Pop Culture
DVD Releases: Week of November 22nd
By R. Flagg
Nov 22, 2005, 15:19

Notable Releases
War of the Worlds (2-Disc Limited Edition)
Best Price: $24.99 @ Best Buy
The Features:
� Revisiting the Invasion: Introduction with Steven Spielberg
� The H. G. Wells Legacy
� Steven Spielberg and the Original War of the Worlds
� Characters: The Family Unit
� Production Diaries: Filming on the East Coast - Beginning
� Production Diaries: Filming on the East Coast - Exile
� Production Diaries: Filming on the West Coast - Destruction
� Production Diaries: Filming on the West Coast - War
� Designing the Enemy: Tripods and Aliens
� Scoring War of the Worlds
� We Are Not Alone

The Polar Express (2-Disc)
Best Price: $15.87 @ Wal-Mart
The Features:
� Never-before-seen Smokey and Steamer song
� You Look Familiar: The Many "Polar Faces" of Tom Hanks
� An Author's Adventure: Profiling Chris Van Allsburg
� Josh Groban at the Greek performing the Academy Award nominated original song "Believe."
� Behind the scenes of "Believe": bringing a hit song to life in the recording studio
� Polar Express challenge
� Meet the Snow Angels: the moviemakers' Christmas memories
� THQ PC game demo with two playable levels
� Theatrical trailer

Cheaper By the Dozen (Baker's Dozen Edition)
Best Price: $14.99 @ Best Buy
The Features:
� Free Movie Money Coupon good towards admission to Cheaper By The Dozen 2
� Inside Look: Cheaper by the Dozen 2
� Commentary with Director Shawn Levy
� Kids Commentary: Alyson Stoner - "Sarah", Jacob Smith - "Jake", Kevin Schmidt - "Henry", Morgan York - "Kim", & Liliana Mumy - "Jessica"
� Orphans: Deleted/Extended Scenes w/Commentary
� Frogs & Eggs
� Dylan's Birthday
� Director's Viewfinder: Creating a Fictional Family & Storyboard to Screen Comparison
� Critters
� Trailers: Like Mike 2 & Dr. Dolittle 3
� Ashton commercial with optional commentary

King Kong (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Best Price: $14.85 @ Wal-Mart
The Features:
� Original 1933 Film classic in Glorious Black and White, Newly Restored and Digitally Mastered
� Commentary by Ray Harryhausen and Ken Ralston, with Merian C. Cooper and Fay Wray
� I'm Kong: The Exploits of Merian C. Cooper (2005 TCM documentary)
� RKO Production 601: The Making of Kong, Eighth Wonder of the World - 7 Part Documentary including...
-The Origins of "King Kong"
-Willis OBrien and "Creation"
-Cameras Roll on Kong, The Eighth Wonder
-A Milestone in Visual Effects
-Passion, Sound and Fury
-The Mystery of the Lost Spider Pit Sequence
-King Kongs Legacy
� Creation Test Footage with Commentary by Ray Harryhausen
� The RKO Story: Birth of a Titan (1987 BBC documentary)
� Theatrical Trailer
� Merian C. Cooper Movies Trailer Gallery

King Kong (Collector's Edition)
Best Price: $24.88 @ Wal-Mart
The Features:
� Collector's Edition includes:
-Collectible tin packaging
-20-page reproduction of original 1933 souvenir program
-King Kong memorable scenes postcards
-Vintage King Kong poster mail-in offer
� Original 1933 Film classic in Glorious Black and White, Newly Restored and Digitally Mastered
� Commentary by Ray Harryhausen and Ken Ralston, with Merian C. Cooper and Fay Wray
� I'm Kong: The Exploits of Merian C. Cooper (2005 TCM documentary)
� RKO Production 601: The Making of Kong, Eighth Wonder of the World (7 Part Documentary)
� Creation Test Footage with Commentary by Ray Harryhausen
� The RKO Story: Birth of a Titan (1987 BBC documentary)
� Theatrical Trailer
� Merian C. Cooper Movies Trailer Gallery

Mighty Joe Young
Best Price: $13.26 @ DeepDiscountDVD.com
The Features:
� Commentary by Ray Harryhausen, Terry Moore and Ken Ralston
� A Conversation with Ray Harryhausen and the Chiodo Brothers
� Ray Harryhausen and Mighty Joe Young
� Theatrical Trailer

Seinfeld: Season 5
Best Price: $29.99 @ Circuit City
The Features:
� All-New Interviews with Cast & Creators
� Not That There's Anything Wrong With That: Bloopers
� In the Vault: Deleted Scenes
� Master of His Domain: Exclusive Stand-Up Footage
� Yada, Yada, Yada: Creator & Cast Commentaries
� Inside Looks: Behind-the-Scenes Stories from Cast & Creators
� Notes About Nothing: Behind-the-Scenes Scoop & Production Notes
� Jason + Larry = George: How Jason Alexander embodied Larry David's alter ego to create George Costanza
� Sponsored by Vandelay Industries: Original NBC Promotional Ads & Trailers
� Trivia About Each Episode
� And More!

