'80s strong on new releases

Pickings are slim for new DVDS this week.

Escape from New York (Collector's Edition), Grade A-: The fact that this movie gave the film world the character of Snake Plissken (played with growling style by Kurt Russell) is reason enough to own this film. Snake is as tough as the Terminator and as sarcastic as Han Solo.

In the 1981 film by John Carpenter, Manhattan has been converted into a walled prison where brutal prisoners can go wherever they want. That's not a good thing when the plane carrying the president (Donald Pleasence) crashes there. Snake is the only man who can brave the island and get the president back. He's been given 24 hours to do it; if he fails, he'll lose his head.

Tour of Duty: The Complete Series, Grade B: Terence Knox heads a strong cast in this late-'80s series about a U.S. Army platoon during the Vietnam War. Look at it as the male answer to China Beach.

Long before current TV shows started using the idea that major characters don't have to be protected, Tour of Duty took a very honest and often painful look at the lives and deaths of those in service. The set includes 58 episodes from three seasons.

Naked & Afraid: Season 1, Grade F: Television has long had huge areas of wasteland, but this cable series is one of the most scorched-earth efforts ever. It's one thing to put people in survival situations with limited resources, which can be educational, but the addition of nakedness only fosters more potential for injury or illness. There's a dose of masochism in offering this show as entertainment. It's only worth is showing just how miserable and sickening TV can get.

Also new this week:

Cake: Jennifer Aniston plays a woman looking for human connection and self-forgiveness.

Bleaching Black Culture: Explores the African American influence on culture.

Taken 3: Liam Neeson plays a man on a final journey for revenge.

The Marine 4: Moving Target: Mike "The Miz" Mizanin returns to the role of American hero Jake Carter.

Fortitude: Dark drama set in the melting Arctic. Stanley Tucci stars.

Dinosaur Train: Explore Outdoors!: Features eight nature-theme adventures.

Musketeers, The Season 2: Swashbuckling series from BBC America.

Supremacy: Danny Glover stars in a story of a family taken hostage by a paroled white supremacist.

Breakin' and Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo: Street dancers look for respect in this double feature.

Signed, Sealed, Delivered: Complete Series: Four postal workers become a team of dead-letter detectives.

The Walking Deceased: A world where the dead are smarter than the living.

Yukon Men Season 3: The battle against the elements continues in Tanana, Alaska.

What's Happening: The Complete Series: Includes 65 episodes of the comedy starring Fred Berry and Shirley Hemphill.