DVD Releases: July 17

[Sonnie]

Ace in the Hole (1951) Dir.: Billy Wilder; Kirk Douglas, Jan Sterling. New, restored high-definition digital transfer. Extras: Commentary by film scholar Neil Sinyard; "Portrait of a '60% Perfect Man': Billy Wilder," a 1980 documentary featuring in-depth interviews with Wilder by film critic Michel Ciment; excerpts from a 1986 appearance by Wilder at the American Film Institute; excerpts from an audio interview with co-screenwriter Walter Newman; booklet featuring new essays by film critic Molly Haskell and filmmaker Guy Maddin. (The Criterion Collection).

The Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog Four-box set with 22 episodes of the cult animated classic about a heroic hedgehog named Sonic, $24.99. Extras: Animated storyboards for the series' pilot episode, "How to Draw Sonic the Hedgehog," conversation with artist Milton Knight. (Shout! Factory).

Ancient Discoveries Two-disc set of episodes from the History Channel's series on how the
ancient world foreshadowed our modern technologies, $29.98. (Koch Vision).

Avenue Montaigne (2007 -- France) Cecile de France, Valerie Lemercier, Claude Brasseur, Albert Dupontel, Laura Morante, Sydney Pollack. Extras: "The Making of Avenue Montaigne." (ThinkFilm).

Beaten (2005 -- TV) Robson Green, Saira Todd. U.K. drama about a man on the run with his son, and the wife who is tracking them down. (BFS Entertainment).

Birdman and The Galaxy Trio: The Complete Series Two-disc set with 20 episodes, $26.99. Extras: "Birdman: The Forgotten Hero" documentary. (Warner).

The Black Cat (2007) Jeffrey Combs. Stuart Gordon's contribution to Showtime's "Masters of Horror" series; explores just what motivated the great horror writer Edgar Allan Poe to write such ghoulish stories and poems. Extras: Commentary by Stuart Gordon and actor Combs, "The Tell-Tale Cat: The Making of The Black Cat," "Bringing Down The Axe: Special Effects" featurette, photo gallery. (Anchor Bay).

The Business (Season One) Two-disc set with eight episodes from the IFC TV comedy, $29.95. (Genius Products).

Cherry Rush (2007) Nikki Reed, Jonathan Tucker. A spoiled prep school teenager falls for a temptress from across the tracks and gets caught up in murder.Extras: Behind-the-scenes featurette. (First Look Home Entertainment).

College Hill: Virgin Islands Two-disc set with 15 episodes, $26.99. Extras: "The Making of College Hill: Virgin Islands" featurette, "College Life in Paradise" featurette, "Before They Were Famous" featurette, "Too Hot for BET TV" deleted scenes, more. (Paramount).

The Crow Road (1996 -- TV) Dougray Scott, Joseph McFadden. Bill Paterson, Peter Capaldi, Valerie Edmond, Stella Gonet. U.K. Miniseries about a young man whose search for his long-lost uncle leads him to a suspicious computer disk and dark family secrets. Two-disc set. (BFS Entertainment).

Dynamite Warrior (2006 -- Thailand) Dan Chupong, Leo Putt, Panna Ritthikrai. A young man fueled by grief goes on a mission of revenge after witnessing his parents' murder. Extras: Deleted scenes, commentary, making-of featurette. (Magnolia Home Entertainment).

Earthstorm (2007) Stephen Baldwin, Dirk Benedict, Anna Silk. An asteroid impact on the moon causes storms and destruction on the Earth. A Sci Fi Channel original. (First Look Home Entertainment).

Factory Girl (2007) Dir.: George Hickenlooper; Sienna Miller, Guy Pearce, Hayden Christensen, Jimmy Fallon, Jack Huston, Armin Amiri, Tara Summers, Mena Suvari, Shawn Hatosy, Beth Grant, James Naughton, Edward Herrmann, Illeana Douglas. In rated and unrated director's cut editions. Extras: Commentary by director Hickenlooper and writer Captain Mauzner, deleted scenes, "Making of Factory Girl" featurette, "The Real Edie and Andy" featurette, Sienna Miller audition footage, "The Guy Pearce Video Diaries." (The Weinstein Co.).

