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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 this time of year, included here are many newer releases, all of which come recommended and all of which can be found at local retailers for much less than the official retail prices listed below.
Television shows
Over the past several weeks, a slew of television shows have been released on DVD, with nearly every taste being served, though not always to suit. The saltiness of the recent “Gene Simmons Family Jewels: Season One,” for instance, might only appeal to the rocker in your household. Below, however, are the best of the best.
For comedies, it’s tough to go wrong with “The Simpsons: Season Eight” ($49.98) and the just-released “The Simpsons: Season Nine” ($49.98), each a four-disc, 25-episode set peppered with satire, anarchy and a wealth of extras.
Since it is the holiday season and time likely will be spent with family (whether you like it or not), also recommended are a wealth of bickering shows to help prepare you for the worst, such as “Mama’s Family: Complete First Season” ($26.98), “The King of Queens: Complete Sixth Season” ($39.95), “Married with Children: Complete Sixth Season” ($39.95), and “Will & Grace: Season Five” ($44.98), which has plenty of fun embracing another definition of family.
The first season of “Whose Line Is It Anyway” ($26.98) now is available on DVD, as are “The Office: Season Two” ($49.98), “The Personal Best of Monty Python’s Flying Circus” ($44.95), “SCTV: Best of the Early Years” ($39.98), which takes sketch television to new highs, as well as “Cedric the Entertainer: Taking You Higher” ($19.98), with the Entertainer himself coming through with what he promises.
A pricey standout in the comedy set is “The Kids in the Hall Megaset” ($239.95), but for fans of the show, it’s worth the price as all 101 episodes of the groundbreaking series are compiled on 20 discs. For those still longing for HBO’s superlative “Sex and the City: Complete Series Collector’s Giftset” ($299.98), which was released last year, it remains available this year – and at much steeper discounts. Rounding out the best-available comedy sets are “How I Met Your Mother: Season One” ($39.98), “Ellen: Complete Series 5” ($49.95), and “Northern Exposure: Complete Fifth Season” ($59.98).
For drama, the big daddy of them all is the complete collection of HBO’s outstanding series “The Sopranos” ($598.90), with this week’s release of “The Sopranos: Season Six, Part One” marking the show’s first-ever appearance in high definition on HD DVD and Blu-ray ($129.99). It looks smashing, which is fitting given the violence of the content.
More affordable offerings including “La Femme Nikita: Complete Fifth Season” ($39.98), “Criss Angel-Mindfreak: Complete Season One” ($24.95), “Bones: Complete First Season” ($49.98), “Las Vegas: Season Three Uncut & Uncensored” ($59.98), and HBO’s “Big Love: Complete First Season” ($99.98), with Bill Paxton in the lead. Also high on the list are “One Tree Hill: Complete Third Season ($59.98), “Battlestar Galactica: Season 2.5” ($49.98), “Tales from the Crypt: Complete Fifth Season” ($39.98) and the fine Superman spin-off “Smallville: Complete Fifth Season,” which is just out in high definition DVD for $79.98.
Those in a retro mood should turn to “St. Elsewhere: Season One” ($39.98), a fine throwback to one of the better television shows of the 1980s, as well as “Riptide: Complete First Season” ($39.95), the Maine-based mystery series “Murder, She Wrote: Complete Fourth Season” ($49.98), “Simon & Simon: Season One” ($39.98), Peter Faulk in “Columbo: Complete Sixth and Seventh Seasons” ($39.98) and John Hannah in the BBC mystery-suspense series “McCallum: The Complete Series” ($59.98).
Fans of BBC programming can’t go wrong with the excellent detective series “A Touch of Frost: Seasons 11 & 12” ($39.98), the ingenious detective series with a magician’s twist, “Jonathan Creek: Season One” ($34.98), the first season of the slick heist drama, “Hu$tle” ($34.98), as well as “My Family: Seasons One and Two” ($49.98) and the quirky “Hamish Macbeth: Complete Second Season” ($34.98), with Robert Carlyle as a beleaguered Scottish police constable making the most of it in an eccentric small town.
For science fiction with a British twist, try the many recent editions from the Doctor Who series, including “Doctor Who: The Web Planet” ($24.98), “Doctor Who: Inferno” ($34.98), “Doctor Who: The Hand of Fear” ($24.98) and “Doctor Who: The Mark of the Rani ($24.98).
