GIFT GUIDE

dvd and blu-ray

By JEN CHANEY

Washington Post

it's the most wonderful home-entertainment time of the year, that special season when studios roll out the best DVDs and Blu-rays they have to offer. This gift guide focuses on the strongest among those many options, broken down into eight categories. Whether you’re seeking a stocking stuffer for a cinema snob, a can’t-miss present for the sci-fi geek or something sweet for the kids, you’re covered.

FOR THE CINEPHILE

AK 100: 25 Films of Akira Kurosawa

Available Tuesday on DVD (SRP: $399)

Serious students of cinema — especially those who haven’t gotten around to adding any Akira Kurosawa to their collections — will relish this box set, released by Criterion on the centennial year of the filmmaker’s birth. The 25 discs range from “Sanshiro Sugata,” his 1943 directorial debut, to well-known classics such as “Rashomon” and “Seven Samurai.”

Paul Newman: The Tribute Collection

Available now on DVD ($90)

For those who don’t own any of the blue-eyed legend’s films, this is a great place to start; 13 of his movies come in this mega-set, including “The Hustler,” “The Verdict” and the never-gets-old “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.”

“The Exiles”

Available now on DVD ($30).

This critically acclaimed but never theatrically released 1961 documentary is considered an underground masterpierce by many critics. Now everyone can discover it on this two-disc release, which comes with several extras, including multiple shorts by director Kent Mackenzie.

FOR THE SCI-FI GEEK

“Star Trek”

Available now on two-disc DVD ($40) and Blu-ray ($40)

Sci-fi blockbusters are rarely as zippy and fun as this reboot of the Enterprise franchise. Adding to the enjoyment, especially on Blu-ray? Loads and loads of extras that boldly go behind the scenes to capture every detail involved in making this “Trek” such a treat.

“District 9”

Available Dec. 22 on two-disc DVD ($37) and Blu-ray ($40)

Aliens deal with major civil- rights issues in this documentary-style surprise hit, which comes with several extra-terrestrial extras on Blu-ray and in the two-disc special-edition DVD.

FOR THE KIDS

“Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs”: Diamond Edition

Available now in DVD and Blu-ray combo-pack ($40)

Before your little tiara-wearers become completely obsessed with “The Princess and the Frog,” remind them how the whole Disney-princess phenomenon began by watching this classic, available for the first time on Blu-ray. (The combo pack also includes a standard DVD version, making the movie viewable on multiple players.) The pink hues of Snow White’s cheeks have never looked rosier than they do in high-def; the collection also boasts several special features, including a tour of Hyperion Studios, Walt Disney’s original workplace.

FOR THE YULETIDE-SPIRITED

TCM Greatest Classic Films Collection: Holiday

Available now on DVD ($28)

Dad has never met a Christmas movie he didn’t like. But he already owns “It’s a Wonderful Life” and “A Christmas Story.” What to do? Give him this affordable collection of four slightly less ubiquitous holiday favorites, including “Christmas in Connecticut” and the wonderful “Shop Around the Corner.” The extras are limited to a handful of vintage short films, but this quartet of films will be viewed enough times every December to make it a worthwhile purchase.

“It’s a Wonderful Life“: Blu-ray

Available now ($30)

The perfect gift for the holiday movie nut who just upgraded to Blu-ray, this two-disc set boasts pristine prints in both the black-and-white and — cover your eyes and ears, purists — colorized versions. Better extras would have been a nice bonus, but those who want their heartstrings tugged in high-def probably won’t quibble.

FOR ANYONE WHO NEEDS A LAUGH

”The Hangover“: Unrated Special Edition

Available Dec. 15 on two-disc DVD ($35) and Blu-ray ($36)

Get seven more minutes of funny in the extended version of this summer’s breakout comedy hit. In addition to the supersized Zach Galifianakis-fueled humor, the DVD delivers a gag reel and a pair of featurettes, and the Blu-ray takes things to 11 with more featurettes, another round of ”scandalous“ photos from the movie’s missing camera and a picture-in-picture commentary track with director Todd Phillips and stars Galifianakis, Ed Helms and Bradley Cooper.

FOR LOVERS OF LOVE STORIES

”Gone With the Wind:“ 70th Anniversary Ultimate Collector’s Edition

Available now on DVD ($70) and Blu-ray ($85)

Anyone who loves a grand, passionate romance frankly has to give a damn about this newly issued version of the Civil War epic to end all Civil War epics. “Gone With the Wind“ looks gorgeous in high-def and comes swagged out on both DVD and Blu-ray with three new documentaries, a 40-page commemorative book and more, all nestled nicely in a velvet box whose color can only be described as (what else?) scarlet.

”(500) Days of Summer“

Available Dec. 22 on DVD ($30) and Blu-ray ($40)

This contemporary boy-meets-and-loses-girl story pulls off a neat trick — it’s infectiously sweet but brutally honest about relationships at the same time. Most of the extras come on the Blu-ray disc, which rounds out the romance with commentary, deleted scenes, audition tapes and more.

