A Couple of Peaks in Lynch’s Career

David Lynch, who is currently receiving critics’ kudos for his “Mulholland Dr.” mystery thriller, is curiously missing in action on two recent DVDs of his work: his cult TV series “Twin Peaks” and his Oscar-nominated 1980 feature “The Elephant Man.” Although cast and crew talk lovingly and passionately about the quirky director, it seems that Lynch doesn’t like to dissect his work. His presence, though, is sorely missed.

Nevertheless, “Twin Peaks--the First Season” (Artisan, $60) is a fun four-disc set that features seven episodes of the 1990 mystery series that Lynch created with Mark Frost, focusing on a by-the-book detective (Kyle MacLachlan) investigating the murder of Laura Palmer (Sheryl Lee) in the truly bizarre logging town of Twin Peaks. The ABC series, which seems as fresh as it did 11 years ago, became a cultural phenomenon in its first season. But as it became more convoluted in the second, viewers stopped tuning in. Besides MacLachlan and Lee, the series also starred Lara Flynn Boyle, the late Jack Nance (best known from “Eraserhead”), Richard Beymer, Russ Tamblyn, Piper Laurie, Sherilyn Fenn and James Marshall.

For some reason, Lynch’s spectacular two-hour pilot of “Twin Peaks” is not included in the disc. But what is included are interesting commentaries with the series directors, introductions to each episode by the Log Lady (which aired when Bravo ran repeats of the series), an interview with Frost by the two editors of the fanzine Wrapped in Plastic, and interviews with cast members. Rounding out the disc is a look at the characters and how they are connected.

The digital edition of “The Elephant Man” (Paramount, $30) includes a beautiful, wide-screen transfer of this haunting, exceptionally acted 1980 drama about John Merrick (John Hurt), the hideously deformed Victorian-era man known as the Elephant Man, who is rescued from a vicious carnival barker (Freddie Jones) by a London doctor (Anthony Hopkins) and given a life of dignity.

Nominated for eight Oscars--although not for Freddie Francis’ astonishing black-and-white cinematography--”Elephant Man” went home empty-ended.

The DVD includes interviews with producer Jonathan Sanger, producer Mel Brooks (who points out that he didn’t put his name on the credits for fear audiences would think it a comedy), Hurt and makeup artist Christopher Tucker. Tucker also offers a tour of his studio and narrates a series of still photos showing the 12-hour process of applying Hurt’s makeup. Included is the only color picture of Hurt in his Elephant Man makeup.

Seventeen years ago, director Ivan Reitman scored a tremendous hit with his comedy “Ghostbusters.” But lightning didn’t strike twice with “Evolution” (DreamWorks, $20), released last summer. “Ghostbusters” dealt with a wild and crazy team of guys who saved the world from errant spooks. “Evolution” deals with three wild and crazy guys who help save the world from nasty aliens. “Ghostbusters” was a hoot; “Evolution” has some laughs but feels like a retread even with a good cast, including David Duchovny, Orlando Jones, Seann William Scott and Julianne Moore.

The digital edition includes a wide-screen transfer of the film, cast and crew bios, production notes, the trailer and eight deleted scenes with Reitman’s commentary. One of them is an alternate opening in which Duchovny’s girlfriend leaves him; another is a really strange, and slightly sick, alternate ending that was removed after only one test screening. The disc also includes “The Evolution of Evolution” documentary that aired on HBO, storyboard to screen comparisons and an extensive photo gallery.

Reitman, Duchovny, Jones and Scott provide commentary that is far funnier than the movie.

“Uprising,” NBC’s four-hour miniseries about Jewish resistance fighters in the Warsaw ghetto who battled the Nazis during World War II, is now a thought-provoking DVD (Warner, $25). The two-disc set features the wide-screen version of the historical drama that aired on the network last month; a better-than-average behind-the-scenes documentary; and the informative “Resistance,” a documentary offering historical background on the actual event, featuring interviews with survivors of the Warsaw Ghetto. Writer-director-producer Jon Avnet offers passionate commentary; a second track features the movie’s stars: Leelee Sobieski, Hank Azaria, David Schwimmer and Jon Voight.

One of Federico Fellini’s masterworks, 1963’s Oscar winner for best foreign-language film, “8those,” has been given a deluxe DVD treatment by Criterion ($40). Marcello Mastroianni gives one of his greatest performances as a film director who is having an artistic crisis. Claudia Cardinale, Anouk Aimee, Barbara Steele and Sandra Milo play the women in his life. The gorgeous black-and-white cinematography was supplied by Gianni di Venanzo; the rich score was composed by Nino Rota.

The two-disc set includes a new digital transfer of a restoration completed by the Cinema Forever project; a lovely introduction by Terry Gilliam, of “Brazil” fame, who talks about the influence of “8those” on his movies; the trailer; informative commentary featuring film critic and Fellini friend Gideon Bachmann and New York University film professor Antonio Monda; excerpts from Fellini interviews and letters; and Deena Boyler’s on-set diary, “200 Days of 8those.”

The second disc includes a plethora of stills from the movie and behind-the-scenes shots; enjoyable interviews with a very lively Milo; director Lina Wertmuller, who proclaims that Fellini was a child who never grew up; and noted cinematographer Vittorio Storaro, who talks about the artistry of Di Venanzo.

The documentary “Nino Rota: Between Cinema and Concert” tries to unveil the man behind the music of Fellini’s films, and “Fellini: A Director’s Notebook” is a truly bizarre TV film made for NBC in 1969. Poorly dubbed and surreal to the max, “A Director’s Notebook” is supposed to bridge the gap between “8those” and later films such as “Roma” and “Intervista.” But it’s pretty much unwatchable.