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DVD PICK OF THE WEEK NATIONAL LAMPOON’S CHRISTMAS VACATION (Warner Home Video): The third in the big-screen comedy franchise, the last to boast the National Lampoon moniker and unquestionably the best of the sequels celebrates its 20th anniversary in an “ultimate collector’s edition” on DVD ($32.92 retail) and Blu-ray ($49.99 retail). As the title implies, it’s the holiday season at the Griswolds, with the well-meaning but ever-bumbling all-American dad Clark (Chevy Chase) and wife Ellen (Beverly D’Angelo) playing host to a collection of relatives and hangers-on, including Clark’s parents (John Randolph and Diane Ladd), Ellen’s parents (EG Marshall and Doris Roberts) and trailer-trash cousins Eddie (Randy Quaid) and Catherine (Miriam Flynn). Johnny Galecki and scrumptious Juliette Lewis are the Griswold kids, Rusty and Audrey — both well aware that, very often, father knows worst. Naturally, everything that can go haywire tends to — and it’s usually poor Clark who bears the brunt of these mishaps. Smoothly written by John Hughes and briskly directed by Jeremiah Chechik (his feature debut), the film manages to be both funny and warm-hearted without compromising either attribute. Whether it’s a holiday classic is debatable, but after 20 years the film holds up quite nicely. Rated PG-13. ***ALSO ON DVD
“BATMAN: THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD” — VOLUME 2 (DC Comics/Warner Home Video): The Dark Knight returns in this compilation of four episodes from the popular Cartoon Network animated series, featuring UNCSA School of Drama alumnus Diedrich Bader as the voice of the Caped Crusader. This DVD retails for $24.98. For twice the action, DC Comics and Warner Home Video is also releasing the animated feature Superman/Batman: Public Enemies, which features the voices of Kevin Conroy as Batman, Tim Daly as Superman and Clancy Brown as archvillain Lex Luthor, now the president of the United States. Available as a single-disc DVD ($19.98 retail), a two-disc special edition ($24.98 retail) or a Blu-ray special edition ($29.99 retail). Rated PG-13.
A CHRISTMAS CAROL (VCI Entertainment): The Blu-ray debut ($29.99 retail) of director Brian Desmond Hurst’s 1951 adaptation of the Charles Dickens classic, starring Alastair Sim as Scrooge — arguably the most beloved screen version of the story.
“GREY’S ANATOMY”: THE COMPLETE FIFTH SEASON (Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment): Ellen Pompeo returns as Meredith Grey, leading her team of doctors as they deal with life and death on a daily basis at Seattle Grace Hospital, in all 23 episodes from the 2008- ’09 season of the award-winning, prime-time ABC-TV medical drama, which earned five Emmy nominations including Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (both Sandra Oh and Chandra Wilson) and Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series (Sharon Lawrence, for the episode “No Good at Saying Sorry — One More Chance”). This boxed set retails for $59.99.
HOME FOR CHRISTMAS (VCI Entertainment): Mickey Rooney plays a homeless man who finds a home for the holidays with a suburban family in this unbearably mawkish, Canadianmade Christmas fable that was originally broadcast on TV in 1990. *
MICKEY’S CHRISTMAS CAROL (Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment): Charles Dickens’ holiday classic gets an animated makeover in this 1983 short, featuring such popular Disney characters as Mickey Mouse (stepping in for Bob Cratchit), Scrooge McDuck (guess which role he plays?), Donald Duck, Goofy and more. This earned an Academy Award nomination as Best Animated Short. The DVD retails for $19.99. Rated G. For more holiday hijinks featuring Mickey Mouse, Disney is also releasing the 2001 animated feature Mickey’s Magical Christmas: Snowed In at the House of Mouse, based on the Disney Channel’s popular “House of Mouse” series. This DVD retails for $26.99.
“A MUPPETS CHRISTMAS: LETTERS TO SANTA” (Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment): Jim Henson’s perennially popular Muppets (including Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear and Gonzo) are joined by the likes of Uma Thurman, Nathan Lane, Whoopi Goldberg and Jane Krakowski for this holiday special, first broadcast on NBCTV in 2008. Paul Williams’ song “I Wish I Could Be Santa Claus” earned an Emmy nomination as Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics. This special-edition DVD retails for $19.99.
“NFL A TRADITION OF DEFENSE: THE CHICAGO BEARS” (NFL Films/ Warner Home Video): The title tells all in this football documentary ($26.95 retail) that recounts the defensive history of the Chicago Bears, featuring such gridiron greats as George Halas, Dick Butkus, Mike Singletary, Red Grange, Doug Atkins and many more.
