Gift Ideas for the Classic Film & TV Fan

For the last seven years, we've published a list of our favorite gift ideas for classic television and movie fans. It's typically one of our most popular posts of the year. So, without further ado, here are our choices for 2016:

1. Kirk Douglas: The Centennial Collection. This boxed set is a great value with eight movies and a price under $20. Of course, it's the quality of films that count and there are four winners in this set: Spartacus, Lonely Are the Brave, The List of Adrian Messenger, and Man Without a Star. The other quartet are less impressive, but still entertaining enough (e.g., John Wayne joining Kirk in The War Wagon). Just consider those flicks a bonus!

Robert Reed and E.G. Marshall.

2. The Defenders: Season 1. We just reviewed this 8-disc set, so we'll skip a description other than to say this is one of the great legal dramas in television history. The cases are just as relevant and controversial today as they were in the 1960s. We've seen it priced under $30--another fine value considering that you get 32 50-minute episodes.

3. The Jack Lemmon Star Collection. This is our favorite of the various collections of Jack Lemmon movies. It includes two Billy Wilder classics--The Apartment and Some Like It Hot--and the underrated Lemmon-Wilder collaboration Avanti! The fourth and final film, How to Murder Your Wife, is a pleasant 1960s comedy with Virna Lisi. It's not as good a value as other boxed sets in the list, but you may be able to find a good deal over the holidays.

4. Agatha Christie's Poirot: The Complete Cases Collection. Are you shopping for any mystery fans? If so, then we heartily recommend this boxed set containing 70 episodes of Agatha Christie's Poirot starring David Suchet. The mystery plots range from ingenious ("Lord Edgware Dies") to the routine (and, yes, they sometimes deviate from Ms. Christie's works). However, Suchet is impeccable as the Belgian detective Hercule Poirot and Hugh Fraser makes a fine Captain Hastings. This is not an inexpensive present, but you may be able to find it for under $100 during the holiday season. Then, you can sit down and pit your little gray cells against Hercule's!

5. Green for Danger. If you're looking for an inexpensive stocking stuffer, then consider this nifty 1947 British mystery starring Alastair Sim and Trevor Howard. Set in a hospital during World War II, it pits a droll detective against a clever murderer. In his book The Detective in Film, William K. Everson touts it as one of the three best detective films ever made (the others being The Maltese Falcon and The Kennel Murder Case). You can buy it for under $8.

Holiday Gift Ideas for the Classic Film and TV Fan (2015 Edition)

For the past six years, the Cafe's staff has provided a list of recommended gifts for your favorite classic film and/or TV fan. It's one of our most popular features. This year's choices run the gamut from classic musicals to Bogey as Marlowe to a sci fi TV series with marionettes.

Best of Warner Bros. 20 Films Collection: Musicals. I usually steer clear of the mega boxed sets because DVD quality is often sacrificed for quantity. However, this set was released by a major studio and each disc contains only one movie. Warners has done a great job in compiling classic musicals from its early days (The Jazz Singer) through the Busby Berkeley years (42nd Street) and the colorful 1950s (Singin' in the Rain, Seven Brides) and 1960s (The Music Man). Even the choices from the 1980s are engaging, tune-filled romps like Victor/Victoria and Little Shop of Horrors. While the list price is $99, you can find this mammoth set at discounts of 60%--that $2 a movie and that ain't bad.

The puppet "star" was inspired
by James Garner.

Stingray: The Complete Series - 50th Anniversary Collection. The young and the young-at-heart will enjoy Gerry and Sylvia Anderson's fanciful 1964-65 British sci fi series about a futuristic submarine called Stingray. The characters are all "played" by marionettes, with the action taking place on some of the most incredible miniature sets you will ever see. Plus, for adults, there's even a love triangle between the sub commander (Troy Tempest), his boss's daughter (Atlanta Shore), and a mute young woman from an undersea civilization (Marina). The five-DVD boxed set includes all 39 half-hour episodes, plus an interview with Gerry Anderson, a making-of featurette, and audio commentaries on several episodes.

