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 Passage to India (Sony)
This David Lean film came 14 years after the debacle of Ryan’s Daughter in 1970. On firmer dramatic ground with E.M. Forster’s novel about the clash between British and Indian cultures, Lean made an epic that is a worthy valedictory cap to a mighty career, even if it doesn’t stand shoulder to shoulder with the all-time Lean classics Lawrence of Arabia and Dr. Zhivago. Judy Davis and Dame Peggy Ashcroft are superb, and Ernest Day’s photography is exquisite in a film that signaled the end of an era of super-spectaculars. EXTRAS: Producer commentary; retrospective featurettes and interviews.
 The Red Balloon (Janus Films)
Albert Lamorisse’s classic family film about a boy and his beloved balloon in a picture-postcard Paris retains its power to beguile audiences of all ages. Best Screenplay winner at the 1956 Oscars -- the only short film to ever win that award -- The Red Balloon is a near-silent celebration of the strength of imagination, and one of the most ravishing movies ever shot in the French capital. The final images of dozens of floating balloons in a riot of colors remains among the most transcendent in all cinema. No extras, but Criterion is planning a special edition later this year.
 12 Angry Men (MGM)
Sidney Lumet cut his teeth on TV dramas, the form in which 12 Angry Men first appeared, with a teleplay by Reginald Rose. The feature film version accumulates its power from the claustrophobia of the jury room where a dozen men argue about the innocence or guilt of the defendant. Lumet has at his disposal Mr. All-American in the person of Henry Fonda; as the soft-spoken juror on whom the entire case pivots, Fonda demonstrates his unerring instinct for genuine humility. The powerhouse cast includes Martin Balsam, Ed Begley, Lee J. Cobb, Jack Klugman, and Jack Warden. EXTRAS: Historian commentary; retrospective featurettes.
 The Waltons -- Season 7 (Warner Home Video)
One of the most popular family dramas in TV history, The Waltons survived as many unexpected changes as did the nation during the Depression and World War II eras shown in the series. The seventh season (1978-79) was no different. In these 24 episodes, as the U.S. declares war on Japan following Pearl Harbor, there were cast changes galore. Richard Thomas had outgrown the role of John Boy, so he left the show, and beloved Will Geer (Grandpa Walton) had died. Ellen Corby (Grandma) had a stroke, so she only appeared sporadically. Michael Learned, as the mother, had announced her intention to leave, so her character contracted T.B. In other words, The Waltons weathered more than the usual vicissitudes that successful TV series must deal with as they age.
 White Mane (Janus Films)
A few years before his classic The Red Balloon (see above), Albert Lamorisse made this enchanting film about a wild white horse and the young boy who befriends him. Photographed in black and white tones nearly as exquisite as the deeply saturated colors of the later movie, White Mane wistfully returns us to another time and place. Viewers can watch the film with the original French narration or with an English track spoken by Peter Strauss. No extras, but as is the case with The Red Balloon, Criterion is planning a special edition later this year.
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