NIGHTS IN RODANTHE (Warner Home Video): Richard Gere and Diane Lane are (again) an attractive screen couple in this picturesque soap opera based on Nicholas Sparks’ best-seller about two lonely souls who find each other at a remote inn on North Carolina’s Outer Banks. The cast also includes Scott Glenn, Viola Davis, Christopher Meloni and an unbilled James Franco, but a third-act detour into tearjerker territory severely weighs the film down. Rated PG-13. **
“NFL AMERICA’S GAME: PITTSBURGH STEELERS — THE STORY OF SIX CHAMPIONSHIPS” (NFL Films/Warner Home Video): The title tells all in this special-edition DVD ($39.92 retail) detailing the history of Pittsburgh’s NFL franchise and its unprecedented six Super Bowl championships -- the most in history.
“PRIVATE PRACTICE”: THE COMPLETE SECOND SEASON (Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment): This spin-off of “Grey’s Anatomy” features Kate Walsh as Dr. Addison Forbes Montgomery, now working at the Oceanside Wellness Group in Los Angeles. This boxed set ($59.99 retail) includes all 22 episodes from the 2008-’09 season of the award-winning, prime-time ABC-TV medical drama.
“SABER RIDER AND THE STAR SHERIFFS”: THE COMPLETE SERIES (VCI Entertainment): A collector’s edition of all 52 episodes from the animated sci-fi/ Western series that ran from 1987-’89 and based on a Japanese anime series, in which hi-tech robots battle it out for the future of the universe. This six-DVD boxed set retails for $29.99.
“SCRUBS”: THE COMPLETE EIGHTH SEASON (Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment): The doctors of Sacred Heart Hospital continue to dispense generous doses of irreverence and mirth in all 19 episodes from the 2009 season of the award-winning, prime-time sitcom, which made the jump from NBC to ABC, and also marked Zach Braff’s swan song as JD Dorian. John C. McGinley, Sarah Chalke, Judy Reyes and Donald Faison will remain to carry on the comedic tradition. Emmy nomination for Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (half-hour) and Animation (for the episode “My Jerks”). The DVD boxed set retails for $39.99, the Blu-ray boxed set for $54.99.
“SMALLVILLE”: THE COMPLETE EIGHTH SEASON (Warner Home Video): Tom Welling flies into action once more as the young Superman, AKA Clark Kent, in all 22 episodes from the 2008-’09 season of the award-winning CW Television Network series based on the popular DC Comics superhero. This season, Clark goes to Metropolis to become a reporter at The Daily Planet where he works alongside fellow newshound Lois Lane (Erica Durance) and photographer Jimmy Olsen (Aaron Ashmore). Welling, now a co-executive producer of the series, has also directed a few episodes. Emmy nomination for Outstanding Sound Editing for a Series (for the episode “Bloodline”). The DVD boxed set retails for $59.98, the Blu-ray boxed set for $79.98. For those who can’t get enough of the Man of Steel, Warner Home Video and DC Comics are also releasing “Ruby-Spears Superman,” a collection of all 13 episodes from the animated series broadcast on CBS-TV in 1988, produced by noted Hanna-Barbera animation veterans Joe Ruby and Ken Spears. This two-DVD boxed set retails for $26.99. And if that’s still not enough, DC Comics/Warner Home Video is also releasing “Superman: The Complete Animated Series” ($53.82 retail), a collection featuring all 54 episodes of the popular WB Television Network series, which aired from 1996-2000 and further depicted the adventures of the Man of Steel, featuring the voices of Tim Daly as Clark Kent/Superman, Dana Delany as Lois Lane and Clancy Brown as Lex Luthor. In 1997, the series earned a Daytime Emmy nomination as Outstanding Special Class Animated Program.
SUMMER STORM (VCI Entertainment): Director Douglas Sirk’s respectable — and respectful — 1944 screen version of Chekhov’s The Shooting Party stars Linda Darnell as a peasant girl with a tendency to bring those around her to ruin in pre-revolution Russia, including an ambitious young judge (George Sanders, who actually was born in Russia) who narrates the story. As befits the Chekhov origins, there’s much soul-searching, repressed desire and moral disillusionment. The supporting cast includes such stalwarts as Edward Everett Horton, Hugo Haas, Anna Lee and Sig Ruman, and Karl Hajos’ score earned an Oscar nomination. ***
TINKER BELL AND THE LOST TREASURE (Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment): The latest in an ongoing series of animated features featuring the diminutive heroine of Peter Pan sees her embarking on a dangerous journey to save Pixie Hollow from jeopardy. The voice cast includes Anjelica Huston, Kristin Chenoweth, Jane Horrocks, Lucy Liu and Mae Whitman (as Tinker Bell). The DVD retails for $29.99, the DVD/Blu-ray combo pack for $39.99. Rated G.
“UGLY BETTY”: THE COMPLETE THIRD SEASON (Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment): America Ferrera is back in the title role of the award-winning, prime-time ABC-TV situation comedy, all 24 episodes from the 2008-’09 season of which are included in this six-DVD boxed set ($59.99 retail). Emmy nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series (Vanessa Williams) and Outstanding Costumes for a Series (for the episode “In the Stars”). Mark Burger can be heard Friday mornings on the “Two Guys Named Chris” radio show on Rock-92. Copyright 2009, Mark Burger !
