'Lemony Snicket' leads this week's DVD releases

Alert the kids. The "Lemony Snicket" film hits DVD on Tuesday. Along with a wide range of TV shows and documentaries.

• "Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events" (Nickelodeon/DreamWorks/Paramount, 2004, PG, $38.99, two discs). Despite the Tim Burton sensibilities and the startling special effects and the uniformly fine performances in this effective adaptation of the classic kids' books by director Brad Silberling, Jim Carrey runs away with the show.

Three orphans move in with their devious uncle Count Olaf (Carrey), who is after their inheritance. They soon move on to other wacky relatives (Billy Connelly, Meryl Streep), but Olaf, in various guises, pursues them, and Carrey has an over-the-top field day. A surprisingly inventive combination of dark satire and whimsy.

Extras: Widescreen, two audio commentaries (director Silberling; Silberling and "the real Lemony Snicket"), making-of featurettes, deleted scenes, bloopers, photo galleries, language options (English, French, Spanish), optional English subtitles, chapters. (Also available in separate widescreen or full-frame single-disc editions, $29.99.)

• "The Waltons: The Complete Second Season" (Warner, 1973-74, not rated, $39.98, five discs). During the popular family show's sophomore season, John-Boy (Richard Thomas) graduates from high school, Grandma and Grandpa (Ellen Corby, Will Geer) separate (sort of) and the beloved "Thanksgiving Story" is among the episodes. Among the guest stars are the late John Ritter, Sissy Spacek, and Victor French, who would gain fame on "Little House on the Prairie."

Extras: Full frame, 24 episodes, optional French subtitles, chapters.

• "Cirque Du Soleil: Solstrom" (Sony, 2004, not rated, $49.95, five discs). Fans of the Cirque Du Soleil troupe will have fun with this Bravo cable-channel series, which goes backstage to show how their amazing, quirky acrobatic shows are put together. It's an uneven collection, but when they're developing and performing the amazing stunts for which they are known, it's fascinating stuff. Though I'm still not sure what Milla Jovovich is doing here.

Extras: Widescreen, 13 episodes, making-of featurette, photo gallery, subtitle options (English, French, Spanish, Portuguese), chapters.