texas western 1966
Details: 2008, MGM-Fox Home Entertainment
Rated:PG-13, war violence, language
The lowdown: Tom Cruise stars as Col. Claus von Stauffenberg who masterminded an unsuccessful plot in 1944 to assassinate Adolf Hitler.
The movie, despite its big-name cast, is rather dry, almost documentary like.
The movie's audio and visual transfers are superb; the colors are vibrant, the sound very clean and clear.
Don't miss: A featurette on the making of the movie and a documentary that looks at the plot and conspirators are the main extras. Also included are two commentary tracks, one of which features Cruise and director Bryan Singer.
A digital copy of the movie also is included.
True Blood: The Complete First Season
Details: 2008, HBO Home Entertainment
Rated: TV-MA violence, sexual situations
The lowdown: The popular HBO series, based on the novels by Charlaine Harris, comes to DVD in a five-disc set featuring the first season's 12 episodes plus supplemental materials.
The series, set in Louisiana, revolves around Sookie Stackhouse and her relationship with 173-year-old vampire Bill Compton.
The series, from Oscar-winning writer Alan Ball, is mesmerizing and focuses on several very interesting and idiosyncratic characters.
The digital transfer is excellent.
Don't miss:Extras include a clever mockumentary about vampires in America, beverage ads for "Tru Blood," vampire service ads as well and pro- and anti-vampire rights ads, and several commentary tracks with cast and crew.
My Bloody Valentine 3D: 2-Disc Special Edition
Details: 2009, Lionsgate
Rated: R, graphic and gory violence, nudity, sexual situations, strong language
The lowdown: Another slasher genre remake comes to DVD in this story of murder, revenge and Valentine's Day.
The 3-D effects are fun, nothing like the illusion of blood and guts jumping out at you from the screen.
The two-disc set also offers the movie in a standard 2-D format. Both feature excellent digital transfers; the picture is sharp, the sound clean.
Don't miss: Extras include four pairs of 3-D glasses, a look at the making of the movie, its special effects, deleted and extended scenes, a gag reel and an alternate ending.
The Friends of Eddie Coyle
Release date: May 19
Details: 1973, The Criterion Collection
Rated: R
The lowdown: Robert Mitchum stars in this downbeat adaptation of George V. Higgins's crime novel.
The movie, shot in Boston, focuses on the lower echelon of the criminal world as it follows Mitchum's Coyle who must choose between loyalty to his colleagues and a long jail stretch.
The film features one of Mitchum's most nuanced performances.
The digital restoration is excellent.
Don't miss: A commentary track with director Peter Yates and a booklet with an essay about the film and a profile of Mitchum are the main bonus offerings.
Friday Night Lights: The Third Season
Release date: May 19
Details: 2008, Universal Studios Home Entertainment
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: A three-disc set offering all 13 season three episodes of this acclaimed series, which is more than about small-town Texas football.
The acting is superb and the characters are interesting.
The set's digital transfer offers excellent and clean audio and visual presentations.
Don't miss: A commentary track on the episode "Tomorrow Blues," deleted scenes and several minutes of lost storylines are the main extras.
Crips and Bloods: Made in America
Release date: May 19
Details: 2008, Docuramafilms
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: A disturbing documentary that examines the cycle of gang violence in South Central Los Angeles that has claimed more than 15,000 lives during the past 30 years.
The film uses archival footage and interviews, as well as narration by Oscar-winner Forest Whitaker, to tell its unhappy story.
Don't miss: A look at the making of the documentary, deleted scenes and interviews with Lil Wayne and Snoop Dog are among the bonus features.
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
El Dorado
Release date: May 19
Details: 1962, 1967, Paramount Home Entertainment
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: Paramount re-releases these two John Wayne Westerns in two-disc sets as part of its "Centennial Collection" series.
One, "Liberty Valance" has taken on classic stature, while "El Dorado" is considered a decent Western programmer, despite its pedigree -- directed by Howard Hawks and starring Wayne, Robert Mitchum, a young James Caan and a pre-"Lou Grant" Ed Asner.
Both movies feature high quality digital transfers.
Don't miss: Both movies feature seven-part documentaries that look at the making of the movies, their impact, performers and directors.
"Liberty Valance" is considered John Ford's last great film, and such Ford experts as Peter Bogdanovich, Scott Eyman and Ford's grandson, Dan, provide insights.
Both films also feature commentary tracks and archival recordings of Ford, Hawks and others discussing their movies.
Van Morrison: Astral Weeks: Live at the Hollywood Bowl: The Concert Film
Release date: May 19
Details: 2008, Grand Communications, Inc.
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: The show centers on Morrison's performance of Astral Weeks in a complete concert set.
