DVD New Releases: October 2013

October 1, 2013 New DVD Releases

Agatha Christie's Poirot, Series 7 & 8 (2000) Poirot (David Suchet) solves these complex cases with flair and finesse with the help of Captain Hastings (Hugh Fraser), Chief Inspector Japp (Philip Jackson) and Miss Lemon (Pauline Moran). Newly remastered editions of four mysteries in their original U.K. broadcast order: "The Murder of Roger Ackroyd," "Lord Edgware Dies," "Murder in Mesopotamia" and "Evil Under the Sun." Formats: Two-disc DVD, two-disc Blu-ray. (Acorn Media).

Awkward Seasons One & Two (2013) Four-disc with all 24 episodes of MTV's hit series about the trials and tribulations of being a teenager, $26.99. Formats: DVD. Extras: Webisodes, set tour, cast chemistry, cast awkward moments, Valerie's desk, mothers and daughters, wardrobe trailer, Jake and Lissa's relationship, peer-enting, pranks, character intros, about the show, dressing awkward, what's to come, character advice, Team Matty vs. Team Jake, cast vs. fans, fan correspondents, on the red carpet, interview with Molly. (Paramount).

Beauty & the Beast - The First Season (2012-13) Six-disc set with 22 episodes, $54.99. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, VOD, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: Commentary, three featurettes: "Season in Review: The Beginning," "Dressing the Beauty," "Creating the Beast." (CBS/Paramount).

Branca's Pitch (2013) On October 3, 1951 Ralph Branca became a legendary figure in baseball history. The 26-year old Brooklyn Dodger pitcher became infamous for losing the 1951 National League Pennant to the bitter rival New York Giants, by giving up the game winning homerun termed "The Shot Heard Round the World." Jeered by once-adoring fans and labeled a scapegoat for the rest of his life, Ralph never reclaimed his career. This feature-length documentary follows Branca' journey to pen a memoir that finally tells his side of the story (he shares a secret held for over 50 years... that the New York Giants cheated) to try and restore his fascinating, yet overlooked legacy in baseball. Formats: DVD. (Strand Releasing).

Bruce Lee: A Warrior's Journey/In Pursuit of the Dragon (2013) Two documentaries on the legend: "A Warrior's Journey" reveals the soul of Bruce Lee and includes 33 minutes of continuous action footage that was shot for "The Game of Death" but had been lost and appears for the first time here. "In Pursuit of the Dragon" follows the chronology of Lee's four films: "The Big Boss," "Fist of Fury," "The Way of the Dragon" and "Enter the Dragon." Formats: DVD. (MVD Visual).

China Beach: The Complete Season One (2012) Three-disc set with eight episodes, including the two-hour pilot, $22.95. Formats: DVD. Extras: The 25th Anniversary Reunion, December 12, 2012 in Los Angeles; "China Beach: How It All Began" featurette in which the creators and cast reunite and reminisce about the China Beach journey, with interviews and behind-the-scenes footage; interviews with Dana Delany and Chloe Webb; pilot episode commentary by series co-creator and executive producer John Sacret Young and director-producer Rod Holcomb. (StarVista Entertainment/Time Life).

Cold War (2012) Aaron Kwok, Tony Leung Ka Fai, Charlie Young, Andy On, Terence Yin. In the safest city in Asia, the Hong Kong police department has been untouchable for years. That was until they receive an anonymous call after a fully loaded police van, carrying five highly trained officers and equipment, disappears off the grid. After several cryptic phone calls, it becomes clear that the hijackers are aware of every crucial decision the task force makes. As the perpetrators execute a carefully planned attack, the police do their best to fight back but little do they know they've become unwitting pawns in a bigger, more dangerous game. Formats: DVD, VOD, Digital. Extras: "The Making of Cold War" featurette, cast and crew interviews. (Lionsgate).

The Croods (2013) Voices of Emma Stone, Nicolas Cage, Ryan Reynolds, Catherine Keener, Clark Duke, Cloris Leachman, Chris Sanders, Randy Thom. Formats: DVD, 3D Blu-ray/DVD Combo, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: Includes a Belt plush toy for a limited time, "Belt's Cave Journal," "Croods Cuts" (lost scenes), "World of DreamWorks Animation." Blu-ray adds "The Croodaceous Creatures of Croods!," "Be An Artist" and "The Croods Coloring & Storybook Builder App" that allows children to color their favorite characters and scenes from the film, add text and voice to the story, and then share their storybook on their TVs at home. (Fox).

Dead Before Dawn (2013) Devon Bostick, Martha MacIsaac, Christopher Lloyd, Brandon Jay McLaren, Brittany Allen, Kevin McDonald, Kyle Schmid, Rossif Sutherland, Ellen Dubin. Casper Galloway (Bostick) and his college friends visit an occult shop run by Casper's grandfather (Lloyd) and accidentally unleash an evil curse, causing people to kill themselves and turn in to Zombie Demons, aka Zemons. Armed with a slew of homemade weapons and a Winnebago, the college kids race through the night, killing Zemons and fighting time while frantically searching for a way to reverse the curse within 24 hours. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, 3D Blu-ray Disc/DVD Combo (at Best Buy), VOD, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: Behind-the-scenes footage, "making-of" featurette, bloopers. (Wango Films/Gaiam Vivendi Entertainment).

Downton Abbey Seasons 1 - 3 (2012) Limited edition set that includes Season 1, Season 2 and Season 3 in special collectable gift-set packaging. Formats: DVD, $89.99; Blu-ray Disc, $99.99. Extras: More than three hours of previously released bonus video, including "Downton Abbey: The Making of," "Downton Abbey: Behind the Drama" and more; the set includes the bonus disc "Secrets of Highclere Castle," a one-hour documentary that steps inside the castle featured in "Downton Abbey." (PBS Distribution).

Eyes of the Woods Unrated Special Edition (2009) Walter Phelan, Elizabeth O'Brick, Lira Kellerman. A group of teens find themselves lost and soon hunted by an unforgiving creature deep within the woods. Formats: DVD. (Lost Empire/MVD Entertainment).

A Fierce Green Fire (2012) Spanning 50 years of grassroots and global activism, this Sundance documentary brings to light the vital stories of the environmental movement where people fought, and succeeded, against enormous odds: From halting dams in the Grand Canyon to fighting toxic waste at Love Canal; from Greenpeace to Chico Mendes; from climate change to the promise of transforming our civilization. Narrated by Robert Redford, Ashley Judd, Van Jones, Isabel Allende and Meryl Streep. Formats: DVD. Extras: Resource Guide, timeline, biography. (First Run Features).

Fright Night 2: New Blood (2013) Will Payne, Jaime Murray, Sean Power, Sacha Parkinson. A group of high school students travel abroad to study in Romania and find themselves ensnared in a female vampire's chilling web of lust and terror. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. (Fox).

The Frozen Ground (2013) Nicolas Cage, John Cusack, Vanessa Hudgens, Radha Mitchell. Alaskan State Trooper Jack Halcombe (Cage) sets out to end the murderous rampage of Robert Hansen (Cusack), a serial killer who has gone unnoticed for 13 years until one of his victims escapes and helps give the police vital information on the psychopath. Based on actual events. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, VOD, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: Commentary with writer-director Scott Walker and producers Mark Ordesky and Jane Fleming; deleted scenes; "Examining The Frozen Ground: Behind-the-scenes featurette; "Writing The Frozen Ground" featurette; "Anatomy of a Serial Killer" featurette; extended interviews with cast and crew. (Lionsgate).

Glee: The Complete Fourth Season (2012-13) Twenty-two episodes. Formats: Six-disc DVD, $59.98; four-disc Blu-ray, $69.99. Extras: "Glee" music jukebox, "Glee" premiere party, deleted scenes, "Movin' On Up: Glee in NYC," "Girls (and Boys) On Film," "Glee on Film," "The Road to 500." (Fox).

How I Met Your Mother Season Eight (2012-13) Three-disc set with 23 episodes, $39.98. Formats: DVD. Extras: Deleted scenes, commentary, "The Making of P.S. I Love You," "P.S. I Love You" music video, "Where We Make Your Mother: Set Tour With Josh Radnor," gag reel. (Fox).

