, Vincent D'Onofrio, Bill Murray. Extras: Deleted scenes, "Making Bela" make-up featurette, "Pie Plates Over Hollywood" production design featurette, "Let's Shoot the F#*%@r!" behind-the-scenes featurette, "The Theremin" documentary, commentary with cast and filmmakers, Howard Shore music video. (Disney).

End of the Road (1970) Stacy Keach, Harris Yulin, Dorothy Tristan, James Earl Jones, Grayson Hall. Based on the book by John Barth, known for his post-modernist and metafictive works (posing questions about relationship between fiction and reality). After a catatonic episode on a railway station platform, Jacob Horner (Keach) is taken to "The Farm," a bizarre insane asylum run by Doctor D (Jones). After being "cured," Jacob takes a job as an English lecturer at a nearby college and begins a disastrous affair with the wife of a colleague. Seventies art house film with a strong anti-establishment sensibility. On DVD for the first time. Formats: DVD. (Warner).

The French Connection Filmmaker Signature Series (1971) Dir.: William Friedkin; Gene Hackman, Roy Scheider, Fernando Rey, Tony Lo Bianco. Formats: Blu-ray Disc. Extras: Commentary by director William Friedkin, commentary by Gene Hackman and Roy Scheider, Isolated Score Track, Deleted Scenes, "Anatomy of a Chase," Hackman on Doyle, Friedkin and Grosso remember the Real French Connection, "Scene of the Crime," "Cop Jazz: The Music of Don Ellis," "Rogue Cop: The Noir Connection," "Making the Connection: The Untold Stories of the French Connection." (Fox).

Get a Life: The Complete Series (1990-92) Five-disc set with 35 episodes. Formats: DVD. Extras: Interviews, commentary, a Paley Center panel from 2000, deleted scenes, alternate versions of select episodes without the laugh track, plus an essay written by Tom Shales. (Shout! Factory).

Godforsaken (2010) Annabel Wright, Trevor White, Nick Ashdon, Vernon Dobtcheff. A fallen angel attempts to redeem himself after failing to protect a child in his care. In an attempt to make amends he involves himself in a crime case that follows on from the child's death. Formats: DVD. (MTI Home Video).

Gone Hollywood (2010) Fernando Carrillo, Valente Rodriguez, Erlinda Orozco. Follows the journey of a handsome actor (Carrillo) who, after coming to Hollywood, is skyrocketed to stardom by a hit television show, only to fall on tough times after that first big break turns into a dead end. Down on his luck, he gets a surprise curveball when his late father leaves him a fortune -- but there's a catch -- he must go back home to reopen his dad's bar. Formats: DVD. (Image Entertainment).

Halloween II Collector's Edition (1981) Jamie Lee Curtis, Donald Pleasence, Leo Rossi. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. Extras: Commentary by director Rick Rosenthal and actor Leo Rossi; commentary by actor and stunt coordinator Dick Warlock; "The Nightmare Isn't Over: The Making of Halloween II"; "Horror's Hallowed Grounds: The Locations of Halloween II"; deleted scenes; alternate ending; theatrical trailer; TV and radio spots; still gallery. (Shout! Factory/Scream Factory).

Halloween III: Season of the Witch 30th Anniversary Special Collector's Edition (1982) Tom Atkins, Stacy Nelkin, Dan O'Herlihy. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. Extras: Commentary by director Tommy Lee Wallace; commentary by actor Tom Atkins; "Stand Alone: The Making of Halloween III"; "Horror's Hallowed Grounds" location featurette; still gallery; theatrical trailers; TV spots. (Shout! Factory/Scream Factory).

Hawaii Five-O (2010): The Second Season (2011-12) Six-disc set with 23 episodes. Formats: DVD, $59.99; Blu-ray Disc, $69.99. Extras: "Shore Lines: The Story of Hawaii Five-O, Season 2," "Aloha Action!" "Hawaii Five-O'Ahu" interactive guide, gag reel, "Becoming a SEAL: An Insider's Guide to the World's Toughest Training," deleted scenes. (CBS/Paramount).

Hoffa BLU-RAY DEBUT (1992) Dir.: Danny DeVito; Jack Nicholson, Danny DeVito, Armand Assante, J.T. Walsh, John C. Reilly, Frank Whaley. Extras: Commentary by director Danny DeVito, "The Music of Hoffa: A Conversation with Danny DeVito & David Newman," Danny DeVito's speech at the Teamsters Convention, Las Vegas, 2011, excised scenes, historical news coverage, personal anecdotes from Teamsters members, special shots, "DeVito's 11," discussion after the first script read-through, production gallery, "Hoffa" shooting script. (Fox Filmmaker Signature Series).

Hysteria (2012) (2011) Hugh Dancy, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Jonathan Pryce, Felicity Jones, Rupert Everett, Ashley Jensen, Sheridan Smith, Gemma Jones. Read more about "Hysteria" in the September Calendar. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. Extras: Deleted scenes, commentary with director Tanya Wexler, "An Evening with Tanya Wexler, Hugh Dancy and Jonathan Pryce," "Hysteria: Behind the Scenes" featurette, "Passion & Power: The Technology of Orgasm" featurette. (Sony).

