Still looking for gift ideas? DVDs abound

loading...

So, you’ve put off the holiday shopping until the last minute – perfectly understandable. If things have to come to push and shove, which they will at this point, you might as well do it with the hardcore late shoppers. At least they’re in it for real.

Still, what to get now that you’re in such a pinch? Socks? Frowns all around. Underwear? A bum gift – and that pun is intended. Mace? You might need it if your shopping really does begin today.

The good news is that a DVD always makes a swell gift – and a quick, no-stress purchase to boot. Since the options can be overwhelming, included here are several newer releases, all of which are recommended and all of which can be found at local retailers for far less than the official retail prices listed below.

First, the television shows. Over the past several weeks, a slew have been released on DVD, with the best coming down to a few classics, beginning with “Alfred Hitchcock Presents: Season One” (Universal Home Entertainment, $39.98). It’s a highlight, featuring the 39 episodes that appeared during the 1955-1956 CBS television season, with Hitchcock delivering the introductions and closing moments with his inimitable style. The shows are just as twisted as you expect, with one particular episode – “Shopping for Death” – certain to get you in an end-of-the-season holiday mood.

“Green Acres: The Complete Third Season” (Sony Home Entertainment, $29.95) proves it’s still the place to be, with Eddie Albert playing country bumpkin to Eva Gabor’s city transplant. How can you go wrong with a show in which a pig named Oliver snorts over the laugh track? Kitschier now than ever – and darling, they’ll love it.

Additional throwbacks include “The Munsters: The Complete Second Season” (Universal, $39.98), which includes the final 32 episodes, along with three hours of bonus features, one of which is a must-see for fans of the series – “America’s First Family of Fright.” “Leave it to Beaver: The Complete First Season (Universal, $49.98) is now on DVD, with Wally and the Beave predictably up to squeaky clean, no-good fun.

Those who remember spending Friday nights in 1974 with “Kolchak: The Night Stalker” (Universal, $39.98) have reason to rejoice – it’s just out on DVD, with Darren McGavin staring down the supernatural as investigative reporter Carl Kolchak. It’s the perfect gift for fans of “The X-Files,” which was directly inspired by the show, and which happens to have its own new release in stores, “The X-Files Mythology, Vol. 4 – Super Soldiers” (Fox Home Entertainment, $39.98). The four-disc set features 14 episodes from the eighth and ninth seasons, as well as a new documentary, “Threads of Mythology,” from series’ creator, Chris Carter.

The sci-fi highs continue with “Stargate Atlantis: The Complete First Season” (Sony, $59.95), an offshoot of the popular “Stargate: SG-1” series, which finds one of its stronger seasons available in “Stargate SG-1: Season 8” (Sony, $55.95). “Outer Limits: Season One” (Sony, $59.95) and “Battlestar Galactica: Season 2.0” (Universal, $49.98) round out the recommended offerings, as does this week’s release of “Serenity” (Universal, $29.98), an excellent movie that joins “Star Wars: Episode III” (Fox, $29.98) and “Zathura” in being among the best sci-fi films of the year.

For pure bang for your buck, try the “Jurassic Park Adventure Pack” (Universal, $26.98), which features the three Jurassic Park films and many extras. It’s a great value, as is the current release of “The Mummy Collector’s Edition” (Universal, $26.98), which includes the three more recent “Mummy” movies.

For children, several new choices are available on DVD, the best of which are four films celebrating Kermit the Frog’s 50th anniversary – “The Great Muppet Caper,” “Muppet Treasure Island,” “The Muppet Movie” and “The Muppet Christmas Carol.” All hail from Buena Vista Home Video, with a retail price of $19.99, though you can find them for as low as $12.99. Anarchy is everywhere in “Little Rascals, Vol. 3” (Hallmark, $14.98), which at last finds Darla on DVD, where she and the gang have digitally arrived. Older kids likely will dig the popular “Thundercats: Season One, Vol. 2” (Warner, $64.98), with its 32 episodes spanning over 11 hours, as well as the 18 episodes in “Superman Animated Series, Vol. 2” (Warner, $26.98), which includes a collectible animation cel.