TCM Greatest Classic Films: Murder Mysteries. The TCM Greatest Classic Films and Greatest Classic Legends are value-priced DVD sets that typically contain four movies featuring a common theme or star. The movies in this particular set have a pretty weak connection--they're all murder mysteries! However, this collection contains three legitimate classics and one underrated feature by a great director. The iconic films are: The Maltese Falcon, The Postman Always Rings Twice, and The Big Sleep. The fourth feature, Hitchcock's Dial M for Murder may not be in the same class, but every time I watch it, I always seem to end up pleasantly surprised.

Dorothy L. Sayers Mysteries: Harriet Vane Collection. The title of this three-DVD set is a little misleading, as it's actually comprised of a trio of Lord Peter Wimsey mysteries. Made in 1987, this series starred Edward Petherbridge as Ms. Sayers' British gentleman detective and Harriet Walter as his love interest Harriet Vane. Being a big fan of Ian Carmichael's earlier Lord Peter Wimsey TV series, I approached this one with trepidation. However, Petherbridge is an excellent Lord Peter and he and Harriet Walter generate plenty of romantic sparks when they're not solving murders (or proving her innocence).

Abbott and Costello Meet the Monsters Collection. This four-movie set include one bona fide classic--Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein--and three funny follow-ups in which Bud & Lou confront the Invisible Man, the Mummy, and Mr. Hyde. Even the weakest film in the set, A&C Meet the Mummy, features a hilarious routine in which Bud and Lou try to slip one another a dangerous medallion...and Lou winds up eating it in his hamburger.

Holiday Gift Ideas for the Classic Film & TV Fan (2013 Edition)

For the past five years, the Classic Film & TV Cafe has published a list of holiday gift ideas recommended by our staff. Click here to view previous years' recommendations. After each gift idea below, we have included the retail price in U.S. currency. Please note that--with a little web research--you can find many of these items for 20-50% off the retail price.

Television Westerns Episode Guide ($39.95 paperback) - Classic TV Western fans will spend countless hours browsing this 568-page encyclopedia of 180 Western series that played on U.S. television from 1949-1996. For almost every series, author Harris M. Lentz III describes the cast, the premise, and the following information for each episode: title, broadcast date, guest stars, and a brief plot summary. While it's fun to read about the famous Westerns, such as Gunsmoke (all 635 episodes!) and Have Gun--Will Travel, I had a blast looking up more obscure, personal favorites (e.g., Rod Serling's The Loner, Black Saddle, Yancy Derringer). In terms of defining the Western genre, Lentz errs on the conservative side and includes contemporary Western series, such as Walker, Texas Ranger and Cowboy in Africa. There's even an entry for The Secret Empire, a limited-run, science fiction Western shown as part of NBC's Cliffhangers umbrella series. There are no photographs, but the book includes an extensive personnel index and an additional "storyline" index that cross-references historical figures, locations, and significant subjects. Comprehensive, interesting, and unique, Television Westerns Episode Guide will keep your favorite classic TV Western fan glued to its pages.

TCM's Greatest Classic Films Collection: Astaire and Rogers ($29.92) - Thanks, TCM, for packaging the four best Fred Astaire-Ginger Rogers movies into one low-cost set comprised of Top Hat, Swing Time, Shall We Dance, and The Gay Divorcee. This is an opportunity to add to one's DVD collection some of the finest musical numbers choreographed on film: Astaire's stunning solo "Top Hat, White Tie and Tails" and the dancing-on-air fluidity of "Cheek to Cheek" (Top Hat); the emotional "Never Gonna Dance" (Swing Time); the roller-skating delight "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off" (Shall We Dance); and the enchanting "Night and Day" (The Gay Divorcee).Plus, you can enjoy the comedic talents of Edward Everett Horton, Eric Blore, Alice Brady, and Erik Rhodes. The latter's "chance is a fool's name for fate" routine from The Gay Divorcee always earns laughs from my family and friends.

