Is it possible to get a more complete Blu-ray Disc than one delivered by CBS DVD/Paramount this Thanksgiving season? No, that mission is impossible.
“Mission: Impossible: The Original TV Series” is a 46-disc Blu-ray of the entire series, from 1966 to 1973, starring Peter Graves. And, oh, what a series it was, led by the Impossible Missions Force (IMF), leaders of espionage missions.
All 171 episodes feature the now-famous tape-recorded message outlining the latest task for the group to tackle, including rounding up evil dictators, exploiting crime lords, and going after corrupt organizations.
The strong cast includes Steven Hill, Martin Landau, Barbara Bain and Greg Morris. Oh, and also look for Leonard Nimoy, Lesley Ann Warren, and Sam Elliot!
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Speaking of behemoths, “Saturday Night Live: The Early Years” (Time Life) is a 12-DVD set that includes 33 complete episodes from the first five seasons. Shows hand-picked by Time Life include those hosted by George Carlin, Lily Tomlin, Steve Martin and Richard Pryor. All the while, the Not Ready for Prime Time Players (legends Chevy Chase, John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, Jane Curtin, Gilda Radner, Laraine Newman, and Garrett Morris) play characters such as Baba Wawa, King Tut, Roseanne Roseannadanna, Samurai, the Blues Brothers, Killer Bees, Father Guido Sarducci, and the Coneheads. Besides musical guests Jackson Browne, Paul Simon, Van Morrison, Blondie, and others, the DVD contains bonus features such as screen tests, interviews, and a 28-page booklet.
“Weathering With You: Collector’s Edition” (Shout Factory GKids) is a fantastic find! This limited-edition set includes the film in 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray Disc, standard bonus features, and an additional Blu-ray dedicated to the feature-length documentary “The Making of Weathering With You.” Also includes is a CD soundtrack, a 104-page bound book, and more. This new animated film by Makoto Shinkai is about a high school freshman who runs away from his remote island home to Tokyo. Still, he’s lonely and lives almost in isolation, but he meets a girl with the ability to stop the rain and clear the sky.
“V for Vendetta” (Warner Bros. Home Entertainment) celebrates its 15th anniversary, as the thought-provoking action thriller is released on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray combo pack and digital HD. Remember, this Natalie Portman and Hugo Weaving film is made by those who brought us “The Matrix” trilogy, the Wachowskis. New special features include a featurette, Portman’s audition, and more. All the previously released bonus features are included.
“The Killing Floor” (Film Movement Classics) is a movie made in the mid-1980s but is now on Blu-ray in 4K digital restoration by UCLA. The historical drama is about a young black sharecropper from the South who journeys to the industrial north during World War I, landing a job in “the killing floor” of a meatpacking plant. However, white-led union members turn against him. The film stars Damien Leake and Alfre Woodard. Bonus features are plentiful.