Media Room: DVD & Blu-ray reviews

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By THE WASHINGTON TIMES

Monty Python: Almost the Truth (Vivendi, $29.99 DVD, $39.99 Blu-ray) — Released in time for the 40th anniversary of the gonzo British comedy troupe's first appearance on the air, "Almost the Truth" is about as in-depth a look at the Pythons as one can hope for. Comprised of John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin and the late Graham Chapman, Monty Python's absurdist sense of humor has influenced comedy as much as any other troupe in recent history.

This six-part documentary follows the Pythons from childhood to their disbanding in the wake of "Monty Python and the Meaning of Life." In addition to interviews with the five surviving members, "Almost the Truth" features quotes from those who were influenced by the Pythons. Cross-dressing Eddie Izzard and provocateur Russell Brand provide especially interesting insights.

Extra features include a smattering of greatest hits from the sketch comedy series "Monty Python's Flying Circus," including the Parrot sketch, the Spanish Inquisition, the Ministry of Silly Walks, and the Lumberjack Song.

Battlestar Galactica (Universal, $26.98 DVD, $39.98 Blu-ray) — Toward the end of "Battlestar Galactica's" four-season run on the Sci Fi Channel, fans began to wonder whether or not the preamble that opened each episode — which included the statement that the Cylon robots hunting humanity "had a plan" — was bunk. Had the writers really crafted some sort of narrative from the beginning for their villains to follow?

This straight-to-DVD feature pretty neatly confirms that the Cylons never really had an overarching plan, a revelation that is bound to disappoint the series' hardcore fans — and really, those are the only viewers who will even understand this feature, which haphazardly provides the Cylon perspective on highlights from the series. Devotees will probably be further disappointed by the fact that most of the series regulars make only the briefest of appearances in this 112-minute movie.

Still, committed fans will find much to enjoy here, as long as they keep in mind that this is less a coherent feature than a way of tying up loose ends and filling in background information from the first half of the series' four-year run.

Orphan (Warner Bros., $28.98 DVD, $35.99 Blu-ray) — Mixing the absurd and the plausible in a most pleasing way, "Orphan" is destined for a long life on home theater systems and status as a cult classic. Esther (Isabelle Fuhrman), the creepy little girl who animates the heart of this picture, is a classic camp figure, and the absurd twist at the movie's climax gives "Orphan" a ridiculousness that transcends its modest goals.

Esther is the adopted daughter of Kate (Vera Farmiga) and John (Peter Sarsgaard); precocious and odd, Esther knows how to push mommy and daddy's buttons to get what she wants and keep them on their toes. But just what does she want? And how far is she willing to go to get it?

Extra features are minimal, limited to a handful of deleted scenes and an alternate ending that doesn't make much sense, given how the last few minutes of the film play out.

The Samuel Fuller Collection (Sony, $79.95), The William Castle Collection ($80.95, Columbia) — Two new collections from genre masters with cult followings hit shelves recently. Sam Fuller was best known for his gritty, masculine dramas, and this new seven-movie set features a lot of grit on each disc; some of the movies (like "Power of the Press" and "Adventure in Sahara") were just written by Mr. Fuller, while others (like "Underworld U.S.A.") were written, produced, and directed by him.

"The William Castle Collection," meanwhile, is the perfect Halloween treat, featuring eight classic horror films on five discs. Included in this set are "13 Ghosts" and "The Tingler," which are classics in the sense that they are old, not that they're brilliant pieces of filmmaking. Mixing horror and comedy, Mr. Castle would certainly have appreciated "Orphan."

— Sonny Bunch

Whatever Works (Sony, $27.96 for DVD, $39.95 for Blu-ray) — "Whatever Works" is one of Woody Allen's most appealing comedies in years, a surprising mix of old-school Jewish comedy and edgy modern humor that actually, well, works. "Curb Your Enthusiasm" star Larry David proves the perfect vessel for the "Woody Allen role," a neurotic, pessimistic intellectual who's paired with the less-than-thoughtful but more-than-alluring young woman played by Evan Rachel Wood. He falls in love with her looks and enthusiasm, she falls in love with his mind. But New York City holds too many charms to keep such characters — or their friends and family, played pitch-perfectly by such actors as Patricia Clarkson and Ed Begley Jr. — in one place for too long. Luck and fate are constant themes of Mr. Allen's dramas, from a classic like "Crimes and Misdemeanors" to the recent masterpiece "Match Point," but here he explores it with a lighter touch.

As is unfortunately typical of Mr. Allen's DVD releases, this one includes no extras.

The Guardian: The First Season (Paramount, $49.98) — Simon Baker's star-making turn in "The Mentalist" has resurrected this other CBS series, in which the Australian actor starred as a hot shot attorney forced to cancel some corporate clients and make room for troubled, pro bono clients after he's sentenced to community service for a drug conviction.

"The Guardian," which co-starred Dabney Coleman as the lawyer's father and boss, ran for three seasons, from 2001 to 2004. This six-disc set includes all 22 episodes from the first season, but not much else — it seems the studio was in too much of a rush to capitalize on Mr. Baker's Emmy nomination to provide any extras beyond a few promotional spots.

— Kelly Jane Torrance

On the Road with Charles Kuralt: Set 1 (Acorn, $39.99) — For more than 20 years, veteran CBS newsman Charles Kuralt traveled across the country to tell stories of the weird, the sentimental and the just plain interesting. This new three-disc, 18-episode DVD set from Acorn Media showcases some of the late Mr. Kuralt's best work.

Mr. Kuralt, who died in 1997, logged more than a million miles and wore out six motorhomes in search of good stories. The Emmy-winning journalist found everyone interesting, and it shows in this collection. Among the highlights are pieces about Golden Gate Bridge workers, a toothpick artist, Abraham Lincoln's hometown, life on the bayou, an all-night library and the man who waves at traffic.

— Karen Goff