A great gift for the whole family – and really, one of the best DVD sets listed in this guide – is the terrific “BBC Atlas of the Natural World, Western Hemisphere” ($99.98), a beautifully shot collection that roams the world in an effort to reveal the richness of its niches. For those who have tots with a British flair, they likely will be pleased with the offbeat “Charlie & Lola: Volumes 1 & 2” ($29.98), while adults who refuse to grow up might favor “Men Behaving Badly: Complete Series 5 & 6” ($19.95 each) and the hilarious “Little Britain: Complete Third Series” ($29.98).
For BBC purists, there’s the miniseries “Pride and Prejudice: 10th Anniversary Limited Edition Collector’s Set” ($59.95), which is considered by far one of the best adaptations of Jane Austen’s novel.
Children
Nobody likes an unhappy child during the holiday season, unless of course it’s a cruel sibling with esteem issues or, depending on how well-behaved the child is, Uncle Film Critic. To keep them all smiling – at least for the moment – recommended titles include “Krypto the Superdog, Vol. 2 – Super Pets Unleashed” ($14.98), “Power Rangers: Mystic Force Dark Wish, The Blockbuster” ($19.99), Disney’s “The Fox and the Hound 2” ($29.99), “Robin Hood Most Wanted Edition” ($29.99), and the re-release of “The Little Mermaid” ($29.99), as well as the direct-to-DVD sequel “Brother Bear 2” ($29.99) and “Looney Tunes Spotlight Collection Vol. 4” ($26.98), with the inimitable Mel Blanc doing some of his finest work.
Disney also scores with their release of “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, Four-Disc Extended Edition” ($42.99), “Walt Disney Legacy Collection, Vols. 1-4” ($32.99 each), which are among the best new releases for children, as well as their excellent Walt Disney Treasures collections, which include “The Complete Pluto Volume Two,” “More Silly Symphonies,” “The Mickey Mouse Club Featuring the Hardy Boys” and “Your Host, Walt Disney” ($32.99 each).
For female tweens in your family, there’s “Twitches – Betwitched Edition” ($19.99), “The Very Best of Sabrina: The Animated Series” ($14.98), “Hannah Montana: Livin’ the Rock Star Life” ($19.99), and “Pollyworld” ($19.98), which doesn’t appear to belong to this world, not that that matters.
“What’s New Scooby-Doo, Vol. 10” ($19.98) hardly is in the doghouse. Same goes for “Adventures of the Little Prince” ($49.98), “Teen Titans: Divide and Conquer” ($14.98), “High School Musical Remix” ($29.99), and the ingenious “Popular Mechanics for Kids” ($54.98), a 24-episode collection that finds its young hosts taking their audience on a number of adventures. For those whose children appreciate the offbeat, look no further than “Pinky and the Brain, Vol. 2” ($44.98), “Animaniacs, Vol. 2” ($44.98) and “Thundercats, Season Two, Vol. 2” ($64.98).
HD DVD and Blu-ray
Those into the high-definition movement already have an impressive catalog from which to choose. Still, the question is which to choose? For those who selected Blu-ray players – or who scored a PlayStation 3, which features a Blu-ray player – the following is the best of what’s currently available in the Blu-ray format.
The excellent, recently broadcast Tony Bennett concert, “Tony Bennett: An American Classic,” is now available, as are the movies “Stargate” ($29.99), “All the King’s Men” ($38.95), “Enemy of the State” ($34.99), “Goal! The Dream Begins” ($34.98), Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway in “The Devil Wears Prada” ($39.98), and Sony’s release of “Little Man” ($38.95), which is crude fun – but fun, nevertheless. Also recommended on Blu-ray is “Kung Fu Hustle” ($28.95), “World Trade Center” ($39.99) and one of the best holiday classics ever, “A Christmas Story” ($28.99).
Those who have chosen the less-expensive but equally good HD DVD format, the best choices include John Carpenter’s “The Thing” ($29.98), “Fast Times at Ridgemont High” ($29.98), “Dazed and Confused” ($34.98), “Backdraft” ($29.98), “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” ($29.98), 12 Monkeys” ($29.98), and “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” ($28.99), which also is available on HD DVD. Also noteworthy are such classics as “Spartacus” ($29.98), “Casablanca” ($29.99) and John Wayne in John Ford’s quintessential Western, “The Searchers” ($28.99).
