The New DVD 7

Another slow week for DVD's but I've got a couple items that I missed out on last time so I'll list those as well...


Jaws 30th Anniversary Edition: This actually looks like a pretty good release despite the obvious and expected ire it will cause among Jaws fans. It was only 5 years ago that Universal released the 25th anniversary edition of the movie which I'm sure a lot of people picked up expecting it to be the be-all-end-all edition of Jaws (even if it didn't have any commentary, but that's a Spielberg issue).

I think FOX was able to get away with doing a similar thing on their Alien series because the Legacy set and the Quadrilogy were so different, but I heard grumblings then as well. Not as loud or as cranky, but they were there.

I guess I was lucky enough to have only purchased the widescreen VHS for Jaws up until now. I've tried to wrangle the disc for my collection but various things have kept me from grabbing it on DVD over the years. Like so many other things in my consumer life, it apparently served a purpose since I am now primed and ready for this edition which includes most of the features from the previous disc plus "The Making of Jaws" (a 2-hour documentary - woo) and "From The Set" which is an insider's look at life on the set of Jaws, featuring a never-before-available interview with Steven Spielberg.

For audiophiles they've included a 2.0 audio track which I believe was previously unavailable. This would have excited me a month ago, but now that I'm hooked up to the surround sound, the 5.1 is all I'll listen to. For those without, however, it's a great added bonus because the 2.0 mix is designed for the 2 speaker set-up and the voices don't get drowned out by the sound effects and the music. I wish more studios did this on a regular basis.

A good looking disc, a good value, and hopefully the last release of this movie for the next few years, at least.

Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman - The Complete First Season: I'm sure this is only getting a release because of Teri Hatcher's high profile via Desperate Housewives, but that's fine with me if it means we get these episodes on DVD. As lousy as the series became over the next 3 years, Season 1 of L&C had a lot of charm, largely due to the creative drive of executive producer Deborah Joy Levine. The Superman costume looked goofy through much of the season and the effects were of the not-so-great variety, but the character stuff was spot on. This show focused on the relationship between Lois and Clark and was not supposed to be a big budget superhero show, and they did that and did it well.

The second season was taken over by a couple of guys who's names escape me (although I think Brad Wright was one of them) and they were hired on to mnake the show more exciting. Levine essentially left the show, sporting a producer role but never truly controlling the direction of the show again.

Features for the set include:

* 21 episodes on six discs, including the two-hour pilot
* Commentary on the pilot by Dean Cain, executive producer Deborah Joy LeVine, and director Robert Butler
* From Rivals to Romance: series retrospective documentary
* "Taking Flight: The Visual Effects of Lois & Clark"
* Original pilot presentation introducted by Deborah Joy LeVine
* Interviews with Dean Cain and Teri Hatcher
* Limited-quantity commemorative bonus disc containing the never-before-released-on-DVD Smallville episode "Crusade"

When I can find some cash for this set, I'll definitely be picking it up. It was fun, a little cheesy and full of sincerity. Not like that new Superman show on the WB.

The X-Files Mythology Vol. 1 - Abduction: As a long-time X-Files fan I'd be remiss not to mention the release of these new sets, even if I have a little trouble with them. The idea is sound and I applaud FOX for trying to generate interest in the show again (there's nothing wrong with wanting to make a little extra cash off of the franchise, either) but the addition of new bonus features and commentaries makes this a tough call for someone like me who shelled out $100+ for the season sets when they came out.

Still, the packaging is great, the episodes cover mythology eps from seasons 1-3 and there are some nice exras including new commentary by Chris Carter on "Deep Throat" and "Duane Barry", commentary by director R.W. Goodwin on "The Erlenmeyer Flask" and "Anasazi", commentary by writer Frank Spotnitz on "End Game" and an all-new documentary called "Threads of Mythology - Part 1". There's also supposed to be a collectible mythology timeline which is a fold-out thingy, I guess.

Anyways, I'm going to try and find a way to get these on the very, very cheap since I'll basically be picking them up for the extras, but for someone who didn't care for the show but liked the mythology eps, or someone looking to buck up before the next movie comes out, this is the set to buy. It's under $40 (CAN) for the four discs which really isn't a bad price at all.

Other than those two sets from last week, the only other thing worth mentioning is the Casino: 10th Anniversary Edition. I never saw the Scorsese gangster epic myself but it does have its fans. The disc has some decent features and is not priced beyond anyones means, so if you're a lover of the film, go out and grab a copy.