This Week on DVD and Blu-ray - October 7, 2008

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Well, another one of those summer bombs drops on us today, so we might as well get it out of the way so we can talk about the good stuff. (I use the term "bomb" loosely, since "You Don't Mess with the Zohan" did rake in a cool $100 million...) Adam Sandler's comedy comes to us in five different variations: original theatrical one-disc, unrated one-disc, unrated two-disc, unrated Blu-ray and the unrated PSP copy. Allegedly, all copies include widescreen and fullscreen variants of the film. All that for a Sandler movie not named "Billy Madison." Incredible, isn't it?

This week's other major release is the first classic animated film from the Disney vault. The 50th Anniversary Platinum Edition of "Sleeping Beauty" comes on both DVD and Blu-ray. From what I understand, the DVD version is a Two-Disc affair, while the high def copy is three: two with actual content, the third with a "bonus" DVD copy. Minor rant: you guys know I think forcing Digital Copy onto BD is stupid. I think this is even worse. If Disney-or any studio-really wants to drive sales by including the DVD version with the BD, make it a special release. "Zohan" already has five of them; why not three for "Sleeping Beauty"? Mr. Over-rated himself, M. Night Shyamalan, gets his day in the 1080p sun with "The Happening" from Fox. Only two releases for this one (thankfully): DVD and a Blu-ray Special Edition with Digital Copy (!).

Sony drops "The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad" as well in its own 50th Anniversary edition. All you really need to know is this is a Ray Harryhausen production. And if you don't know what that means, hand over your movie geek card now because there's no excuse for not knowing who he is. (There are also simultaneous releases of the "Ray Harryhausen Collectible Giftset" on DVD and "Ray Harryhausen Blu-ray Collection," the former of which includes a replica of Ymir from "20 Million Miles to Earth," among other goodies.) Last up for the dual format releases is the critically acclaimed "The Visitor" starring Ken Jenkins from "Six Feet Under." It's getting a 93% fresh rating right now over on Rotten Tomatoes. Do check out the well made and excellently acted flick I hope to be hearing about come Oscar time.

Warner released a 20th Anniversary Special Edition of "Beetlejuice" on DVD a few weeks back. Well, as promised, the Blu-ray copy arrives in stores this week. It's one of those 80's movies I've never gotten around to seeing despite it being helmed by Tim Burton. Just in time for Halloween is the debut of "Carrie" in high def...sans extra features and with a list price of $40. Fox, MGM...are you guys kidding or just asleep at the wheel? Seriously. "The Amityville Horror" from 1979-good year that was...-also hits with the same problem. However, Fox wasn't negligent with "The Omen" (1976) when it comes to extras. Then there's "The Omen Collection," featuring the remake from a year or two ago along with the three original films. Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, Christian Slater and a really young Kisten Dunst star in "Interview with the Vampire," also on high def in time for Halloween. (Please note some sites suggest this title comes out next week, October 14. Amazon and Warner Brothers say this week.) Lastly, the Mel Brooks classic "Young Frankenstein" also hits the shelf. And yes, I haven't seen this one either.

Universal continues the Legacy Series with three Alfred Hitchcock thrillers: the criminally over-seen "Psycho," the criminally under-seen "Rear Window" and "Vertigo." Rob Zombie's Three-Disc Unrated "Halloween" hits the street today, too, with the previously announced 30th Anniversary Collection bumped to next week and the Blu-ray coming on October 21. Critics were more lukewarm to Gus Van Sant's "Paranoid Park" than they were to this week's other indie hit ("The Visitor" if you weren't paying attention). It drops in a single edition right along something called "Oversexed Rugsuckers from Mars." If you don't get why that's funny, you're probably too young to be surfing the web by yourself. The creatively titled "Feast II: Sloppy Seconds" is the follow-up to 2006's minor sensation horror film. It comes packed with the original "Feast," if you're so inclined, or by itself.

Adult Swim's (aka Cartoon Network) "Robot Chicken: Season Three" streets as well. While we're speaking of programs aimed at children, Warner brings three more vintage Peanuts cartoons to disc in remastered editions ("A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving," "A Charlie Brown Christmas" and "You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown") along with a new version of the Rankin Bass Christmas special "Jack Frost." "Speed Racer: The Next Generation-The Fast Track" and "Speed Racer: The Complete Classic Series Collection" cross the finish line...oh, forget the witty puns. Both are out, the latter of which is in a snazzy car-shaped case. The eleventh season of "The Simpsons" is finally here; the last season release was back in August of last year. This season's Collector's Edition box is of Krusty's head. When we get to Professor Fink, then we know the show needs to be cancelled. Last up, animation wise, is the second volume (of season one) of "The Smurfs."

Multiple Emmy winner and ratings anemic "30 Rock" streets its second season in advance of the third season debut on October 30. "Dr. Who" spinoff "The Sarah Jane Adventures" brings season one to disc, followed by season one of "Kimora: Life in the Fab Lane" (did I just mention that?). Last up are a bunch of TV releases from long-dead shows: science fiction series "Lexx: Season One," "Martin: Season Five," "Mission: Impossible: Season Five" (of seven), Season Two of "The Beverly Hillbillies" and "The Munsters: The Complete Series." (Universal also drops "The Munsters: Family Portrait" featuring black and white and color versions of the season one episode...you guessed it..."Family Portrait.")

Blu-ray Recap: "The Amityville Horror," "Beetlejuice," "Carrie," "The Happening," "Interview with the Vampire," "The Omen," "The Omen Collection," "Ray Harryhausen Blu-ray Collection," "The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad," "Sleeping Beauty," "The Visitor," "You Don't Mess with the Zohan," "Young Frankenstein."

DVD Recap: "30 Rock: Season Two," "The Beverly Hillbillies: Season Two," "A Charlie Brown Christmas," "A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving," "Feast II: Sloppy Seconds," "The Happening," "Jack Frost," "Kimora: Life in the Fab Lane: Season One," "Lexx: Season One," "Martin: Season Five," "Mission: Impossible: Season Five," "The Munsters: The Complete Series," "The Munsters: Family Portrait," "Oversexed Rugsuckers from Mars," "Paranoid Park," "Psycho," "Ray Harryhausen Collectible Giftset," "Rear Window," "Robot Chicken: Season Three," "The Sarah Jane Adventures: Season One," "The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad," "Sleeping Beauty," "Speed Racer: The Complete Classic Series Collection," "The Simpsons: Season Eleven," "The Smurfs: Season One Volume Two," "Speed Racer: The Next Generation-The Fast Track," "Vertigo," "The Visitor," "You Don't Mess with the Zohan," "You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown."

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