Foyle's War Set Four Four-disc set with four police detective mysteries set in England during WWII, combining suspense and real history; $59.99. Extras: Making-of documentary, featurettes on the historical truth behind each episode. (Acorn Media).

The Grafters: The Complete Season One Three-disc set with eight episodes of the British series about two brothers -- both builders -- who are forced to work together for economic reasons. (Koch Vision).

Gunsmoke: The First Season Six-disc set with 39 episodes, $42.99. Extras: Sponsor spots. (Paramount).

The Happy Hooker Collection "The Happy Hooker" (1975), "The Happy Hooker Goes to Washington" (1977) and "The Happy Hooker Goes to Hollywood" (1980). (MGM).

Hedda (1980) Diana Rigg, Alan Dobie, Kathleen Byron, Denis Lill. Award-winning adaptation of Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen's acclaimed play. (Koch Vision).

The Hills Have Eyes II (2007) Jessica Stroup, Reshad Strik, Michael McMillian, Daniella Alonso, Lee Thompson Young, Ben Crowley, Eric Edelstein, Michael Bailey Smith, David Reynolds, Derek Mears, Tyrell Kemlo, Javier Nieto, Gaspar Szabo, Jeff Kober, Jay Acovone, Archie Kao, Philip Pavel. In theatrical and unrated editions. Unrated extras: Alternate ending, deleted scenes, "Exploring the Hills: The Making of the Hills Have Eyes 2" featurette, "Fox Movie Channel Presents: Life After Film School With Wes Craven," "Mutant Attacks" featurette, "Birth of a Graphic Novel" featurette, gag reel.(Fox).

The Incredible Hulk: The Complete Second Season Five-disc set with 22 episodes, $39.98. (Universal).

The Life and Times of Allen Ginsberg (2005) Documentary on Allen Ginsberg, the beats and modern American literary culture; $34.95. Extras: Interviews with Joan Baez, Beck, Bono, Stan Brakhage, William Burroughs, Johnny Depp, Philip Glass, Abbie Hoffman, Jack Johnson, Ken Kesey, Timothy Leary, Paul McCartney, Jonas Mekas, Thurston Moore, Yoko Ono, Lee Ranaldo, Ed Sanders, Patti Smith, Hunter S. Thompson, Andy Warhol; "The Making of The Life and Times of Allen Ginsberg"; Bob Dylan and Allen Ginsberg at Jack Kerouac's grave; William Burroughs and Allen Ginsberg at Naropa University; Neal Cassady and Allen Ginsberg at City Lights Bookstore; "The Making of the Music Video 'A Ballad of Skeletons'"; Ginsberg photographic tour; excerpts from "Scenes From Allen's Last Three Days on Earth as a Spirit" by Jonas Mekas; Ginsberg poetry reading; more. (New Yorker Video).

The Minor Accomplishments of Jackie Woodman (Season One) Two-disc set with eight episodes from the IFC TV comedy, $29.95. (Genius Products).

The Mormans (2007) PBS American Experience/Frontline documentary on the Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints; $24.99. (Paramount).

Most Haunted: The Collection Six-disc set of the British paranormal reality series, $59.98. (Koch Vision).

Perfect Creature (2006) Dougray Scott, Saffron Burrows, Leo Gregory. Set in Nuovo Zelandia, the vampire myth is given a stylish 1960s treatment, where a human cop partners with a vampire cop to stop another vampire bent on creating a war between the two "separate but equal" races.Extras: "Designing the Perfect Creature" featurette, "making-of" featurette. (Fox).

