The weekend’s here. You’ve just been paid, and it’s burning a hole in your pocket. What’s a pop culture geek to do? In hopes of steering you in the right direction to blow some of that hard-earned cash, it’s time for the FRED Weekend Shopping Guide – your spotlight on the things you didn’t even know you wanted…

(Please support FRED by using the links below to make any impulse purchases – it helps to keep us going…)

The Disney restoration team do another incredible job with one of their animated classics, making the new high definition release of Bambi (Walt Disney, Rated G, Blu-Ray-$39.99 SRP) look like it was produced last year instead of 70 years ago. Bonus materials include all of the original DVD’s bonus materials, plus a new intro from Diane Disney Miller, deleted scenes, a deleted song, featurettes, and galleries. The release also includes Disney’s now-standard bonus DVD version.

I’m a big fan and longtime user of Zoom’s portable audio recorders, often using them while I’m the road to record live events and podcasts. Well, with the Zoom H1 Audio Recorder ($99.99), you get Stereo X/Y mic configuration, microSD memory (2GB card included), a ton of functionality and recording options, and all in a small case that’s half the size of older Zoom recorders.

It’s always a delight when another Mystery Science Theater box set comes down the pike, but even more delightful when it contains a bonus feature I produced and am actually in – Which is the case with Mystery Science Theater 3000: Volume XX (Shout Factory, Not Rated, DVD-$59.97 SRP), which contains not only Fugitive Alien I, Fugitive Alien II, The Magic Voyage Of Sinbad, & Project Moonbase, but also the Servo vs Servo panel that I hosted at last year’s DragonCon. If that weren’t enough MST3K, the fine folks at Shout are also re-releasing a pair of out-of-print releases as standalone discs – Beginning Of The End & The Incredibly Strange Creatures Who Stopped Living And Became Mixed-Up Zombies (Shout Factory, Not Rated, DVD-$19.99 each).

I’m beginning to think that the supply of classic Doctor Who adventures is inexhaustible, as we get another pair of old school releases in the form of the William Hartnell serial The Ark (BBC, Not Rated, DVD-$24.98 SRP) and Tom Baker’s The Seeds Of Doom (BBC, Not Rated, DVD-$34.98 SRP). It should surprise no one that these bear a TARDIS-load of extras, including documentaries, featurettes, commentaries, and much more.

Just when you think the zombie genre has finally been exhausted, along comes something like The Walking Dead (Anchor Bay, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$49.99 SRP), which manages to translate it all to an ongoing TV narrative, playing like an undead version of The Wire. The series 1 set contains making-of featurettes and deleted footage.

Let’s set aside his smug, off-putting hosting gig at the Oscars and concentrate on the rather remarkable performance James Franco gives in 127 Hours (Fox, Rated R, Blu-Ray-$39.99 SRP), which is perhaps better known as the “guy cuts off his arm” film. Franco stars as the real life Aaron Ralston, whose adventuring in a remote Utah canyon comes to tragedy when a boulder pins his arm and prevents his escape. He has no ability to communicate, no one knows he’s down there, and he can’t extricate himself. Or can he? Errr… yes, he can. Bonus materials include an audio commentary, featurettes, and deleted scenes.

Miss the good ol’ days of Whose Line Is It Anyway? Well, two of the show’s strongest improvisers – Colin Mochrie & Brad Sherwood – have banded together into a touring partnership featuring an evening of those improv games, which has now been immortalized on DVD via Colin & Brad: Two Man Group – Live And Dangerous Comedy (Image, Not Rated, DVD-$14.98 SRP). It’s funny from start to finish, and makes me miss WLIIA even more. Bonus materials include an interview and a featurette on improve DOs and DON’Ts

The kids are covered this weekend as well, with a brand new Spongebob release, Spongebob Squarepants: The Great Patty Caper (Nickelodeon, Not Rated, DVD-$16.99 SRP) – featuring 7 episodes and a clutch of animated shorts – plus The Backyardigans: We Arrrr Pirates (Nickelodeon, Not Rated, DVD-$16.99 SRP).

What do the fine folks at the Warner Archive have for us now? How about Humphrey Bogart and Barbara Stanwyck in The Two Mrs. Carrolls (Warner Bros., Not Rated, DVD-$19.95)? Or William Holden, Ryan O’Neal, & Karl Malden in the western Wild Rovers (Warner Bros., Not Rated, DVD-$19.95).

Yeah, I know it’s lowbrow, but so help me, I do enjoy the Jackass feature films, and the winning streak continues with Jackass 3 (Paramount, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$39.99 SRP), which features the return of Johnny Knoxville and the gang in full mental form, with stunts and a joie de vivre that manages to top the previous two entries. Bring on more, I say! Bonus features include deleted scenes, outtakes, and a making-of special.

The designs have been slightly updated, but the spirit of the classic series remains in Scooby-Doo: Mystery Incorporated Season One Volume 1 (Warner Bros., Not Rated, DVD-$14.98 SRP), featuring 4 adventures with the gang going up against beasts, creatures, ghosts, and monsters.

So there you have it… my humble suggestions for what to watch, listen to, play with, or waste money on this coming weekend. See ya next week…

-Ken Plume

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