Seinfeld: Season 6
Best Price: $29.99 @ Circuit City
The Features:
� All-New Interviews with Cast & Creators
� Not That There's Anything Wrong With That: Bloopers
� In the Vault: Deleted Scenes
� Master of His Domain: Exclusive Stand-Up Footage
� Yada, Yada, Yada: Creator & Cast Commentaries
� Inside Looks: Behind-the-Scenes Stories from Cast & Creators
� Notes About Nothing: Behind-the-Scenes Scoop & Production Notes
� Running with the Egg: Making A Seinfeld
� Sein-Imation: See classic Seinfeld scenes re-imagined in this all-new feature

American Idol: The Best & Worst Of Seasons 1-4 (Limited Collector's Edition)
Best Price: $17.99 @ Circuit City
The Features:
Best of disc includes:
� Season 1-4 reviews
� The Search for an Idol
� Top 2 finalists audition footage
� Unforgettable performances
� Kelly Clarkson 2002 interview
� Here Come the Judges
� Paula Abdul in San Jose with the Idols
� Carrie Underwood sings the National Anthem
� Changes- how the Top 2 have changed
� Finalist Photo Gallery
Worst of disc includes:
� Funnies moments from all 4 seasons
� Never-before-seen audition footage
� America The Beautiful as you�ve never heard it before
� Proud Mary a popular contestant choice
� Fashion Faux Pas
� Christmas Carols
Bonus disc includes:
� Never-before-seen home town footage from season 4
� Extensive footage with Carrie Underwood and Bo Bice
� Exclusive interview with Paula Abdul

C.S.I. Miami: The Complete Third Season
Best Price: $41.97 @ DVDPlanet.com
The Features:
� 24 episodes on seven discs
� Commentary on six episodes
� Delivering The Goods
� Visualizing Season 3
� Locations: Coast-to-Coast
� Deep Blue Sea
� Medical Examiner School (eight-part featurette)

The Golden Girls: The Complete Third Season
Best Price: $27.88 @ Wal-Mart
The Features:
� Golden Moments: a montage of humorous moments from Season Three
The Golden Girls Scrapbook: a collection of hilarious clips from each "Golden Girl"

Tracey Takes On: The Complete 1st Season
Best Price: $25.48 @ DVDEmpire.com
The Features:
� Commentary Tracks with Tracey Ullman
� 4 Character Comedy Specials
� Slide Show of Tracey's Memorable Characters

Ran (Criterion Collection)
Synopsis:
With Ran, legendary director Akira Kurosawa re-imagines Shakespeare�s tragic King Lear as a singular historical epic set in sixteenth-century Japan. Tatsuya Nakadai stars as Lord Hidetora, a warlord who cedes authority over his vast dominion to his eldest son, setting off a familial power struggle for control of the kingdom. Majestic in scope, Ran is a visual masterpiece in which Kurosawa contrasts the immensity of war with the crumbling of one family under the weight of betrayal, greed, and the insatiable thirst for power.
Best Price: $25.97 @ DVDPlanet.com
The Features:
� Commentary by Kurosawa scholar Stephen Prince
� An appreciation of the film by director Sidney Lumet
� A.K.: 74-minute film by director Chris Marker (La jet�e, Sans soleil), examining the making of Ran
� It Is Wonderful to Create: 37-minute documentary on the making of Ran, created as part of the Toho Masterworks series
� Image: 35-minute video piece reconstructing Ran through Akira Kurosawa�s paintings and sketches
� New video interview with actor Tatsuya Nakadai
� Original theatrical trailer
� New essay by film critic Michael Wilmington
� More!

