Great DVD gift ideas for the holidays

Film and television author Randy Williams reviews the latest movies, television shows, documentaries and music programs now available for purchase online and at retail stores.

300-Special Collector's Edition (Warner Bros.)—Frank Miller's graphic novel goes up a few notches cinematically via this intense mix of CGI animation and live action in a retelling of the ancient Battle of Thermopylae where 300 Spartans led by King Leonidas (Gerard Butler) face off against Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro) and the massive Persian army.

Just as spectacular is the documentary, "To the Hot Gates: A Legend Retold," which takes us through the elaborate storymaking process from ancient legend to book and feature film.

A bonus digital copy of the film is included along with a 52page hardcover art book, a Lucite display with motion film image and six collectible photo cards.

James Bond Blu-ray Collection Six-Pack on Blu-ray (MGM)—Arriving on the eve of the theatrical release of the next installment, "Quantum of Solace," Britain's high-tech secret agent gets the state-of-the-art home video treatment in high definition. It is a natural. Blu-ray was made for Bond.

Pierce Brosnan is represented in "Die Another Day." Roger Moore is the title character in "For Your Eyes Only" and "Live and Let Die." Sean Connery stars in "Dr. No," "Thunderball" and "From Russia With Love."

Each title comes loaded with bonus features ranging from original making-of documentaries and interviews to production design and special gadget segments.

National Lampoon's Animal House30th Anniversary TwoDisc Gift Set (Universal)— Celebrating "seven years of college down the drain," packaged in a clever Delta House box set, John Landis directs John Belushi in a role that rocketed him to fame in this spoof of campus life in the early 1960s.

The most popular college comedy of all time that has spawned countless imitators also features Kevin Bacon, Karen Allen, Donald Sutherland and John Vernon as Dean Wormer. Included are exclusive interviews in an all-new full-length documentary, a "Where Are They Now?" segment, a reunion with the cast delivering many of the famous lines from the film, as well as a Faber College Yearbook. "Toga! Toga! Toga!"

Get Smart-Two-Disc Special Edition (Warner Bros)—The movie-version of the great Mel Brooks/Buck Henry television series features Steve Carell as agent Maxwell Smart. He is in the organization CONTROL, but the fact that he is out of control is what makes it work.

Anne Hathaway, Dwayne Johnson and Alan Arkin are part of this wacky spy story. Between the two discs there are a bonus digital copy, behind-the-scenes spy training, on-location segments, a gag reel and an interesting twist where one can play the movie straight through or in "Comedy Optimization Mode" with more than 20 minutes of alternate jokes.

I Dream of Jeannie-The Complete Series (Sony)—Before he was J.R. Ewing in the long-running series "Dallas," Larry Hagman portrayed a United States astronaut (Maj. Tony Nelson) who finds his life vastly complicated when he stumbles onto a bottle containing a female genie in this popular comedy from the mid-'60s. In a careerdefining role, Barbara Eden is Jeannie.

The humor of this mismatched couple was enhanced by the comedic timing and character chemistry of the series' talented regulars: Bill Daily as Tony's best friend and secret keeper, and Hayden Rorke as the nosy Dr. Bellows. Created by best-selling author Sidney Sheldon, the series smartly blended romantic and slapstick comedy with special effects. All the magic is uncorked inside a cleverly designed genie box set that contains all 139 episodes on 20-discs.

The Wild, Wild West-The Complete Series (CBS/Paramount)—This highly original and perennial favorite series from the 1960s comes complete to DVD for the first time in a box set. Starring Robert Conrad and Ross Martin as U.S. government secret agents Jim West and Artemus Gordon, the program focused on their adventures as the country's first secret service agents.

Working for President Ulysses Grant taming the Wild West of the 1880s, West and Gordon used an amazing array of gadgetry that James Bond's Q would be proud of in thwarting all manner of evildoers. The special collector's edition includes every episode from all four seasons plus two fulllength restored "Wild Wild West" TV movies on DVD for the first time—"Wild, Wild West Revisited" and "More Wild, Wild West." The 27-disc set contains more than 85 hours from the groundbreaking TV series that combined espionage, western suspense and hightech gadgetry.

The Outer Limits-The Complete Original Series (MGM)—"There is nothing wrong with your television set. Do not attempt to adjust the picture. We are controlling transmission." This sci-fi fantasy original series was hailed as "the best program of its type to ever run on network TV" by noted author Stephen King.

The macabre 1960s series broke new ground (and new talent—Robert Duvall, Eddie Albert, Adam West) by blurring the line between fact and fiction with dark introspective story lines.

It was television's longestrunning science fiction anthology largely because of its ability to make the unbelievable seem like a terrifying reality.