DVD REVIEWS OF NEW RELEASES TAKE DIRECTION FROM TWO GREATS.

Byline: Rob Lowman Entertainment Editor

Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg may be very different filmmakers, but both directors are consummate students of cinema. Out today is a box set of five Scorsese films and Spielberg's first two films - the 1971 made-for-TV ``Duel'' and his first feature, ``Sugarland Express'' (1974), with Goldie Hawn.

Like his later ``Jaws,'' ``Duel'' has an ominous predator - in this case a massive truck menacing Dennis Weaver as a traveling salesmen driving the open roads. Taking his cues from Hitchcock and others, Spielberg knew how to ratchet up the tension, but he also showed an amazing flair for sustaining action. The same can be said about ``Sugarland Express,'' which involves a wild chase across Texas after an escaped convict (William Atherton) and his wife (Hawn) as they try to save their son from adoption. For those who only discovered Spielberg's talent with ``Jaws'' (1975), these films are eye-openers.

The Scorsese collection shows off different sides of the director. Three of the films, which happen to be on DVD for the first time - ``After Hours'' (1985), ``Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore'' (1974), and his first feature, the 1968 ``Who's That Knocking at My Door?'' - all have comic elements, albeit often dark, tortured offbeat ones. The 1973 ``Mean Streets,'' the film that made his reputation, and the 1990 ``Goodfellas,'' perhaps his greatest work, are signature Scorsese films - gritty, violent and dealing with men who have conflicted moral and ethical values.

The remastered DVDs offer a slew of great extras, most notably Scorsese's commentary. The man is a passionate walking encyclopedia of cinema and listening to him is a pleasure for any fan of film.

As for the films: ``Who's That'' shows all of Scorsese's promise that came to pass; ``Goodfellas'' and ``Mean Streets,'' which help spotlight Robert DeNiro's talent, are classics; ``Alice'' is enjoyable with an Oscar-winning performance by Ellen Burstyn; and ``After Hours'' is a brilliant black comedy.

Martin Scorsese Collection (Warner; $59.92) includes all five films plus commentary and numerous extras. The films are also available individually.

``Duel'' and ``The Sugarland Express'' (Universal; $19.98 each).

`Dinner for Five'

As Jon Favreau tells it, ``Dinner for Five,'' his IFC show, was a ``cool way to reach a very small specific audience.'' ``Dinner'' is a free-flowing, unscripted half-hour in which Favreau and four other Hollywood figures talk about life in the entertainment industry. The frank discussions go way beyond the usual gibberish heard on ``Access Hollywood'' or Leno.

When we talked recently, Favreau, who is known for starring in and co-writing ``Swingers'' as well as directing ``Elf,'' was getting ready to direct ``Zathura'' starring Tim Robbins, based a book by Chris Van Allsburg. (``Jumanji'' ``Polar Express''). So who's watching ``Dinner''? ``Besides Hollywood, maybe my relatives,'' he deadpans.

But that's a big besides. In fact, that's how he gets guests sometimes - people in the industry who have seen the show want to be on. The best part of ``Dinner'' - besides catching guests with their mouths full (``We try to avoid that unless it's really working'') - is ``meeting these people and hearing those war stories,'' says Favreau.

Those war stories can be quite wide-ranging. The late Rod Steiger revealed his resentment toward Marlon Brando over an incident during the filming of ``On the Waterfront.'' Peter Falk talked about working with John Cassevettes. He said one of the late director's favorite quotes, ``Man is god in ruins.'' ``That was John,'' says Falk on one of the episodes from the first season of ``Dinner,'' out today.

Along with Hollywood veterans, the show mixes in those from the younger crowd. ``It's interesting to get not what's spun but what the people are really thinking,'' says Favreau. ``These are normal people who make flawed decisions sometimes or guess wrong or step in s--t sometimes or guess right and look great.''

Amid his busy schedule, Favreau, who acts in the upcoming ``Wimbledon,'' isn't under any pressure to turn out any number of episodes of ``Dinner,'' which is in its fourth season. He almost sees the show as a perk.

``I just did one with Henry Winkler. Here we are sitting with the guy we grew up watching on 'Happy Days.' You want to hear he's a nice guy ... but then you forget that this guy also had this experience of seeing the '70s from probably the most unique perspective that there is, playing Fonzie. What was that like?''

``Dinner for Five - Season One'' (Wellspring; $29.98).

`Da Ali G Show'

If you haven't seen ``Da Ali G Show,'' currently in its second season on HBO, then run out and get the first season on DVD.

Ali G is just one of the alter-egos of Sacha Baron Cohen, a Cambridge- educated British comedian. Cohen's Ali is a wannabe rap personality who poses as a hip-hop journalist and gets interviews with real people like former speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, Donald Trump, Brent Scowcroft, Ralph Nader or astronaut Buzz Aldrin. It's scary how easily these people are taken in by him and are willing to accommodate his outrageous character even as he asks the silliest or most inane questions.