Indiana Jones: The Complete Adventures BLU-RAY DEBUT "Raiders of the Lost Ark," "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom," "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" and "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull." Supervised by Steven Spielberg and sound designer Ben Burtt, "Raiders of the Lost Ark" has been meticulously restored with careful attention to preserving the original look, sound and feel of the film. The original negative was first scanned at 4K and then examined frame-by-frame so that any damage could be repaired. The sound design was similarly preserved using Burtt's original master mix, which had been archived and unused since 1981. New stereo surrounds were created using the original music tracks and original effects recorded in stereo but used previously only in mono. In addition, the sub bass was redone up to modern specifications and care was taken to improve dialogue and correct small technical flaws. Extras: Documentaries, interviews, featurettes and new bonus features. Read the complete press release here. $99.99 but available for $68.99 preorder from Amazon. (Paramount).

James Bond Gadgets (2007) History documentary is a comprehensive guide to the cars, weapons and cool gadgets used in the James Bond films. Bonus: The Ian Fleming episode of Biography. Formats: DVD, $19.95. (A&E).

Judge Dredd BLU-RAY DEBUT (1995) Sylvester Stallone, Armand Assante, Rob Schneider, Jurgen Prochnow, Max von Sydow, Diane Lane, Joanna Miles, Joan Chen, Balthazar Getty. (Disney).

Last of the Summer Wine: Vintage 1993 (1993) More episodes of the world's longest running sitcom, about three old men from Yorkshire who have never grown up. Formats: DVD two-disc set, $34.98. (BBC Home Entertainment).

Les visiteurs du soir (1942) A work of poetry and dark humor, "Les visiteurs du soir" is a lyrical medieval fantasy from the great French director Marcel Carne. Two strangers (Arletty and Alain Cuny), dressed as minstrels, arrive at a castle in advance of court festivities -- and it is revealed that they are actually emissaries of the devil himself, dispatched to spread heartbreak and suffering. Their plans, however, are thwarted by an unexpected intrusion: human love. Often interpreted as an allegory for the Nazi occupation of France, during which it was made, "Les visiteurs du soir" -- wittily written by Jacques Prevert and Pierre Laroche, and elegantly designed by Alexandre Trauner and shot by Roger Hubert, is a moving and whimsical tale of love conquering all. New high-definition digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray edition. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. Extras: "L'aventure des Visiteurs du soir," a documentary on the making of the film; trailer; booklet featuring an essay by film critic Michael Atkinson. (The Criterion Collection).

The Magic of Belle Isle (2012) Dir.: Rob Reiner; Morgan Freeman, Virginia Madsen, Madeline Carroll, Kenan Thompson, Fred Willard. A famous Western novelist whose struggle with alcoholism has sapped his passion for writing takes a lakeside cabin for the summer in picturesque Belle Isle, and befriends the family next door -- an attractive single mom and her young daughters, who help him find inspiration again. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. Extras: Commentary, deleted scenes. (Magnolia Home Entertainment).

The Mentalist: The Complete Fourth Season (2011-12) Five-disc set with 24 episodes, $59.98. Formats: DVD. Extras: "California Bureau of Investigation (CBI): Behind the Badge." (Warner).

Modern Family: The Complete Third Season (2011-12) Three-disc set with 24 episodes. Formats: DVD, $49.99; Blu-ray Disc, $59.99. Extras: Deleted family interviews, deleted and extended scenes, "Destination: Wyoming," "A Day on the Set With Ty," "Adventures of the Modern Family Kids," "A Modern Family Christmas," "Driving Lessons," "Ed O'Neill Gets a Star," "Modern Family Goes to Disneyland," gag reel. (Fox).

Oslo, August 31st (2012 -- Norway) This critically acclaimed film finds a young man (Anders Danielsen Lie) on the verge of successfully completing treatment at a drug rehab in the countryside. As part of the program, he is allowed to go into Oslo for a job interview but instead uses the opportunity to revisit friends and old haunts. 34-year-old Anders is smart, handsome and from a good family, but deeply haunted by all the opportunities he has wasted and all the people he has let down. For the remainder of the day and long into the night, he will wrestle with the chance of love and the possibility of a new life. Formats: DVD. (Strand Releasing).

Queen of the Damned BLU-RAY DEBUT (2002) Aaliyah, Stuart Townsend, Marguerite Moreau. Extras: "Aaliyah Remembered" tribute, "Creating the Vampires" featurette, "The Music of Lestat" featurette, commentary, additional scenes, gag reel, three music videos. (Warner).

Rawhide Season Five: Volume One & Volume Two (1962-63) Two four-disc sets, $42.99 each. Formats: DVD. (CBS/Paramount).