Of course, all of these high-definition titles also are available and recommended on standard DVD editions.
Sports
Those seeking sports compilations on DVD have a large number of newer titles from which to choose. Red Sox fans who want to relive the 2004 glory pretty much can’t fail with the “Boston Red Sox 2004 World Series Collector’s Edition” ($129.95), while those on the opposite side of the mound can counter with the “New York Yankees Fall Classic Collector’s Edition 1996-2001” ($79.95) at, go figure, a much cheaper price. Other newer baseball releases include “St. Louis Cardinals Greatest Games of Busch Stadium” ($59.95) and “St. Louis Cardinals 2006 World Series Edition” ($79.95).
For football fans, just out on DVD is the comprehensive “NFL Pittsburgh Steelers Ultimate Collection” ($79.95), “University of Notre Dame – Fighting Irish” ($89.95), “NFL History of the Baltimore Colts” ($26.98) and “NFL History of the Denver Broncos” ($26.98). Recent basketball releases include “NBA Detroit Pistons 1989 Champions – Born to Be Bad” ($64.98), “Miami Heat NBA 2005-2006 Champions-15 Strong ($99.98)” and “NBA Houston Rockets 1994 Champions: Clutch City.” Hockey fans will do well with “NHL Philadelphia Flyers Greatest Games Set “($49.98).
Boxed sets
Boxed sets abound this holiday season and many score big with content and value, such as the five films featured in Warner’s “Motion Pictures Masterpieces Collection” ($49.98), which includes 1935’s “David Copperfield,” Norma Shearer losing her head in 1938’s “Marie Antoinette,” 1940’s “Pride and Prejudice” with Greer Garson and Laurence Olivier, 1935’s “A Tale of Two Cities,” and 1934’s “Treasure Island.”
Other must-have sets include “The Tarzan Collection” ($39.98), with Johnny Weissmuller swinging high amid the mix of six films, and the five movies each featured in “The Marlon Brando Collection” ($59.98) and “The Gary Cooper Signature Collection” ($49.98), the latter of which includes Cooper’s “Sergeant York” and “The Fountainhead.” “The Paul Newman Collection” ($59.98) doesn’t feature Newman’s best work, though in the seven collected films, two are standouts – “The Young Philadelphians” and “Somebody Up There Likes Me.”
The “Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton Film Collection” ($49.98) includes a new two-disc special edition of that old warm-and-fuzzy classic, “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf,” which is perfect for the holidays, while “The Astaire & Rogers Collection, Vol. 2” ($59.98) features the dancing duo near their peak in “The Gay Divorcee.” “The James Bond Ultimate Collection, Vols. 1-4” ($89.98 each) is the bargain to beat, with every Bond film in the franchise included save for the current “Casino Royale.”
The best boxed set composed of collected works by a director is “The Frank Capra Collection” ($59.98), a terrific choice that features “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” and “It Happened One Night” among the seven films. Also strong is “Preston Sturges: Filmmaker Collection” ($59.98), with “Sullivan’s Travels,” “The Lady Eve” and “Christmas in July” included, as well as “The Rodgers & Hammerstein Collection” ($99.98), complete with “Carousel,” “The Sound of Music” and “The King and I.”
Rounding out the favored boxed offerings are “P.D. James: The Essential Collection” ($149.98), which likely will please any fan of James’ Adam Dalgliesh; the saucy “The Forbidden Hollywood Collection” ($39.98); “Jim Henson’s Fantasy Film Collection” ($49.95), with a young Jennifer Connelly and David Bowie appearing in one of the set’s more imaginative films, “Labyrinth”; and the four films each in “The Will Rogers Collection, Vol. 2” ($59.98) and “The Charlie Chan Collection, Vol. 2” ($59.98), the latter of which includes one of Chan’s best movies, “Charlie Chan at the Opera,” with Boris Karloff in a co-starring role.
Finally, for pure fun, throw back your shoulders and try “The Pam Grier Collection: Fox in a Box” ($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.
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