Jack Irish, Set 1 (2012) Guy Pearce stars as the brooding antihero of Australian writer Peter Temple's award-winning novels. In these two feature-length movies ("Bad Debts" and "Black Tide"), Irish is reeling in the wake of his wife's murder. The former lawyer has reinvented himself as a part-time private investigator and debt collector with a knack for getting into trouble. Broadcast in Australia on ABC1 in Oct. 2012. Formats: Blu-ray/DVD Combo. Extras: Behind the scenes of "Black Tide." (Acorn Media).

Magnum P.I.: The Complete Series (1980-88) All eight season of the iconic series are collected together for the first time in this 162-episode, 42-disc collection, $169.98. Formats: DVD. (Universal).

Morning (2010) Jeanne Tripplehorn, Leland Orser, Laura Linney, Elliott Gould, Kyle Chandler, Jason Ritter. Five days in the life of an American couple immediately following the accidental death of their child; their grief becomes a private torment that threatens to destroy their world and, driven apart by sorrow, they try to find their way back to each other and the chance to love again. Formats: DVD. (Anchor Bay).

Murder, She Wrote: The Complete Series (1984-1996) Sixty-three discs of all 12 seasons (264 episodes), $199.98. Formats: DVD. (Universal).

My Boo (2013) Ashlee Mclemore, Revon Usif. When a young man moves across the hall from his high school crush, his basic lust turns to obsession; he quickly discovers that voyeurism alone will not be enough to quench his desire for her. Formats: DVD. (Lee Production/MVD Entertainment).

New Girl Season Two (2012-13) Three-disc set with 25 episodes, $39.98. Formats: DVD. Extras: Deleted scenes, commentary on "Cooler," "Full of Schmidt," gag reel, extended version of "Virgins" episode. (Fox).

North America (2013) The Discovery Channel journeys deep into a hidden world, crossing impossible mountains and endless deserts, diving into unexplored forests and crashing into rugged coasts to discover Earth's most spectacular wildlife. "North America" showcases the unforgiving and brutal, yet beautiful, continent and the boundless rewards it offers for those brave enough to take on this land and call her home. Narrated by Tom Selleck. Formats: DVD, $29,93; Blu-ray Disc, $34.99. An additional Blu-ray, with a 32-page photo booklet of the continent's untamed wildlife and wilderness, will be available for $39.93. Extras: Blu-ray adds a photo gallery. (Gaiam Vivendi Entertainment).

Paul McCartney - Going Underground: McCartney, The Beatles and the UK Counter-Culture (2013) In the mid-1960s the often rigid and colorless British way of life was irrevocably transformed by the emergence of a cultural underground movement. Led by a loose collective of young radicals, they introduced new social, aesthetic perspectives. Operating out of the heart of London, their various activities, from The International Times, a bi-weekly journal that no hipster could be seen without, to the psychedelic nightclub UFO, promoted alternative lifestyles and values, and sparked a social revolution. This film not only traces the history of this underground scene, but also explores its impact on the pre-eminent British group of the era, The Beatles. Although they were well established by the time the movement emerged, The Beatles, and Paul McCartney in particular, were closely linked with several of its key players, and through their exposure to cutting edge concepts, brought ideas directly from the avant-garde into the mainstream. Features new interviews with key players from the time, including Barry Miles of the IT, Pink Floyd producer Joe Boyd, Robert Wyatt, and many more, as well as rare footage, archive photographs, and music from The Pink Floyd, The Beatles, The Soft machine, and others. Formats: DVD. (MVD Visual).

Phineas and Ferb: Mission Marvel (2012) A perfect example of cross-pollination between divisions of a conglomerate, here Disney, which broadcasts "Phineas and Ferb" on its Disney Channel, and Marvel Comics, which Disney bought in 2009. Phineas and Ferb team up with Marvel Super Heroes (Spider-Man, Iron Man, Thor, and Hulk) in one of seven episodes in this anthology. After Dr. Doofenshmirtz's latest "-inator" scheme accidentally removes the powers of some very well-known Marvel Super Heroes (Spider-Man, Iron Man, Thor, and Hulk), the heroes enter the world of Danville and team up with Phineas and Ferb to relocate their powers, defeat the Marvel Super Villains (Red Skull, MODOK, Whiplash and Venom) and save Danville from ultimate destruction. Includes a collectible comic book and an exclusive Marvel poster. Formats: DVD. (Disney).

Shaquille O'Neal Presents All Star Comedy Jam - Live from Atlanta (2013) Hosted by funnyman Faizon Love and hand-picked by NBA All Star Shaquille O'Neal, this evening of stand-up comedy presents a top-notch lineup pairing veterans with up-and-coming talent: Robert Powel, Lavar Walker, Gina Yashere, Finesse Mitchell, Red Grant and a special guest appearance by DJ Big Tigger. Filmed at the Atlanta Symphony Hall in front of a live audience during the 2013 NCAA Final Four Weekend. Formats: DVD, VOD, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). (Lionsgate).

So This Is Christmas (2013) Vivica A. Fox, Eric Roberts, Lexi Ainsworth, Titus Makin Jr. An 18-year-old's life is headed in the wrong direction, hanging out with a bad crowd and seeking an escape from the drama at home, until she volunteers for a Christmas play with underprivileged children, finding purpose by helping people in need and using that to help heal her troubled family. Formats: DVD. (Image Entertainment).

Teen Mom: The Complete First Season (2009-10) Three-disc set with eight episodes, $9.96, exclusively at Walmart. Formats: DVD. Extras: 100 minutes of special features, including the finale special and unseen moments. (MTV/Paramount).

This Is the End (2013) Jonah Hill, Seth Rogen, James Franco, Jay Baruchel, Danny McBride, Craig Robinson, Aziz Ansari, Paul Rudd, Mindy Kaling, Jason Segel, Michael Cera, Rihanna, Emma Watson, Martin Starr, Christopher Mintz-Plasse. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, VOD, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: Commentary with directors Seth Rogen & Evan Goldberg; "Directing Your Friends" featurette; "This Is the Marketing": Marketing outtakes, cast featurette, redband sizzle trailer, and four additional confessionals: "Aziz Haunts Craig Confessional," "James & Danny Confessional." "Jonah Confessional," "Seth & Jay Confessional." Blu-ray adds deleted scenes; "This Is the Gag Reel," line-o-ramas blooper reel with back-to-back shots of the actors' different delivery of certain lines from the film; six featurettes: "Meta-Apocalypse in which the cast discusses the unique acting challenges of playing versions of themselves, "Let's Get Technical" visual effects & technical aspects of the film, "Party Time" behind-the-scenes look at the making of the party scene at James Franco's house, "The Cannibal King" with Channing Tatum and Danny McBride, "The Making of 'The Making of Pineapple Express 2'" behind-the-scenes look at the cast making the sequel to "Pineapple Express," "Jay & Seth vs. The Apocalypse" original short that inspired the film. (Sony).

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Ultimate Showdown (2012-13) The Turtles face off against new enemies and old in this two-disc set featuring the final 12 episodes of the first season. Formats: DVD, $12.99. Extras: "The Mutation of a Scene": "The Pulverizer," "TCRI," "Cockroach Terminator," "Baxter's Gambit"; animated comic books: "Tales from the Turtle Lair, Parts Three-Six." (Nickeloden/Paramount).

Treasure Guards (2001) Anna Friel, Raoul Bova, Volker Bruch, Andre Jacobs. During an excavation in the remote Jordanian desert, an atheist archaeologist discovers an ancient parchment, buried in the ruins of an ancient temple, indicating the location of the long-lost "Seal of Solomon," which, according to legend, was given by God to King Solomon. This sets into motion a treasure hunt by the Vatican's elite Treasure Guards, the archaeologist's estranged father (himself a famous archaeologist), and other schemers. Formats: DVD. (Monarch Home Entertainment).

