“Robots”: A lovably motley posse of walking, talking machines populates this visually striking animated tale whose voice cast includes Ewan McGregor, Halle Berry, Robin Williams, Mel Brooks and Greg Kinnear. From the makers of “Ice Age,” the movie is set on a world of robots, where an idealistic young machine man moves from hicksville to the big city and ends up in a fight against cutthroat corporate forces seeking to destroy outmoded citizens in favor of flashy new hot ‘bots. Among DVD extras are deleted scenes, the original short used to pitch the feature film, the new animated robot short “Aunt Fanny’s Tour of Booty” and a sneak peek at “Ice Age 2.” The DVD also has two commentaries, one featuring director Chris Wedge, the other with the technical and animation gang. DVD, $29.98. (20th Century Fox)
“Lords of Dogtown,” “A Knight’s Tale”: Heath Ledger plays a rebel in two past eras, the 14th century and the 1970s. The summer flop “Lords of Dogtown” features some wild skateboarding action. Ledger plays a surf-shop owner who becomes mentor to a band of Southern California skateboarders (Emile Hirsch, Victor Rasuk and John Robinson) whose daring exploits led to today’s extreme-sports style. The movie comes in the theatrical version or an extended cut adding four minutes, with commentary from director Catherine Hardwicke and cast members and deleted scenes. “Lords of Dogtown” DVD, $28.95; “A Knight’s Tale” DVD, $19.94. (Sony)
“The Man Who Fell to Earth,” “Bad Timing”: Two disturbing, insightful films from cult director Nicholas Roeg arrive. The prize is a terrific new DVD edition of 1976’s “The Man Who Fell to Earth,” starring David Bowie as an alien who comes to our fair planet to borrow water for his dying home world, only to tumble into a stupor of physical gratification and alienation among humanity. The two-disc set has commentary with Roeg, Bowie and co-star Buck Henry, new interviews with co-stars Candy Clark and Rip Torn, and a 1984 interview with Walter Tevis, whose book was the basis for the film. The set also has a copy of Tevis’ novel. “Bad Timing,” from 1980, stars Art Garfunkel, Theresa Russell and Harvey Keitel in a dark, stark exploration of sexual obsession. The DVD has interviews with Roeg and Russell, plus deleted scenes. “Man Who Fell to Earth” DVD set, $39.95; “Bad Timing” DVD, $29.95. (Criterion)
“Oliver!”: Timed to Roman Polanski’s new big-screen adaptation of Charles Dickens’ “Oliver Twist,” this new DVD-CD combo features the 1968 musical “Oliver!” and the film’s soundtrack. Winner of the best-picture prize at the Academy Awards, along with the directing Oscar for Carol Reed, “Oliver!” features Ron Moody as the sinister father figure Fagin, Oliver Reed as the villainous Bill Sykes, Mark Lester as plucky urchin Oliver and Jack Wild as boy pickpocket the Artful Dodger. DVD-CD set, $19.94. (Sony)
“The Amazing Race: The First Season”: And they’re off! The first year of one of television’s most acclaimed reality shows – featuring two-person teams on a dash around the globe – debuts in a four-disc set with 13 episodes. Extras include commentary from some of the contestants and 90 minutes of deleted footage. DVD set, $39.98. (Paramount)
“The Gilmore Girls: The Complete Fourth Season”: The mother-and-daughter gal pals (Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel) encounter separation anxiety as the younger Gilmore girl heads off to college at Yale. Year four’s 22 episodes come in a six-disc set accompanied by deleted scenes on two episodes. DVD set, $59.98. (Warner Bros.)
“The Complete Monty Python’s Flying Circus: 16-Ton Megaset”: A dead parrot, the Ministry of Silly Walks, the Spanish Inquisition and more Spam than you can shake a remote control at. This 16-disc set repackages previous “Python” releases into a space-saving set containing all 45 episodes of the classic comedy show plus the two-disc “Monty Python Live” compilation. DVD set, $199.95. (A&E)
“Star Trek: Enterprise – The Complete Third Season”: In the next-to-last season, the makers of the “Trek” prequel sought to inject new life with a season-long crisis: A sneak attack on Earth bearing shades of Sept. 11 and the Enterprise crew’s desperate mission to foil an alien race’s attempt to eradicate humanity with a doomsday weapon. The seven-disc set has 24 episodes, plus deleted scenes. DVD set, $129.99. (Paramount)
“Hogan’s Heroes” The Complete Second Season”: The wily Allies continue to operate a sabotage-and-escape operation under the noses of the Nazis running their POW camp. The five-disc set has 30 episodes of the 1960s sit-com starring Bob Crane, with commentary on some from the late star’s wife and co-star Robert Clary. DVD set, $38.99. (Paramount)
“The Beverly Hillbillies: Volume 1”: Think how rich Jed Clampett would be with today’s gas prices. Buddy Ebsen heads the clan of backwoods folk whose oil strike sends them packing to Beverly, Hills, that is. The four-disc set has 26 episodes from the sitcom that debuted in 1962, including extra footage on the original pilot. DVD set, $34.98. (MPI)
“Law &Order: Special Victims Unit – The Second Year”: Year two of the crime-and-punishment spinoff comes in a three-disc set with 21 episodes, featuring Mariska Hargitay, Christopher Meloni and Richard Belzer reprising his character from “Homicide: Life on the Street.” DVD set, $59.98. (Universal)
David Germain, Associated Press
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