Great Showdowns: The Return ($14.95) - Last year, illustrator Scott Campbell published The Great Showdowns, a very funny little book which featured his drawings of the confrontations between famous film characters. Last October, he published the sequel: Great Showdowns: The Return. While I still prefer the first book, the second one is a delight, too. Just remember that Campbell includes no "answers" to his illustrations; either you "get" them or you don't. Some of the films are off the beaten track (Zardoz, Princess Mononoke), while most are pretty famous (Grease, The Gold Rush). One of my faves is shown to the right: Donald Sutherland shrieking from the 1978 version of The Invasion of the Body Snatchers.

Jonny Quest: The Complete First Season ($39.98) - Young folks should enjoy discovering this classic action-packed, prime-time animated series. And the young at heart, who watched it during the 1960s, will enjoy revisiting it again. The 26 episodes pit Jonny, his father Dr. Benton Quest, bodyguard Race Bannon, friend Hadji, and dog Bandit against a plethora of villains that include: a mummy; a lizard monster; a spider-like robot; pirates; dinosaurs; a possible werewolf; and Quest nemesis Dr. Zin. Jonny Quest purists have quibbled that some of the dialogue has been re-edited to make it politically correct and that series creator Doug Wildey's name is missing from the end credits. Those are valid points, but still don't distract from a well-packaged DVD set.

Frankie & Annette: MGM Movie Legends Collection ($39.98) - MGM has packaged almost all of the movies made by Frankie Avalon and the late Annette Funicello. While these nostalgic sand-and-surf musicals may hardly seem like classics, they hold up surprisingly well thanks to quality musical acts (e.g., Little Stevie Wonder), the funny antics of Harvey Lembeck and Don Rickles, and the charming stars. Two films in the Beach Party series are conspicuously missing: Pajama Party, which stars Annette and Tommy Kirk (plus a prominent cameo from Frankie) and the lame Ghost in the Invisible Bikini, which features neither Frankie nor Annette. It's understandable why the latter is missing from this collection, but Pajama Party should have been included. Still, there's enough music and surfing to inspire a beach party (tonight!) at your house.

We also want to mention two additional books that we reviewed in-depth earlier this year: Star Trek: The Art of Juan Ortiz and My Lunches With Orson Welles. That's it for this year--happy shopping to all and to all a good night!


McFarland & Co., Inc. Publishers provided a review copy of Television Westerns Episode Guide and Titan Books provided a copy of Great Showdowns: The Return.

Gift Ideas for the Classic Film and TV Fan (2012 Edition)

It's back! The Cafe's annual list of recommended gift ideas for the classic film and TV fan returns for this fourth edition. And remember, if you are the only classic film and TV fan in your family, you can drop hints--or even buy yourself a present.

1. The Forsyte Saga (1967). James Galsworthy’s three novels about the Forsytes, a nouveau riche Victorian family, have been adapted for both film and television. Errol Flynn and Greer Garson starred in 1949’s That Forsyte Woman (derived from the first book, A Man of Property) and a popular 2002 adaptation of the trilogy appeared on Masterpiece Theatre. However, the most renowned version remains the 1967 26-episode series starring Eric Porter (simply sensational as Soames), Nyree Dawn Porter (a stunning Irene), Kenneth More, and Susan Hampshire. Yes, it's in black-and-white, but the costumes and settings are splendid. The Soames and Irene story dominates the first 8 episodes--and is the series highlight--but The Forsyte Saga holds interest throughout its running time.

2. Man in a Suitcase.  One of the best--and least-known--spy TV series of the 1960s, this sharply-played, well-written series stars American actor Richard Bradford as a disgraced former espionage agent called McGill. Branded a traitor by U.S. intelligence, McGill makes a living doing free-lance work in Europe and Africa--dealing with blackmailers, protecting stool pigeons, finding kidnapped victims, recovering lost art treasures, etc. He charges $300 to $500 a week, depending on the job, plus expenses. When a potential client gripes about the high fee for a "disgraced American agent with a gun for hire," McGill quips: "I'm expensive...I call it my self-respect bonus."

3. Columbia Best Pictures Collection. Even at a discounted price of $79 or less, this 11-film collection may seem pricey. Still, it's an impressive collection of Oscar winners covering six decades--from It Happened One Night (1934) to Gandhi (1982). There's something for everyone in the family whether their film tastes gravitate toward comedy (Capra's You Can't Take It With You), social drama (On the Waterfront), sweeping historical drama (Lawrence of Arabia), or Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr on the beach.

