One of the funniest films of all time, Blazing Saddles, is awarded an excellent 30th anniversary DVD release by Warner Bros., a company that has often shown great care to the important titles in its vault. The film itself is presented in a widescreen anamorphic transfer that preserves the original theatrical aspect ratio. The English soundtrack has been remastered in Dolby Digital 5.1, which makes it seem like one is hearing the infamous farting scene for the very first time. There is a healthy amount of quality extra materials, including a commentary by director Mel Brooks. Although it seems as if he was simply recorded while talking about the film (he never once refers to what is happening onscreen, and the commentary ends only an hour into the film), he recollections are amusing and enlightening. He discusses in detail how the various behind-the-scenes people as well as the cast came together. The other five-star nugget included on this disc is the pilot for the television spin-off Black Bart. Starring Louis Gossett Jr., the show is as amazingly unfunny as the movie is uproarious, but one may be struck by the crudity of the comedy that would have been telecast in the mid-'70s. A making-of documentary and a section from a special on the late great Madeline Kahn help make this DVD a must-own for comedy enthusiasts.

Based on the beloved best-selling book comes this profoundly moving story of a girl who transforms the lives of those around her during World War II, Germany. Although Liesel (Sophie Nelisse) is illiterate when she is adopted by a German couple (Oscar Winner Geoffrey Rush and Emily Watson), her adoptive father encourages her to learn to read. Ultimately, the power of words helps Liesel and Max (Ben Schnetzer), a Jew hiding in the family's home, escape from the events unfolding around them in this extraordinary, acclaimed film directed by Brian Percival (DOWNTON ABBEY).