The Discs of Fritz

This week, cartoon icons make their debut as 3-D CGI renderings in TWO DVD releases. However, this significant and some may say sad event cannot distract our spotlight from some even more important cinema.

(O) FRITZ LANG EPIC COLLECTION (Kino) One [IMG1R]of the most fascinating directors of all is honored with a five-disc box set of his works from Germany's silent era, including restored versions of the suspense thriller SPIES, the pioneering science fiction epics WOMAN IN THE MOON and METROPOLIS, and the two-part fantasy landmark DIE NIBELUNGEN. Each title is available separately and includes many fine extras.

(O) ACE HIGH (Paramount) 1968 Spaghetti western. Terence Hill and Bud Spencer get involved in Mexican bandit Eli Wallach's revenge scheme.
(O) AUTOPSY: A LOVE STORY (Brain Damage) A necrophiliac grave robber falls for a Jane Doe corpse. High ick factor. Includes deleted scenes and more.
(O) BETTIE PAGE: The Girl in the Leopard Print Bikini (Passport) More of the 1950s pin-up queen's shorts.
(O) A DAY WITHOUT A MEXICAN (Xenon) Comic fantasy based on director Sergio Arau's 1998 short in which residents of California try to cope when every Latino in the state mysteriously disappears!
(O) DEAD END (Lions Gate) [IMG2L]Taking a short cut on a Christmas Eve visit, Ray Wise drives his family into a nightmarish netherworld. On the bright side, he doesn't have to spend time with his mother-in-law.
(O) DR. WAI IN THE SCRIPTURE WITH NO WORDS (Fortune 5) Jet Li stars in this action fantasy in which a pulp writer lives the adventures of his hero. The label says this is the directors cut with different footage than the international release.
(O) FRIENDS: Complete Eighth Season (Warner Bros.) Wow, this show's so great I hope it goes on forever. All 23 episodes with footage cut from syndicated reruns, commentraks, gag reel, games and more.
(O) GONE WITH THE WIND Collectors Edition (Warner Bros.) Four-disc set celebrated the 65^th anniversary of the classic Civil War drama, with Making-Of documentary, newsreels, featurettes, prologue from the international version, shorts and more.
(O) THE HILLSIDE STRANGLER (Tartan/TLA/Image) C. Thomas Howell and Nicholas Turturro star as the serial killing cousins that terrorized Los Angeles in the late 1970s. In R-rated and unrated editions.
(O) JACKIE CHAN: THE KUNG FU YEARS (Fortune 5) Apparently this is some kind of compilation of clips from Chan's early films.
(O) JU-ON (Lions Gate) [IMG3R]Haunted house haunts visitors. 2000 Japanese horror from the makers of RINGU, remade for USA as THE GRUDGE. Includes commentrak with Sam Raimi and Scott Spiegel, behind-the-scenes, interviews, deleted scenes and more.
(O) LOST JUNCTION (MGM) Hitchhiker is picked up by foxy Neve Campbell, only to find out her dead husband is in the trunk.
(O) MARTIAL TEMPLE COLLECTION (VideoAsia) First box set from VideoAsia presents the previously released SHAOLIN IRON FINGER/SATYR MONKS, SHAOLIN STRIKES BACK/SHAOLIN: BLOOD MISSION (see below), FISTS OF SHAOLIN/OUT OF DANGER, and SHAOLIN MEGA FORCE/INVINCIBLE IRON PALM, plus the exclusive SHAOLIN BOXING/MYSTERIES OF SHAOLIN TEMPLE.
(O) MARTIN (Artisan/Lions Gate) George Romero's classic meditation on the vampire legend in modern society. Includes new director commentrak and more.
(O) MARX BROTHERS SILVER SCREEN COLLECTION (Universal) The early Marxist classics COCOANUTS, ANIMAL CRACKERS, MONKEY BUSINESS, HORSE FEATHERS and DUCK SOUP. Includes interviews with the Brothers and Harpo's son on THE TODAY SHOW with Hugh Downs.
(O) THE NEW HOWDY DOODY SHOW Collectors Set (GoodTimes) Four volumes from the 1976 revival of the hit 1950s kids show, each also available separately.
(O) PRINCESS BLADE (ADV) A two-disc special edition of the popular Japanese action flick starring pop idol Yumiko Shaku, with Making-Of, interviews, deleted scenes, outtakes and more.
(O) RAIDERS OF BUDDHIST KUNG FU (Fortune 5) Gordon Lau (KILL BILL) as a warrior monk.
(O) SHAOLIN IDIOT (Fortune 5) Some mighty fine Stephen Chow nonsense comedy and action, better known as FIST OF FURY 1991, about a bumpkin with an uncommonly strong right hand.
(O) STAR TREK VOYAGER Season 5 (Paramount) 25 episodes on 7 discs, plus featurettes, interviews and more. Also available bundled with seasons 1-4.
(O) THE STEPFORD WIVES (Paramount) [IMG4L]Awful 2004 comic remake of the '70s sci-fi chiller. Fullscreen and widescreen editions include director commentrak, featurettes, deleted scenes, gag reel and more.
(O) STRIKE FORCE (Artisan/Lions Gate) Erika Eleniak goes looking for her sister in the Miami underworld and teams up with a group of vigilantes led by William Forsythe.
(O) TIGER WOMAN: Perils of the Darkest Jungle (Troma/Roan) Linda Sterling dons a leopard costume to fight jungle crime as a sexy superhero in this 1944 12-chapter serial. Delayed from September.
(O) ULTRAMAN TIGA Volume 4: Inheritance of Darkness (Funimation) Episodes 40-52 of the 1996 series, in Japanese with English subtitles.
(O) W.C. FIELDS COMEDY COLLECTION (Universal) The Great Fields displays his genius in THE BANK DICK, MY LITTLE CHICKADEE (co-starring Mae West), YOU CAN'T CHEAT AN HONEST MAN (co-starring Edgar Bergen & Charlie McCarthy), the sublime IT'S A GIFT and the insane star-fest INTERNATIONAL HOUSE (with Bela Lugosi). Includes documentary and more.
(O) WITNESS TO A KILL (First Look) Gary Daniels in secret agent action.
(O) ZATOICHI: THE BLIND SWORDSMAN / SONATINE (Miramax/Buena Vista) "Beat" Takeshi Kitano's 2003 version of the great Japanese swordsman hero. Plus, as bonus features the disc includes Takeshi's 1993 yakuza drama, featurettes, interviews, and an intro by Quentin Tarantino.

