‘Entourage: Season Three, Part 2’ Trying to survive the jungle of Hollywood with the help of his posse from New York, young actor Vince Chase (Adrien Grenier) finds film stardom has a price. This two-disc set includes eight episodes with guest appearances from Ed Burns, Pauly Shore, Nora Dunn and Joel Silver, among others. Bonus features as part of the package are an in-depth conversation with the cast on a Museum of Television & Radio Panel and “Anatomy of Entourage” — an exclusive behind-the-scenes view of the creation of the season finale. (HBO) ‘Babel: Collector’s Edition’
Universal themes of pain, hope and communication are woven together in disparate strands of stories into a finely shaped fabric by focusing on what appear to be several equally incongruent characters in Japan, Morocco and California. Winner of a Golden Globe for Best Picture, it features Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett and Gael Garcia Bernal. This two-disc version includes a comprehensive making-of video diary from director Alejandro Inarritu, a Best Director winner at Cannes. (Paramount) ‘The Jungle Book: 40th Anniversary Edition’
This children’s classic, a song-filled celebration of fellowship, fun and adventure, was the last animated film to receive Walt Disney’s personal touch. He uses jungle characters like a panther, snake, rhino and a bear to present a lighthearted look at life and the true meaning of friendship.
Bonus material includes: Interactive games, music videos, deleted songs and sometimes rare commentaries by everyone from modern day animators to Walt Disney himself, and a behind-the-scenes segment entitled “The Bare Necessities: The Making of The Jungle Book.” (Disney) ‘Troy: Director’s Cut’
Adapted from Homer’s great epic, director Wolfgang Peterson (“Das Boot”) orchestrates the complex characters through one of history’s greatest confrontations. Starring Bard Pitt as Achilles and Eric Bana as Hector, this two-disc edition features more than 30 minutes of footage unseen in theaters. A vast quantity of special features includes: A look at the battle sequences, the history behind the production design, secrets of the special effects and a theatrical trailer. (Warner Bros.) ‘My Best Friend’
This clever French comedy features Daniel Auteuil as Francois, a shrewd yet unlikable antiques dealer unable to acquire something really important — a friend. Challenged to a bet by his business partner (Julie Gayet) to find someone who will pose as his best pal in just 10 days, Francois goes to amazing lengths to be “sociable, smiling and sincere.” A humorous path to self-understanding follows. (Weinstein/Genius) ‘Streets of San Francisco: Season 1, Vol. 2’
Karl Malden (“On the Waterfront”) plays veteran homicide detective Mike Stone. Michael Douglas (“Fatal Attraction”) is his idealistic young partner, Steve Keller. Both were nominated for Emmys. Filmed entirely in and around the city by the bay, the two-discs include the final 13 episodes from the inaugural season. Some of the story-lines revolve around street gangs, illegal alien smugglers, skid row killings and a vengeful psycho back on the streets from a long prison stint. Guest stars include Brenda Vaccaro, Stuart Whitman, John Saxon, Jamie Farr, Joyce Van Patten, Joe Don Baker, Leslie Nielsen and Dean Stockwell. (Paramount) RANDY WILLIAMS
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on October 12, 2007. Read the original PDF.