Out, Out, Damn Spot! - 8:29pm

Debuting on September 28th from Universal Studios Home Video is latest lulu from writer Charles (Being John Malkovich, Adaptation) Kaufman, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Despite great reviews the film was not a box office hit, but with Jim Carrey's name above the title, expect a longer shelf life on DVD. Set for release in both anamorphic widescreen and full screen versions, each includes DTS and Dolby Digital 5.1 surround tracks, filmographies and theatrical trailers. Retail will list for $29.95, although no other extras have been announced...but stay tuned.

Due two weeks later on October 12th is the unusual animated family adventureSanta Vs. the Snowman. This one features the voices of Ben Stein, Jonathan Winters and Victoria Jackson, and will be presented in 3-D. The DVD includes four pairs of 3-D Glasses, a removable 3-D lenticular packaging, and the obligatory filmographies, production notes and bonus trailers. And more family fun includes the sequel Prancer Returns, which boasts a 4;3 full screen transfer and Dolby Digital 5.1 surround track, plus an Alecia Elliot "If You Believe" music video and a wealth of ROM exclusives: the "Prancer Returns Game Maze" and "Three Oaks Forest" interactive games, a screen saver, printable color pages, downloadables and more. Retail will cost you $14.95 worth of snowballs a pop.

And last but not least is a chilly thriller that is a far cry from family entertainment, the John Carpenter cult classic The Thing. Universal will be reissuing the flick in a newly-remastered anamorphic widescreen transfer, with all the same extras as the current (and now discontinued) special edition: "Terror Takes Shape" documentary, audio commentary with star Kurt Russell and Carpenter, a still gallery, deleted footage, a still gallery and trailer. Retail will also list for $14.95.

All You Want for Christmas - 8:29pm

You wanna piece of this? Paramount has also unleashed street dates for the studio's entire catalog lineup through the end of the year. Watch for the family favorites All I Want for Christmas and Black Beauty on October 5th, along with stand-alone reissues of The Godfather Part II and The Godfather Part III, plus a new collector's edition of Brian De Palma's box office smash The Untouchables. More goodies include the comedy classics The Bellboy, Cinderfella, The Delicate Delinquent, The Disorderly Orderly, The Errand Boy, The Patsy, The Stooge, The Family Jewels, The Ladies' Man and a new special edition reissue of the original The Nutty Professor on October 12th. Sci-fi fans can feast on the thrillers Conquest of Space, D.A.R.Y.L., Explorers, Fire in the Sky and a new special edition of Deep Impact on October 19th, followed by the dramedies Brain Donors, Jimmy Hollywood and The Thing Called Love on October 26th.

Then comes Ace High, Arrowhead, Last Train from Gun Hill and The Naked Jungle on November 9th; Ridley Scott's 1492: Conquest of Paradise, Bopha!, Foul Play, Ragtime, Testament and a separate widescreen and full screen special edition reissues of Top Gun on November 16th; and It's All True, The Keep, The Lords of Discipline and Racing with the Moon on November 30th.

Finally, you TV on DVD fans can enjoy a triple-threat of The Andy Griffith Show: Season 1, Hogan's Heroes: Season 1 and Taxi: Season 1 on October 12th. Watch this space for further details in the months ahead.

A Lover, Not a Rebel - 8:29pm

He's survived a Big Adventure, life in the circus and getting busted on obscenity charges, but his greatest accomplish is at last coming to DVD. On November 30th, Image Entertainment will release all 45 episodes (plus six "lost" installments) of Pee-Wee's Playhouse, spread across two separate box sets, plus an additional separate release for the Pee-Wee's Playhouse Christmas Special. While this first release will be relatively bare bones, Image is also planning a collector's edition set of the series for 2005, which will include exclusive commentary and bonus materials from Reubens. Stay tuned for more details to follow in the weeks ahead.