The Tales Of Hoffmann (Criterion Collection)
Synopsis:
In Jacques Offenbach�s fantasy opera, the poet E.T.A. Hoffmann dreams of three women, a mechanical performing doll, a bejeweled siren who steals his reflection, and the consumptive daughter of a famous composer, all of whom break his heart in different ways. Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger create a phantasmagoric marriage of cinema and opera in their one-of-a-kind take on this classic story. Feverishly romantic, The Tales of Hoffmann is a feast of music, dance, and visual effects and one of the most exhilarating film adaptations of an opera ever produced.
Best Price: $25.97 @ DVDPlanet.com
The Features:
� Commentary by director Martin Scorsese and film-music historian Bruce Eder
� New video interview with director George A. Romero
� The Sorcerer�s Apprentice (1956): a short musical film directed by Michael Powell, based on the Goethe story
� Rare collection of production designer Hein Heckroth�s design sketches and paintings
� Gallery of archival production and publicity photographs
� Original theatrical trailer
� A new essay by opera and film historian Ken Wlaschin

Sympathy For Mr. Vengeance
Synopsis:
Unable to afford proper care for his sister dying from kidney failure, Ryu turns to the black market to sell his own organs only to end up cheated of his life savings. His girlfriend urges Ryu to kidnap the daughter of wealthy industrialist Dong-jin, who recently laid him off. Ryu agrees, but unforeseen tragedies turn an innocent con into a merciless quest for revenge. Bound by their personal losses and deep-seated anger, the two men are thrust into a spiral of destruction.
Best Price: $14.98 @ DeepDiscountDVD.com
The Features:
� Commentary by director Park Chanwook
� Behind the Scenes (30 min)
� A First Look at Sympathy for Lady Vengeance
� Original Theatrical Trailer
� Photo Gallery

Punishment Park
Synopsis:
1970. The war in Vietnam is escalating. There is massive public protest in the United States and elsewhere. President Nixon declares a state of national emergency and the Federal authorities are given the power to detain persons judged to be a risk to national security.

In a desert zone in southwest California, a civilian tribunal passes sentence on groups of dissidents and gives them the option of participating in law enforcement training exercises in the Bear Mountain National Punishment Park. In an atmosphere of aggression and intimidation and in soaring temperatures, the prisoners have to fight for their lives as the forces of law and order hunt them down.
The Features:
� Specially-filmed 28 minute introduction by Director Peter Watkins
� Commentary by Dr. Joseph A. Gomez, Founding Director of Film Studies at North Carolina State University and author of the only book on Peter Watkins
� The Forgotten Faces (1961): an 18-minute amateur film by Peter Watkins
� 24 page booklet with a chapter on Punishment Park from Joseph Gomez's 1979 book on Peter Watkins
� Text essay by media critic Scott McDonald on audience responses to "Punishment Park"
� Original 1971 press kit

Ringers: Lord of the Fans (Special Edition)
Synopsis:
Reclaim the Ring! Ringers: Lord Of The Fans humorously unfurls the true tale of how J.R.R. Tolkien's epic fantasy "The Lord of the Rings" has influenced pop culture for fifty years; a powerhouse story that enthralls millions of "Ringers" across cultures and across time.

Produced in association with TheOneRing.net and narrated by The Lord of the Rings trilogy star Dominic Monaghan, this award-winning, groundbreaking film traces the impact of Tolkien's new mythology with eye-popping visuals, animation, and candid interviews with such luminaries as Peter Jackson, Elijah Wood, Viggo Mortensen, Ian McKellen, Clive Barker, David Carradine and others - plus a constellation of wacky and wonderful "Ringers" hailing all the way from Middle America to Middle-earth.
Best Price: $16.92 @ DeepDiscountDVD.com
The Features:
� Filmmaker's Commentary
� Deleted Scenes
� Memorable Confessionals
� Rock & Ringers
� The Ring Comes Full Circle
� Photo Gallery