The Revenant (2011) David Anders, Chris Wylde, Louise Griffiths, Jacy King. Horror-thriller centers on a fallen soldier who somehow finds he has joined the ranks of the living dead. Bart Gregory has just recently been laid to rest -- so why is he still up and walking around? The only way he can keep himself from diminishing to dust is to supply himself with a constant supply of fresh blood. He quickly decides to do law enforcement a favor by cleaning up the streets. Formats: DVD, VOD, Digital Download. Extras: Two audio commentaries, "making of" featurette, deleted scenes, photo gallery. (Lionsgate).

Salvation Boulevard (2011) Pierce Brosnan, Jennifer Connelly, Ed Harris, Greg Kinnear, Marisa Tomei, Ciaran Hinds. Dark comedy set in the world of fundamentalist Christians and mega-churches. Born-again Christian Carl (Kinnear) witnesses his evangelical pastor, Dan Day (Brosnan), accidently shoot a man in the head. Framed by the pastor and forced to run, Carl must now tangle with his family, the devout mega-church followers, a Mexican crime lord and Pastor Day himself. Formats: DVD. (Sony).

Secret Access: The Presidency (2012) Three-disc set with three documentaries; "Secret Access: Air Force One," "The White House: Behind Closed Doors" and "The President's Book of Secrets." Formats: DVD, $29.95. (A&E).

She's the One BLU-RAY DEBUT (1996) Dir.: Edward Burns; John Mahoney, Edward Burns, Michael McGlone, Jennifer Aniston, Cameron Diaz, Leslie Mann, Amanda Peet. Extras: Commentary by director Edward Burns, featurette, "Walls" music video by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. (Fox Filmmaker Signature Series).

Silenced (2011 -- South Korea) Yoo Gong, Yu-mi Jeong, Hyeon-soo Kim. Based on the book "Dogani" -- which elicited outrage across South Korea -- "Silenced" is the heart-wrenching true story of horrific child abuse and the shocking human rights issues that continue to plague activists today. When widower Kang In-ho becomes a teacher at the Ja-ae Academy for deaf children in Mujin, far from his home and family, he is thankful for a new start for himself and his young daughter, who is sick and requires surgery he can't afford. But all is not as it appears at the esteemed school and, as the gentle-natured In-ho slowly gains the trust of his reticent students, he uncovers a dark and shocking secret. Though he is reluctant to step forward and lose the income he so desperately needs to help his daughter, he cannot turn his back on his tormented, young charges. Formats: DVD. Extras: "The School," "The Children," deleted scenes, poster photo shoot, still gallery, trailer. (CJ Entertainment America).

Something From Nothing: The Art of Rap (2012) Viewers get a personal journey into the craft and skills of rap, and what goes on inside the minds and erupts from the pens of rap legends in this critically-acclaimed documentary directed and hosted by rap legend Ice-T. The performance film features some of the genre's biggest talents, including Chuck D, Grandmaster Caz, Eminem, Snoop Dogg, Melle Mel, Q-Tip, Redman, Mos Def, Afrika Bambaataa, B Real, Immortal Technique, Ice Cube, MC Lyte, Nas, Dr. Dre, KRS One, Common and Kanye West. $19.97. Formats: DVD, VOD, Digital. (Indomina Releasing).

Speak (2012) Fascinating documentary film about the fear of public speaking coupled with an exploration of the Toastmasters World Championship of Public Speaking. Filmmakers Paul Galichia and Brian Weidling embarked on an almost two year journey conducting hundreds of interviews about public speaking anxiety as well as capturing every stage of the tense, highly competitive World Championship of Public Speaking. It all culminates in a week of fascinating human drama in Calgary, Alberta, after which one person is crowned "World Champion of Public Speaking." Funny, inspiring, moving, and utterly absorbing, the docu follows the trail of those brave souls who take on the fear of public speaking -- the world's number one fear -- and live to tell the tale. Formats: DVD, $24.95. (Tumbleweed Entertainment).

Steve Martin: The Television Stuff (2011) Three-disc set of funnyman Steve Martin's stand-up and TV work, including "On Location With Steve Martin" (1976), "Steve Martin: A Wild And Crazy Guy" (1978), "Steve Martin: Comedy Is Not Pretty" (1980), "All Commercials ... A Steve Martin Special" (1980), "Steve Martin's Best Show Ever" (1981), "Homage to Steve" (1984) and "Bits And Pieces" (1966-2005), a collection of Steve's television guest appearances, speeches and music videos. Includes a 24-page booklet. Formats: DVD. (Shout! Factory).

Suburgatory: The Complete First Season (2011-12) Three-disc set with 22 episodes. Formats: DVD. Extras: Featurettes, gag reel, unaired scenes. (Warner).

Supernatural: The Complete Seventh Season (2011-12) Four-disc set with 23 episodes, $59.98. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: "Washboards & Tommy Guns: Scoring Time After Time" featurette, "Directing the Supernatural" featurette, commentaries, gag reel, outtakes.(Warner).

Thomas & Friends: Blue Mountain Mystery -- The Movie (2012) New feature finds a mystery engine on the Island of Sodor and Thomas must track down clues to discover the lost engine, along the way revealing the power of friendship. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo. Extras: Hide & Seek game, "Learn About Standard & Narrow Gauge Engines" featurette, Karaoke music videos. (Lionsgate).

