September 12, 2012 THE VILLADOM TIMES I & III • Page 25 ‘Snow White’ is new look at ancient fairy tale worked smoothly into the narrative. There are phantom armies, characters morphing into others, and normal-sized actors -- Bob Hoskins, Ray Winstone, Toby Jones, and Ian McShane -- digitally shrunk to portray the dwarfs who become Show White’s allies. The two-disc Blu-ray/DVD combo pack contains numerous extras, including audio commentary by director and key crew members; behind-the-scenes footage; a video tour of the Pinewood Studio’s sets on which the movie was shot; and four featurettes covering visual effects, characterizations, fairy tale elements, and “Tone Poem,” a proof-of-concept reel that sold the studio on the project. The movie is also available as a single-disc DVD. “The Vampire Diaries: The Complete Third Season” (Warner Home Video), available as a Blu-ray/DVD combo pack, contains all 22 episodes of season three and never-before-seen extras. Based on the best-selling book series, “The Vampire Diaries” is the tale of vampire brothers Stefan and Damon Salvatore. The brothers are obsessed with the same beautiful girl, Elena Gilbert, and are battling to control the fate of an entire town. In the second season, the appearance of the vengeful Katherine Pierce upset the love triangle among Stefan, Elena, and Damon, and the Chris Hemsworth and Kristen Stewart make their way through the Dark Forest in ‘Snow White and the Huntsman.’ by Dennis Seuling “Snow White and the Huntsman” (Universal Studios Home Entertainment) is a dark retelling of the famous fairy tale of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs that emphasizes toxic jealousy, the usurping of royal power, premeditated homicide, and the power of evil magic. Ravenna (Charlize Theron), an incredibly vain sorceress, has the ability to shapeshift, use her feminine wiles to enchant, and methodically seize absolute power. Her prized possession is a round metallic mirror that assures her periodically that she is the fairest in the land. After Ravenna has successfully disposed of her husband, the king and father of young Snow White, the queen imprisons the child and rules with malevolence. Years later, when her mirror delivers the news that Snow White (Kristen Stewart) will soon surpass Ravenna as the most beautiful woman in the kingdom, the queen plots the girl’s death. However, Show White escapes into the Dark Forest, a place where the queen’s magic does not work. Ravenna summons a drunk, rough-hewn huntsman (Chris Hemsworth), and orders him to find the young woman and kill her. Theron acts up a storm here with a characterization that allows her plenty of opportunities to play her scenes to the max. She makes a fearsomely wicked queen and, with the assistance of special effects, is a formidable adversary against Snow White. Hemsworth (Thor in “The Avengers”) once again carries a weapon, this time an ax, as the unwilling killer. He is a big guy with a deep voice who looks and sounds the part of an uneducated clod. He rises to a state of heroism when he realizes what Snow White is up against and transforms from would-be assassin to protector. Stewart (the “Twilight” saga) is the weak link in the cast. The script attempts to make Snow White more than a shuddering, defenseless naïf, but Stewart appears to be phoning in her performance. She shows little fire, and never convinces the viewer that she is in fear for her life. Director Rupert Sanders has crafted a smart-looking movie, with special effects other residents of Mystic Falls were forced to choose sides as they fell victim to a new form of danger. Stefan and Damon later encounter their greatest challenge yet: the arrivals of Elijah and Klaus, two of the original vampires. Season three provides more of Klaus’ backstory and his motives for wanting Stefan on his side are finally revealed. As Stefan sinks more deeply into the dark side, Damon and Elena struggle with the guilt of their growing bond, even as they work together to bring Stefan back from the edge. Extras on this nine-disc set include two featurettes, deleted scenes, a gag reel, favorite scenes, and “The Producer’s Pages,” a look at elements contributing to the series’ atmosphere. Disney has packaged one of its classic features with its sequel in a new Blu-ray/ DVD combo pack. “The Rescuers”/”The Rescuers Down Under” double feature commemorates the 35th Anniversary of the introduction of Bernard and Bianca, two of the world’s bravest mice, as they set out on two exciting rescue missions packed with comic adventures. In “The Rescuers” (1977), a little girl named Penny has been kidnapped by Miss Medusa. When the human law enforcement officials fail to locate the child, (continued on Crossword page)