4. Preston Sturges - The Filmmaker Collection. This seven-film boxed set from Universal includes: Christmas in July; Sullivan's Travels; The Lady Eve; The Great McGinty; The Palm Beach Story; Hail the Conquering Hero; and The Great Moment. Sturges' fans may be disappointed that The Miracle of Morgan's Creek is missing (it's sold separately) and the DVD "extras" are just the trailers. Still, this boxed set is a fantastic introduction to Sturges, a true "auteur" that worked within the confines of the Hollywood studio system.

5. Alfred Hitchcock Presents (Season 1). One of the Cafe's most popular posts in 2012 was a list of our five favorite episodes of this classic series. True, you can watch selected episodes on the web and it's still broadcast on television. However, for $14.99 or less, season 1 of AHP is a great stocking stuffer. You get 39 episodes, including one of the best in "Revenge" starring Vera Miles and Ralph Meeker.

Holiday Gift Ideas for the Classic Film & TV Fan (2011 Edition)

One of the Cafe's most popular articles each year is a list of holiday gift ideas from our contributors (click here to read previous recommendations). This year, we're proud to present the third post in this series (hey, it's a trilogy now!). Hopefully, you'll find some gift ideas for the classic film and/or TV lover in your family. Our picks run the gamut from a boxed set from the Master of Suspense to Raymond Burr's Perry Mason TV series to creepy horror films from the 1980s.

Alfred Hitchcock: The Masterpiece Collection (recommended by Rick29). Although this boxed set of 14 Hitchcock classics retails for $120, you can buy it online for less than $75. It's a steal at that price, considering it includes Hitchcock favorites such as Shadow of a Doubt, Rear Window, Vertigo, Psycho, and The Birds. Plus, you get some genuine surprises such as the underrated Marnie and The Trouble With Harry (which improves with subsequent viewings for me). The films have been digitally remastered and come with lots of extra goodies: a 360-page booklet, 14 documentaries, and nine featurettes.

The Brigitte Bardot Classic DVD Collection (recommended by Dawn). One of the silver screen's best-known blonde bombshells sizzles in three stories of love, scandal and betrayal: The Night Heaven Fell (1958); Plucking the Daisy (1956);  and Don Juan (1973). Ms. Bardot's stunning looks often overshadowed that she was a fine light comedienne, as evidenced by Plucking the Daisy. The other two films in this collection were directed by her one-time husband, Roger Vadim.

West Side Story: 50th Anniversary Edition (recommended by Paul). A must-have for any West Side Story fan, this new three-disc Blu-ray set includes a book, postcards, tribute CD, and much more. For many fans, watching the film in high definition and listening to the remastered songs will be enough! Russ Tamblyn, who played Riff, said: "Fox has made this Blu-ray rendition that is just beautiful and so clear. You see so many things that you missed in the original."

Make your own Rebecca Gift Basket (recommended by TheLadyEve). My holiday gift recommendation this year springs from an idea that came to me a month or so ago when I started thinking about how best to enjoy chilly evenings at home. I spent a few nights reading Daphne du Maurier’s classic modern gothic, Rebecca and watching the classic 1940 film version starring Joan Fontaine and Laurence Olivier. In the end, I put together a couple of blog posts on the joys of books and the movies made from them – plus warm drink recipe suggestions to accompany…so here’s my 2011 gift idea…A Rebecca gift basket containing: one copy of Daphne du Maurier’s 1938 novel (from $5.98 new on Amazon); one copy of the Oscar-winning Hitchcock/Selznick film (DVD @$14.99 on TCM.com); one 14.5 oz. canister of Godiva Dark Chocolate Hot Cocoa mix (from $13.99 on Amazon); 16 oz. Hot & Spicy Winter Toddy Mix (add ice cream, hot water or spirits) available on Amazon.com for $6.95;  one 50 g. canister of loose leaf tea (black, green white or flavored tea of your choice from the Tea Fountain (from $4.95 at http://www.teafountain.com/). Feel free to add or subtract to your gift basket.