The Victim (2011) Michael Biehn, Jennifer Blanc, Ryan Honey, Denny Kirkwood, Danielle Harris. When a young "good time girl" witnesss a violent act committed by two Sheriff's Deputies, she heads for the safety of the wilderness, stumbling onto the cabin of a recluse who prefers to keep civilization at arm's length; his solitary life spirals into chaos when the girl shows up, followed by the deputies. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. Extras: Commentary by writer-director Biehn and co-star/co-producer Jennifer Blanc, making-of featurette. (Anchor Bay).

Wall Street Filmmaker Signature Series (1987) Dir.: Oliver Stone; Michael Douglas, Charlie Sheen, Hal Holbrook, Martin Sheen. Formats: Blu-ray Disc. Extras: Commentary by director Oliver Stone, "Greed Is Good," deleted Scenes, "Money Never Sleeps -- The Making of Wall Street," Fox Movie Channel presents Fox Legacy with Tom Rothman. (Fox).

The War of the Roses BLU-RAY DEBUT (1989) Dir.: Danny DeVito; Michael Douglas, Kathleen Turner, Danny DeVito, Marianne Sagebrecht, Sean Astin, Heather Fairfield. Extras: Commentary by director Danny DeVito, "Danny DeVito and producer James L. Brooks: Revisiting The War of the Roses," "The Music of War of the Roses: A Conversation with Danny DeVito and Composer David Newman," deleted scenes montage, trailers, TV spots, production gallery, script. (Fox Filmmaker Signature Series).

Winning Favor (2012) Mathew Ashford, Bonnie Johnson, Dallas Mix. Family-friendly small-town basketball melodrama about competing high school teams. Formats: DVD. (Entertainment One).

The Woman in the Fifth (2011 -- France) Ethan Hawke, Kristin Scott Thomas, Joanna Kulig. A down-and-out college lecturer flees to Paris after a scandal costs him his job. In the City of Lights, he tries to reconcile with his wife and daughter, taking a room in a shady hotel and getting an equally shady job as a night watchman; he eventually meets a mysterious widow and begins an affair with her that leads to a series of inexplicable events -- including death and destruction. Formats: DVD. Extras: Behind-the-scenes featurette. (New Video).

Back to top

September 25

Adventures In Plymptoons! (2012) Documentary on independent animator Bill Plympton. His illustrations have been featured in The New York Times, The Village Voice, Vogue, Rolling Stone, Vanity Fair, Penthouse, and National Lampoon. Plympton earned two Academy Award-nominations for his films "Your Face" in 1987 and for "Guard Dog" in 2005. He has directed and animated over 60 animation shorts, live action features, music videos, commercials and documentaries. Formats: DVD, VOD. (Cinema Libre).

American Horror Story: The Complete First Season (2011) Four-disc set with 12 episodes. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. (Fox).

Any Last Words? (2011) Tom Lagleder, Paul Tinder, Dimitrius Pulido. Formats: DVD, VOD, Digital Download. Badly wounded after a battle between cowboys and Native Americans, Bat Masterson revisits his past, examining his choices and how they have defined his life. Extras: Two behind-the-scene featurettes. (Lionsgate).

The American President BLU-RAY DEBUT (1995) Dir.: Rob Reiner; Michael Douglas, Annette Bening, Martin Sheen, Michael J. Fox, Anna Deavere Smith, Samantha Mathis. (Warner).

388 Arletta Avenue (2011) Nick Stahl, Mia Kirshner, Devon Sawa, Aaron Abrams. A faceless voyeur terrorizes a seemingly happy suburban couple. Formats: DVD. (Tribeca Film/Cinedigm).

The Avengers (2012) Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Tom Hiddleston, Stellan Skarsgard, Samuel L. Jackson. Read more about "The Avengers" in the September Calendar. Formats: Four-Disc Combo Pack (Blu-ray 3D+Blu-ray+DVD+Digital Copy+Digital Download of the "Inspired By" album), two-Disc Combo Pack (Blu-ray + DVD), single-disc DVD, Digital Download, VOD. Extras: "Assembling the Ultimate Team" featurette, commentary by Joss Whedon. Blu-ray adds "A Visual Journey" featurette, gag reel, deleted scenes, Soundgarden music video "Live to Rise," more. (Disney).

Bond 50: The Complete 22 Film Collection Blu-ray James Bond's golden anniversary gets a fitting celebration with this release of all 22 007 films on Blu-ray -- together for the first time ever -- neatly packaged into one cool, sleek collectable box set. This marks the debut of nine James Bond films previously unavailable on Blu-ray. The set comes with a dossier of more than 122 hours of bonus features, including previous bonus content as well as a 23rd disc with two new documentaries -- "The World of Bond" and "Being Bond" -- and behind-the-scenes videoblogs about the making of "Skyfall," the latest Bond outing. Also available as a DVD set. Order your copy here. And check out the complete press release with all the bonus features here (MGM).