The Wizard of Oz 75th Anniversary Collector's Edition (1939) Five-disc set includes Blu-ray, Blu-ray 3D, DVD and UltraViolet versions of the film; a new documentary, "The Making of the Wonderful Wizard of Oz"; bonus features from previous editions; premium collectibles (A collectible 75th Anniversary journal, Sparkle Ruby Slippers Globe, Noble Collection three-piece enamel pin set, a map of Oz and a 48-page hardcover book); $105.43. Three more editions will be available separately: a two-disc DVD (retail $16.95, $11.79 at Amazon), a one-disc Blu-ray (retail $19.98, $12.99 at Amazon) and a two-disc 3D/Blu-ray (retail $35.99, $25.11 and free shipping at Amazon), all with the new documentary and extra content. (Warner).

Wow! Wow! Wubbzy!: Best of Collection (2013) Four-disc set with 28 episodes of the preschoolers' favorites, with each disc devoted to one Wuzzleburg friend: "Best of Wubbzy," "Best of Widget," "Best of Walden" and "Best of Daizy." Formats: DVD, $19.98. Extras: Coloring and activity sheets, music videos. (Anchor Bay).


October 8, 2013 New DVD Releases

Adam Chaplin: Violent Avenger (2013) Emanuele De Santi, Valeria Sannino, Paolo Luciani, Alessandro Gramanti, Wilmar Zimosa. A young man makes a pact with a demon to give him superhuman strength and dark powers to wreak bloody revenge on the local mafia and corrupt police for the death of his wife. Formats: DVD). Extras: "H.A.B.S (Hyper-realistic Anime Blood Simulation)" featurette, "Mechanisms of Gore," "From Idea to Screen,"" Building Up Adam," "Scene Autopsy," trailer. (Autonomy Pictures).

After Earth (2013) Dir.: M. Night Shyamalan; Jaden Smith, Will Smith, Isabelle Fuhrman, Zoe Kravitz, David Denman, Sophie Okonedo. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, VOD, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras:"A Father's Legacy" featurette with Will and Jaden Smith on- and off-screen; "1,000 Years in 300 Seconds" on-location featurette; "The Nature of the Future" featurette. Blu-ray adds alternate opening sequence; "Building a World" featurette; "Pre-Visualizing the Future" featurette; "The Animatics of After Earth" featurette. (Sony).

Alpha and Omega 2: A Howl-iday Adventure (2013) Holiday-themed sequel to the 2010 animated family film. Here Alpha and Omega's youngest cub disappears just before the holiday festivities and the pair set off to track him down. Formats: DVD and Blu-ray/DVD Combo available exclusively at Walmart, VOD, Digital. Extras: Behind the scenes featurette, wolf trivia, "Are you an Alpha or an Omega?" quiz. (Lionsgate).

American Horror Story: Asylum: The Complete Second Season (2012-13) Thirteen episodes. Formats: Four-disc DVD, three-disc Blu-ray. Extras: Deleted scenes, "The Orderly," "What is American Horror Story: Asylum?", "Welcome to Briarcliff Manor," "The Creatures." (Fox).

The Avengers - The Complete Emma Peel Megaset (1965-1968) A 16-disc set, including all three seasons and 51 episodes that featured Emma Peel's (Diana Rigg) undercover roles, from her unforgettable debut in her famous leather cat suit, to her thrilling last spy adventure. Available on DVD for the first time in four years, the collection spans all of Peel's time on the hit series with star Patrick Macnee. Formats: DVD, $49.98. (Lionsgate).

The Best of (The Original) An Evening at the Improv (2013) Four-disc set with 12 hours of invaluable archival footage of more than 100 iconic comedians who performed at the famous venue (and which was aired as hour programs on A&E as "An Evening at the Improv"), including Milton Berle, Shecky Greene, Shelley Berman, Paul Reiser, Jackie Mason, Mort Sahl, Jerry Seinfeld, Howie Mandel, Jim Carrey, Richard Lewis, Bob Saget, Arsenio Hall, Billy Crystal, Bill Maher, Phyllis Diller, Sandra Bernhard, Elayne Boosler, Paula Poundstone, Carol Leifer, Steven Wright, Father Guido Sarducci, Fred Willard, John Byner and Pee-wee Herman. Formats: DVD. (Somerville House).

Bones Season Eight (2012-13) 26 episodes. Formats: Six-disc DVD, $59.98; five-disc Blu-ray, $69.99. Extras: Commentary on "The Future in the Past," deleted scenes, "Dying to Know: Bones Answers Your Questions," "Bare Bones: Total Fandom-onium," gag reel. (Fox).

The Borrowers (2011 - TV) Aisling Loftus, Christopher Eccleston, Sharon Horgan, Stephen Fry, Robert Sheehan. Based on Mary Norton's novels, "The Borrowers" (also a 1997 feature film starring Jim Broadbent and John Goodman and the 2012 Studio Ghibli "The Secret World of Arrietty") follows the adventures of a secret family of four-inch people living inside the walls of a house. Arrietty Clock is a head-strong teenage Borrower whose parents, Pod and Homily, are terrified of the "Human Beans" who live above them. Desperate for freedom and adventure, Arrietty sneaks out one night and befriends a lonely boy who lives upstairs. But Arrietty's adventure inadvertently reveals her family's existence to the scheming scientist Professor Mildeye, forcing them to go on the run into the big bad world. Formats: DVD. Extras: "The Making of The Borrowers." (Universal).

Bratz Go to Paris The Movie (2013) When someone starts mysteriously poisoning the most popular models in Paris, Cloe, Yasmin, Jade and Sasha are recruited to go undercover in the City of Lights as supermodels to find the evil mastermind! But will the girls be able to discover the secret before one of them is the next target? Formats: DVD, $14.98. Extras: Five Bratzillaz bonus webisodes. (Lionsgate).

Caillou: Let's Go Sledding (2013) Nine adventures in which Caillou teaches kids about patience, recognizing limits and the benefits of practice. Formats: DVD, $9.99. Extras: Printable coloring pages and activities. (PBS Distribution).

Chucky: The Complete Collection - Limited Edition Set a play date with Chucky as all six movies come together for the first time in this chilling collection: "Child's Play," "Child's Play 2," "Child's Play 3," "Bride of Chucky," "Seed of Chucky" and "Curse of Chucky." Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. Extras: Includes all the extras from the original releases. (Universal).

Complicity (2012) Shoshana Bush, Heather Hemmens, Sean Young, Jenna Boyd, Haley Ramm. When a seemingly fun party goes horribly awry with the rape of a girl and the murder of the perpetrator, a group of teenagers decide to cover up the crime... only to unearth a shocking truth that leads them down an even more sinister path that forces them to make hard decisions about their fates. Formats: DVD, VOD. (Inception Media Group).

Curse of Chucky (2013) Fiona Dourif, A Martinez, Danielle Bisutti, Brennan Elliott, with Brad Dourif once again providing the voice of Chucky. It's been a quarter of a century since fans were first petrified by Toyland's most lethal serial killer, and now Chucky is back to finish off the job he started so long ago. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, VOD, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: Deleted scenes, gag reel, "Playing With Dolls: The Making of Curse of Chucky." Blu-ray adds "Living Doll: Bringing Chucky to Life," "Voodoo Doll: The Chucky Legacy," storyboard comparisons. (Universal).

Dancing Ninja (2010) Lucas Grabeel, David Hasselhoff, Patrick Gallagher, Bree Turner, Gary Hudson. A Caucasian boy adopted by an Asian family... who dreams of being a ninja travels to Hollywood to avenge the death of the Dancing Ninja school's beloved sensei at the hands of a vicious ex-student, an American action movie star. Formats: DVD, VOD. (Inception Media Group).

Dinosaur Train: We Are a Dinosaur Family (2013) Eight prehistoric family adventures that embrace and celebrate the fascination that preschoolers have with both dinosaurs and trains, while encouraging basic scientific thinking skills. Formats: DVD, $9.99. Extras: Printable coloring pages and activities. (PBS Distribution).

Drawing With Mark (2013) Hosted by Mark Marderosian, a professional cartoonist and illustrator with more than 25 years of experience, this Parents' Choice and Creative Child Magazine award-winning television series teaches children of all ages the fundamentals of drawing. There are two separate DVDs, each containing two episodes: "Reach for the Stars and A Day With the Dinosaurs" and "We All Scream for Ice Cream and Happy Tails." Formats: DVD, $14.98 each. Extras: A draw-along-booklet with coloring page insert, downloadable coloring pages. (Shelter Island).

