'Good Night' and 'History of Violence' out on DVD

Two highly praised 2005 films lead off this collection of disparate flicks new to DVD this week.

"Good Night, and Good Luck." (Warner, 2005, PG, b/w, $28.98). George Clooney directed and co-wrote this excellent matter-of-fact dramatization of TV newshounds going toe-to-toe with Sen. Joe McCarthy during the communist witch hunt of the 1950s. It's chilling, it's enlightening and it's true.

David Strathairn really earned his Oscar nomination as legendary newscaster Edward R. Murrow, and Clooney is great as his producer Fred Friendly. The fine supporting cast includes Jeff Daniels, Robert Downey Jr., Patricia Clarkson, Frank Langella . . . and McCarthy as himself in news footage.

Extras: Separate widescreen and full-frame editions, audio commentary (by Clooney and producer/co-writer Grant Heslov), making-of featurette, trailer, subtitle options (English, French, Spanish), chapters.

"A History of Violence" (New Line, 2005; R for violence, sex, nudity, language; $28.98). Two graphic sex scenes mar this otherwise compelling examination of violence and redemption; arguably director David Cronenberg's finest film.

Viggo Mortensen stars as a small-town cafe owner who stands up to criminals attempting to rob him, which leads to unwanted national publicity and revelations about his past. Soon, hitman Ed Harris comes calling and mob boss William Hurt (who was Oscar-nominated) summons him. Maria Bello is also good as Mortensen's wife.

Extras: Widescreen, audio commentary (by director David Cronenberg), deleted scenes, making-of featurette, subtitle options (English, Spanish), chapters.

"Free Enterprise: Love Long and Party" (Anchor Bay, 2006; not rated but with R-level sex, nudity, language; $19.98, two discs). This is a funny, hip movie about two slacker-geeks (one played by Eric McCormack, who was auditioning for "Will & Grace" while making this film) and their circle of pop-culture junkie friends.

They idolize William Shatner (playing a goofball version of himself — before "Miss Congeniality" and other comic roles that followed), and when they meet him by chance, Shatner turns out to be a normal guy . . . who wants to mount a musical version of Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar," playing all the parts himself.

Too bad the film is too often raunchy and tasteless.