Premonition (2007) Sandra Bullock, Julian McMahon, Jeff Galpin, Nia Long, Amber Valletta, Marcus Lyle Brown, Mark Famiglietti. Extras: Commentary by director Mennan Yapo and Sandra Bullock, deleted scenes including an alternate ending, blooper reel, "Glimpses of the Future: Making Premonition," "Bringing Order to Chaos" featurette that looks at the major events of the movie put in 'normal' order, "Real Life Premonitions: The Truth About Seeing The Future" documentary. Also available on Blu-ray Disc. (Sony).

Raymond Bernard (Eclipse Series 4) "Les Miserables" (1934) and "Wooden Crosses" (1932). One of the greatest and least-known directors of all time, Raymond Bernard helped shape French cinema, at the dawn of the sound era, into a truly formidable industry. (The Criterion Collection).

Red Dawn Collector's Edition (1984) Dir.: John Milius; Patrick Swayze, C. Thomas Howell, Lea Thompson, Charlie Sheen, Jennifer Grey, Ben Johnson, Harry Dean Stanton. Two-disc set. (MGM).

Rising Damp, Series Four Last six episodes of the 1970s British sitcom about the miserly, mean-spirited landlord of a run-down boarding house; $24.99. Extras: Production notes. (Acorn Media).

The Rookies: The Complete First Season (1972-73) Five-disc set with 23 episodes, $49.95. (Sony).

Showgirls Fully Exposed Edition (1995) Dir.: Paul Verhoeven; Elizabeth Berkeley, Kyle MacLachlan, Gina Gershon. (MGM).

60's Rock & Roll Jukebox Recorded live at The Rock 'n Roll Palace in Orlando, Florida; features various legendary artists from the 60s including Spencer Davis, Wolfman Jack (the master of ceremonies for the rock 'n' roll generation), Johnny Tillotson, Bryan Hyland, Del Shannon, Ray Peterson, Roger Mcguinn and John Sebastian; $12.95. (MVD Visual).

Space Ghost and Dino Boy: The Complete Series Two-disc set with 24 episodes, $26.99. Extras: "Simplicity: The Life and Art of Alex Toth" documentary. (Warner).

TCM Spotlight: Esther Williams Five-disc set with "Bathing Beauty," "On an Island With You," "Easy to Wed," "Neptune's Daughter" and "Dangerous When Wet"; $49.92. (Warner).

• Bathing Beauty (1944) Esther Williams, Red Skelton. Extras: Robert Osborne hosts TCM's "Private Screenings With Esther Williams," "Main Street Today" short, "Mouse Trouble" cartoon.
• On an Island with You (1948) Esther Williams, Peter Lawford, Ricardo Montalban, Cyd Charisse. Extras: Vintage Romance of Celluloid series short "Personalities," classic cartoon "The Bear and the Hare."
• Easy to Wed (1946) Esther Williams, Van Johnson, Lucille Ball. Extras: Pete Smith Specialty comedy short "Sure Cures," classic cartoon "The Unwelcome Guest."
• Neptune's Daughter (1949) Esther Williams, Betty Garrett, Red Skelton, Ricardo Montalban. Extras: Outtake musical number "I Want My Money Back," Esther Williams cameo sequence from 1951's "Callaway Went Thataway," Pete Smith Specialty comedy short "Water Trix," cartoon "Hatch Up Your Troubles."
• Dangerous When Wet (1953) Esther Williams, Fernando Lamas. Extras: Outtake musical number "C'est La Guerre," Pete Smith Specialty comedy short "This Is a Living?" classic cartoon "Name to Come," Esther Williams musicals trailer gallery.

Voyagers! The Complete Series Four-disc set with 20 episodes, $49.98. (Universal).

Yo-Yo Girl Cop (2006 -- Japan) Dir.: Kenta Fukasaku; Aya Matsuura. A young female cop - armed with a deadly steel yo-yo and a new undercover identity -- must infiltrate an elite high school to identify and stop terrorists. Extras: Deleted scenes, commentary, making-of featurette. (Magnolia Home Entertainment).