John Singleton is an intriguing American filmmaker. You could argue that his stunning 1991 debut film, Boyz N The Hood, was the peak of his career.

So it is instructive to survey more of his distinctive work, including the made-in-Toronto Four Brothers. This is an operatic action picture starring Mark Wahlberg as the leader among four adopted brothers out to avenge the death of their foster mom. Singleton says his stamp is all over this -- and all over every film he has ever made.

Four Brothers has flaws, especially in the overwrought and bloody climax, but it is a gonzo ride into criminal hell.

The movie is out tomorrow in a Special Collector's Edition DVD in enhanced widescreen. It comes fully loaded. The extras include a Singleton commentary, nine deleted scenes and four making-of featurettes.

BACK TO THE HOOD: Perfect timing. While Paramount is releasing Four Brothers, Columbia timed its John Singleton Collection to arrive first, on Dec. 6, so the filmmakers' fans could brush up on his past accomplishments.

The three-disc set includes three titles, all in widescreen: Bozy N The Hood, the masterwork with its stunning African-American cast led by Ice Cube, Cuba Gooding Jr., Morris Chestnut, Angela Bassett and Laurence Fishburne; Poetic Justice, the romance co-starring Janet Jackson and Tupac Shakur; and Baby Boy, the drama about growing up and taking responsibility, starring Tyrese Gibson and Ving Rhames. Singleton's casting is always impeccable.

The DVDs vary in extras, from none on Boyz to fully loaded on the Special Edition version of Baby Boy.

FAIRYTALE TIME: Disney's funky film version of the Broadway musical, Once Upon A Mattress, arrives in time for family viewing at Christmas. Carol Burnett (as Queen Aggravain), Tracey Ullman, Tom Smothers and Zooey Deschanel co-star in this adapation of the old fairytale, The Princess And The Pea. The DVD is out tomorrow with good featurettes taking us behind the scenes, including a gag reel as the cast acts up between takes.

HILLBILLY ROYALTY: The 2005 movie The Dukes Of Hazzard, with Johnny Knoxville and Seann William Scott as the rampaging Dukes and sexy Jessica Simpson as cousin Daisy is on DVD now. There are separate full and widescreen editions. In addition, the Unrated version offers even more risque material. Any way you view it, it's a silly summer flick. Also out now is the eight-disc box set, The Dukes Of Hazzard: The Complete Fifth Season, which takes us back to the original TV series with Catherine Bach in the hottie shorts. The small extras package includes a visit to a Hazzard shrine.