DVD Releases

The thematically blunt, socially conscious films of B-movie maverick Sam Fuller have gotten satisfying treatment on disc over the last few years, with cineaste presentations ranging from his career-defining Korean War drama, “The Steel Helmet,’’ to the contemporary racism allegory “White Dog.’’ Still, “The Samuel Fuller Collection’’ (2009) manages to pull together enough new-to-DVD material to make for a fresh, varied survey of Fuller’s work as both director and writer. The seven-film lineup is anchored by two Fuller directorial efforts, the melting-pot noir “The Crimson Kimono’’ (1959) and the Cliff Robertson revenge yarn “Underworld U.S.A.’’ (1961). “Kimono’’ tells the story of two LAPD detectives (Glenn Corbett and James Shigeta) whose tight friendship is tested by a love triangle - and, unexpectedly, by the ethnic self-loathing the whole mess stirs in Shigeta’s Japanese-American cop. As Fuller’s widow aptly notes in a half-hour profile featurette, the cops’ murder investigation is the sizzle Fuller used to sell his progressive reverse-racism theme to the studio. (Supplements include appreciations from Martin Scorsese, Curtis Hanson, and others.) The visually stylish “Underworld’’ is more straightforward than “Kimono’’ but also more consistently absorbing, with Robertson working both sides of the law to carry out a vendetta against the mob heavies who killed his father. The collection also includes “Scandal Sheet’’ (1952), adapted from former tabloid reporter Fuller’s novel “The Dark Page,’’ and the crime story “Shockproof’’ (1949). (Sony, $79.95)

TELEVISION

ON THE ROAD WITH CHARLES KURALT: SET 1 (2009)

With this set of Travel Channel compilations, video vault minders do their part to get Kuralt’s legacy out of the roadside ditch of shadow-family scandal and back on the highway. Part of the interest in revisiting these granddaddy-of-“Chronicle’’ segments is to see how, for all their folksiness, they actually sort of anticipate YouTube attention spans. Kuralt might be doing a visual essay on forgotten advertisements on the sides of old brick buildings, but he flashes through a dozen a minute. Extras: text updates on what-ever-became-of segment subjects like the world domino-toppling champ. (Acorn Media, $39.99)

TELEVISION

LIFE AFTER PEOPLE: THE SERIES - SEASON ONE (2009)

The History Channel’s entertainingly over-dramatic projection of post-apocalyptic decay expands from a one-shot program to an ongoing creepfest with this 10-episode set. While the original documentary’s most sensational CG images get recycled - the Empire State Building and the Golden Gate Bridge finally crumbling, among others - the producers’ minds do wander to curious new places. An episode titled “Heavy Metal’’ examines the fate of the Gateway Arch, but also makes room for discussion of fermentation tank overload at St. Louis’s breweries, and the ultimate fate of the subterranean gold stash in New York’s Federal Reserve Bank. (A&E, $34.95)

KIDS

HERE COMES SCIENCE WITH THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS (2009)

TMBG continues to deliver the current generation’s answer to “Schoolhouse Rock’’ with its CD/DVD follow-up to the ridiculously edu-taining “Here Come the ABCs’’ and “Here Come the 123s.’’ The classroom concepts are definitely more challenging this time out; even pop’s preeminent quirksters can’t do much with the periodic table of the elements. But the spectrum-dissecting “Roy G. Biv’’ is tunefully addictive, and, visually, so is the textured collage animation of “Electric Car’’ and the circulatory system overview “The Bloodmobile.’’ Don’t miss the duo’s ode-to-planet-Pluto lament between tracks. (Disney Sound, $18.98; available now)

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

WHATEVER WORKS (2009)

In Woody Allen’s latest, Larry David curbs his misanthropy, thanks to runaway Evan Rachel Wood’s sunnier outlook. (Sony, $27.96; Blu-ray, $39.95)

ICE AGE: DAWN OF THE DINOSAURS (2009)

Simon Pegg’s cracked Errol Flynn-ty critter steals the show from Manny the mammoth, Sid the sloth, Diego the sabretooth, and some pretty big reptiles. Extras: Scrat-vs.-acorn shorts, naturally. (Fox, $29.98; Blu-ray, $39.99)

LAND OF THE LOST (2009)

More dino silliness, as Will Ferrell tweaks the old Saturday morning fantasy series. Has some fun moments, but mostly a missed opportunity. Extras: Sid and Marty Krofft conversation. (Universal, $29.98; Blu-ray, $39.98; available now)

THE PRISONER: THE COMPLETE SERIES (1967-68)

Patrick McGoohan’s cult paranoia trip hits Blu-ray in time for next month’s cable mini-series remake. Extras: new feature-length retrospective; original series edits. (A&E, $99.95)

BATTLESTAR GALACTICA: THE PLAN (2009)

The sci-fi smash lives on after the fact as scenes from the miniseries and first two seasons are re-edited from the perspective of Dean Stockwell and the Cylons. Extras: commentary by director and admiral emeritus Edward James Olmos. (Universal, $26.98; Blu-ray, $39.98)

VEGA$: THE FIRST SEASON, VOLUME 1 (1978)

Before Robert Urich came to town as Spenser, he was, of course . . . Sin City’s own Dan Tanna. (Paramount, $36.98; available now)

VIRTUAL JFK: VIETNAM IF KENNEDY HAD LIVED (2009)

Documentarians speculate about how or if the war in Southeast Asia would have escalated if the president had escaped assassination in 1963. (Docurama, $26.95)

Titles are in stores Tuesday unless specified.