Features on This DVD Need to Pick Up ‘Speed’

The special two-disc edition of the 1994 action-thriller “Speed” (Fox, $27) is a mixed bag. The problem is that the second disc isn’t very exciting. Several mini-documentaries on the making of the Keanu Reeves-Sandra Bullock hit are OK but nothing special. A multi-angle look at several of the film’s hair-raising stunts is the best feature on the second disc, but the cast interviews and extended scenes are a snooze.

It’s best concentrate on the first disc, which includes a nice wide-screen edition of the film and interesting commentary from Jan DeBont, who discusses how he made the leap from cinematographer to director and how he got Reeves to star in his first action flick. Writer Graham Yost and producer Mark Gordon supply a second and equally entertaining commentary track. The two discuss the various changes that were made in the script before it went before the camera and just how many directors turned down the film before DeBont came on board.

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Based on the popular video game, “Resident Evil” (Columbia TriStar, $28) is a confusing blood fest starring Milla Jovovich and Michelle Rodriguez as members of an elite group of commandos trapped in an underground complex run by an evil organization and surrounded by a group of hungry zombies who look like they stepped out of the old Michael Jackson “Thriller” video. The DVD includes the wide-screen version of the film, a music video by Slipknot, three featurettes on the making of the film and inane commentary from director Paul Anderson, Jovovich and Rodriguez.

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The Arnold Schwarzenegger thriller “Collateral Damage” was one of several feature films delayed last fall because of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. It eventually opened in the spring and makes its DVD debut this week (Warner, $27). Though nearly 11 months have passed since the tragic destruction of the World Trade Center, “Collateral Damage” is still difficult to watch.

Schwarzenegger plays a Los Angeles fireman who witnesses his wife and young son being blown to bits in a terrorist bombing. When he doesn’t get satisfaction from the FBI regarding the case, he smuggles himself into Colombia to track down the guerrilla terrorist who killed his family.

“Collateral Damage” is slightly better than Schwarzenegger’s other recent films, primarily due to the fast-paced direction of Andrew Davis (of “The Fugitive” fame). The digital edition features additional scenes, an HBO behind-the-scenes documentary and another documentary in which Schwarzenegger and Davis discuss the film in light of the terrorist attacks.

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After creating the enormously popular marionette sci-fi series “Thunderbirds” and “Captain Scarlet,” British producer Gerry Anderson came up with “UFO,” his first series starring real actors. Broadcast in the United Kingdom in 1970 and in the U.S. two years later, this camp delight focuses on a secret military branch called S.H.A.D.O. (Supreme Headquarters Alien Defense Organization) that was created to protect the Earth from alien invaders. The organization is located under a film studio in London.

A&E; is releasing the first 13 episodes of this kitschy classic on a four-disc DVD set ($80). Included are outtakes, production stills, talent files and commentary from Anderson on the premiere episode. He discusses the genesis of the series, the cast, the then-cutting-edge special effects and the psychedelic costume and production design.

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The Japanese anime feature “Escaflowne” is based on the popular TV series that aired here and in Japan. The romantic fantasy chronicles the adventures of an ordinary high school student who has no meaning in her life and suddenly finds herself in a secret world. Those not familiar with the TV series will find the movie more than a bit confusing. The three-disc DVD (Bandai Entertainment, $55) includes the Japanese-language and English-dubbed versions, a production art gallery, staff and cast interviews with English subtitles, a poster gallery, isolated music score and Anime Expose premiere footage.

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The Emmy-nominated ABC miniseries “Dinotopia” lumbers into DVD (Artisan, $20) in a two-disc special edition. Based on the best-selling books by James Gurney, “Dinotopia,” which also is a new fall series on ABC, tells the story of a lost continent where dinosaurs and humans live together in harmony. The digital edition of the six-hour miniseries features a standard making-of featurette, some challenging DVD-ROM games and a clever, interactive dinosaur encyclopedia.

It’s very difficult to describe “Mad Monster Party,” which recently made its DVD debut on Anchor Bay ($30). Produced by Rankin/Bass, the team behind the “animagic” TV classics “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and “Frosty the Snowman,” this feature-length animated horror comedy from 1967 features Boris Karloff, giving voice to Baron Von Frankenstein, who decides to hold the ultimate horror party on his Isle of Evil. He invites every monster in the world to the festivities so he can announce his retirement. Phyllis Diller also lent her vocal talents to this rather surreal motion picture. Previously only available on video from a 16-millimeter print, this version features a digitally restored transfer from the original 35-millimeter negative.

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King is a gorgeous, intelligent and talented German shepherd, but even his antics can’t save “K-9: PI” (Universal, $20 for both VHS and DVD), a hideous made-for-video sequel to the 1989 film “K-9.” This time around, detective Thomas Dooley (James Belushi) and his trusty canine partner Jerry Lee (King) retire from the police force and become private detectives. The jokes are tired and the whole affair is tasteless. King deserves better and so does the audience.