By RANDY WILLIAMS
In this sword and sorcery warrior tale, Jason Statham stars as a man named Farmer who sets out to rescue his kidnapped wife and avenge the death of his son — two acts committed by the Krugs, a race of animal-warriors who are controlled by the evil Gallian (Ray Liotta). (Fox) ‘Dirty Harry’ Ultimate Collector’s Edition This seven-disc package includes all five films starring Clint Eastwood as unconventional San Francisco police inspector, Harry Callahan. Special segments about Eastwood as a director, commentary by Eastwood, assorted cast and writer/director interviews are included plus a feature-length documentary, “Clint Eastwood: Out of the Shadows”; a 40 plus page hardcover book; a wallet w/metal badge and removable laminated I.D. card; five 5 inch by 7 inch reproduction lobby poster cards plus an exclusive UCE card; Scorpio Portrait of a Killer, a poster-sized (19 inch by 27 inch) map of San Francisco detailing Harry’s hunt for the killer; and never-before-seen production correspondence. Go ahead, make someone’s day. (Warner Bros) ‘Jungle Book 2’ Special Edition The sequel to one of Disney’s most beloved pictures, features Jungle boy Mowgli (Haley Osment) deciding to forsake civilized village life for the “bare necessities” of the wild with his old friends. However, the evil tiger Shere Khan (Tony Jay) is looking for a little payback after Mowgli’s last adventure. A hut full of extra materials include an all-new adventure game, deleted scenes, music videos, behind-the-scenes segments, and a highlight recap of the original animated classic. (Disney) ‘John Adams’
What is more appropriate for celebrating the Independence holiday than a fine mini-series about one of our founding fathers? Based on a Pulitzer Prize-winning book, Paul Giamatti (“Sideways,” “Cinderella Man”) stars as John Adams, who would become the second president of the United States. Set against at a time when the nation is increasingly polarized politically this story celebrates the shared values of liberty and freedom upon which this country was built. Delving deep into a less-romanticized part of our history, what is explored in detail is Adams’ frustration at being an overlooked figure at critical junctures of America’s early development. All seven parts of the miniseries are provided along with a fact book, a profile of author David McCullough and a making-of segment. Laura Linney (“Breach,” “The Savages”) co-stars as his wife, Abigail and Tom Wilkinson portrays Ben Franklin. (HBO) ‘The Muppet Show’ The Complete Third Season Puppeteer Jim Henson’s iconic characters are available on four discs presenting all 24 episodes. Starring Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, and Kermit guest appearances feature Sylvester Stallone, Liberace, Raquel Welch, and Cheryl Ladd. Bonus features include: A Company of Players, The Muppets on Puppets, and A Frog is Born. (Disney) ‘1988 L.A. Dodgers World Series’ Collector’s Edition From Orel Hershiser’s record setting scoreless inning streak to the historic World Series home run by Kirk Gibson, here is the definitive record of one of the greatest seasons by one of baseball’s most storied franchises. Spread out over seven discs are nearly 18 hours of material ranging from rare interviews and award ceremonies to all five World Series games. (A&E) ‘Get Smart’ The Complete Series Emmy winner Don Adams and Barbara Feldon reprise their roles as Maxwell Smart and Agent 99 in this 1995 update of the classic spy spoof series. This time Maxwell Smart is promoted to chief of CONTROL and Agent 99 is now a Congresswoman. Joining them in their fight against KAOS are their bumbling CONTROL agent Zackary Smart (Andy Dick) and tough, sexy agent 66 (Elaine Hendrix). Seven episodes in all plus “minisodes” with “T. J. Hooker” and “News Radio.” (Sony)
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on July 4, 2008. Read the original PDF.