The Incredible Mel Brooks: An Irresistible Collection Of Unhinged Comedy (DVD Review)
Mel Brooks. The name conjures up some of the most enduring comedic images in the history of American popular culture: The inimitable 2000 Year Old Man. Max Bialystock. Springtime for Hitler. Flatulent cowboys in Blazing Saddles. The bumbling Maxwell Smart. Young Frankenstein and his well-endowed monster. From stand-up to films to TV to Broadway, for 65 years, in every medium through which entertainment can possibly pass, Mel Brooks has conquered the world with laughter. A celebrated director, actor, producer, composer and writer, Brooks is one of only 11 people in history to win an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony Award. And now, in a first-of-its-kind collection, this 5-DVD/1-CD set offers a veritable treasure trove of all things Brooksian, a laugh-filled celebration of his illustrious career. This box set takes viewers on a journey through time with performances, extensive interviews, film clips and rare archival television footage, as well as some never-before-seen photos, and special tributes. of Brooks’ television appearances, short films, documentaries, tributes, songs and genuine rarities.
“The Carol Burnett Show” debuted on CBS in 1967 and ran for 11 years, receiving 25 Emmy Awards and five Golden Globes, making it one of the most honored shows in television history, and TIME Magazine named “The Carol Burnett Show” as one of the “100 Best Television Shows of all Time”. The Carol Burnett Show – Carol’s Favorites is a 6-DVD set that boasts seventeen complete, unedited episodes featuring the most popular and hilarious sketches and characters from the long-running series. Included: Starlet O’Hara in “Went with the Wind”, The Family, Tudball & Wiggins, The Oldest Man and additional movie parodies. Also featured in this jam-packed set are guest appearances by Carl Reiner, Steve Martin, Betty White, George Carlin, Shirley MacLaine, The Jackson 5, and many more. 
Steve Martin is one of the most beloved and iconic talents in American comedy. Until now, however, his body of work on television has been largely unavailable on DVD. That all changed on September 18, 2012, with the release of Steve Martin: The Television Stuff from Shout! Factory and SOFA Entertainment. From the stand-up act that made him a comedy rock star (of which only two complete performances were ever recorded, both included in this set) to his four joyfully twisted NBC sketch comedy specials, his Oscar-nominated short film and a jewel box of additional comic bits, The Television Stuff finally delivers one of the most unique and treasured eras in Steve Martin’s celebrated career. The set was made in collaboration with the celebrated actor, comedian, author, playwright, producer and musician, and will feature never-before seen videos. 
As the 100th anniversary of Titanic’s sinking approached, a team of scientists, engineers and imaging experts joined forces to answer one of the most haunting questions surrounding the legendary disaster: Just how did the “unsinkable” ship break apart and plunge into the icy waters of the North Atlantic on April 15, 1912? Two years ago, HISTORY took part alongside the world’s top underwater experts in the most thorough and exhaustive study of the wreck ever made. Titanic At 100: Mystery Solved documents this mission, captures the high-tech map-making process, unveils astonishing pieces of never-before-seen wreckage and presents the expedition’s unexpected findings. Unprecedented new technology and expertise was used to create a precisely detailed portrait of the entire fifteen-square-mile patch of ocean floor where Titanic came to rest. The undertaking yielded unprecedented new discoveries and the first comprehensive map of Titanic’s watery grave, helping specialists solve the century-old puzzle of what went wrong — and determine who or what was responsible. 
From Executive Producer Steven Spielberg, and the director of Paranormal Activity Oren Peli, a truly harrowing and hair-raising series comes to DVD. “The River: The Complete First Season” tells the tale of famed wildlife explorer and TV personality Dr. Emmet Cole who went looking for magic deep in the uncharted Amazon and never returned. Now, six months after he vanished, a brave crew of family, old friends and new acquaintances embark on a mysterious and deadly journey to find him in the deepest and darkest depths of South America. The DVD is filled with exclusive bonus features, including deleted scenes that draw audiences further into this heart-pounding adventure. 
Through portraits of its most influential Pharaohs, Planet Egypt investigates Egypt’s incredible legacy: King Narmer, who united more than 40 regional tribes into the first Egyptian civilization; Thutmose III, who expanded and secured Egypt’s borders; Amnenhotep III and his revolutionary son Akhenaten, who attempted to break the power of the priests and reorganize the traditional role of religion; and Ramsses II, the great builder of temples and tombs who devoted his life to the cult of death. Threaded throughout are intimate details of typical Egyptian daily life. From feats of engineering and the most ambitious construction projects in history, to its obsession with life, death and immortality, the amazing story of ancient Egypt still astounds us today. 
Danger takes on a whole new meaning as the X-Men are forced to confront a reality they never thought possible. Continuing the saga of the Astonishing X-Men, comic book pages come alive when Shout! Factory, in association with Marvel Knights Animation, debuted the highly anticipated Marvel Knights Animation Astonishing X-Men: Dangerous on DVD, April 10, 2012. The highly popular “Dangerous” storyline and colorful visuals from the graphic novel by pop culture icons Joss Whedon and John Cassaday combine smart story telling, incredible action, and startling revelations in the second story arc of the acclaimed Astonishing X-Men multi-part series. This DVD invites viewers to delve deep inside the imaginative world of the Marvel Universe. 
Offering the secret history of nine historic battles, Battlefield Detectives has made its debut on DVD thanks to Athena. Investigators re-create the conditions of history’s major battles using 3-D computer models, maps, artifacts, original footage, and dramatic reenactments. From the muddy fields at Hastings to the sweltering jungles of Vietnam, a variety of experts offer compelling new evidence on the wars that shaped the modern world. Produced in 2003, Battlefield Detectives aired on the History Channel. The 3-volume boxed set includes a 16-page viewer’s guide and biographies of major military leaders, among other bonus features. 
Catherine Deneuve’s porcelain perfection hides a cracked interior in one of the actress’s most iconic roles: Séverine, a Paris housewife who begins secretly spending her afternoon hours working in a bordello. This surreal and erotic late-sixties daydream from provocateur for the ages Luis Buñuel is an examination of desire and fetishistic pleasure (its characters’ and its viewers’), as well as a gently absurdist take on contemporary social mores and class divisions. Fantasy and reality commingle in this burst of cinematic transgression, which was one of Buñuel’s biggest hits. 
Big Love: The Complete Collection brings together the series’ uniquely crafted story arc about modern day polygamists Bill Henrickson, his three wives (Barb, Nicki and Margene), and nine children as they struggle to overcome the myriad of challenges brought about by their beliefs, lifestyle and Bill’s entrepreneurial and political ambitions. The complete collection includes all 53 episodes from all five seasons, plus all of the extra features from the individual releases that offer additional insight into the Henrickson family dynamics. Big Love features an all-star ensemble cast which is lead by Bill Paxton, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Chloë Sevigny (Golden Globe winner for Best Supporting Actress for the series) and Ginnifer Goodwin. Other cast members include Amanda Seyfried, Robert Patrick, Harry Dean Stanton, Bruce Dern, Anne Dudek, and Ellen Burstyn. Features include “Inside the Episodes,” “Their Stories So Far,” “Big Love: A Balancing Act on Ice,” “Big Love: End of Days,” three pre-quels, three mini-episodes and audio commentaries. 
