Father’s Day DVD gift guide

Father’s Day is Sunday, June 15, but this year, instead of – or in addition to – the usual gifts of a good book, tools or that tie Dad just loves to receive this time of year, a worthwhile gift might be one of several recommended movies and-or television series new to the market.

This guide arrives at the last minute – just two days before the big day – which is fitting because, let’s face it, perhaps one day in your life your own father was there at the last minute for you. As a bonus, all of these titles can be found locally and online at far less than the retail prices listed below.

Chief among the best releases is HBO’s “Band of Brothers” ($79.98), the Emmy Award-winning World War II series based on Stephen E. Ambrose’s best-selling book. Now available at a steeply discounted price, this set remains one of the most involving, well-acted examinations of war combat ever produced specifically for television with the men of Easy Company given their due in a grueling series produced by Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg.

Pair that with Warner’s comprehensive “Dirty Harry: The Ultimate Collection,” which is available on standard DVD ($74.98) as well as on high-definition Blu-ray disc ($129.95), and you’ve got yourself two irresistible Father’s Day gifts.

About the “Dirty Harry” collection – it’s a knockout. Feeling lucky? Here’s your gift. If this baby doesn’t make dad’s day, well, maybe a few of the other titles that follow will. Still, here’s what’s inside: 1971’s “Dirty Harry,” which introduces Clint Eastwood’s iconic Harry Callahan character, not to mention that mother of a .44 magnum of his; 1973’s “Magnum Force”; 1976’s “The Enforcer”; 1983’s “Sudden Impact”; and 1988’s “The Dead Pool.” Commentaries, featurettes, documentaries, a 40-page hardcover book and trailers of each film are included.

Also high on the list are the History Channel’s “Dogfights: The Complete Season Two” ($49.95), which literally puts viewers in the pilot’s seat; “Modern Marvels: Engineering Disasters” ($35.99), which offers just what it promises in 18 episodes of human error delivered with a series of exclamation points; and from Universal, “James Stewart: The Western Collection” ($39.98), which includes five films, including 1939’s “Destry Rides Again.”

Lionsgate’s “The World War Collection” ($29.98) features four films (“The Sound Barrier,” “King & Country,” “Angels One Five” and “The Captive Heart”); Acorn Media’s release of “Clive Cussler’s Sea Hunters: Set 2” ($39.99) plunges audiences deep into the Baltic, Atlantic and Pacific in search of lost vessels; and Paramount’s “American Gangster: Complete Second Season” ($35.98) offers a twist in that it probes into the lives of some of the most notorious African American gangsters of the 20th century.

Too much blood, war and violence? Fear not. Plenty of pin-up potential is to be had for Dad in two throwback collections from Lionsgate. First up is the “Sophia Loren 4-Film Collection,” which features the talented and, um, rather gifted actress in 1954’s “Attila” and “Carosello Napoletano”; 1962’s “Madame Sana-Gene”; and 1970’s “Sunflower,” with Loren starring opposite Marcello Mastroianni. No fading flower, she.

Also available from Lionsgate is “The Catherine Deneuve 5-Film Collection,” with 1968’s “Manon 70,” 1975’s “Le Savage,” 1981’s “Hotel Des Ameriques,” the 1982 thriller “Le Choc” and 1984’s “Fort Saganne” all featured. If any of this sounds too feminine for Dad, trust me, this is the sort of feminine Dad will dig.

For fans of science fiction, recommended titles include recent editions in the BBC’s long-running Doctor Who series, such as “Doctor Who: Beneath the Surface” ($24.98), “Doctor Who: The Sea Devils” ($34.98), “Doctor Who and the Silurians” ($24.98) and, if you’d prefer to gift Dad with each of these titles packaged in one set, “Doctor Who: Beneath the Surface ($59.98) does just that. Another must from the BBC has plenty to do with science, less to do with fiction. It’s “Prehistoric Earth: A Natural History” ($59.98), and it’s filled with dinosaurs, as well the science behind the times in which they existed.

On Blu-ray, it’s a boon, with studios reaching deep into their archives and pulling out several solid films in high-definition transfers.

The Western “Broken Trail” ($28.95) is among them. Based on Alan Geoffrion’s novel, this miniseries stars Robert Duvall and Thomas Hayden Church as two estranged ranchers driving horses from Oregon to Wyoming when, along the way, they come upon five Chinese girls sold into prostitution. What ignites from this is a stirring tale of survival for all involved, with elements of Ron Howard’s 2003 film, “The Missing,” recalled throughout.

Also available on Blu-ray are several war films from Fox, including George C. Scott in his smashing, Academy Award-winning performance in 1970’s “Patton” ($39.98), 1962’s “The Longest Day” ($39.98), 1977’s “A Bridge Too Far” ($39.98), 1969’s “Battle of Britain” ($39.98), and 1966’s “The Sand Pebbles” ($39.98), with Steve McQueen in the lead. Arnold Schwarzenegger is locked and loaded in “Commando” and “Predator” ($39.98 each). Also available are “The Professionals” ($28.95) and the two-disc special edition of “Twister” ($28.99).

For those seeking television series, several affordable offerings are worth noting, including “JAG: Season 6 ($55.98), David Janssen in 1963’s “The Fugitive: Season Two, Vol. 1” ($39.98), Robert Reed in 1967’s “Mannix: First Season” ($49.99), a young Clint Eastwood in “Rawhide: Season Three, Vol. 1” ($39.98), and Jack Klugman and Tony Randall in “The Odd Couple: Fourth Season” ($39.98).

The excellent detective series “DNA: Complete Series One and Two ($39.99) is just out, as are “CHiPS: Complete Second Season” ($39.98), “Early Edition: First Season” ($49.99), the Canadian police procedural “Da Vinci’s Inquest: Season Three” ($59.99), and the complete series of “Get Smart” ($19.95), “What’s Happening” ($59.95), and the groundbreaking “Soap” ($59.95). Each is value priced.

For sports collections, you know your father best, so pick your poison. Here are what’s newest to market: “Boston Red Sox: Essential Games of Fenway Park,” ($59.95), “New York Mets: Essential Games of Shea Stadium,” ($59.95), “Arizona Diamondbacks: 2001 World Series” ($69.95), and “NBA Boston Celtics 1985-86” ($49.98). Young fathers seeking a twist on Father’s Day might want to share their love of the Red Sox with their own children in “Red Sox Baby: Raising Tomorrow’s Red Sox Fan Today.” Ben Affleck narrates.

WeekinRewind.com is the site for Bangor Daily News film critic Christopher Smith’s blog, video podcasts, iTunes portal and archive of hundreds of movie reviews. Smith’s reviews appear Mondays, Fridays and weekends in Lifestyle, as well as on bangordailynews.com. He may be reached at Christopher@weekinrewind.com.