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TALK ABOUT serendipity. Pierce Brosnan and writer/director Richard Shepard agree that if the script for (audio: ****, video: ****, extras: ****) had been sent to his agent, Brosnan never would have seen it.

Foul-mouthed and self-centered, charming and flat-out funny, Julian Noble, the hitman with issues that Brosnan plays, isn’t the kind of character agents rally around.

“This script found me at the right time,” Brosnan says on a lively commentary he shares with Shepard and co-star Greg Kinnear, who plays a struggling businessman who falls into Noble’s orbit.

Other extras include a second commentary with Shepard (both are well worth the time), a making-of feature, deleted scenes and radio interviews with Shepard.

Johnny Depp lets his hair down for (audio: ***, video: ***, extras: ***) just like he does in “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest” that opens today. The resemblance ends there. Parents, keep your children away from this dark historical of the notorious John Wilmot, second Earl of Rochester.

It isn’t pretty watching a man succumb to excess, but first time director Laurence Dunmore draws out every graphic detail of Wilmot’s death from syphilis. Depp, as always, gives a heartfelt, believable performance. He can make these odd characters breathe, as can co-star John Malkovich in the role of Charles II.

If you’re looking for swashbuckling action in the spirit of Disney’s “Pirates,” turn to the restored (audio: ***, video: ***, extras: ***) with Tyrone Power and Maureen O’Hara.

Based on the book by Rafael Sabatini – who also provided the means for “Captain Blood,” “Scaramouche” and “The Sea Hawk” – it is directed by Henry King, who gave us “Prince of Foxes,” “Captain from Castile,” “12 O’Clock High” and dozens of other classics. George Sanders, disguised with a red beard, and a young Anthony Quinn round out a spirited bunch of villains and heroes.

“The Black Swan” won an Oscar for cinematography and, according to commentary from O’Hara and film historian Rudy Behlmer, is still used in film schools. Their commentary is also full of personal recollections and Hollywood trivia. A restoration comparison is another bonus for film fans.

The ironic connection between the films is that both are set during the Restoration. Charles II knighted pirate Henry Morgan, making him governor of Jamaica with eye towards cleaning up the pirate scourge. Despite the political maneuvering in “The Black Swan,” Morgan is now being re-evaluated as one of Britain’s great military strategists.

Dead men tell no tales, but swashbuckler fans will share their favorite films. Apart from “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl,” here are more pirate favorites.

6. “Against All Flags” (1952) Errol Flynn infiltrates a pirate haven and steals the heart of (another) pirate queen. Maureen O’Hara, Anthony Quinn.

5. “The Buccaneer” (1958) Yul Brynner as Jean Lafitte – with hair! Directed by Anthony Quinn, it also stars Charles Boyer and Charlton Heston as Gen. Andrew Jackson.

3. “Nate and Hayes” (1983) Tommy Lee Jones is a treat as Capt. Bully Hayes. Great chemistry with co-stars Michael O’Keefe and Jenny Seagrove makes this a must-see epic.

1. “Captain Blood” (1935) Errol Flynn leaps into action as Dr. Peter Blood. Olivia de Havilland and Basil Rathbone, who also paired with Flynn for “The Adventures of Robin Hood,” wreak their own brand of mayhem. The best – evah!

Riding on the coattails of the success of “Survivor,” (audio: **½ , video: **½ , extra: **½ ) brought a new twist to reality shows. Six contestants on each episode would vie for a $50,000 prize. To get it, they had to face down fear.

Worms crawling over your body; a long jump from one speeding truck to another; eating crickets. Take your pick. Chances are, at least one person will wimp out during each of the episodes, but it’s not always the one you expect.

The show was definitely designed around commercial breaks, with repetition at the point after where the ads would be. Next time, they might consider editing those out of the DVD to assure more continuity.

Sure, the social issues are a bit hackneyed on talk shows such as Montel and even Oprah, but when you see how they’re done on Morgan Spurlock’s you’ll realize they’re still worth exploring. The FX show’s first season is on DVD (audio: ****, video: ****, extras: ****).

Each of the first season’s six episodes takes on an overlying issue and submerges someone for 30 days to deal with it - whether it’s a mother binge drinking to try to teach her daughter about the dangers, a Christian from West Virginia living as a Muslim, Spurlock and his fiancee making ends meet on minimum wage or a homophobic man living in San Francisco. Each is worth a look.

Spurlock, an Academy Award nominee for “Super Size Me,” brings real-life issues to a head, including when he and Alexandra Jamieson live in Columbus, Ohio, for 30 days, both working minimum-wage jobs. It’s an eye-opener for anyone who doesn’t think a chasm in America doesn’t exist between the haves and have nots.

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