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…)
It’s not pristine, but Paramount has done a fantastic high definition restoration job on Sergio Leone’s legendary spaghetti western Once Upon A Time In The West (Paramount, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-S24.99RP), presenting not only the original theatrical edition, but the extended cut as well. In addition, there’s a filmmaker-laden commentary track full of ardent fans, 5 retrospective featurettes, a gallery, and the theatrical trailer. You’ll also want to buy a harmonica.
Got an mp3 player or phone and want to be able to easily access it while on an exercise bike or pushing a stroller or riding your old-fashioned wheelie bike? Try the Texthook ($9.99), which is a mount intended to be placed on a bar and provide security and easy access for your mobile device.
Before George Lucas became GEORGE LUCAS and coming of age tales and nostalgia became a cliché, there was American Graffiti (Universal, Rated PG, Blu-Ray-$26.98 SRP), which makes its high-definition debut in an edition that services the brilliant cinematography and eternal soundtrack to a T. In addition to the retrospective documentary and screen tests found on the original special edition DVD, the Blu-Ray adds a brand-new video commentary with Lucas and an interactive interface with the soundtrack.
While the Stanley Kubrick library has been available on Blu-Ray for a few years now, it was inevitable that it would be revisited, and the first title to get an even more deluxe treatment is the 40th anniversary edition of A Clockwork Orange (Warner Bros., Rated R, Blu-Ray-$34.99 SRP). Not only does the film look and sound better than ever, but it’s loaded with bonus features, including an interview with and documentary on star Malcolm McDowell, an audio commentary, a retrospective documentary, featurettes, and the feature-length documentary Stanley Kubrick: A Life In Pictures.
And while you’re at it, be sure to pick up the DVD release of Malcolm McDowell’s powerful one-man show about his mentor Lindsay Anderson, Never Apologize (Warner Bros., Not Rated, DVD-$19.98 SRP).
You know those films that you can see once and, though you found it agreeable, you really don’t ever feel the need to see it again? Sydney Pollack’s adaptation of John Grisham’s The Firm (Paramount, Rated R, Blu-Ray-$19.99 SRP) is one of those films. Yes, even though it co-stars Gene Hackman. I know, right? The Blu-Ray is currently a Best Buy exclusive, so if you want it, that’s where you’ll have to head.
From the famous to the lesser known, Genius Of Britain (Acorn, Not Rated, DVD-$59.99 SRP) profiles and interviews Britain’s current crop of geniuses – from Stephen Hawking to Richard Dawkins – and asks them to reflect on the brilliant, often eccentric thinkers that preceded them. The set also includes the documentary Stephen Hawking And The Theory Of Everything.
Back before they were adapted to live action for the big screen, or even live action for the small screen, I remember my elementary school class being ushered into the library to watch the animated version of The Lion, The Witch, And The Wardrobe (BBC, Not Rated, DVD-$14.98 SRP), which was directed by Bill Melendez, who’s perhaps more well known for bringing the Charles Schulz’s Peanuts characters to animated life. Bonus materials include an audio commentary, a deleted sequence, and galleries.
Really, I could care less about the whole vampire thing. The only reason I watch True Blood (HBO, Not Rated, Blu-Ray-$59.99 SRP) is to support a show that has a character named “Sookie”. This needs to be encouraged. Yes, yes, she also goes in search of kidnapped Bill and there’s werewolves and a vampire king, but still… “Sookie”. Bonus materials include audio commentaries, minisodes, featurettes, a Snoop Dogg music video, and Post Mortems.
Wade into the complete fifth season of the underrated Psych (Universal, Not Rated, DVD-$59.98 SRP), as Shawn and Gus take on everything from ghosthunting to polar bears. The 4-disc set contains all 16 episodes plus commentaries, deleted scenes, and more.
You can tick another series off your lists, completionists, as the fine folks at Shout Factory release the final two seasons of Norman Lear’s classic sitcom – All In The Family: Season Eight and All In The Family: Season Nine (Shout Factory, Not Rated, DVD-$29.93 SRP each). As an added bonus, the 9th season set also contains the 90-minute retrospective special aired during that season that celebrated the 200th episode.