The Carol Burnett Show Time Life will release four different configurations of sets of "The Carol Burnett Show" with episodes selected by Burnett: "The Carol Burnett Show Ultimate Collection," an overstuffed 22-DVD set housed in a collectible box featuring a replica curtain from the show opening, 50 hand-picked episodes, an exclusive 20-page memory book and more than 20 hours of new, never-before-seen bonus features; "The Carol Burnett Show -- Carol's Favorites," a six-DVD set boasting 17 complete, unedited episodes featuring the most popular and hilarious sketches and characters from the series; "The Best of the Carol Burnett Show," a two-DVD set with seven classic episodes; and "The Best of the Carol Burnett Show" single DVD with "Went With the Wind," classic sketches of The Family, Tudball & Wiggins, and others. For more info: Carol On DVD. (Time Life).

Charlie's Angels: The Complete Series (1976-1981) The 27-disc box set features all five seasons includes the never-before-released-on-DVD fifth and final season. Formats: DVD, $65.99. Extras: "Angels Forever" featurette from Season One. (Sony).

The Crimson Petal and the White (2012) British miniseries based on Michel Faber's international bestseller. The psychological thriller follows the fortunes of Sugar (Romola Garai), an ambitious prostitute, as she navigates the dark underbelly of Victorian London in pursuit of a better life. Co-stars Chris O'Dowd, Gillian Anderson, Amanda Hale, Shirley Henderson. Two-disc set with four episodes, $39.99. Formats: DVD. Extras: Deleted scenes, interviews. (Acorn Media).

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation: The Twelfth Season (2011-12) Six-disc set with 22 episodes, $68.99. Formats: DVD. Extras: "A Crime a Dozen: Season 12 of CSI" cast and crew featurette, "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" featurette on the show's new arrivals, "A Farewell to Marg," "Putting on a Freak Show" behind-the-scenes featurette for the "Freaks and Geeks" episode, "A Family Affair" featurette, "Death, Trucks and Rock n' Roll" featurette, deleted scenes, commentary. (CBS/Paramount).

CSI: Miami: The Final Season (2011-12) Five-disc set with 19 episodes, $64.99. Formats: DVD. Extras: Commentary, "A Perfect Ten" featurette on the last season, "Miami Meets Mother Nature" featurette, "A 'Tripp' to the Set" featurette, "The Miami Look" featurette, deleted scenes, gag reel. (CBS/Paramount).

CSI: New York: The Eighth Season (2011-12) Five-disc set with 18 episodes, $64.99. Formats: DVD. Extras: "The Magic 8" featurette, "Honoring Our Heroes" 9/11 featurette, "A New York Halloween," "Flash to the Past" featurette, deleted scenes, gag reel. (CBS/Paramount).

Damsels in Distress (2012) Dir.: Whit Stillman; Greta Gerwig, Aubrey Plaza, Adam Brody, Analeigh Tipton, Hugo Becker, Megalyn Echikunwoke, Carrie MacLemore, Ryan Metcalf, Billy Magnussen. Read more about "Damsels in Distress" in the September Calendar. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. Extras: Commentary with writer-director Whit Stillman and cast, deleted scenes, outtakes, "Damsels in Distress: Behind the Scenes," "An Evening With Damsels in Distress: Q&A With Whit Stillman and Cast." (Sony).

The Dark Knight Returns -- Part 1 (2012) Animated adventure has a new breed of criminal ravaging Gotham City, forcing 55-year-old Bruce Wayne out of retirement and back into the cape and cowl. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo with UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: Two hours of bonus material, cartoons, digital comic book. (Warner).

Dave BLU-RAY DEBUT (1993) Dir.: Ivan Reitman; Kevin Kline, Sigourney Weaver, Frank Langella, Kevin Dunn, Ving Rhames, Ben Kingsley, Charles Grodin, Laura Linney, Bonnie Hunt. (Warner).

Delicacy (2012 -- France) Audrey Tautou, Francois Damiens. Following a tragic accident, a young woman is widowed and her life comes crashing down around her. But when an unexpected romance rekindles her zest for life, she fights self-doubts and a host of other obstacles. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. Extras: "Making-of" featurette, interview with Tautou. (Cohen Media group).

Desperate Housewives: The Complete Eighth & Final Season (2011-12) Five-disc set with 23 episodes, $45.99. Formats: DVD. (ABC/Disney).

Drunkboat (2010) John Malkovich, Jacob Zachar, Dana Delany, John Goodman. A Vietnam veteran, one-time poet and now a staggering drunk, decides to get his life together and returns to his family home in suburban Chicago, where he helps his teenage nephew with the youngster's dream of buying a boat and sailing from Lake Michigan to the Atlantic and beyond. Formats: DVD. (Virgil Films).