Enchanted Tales Six new DVDs each featuring two animated retellings of the most beloved classic tales, originally airing on Comcast and Hulu: "The Night Before Christmas & The Christmas Elves," "Snow White & The Princess Castle," "The Jungle King & The Prince and the Pauper," "A Tale of Egypt & Noah's Ark," "Beauty and the Beast & Pocahontas" and "Camelot & Hercules." $9.95 each. Formats: DVD. (Cinedigm).

Europa Report (2013) Christian Camargo, Embeth Davidtz, Anamaria Marinca, Michael Nyqvist, Daniel Wu, Karolina Wydra, Sharlto Copley. When unmanned probes suggest that a hidden ocean could exist underneath Jupiter's moon Europa's icy surface and may contain single-celled life, Europa Ventures, a privately funded space exploration company, sends six of the best astronauts from around the world to confirm the data and explore the revolutionary discovery. After a near-catastrophic technical failure that leads to loss of communication with Earth and the tragic death of a crew member, the surviving astronauts must overcome the psychological and physical toll of deep space travel, and survive a discovery on Europa more profound than they had ever imagined. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. Extras: "Exploring the Visual Effects of Europa Report," "The Musical Journey of Europa Report," behind-the-scenes photo gallery, theatrical trailer. (Magnolia Home Entertainment).

Frat Brothers (2013) Romeo Miller, Darrin Henson, Mishon Ratliff, Denyce Lawton. Two brothers, Kyle Quentin "Q" Cooper, raised to carry on their family's proud legacy in the Delta Gamma fraternity, become rivals when Kyle pledges another fraternity, causing a huge family rift and disappointing his over-bearing father. Formats: DVD. (One Village Entertainment).

The Hangover Part III (2013) Dir.: Todd Phillips.; Bradley Cooper, Zach Galifianakis, Ed Helms, Justin Bartha, Ken Jeong, Heather Graham, Melissa McCarthy, Gillian Vigman, Sasha Barrese, Jamie Chung, John Goodman. Formats: Two-disc DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, VOD, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: "Replacing Zach: The Secret Auditions," outtakes, "The Wolfpack's Wildest Stunts," "Zach Galifianakis in His Own Words," "Pushing the Limits," action mash-up, "Inside Focus: The Real Chow," extended scenes. (Warner).

I Married a Witch (1942) Veronica Lake casts a seductive spell as a charmingly vengeful sorceress in this supernatural screwball classic. Many centuries after cursing the male descendants of the Salem puritan who sent her to the stake, this blonde bombshell with a broomstick finds herself drawn to one of them, a prospective governor (Fredric March) about to marry a spoiled socialite (Susan Hayward). This most delightful of the films the innovative French director Rene Clair made in Hollywood is a comic confection bursting with playful special effects and sparkling witticisms. New 2K digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray edition. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. Extras: Audio interview with director Rene Clair, trailer, booklet featuring an essay by filmmaker Guy Maddin and a 1970 interview with Clair. (The Criterion Collection).

In the Flesh (2013) Three-part BBC America series about a zombie epidemic, a catastophic war, and the rehabilitation and medication for those with PDS (Partially Deceased Syndrome). Four years after the Rising, the government starts to bring the Undead back into society, including teenager Kieren Walker, who returns home to his small Lancashire village to face a hostile reception as well as his own demons. Formats: DVD, $19.98. (BBC Home Entertainment).

Marvel's Avengers Assemble: Assembly Required (2013 - TV) Iron Man, Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye, Black Widow and the newest recruit Falcon, battle Red Skull and M.O.D.O.K. in this two-part animated adventure. Formats: DVD, $19.99. Extras: "Marvel Mash-Ups" and three bonus episodes. (Disney).

Masterpiece Mystery!: Inspector Lewis Pilot Through Series 6 (2012) Fourteen-disc set with 27 mysteries and a bonus video that features "The Making of..." and an interview with Kevin Whately (Inspector Lewis), $129.99. Formats: DVD. (PBS Distribution).

The Middle: The Complete Third Season (2011-12) Three-disc set with 24 episodes, $44.98. Formats: DVD. Extras: Deleted scenes, gag reel. (Warner).

Monster High: 13 Wishes (2013) More animated adventures of the kids at Monster High: When the little sister of Clawdeen Wolf, Howleen, stumbles upon a genie who grants her not 3, but 13 wishes, the ghouls quickly learn to be scareful what you wish for, because each wish comes with a dark side, and soon the student disem-body of Monster High is turned upside-down. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. (Universal).

Much Ado About Nothing (2013) Dir.: Joss Whedon; Reed Diamond, Amy Acker, Alexis Denisof, Tom Lenk, Fran Kranz, Nathan Fillion, Clark Gregg, Jillian Morgese, Sean Maher, Riki Lindhome, Spencer Treat Clark. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, VOD, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: "Much Ado About Making Nothing" featurette, "Bus Ado About Nothing" featurette, commentary with screenwriter-director Joss Whedon, commentary with screenwriter-director Joss Whedon and cast, "Sigh No More" music video. (Lionsgate).

My Little Pony: A Very Minty Christmas (2005) First in the My Little Pony Classic Movies reissue program. Formats: DVD, $9.99. Extras: Sing-alongs. (Shout! Factory Kids).

Night Train to Terror (1985) Cameron Mitchell, John Phillip Law, Merideth Haze, Ferddy Mane. Aboard a fast moving train bound for Hell, God and Satan decide the fates of three unfortunate mortals: Harry, a fiendish killer who keeps the horribly mutilated body parts of his countless victims in a diabolical torture chamber; Gretta, a young woman, obsessed with death, who takes part in an unspeakable ritual of Russian roulette; and Claire, a young woman and a Holocaust survivor who is terrorized by the son of Satan. Formats: Blu-ray/DVD Combo. Extras: Commentary, interviews, theatrical trailer. (Vinegar Syndrome).

90210 - The Final Season (2012-13) Five-disc set with 22 episodes, $47.99. Formats: DVD. Extras: "Season in Review: The Last Chapter," "Script to Screen: Creatinan Episode," "Casting 9021," "90210 4Ever: Retrospective," set tours with Jessica Stroup (Erin Silver) and Matt Lanter (Liam Court), commentary. (CBS/Paramount).

Power Rangers Super Samurai: A Christmas Wish (2013) Three Christmas-themed episodes with the Samurai Rangers: "Super Samurai Stuck on Christmas," "Mighty Morphin Forever Friends" and "Mighty Morphin Alpha's Magical Christmas." Formats: DVD, $14.98; Digital. Extras: "Mega Bloks Holiday Toymation" video. (Lionsgate).

Psych: The Complete Seventh Season (2013) Three-disc set with 14 episodes, $59.98. It's business as unusual for "psychic" crime fighter Shawn Spencer (James Roday) and best pal Burton "Gus" Guster (Dule Hill) as they track down Bigfoot, go undercover as wacky radio DJs, and solve the ultimate murder mystery. And, Gus finally gets the girl. Formats: DVD. (Studio).

The Purge (2013) Ethan Hawke, Lena Headey, Max Burkholder, Adelaide Kane, Edwin Hodge. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, VOD, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: "Surviving the Night: The Making of The Purge." (Universal).

The Secret of Crickley Hall (2012) A year after their 5-year-old son goes missing, a family moves to Crickley Hall, a seeminggly perfect countryside house. But when supernatural events begin to take place, the family begins to feel that the house is somehow connected to their lost son. The story shifts beetween the present day and 1943, when the house was an orphanage for children who had been evacuated from London during the war and run by the frightening Augustus Cribben. BBC America miniseries. Formats: DVD, $19.98. (BBC Home Entertainment).

Shiver (2012) Danielle Harris, John Jarratt, Casper Van Dien. The latest victim of a serial killer who has claimed the lives of a number of other women escapes his assault, only to be tracked down by the murderer, who is now obsessed with and holds great affection for the woman. Formats: DVD. (Image Entertainment).

The Six Million Dollar Man: Season 4 (1976-77) Eight-disc set with 22 uncut episodes and three crossover episodes of "The Bionic Woman," $39.98. Formats: DVD. (Universal).