A Free Film! (recommended by ClassicBecky). It may seem mundane, but I would love to receive a gift packet for my favorite movie theatre, good for two shows with popcorn and a Coke for each.  Givers with more pocket money could add more tickets or give enough for prime-time movies.  Those with limited budgets could give a matinee packet.  Considering the high cost of going to the movies, I would be thrilled with such a gift!

Perry Mason (recommended by Rick29). Seasons 1-5 of Raymond Burr's first-rate courtroom TV series are available separately or in a (pricey) boxed set. If you want to go with just one season, I recommend the first, which includes a number of episodes adapted from the Erle Stanley Gardner novels. The mysteries are fun and Burr is fabulous as the clever, sometimes smug super-lawyer. Plus, as you and your friends watch, you can discuss the relationship between Perry and Della...are they more than just co-workers?

Any Horror Fans among your family and friends? (Recommended by Sarkoffagus) This holiday, scare yourself silly and see what terror looks like in high definition. Numerous horror movies have been released on Blu-ray just in time for the festive season. Movies that came out for Halloween but would still make great gifts include the 30th anniversary of the 1981 cult TV movie, Dark Night of the Scarecrow; William Lustig’s Maniac Cop (1988), featuring cinematic icons Bruce Campbell and Richard Roundtree; two impressive outings from famed Italian horror maestro, Lucio Fulci, Zombie (aka Zombi 2/1979) and The House by the Cemetery (1981); and Lon Chaney making horror movie history in the classic 1925 silent version of The Phantom of the Opera. Released this month was the 25th anniversary of Sam Raimi’s horror-comedy sequel, Evil Dead II: Dead by Dawn (1987), which also happens to star Bruce Campbell, and the Spanish/UK produced Horror Express (1972), featuring Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing and Telly Savalas, will make its way onto Blu-ray on Nov. 29th. Tuesday, Dec. 13th, will see two horror gems on hi-def format: The 1989 Intruder, written and directed by Scott Spiegel, who co-wrote Evil Dead II with Sam Raimi, who appears in Spiegel’s film (with appearances from Sam’s brother, actor Ted Raimi, and – one more time – Bruce Campbell); and the popular vampire flick, Fright Night (1985), whose release coincides with the home media debut of its recent 2011 remake. And finally, if you don’t mind dropping an IOU into people’s Christmas stockings, two offbeat classics will sleep through the holidays and sneak onto Blu-ray in late January 2012, The Deadly Spawn (1983) and Night Train Murders (aka L’ultimotrenodellanotte/1975).

Holiday Gift Ideas for the Classic Film & TV Fan (2010 Edition)

One of the Cafe's most popular articles last year was a list of holiday gift ideas from our contributors (click here to read last year's recommendations). This year, we are proud to present the sequel! Without further discussion, here are some gift ideas for the classic film and/or TV lover in your family.

Hitchcock by Francois Truffaut and Helen G. Scott (recommended by Rick29). This 1985 nonfiction book consists of a series of Alfred Hitchcock interviews conducted by filmmaker and film critic Francois Truffaut. The two film giants start with Hitchcock's first movie and work their way through his filmography, analzying each picture. It's a fascinating book--not just for Hitchcock fans--but for anyone that loves classic film. In preparation for the interviews, Truffaut watched every film discussed and his insights are often as absorbing as Hitchcock's. This is my favorite film reference book..and the one that I peruse the most frequently. It's available in both hardback and paperback.

Mission: Impossible - Seasons 1, 2, or 3 (recommended by Toto). Need to overthrow a ruthless dictator? Rescue a kidnapped scientist? Frame a big-time gangster? Recover a few million in gold bullion? Then, you need the Impossible Missions Force (IMF), which accompishes these seemingly impossible tasks on a weekly basis. Each episode unfolds like an intricate heist plot with only part of the plan revealed to the viewer. Seasons 2 and 3 feature the best-known cast with Peter Graves as the group's leader and the team consisting of Barbara Bain, Martin Landau, Greg Morris, and Peter Lupus. The first season boasts Steven Hill as the IMF leader. I was skeptical about Season 1 after watching the always-smooth Graves as the head of the IMF. However, Hill is quite good, too, bringing his trademark intensity to the role. In short, you can't go wrong with choosing any of the first three seasons as a gift.

