“Madagascar”Zoo animals go wild in the cartoon hit about a preening lion (voiced by Ben Stiller), an adventurous zebra (Chris Rock), a spunky hippo (Jada Pinkett Smith) and a jittery giraffe (David Schwimmer) transplanted from their cozy homes to the harsh jungle. The DVD has a batch of featurettes on computer animation, character design and “bloopers” — instances where the digital images went haywire. The lead actors contribute interviews, Pinkett Smith noting her amusement over the casting of Rock — whose humor is laced with blunt racial commentary — as a zebra who doesn’t know if he’s white with black stripes or black with white stripes. There’s also a real-life look at the island of Madagascar along the African coast, plus a handful of games for the kids. The disc has two commentaries, one with directors Eric Darnell and Tom McGrath, the other with actors in character as the penguins whose escape attempt initiates the animals’ eviction from the zoo. DVD, $29.99. (DreamWorks) Original theatrical review
“The Skeleton Key”
Kate Hudson enters scary-movie territory with this thriller about a hospice worker who takes a job at a creaky mansion in bayou country, where she uncovers dark secrets about the power of hoodoo magic, the building’s previous tenants and the current elderly couple living there (Gena Rowlands and John Hurt). The DVD packs 20 minutes of deleted footage accompanied by remarks from director Iain Softley, who also provides commentary for the full movie. Hudson shares a ghost story from her own life, while the DVD also offers background on plantation life, the mysteries of voodoo and hoodoo, the blues music underscoring the action and even a recipe for gumbo. DVD, $29.98. (Universal) Original theatrical review
“The Harold Lloyd Comedy Collection”The silent-movie comedy master gets great DVD treatment with a boxed set offering restored versions of 15 feature-length films and 13 shorts, including “The Freshman,” “Why Worry?” and “Safety Last!” — which contains the immortal image of Lloyd dangling from the hands of a huge clock on the side of a building. The films come in separate two-disc sets or a seven-disc boxed set with a bonus DVD of extras, including home movies of Lloyd, interviews with friends, relatives and celebrity admirers, a Lloyd tribute with Jack Lemmon and Steve Allen as hosts and 3-D photos shot by Lloyd. Some of the films themselves are accompanied by commentary with Lloyd family members and film historians. DVD boxed set, $89.95; two-disc DVD sets, $29.95 each. (New Line)
“Grass,” “Chang”A week before the DVD debut of the original “King Kong” and a month before the epic remake hits theaters, these rereleased DVDs present two great silent-era films from Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack, the directors of the 1933 “Kong.” “Grass,” from 1924, follows the hardships of a tribe in Iran (then Persia) on a brutal semiannual trek through snowy mountains to take half a million animals to pasture. The 1927 docudrama “Chang” follows the daily struggles of a Thai family to survive on the borders of a jungle harboring tigers, leopards and other wild animals, the film climaxing with a remarkably photographed elephant stampede. DVDs, $29.99 each. (Milestone)
“The Sound of Music,” “Oklahoma,” “State Fair”Three classic musicals return in two-disc 40th, 50th and 60th anniversary editions, led by 1965’s “The Sound of Music,” starring Julie Andrews in the best-picture Academy Award winner about a nun who leaves the convent behind to wed an Austrian widower (Christopher Plummer) and spread the “Do-Re-Mi” spirit to his seven kids. Andrews and Plummer provide commentary, and the set has a huge range of retrospective features. Shirley Jones, Gordon MacRae and Rod Steiger star in 1955’s “Oklahoma!” — Rodgers and Hammerstein’s saga of a love triangle on the prairies. Jones offers commentary, and the set has versions of the movie in two competing widescreen formats of the 1950s. The 1945 version of “State Fair” features Jeanne Crain and Dana Andrews in the tale of a family’s annual outing to the Iowa fair. The set includes the cheesy 1962 remake starring Pat Boone, Bobby Darin and Ann-Margret. DVD sets, $26.98 each. (20th Century Fox)
TV on DVD:
“Friends: The Complete Tenth Season” — A decade with the gang on perpetual coffee break comes to an end. The four-disc set has the last 17 episodes of the sitcom, with commentary by the executive producers on the final show and two others, plus cast reflections and a 43-minute gag reel compiled from six seasons of episodes. DVD set, $44.98. (Warner Bros.)
“The Oprah Winfrey Show: 20th Anniversary Collection” — The queen of daytime TV marks 20 years on the air with a six-disc set packing her favorite guest and interview segments, plus behind-the-scenes glimpses, a conversation with Oprah, a complete Christmas episode and the full show that marked her 50th birthday. DVD set, $59.95. (Paramount)
“Scrubs: The Complete Second Season” — Year two of Zach Braff’s whimsical hospital sitcom comes in a three-disc set with 22 episodes, accompanied by a chat with co-star John C. McGinley, deleted scenes and a featurette on the pop songs that help drive the stories. DVD set, $39.99. (Disney)
“That ’70s Show: Season Three” — Ashton Kutcher, Topher Grace and their 1970s pals are back with a four-disc set containing year three’s 25 episodes, with commentary on six and introductions from cast members on many shows. DVD set, $49.98. (20th Century Fox)
“Stargate Atlantis: The Complete First Season” — The spinoff of “Stargate SG-1” features a new team of adventurers exploring a distant galaxy where they discover a fabled lost city. The five-disc set has the first 19 episodes, along with commentary and background featurettes. DVD set, $59.95. (MGM)
“Fantasy Island: The Complete First Season” — Ricardo Montalban and Herve Villechaize fulfill wishes that impart life lessons to their resort guests, including Ray Bolger, Sandra Dee and Don Knotts in season one’s 15 episodes. The four-disc set also has the TV movie that launched the show in the 1970s. DVD set, $49.95. (Sony)
“Cheers,” “Frasier” — Seasons seven of the sitcom giants arrive in four-disc sets. The 22 episodes of “Cheers” follow the second year of bartender Ted Danson in pursuit of new boss Kirstie Alley, while highlights of the 23 episodes of “Frasier” include Kelsey Grammer spilling the secret of his brother’s secret infatuation. DVD sets, $39.99 each. (Paramount)
“The Flintstones,” “The Yogi Bear Show,” “The Huckleberry Hound Show” — Three smarter-than-your-average cartoon series from Hanna-Barbera return in a batch of four-disc sets. Season four of “The Flintstones” features 26 episodes, including the debut of super-baby Bamm-Bamm. The “Volume 1” set for “Huckleberry Hound” has 26 episodes, while the “Yogi Bear” set has the show’s entire 33-episode run. DVD sets, $44.98 each. (Warner Bros.)
Other new releases:
“Stealth” — Last summer’s action flop stars Josh Lucas, Jessica Biel and Jamie Foxx as ace fighter pilots forced into combat with their new “wingman” — an unmanned plane whose artificial-intelligence circuits have gone psycho. The two-disc set has making-of segments and a music video. DVD set, $28.95. (Sony) Original theatrical review
“Happy Endings” — The dark comedy about romance and busted relationships features an ensemble including Lisa Kudrow, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Laura Dern, Tom Arnold, Steve Coogan and Bobby Cannavale. Writer-director Don Roos joins Kudrow for commentary, and the DVD has deleted footage. DVD, $27.98. (Lions Gate) Original theatrical review