'The Gathering' now available on DVD

One of the best stories in home entertainment this year is the emergence of the Warner Archive Collection. The service offers made-to-order discs of films from the vast Warner vaults that have a following but aren't deemed big enough to merit a full-blown release. Today, the Warner Archive makes available for the first time on DVD a honey of a yuletide classic, The Gathering. The Emmy-winning TV drama stars Ed Asner (pictured with Maureen Stapleton) as a terminally ill father who wants one last Christmas with his estranged family. Not only was the drama a big hit when it aired in 1977, but it also spawned a sequel that aired the next year. Warner is offering a remastered version of The Gathering for $20 (plus $5 shipping; free on orders over $30), along with The Gathering II as a bonus. The only bummer is that the movies are coming out so close to Christmas that you'll need to order quickly if you want to watch them before Dec. 25, because The Gathering is available online only, not in stores.