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A gubernatorial slant to ‘T3,’ ‘Iron’

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Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines

Warner ($30)

Pumping Iron -- The 25th

Anniversary Special Edition

Arnold Schwarzenegger

HBO ($20)

When the release dates of these DVDs were announced, Schwarzenegger hadn’t announced his candidacy let alone been elected governor of California. So it’s interesting to watch both of these films in the context that their star is now about to run the state. “Terminator 3,” for the time being, is his last feature film. Though not as electrifying as the first two installments, which were imaginatively directed by James Cameron, the Jonathan Mostow-directed “T3” has enough fast-paced action to keep fans happy. The governor-elect has some good, caustic lines, as does Kristanna Loken as the Terminatrix.

The two-disc set is a mixed bag. The first disc features commentary from Mostow and a separate track featuring commentary from the stars -- they were all recorded at different times. Schwarzenegger goes into great detail about how he had to get his body ready for his opening nude scene -- he began hitting the gym months before production -- and his delight over having a female Terminator in the movie.

The second disc features an intro from Schwarzenegger, an HBO special, a funny deleted scene, a Terminator timeline, profiles of characters, weaponry and vehicles, a dull gag reel, storyboard gallery and a glimpse at the costume design. The best extra is the visual effects lab, which allows viewers to build an effects sequence.

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“Pumping Iron,” Robert Fiore and George Butler’s acclaimed 1977 documentary, is a lot of fun. The filmmakers follow Schwarzenegger as he prepares to go for his sixth Mr. Olympia bodybuilding title. Schwarzenegger is the whole movie -- as he psyches out his competition, primarily a young, bespectacled Lou Ferrigno, and wins over the crowd. And the film does show Schwarzenegger smoking marijuana after winning his sixth and final title.

*

Gerry

Matt Damon, Casey Affleck

Miramax, $30

This Gus Van Sant drama came and went in theaters in a flash. Despite some gorgeous Utah scenery, this two-character drama is a bit hard to sit through. Damon and Affleck play two young men, both named Gerry, who park their car and take a walk in the wilderness. But they get lost and spend the majority of the time trying to find their way back to their car. And they barely ever speak a word to each other. Damon and Affleck also penned the sparse screenplay.The only extra on the DVD is a 13-minute look at Van Sant shooting a scene on the flats of the Salt Lake that’s about as exciting as the movie.

*

Dumb and Dumberer:

When Harry Met Lloyd

Eric Christian Olsen,

Derek Richardson

New Line ($28)

You can almost feel your brain cells fading away while watching this inane prequel to the Farrellys’ hit comedy “Dumb and Dumber” with Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels. Olsen and Richardson do manage to resemble teenage versions of Carrey and Daniels, but the sophomoric script always brings things to a screeching halt.

The extras on the DVD are a lot more fun than the movie. There’s a decent documentary on the casting of the film, a better-than-average “making-of” featurette, deleted scenes, gag reel and the option to watch the film either slowed down to a crawl, speeded up or with a horizontal picture. Director Troy Miller and his two stars supply the passable commentary.

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