See It Now, But Don't Expect Many Extras

"Good Night, and Good Luck" (PG; List price: $28.98)
Release Date: March 14

With the Academy Awards behind us, the Best Picture nominees are already beginning their slow trickle onto DVD. "Crash," the surprise winner of this year's prize, has been on disc since September. This week, "Good Night, and Good Luck" -- George Clooney's acclaimed snapshot of Edward R. Murrow's on-air battle with Communist-combating Sen. Joe McCarthy -- takes its bow, to be be followed next Tuesday by fellow nominee "Capote."

All of these excellent movies have one thing in common: Their DVD releases come with a regrettably limited number of extras.

"Good Night" includes one behind-the-scenes featurette and a single commentary track, in this case by director George Clooney and his co-screenwriter, Grant Heslov. The featurette is mildly interesting, primarily because relatives and colleagues of Murrow and his CBS producer, Fred Friendly, are interviewed. But, either due to a major error in judgment or an oversight, none of these subjects are named, leaving the viewer puzzled as to exactly who is speaking. (With the exception of stars Clooney and David Strathairn, Milo Radulovich -- a former member of the Air Force accused unjustly of being a Communist -- is the only source whose identity can easily be inferred.)

Thanks to Clooney's bone-dry wit, the commentary is occasionally diverting but not exactly a must-listen. Given the rich history of the McCarthy era and Murrow's much-celebrated career, it's surprising that no additional documentaries are included here. To gain a greater sense of the journalist at the center of this story, viewers should instead turn to the excellent "Edward R. Murrow Collection," released as a box set last year. And to see a DVD that knows how to put its journalism tale in a larger context, movie fans will have to be satisfied with the recently issued special edition of "All the President's Men," a film Clooney lauds during his commentary as one of the 10 best ever made.

Then again, maybe "Good Night, and Good Luck" will redeem itself later with an expanded edition of this DVD. That's what the makers of "Crash" have done; a two-disc, director's cut of the Oscar-winning film comes out on April 4.

Most Political Bonus Point: Clooney makes a point of being even-handed when discussing the political issues raised by "Good Night." But when it comes to the governor of California, he has a harder time holding back. During the commentary track, Clooney points out that he starred in "Batman and Robin" with Arnold Schwarzenegger, who played his nemesis Mr. Freeze. "I did kick his a--," the recent Oscar winner notes. "I just want that out there."

Also on DVD This Week: "A History of Violence."

For more on new DVDs, visit washingtonpost.com's DVD section.