As for quelling any trace of animation, those who can’t afford a Botox gift card – apparently a popular option this year – always can give the gift of “Nip/Tuck: The Complete Seasons 1 & 2” (Warner, $119.98), a savage little television series in which nothing ever appears tired, particularly the writing. “Las Vegas: Complete Second Season” (Universal, $59.98) is just out, as is “The Rockford Files: Season One” (Universal, $39.98), “Fame: The Complete First Season” (Sony, $49.95), “Everybody Loves Raymond: Complete Fifth Season” (HBO Home Video, $44.98), and “Law & Order: The Fourth Year” (Universal, $49.98). With some of these titles, the nostalgia is ripe, but it’s tough to go wrong with any of them.

For those seeking classic boxed sets, the king of them all is “The Harold Lloyd Comedy Collection” (New Line Home Video, $89.99), which is well worth the price as it features Lloyd in 13 feature films and seven shorts, all digitally remastered, restored and rescored, with a bonus disc that includes Lloyds personal home movies, as well as several interviews and featurettes. It’s the boxed set of the year.

Close on its heels is the three-disc collector’s edition of “The Wizard of Oz” (Warner, $49.98), a winner that features a beautifully restored print, an illustrated story book and five previously unseen versions of the tale, which appeared between 1910-1933.

Released in time for the King Kong onslaught is the highly recommended “King Kong Collector’s Edition” (Warner, $39.98), which features the original movie for the first time ever on DVD, as well as the inventive “King Kong: Peter Jackson’s Production Diaries” (Universal, $39.98), which includes insight into the new film, as well as journal entries and several full-color illustrations suitable for framing.

Finally, for pure fun, throw back your shoulders and try “The Pam Grier Collection: Fox in a Box” (Sony, $29.95), which features three of Grier’s best films – “Foxy Brown,” “Coffy” and “Sheba Baby,” the last of which sounds something like Santa baby, who, right now, some of us need to assist before it’s too late.

Visit www.weekinrewind.com, the archive of Bangor Daily News film critic Christopher Smith’s reviews, which appear Mondays in Discovering, Fridays in Happening, and Weekends in Television. He may be reached at Christopher@weekinrewind.com.

THE VIDEO-DVD CORNER

Renting a video or a DVD? NEWS film critic Christopher Smith can help. Below are his grades of recent releases in video stores. Those in bold print are new to video stores this week.

The Adventures of Sharkboy & Lavagirl In 3-D – -D-

The Amityville Horror – C-

Batman Anthology – A-

Batman Begins – A

Bride & Prejudice – B

The Brothers Grimm – D-

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – A-

Chicago – The Razzle-Dazzle Edition – A

Cinderella Man – A

Crash – D

Cypher – C+

The Devil’s Rejects – B

Dukes of Hazzard – D

Empire Falls – C-

ER: The Complete Fourth Season – B+

The Exorcism of Emily Rose – C+

The 40-Year-Old Virgin – A

Full House: The Complete Second Season – C+

Guess Who – C+

Gus Van Sant’s Last Days – B-

Happy Endings – C+

Harold Lloyd Comedy Collection – A+

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy – B-

Hostage – C-

The Interpreter – B+

Into the Blue – C-

The Island – C+

Kicking and Screaming – C

Kingdom of Heaven – B-

King Kong: Collector’s Edition – A

Kung Fu Hustle – A

Madagascar – D

The Magnificent Seven: The Complete First Season – B

March of the Penguins – A

Melinda and Melinda – B

Millions – A-

Monster-in-Law – B-

Mr. & Mrs. Smith – B

Must Love Dogs – C+

Polar Express – C-

Robots – C-

Sahara – C-

Serenity – A-

The Skeleton Key – B

Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith – B+

Undiscovered – D-

Unleashed – C-

Upside of Anger – B

Valiant – C-

War of the Worlds – B+

The Wedding Date – B