"Bong Of The Dead" DVD (director: Thomas Newman)

"There will be bud!" claims the packaging. This spliff-tastic splatter parody adds a new spin on the tried, true, and, dare I say, trendy zombie mythology. Set in the not-distant zombie apocalypse, a pair of bone-headed stoners discover that by pureeing zombie brains into fertilizer for their marijuana, they can get higher than a giraffe's cooch. So they set out to harvest more zombies, only to end up crossing paths with a tough chick named Leah, who reluctantly joins them, all the while adding some sexual tension and providing a measure of intellect.

The gore? Very well-done here. And the cinematography is also solid, with the "stoned" scenes shrouded in a misty camera effect. The acting is only so-so, but with a finale that's over-the-top and reminiscent of some of Peter Jackson's classics, this one's a whole bloody lot of fun. (MVD Visual)

Bong Of The Dead official site with trailer and $2.99 download deal

"From Straight To Bizarre: Zappa, Beefheart, Alice Cooper, and LA's Lunatic Fringe" DVD

This nearly 3-hour unauthorized documentary does an admirable job compiling a history lesson on the short-lived, but influential labels set up by Frank Zappa and manager Herb Cohen in the late 1960s. Straight Records and Bizarre Records both were showcases for some of the wildest and most unusual sounds to come from the era.

Featured here are looks at the artists who benefit from Zappa's tutelage, from the medically-diagnosed paranoid schizophrenic Wild Man Fischer to Captain Beefheart to Alice Cooper, Lenny Bruce, Tim Buckley, and others. As with most of the releases from Sexy Intellectual, there are plenty of interviews with friends and acquaintances, though particularly absent are words from the most pivotal players. Nonetheless, this is an interesting document and a fine history lesson, especially to fans of Zappa. (Sexy Intellectual via MVD Visual)

Zappa website