Star Wars Trilogy Episodes I-III The three "Star Wars" prequels: "Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace", "Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones" and "Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith." Formats: Blu-ray/DVD Combo, $59.99 ($39.96 and free shipping from Amazon). Blu-ray Extras: Audio commentary for each movie with George Lucas, the cast and crew; never-before-released audio commentary for each movie from archival interviews with cast and crew. (Fox).

Star Wars Trilogy Episodes IV-VI The original "Star Wars" trilogy: "A New Hope," "The Empire Strikes Back" and "Return of the Jedi." Formats: Blu-ray/DVD Combo, $59.99 ($39.96 and free shipping from Amazon). Blu-ray Extras: Audio commentary for each movie with George Lucas, the cast and crew; never-before-released audio commentary for each movie from archival interviews with cast and crew. (Fox).

Totally Spies Season 2: Volume 2: Fame & Fashion (2003-4) Two-disc set with 13 episodes of the Cartoon Network and ABC Family teen girl series about three typical high school girls who are best friends and work as undercover spies for the secret organization WOOHP. Formats: DVD, $19.95. (Cinedigm).

Totally Spies Season 2: Volume 1: Secret Agents (2003-4) 13 Episodes... see previous description. Formats: DVD, $19.95. (Cinedigm).

Totally Spies Collection: Seasons 1-3 (2001-5) Twelve-disc set with the first three seasons of the Cartoon Network and ABC Family teen girl series about three typical high school girls who are best friends and work as undercover spies for the secret organization WOOHP. Formats: DVD, $99.95. (Studio).

Transformers Prime Beast Hunters - Predacons Rising (2013) Ninety-minute epilogue to the final season wraps up the series that chronicled the epic battle between the Decepticons and the Autobots: A resurrected Unicron has taken over the now-lifeless body of Megatron to seek vengeance on the Autobots and ultimately, the destruction of Cybertron. This formidable enemy forces an unlikely alliance between the Autobots, Decepticons, Predaking and two new Predacons, who come together in an epic battle to help protect their newly restored planet. Formats: DVD, $16.97; Blu-ray/DVD Combo, $24.97. Extras: Behind-the-scenes featurette. (Shout! Factory).

White Collar Season Four (2012-13) Four-disc set with 16 episodes, $39.98. Formats: DVD. Extras: Deleted scenes, gag reel, "Tim DeKay - In the Director's Chair," "In the Wind" commentary. (Fox).

Zombie Hunter (2013) Martin Copping, Danny Trejo, Claire Neiderpruem , Jason K. Wixom, Jade Regier. Set in a post-apocalyptic Zombie wasteland caused by the mysterious street drug "Natas," the film follows the Hunter (Copping), who has nothing left other than a beat up Camaro and a trunk full of guns and booze. He runs down Flesh Eaters, hunting for sport and redemption and, after crashing into a small group of survivors running low on resources led by an -kicking priest (Trejo), he decides to lend a hand. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, Digital. (Well Go USA).


October 15, 2013 New DVD Releases

Anger Management: Volume Two (2013) 22 episodes, $34.98. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: Gag reel. (Lionsgate).

Bewitched: The Complete Series All eight, colorized seasons on 33-discs. Formats: DVD. (Sony).

Bubble Guppies and Team Umizoomi: Into the Snow We Go! (2013) Holiday season compilation with three holiday episodes: "Bubble Guppies: Happy Holidays, Mr. Grumpfish!", "Team Umizoomi: A Sledding Snow Day" and "Team Umizoomi: City of Lost Penguins." Formats: DVD, $14.99. (Nickelodeon/Paramount).

The Colony (2013) Laurence Fishburne, Bill Paxton, Kevin Zegers. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, Digital. Forced underground by the next ice age, a struggling outpost of survivors must fight to preserve humanity against a threat even more savage than nature. (Image Entertainment).

Come Dance With Me (2012) Andrew McCarthy, Michelle Nolden, Stephanie Mills, Mary Long, Zachary Bennett, Chris Gillett, Jane Moffat. A rising financial executive who is dating the fabulously rich and elegant daughter of his boss signs up for dance lessons to prove himself at their lavish annual Christmas dance. Yet sparks start to fly between Jack and his dance instructor, and he's forced to make some important life decisions before it's too late. Hallmark Channel movie. Formats: DVD. (Gaiam Vivendi Entertainment).

Counting Cars: Season 2, Volume 1 (2013) Two-disc set with 12 episodes, $14.98. Formats: DVD. Extras: Bonus footage. (Lionsgate).

Defiance: Season One (2013) Three-disc set with 13 episodes. Formats: DVD, $59.98; Blu-ray Disc, $69.98. Extras: Gag reel, "Defiance: A Transmedia Revolution," "Making Defiance," "Behind the Scenes With Jesse Rath." (Universal).

Dracula: The Dark Prince (2013) Luke Roberts, Kelly Wenham, Stephen Hogan, Jon Voight. When Dracula kidnaps a woman he believes is the reincarnation of his dead wife, vampire hunter Van Helsing and his companions must rescue her before time runs out. Formats: DVD (available at Walmart), VOD, Digital. Extras: Commentary with director Pearry Teo, cast interviews, behind-the-scenes featurette. (Lionsgate).

The Eagle Has Landed Collector's Edition (1976) Dir.: John Sturges; Michael Caine, Donald Sutherland, Robert Duvall, Jenny Agutter, Donald Pleasence, Anthony Quayle. Formats: Blu-ray/DVD Combo. Extras: "The Eagle Has Landed Revisited: Invading Mapledurham"; "Tom Mankiewicz: Looking Back"; "Film Night Location Report"; "On Location in Norfolk"; on location interviews with Michael Caine, Donald Sutherland and John Sturges; "ATV Today On Location"; theatrical trailer. (Shout! Factory).

Gentle Ben - Season One (1967-68) Four-disc set with 28 episodes of the family-friendly series about a boy and his 650-pound best friend, Ben the bear. Formats: DVD, $29.98. Extras: Four commentaries by father and son Rance and Clint Howard, photo gallery. (Paramount).

The Halloween Stories Collection, Volume 2 Includes 14 stories perfect for early and pre-readers on All Hallows Eve. Though filled with skeletons, witches and more seasonal spooks, families can encourage creativity and music appreciation with the classic sing-along "Dem Bones," learn about Latin American holidays with "The Day of the Dead," and delight in the not so spooky-ooky stories of "Teeny-Tiny and the Witch-Woman." Three DVDs: "The Day of the Dead... And More Halloween Tales" (also includes "The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything," "Kitten's First Full Moon" and "Fletcher and the Falling Leaves"); "Dem Bones... And More Sing-Along Stories" (also includes "Dinosaur Bones," "Hush Little Baby," "The Fox Went Out on a Chilly Night" and "The Erie Canal"); "Teeny-Tiny and the Witch-Woman... And More Spooky Stories" (also include "The Boy with Two Shadows," "Los Gatos Black on Halloween," "What's Under My Bed?" and "King of the Cats." Formats: Three DVD set. Extras: Read-along function; author interviews, including Kevin Henkes, Bob Barner and Linda Williams. (Scholastic Storybook Treasures).

Hart of Dixie: The Complete Second Season (2012-13) Five-disc set with 22 episodes, $59.98. Formats: DVD. (Warner).

The Heat (2013) Sandra Bullock, Melissa McCarthy, Demian Bichir, Michael Rapaport, Marlon Wayans, Kaitlin Olson. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, VOD, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: TBA. (Fox).

Hitched for the Holidays (2012) Joseph Lawrence, Emily Hampshire, Linda Darlow, Marilu Henner. An attractive pair agrees to be each other's supposed significant other throughout the holidays to keep their meddling families at bay. Hallmark Channel movie. Formats: DVD.(Gaiam Vivendi Entertainment).

Home For Christmas: A Golden Christmas 3 (2012) Shantel VanSanten, Rob Mayes. Dove-approved family film about two unlucky Golden Retriever owners who, with the help of some Christmas spirit and their furry friends, fall in love during the most wonderful time of the year. Gaiam Vivendi Entertainment has partnered with The Petfinder Foundation via a donation on behalf of the film. A top destination for dog lovers, Petfinder Foundation helps homeless pets by saving lives through adoptions and helping shelters across the nation (Petfinderfoundation.com). Formats: DVD. (MarVista Entertainment and Gaiam Vivendi Entertainment).