Eating Raoul (1982) A sleeper hit of the early 1980s, "Eating Raoul" is a bawdy, gleefully amoral tale of conspicuous consumption. Warhol superstar Mary Woronov and cult legend Paul Bartel (who also directed) portray a prudish married couple feeling put upon by the swingers who live in their apartment building; one night, by accident, they discover a way to simultaneously realize their dream of opening a little restaurant and rid themselves of the "perverts" down the hall. A mix of hilarious, anything-goes slapstick and biting satire of me-generation self-indulgence, "Eating Raoul" marks the end of the sexual revolution with a thwack. New, restored digital transfer, supervised by director of photography Gary Thieltges, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray edition. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. Extras: Audio commentary featuring screenwriter Richard Blackburn, art director Robert Schulenberg, and editor Alan Toomayan; "The Secret Cinema" (1968) and "Naughty Nurse" (1969), two short films by director Paul Bartel; "Cooking Up Raoul," a new documentary about the making of the film, featuring interviews with stars Mary Woronov, Robert Beltran, and Edie McClurg; gag reel of outtakes from the film; archival interview with Bartel and Woronov; trailer; booklet featuring an essay by film critic David Ehrenstein. (The Criterion Collection).

Family Guy: Volume Ten (2011-12) Three-disc set with 14 episodes, $39.98. Formats: DVD. Extras: Commentaries, deleted scenes, animatics. (Fox).

The Game (1997) Enormously wealthy and emotionally remote investment banker Nicholas Van Orton (Michael Douglas) receives a strange gift from his ne'er-do-well younger brother (Sean Penn) on his 48th birthday: a voucher for a game that, if he agrees to play it, will change his life. Thus begins a trip down a rabbit hole that is puzzling, terrifying, and exhilarating for Nicholas and viewer alike. This multilayered, noirish descent into one man's personal hell is also a surreal, metacinematic journey that, two years after the phenomenon "Se7en," further demonstrated that director David Fincher was one of Hollywood's true contemporary visionaries. New, restored digital transfer, supervised by director David Fincher and director of photography Harris Savides, with original theatrical 5.1 surround theatrical soundtrack, in DTS-HD Master Audio on the Blu-ray edition. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. Extras: Alternate 5.1 surround mix optimized for home theater viewing, supervised by sound designer Ren Klyce and Fincher, in DTS-HD Master Audio on the Blu-ray edition; audio commentary by Fincher, Savides, Douglas, screenwriters John Brancato and Michael Ferris, digital animation supervisor Richard "Dr." Baily, production designer Jeffrey Beecroft, visual effects supervisor Kevin Haug, and visual effects producer Robyn D'Arcy; an hour’s worth of exclusive behind-the-scenes footage and film-to-storyboard comparisons for four of the film's major set pieces, with commentary; alternate ending; trailer and teaser trailer, with commentary; booklet featuring an essay by film critic David Sterritt. (The Criterion Collection).

G.I. Joe: Renegades The Complete First Season BLU-RAY DEBUT (2010) Three-disc set with 26 episodes, $49.97. Extras: Behind-the-scenes featurette. (Shout! Factory).

G.I. Joe: Renegades Season One, Volume Two (2011) Formats: DVD. (Shout! Factory).

Gossip Girl: The Complete Fifth Season (2011-12) Five-disc set with 24 episodes, $59.98. Formats: DVD. Extras: "Gossip Girl Turns 100!" featurette, "5 Years of Iconic Style" featurette, unaired scenes, gag reel. (Warner).

The Holy Roller (2010) Angus Benfield, Victoria Abbott, Jeremy Brennan, Mark Hadlow. A small town pastor moves to the big city and achieves success as a televangelist, only to face inner and outer spiritual demons. Formats: DVD. Extras: Commentary, behind-the-scenes featurette, interviews. (Image Entertainment).

Iron Man: Armored Adventures: Season 2, Volume 2 (2011) The next six episodes of Season Two, $14.93.Formats: DVD. (Marvel Animation, Gaiam Vivendi Entertainment, Method Animation and DQ Entertainment).

Just Around the Corner (2011) Music documentary about music promoter and manager Bob Benjamin's battle against Parkinson's Disease. Featuring performances by Joe D'Urso, Joe Grushecky, Ed Kowalczyk (former front man of the band Live), Jesse Malin, Willie Nile, Bruce Springsteen and others. Formats: DVD. (Virgil Films).

Key & Peele: Season One (2012) Two-disc set with eight episodes of the Comedy Central sketch series. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. Extras: Outtakes, poolside interview, "Live at South Beach Comedy Festival," commentaries. (Comedy Central).

Klown (2010 -- Denmark) Frank Hvam, Caspar Christensen. Based on the wildly popular six-season Danish TV show of the same name about debauchery. Two wildly inappropriate friends run amok through the Danish countryside plowing through social taboos, unspeakable debaucheries and absurd sexual encounters. Misguided Frank kidnaps the nephew of his pregnant girlfriend in an eager attempt to prove his fatherhood potential while the sex-driven Caspar is determined to visit a world-renowned brothelFormats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, VOD, Digital Download. (Drafthouse Films/Image Entertainment).

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit -- The Thirteenth Year (2011-12) Five-disc set with 23 episodes. Formats: DVD. (Universal).

