‘SNL’ alums go to the movies

“Blades of Glory” (Paramount, $30), Will Ferrell’s latest comedy about the first male pair figure skaters, arrives today on DVD, as does one of the funnyman’s first films, “A Night at the Roxbury” (Paramount, $15).

“Roxbury,” which was released in 1998, was based on sketches from “Saturday Night Live.” Ferrell and fellow “SNL” regular Chris Kattan play Steve and Doug Butabi, two incredibly dense brothers whose main goal in life is to get into L.A.’s hottest nightspot, the Roxbury. Despite some fun moments and innovative costume and production design, there simply aren’t enough laughs to sustain this 81-minute movie.

Extras on “Blades” and “Roxbury” include gag reels and good-natured featurettes on the production of the films. Neither disc contains audio commentary.

Molly Shannon, another “SNL” alum who appears in “Roxbury,” as a young woman intent on marrying Ferrell, headlines the quirky comedy-drama “Year of the Dog” (Paramount, $30). She plays a sweet secretary who lives with her beloved beagle. After the dog suddenly dies, she tries to find the perfect four-legged companion.

Written and directed by Mike White, the film also stars Regina King, Laura Dern, Peter Sarsgaard, John C. Reilly and some really adorable pooches. Extras include a behind-the-scenes featurette, deleted scenes, a gag reel, an interview with Shannon (who talks about her dramatic acting background), a look at White -- who came up with the idea of the film after a stray cat he cared for died in his arms -- and a profile of the numerous dog trainers. White and Shannon offer such low-key commentary they sound like they should be on NPR.

Man’s best friend also propels Scott Caan’s uneven comedy “The Dog Problem” (Think, $28). Giovanni Ribisi plays a neurotic, struggling writer who decides to get a dog to help him get out of his funk. Unfortunately, the dog ends up being more work than he anticipated. Though the film is ultimately forgettable, it does boast a wry score from Mark Mothersbaugh and a clever opening title sequence. And the little terrier that plays Ribisi’s pet is so ugly it’s adorable. Caan, who plays Ribisi’s womanizing friend, and Ribisi supply the commentary; Caan is thoughtful; Ribisi’s contributions are annoying.

Also new

“Gideon’s Trumpet” (Acorn, $20): A lovely 1979 “Hallmark Hall of Fame” presentation that won the Peabody Award and received three Emmy nominations. Henry Fonda gives an exceptional performance as a poor, elderly Florida man accused of a crime he didn’t commit who takes his case to the Supreme Court.

“Dane Cook -- The Lost Pilots” (Sony, $15): These two busted TV pilots for sitcoms starring the popular stand-up comic should have stayed lost -- they are dreadfully unfunny. In the first one, he plays a stand-up comic who loses his gig on a new TV show -- along with his girlfriend -- and ends up having to live with his successful brother and disapproving sister-in-law. In the second, Cook plays a slacker with a roommate who decides he wants a ninja-trained monkey to guard his apartment. Extras include deleted scene and a gag reel.

“A Dance to the Music of Time” (Acorn, $60): Lavish, addictive 1997 British TV miniseries based on the novels of Anthony Powell, featuring an all-star cast including James Purefoy, John Gielgud and Miranda Richardson.

“Dark Shadows -- The Beginning” (MPI, $60): In 1966, ABC launched “Dark Shadows,” one of the most popular and unusual daytime soaps. The series ran for five years and spawned two feature films and made a star out of Jonathan Frid, who played a charismatic 175-year-old vampire, Barnabas Collins. This set features the rarely seen early black-and-white episodes of the cult series, before Barnabas arrived. Alexandra Moltke plays orphan Victoria Winters, who leaves the foundling home where she was raised to become a nanny to a troubled 10-year-old boy at the gothic Collinwood mansion in Collinsport, Maine. Joan Bennett, Kathryn Leigh Scott and Mitchell Ryan also star.

And

“Offside” (Sony, $30); “Kickin’ It Old Skool” (Fox, $28).

susan.king@latimes.com