Cashing In (The Doors)

Two of the surviving Doors, plus the former lead singer of The Cult, are back because the band's name is simply too potent to waste its moneymaking potential. Drummer Robby Kreiger says, "I'm just happy for the gig, man." Among the future hits on this album: "Love Me Two Times '02," "Light My Fire '02," and the show-stopping "The End '02."

  Music Tangentially Related to The Sopranos (Various Artists)

For the Sopranos fans who think they have it all--this latest tie-in to the acclaimed HBO show brings you 12 tracks of music, all of which have some demonstrable link to the show. Included: a song by a New jersey punk band star Robert Iler likes, a rare recording of a 19th-century drinking song star Dominic Chianese remembers his grandfather singing, and an exclusive two minutes of whistling performed by show creator David Chase's niece. Plus Nickelback contributes "Gangsters Rule."

  Thank You Very Much--A Tribute to the King (Various Artists)

If you think you've seen every Elvis tribute album there is, well, meet this instant classic. Superstars of rock, pop, country, and instrumental new age cover the greatest "Thank you very muches" of the King, each remaining faithful to the source material while somehow applying their own signature style. Highlights include Nickelback lead singer Chad Kroeger's haunting rendition of an undated seventies-era Vegas recording.

  Songs for My Children (Michael Jackson)

You knew it was coming, and finally, it's here! Perhaps the cash-strapped Jacko can make some coin with this effort targeted to those he loves best--the children. This 15-song collection features kid-friendly covers of beloved pop classics "Upside Down," "Twist and Shout," and "Shake, Rattle, and Roll," as well as a new original composition: "Your Special Place."

  NOW! That's What I Call Music Volume 43 (Various Artists)

It's good to see that despite the music industry's overall slump, this long-running hit compilation is still going strong with no shortage of great material. This latest installment features the greatest local car commercial jingles of 2002--that's right, and all on one disc! Particular interest: Nickelback's "Tom's Honda Cares About Cars" for Tom's Honda in Champaign, Illinois.

  Guns and Roses Live: July 17, 2002 (What's Left of Guns and Roses These Days)

Guns and Roses fans are urged to snap up this album, which contains the complete concert Guns and Roses gave in Paraguay this summer, as it may be the last album they get to hear--well, ever. All 42 minutes (before Axel left the stage after complaining about the high temperatures on the outdoor stage) are faithfully reproduced on this CD.

  K-19: The Widowmaker Collector's Edition

This brand-new DVD features a special "lose accents" mode--that's right, one click of the "audio" button on your remote will switch the audio track to one in which star Harrison Ford and the other actors in the cast talk normally instead of trying those ridiculous faux-Russian accents.

  The Ultimate Deluxe Supreme Obsessive's Edition: Lord of the Rings

Comes in 15 different boxes, each with a different character on the front--perfect for fans of the film, who will enjoy the approximately two weeks' worth of bonus material. Collectors, of course, will seek all 15 boxes, which can be arranged to form a structure that appears in The Two Towers

  Austin Powers in Goldmember (Commerical-Free Edition)

For the price of $39.99, discriminating film fans can enjoy this version of the third installment in the Powers series. This disc contains a "product-placement free" cut of the film, removing all of the blatant shills and plugs. Running time=17 minutes.

  Emeril: The Complete Series

At long last, all 6 episodes that were produced of this NBC sitcom, including several that were never aired, come to DVD in a lavish package. Included as a bonus is a booklet of Emeril's recipes of foods to prepare and enjoy while watching the show. Audio commentaries on each episode provide insight as to why, for example, Emeril believes the pilot episode goes best with fettucini alfredo and eggplant.

  The Adventures of Pluto Nash: The Version You've Never Seen

Although this disc contains the same theatrical cut of Pluto Nash that was apparently released earlier this year, Warner Brothers hopes the eye-catching title of this release will attract DVD enthusiasts.

  Men in Black II

The smash sequel comes to home video with a fun feature: pushing a button on the "Main Menu" screen will activate dollar amounts popping up at various parts of the movie on various parts of the screen so viewers can keep track of--just as the talent apparently did--exactly how much money everyone was making during production.

  Minority Report

The best and most notable feature on this disc is the inclusion of the "Less is More" Cut, which ends the movie 30 minutes early and renders it watchable.

  Betty Boop: The Untold Story by Albert Goldman with Dennis Dompkins

Dompkins, working from several boxes of recently unearthed manuscript fragments and research material belonging to the late author Goldman, gives us this shocking, at times disturbing bio of cultural icon Boop. One allegation--that Boop supported herself as a "woman of the night" before landing a gig starring in Fleischer Studios' animates shorts--has already generated significant buzz and controversy.

  Becker: The First 100 Episodes

This handsome coffee table book commemorates the recent milestone of the series proudly labeled as as, in the words of the book's jacket cover, "America's Second-Favorite Ted Danson Show!" In addition to the stunning set photography and stills from the show, cultural essayist Jimmy Glick supplies provocative text that gets to the heart of why America loves this show even more than Ink.

  Backstage with Aaron by Martin Guerrero

An insider writes a revealing, candid account of life on the triumphant 2001 tour of teenage pop sensation Aaron Carter. Highlights include a stirring if somewhat racy passage detailing a stop in Houston, where one fan tossed her hair scrunchie up on stage at Aaron's feet.

  The 100 Greatest Michael Caine Movies of All-Time (3rd Edition)
  by the editors of Entertainment Weekly

In their continuing effort to rank and list every aspect of the history of film, the mag finally gets around to updating its sporadically published hardback ranking of Caine flicks. This edition covers recent movies like Austin Powers in Goldmember, Last Orders, and The Quiet American.

  Britney Spears Boob-a-Day and Michael Jackson Nose-a-Day Desk Calendars

Inspired by popular websites that progress the mystical progression of these pop superstars' most famous body parts, these desk calendars use sharp, detailed photography to spotlight all the changes. Any music fan will enjoy the wild rollercoaster of boob and nose sizes while monitoring the changing days of the week, month--and yes, even year.

  An Evening with Scott Baio

Make an offer, and you can purchase a fun-filled evening with the star of such TV classics as Happy Days, Diagnosis Murder, and Circus of the Stars. According to his official website, "YOU can be in charge of CHARLES" for one whole night!" Discounts apply to blonde women under 30 years of age.

  Subscription to Cultureshark.com

Hey, why not? Even though we don't charge for access to our site, a paid subscription to cultureshark.com provides security because if we ever DO, the recipient of this gift will be credited the FULL AMOUNT of the subscription right off the bat! What a relief that would be to any fan of the website!