The Letter (2011) Winona Ryder, Josh Hamilton, James Franco, Marin Ireland, Katherine Waterston. Mind-bending thriller about a playwright who begins to mentally unravel and cannot decide if she is the center of a manipulative plot or simply losing her grip on reality. Formats: DVD, VOD, Digital Download. (Lionsgate).

The Man From Beijing (2011 -- Sweden) Suzanna von Borsody, Michael Nyqvist, Claudia Michelse, Amy Cheng, James Taenaka. The gruesome discovery of 19 dead bodies in a small town in northern Sweden, a local judge who learns she's related to a number of the victims, and a mysterious diary entry from the distant past are all part of this gripping mystery-thriller film based on the bestseller by internationally renowned crime novelist Henning Mankell of the acclaimed Wallander series. Formats: DVD, VOD, Digital. Extras: "The Making of The Man From Beijing." (Music Box Films).

Midsomer Murders: Mayhem & Mystery Files (2006-08) Collector's set follows Village Case Files and features the next 15 stand-alone mysteries (episodes from Series 10 and 11) in broadcast order of the best-selling U.K. series. Fifteen-disc set, $149.99. Formats: DVD. (Acorn Media).

New Tricks, Season 8 (2011) Three-disc set with 10 episodes of the BBC series about a team of semi-retired and somewhat curmudgeonly detectives investigating cold cases, $39.99. Formats: DVD. Extras: Behind-the-scenes featurette. (Acorn Media).

Night of the Devils (1972) Italian genre film legend Gianni Garko stars in this terrifying masterpiece of the macabre, based on Tolstoy's story "The Wurdulak," itself previously adapted in Mario Bava's "Black Sabbath." A nameless mentally ill man (Garko) is found wandering in the woods, his mind lost in fever dreams of gruesome, sexual imagery. After admitted into a psychiatric hospital, the man flashes back to his nightmarish encounter with a backwoods family whose dynasty holds a centuries old curse. What follows is a night of unrelenting horror. Restored Eurohorror classic. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray. Extras: Video interview with Chris Alexander, Fangoria Magazine; fully illustrated booklet on the genesis and production of the film; video interview with composer Giorgio Gaslini. (Rarovideo/Entertainment One).

Pink Ribbons, Inc. (2011) Pink ribbons ... they're everywhere: T-shirts, hats, yogurt cups, KFC buckets, car ads, NFL stadiums ... the list goes on and on. They make us feel good, as if we're all engaged in a successful battle against breast cancer. But who is really benefiting? This documentary goes inside the story to reveal those who have co-opted what marketing experts have labeled a "dream cause." Formats: DVD, $27.95. (First Run Features).

Portlandia Season Two (2012) Two-disc set with 10 episodes, $19.95. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. Extras: Behind-the-scenes Portlandia live tour footage, creator commentaries, a bonus feminist bookstore scene, "Brunch Village: The Director's Cut," an excerpt from the new book "Portlandia: A Guide for Visitors" and the "Inside Portlandia" documentary special. (Video Services Corp.).

Rescue Me: The Complete Series (2004-11) The 26-disc box set includes all seven seasons with previously released special features, including gag reels, deleted scenes, commentaries and more. Formats: DVD, $95.99. Extras: Eight gag reels, 90 deleted scenes, 31 featurettes, two commentaries, one extended scene. (Sony).

Resident Evil: Degeneration (2011) CGI-animated next chapter in the smash hit "Resident Evil" saga. After battling to stop the deadly G-Virus in "Resident Evil: Degeneration," film and game series star Leon S. Kennedy returns for the ultimate battle against new Bio Organic Weapons in an Eastern European nation torn by civil war. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, UltraViolet. Extras: "Las Plagas: Organisms of War" featurette, voice bloopers, making-of featurette "The DNA of Damnation." (Sony).

The Samaritan (2011) Samuel L. Jackson, Ruth Negga, Luke Kirby, Tom Wilkinson, Deborah Kara Unger, Gil Bellows. After 25 years in prison for killing his partner in crime, mournful con man Foley (Jackson) is finished with the grifter's life. He meets a beautiful yet damaged and mysterious young woman but his past catches up with him: The headstrong son of Foley's former partner has come up with an ingenious plan for a score involving his mobster boss and he wants Foley in on it. Formats: DVD. (IFC Entertainment).

She Wants Me (2012) Josh Gad, Hilary Duff, Kristen Ruhlin, Johnny Messner. A neurotic writer working on his new film gets into a tricky situation when an A-list actress shows interest in the role intended for his girlfriend. Formats: DVD. (Grand Entertainment).

Sleepless Night (2011 -- France) Tomer Sisley, Serge Riaboukine. A cop with a connection to the criminal underworld finds his secret life exposed when he and his partner are caught stealing cocaine from a powerful drug dealer, a move that puts his son's life in jeopardy. Formats: DVD. (Tribeca Film/Cinedigm).

