What's new on DVD this month

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.

Transformers TwoDisc Special Edition (Paramount)- Michael Bay and Steven Spielberg join forces in presenting a story where war erupts on Earth between two robotic clans, the heroic Autobots and the evil Decepticons, leaving the fate of mankind hanging in the balance, with ultimate power to be found in a clue held by Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf). A complete disc of extras explores the Transformers' world through interviews with cast and crew, stunt training footage and on-set coverage. An inside look at the production design and the use of military advisers and specials effects are also included.

The Princess Bride20th Anniversary (MGM)- This classic fairy tale involving an evil prince, giants and swordplay, written by William Goldman ("Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid") and directed by Rob Reiner ("This Is Spinal Tap"), won a Saturn Award as the Best Fantasy Film when it debuted in 1987. Starring Cary Elwes and Robin Wright, special features include "True Love and High Adventure": the official Princess Bride DVD game, "The Art of Fencing," a fairy tales and folklore segment and a reversible storybook with two versions of the Princess Bride story.

The Man From U.N.C.L.E.The Complete Series (Time Life)- One of the first and greatest spy series on television, this '60s classic, featuring the harrowing adventures of international agents Robert Vaughan and David McCallum, is now available in the ultimate form. Packaged in a silver 'attache case,' the contents include all 105 episodes on 41 discs. A vault full of bonus materials include an extensive indepth reunion interview with the stars, rare on-set and photo gallery material, a celebration of guest stars, the original pilot, "One Spy Too Many"- the feature film based on the series- several booklets with liner notes, interviews with other cast and crew, a multitude of featurettes covering the music, girls and history of the series, and assorted memorabilia.

Looney TunesGolden Collection 5 (Warner Bros.)- What's up Doc? Well for Looney Tune fans, Christmas has come early. Sixty classic cartoons featuring Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig and others are available on four discs brilliantly remastered in uncut versions. There is no skimping on the extras either, as it includes three TV specials starring "that wascally wabbit," a salute to the legendary cartoonists, behindthescenes views of the animators, special music tracks and bonus rarities from the vaults like Private SNAFU and Mr. Hook shorts.

Twin Peaks-Definitive Gold Box Edition, Complete Series (Paramount)- For fans of David Lynch and Mark Frost's groundbreaking murder mystery series centered in "a town where everyone knows everyone and nothing is what it seems," comes this ultimate DVD. All 29 episodes plus the American and international versions of the original pilot are included. A gold mine of bonus material spread over 10 discs includes a feature-length documentary, an interactive emap, rare photos, a dozen Twin Peaks postcard greetings, a music video and features with cast and crew.

Secrets of WWII (BBC Warner)- From one of the premiere documentarians comes a four-disc, 26 episode look at some of the brilliant and true stories of brave men and women from all walks of life thrown into lifethreatening situations. Covering all theaters of war, from North Africa to Japan, the producers have secured recently released secret footage to provide a clearer context for the strategic objectives and tactical efforts of operations performed in often very dire conditions.

Live Free or Die Hard-Unrated, Two-Disc Special Edition (Fox)- Yippie Ky Yay! The latest installment of the popular film series finds unlucky, old-school NYPD Detective John McClane (Bruce Willis) taking on an Internetbased terrorist organization that is systematically shutting down the United States. In addition to the action-packed chaos of the story, the two-disc presentation also offers a bounty of extras, including deleted scenes.

Amazing Journey: The Story of The Who (Universal)- Two riveting feature films about one of the seminal and most influential rock bands in history debuts, marking the 40th anniversary of this British quartet's first appearance in North America. A brilliant production, the films chronicle a compelling adventure on the exhilarating, tragic power of their music. Transcending their generation, music greats including U2's The Edge, Sting and Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder offer commentaries on The Who's indelible influence. All-new, exclusive, neverbeforeseen interviews with Pete Townshend, Roger Daltrey and others, as well as a colorful collector's booklet and rare concert footage, are included.

Michael Palin Pole-to-Pole (BBC Warner)- A follow-up to the very popular Around the World in 80 Days series, the former Monty Python member ventures out to go the most direct land route from the North Pole to the South Pole. Strange, sad and wonderful tales occur as Palin travels through the Soviet Union (just as it was breaking up), Turkey and the entire length of the African continent, meeting a diverse array of people from very different cultures in 17 countries. The engaging comedian tries just about everything, from white water rafting in Zimbabwe to riding on the roofs of trains and applying tree bark prescribed by a Mpulugu witch doctor to get rid of his evil shadow, all the while managing to find time for a spot of tea.

Benny Hill-The Complete Megaset (A&E)- One of the pioneers of bawdy sketch comedy, Benny Hill and his talented ensemble blazed new trails, unafraid to satirize society's taboos. More than 20 years of material consisting of 58 uncut episodes of "The Benny Hill Show," the collection includes more than 48 hours on 18 discs of digitally remastered mirth through the use of double entendres, naughty ballads, pantomimes and slapstick that capture Benny's trademark buffoonery.

The Sopranos-Season 6, Part II (HBO)- The final nine episodes of the landmark series centering on the personal and professional world of Jersey mob boss Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini) arrives on DVD with four discs. The Emmy, Golden Globe and Peabody-winning series concludes with Tony facing legal pressures, life-altering decisions at home and loyalty questions about even his most trusted associates. Special features: "Making Cleaver," a backdoor view of the horror film that Christopher Moltisanti pitched to Hollywood; "Music of the Sopranos"; and assorted audio commentaries from cast members.