This is his first time singing the numbers from this album in concert since it was released nearly 40 years ago.
Morrison's fans will surely enjoy this DVD.
Don't miss: The DVD features some bonus tracks, behind-the-scenes footage and a conversation with Morrison.
Peyton Place: Part One
Release date: May 19
Details: 1964-65, Shout! Factory
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: This series was one of television's first nighttime soap operas and also one of the first shows to stretch the boundaries of what was acceptable for television.
Based on the then-notorious novel and not so-infamous movie of the same name, the series follows the townspeople of Peyton Place through extramarital affairs, unwed teen pregnancy, family betrayals, mental illnesses and murders.
The series introduced viewers to two actors who went on to bigger and better things -- Ryan O'Neal and Mia Farrow.
The set features the first 31 episodes of the show.
It is in black and white and features a decent digital restoration.
Don't miss: No extras.
Russell Brand in New York City
Release date: May 19
Details: 2009, Comedy Central-Paramount Home Entertainment
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: The British comedian, who stole his scenes in "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" and delivered a now-infamous monologue at the 2008 MTV "Video Music Awards" stars in this stand-up special filmed in the Big Apple.
Brand riffs on such topics as dealing with his newfound fame in the United States, meeting Queen Elizabeth II and telling women the best way to approach him.
The comedy is savage and funny, but not for everyone's tastes.
Don't miss: The MTV monologue, a featurette on Brand riding around Times Square and conducting man-on-the-street interviews and a deleted scene from the special involving a female heckler.
S. Darko
Release date: May 12
Details: 2009, Fox Home Entertainment
Rated: R
The lowdown: A direct-to-DVD sequel to "Donnie Darko" focuses on Samantha Darko, 18 and rebellious, and her best friend, Corey, who set out on a cross-country journey for Hollywood but get sidetracked by a busted water pump in the middle of Utah.
Samantha begins having strange end-of-world visions after a nearby meteorite crash, and she must find the courage to save the world and herself.
The film's digital transfer is fine; no flaws were noticed.
Don't miss: A making-of featurette, deleted scenes and commentary track are the major bonus offerings.
"Muscle Madness"
Release date: May 19
Details: 1959-64, Infinity Entertainment
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: A quintet of badly dubbed sword-and-sandal adventures that are guilty pleasure entertainments are featured in this three-disc package.
The set includes the "Giant of Marathon" (1959), "Colossus and the Amazon Queen" (1960), "War of the Trojans" (1962), which as nothing to do with either USC or birth control, "Goliath and the Sins of Babylon" (1963) and, my favorite, "Hercules Against the Moon Men" (1964).
The digital transfers are adequate, the dialogue corny and the movies nearly campy.
Don't miss: A replica of a theatrical promotional booklet is included.
"Arnold Schwarzenegger DVD Collection"
Release date: May 19
Details: 1987-91, Lionsgate
Rated: R, graphic violence, language
The lowdown: Four action-packed features starring the governor of California before he entered politics.
The set consists of "The Running Man": Special Edition (1987, "Red Heat": Special Edition (1988), "Total Recall": Special Edition (1990) and "Terminator 2: Judgment Day": Extreme DVD.
"T2," and "Running Man" are two-disc sets.
The digital transfers on the movies is fine. Basically, they are repackaged single-release DVDs.
Don't miss: All contain extras, but nothing new from previous releases.
"The Beast Collection"
Release date: May 5
Details: 1954-1997, Image Entertainment
Rated: Not rated
The lowdown: This four-disc set contains 11 movies that can best be described as drive-in, popcorn-munching fun fare not to be taken seriously.
Seven of the 11 are Bigfoot-Yeti related horror-adventure outings that are not so much "B" movies as "C" or lower.
The discs are grouped by theme.
The digital transfers on all titles are acceptable.
Don't miss: The only extra is a tribute to actor John Ashley on the Buchanan science fiction set. Ashley starred in "The Eye Creatures."
Other DVDs being released on Tuesday, unless otherwise indicated:
Driven to Kill (Fox Home Entertainment)
8 Simple Rules: The Complete Second Season (Lionsgate)
Jo Koy: Don't Make Him Angry (Comedy Central-Paramount Home Entertainment)
Pigs, Pimps & Prostitutes: 3 Films by Shohei Imamura (The Criterion Collection)
Sister, Sister: The Second Season (CBS DVD-Paramount Home Entertainment)
Mum & Dad: Extreme Unrated Edition (Revolver Entertainment, May 5)
FOR KIDS
Barney: Let's Go on Vacation (HIT-Lionsgate)
Thomas & Friends: Team Up With Thomas (HIT-Lionsgate)
Coming next week: New in Town
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