Other Releases
83 Hours Till Dawn
8mm
8mm 2 (Unrated Edition)
Almost A Bride
American Chain Gang
The Andy Griffith Show: The Complete Fourth Season
Architectures IV
Baby Take a Bow
Barbara Streisand: The Television Specials
The Best Of IWA Wrestling, Vol. 1
The Black Candle
The Black Candle/The Black Velvet Gown
Black Girl/Borom Sarret
The Black Velvet Gown
Bright Eyes
Brushfires
Captain Apache
The Captain & Tennille: Ultimate Collection (3 DVD Set)
Carlos Castaneda: Enigma Of A Sorcerer
Carl Perkins: Rock N Roll Legend
Carly Simon: A Moonlight Serenade On The Queen Mary 2
Choices Of The Heart
Cinderella Man: The James J. Braddock Story
Cliff Richard: Live
Code 7, Victim 5
Cover Up (1949)
Cradle Of Filth: Peace Through Superior Firepower
The Crooked Way
Cry Of Battle
Detective (2005)
A Dog's Life: A Dogamentary
Don't Trust Your Husband
A Double Tour
The Dresden Dolls: Paradise
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
Fatal Charm
Fates Warning: Live In Athens
The Fifth Reaction
Final Payback
Five Savage Men
Fort Algiers
Four Dead Batteries
French Chef With Julia Child 2
Goodnight Mister Tom
Grand Role
The Great Water
Guilt By Association
Harry And Branford: Duo Occasion
Harry Chapin: Remember When
HBO Comedy Presents George Kirby
HBO Comedy Presents Myron Cohen
HBO Comedy Presents Norm Crosby
HBO Comedy Presents Shelley Berman
Hell on Wheels
Her Desperate Choice
The Hives: Tussles in Brussels
Home Improvement: The Complete Third Season
Jack Johnson: A Weekend At The Greek & Live In Japan
John Legend: Live At The House Of Blues
Keane: Strangers
Killswitch Engage: Set This World Ablaze
King Kong (1976)
The King Kong Collection (King Kong 2-Disc Special Edition/Son Of Kong/Mighty Joe Young)
King Of The Hill: Season 5
Kong: King of Atlantis
La Ronde
Leave it to Beaver: The Complete First Season
Leave it to Beaver: The Complete First Season (Limited Edition Gift Set)
Lifehouse: Everything
Life in the Freezer
Mr. Christmas
My Breast
My Head Is Bald: Live Chicago
Nailbomb: Live at Dynamo
Naked City: Set 2
Nine Songs (Unrated Director's Cut)
Novo
Now & Forever
One Eye Open: Live Chicago
Operation Last Patrol
Ozzfest: 10th Anniversary
Papa Roach: Live & Murderous In Chicago
Penny Gold
Peter Gabriel: Still Growing Up - Live & Unwrapped
Platinum Comedy Series: Sheryl Underwood
The Polar Express (Single-Disc Edition)
The Polar Express (Two-Disc Edition with Snow Globe and Toy)
Pro Photo Techniques: Complete Boxed Set
Pure Reggaeton Videos Vol 1
Pure Reggaeton Videos Vol 2
Radiohead: The Astoria London Live
Rated X: Journey Through Porn
Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm
Roy Jones Jr.: Legend
Rush: 30th Anniversary (Deluxe Edition)
Scarlet Street
Seinfeld: Seasons 5 & 6 Giftset (Includes Handwritten Script and Collectible Puffy Shirt)
Series DVD: Metal & Hardcore Vol 2
Shirley Temple Collection Vol 2 (Baby Takes a Bow/Bright Eyes/Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm)
Slutty Summer
Son of Kong
Spike & Mike's Sick And Twisted Festival Of Animation: Contagious
Stanley Turrentine In Concert
Sweet Scent Of Death
Tanya Tucker: Live At Billy Bob's Texas
Two Soldiers
Vasya
Wall
Warner Classics: Mega Collection
War of the Worlds
Winged Migration
Without Honor
The Woman of the Port
World of Stupid

Notable Horror & Sci-Fi Releases
Alien Vs. Predator (Unrated Director's Cut)
Best Price: $16.99 @ Best Buy
The Features:
� Theatrical Version and the seamlessly branched Unrated cut
� Added Unrated Footage: Antarctica 1904, Argument, Chamber of Skulls, Sacrifice, Weyland's Death & Predator Ritual
� Commentary by Paul W.S. Anderson, Lance Henriksen and Sanaa Lathan
� Commentary by: Alec Gillis, Tom Woodruff Jr. and John Bruno
� Deleted Scenes with optional Director's Commentary: The Sister, Miller Gets Caught & Love Scene
� Pre-Production: AVP The Beginning
� Branching Footage: ADI Workshop
� Storyboard Gallery
� Concept Art
� Production: AVP Production
� Post-Production: Visual Effects Breakdown
� Licensing the Franchise: Aliens vs Predator the Comic Book
� Monsters in Miniature by Todd McFarlane
� HBO Special

