NEW DVDS With cult appeal

These new DVDs contain wildly different subject matter, but they do have one thing in common: a rabid cult following that will welcome word of their release:
"Northern Exposure: The Complete First Season" (Universal, $59.98): The Emmy-winning '90s TV series about quirky life in a small Alaskan town has finally arrived on DVD. The first season comprised only eight hourlong episodes, but each one includes deleted scenes and other previously unaired footage. And, in case it gets cold on the shelf, the DVD comes bundled in a cozy orange parka complete with a moose-shaped zipper pull."Wizards" (Fox, $14.98): Ralph Bakshi's bizarre post-apocalyptic tale is an acquired taste, but that's true of all his work. For those wondering what the 1977 animated film is all about, Bakshi provides some explanations in a feature-length commentary.There's also a half-hour documentary about his remarkable career, whose most popular entry is "Fritz the Cat.""Zatoichi ...," Vols. 12, 13 and 15 (Home Vision, $19.95 each): His fans just call him Zats, the blind masseur and swordsman who always finds action in this long-running Japanese series. The latest batch brings the 12th film, "Zatoichi and the Chess Expert" (1965); the 13th, "Zatoichi's Vengeance" (1966), and the 15th, "Zatoichi's Cane Sword" (1967). (The rights to No. 14, 1966's "Zatoichi's Pilgrimage," not on DVD, are owned by another company.) There are no extras, but as with all the Home Vision releases, the films feature spiffy enhanced-wide-screen presentations and newly done subtitles.
Source: Minneapolis-St. Paul Star-Tribune