Just as the show was finally finding its feet, SyFy axed it – which made the second season of Stargate Universe (MGM, Not Rated, DVD-$49.98 SRP) its last. The 5-disc set collects all 20 of those final episodes, plus audio commentaries, interviews, featurettes, and more.
I have begun to loathe the History Channel, as it becomes a pathetic bastion of hare-brained reality series that don’t even try to apply a thin veneer of historical worth anymore. So what we get now is shows like Swamp People (History Channel, Not Rated, DVD-$24.95 SRP), which follows a bunch of hicks hunting alligators. Week after week. The 3-disc 1st season set contains additional footage.
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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I could say that the latest Cinematic Titanic offering, 
When I travel, I always have far too many electronics, far too many cords, and not nearly enough USB ports on my laptop to charge things. It’s always nice to have a backup plan, and the 
I’d say that reaching the 10th volume of the still-must-have collection of Charles Schulz’s groundbreaking strip is certainly worth celebrating – particularly when 
It seems that Criterion is systematically going back and revisiting some of their more popular catalogue titles and giving them rather stunning new high-definition transfers and some new bonus features, and the latest title to get the A+ treatment is Robert Altman’s 
Some may be watching slasher flicks this Halloween, but I will be celebrating All Hallow’s Eve by taking in the new Blu-Ray edition of Mel Brooks’s 
George Lucas managed to extend his death grip into another beloved franchise, clutching Steven Spielberg in one claw and Indiana Jones in the other, and managing yet again to produce a lame monstrosity instead of what should have been a triumphant return of a cinema hero. Such was the travesty of 
All of the focus is on his stellar performance in Iron Man, but another of Robert Downey, Jr.’s great turns is getting a new special edition DVD – his starring role in the life of The Little Tramp, 
I don’t think it was as strong as the first season, but I still enjoyed the second season of 
In the wake of the Star Wars, Marvel, and Disney Vault titles – those wonderful collections of text and reproductions of rare ephemera – we now get 
I’ll be perfectly honest with you – I was not a huge fan of The Matrix. I enjoyed the flick for what it was – a minor mind-f*** whose special effects and energy thankfully cancelled out most of its banal, overcooked pseudo-philosophizing and messianic overtones. But then came the sequels, which both – in quick succession – managed to top each other on the “Someone actually wrote this crap?” scale. Declining box office was proof enough – a fair number of fans who though The Matrix was the second coming (make your own jokes) left the theater feeling betrayed by creators who obviously had their grip locked firmly on something besides the story. Originally released in on standard DVD – and then the now-defunct HD-DVD – the 6-disc 
Packaged in a handsome lucite slipcase, the 
I caught an episode of Yo Gabba Gabba! the other day, and if any show can rightfully claim the mantle of “Kiddie Show Beloved By Stoners”, it’s this intriguingly bizarre combination of music and costumed characters, If you doubt me, check out 
While you’re pining for the next Spongebob season set, get a quick fix of recent episodes with 
In the VH1 series 
In these troubled, troubling times, I recommend anyone with an open mind should check out the wonderful documentaries of Richard Dawkins, conveniently collected in 
Easily the film that cemented William Hurt as an actor to be reckoned with – and a bizarre one, at that – was his turn in 
Sweeping and epic in the most glorious, classic sense of the word, the foreign language 
If you’re the head of NASA’s multi-million dollar manned mission to Mars and you find out that to send the astronauts would result in disaster, what would you do? Well, if you were the head of the mission in the cult classic 
It was truncated due to the writer’s strike, but the eighth season of 
It may not be brilliant, but there’s certainly something loveable about any show that casts both Patrick Warburton and David Spade. 
I’ll be honest with you – the only real reason that I ever watched an episode of 
Indulge your schlock horror bone with the brand new Ghost House Underground imprint, formed by Ghost House Pictures founders Sam Raimi and Rob Tapert, which debuts with 8 titles full of terror and gore aplenty (Lionsgate, Rated R, DVD-$19.98 SRP each). The launch titles include 
It could have been a hokey mess – and there is still some hokinees about – but 
His time in office may be fast coming to an end, but you can still watch the second season of 
Science nerds (like me) can geek out to the complete second season of 
It has been a long, long time since the release of the second season, but fans and interested parties can now partake of 
Terence Malick’s epic tale of Captain John Smith and the Jamestown settlement’s relations with the Native American populace,