Discmen
Aliens,
Alfred and anguished others fight for your video-viewing
time and money.
BY DAVE
McCOY
What a difference a year makes. Last Christmas,
collections of digital video discs, or DVDs, didn't even
register as a gift choice. This year alone, however, nearly
2 million cinephiles and techies have added DVD players
to their home entertainment empires. Hollywood has responded
with a plethora of impressive DVDs--genre sets, actor and
director medleys and series compilations. Nearly 100 DVD
collections now exist. Here, a few of the fattest:
Alfred Hitchcock Collections
Master of Suspense fans have three separate sets from
which to select. The finest is the smallest: The Alfred
Hitchcock Collection showcases collector-edition copies
of Vertigo (Hitch's main masterpiece) and Psycho,
plus another disc featuring four episodes (Lamb to
the Slaughter, Case of Mr. Pelham, Back
for X-mas and Banquo's Chair) of his popular
TV show, Alfred Hitchcock Presents. The other two
compilations, Alfred Hitchcock Collection I and
II include more material but are strictly for hardcore
Hitch buffs. Both sets present mostly the filmmaker's
more obscure, early English work. Collection I
includes Jamaica Inn, The 39 Steps, The
Manxman, Skin Game, Secret Agent,
Number 17, The Ring, Young And Innocent,
and Cheney Vase (an Alfred Hitchcock Presents
episode). Collection II offers Murder!,
The Farmer's Wife, The Lady Vanishes,
Sabotage, The Lodger, Blackmail,
Easy Virtue, The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934),
Rich and Strange and The Sorcerer's Apprentice
(another Alfred Hitchcock Presents episode). Both
of these sets include introductions by Tony Curtis to
each movie. The Alfred Hitchcock Collection ($74.98),
Alfred Hitchcock Collection I and II ($60
each) at Amazon.com.*
Alien Legacy
The only thing that mars this dizzyingly
detailed, stuffed-with-goodies collection is the inclusion
of the final, embarrassing installment of the Alien
series, Alien Resurrection. Take it out, use it
as a Frisbee, and you have one of film's finest trilogies,
with each volume standing on its own as a remarkable,
harrowing achievement. Each disc here contains director
commentary (David Fincher's remarks on his underrated
directorial debut, Alien 3, are the most fascinating),
behind-the-scenes footage, and enough spooky features
to keep any Alien fan feeling creepy and happy.
$99.99 at Blockbuster Video.
The Man With No Name Trilogy
Before he was a superstar
and considered an auteur, Clint Eastwood was a struggling
actor who finally found success overseas as The Man With
No Name in a string of Sergio Leone's spaghetti westerns.
The complete trilogy--A Fistful of Dollars, For
a Few Dollars More and The Good, the Bad and the
Ugly--is presented here. The digital transfer is crisp
and gorgeous, highlighting Leone's stunning wide-screen
compositions, and Eastwood is as cool as ever. $34.95
at Tower Records.
The Marx Brothers Box
It doesn't matter whether
you're 9 or 90, this hilarious collection of Marx Brothers
classics from the early '30s will have you giggling and
gasping. The set comprises Animal Crackers, Horse
Feathers and the satirical political masterpiece Duck
Soup, and the picture and sound quality have never
been better. $59.95 at Tower Records.
Stanley Kubrick Collection
Barry Lyndon,
A Clockwork Orange, Dr. Strangelove (or How
I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb), Full
Metal Jacket, Lolita, The Shining and
2001: A Space Odyssey in one collection? With all
transfers authorized by Kubrick? What more do you need
to know? It's any serious film buff's celluloid dream.
$149.99 at Blockbuster Video and Amazon.com.
Twilight Zone 40th Anniversary Gift Pack
Spanning
five discs, the gift compilation packs 19 essential episodes
from the cult-classic television show. Perfect for those
rare days when nostalgia stations aren't featuring Twilight
Zone marathons. $99.95 at Tower Records.
*We checked prices with Blockbuster, Tower Records
and Amazon.com; the prices listed reflect the best deals
and availability.
