Those with already large DVD libraries will be expanding them this month, thanks to the belated but welcome release of many classic titles that have never been on DVD before, including the original historic mini-series The Adams Chronicles; the classic family tale The Red Balloon; and two unsung films from Italy’s Taviani brothers, who were making films collaboratively long before the Coen brothers: The Night of the Shooting Stars and the masterly Kaos.


The Adams Chronicles (Acorn Media)
Long before HBO’s John Adams, the 13-part Adams Chronicles debuted in 1976 during celebrations for the American bicentennial and immediately became a classic of its kind. In 1776, William Daniels memorably played John; but here he plays the son, John Quincy. George Grizzard plays John with a grizzled wit, and Kathryn Walker -- whose Abigail is as self-sufficient as Laura Linney’s on HBO -- more than matches him. Lavish for its time, with 250 studio and location sets, The Adams Chronicles explores the personalities of one family colored by the epochal events of politics and history. Those whose appetite was whetted by the HBO series must see this more persuasive sweep through early American history.



The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (Sony)
Terry Gilliam’s notorious flop went way over budget and barely made a dime at the box office in 1989, but time has been kind to this extravagant fantasy starring John Neville and featuring cameos by Robin Williams, Eric Idle, Uma Thurman, and a nine-year-old Sarah Polley. The movie’s whimsical flights are at times strained, but Gilliam has an incredible eye for detail; you can see exactly where the money went. His Munchausen is all of a colorful piece with the other indelible fantasies he made in the '80s, Time Bandits and Brazil. EXTRAS: Gilliam and co-writer Charles McKeown commentary; retrospective documentary with interviews.



The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones–Volume 3 (Paramount)
Subtitled “The Years of Change,” this set collects several more episodes of the big-budgeted but short-lived TV series that followed Indy’s exploits prior to his becoming Harrison Ford in the four big-screen movies. As in the previous editions, what’s remarkable here is not the episodes themselves, which are entertaining if overwrought, but the clever interaction between Indy and real historical characters whose own “adventures” are further illuminated in two-dozen documentaries included as extras.

The British Empire in Colour (Acorn Media)
At 180 minutes, this three-part documentary about the reign and twilight of the British Empire from 1918 through the turn of the current century overstays its welcome, with a dry, stereotypically British stuffiness. Still, there is much fascinating viewing, including recently discovered, color archival footage that gives viewers a ring-side seat to some of the most momentous events of the 20th century.

The Case of the Grinning Cat (First Run/Icarus)
French film essayist Chris Marker’s delightful film studies a strange occurrence in Paris after September 11, 2001: the ubiquitous drawings of  a bright yellow cat with a wide, tooth-laden smile that appeared on Metro stations and other buildings throughout the city. Marker disarmingly uses this feline’s appearance as a jumping-off point to explore the new, traumatic environment in which Parisians -- and, by implication, all of Western civilization -- find themselves. EXTRAS: Seven short films by Marker.