2021 Holiday Gift Guide for Movie, TV and Music Fans, From New Albums of Aretha Franklin and David Bowie to New “Sex and the City” Box Set

Here are 12 more entertaining gift ideas – books, home videos, and music – if you want to mix it up a bit.

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Books

“The Art of the Walking Dead Universe”, by Matthew K. Manning (AMC Networks Publishing, $ 49.99): “Every time we go out to places, we have to create the apocalypse,” says a production designer on AMC’s hit zombie series. This fascinating book shows how they do it, from creating elaborate sets such as The Prison and Alexandria, which Rick (Andrew Lincoln) and his band of survivors made home for a while, to costumes, dozens of improvised weapons. and the creepy graffiti painted on the walls of abandoned buildings. For those who trace their “Walking Dead” fandom to the comics that inspired the series, there is a section of fine art prints to admire.

“David Copperfield’s History of Magic” (Simon & Schuster, $ 35): David Copperfield’s large-scale illusions (remember when he made the Statue of Liberty disappear?) Made him a star in the ’80s. That made him too rich enough to amass a collection of props, posters, photographs and books to fill a private museum devoted to the history of magic. This book features a rare public tour of the wonders it contains, including Harry Houdini’s straightjacket and Doug Henning’s Transfiguration trunk.

“Renegades: Born in the United States”, by Barack Obama and Bruce Springsteen (Crown, $ 50): In the summer of 2020, with the United States reeling from the pandemic and fallout from the murder of George Floyd, Barack Obama and Bruce Springsteen sat down for a broad conversation that would become their eight podcast episodes “Renegades: Born in the United States.” This book contains the transcripts of those podcasts, but there is much more to do for fans of the 44th President and the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer. It’s like a double album containing personal photos, speeches and song lyrics, and anecdotes related to their conversations about American music and history.

“Spike”, by Spike Lee (Chronicle Chrome, $ 50): From “She’s Gotta Have It” to “Da Five Bloods,” director Spike Lee guides fans through his 40-year film career in this movie-screen book. These are mostly photos taken on set by Lee’s brother David with occasional commentary. Lee also wrote the screenplays for most of his films, but “Spike” lists the number of indelible frames he captured in films such as “Do the Right Thing”, “Malcolm X”, “25th Hour” and “BlacKkKlansman”.

Home video

“Columbia Classics 4K Ultra HD Collection Volume 2” (Sony Pictures, $ 164.99): This box of six movies – plus a book – is the gift for the family who has a TV in every room, or a movie buff with varying tastes. It includes Jimmy Stewart’s legal drama “Anatomy of a Murder”, the musical “Oliver! “Oscar winner, Martin Scorsese’s New York nightmare” Taxi Driver “, Jane Austen’s adaptation of” Sense and Sensibility “and” The Social Network “, the 2010 Facebook creation account. Good movies all of them, but no one will judge you if you start with Bill Murray’s military comedy “Stripes”.

“Dune” (Video Arrow, $ 59.99): Director Denis Villeneuve’s adaptation of the sci-fi classic “Dune” is one of the most talked about films of the year. Some who saw David Lynch’s version of “Dune” in 1984, which starred Kyle MacLachlan, remain true to his vision of the futuristic epic. This luxury reissue is for them. It includes a new ultra-high definition film restoration; a book; lobbying posters and cards; and several behind-the-scenes news, including an interview with members of the band Toto – it was the 80s, remember? – on the writing of the film’s score.

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“Sex and the City: The Complete Series + Movies” (Warner Bros., $ 139.99): Without Samantha Jones, the sequel to “Sex and the City” might as well be called “The City” or, as HBO Max would have said, “And Just Like That” , a new, Samantha -free series that begins airing on December 9. Fans of the voracious and fun character of Kim Cattrall can more than settle for this set, which includes all six seasons of the landmark series, which ran from 1998 to 2004, and the two movie films that followed.

“Star Trek: The Original Series” (Paramount, $ 111.99): Actor William Shatner recently spent a few minutes in space aboard Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin. He owes the trip, of course, to the three seasons he spent in the 1960s with Captain James T. Kirk in “Star Trek”. Fans of the series may already have all 79 episodes on Blu-ray, but they’ve been re-released in shiny, limited-edition Steelbook cases, ideal for gift giving. For the fulls, there’s also a new box set of the original four “Star Trek” theatrical movies on 4K UHD Blu-ray discs (Paramount, $ 90.99).

Music

David Bowie, “Brilliant Adventure” (1992-2001) (Rhino, $ 399.98 vinyl, $ 159.98 CD): This set compiles Bowie’s turn-of-the-century albums, including “Black Tie White Noise,” “Outside,” “Earthling,” the soundtrack to “ Buddha of Suburbia ”and a live album. The prize, however, is the lost album “Toy,” a collection of old and new songs that Bowie recorded with his touring band, including guitarist Earl Slick and bassist Gail Ann Dorsey, then set aside. “Toy” will be released on its own in January.

Bob Dylan, “Spring in New York: The Bootleg Series Vol. 16 (1980-1985) (Columbia Records, $ 45 vinyl, $ 22 CD): The early 80s is no one’s idea of ​​one of Bob Dylan’s classic times. The albums he released during the five-year period covered by this compilation are “Shot of Love”, “Infidels” and “Empire Burlesque”. But because he’s Bob Dylan, there are a bunch of good songs here, and a few good ones, including “Blind Willie McTell,” which surfaced in 1991 on the first of Dylan’s “Bootleg Series” collections, and ” New Danville Girl ”, a version of the“ Empire Burlesque ”song“ Brownsville Girl ”in which the singer raves about Gregory Peck and sleeps near the Alamo.

Aretha Franklin, “Aretha” (Rhino, $ 59.98): There’s finally a Queen of Soul-worthy compilation, spanning her six decades of work for multiple record labels. This spans from her debut single in 1956 to her 2014 cover of Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep”. Along the way there are timeless hits such as “Respect” and “Chain of Fools”, lesser known gems like “Day Dreaming”, later hits such as “Freeway of Love” and “Sisters Are Doin ‘It for Themselves “as well as iconic moments like” Think “from the” Blues Brothers “soundtrack and the version of” (You Make Me Feel) Like a Natural Woman “that she sang at the Kennedy Honors.

The Rolling Stones, “Tattoo You” (Interscope, vinyl at $ 35.98, CD at $ 19.98): Opinions differ, but many believe that “Tattoo You”, which turned 40 this year, was the Rolling Stones’ last big album, ending in the classic songs “Start Me Up” and “Waiting on a Friend. The band marked the occasion with a reissue that includes a bonus disc with nine other songs, including a cover of Dobie Gray’s” Drift Away “and an alternate version of “Start Me Up.” A deluxe boxed version (CD $ 149.99, vinyl $ 197.98) adds a 1992 concert recording plus a book with photos of the recording sessions for “Tattoo You” and an interview with the producer of this album.

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