3 Silent Classics by Josef von Sternberg (recommended by TheLadyEve). My Christmas suggestion is a gift for both the silent film fan and the classic film lover who is just becoming acquainted with them. This new Criterion Collection, released last August, includes: Underworld (1927), widely considered the first film gangster film (and an Oscar winner): The Last Command (1928) which stars Emil Jannings, who won an Oscar for his performance; and Docks of New York (1928), another much-celebrated silent classic. A quote from my TCM Classic Film Union friend (and silent film aficionado) Gagman66: "the Von Sternberg set is the event of the year for silent film fans," and "...if you don't know much about silents, these von Sternberg's are an outstanding introduction. In my opinion they are every bit as good if not better than his early 30's sound films...."  For more information, click here.
 

Golden Girls: 25th Anniversary Complete Collection (recommended by Sarkoffagus). Picture it: Miami, 1985. Four elderly ladies living together under one roof: tough, caring, and occasionally sarcastic Dorothy Zbornak; sweet and naive Rose Nylund; free-spirited Southern belle Blanche Devereaux; and Dorothy's mother, Sophia Petrillo, a firecracker who speaks her mind and asks questions later. Containing all seven seasons, the series is packaged in a replica of Sophia's ever-present wicker handbag. A perfect gift for gals (or guys) who cannot get enough of Dorothy's cynical remarks, Rose's stories of St. Olaf, Blanche's escapades, or the lovable Sophia. And, of course, the gift is only complete with a card attached that says, "Thank you for being a friend."

The Spy Collection Megaset (recommended by Rick29). This unique boxed set contains episodes from four spy TV series from the 1960s and early 1970s:  Patrick McGoohan's cult classic The Prisoner; The Champions; The Persuaders with Tony Curtis and Roger Moore; and The Protectors starring Robert Vaughn and Nyree Dawn Porter. Note that you get some episodes from each series, but all the episodes from none. Thus, this boxed set makes a terrific sampler...but if you get hooked on The Prisoner (as you probably will), you'll have to make another purchase to get the full series. The best of this megaset is McGoohan's one-of-a-kind series, of course. However, I thoroughly enjoyed The Champions, which traced the exploits of a trio of agents that are imbued with superhuman powers when their plane crashes in the Himalayas. Despite their casts, The Persuaders and The Protectors fail to live up to expectations, but they're both diverting and boast cool theme music (the former was composed by John Barry).

Busy Berkeley 9-Film Collection (recommended by Dawn). The musical fans on your holiday shopping list will love this ten-disc boxed set that includes: 42nd Street; Gold Diggers of 1933; Footlight Parade; Dames; Gold Diggers of 1935; Gold Diggers of 1937; Varsity Show; Hollywood Hotel; and Gold Diggers in Paris. A added bonus is "The Busby Berkeley Disc," a toe-tapping compilation of 21 of the choreographer/filmmaker's greatest dance numbers.
 

The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951) (recommended by Rick29). Looking for an inexpensive stocking stuffer for the classic film fan in your family? You can't go wrong with this well-priced DVD of the timeless science fiction classic (click here to read the film review). The DVD offers some great extras: commentary by director Robert Wise and Nicolas Meyer; a "making of" documentary; shooting script; newsreel footage; restoration comparison (the new print is awesome); trailer; and stills. Merrry "Klaatu barada nikto" to you!

Now Playing, a Viewer's Guide to Turner Classic Movies (recommended by ClassicBecky).  Have the classic film fans in your family always wanted to subscribe to TCM's magazine, but just never wanted to spend the money on themselves? Get them a gift subscription! Now Playing, which is published monthly, has interesting articles, great pictures, descriptions of the movies--all kinds of things that would be fun to read.  A subscription would be a wonderful present for a classic movie fan.

The Val Lewton Collection (recommended by ClassicBecky). A collection of movies by the great Val Lewton would be a welcome addition to many movie lovers' collection.  His wonderful, subtle brand of eerie movies, such as Cat People, The Seventh Victim, and I Walked With a Zombie are a few of his films featured in this six-disc set containing all his RKO horror films.