I Dream of Jeannie: The Complete Series Twenty-disc box set featuring all 139 episodes. Repriced and repackaged. Formats: DVD.(Sony).

Ingenious (aka Lightbulb) (2009) Dallas Roberts, Jeremy Renner, Ayelet Zurer, Marguerite Moreau. A rags-to-riches story of two friends, a small-time inventor and a sharky salesman, who hit rock bottom before coming up with a gizmo that becomes a worldwide phenomenon. Formats: DVD, VOD, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: "Behind the Scenes With Cast & Crew Interviews." (Lionsgate).

It's a SpongeBob Christmas! (2013) A new SpongeBob feature has Plankton vow to get his Christmas wish... the Krabby Patty formula... by turning everyone in Bikini Bottom bad by feeding them his special jerktonium-laced fruitcake. Formats: Blu-ray/DVD Combo, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: "Behind the Scenes" featurette, animatic, "Yule Log," two MP3-compatible songs: "Santa's Eyes" and "Hot Fruitcake." Blu-ray adds 10 fan favorite episodes from SpongeBob's first season. $21.99.(Nickelodeon/Paramount).

Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness: The Scorpion Sting (2011) Seven episodes from the Nickelodeon TV series, $14.98. Formats: DVD. Extras: "Scorpion Maze" game app (available for download on iOS and Android devices). (Fox).

Last Will & Testament (2013) Explores one of the greatest literary mysteries of all time: who wrote the works of William Shakespeare? Although the official story of a Stratford merchant writing for the London box office has held sway for centuries, questions over the authorship of the plays and poems have persisted. Mark Twain, Sigmund Freud, Charlie Chaplin and Orson Welles are among the many famous figures who doubt that a grain-dealer from Stratford-Upon-Avon was England's "Star of Poets." Derek Jacobi leads an impressive cast featuring Vanessa Redgrave and Mark Rylance on a quest to uncover the truth behind the elusive author. The first part of the film explores the orthodox story of William Shakespeare of Stratford and the longstanding views held by academia. The second part is a testament to an alternative Shakespeare – one presented to the world in the literary works themselves and in the testimony of his most insightful doubters. Formats: DVD, $24.99. (PBS Distribution).

Lifetime Holiday 4-Film Collection Four Christmas-themed Lifetime Original movies: "The Christmas Consultant," "Holiday Spin," "The March Sisters at Christmas" and "Holly's Holiday." Formats: DVD, $19.98. (Lionsgate).

Lost and Found (2008) CGI animated family film explores the true meaning of friendship when a young boy finds a penguin on his doorstep and decides to take his unexpected visitor all the way back home to the South Pole. Based on a best-selling children's book by acclaimed author Oliver Jeffers (inspired by the real-life story of a little boy in Belfast who somehow managed to sneak a penguin out of the zoo during a class trip and all the way home to his bathtub before anyone noticed). Narrated by Jim Broadbent. Winner of more than 60 international awards. Formats: DVD, Digital. Extras: Making-of featurette. (Entertainment One).

Love Actually - 10th Anniversary Edition (2003) Bill Nighy, Colin Firth, Sienna Guillory, Liam Neeson, Emma Thompson, Hugh Grant, Laura Linney, Keira Knightley, Martin Freeman, Andrew Lincoln, January Jones, Thomas Sangster, Kris Marshall, Heike Makatsch, Gregor Fisher, Joanna Page, Chiwetel Ejiofor. This delightful romantic comedy and perennial holiday season favorite follows eight couples whose lives intersect shortly before Christmas. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: Deleted scenes, "The Music of Love Actually," "The Storytellers," Kelly Clarkson "The Trouble With Love Is" music video, Billy Mack "Christmas is All Around" music video, commentary. (Universal).

Maniac (2012) A remake of William Lustig and Joe Spinell's 1980 cult classic of the same name,the film is an intimate, visually daring, psychologically complex and profoundly horrific trip into the downward spiraling nightmare of a killer and his victims. In this 21st century Jack the Ripper story set in present-day Los Angeles, Frank (Elijah Wood, in an acting change of pace) leads a deceptively peaceful life: To the outside world, he's a withdrawn and somewhat eccentric owner of a mannequin store. But his quiet façade masks an inner rage that forces him to brutally kill and scalp the women who get too close to him. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. Extras: Commentary, making-of featurette, deleted scenes, alternate poster gallery. (IFC Midnight Films).

The March (2013) New documentary honoring the 50th anniversary of the original March on Washington, a watershed moment in the Civil Rights Movement. Unprecedented in size, the August 28, 1963 massive demonstration for racial and economic equality issued a clarion call for racial justice that would help usher in sweeping civil rights legislation and a sea change in public opinion. The event will forever be remembered for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s stirring "I Have a Dream" speech. Narrated by Denzel Washington and features interviews with Harry Belafonte, Julian Bond, Diahann Carroll, Clarence B. Jones, Oprah Winfrey, Andrew Young, Joan Baez and others. Formats: DVD, $24.99. (PBS Distribution).

Merry In-Laws (2012) Kassia Warshawski, Lucas Bryan, George Wendt, Shelley Long. When Alex accepts her boyfriend Peter's marriage proposal she has no idea her future in-laws are none other than Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus, who decide to stay for a pre-Christmas visit that ends up complicating the wedding plans. A Lifetime movie. Formats: DVD. (Gaiam Vivendi Entertainment).

Monsters vs Aliens: Cloning Around (2013) Eight episodes form Nickelodeon TV series, $14.98. Formats: DVD, Digital. (Fox).

Notting Hill (1999) Hugh Grant, Julia Roberts, Rhys Ifans. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: Seasonal Walk on Portobello Road," "Hugh Grant's Movie Tips," "Spotlight on Location," Elvis Costello "She" music video, Shania Twain "You've Got a Way" music video, photograph montage, U.S. theatrical trailer, international theatrical trailer, commentary. (Universal).

Pacific Rim (2013) Dir.: Guillermo del Toro; Charlie Hunnam, Idris Elba, Rinko Kikuchi, Charlie Day, Rob Kazinsky, Max Martini, Clifton Collins Jr., Burn Gorman, Ron Perlman. Formats: Two-disc DVD, 3D Blu-ray/DVD Combo, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, VOD, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: Commentary by Guillermo del Toro, "Drift Space," "The Digital Artistry of Pacific Rim," "The Shatterdome," "Focus Points," deleted scenes, blooper reel. Blu-ray adds "The Directors Notebook." (Warner).

Paranormal Apparition: Revenge From Beyond the Grave (2012) Lulu Brud, CJ Baker, Elissa Dowling. When the Myers move into their Beverly Hills home, they wonder why the price tag is too good to be true. Their daughter discovers the truth when a neighbor tells her one of the previous owners was murdered there years earlier and she then falls prey to the attacks of the ghostly victim who lived there, turning the dream house turns into the house from hell. Formats: DVD. (MVD Entertainment).

The Partridge Family: The Complete Series Twelve-disc set spanning four seasons. Formats: DVD. (Sony).

Shrek the Musical (2013) The Broadway production based on the smash-hit movie, featuring a score of 17 all-new songs, filmed on stage to capture the magic of a Broadway performance. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, Digital. Extras: "Shrek the Musical Songbook with Sing-Along." Blu-ray adds "From Swamp to Stage: The Making of Shrek the Musical." (DreamWorks/Fox).

Superheroes: A Never-Ending Battle (2013) Documentary examines the comic book genre and its powerful legacy, as well as the evolution of the characters that leapt from the pages over the last 75 years and their ongoing worldwide cultural impact. It chronicles how these "disposable diversions" were created in large part by the children of immigrants whose fierce loyalty to a new homeland laid the foundation for a multi-billion-dollar industry. In the next generation, comic books were subject to intense government scrutiny for their influence on American children, and superheroes triumphed over that challenge to become an influential part of our national identity. Among the notable on-camera talents in the film are Stan Lee, Adam West, Lynda Carter, Pulitzer Prize-winners Michael Chabon and Jules Feiffer, and interviews with the late greats Joe Simon (co-creator of Captain America) and Jerry Robinson (who helped create the Joker). In three parts: "Truth, Justice, and the American Way" (1938-1958), "Great Power, Great Responsibility" (1959-1977) and "A Hero Can Be Anyone" (1978-Present). Airs on PBS Tuesday Nights, October 8–October 22. Formats: DVD $24.99; Blu-ray $29.99. (PBS Distribution).

