Best DVD Selection

Amoeba Music

1855 Haight (at Stanyan), www.amoebamusic.com

Amoeba's already known far and wide for its amazing array of LPs, CDs, 45s, and other musical forms, but equally impressive is its huge selection of DVDs. New, used, rare, and out-of-print titles are bought and sold by the thousands each week, keeping the turnover lively and the assortment fresh. And such an assortment it is: everything from westerns, musicals, and noir to cult animation, silents, and the collected oeuvre of Russ Meyer, all carefully organized, alphabetized, and maintained in pristine condition. The 20,000 or so offerings can be browsed by director (Howard Hawks and Wim Wenders are especially popular), genre (the "Something Weird" category features The Pigkeeper's Daughter, among other classics), and financial consideration (Slave of the Cannibal God is among the options in the "$3 or under" bin). Box sets and music DVDs are available in abundance, and the extensive TV lineup includes such rarities as Peter Gunn, The Naked City, and The Jack Paar Show.