X-Files Mythology - Volume 4: Super Soldiers
Best Price: $27.99 @ Amazon.com
The Features:
� 14 episodes from seasons 8-9 on four discs, including the two-hour series finale: Per Manum, This Is Not Happening, Deadalive, Three Words, Vienen, Essence, Existence, Nothing Important Happened Today, Nothing Important Happened Today II, Trust No 1, Provenance, Providence, William, The Truth
� Commentary by writer Frank Spotnitz on Deadalive
� Commentary by director Rod Hardy on Vienen
� Chris Carter's all-new documentary: Threads of the Mythology

Aeon Flux: The Complete Animated Collection
Best Price: $26.99 @ Best Buy
The Features:
� Commentary by creator Peter Chung and the original cast and crew
� Aeon Flux pilot
� Aeon Flux shorts
� Investigation: The History of Aeon Flux
� The Deviant Devices of Aeon Flux
� Production art: sketches, storyboards, model sheets, color stills & pencil tests
� Other works by Peter Chung
� Liquid Television shorts

Astro Boy (1980): The Collection
Best Price: $24.95 @ DigitalEyes.net
The Features:
� 51 Half Hour Episodes in English
� Two Original Japanese Episodes with English Subtitles
� Alternative Angle Opening Storyboard Sequence
� Original Character Art Gallery
� Textless Opening & Closing Sequences featuring Song Subtitles & Original Japanese Songs
� Orignal Manga Cover Artwork Gallery
� Merchandise Gallery
� Japanese vs. English Episode Comparisons featuring Exclusive Footage from the Original Japanese Episodes with English Subtitles
� Character Profiles
� Exclusive 24 Page Booklet

Other Horror & Sci-Fi Releases
Batman Vs Dracula (Limited Edition with Figures)
The Brain Machine
Dark Shadows Collection 21
Evil Dead 1 & 2 (Double "Book of the Dead" Limited Edition)
The Exterminator (Director's Cut)
Final Terror
Horror Express
House By the River
Scary True Stories: Ten Haunting Tales From the Japanese Underground
Sins of the Fleshapoids
Skeleton Man
Werewolf Hunter: Legend Of Romasanta

Anime Releases
Bottle Fairy: Spring & Summer - Volume 1
Daphne In The Brilliant Blue: Treasure - Volume 5
Ghost In the Shell: S.A.C. 2nd Gig - Volume 2
Ghost In the Shell: S.A.C. 2nd Gig - Volume 2 (Limited Edition)
Happy Lesson: Teacher's Pet Collection
Kiddy Grade: File 1
Kiddy Grade: File 2
Mobile Suit Gundam SEED - The Movie III: The Rumbling Sky
Mobile Suit Gundam SEED - The Movie III: The Rumbling Sky (With Artbox)
Neon Genesis Evangelion: Platinum Collection
Panda-Z: The Robonimation - Volume 2
Samurai Champloo: Volume 6
Star Ocean EX: The Legendary Warrior - Volume 6
Tenchi Muyo GXP! - Police Diary 1
Tenchi Muyo GXP! - Police Diary 2
Trigun: The Complete Collector's Steel Case Set
Wolf's Rain: Limited Complete Collection
Yumeria: Tossing And Turning - Volume 2

Best Buy Weekly Deals
$4.99:
The Devils Advocate (Special Edition)
Austin Powers: Goldmember
Boiler Room
Dungeons & Dragons
Ellen DeGeneres: Here and Now
Femme Fatale
Gotti
The Last Boy Scout
Lethal Weapon 2 (Director's Cut)
Lethal Weapon 3 (Director's Cut)
Malibu's Most Wanted
Masters of the Universe
Murder By Numbers
Outbreak
Passenger 57
Pay It Forward
Pleasantville
Poltergeist
Proof of Life
Ricochet
Sleepers
The Specialist
Swordfish
Two Weeks Notice
Willard

Circuit City Weekly Deals
2 for $20:
American Psycho (Unrated Collector's Edition)
Boogeyman (Special Edition)
The Bourne Identity (Expanded Edition)
Driving Miss Daisy (Special Edition)
Gone With the Wind (2-Disc Special Edition)
Pearl Harbor (2-Disc Anniversary Edition)
Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (Collector's Edition)
Spider-Man 2 (2-Disc Special Edition)
Top Gun (2-Disc Collector's Edition)
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
Closer
The Color Purple
The Crow
E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial
Equilibrium
Enemy of the State
The Forgotten
The Girl Next Door (Unrated)
Gone in 60 Seconds
Hero
Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events
The Punisher
Schindler's List
Taxi (Expanded Edition)
Tombstone

© Copyright 2002-2005 by TheSmartMarks.com