TCM Greatest Classic Films: Legends – Ronald Reagan "Knute Rockne All American" (1940), "Kings Row" (1942), "Storm Warning" (1951), "The Winning Team" (1952). Formats: DVD, $27.9. (Warner).

TCM Greatest Classic Films: Legends – Barbara Stanwyck Baby Face" (1933), "Annie Oakley" (1935), "My Reputation" (1946), "East Side, West Side" (1949). Formats: DVD, $27.9. (Warner).

TCM Greatest Classic Films: Legends – Gary Cooper "Sergeant York" (1941), "The Fountainhead" (1949), "Friendly Persuasion" (1956), "Love in the Afternoon" (1957). Formats: DVD, $27.9. (Warner).

TCM Greatest Classic Films: Legends – Val Lewton "Cat People" (1942), "I Walked With a Zombie" (1943), "The Curse of the Cat People" (1944), "The Body Snatcher" (1945).Formats: DVD, $27.9. (Warner).

The Untold History of the United States (2013) Ten-part Showtime Original Series from three-time Academy Award-winning writer and director Oliver Stone. The in-depth, surprising, and totally riveting series, co-written by Stone with Peter Kuznick and Matt Graham, was directed and narrated by Stone. Stone and Kuznick, esteemed American University Associate Professor of History, and director of the Nuclear Studies Institute, co-authored the companion book (Gallery Books) to the series, which presents our country's unlearned history, drawing on archival findings from around the world and recently declassified material. The documentary looks back at human events that at the time went under-reported, but that crucially shaped America's unique and complex history throughout the 20th century, covering the time period from the atomic bombing of Japan to the Cold War, through the fall of Communism to the events of today. Beside the 10 chapters, this release will boast more than three and a half hours of bonus material, including two unaired chapters and a new companion documentary featuring Stone and Tariq Ali... author, philosopher, activist, writer, socialist leader, editor... who worked with Stone on the documentary "South of the Border." Formats: DVD, Four-disc Blu-ray set, $49.99;, Digital. Extras: "Prologue - Chapter A: World War I, The Russian Revolution, & Woodrow Wilson: Roots of Empire," "Prologue - Chapter B: 1920–1940: Roosevelt, Hitler, and Stalin: The Battle of Ideas," bonus documentary:" A Conversation With History: Tariq Ali And Oliver Stone" about a wide range of topics, accompanied by archival footage not found in the series, in a probing, hard-hitting conversation on the politics of history. (Warner).

Vikings Season 1 (2013) Three-disc set with nine episodes of History's drama series. Formats: DVD, $49.98; Blu-ray Disc, $59.99. Extras: "Warrior Society: Viking Culture & Law" featurette, "Birth of the Vikings" featurette, "Forging the Viking Army: Warfare And Tactics" featurette, deleted scenes, commentary. Blu-ray adds "The Armory of Vikings" interactive feature, "Conquest and Discover: The Journey of the Vikings" interactive feature that allows viewers to learn more about the locations and places in Season 1. (Fox).

Wild Style: 30th Anniversary Collector's Edition (1983) The landmark New York film that introduced hip-hop, break dancing, freestyle rapping and graffitti art to the world. Legendary New York graffitti artist Lee Quinones stars in the role of Zoro, the city's hottest and most elusive graffitti writer as he makes his way from the bombed-out streets of the Bronx to the lively art world of downtown Manhattan, all the while working through his complicated feelings for fellow graffitti artist Rose (Sandra Fabara). Along his journey, Zoro encounters a number of other New York denizens on the streets, in subway trains and out in the nightclubs, who revel in the passion and innovation of the burgeoning hip-hop culture. Two-disc set with a 48-page booklet written by director Charlie Ahearn, $29.95. Formats: DVD, Digital. Extras: Commentary by Charlie Ahearn and Fab 5 Freddy; interviews with Busy Bee, Fab 5 Freddy, Lady Pink, Lee Quinones and Rodney; featurettes: "25th Anniversary Reunion," "Bongo Barbershop," "Brothers Fantastic," "Busy on the Beach," "Busy on the Auotobahn," "Wild Style 20th Anniversary Jam"; photo gallery. (Music Box Films).


October 22, 2013 New DVD Releases

Before Midnight (2013) Dir.: Richard Linklater; Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy, Seamus Davey-Fitzpatrick, Jennifer Prior, Charlotte Prior. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, VOD, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: Commentary with Hawke, Delpy and Linklater, "Revisiting Jesse & Celine" featurette, Q&A with Hawke, Delpy and Linklater. (Sony).

The Conjuring (2013) Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Ron Livingston, Lili Taylor, Joey King, Shanley Caswell, Hayley McFarland, Mackenzie Foy, Kyla Deaveras, Sterling Jerinsas, Marion Guyot, Steve Coulter, Shannon Kook, John Brotherton. Formats: DVD,Blu-ray/DVD Combo, VOD, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: "Scaring the “@$*%” Out of You" featurette. Blu-ray adds "The Conjuring: Face-to-Face With Terror" and "A Life in Demonology" featurettes. (Warner).

Dead in Tombstone (2013) Danny Trejo, Anthony Michael Hall, Mickey Rourke. After a ruthless gang overruns a small mining town, they murder their own leader, Guerrero Hernandez (Trejo), in a cold-blooded power grab. Sentenced to eternity in hell, Guerrero finds himself confronted by Satan himself (Rourke), who offers a daring proposition: deliver the six souls of his former gang and he will escape damnation. With rated and unrated versions. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, VOD, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: Commentary with director Roel Reine, deleted shots montage, "The Making of Dead in Tombstone." Blu-ray adds "Horses, Guns & Explosions," "Roel Reine: The Leader of the Gang," "A Town Transformed," "Creating Hell: The VFX." (Universal).

Homecoming (2012) Jerry Ford, Nina Ashe, Sheldon Shaw, Tiffany-Denise. A group of five college friends reunite for homecoming weekend nearly 20 years after graduation, happily reminiscing about their university memories, teasing each other and rekindling their close friendships. But cracks in the surface start to show as they remember one of their old roommates, whose recent death brings up long-hidden secrets, lingering emotions and painful regrets. Formats: DVD. (One Village Entertainment).

The Internship (2013) Dir.: Shawn Levy; Vince Vaughn, Owen Wilson, Rose Byrne, Max Minghella, Aasif Mandvi, JoAnna Garcia, Jessica Szohr, John Goodman, B.J. Novak. Unrated and rated versions. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, VOD, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: "Any Given Monday" featurette, commentary with Shawn Levy. Blu-ray adds deleted scenes. (Fox).

Nikita: The Complete Third Season (2012-13) Twenty-two episodes. Formats: DVD, $59.98; Blu-ray Disc, $69.97; UltraViolet. Extras: Gag reel, deleted scenes. (Warner).

Oka! (2011) Kris Marshall, Isaach De Bankole, Will Yun Lee and the Bayaka of Yandombe. The story of Louis Sarno, an American ethno-musicologist who lived among the Bayaka Pygmies in Central Africa for 25 years to record their music. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, VOD, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). (Well Go USA).

Only God Forgives (2013) Dir.: Nicolas Winding Refn; Ryan Gosling, Kristin Scott Thomas, Vithaya Pansringarm, Gordon Brown, Yayaying Rhatha, Tom Burke, Sahajak Boonthanakit. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, VOD, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: TBA. (Anchor Bay).

Storm Rider (2013) Kevin Sorbo, Kristy Swanson, C Thomas Howell, Dani Chuchran. Spoiled 18-year old Dani Fieldings' world is turned upside down when her father gets arrested for securities fraud, and she has to leave her upscale life in the city to stay with her gruff Uncle Sam out in the country. As Dani and her uncle struggle to bond, she's given an orphaned horse to foster and train, calling her Stormy and giving her all the attention she's missing from her unsettled life. Formats: DVD, VOD. (Arc Entertainment).