And finally, we close off each weekly list with a rundown of the constant stream of anime from around the world:

(O) AI YORI AOCHI ENISHI 3: Destiny (Geneon) Lighthearted comedy. Includes reversible cover, concert footage and more.
(O) ARGENTOSOMA Complete Collection (Bandai)
(O) BLACK JACK: Parasite (Central Park) The super surgeon's latest operation uncovers a sinister parasitic plant intelligence.
(O) BOYS OVER FLOWERS Volume 8: Do You Want A Friend? (Viz) Episodes 29-32.
(O) BUBBLEGUM CRISIS: Remastered (AnimEigo) Anime staple gets a digital cleaning.
(O) DNANGEL Volume 1: The Dawn of Dark (ADV) A curse transforms a teen into master thief Phantom Dark when he gets turned on, and the only way to change back is to get his girlfriend to love his true self. Includes commentrak and more. Also available in collector box.
(O) DRAGON DRIVE Volume 4: Daring Mission (Bandai) Includes pencil board.
(O) FANCY LALA (Bandai) All 26 episodes in one set.
(O) GATEKEEPERS Volume 6 (Geneon) Spitzilla attacks!
(O) GUNGRAVE Volume 3: Undead War (Geneon) War of the zombies!
(O) INITIAL D Volume 8: Battles in the Rain (Tokyopop) Tak replaces his wiper blades.
(O) KIKAIDER PERFECT COLLECTION (Bandai) Includes the complete ANDROID KIKAIDER and KIKAIDER 01 as seen on Cartoon Network.
(O) LUGAR HEIGHTS (Fusion/Maverick) Adult comedy set in an American town full of Latinos.
(O) MAISON IKKOKU Box Set 4 (Viz) 12 episodes on three discs.
(O) MICKEY'S TWICE UPON A CHRISTMAS (Buena Vista) [IMG5R]All new CGanime feature presents three-dimensional versions of familiar Disney characters in a holiday adventure. Includes behind-the-scenes, games, a skating featurettes and more.
(O) MUNTO (Central Park) A psychic girl is enlisted to save folks in a magical dimension.
(O) MY LITTLE PONY: Complete First Season (Rhino) For you completists.
(O) POKÉMON ADVANCED Volume 5: A Hole Lotta Trouble (Viz)
(O) POKÉMON ADVANCED Volume 6: A Three Team Scheme (Viz) Is that a monster in your pocket?
(O) POPEYE'S VOYAGE: The Quest for Pappy (Lions Gate) A new CGanime Popeye adventure. Includes 4 other "bonus" episodes.

(O) SAIKANO Volume 4: Love Song (Viz) Episodes 11-13, plus interviews.
(O) SAILOR MOON SUPER S: PEGASUS COLLECTION 4 (Geneon) Fish Eye falls in love with Tuxedo Mask! Six uncut episodes.
(O) SUBMARINE 707R: The Movie (Geneon) Admiral Red leads a terrorist navy against the world. Also available in a limited edition with interviews and more.
(O) TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: Battle Nexus (Funimation)
(O) TENCHI UNIVERSE COLLECTION 6: Space 2 (Geneon) Tenchi and friends are fugitives from the Galaxy Police across outer space.
(O) TRANSFORMERS ARMADA: Season One Part 1 (Rhino)
(O) TSUKIKAGE RAN: Carried By the Wind Complete Collection (Bandai) Medieval action comedy.
(O) UC GUNDAM MOVIE PACK (Bandai) 5 feature box set includes the MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM movie trilogy, CHAR'S COUNTERATTACK and MS GUNDAM 08^th MS TEAM: Miller's Report.
(O) ZENTRIX Volume 2: The Last Hope (Bandai) Final 13 episodes of this acclaimed series.