Mel Gibson’s No Pantywaist

L’Eggs designed special queen-size panty hose for Mel Gibson to wear in the comedy, “What Women Want.” On the entertaining DVD (Paramount, $30), director Nancy Meyers admits that she was never told what size Gibson ended up wearing. But L’Eggs did have to supply numerous pairs because the heartthrob kept putting runs in the nylons every time he put his foot in them.

Gibson maintains in an interview on the disc that when it came time for him to wax his legs, it didn’t hurt at all and he still wonders why women always complain about the pain the treatment causes.

In the romantic comedy, Gibson plays the ultimate bachelor working at a high-powered Chicago ad agency. A divorce with a teenage daughter, he takes his cues on life from Frank Sinatra. But things change after a fluke accident allows him to hear women’s thoughts. Helen Hunt plays his new boss and budding romantic interest.

The DVD includes a decent behind-the-scenes featurette and cast and crew interviews. Presented in the wide-screen format, the disc also includes the theatrical trailer and enjoyable commentary from Meyers and production designer Jon Hutman.

Meyers says she watched many Sinatra movies before production began; in fact, she says Gibson’s apartment is based in part on Sinatra’s pad in “Come Blow Your Horn.” Because Sinatra’s favorite color was orange, Hutman made sure that orange was a dominant color in the design.

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Hunt also stars in the well-intentioned but weepy melodrama “Pay It Forward” (Warner, $25). She plays the alcoholic mother of a young boy (Haley Joel Osment, who is wonderful).

When his teacher (Kevin Spacey) suggests that the class come up with ways of helping the world, Osment decides to do good deeds for three people who, in turn, must repay the deed with three more people.

The DVD edition includes the wide-screen version of the drama, cast and career highlights, a serviceable documentary and OK commentary from director Mimi Leder.

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Though the computer thriller “Antitrust” may have come and gone from theaters this past January in a blink of an eye, that hasn’t stopped MGM from releasing a “special edition” DVD ($25).

Ryan Phillippe plays a computer genius who is recruited to work on a new global communications system run by a smiling but shark-like software giant (Tim Robbins).

The DVD includes the wide-screen version of the film, a music video by Everclear, a better-than-average documentary, several deleted scenes (including the alternate opening and ending, with commentary from director Peter Howitt) and interesting audio commentary from Howitt and editor Zach Staenberg.

Howitt and Staenberg talk about the fact that “Antitrust” really took shape in post-production. After the first preview screening, the pair went back to the editing bay and rearranged scenes and even filmed a few new scenes, transforming the emphasis from Robbins’ character to Phillippe’s. Also, the exterior of Robbins’ beautiful mansion and swimming pool were digitally created.

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The late, great Steve McQueen received only one best actor Oscar nomination during his career. It was for his touching performance in Robert Wise’s 1966 epic “The Sand Pebbles.” McQueen plays seaman Jake Holman, a loner who is stationed aboard a U.S. gunboat in China in the 1920s.

Richard Attenborough plays his Navy buddy; Candice Bergen is a young missionary; Richard Crenna portrays Holman’s hostile commander; and Mako is a coolie Holman trains.

Based on the novel by Richard McKenna, “Sand Pebbles” was nominated for nine Academy Awards. The seaworthy DVD (Fox, $25) features a lovely transfer of both the wide- and full-screen editions of the film, two radio documentaries, three radio spots and a still gallery. Wise, Crenna, Mako and Bergen are all featured on the excellent audio commentary.

Wise points out that he wanted to do “Sand Pebbles” after “West Side Story” but because it would take awhile to set up--Taiwan had to substitute for mainland China--he went off to film “The Sound of Music.” After that Oscar-winning musical was released, Wise returned to “Sand Pebbles.”

Bergen, who was just 19 when she made the film, didn’t even know at that point if she wanted to be an actress, but she kept getting great roles. She says that no one ever really got to know McQueen, who had had a troubled childhood. Bergen says that his anger and bitterness helped power his performances, but he never trusted anybody and could change moods on a dime.

It’s Crenna, though, who really steals the audio commentary--he’s thoughtful, informative and funny. The cast, he says, bonded so strongly that for years after the completion of the film, everyone would get together once a year for a reunion at a Chinese restaurant.

But it is his comments on McQueen’s spare acting style that are most insightful. He discusses McQueen’s body language in various scenes and how the actor says so much--especially in the scene in which he tours the ship’s engine room--with his facial expressions and his subtle use of hand movements.

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Judy! Judy! Judy!

Pioneer has just released the fifth volume of episodes from CBS’ 1963-64 “The Judy Garland Show” ($25). This beautifully restored disc, which includes audio tracks in both Dolby stereo and the original mono, features the premiere episode with Donald O’Connor and the famous No. 9 installment with Barbra Streisand, Ethel Merman and the Smothers Brothers. There are also a few fun outtakes. Garland and Streisand’s duet, combining “Happy Days Are Here Again” and “Get Happy,” is still a knockout.

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Cher, Dennis Quaid and Liam Neeson, in his first American film, star in the entertaining 1987 courtroom thriller “Suspect.” The digital edition (Columbia Tristar, $20) includes both the wide- and full-screen editions of the film, the trailer and literate commentary from director Peter Yates. One of funny anecdotes he offers is the fact that “Suspect” marked the first time Quaid actually wore a suit in a movie.