The Uninvited (1944) A pair of siblings (Ray Milland and Ruth Hussey) from London purchase a surprisingly affordable, lonely cliff-top house in Cornwall, only to discover that it actually carries a ghostly price; soon they're caught up in a bizarre romantic triangle from beyond the grave. Rich in atmosphere, "The Uninvited", directed by Lewis Allen, was ground breaking for the seriousness with which it treated the haunted-house genre, and it remains an elegant and eerie experience, featuring a classic score by Victor Young. A tragic family past, a mysteriously locked room, cold chills, bumps in the night... this gothic Hollywood classic has it all. New 2K digital film restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray edition. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. Extras: New visual essay by filmmaker Michael Almereyda, booklet featuring an essay by critic Farran Smith Nehme. (The Criterion Collection).

The Vincent Price Collection Four-disc set with the first-ever Blu-ray presentation of "Fall of the House Of Usher" (1960), "The Haunted Palace" (1963), "The Masque of Red Death" (1964), "The Pit and the Pendulum" (1961), "Witchfinder General" (1968) and "The Abominable Dr. Phibes" (1971). Includes a 24-page collector's book. $79.97. Extras: Vintage and rare introduction and final words from Vincent Price; commentaries with Roger Corman, author Tom Weaver, author Steve Haberman, producer Philip Waddilove, actor Ian Ogilvy, others; Vincent Price retrospective commentary with author Lucy Chase Williams featuring Pitor Michael as the voice of Vincent Price; audio interview with Vincent Price by historian David Del Valle; "A Change of Poe" interview with director Roger Corman; theatrical trailers; still galleries, more. (Scream factory/Shout! Factory).

The Way, Way Back (2013) Steve Carell, Maya Rudolph, Toni Collette, Liam James, Allison Janney, Sam Rockwell, Amanda Peet, AnnaSophia Robb, Rob Corddry. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, VOD, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: Deleted scenes, "Tour of the Water Park" featurette, "The Filmmakers: Jim & Nat" featurette, "Ensemble" featurette. Blu-ray adds "Making of The Way, Way Back." (Fox).


October 29, 2013 New DVD Releases

American Experience: War of the Worlds (2013) PBS documentary examines the infamous radio broadcast on its 75th anniversary. On October 30, 1938, just after 8 p.m. on the East Coast, the millions of Americans tuned to CBS Radio were treated to an unusual dramatization of H.G. Wells's classic "The War of the Worlds," performed by 23-year-old wunderkind Orson Welles and his "Mercury Theater on the Air." Although most listeners understood that the program was a radio drama, thousands of others... perhaps a million or more... were plunged into panic, convinced that America was under a deadly Martian attack. With the CBS radio broadcast serving as its narrative spine, the film examines the elements that came together to create one of the biggest mass hysteria events in U.S. history: our longtime fascination with life on Mars; the emergence of radio as a powerful, pervasive medium; the shocking Hindenburg explosion of 1937, the first disaster to broadcast live; a nation anxious about the imminent outbreak of war in Europe; and the brilliant enfant terrible Orson Welles. Formats: DVD, $24.99. (PBS Distribution).

Cook's Country, Season 6 (2013) Two-disc set with 13 episodes of the series that features the best regional home cooking in the country and relies on the same practical, no-nonsense food approach that has made Cook's Country magazine so successful. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc, $29.99. (PBS Distribution).

Damages: The Complete Series Fifteen-Disc set of all five season. Formats: DVD. (Sony).

Family Tree: The Complete First Season (2013) Two-disc set with eight episodes that centers on 30-year-old Tom Chadwick (Chris O'Dowd) who, after losing his job and his girlfriend, begins exploring his family heritage after inheriting a mysterious box from a great aunt he never met. Unsure of his identity, he uncovers a world of unusual stories and characters as well as a growing sense of who he and his real family are. Writer-director Christopher Guest's first television series. The documentary-style comedy series also features a roster of Guest regulars, including Ed Begley, Jr., Fred Willard, Jim Piddock, Michael McKean and Bob Balaban. Formats: DVD, $29.98. Extras: "Keith's Favorite 1970's Sitcoms": Clips from episodes of some of Keith's (Michael McKean) favorite TV shows ("There Goes the Neighbourhood," "Move Along, Please!") that appear within the world of the series; 13 never-before-seen bonus scenes that give a glimpse into Mr. Pfister's childhood, a deeper look at the pantomime race horse, and more; audio tracks for "The Plantagenets Love Theme," "I'm Alone But That's OK" and other original music written for the series by Guest and others. (HBO).

Free Samples (2012) Jess Weixler, Jesse Eisenberg, Jason Ritter, Halley Feiffer, Tippi Hedren. A Stanford law-school dropout retreats to Los Angeles and helps run her best friend's ice cream truck, fending off locals and oddball friends alike as she doles out free soft serve and, on the day of her boyfriends's birthday, finds herself being courted by a young man whom she barely remembers from the night before. Formats: DVD. (Anchor Bay).

La Notte (1961) This psychologically acute, visually striking modernist work was director Michelangelo Antonioni's follow-up to the epochal "L'avventura." Marcello Mastroianni and Jeanne Moreau star as a novelist and his frustrated wife who, over the course of one night, confront their alienation from each other and the achingly empty bourgeois Milan circles in which they travel. Antonioni's muse Monica Vitti smolders as an industrialist's tempting daughter. Moodily sensual cinematography and subtly expressive performances make "La notte" an indelible illustration of romantic and social deterioration. New 4K digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray edition. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray Disc. Extras: New interview with film critic Adriano Apra and film historian Carlo Di Carlo, new interview with professor Giuliana Bruno on the role of architecture in "La notte," trailer, booklet featuring an essay by critic Richard Brody and a 1961 article by director Michelangelo Antonioni. (The Criterion Collection).

Margarita (2012) Nicola Correia Damude, Christine Horne, Patrick McKenna, Claire Lautier, Maya Ritter. Behind the facade of a beautiful urban home, a combination of complacency and bad investments has left power couple Ben and Gail disconnected, resentful and just about broke. When the cash-strapped yuppies fire their teen-aged daughter's Mexican nanny, Margarita, they set off a chain of events that lead to her deportation. Formats: DVD, Digital. (Wolfe Video).

Monsters University (2013) Voices of Billy Crystal, John Goodman, Helen Mirren, Alfred Molina, Julia Sweeney, John Krasinski, Aubrey Plaza, Bonnie Hunt, Frank Oz, Steve Buscemi, Charlie Day. Formats: 4-Disc Blu-ray 3-D Superset (3D + 2BD + DVD + Digital Copy), 3-disc Blu-ray 2-D Superset (2BD + DVD + Digital Copy), 3-Disc Blu-ray 2-D Combo Pack (2 BD + DVD), DVD. Extras: DVD: Commentary, "The Blue Umbrella," an animated short film from Pixar Animation Studios about two umbrellas who fall in love during a rain storm. Blu-ray sets add: "Campus Life" look at a day in the life of the "Monsters University" crew through their own eyes; "Story School" documentary examines the challenges of creating a prequel as well as themes that run through the story; "Scare Games" featurette on the Pixar Scare Games competitions; "Welcome to MU" look at the Monsters University campus and its development; "Music Appreciation" documentary on Randy Newman's scores; "Scare Tactics" behind-the-scenes with the animators; "Color and Light" featurette; "Paths to Pixar - MU Edition" crew featurette; "Furry Monsters: A Technical Retrospective" explores the difficulties in creating characters that are 20 years younger with tools that are 10 years more advanced; deleted scenes; promo picks; college campaign; theatrical campaign; set flythroughs; art gallery; more. (Disney).

R.I.P.D. (2013) Jeff Bridges, Ryan Reynolds, Kevin Bacon, Mary-Louise Parker. Formats: DVD, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, 3D Blu-ray/Blu-ray/DVD Combo, VOD, Digital, UltraViolet (cloud). Extras: Deleted and alternate scenes, gag reel, "Transferring R.I.P.D. – The Making of." Blu-ray adds alternate openings, "R.I.P.D Motion Comics: Bringing the Avatars to Life," "Nick's New Avatars," "Filming the Other Side," "Walking Among Us: Deados & Avatars," "Anatomy of a Shootout." (Universal).