Cohen's other characters are Borat, a Kazakhstan TV reporter who knows limited English and is supposedly going around the U.S. for his show ``Borat's Guide to America'' and Bruno, a German fashionista. Like Ali they get unsuspecting people to take part in interviews and then go off in bizarre ways.

Cohen is brazen, hanging out with some strange (to be polite) gun club members, hiding his Jewish identity and making derogatory comments about Jews to see how far people go along. It's a different brand of humor, but brilliant. Bling, bling.

``Da Ali G Show - The Complete First Season'' (HBO; $29.95) includes on two discs all six episodes, one with commentary by Cohen, and other features.

`Taking Lives,' `Connie and Carla,' `New York Minute,' `Godsend'

Of the new films out this week, ``Taking Lives,'' the serial killer thriller starring Angelina Jolie and Ethan Hawke, is the best of a so-so lot. Directed by D.J. Caruso (``The Salton Sea''), ``Lives'' is driven more by its creepiness and unsettling images than logic. If you can't figure out the two plot twists, you're not trying, but it's likely you'll stay with it. Jolie is way too gorgeous for an FBI profiler but convincing enough with her usual sensuous presence to keep you intrigued.

``Carla and Connie,'' Nia Vardalos' follow-up to her surprise hit ``My Big Fat Greek Wedding,'' gives credence to the old adage ``Quit while you're ahead.'' The rather limp story, about a small-time 30-something song-and-dance duo (Vardalos as Connie and Toni Collette as Carla) who witness a mob murder and have to go into hiding, has few real laughs. Reversing the ``Some Like It Hot'' plot, which it obviously borrowed from, the pair pretend to be transvestites. But there is no Marilyn Monroe, only David Duchovney as a straight guy, who Connie falls for. I can hear you laughing already.

``New York Minute,'' the Olsen twins vehicle that came out just before Mary-Kate left for rehab for what was called an ``eating disorder,'' is a strictly by-the-numbers formulaic comedy that should have hit television first. The twins play sisters who are polar opposites - one sloppy (Mary-Kate), one neat (Ashley) - who are forced to work together when things go wrong in the big city. Andrea Martin, Eugene Levy and Andy Richter are along for the paycheck. The best special effect is having the rather thin, not-too-tall twins look bigger than life.

``Godsend'' is hardly one. The chiller about a couple - Greg Kinnear and Rebecca Romijn-Stamos - who lose a child in a car accident only to have a new one grown by a fertility and genetics expert (Robert DeNiro) offers few jolts and is undone by its lame plot.

``Taking Lives'' (Warner; $27.95). f=C Helvetica CondensedAn unrated director's cut is also available with six additional minutes of footage, a gag reel and fourmaking-of featurettes.

``Connie and Carla'' (Universal; $29.98) includes commentary by Varalos and director Michael Lembeck, deleted scenes and extended musical scenes.

``New York Minute'' (Warner; $27.95) includes a blooper reel and two alternative ending.

``Godsend'' (Lions Gate; $26.98)

`Happy Days,' `Laverne and Shirley'

Oh ``Happy Days,'' the first season of the landmark '70s TV show is out today, along with season one of its lesser but still pretty good spinoff, ``Laverne and Shirley.''

Richie Cunningham (Ron Howard) was originally supposed to be the focus of the 1950-set ``Happy Days'' but Fonzie (Henry Winkler) and his charm soon took over. However, don't look for much in the very early episodes. As with most shows, it took ``Happy Days,'' which began in 1974 and was inspired by the success of ``American Graffiti,'' a while to click in, but what's here is pretty good.

Fonzie guest-starred on the first three episodes of ``Laverne & Shirley'' to help boost the ratings, but the show about a couple of working girls in Milwaukee in the 1950s soon found its own audience. Opposites Laverne(Penny Marshall) and Shirley (Cindy Williams) were perfect foils for each other, and the show soon developed its own fun offbeat characters in neighbors Lenny (Michael McKean) and Squiggy (David L. Lander).

Kinda interesting to think that now we can be nostalgic about a couple of shows whose appeal partly rested in nostalgia.

``Happy Days - The Complete First Season'' (Paramount; $38.99).

``Laverne & Shirley - The Complete First Season'' (Paramount; $38.99).

Rob Lowman, [phone]

robert.lowman(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

4 photos

Photo:

(1) RAY LIOTTA, left, ROBERT DE NIRO and MIKE STARR in ``Goodfellas''

(2) FAVREAU

(3) ALI G

(4) MARY-KATE, left, and ASHLEY OLSEN in ``New York Minute''