Gift Ideas for Classic Film and TV Fans

Looking for gift ideas for the classic film and TV fans in your family or circle of friends? The Classic Film & TV Cafe is here to help! Below are some recommendations chosen by our contributors:

The William Castle Film Collection, $80.95 retail - Includes eight classics from the master of gimmicky chills: 13 Frightened Girls, 13 Ghosts, Homicidal and Strait-Jacket (both with Joan Crawford), The Old Dark House, Mr. Sardonicus, The Tingler (with Vincent Price), and Zotz! Sorry, you'll have to provide your own gimmicks. Recommended by ClassicBecky.

Gone With the Wind, 70th Anniversary Collection, 5-Disc DVD Set, $69.92 retail - This limited and numbered one-of-a-kind velvet box contains more than 8 hours of extras, including a new documentary narrated by Kenneth Branagh, “Warner Bros. Home Entertainment presents 1939: Hollywood's Greatest Year,” and the featurette “Gone with the Wind: The Legend Lives On.” It also includes an exclusive 52-page hardcover production art and photo book, ten 5”x7” watercolor reproduction art prints, bonus CD soundtrack, and reproduction of the original 1939 program. Recommended by Dawn.

The Fugitive (TV Series), Season 1 and 2 Box Set, $125.98 retail – One of the greatest TV dramas of all time still makes for compelling viewing. Both seasons include several stand-out episodes, including: “The Girl from Little Egypt” which features an extended flashback to the night of Helen Kimble’s murder; “Corner of Hell,” in which Richard Kimble has to defend his pursuer, Lieutenant Gerard, from moonshiners intent on lynching the detective. If the box set is pricy, you can purchase parts 1 and 2 of each season. Note: Some of the music cues have been replaced due to issues with the rights; despite complaints from videophiles, that doesn’t detract from a great series. Recommended by Toto2.

I Spy (TV Series), Season 1, $19.95 retail – Robert Culp and Bill Cosby play international spies in this “cool” lighthearted series from the 1960s. The fast-paced episodes feature exotic locales and plenty of action…but most of the show’s charm can be attributed to the natural camaraderie between the two leads. Seasons 2 and 3 are available for the same low price. Recommended by Paul 2.

Film Noir Classic Collection, Vol. 1, $49.95 retail – It’s not often that a genre film collection features five truly classic films: The Asphalt Jungle, Gun Crazy, Murder My Sweet, Out of the Past, and The Set-Up. The main attractions for many film fans will be Out of the Past, the definitive film noir, and Murder, My Sweet, the best adaptation of Raymond Chandler’s detective Philip Marlowe. But the real find here is Gun Crazy (aka Deadly Is the Female), a terrific B-film with John Dall as a young man with two passions: guns and a pretty sharpshooter (Peggy Cummins) whose ambitions lead to a crime spree. Recommended by Rick29.

Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends, The Complete First Season, $21.93 retail – Journey back to Frostbite Falls, Minnesota, in this animated classic series that set the standard for clever stories that appealed to kids, but also contained satiric humor for adults. Plus, you get Fractured Fairy Tales, Mr. Peabody, and Dudley Do-Right of the Mounties! Seasons 2 and 3 are available, too. Recommended by Paul 2.

The Fantastic Films of Ray Harryhausen - Legendary Monster Series, $57.95 retail – There are several Ray Harryhausen collections available, but this one includes his two finest films: The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad and Jason and the Argonauts…plus you get The Golden Voyage of Sinbad, Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger, and The Three Worlds of Gulliver. Jason’s fights with the Harpies and the skeletons in Argonauts have to be seen to be believed—no computer special effects can match them. In short, this is a box set to be enjoyed by kids from 1 to 92 (as Mel Torme might say). Recommended by Rick29.

Most of the gifts above are available for less than the retail prices through stores like Amazon, Costco, DVD Planet, and others. Through the end of November, http://www.deepdiscount.com/ is running a 40% off sale with free shipping. But be sure to check your prices at several places to ensure you get the best buy. The Classic Film & TV Cafe does not endorse any merchandise dealers.