‘Christ’ arrives unadorned

The Passion of the Christ

Jim Caviezel, Monica Belucci

Fox, $30

Mel Gibson’s controversial blockbuster -- it has brought in more than $370 million in the U.S. alone -- about the last 12 hours in the life of Christ arrives on DVD with no extras. In all probability, a special edition will be released later.

Twisted

Ashley Judd, Samuel L. Jackson

Paramount, $30

Phil Kaufman directed two of the most compelling, innovative films of the 1980s: “The Right Stuff” and “The Unbearable Lightness of Being.” However, his film noir “Twisted,” about a female homicide detective (Judd), is pretty unbearable. Kaufman shot the movie in his own backyard in San Francisco. Though he beautifully captures the mystique (as well as the fog and the seals) of the City by the Bay, the thriller is generic pap.

That being said, the extras on DVD are generally far more compelling than the movie. Kaufman gives a fun guided tour to the San Francisco locations he used in the movie, and there’s a fascinating mini-documentary with a real female homicide detective and a police psychiatrist, several deleted scenes and methodical commentary from Kaufman.

*

Rod Serling’s Night Gallery

Joan Crawford, Carl Betz

Universal, $69

Though Serling’s 1970-72 NBC anthology series never reached the heights of his “The Twilight Zone,” there are enough chills and thrills to send more than a few shivers up one’s spine. As was the case in “The Twilight Zone,” Serling provides eerie introductions to each painting in his nightmarish gallery.

The three-disc set also features the 1969 pilot episode, which marked Steven Spielberg’s professional directorial debut. Though Spielberg gets a bit too artsy at times, his installment starring Crawford as a rich, evil blind woman who will do anything to gain sight is delicious fun. Spielberg gets a marvelously over-the-top performance from the screen legend.

I Vitelloni

Alberto Sordi, Franco Fabrizi

Criterion Collection, $30

A 30-year-old Federico Fellini directed this 1953 comedy that overflows with humanism, terrific performances and warmth. Fellini’s first two films, including “The White Sheik,” had failed at the box office, but “I Vitelloni” turned out to be the Italian director’s breakout film.

He almost didn’t make it. Fellini had originally been in pre-production on “La Strada,” but his producer got cold feet at the last minute. So Fellini opted to make this comedy about a group of young slacker males who live at a small seaside resort. The youngest member of the Vitelloni is based on Fellini himself.

The digital edition includes a comprehensive retrospective documentary that has interviews with cast members, friends and crew members.