Extended foreign version of 'Protector' in DVD set

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Rising Thai martial-arts star Tony Jaa continues to reinvigorate the genre with his latest intensely kinetic showcase The Protector, new from Dragon Dynasty/Genius Products Inc. (two-disc, $29.95). It's our ...

DVD pick of the week

The double-disc set contains both the truncated U.S. theatrical and extended international versions of the film, with the latter emerging as the far superior cut. As in his 2005 debut vehicle "Ong-Bak: The Thai Warrior," Mr. Jaa plays a country lad who journeys into the wilds of the big, bad city (Sydney, Australia, replacing the earlier film's Bangkok) on a dangerous mission, in this case to locate and reclaim a pair of purloined pachyderms.

While his plot serves as a convenient frame for the multiple fight set pieces, director Prachya Pinkaew doesn't stint on the details and flavor, filling the screen with colorful villains, including a transsexual Chinese crime czar/czarina (Jin Xing) and an oversized brawler (Nathan B. Jones), as well as fascinating glimpses into Sydney's diverse, flourishing Asian communities.

Mr. Jaa handles the combat scenes (one of which — a battle royal in a casino lensed in a single, nearly five-minute tracking shot — ranks among the greatest ever captured on celluloid) with oft-breathless athletic aplomb but wisely shares the dramatic load with accomplished thesp Phetthai Wongkhamlao, cast here as an earthy Thai emigre cop on Sydney's largely Caucasian force.

The severely chopped U.S. edition is worth a look for comparison's sake; more compelling extras include behind-the-scenes featurettes and Tony Jaa martial-arts demonstrations, among other bonus materials. The disc comes equipped with optional subtitles, though much of the film's dialogue is spoken in English. "The Protector" is a must for martial-arts buffs who think they've seen it all.

Collectors' corner

Warner Home Video celebrates Valentine's Day with a quintet of romantic classics. Judy Garland and Robert Walker literally race against time in The Clock (1945), while Jane Wyman and Van Johnson share stolen moments in the similarly themed Miracle in the Rain (1955), Troy Donahue and Sandra Dee discover young love at A Summer Place (1959), a neurotic George Segal pursues elusive ex Susan Anspach in Blume in Love (1973), and Amy Irving encounters two potential suitors in Crossing Delancey (1988). The discs are tagged at $19.97 each.

The same label adds another five vintage titles, voted in by film fans on Amazon.com, to its "Decision 2006" roster — The Arrangement (1960), Band of Angels (1957), the wild and crazy kung-fu variation Gymkata (1985), Looker (1981) and Madame Curie (1943).

Paramount Home Entertainment jump-starts Oscar season with its gala Best Picture Academy Award Winners Collection (seven-disc, $89.98), assembling seven Oscar-winning films: The Godfather (1972), Terms of Endearment (1983), Forrest Gump (1994), Braveheart (1995), Titanic (1997), American Beauty (1999) and Gladiator (2000).