”Say Anything“: 20th Anniversary Edition

Available now on DVD ($20) and Blu-ray ($35)

Want to win points with your John Cusack-loving wife? Instead of taking her to “2012” give her this newly issued version of the Lloyd Dobler love story, which comes with fresh featurettes and, on Blu-ray, a high-def version of the movie.

FOR THE ROCKER

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Live

Available now on DVD ($120), exclusively on RockHallDVDs.com or TimeLife.com

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has hosted some seriously star-studded moments in the 25 years since its birth. This massive, nine-DVD set allows music fans to revisit many of them: specifically, 125 musical performances from such luminaries as Bruce Springsteen, U2, Prince and Paul McCartney, and 54 Hall of Fame induction speeches, not to mention nine hours of rehearsal and backstage footage. That’s a lot of rocking.

”It Might Get Loud“

Available Dec. 22 on DVD ($28) and Blu-ray ($38)

Seeking more tutelage from legendary musicians? Look no further than Davis Guggenheim’s documentary in which a trio of extraordinary shredders — Jimmy Page, The Edge and Jack White — get together to analyze and play the beautiful instrument that is the electric guitar.

Nirvana Live at Reading

Available now on DVD ($20) and in a DVD/CD deluxe edition ($34)

Widely dubbed the most significant concert ever performed by the most important (with a capital “I” alternative rock band of the ’90s, this DVD captures every intense moment of Nirvana’s 90-minute gig at the 1992 British music festival.

TELEVISION SHOWS

“Lost”: The Complete Fifth Season Dharma Initiation Kit

Available Dec. 8 on DVD ($120) and Blu-ray ($134)

The penultimate season of this multi-layered drama catapulted cast members along the space-time continuum — definitely sci-fi geeky. Now embed that season in a box set that comes with top-secret info from the show’s Dharma Initiative, including a VHS tape of an orientation video? Yeah, that’s super-sci-fi geeky.

“The Prisoner”: The Complete Series: Blu-ray Edition

Available now ($100)

With the remake of this mind-bending British classic airing on AMC, now is the ideal time to see, or revisit, the original. All 17 episodes of the drama — which stars Patrick McGoohan as the former spy trapped in a lovely but Orwellian village — have been remastered in high-definition and come equipped with featurettes, a making-of documentary and more.

“The Transformers”: 25th Anniversary “Matrix of Leadership” Edition

Available now on DVD ($170)

Skip “Revenge of the Fallen” and let your fifth-grader watch the Autobots and Decepticons battle it out cartoon-style in all 98 episodes of the ’80s animated series. The 16-DVD set also contains multiple featurettes, copies of complete scripts, a 60-page book and many other extras.

“Spongebob Squarepants”: The First 100 Episodes

Available now on DVD ($100)

This 14-disc set — with all those episodes, audio commentaries and a few featurettes — should keep you and the kids parked by the pineapple under the sea for many hours.

Merry Sitcom! Christmas Classics From TV’s Golden Age

Available now on DVD ($13)

An ideal stocking stuffer, this ready-made retro Christmas TV marathon includes seven episodes from ’60s-era staples such as “Father Knows Best,” “Bewitched” and “That Girl.”

“Futurama”: The Complete Collection

Available now on DVD ($120)

Sometimes you just want to flop on the couch, turn on this futuristic animated comedy and watch, oh, 72 episodes of it. Seriously, that’s just the tip of the 31st-century iceberg in this box set, which includes all four seasons of “Futurama,” plus the four feature-length “Futurama” movies, deleted scenes, audio commentaries and additional extras. Most enticingly, all 18 discs are packaged in a replica of surly robot Bender’s head, guaranteeing this collection’s status as a collectible every “Futurama” fan will covet.

“Ally McBeal”: The Complete Series

Available now on DVD ($200)

All five seasons of perhaps the weirdest legal drama to ever air on network television come in this 32-disc box set. And that means viewers get to see a retrospective documentary, plenty of arguments in the unisex bathroom at the firm of Cage & Fish and more than one appearance from the Dancing Baby.

The Steve Coogan Collection

Available now on DVD ($130)

Fans of the comedian and the many alter egos he assumed on British television will devour this set, packed with 18 discs’ worth of episodes from Coogan’s numerous series (yes, that means A LOT of Alan Partridge), plus four hours of special features.

“It’s Garry Shandling’s Show”: The Complete Series

Available now on DVD ($160)

Fans of “Seinfeld” who have O.D.’d on yadda yadda yadda might appreciate this groundbreaking ’80s sitcom, which trafficked heavily in self-referential satire before Jerry did, and did so without ever being snarky. Includes all four seasons plus commentaries, new interviews and more.