Snowman's Land (2010 -- Germany) Jurgen Rissmann, Thomas Wodianka, Reiner Schone, Eva-Katrin Hermann and Walera Kanischtscheff. While protecting a crime boss's home in the Carpathian Mountains, a contract killer and his old friend get into a dangerous situation when the boss's wife is accidentally killed in this Tarantino-esque thriller. Formats: DVD. (Music Box Films).

Special Branch, Set 1 (1969) Four-disc set with 13 episodes of the British series that focuses on the Special Branch of London's Metropolitan Police dedicated to stopping terrorist activities in the nation's capital, $59.99. U.S. debut. Formats: DVD. (Acorn Media).

Strippers vs. Werewolves (2012) Robert Englund, Billy Murray, Steven Berkoff, Alan Ford, Lee Asquith-Coe, Sarah Douglas, Lysette Anthony. The stage is set for a war between strippers and werewolves when a member of a bloodthirsty pack of lycans is murdered in a famous strip club. The girls have until the next full moon before the wolf pack shows up to hunt down the killer and seek retribution. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, Digital. Extras: Commentary, behind-the-scenes featurette. (Well Go USA).

Surviving Progress (2011) This provocative documentary explores the concept of progress in our modern world, guiding us through the major "progress traps" facing our civilization in the arenas of technology, economics, consumption and the environment. Featuring Jane Goodall, Margaret Atwood, Stephen Hawking, Craig Venter, Robert Wright, David Suzuki, Michael Hudson, Ronald Wright and more. Formats: DVD, $27.95. (First Run Features).

The Tall Man (2012) Jessica Biel, Jodelle Ferland, Samantha Ferris, Stephen McHattie. In an isolated, slowly dying mining town, children are vanishing without a trace -- abducted, the townsfolk whisper, by a mysterious entity known locally as "The Tall Man." Town nurse Julia Denning (Jessica Biel) seems skeptical until her own son disappears in the middle of night and, when she tries to track him down, she finds herself entering a murky world of nightmares. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, Digital. (Image Entertainment).

The Tempest (2010) Christopher Plummer takes the role of Shakespeare's exiled royal Prospero, the rightful Duke of Milan turned sorcerer, in this version of the classic play performed at the prestigious Stratford Shakespeare Festival. Formats: DVD. Extras: Q&A with Plummer and director Des McAnuff. (Entertainment One).

To Whom It May Concern: Ka Shen's Journey (2010) Documentary on Nancy Kwan, who was discovered in London's Royal Ballet School by producer Ray Stark and went on to star in "The World of Suzie Wong" and "Flower Drum Song" but -- at the height of her career -- returned to Hong Kong to care for her ailing father. Formats: DVD. (Virgil Films).

Touched By an Angel: The Sixth Season (1999-2000) Seven-disc set with 26 episodes, $56.99. Formats: DVD. (Paramount).

Vampire Dog (2012) Collin MacKechnie, Julia Sarah Stone, Amy Matysio, Ron Pederson and the voice of Norm MacDonald. When his grandfather from Transylvania dies and sends him his dog, Fang, a young boy soon discovers that his gramps' best friend is a 600-year-old, English-speaking vampire dog. The pair become fast friends and together fight off evildoers in this Dove-approved family film. Formats: DVD. (Entertainment One).

Wallander 3 (2011) Three feature-length BBC Masterpiece episodes based on the dark, quirky hit Swedish series and adapted from the novels of award-winning crime fiction writer Henning Mankell, starring Kenneth Branagh as detective Kurt Wallander: "An Event in Autumn," "The Dogs of Riga," "Before the Frost. "Formats: DVD, $34.98. (BBC Home Entertainment/Warner).

Weird-Noir Two-disc set with six tawdry and twisted tales, four of which arrive on DVD for the first time.
"Girl on the Run" (1953): A hootchy-kootchy whodunit set at a small seedy carnival where a reporter tries to discover who killed his boss while his girlfriend inexplicably joins the burlesque show! Pure carny-noir.
"The Naked Road" (1959): When a woman is left with a corrupt judge as collateral for a speeding ticket, a Good Samaritan bails her out ... then holds her prisoner as a future sex slave in this utterly off-kilter, truly weird weird-noir.
"The Seventh Commandment" (1961): A preacher with amnesia and the power to heal quickly plunges into the gutter when his ex-girlfriend-with-a-grudge shows up to blackmail him in this pulp mix of sex, revenge, and outright obsession.
"Fear No More" (1961): Accused of killing a woman on a train, Sharon Carlin runs home to find another corpse there too.
"Fallguy "(1962): Hot-shot teen Sonny Martin stops to help the victim of an auto accident but quickly realizes he's stepped into a murder in progress.
"Stark Fear" (1962): After the abusive husband of cult fave Beverly Garland disappears, you'd think she'd celebrate. Instead, she tries to find the bum and, as expected, things get worse. Formats: DVD, $19.98.
(Something Weird Video/Image Entertainment).

Back to top

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 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.

E-mail OnVideo

| Home | Resources | DVD Releases | Calendar |
| Reviews | Links |

E-mail: mail@onvideo.org
August 27, 2012
(ISSN 1094-3676).