Gates of Heaven / Vernon, FL (Criterion Collection)With his trademark mixture of empathy and scrutiny, Errol Morris (The Thin Blue Line) has changed the face of documentary filmmaking in the United States, and his career began with two remarkable tales of American eccentricity: Gates of Heaven and Vernon, Florida. The first uses two Southern California pet cemeteries as the bases for a profound and funny rumination on love, loss, and industry; the second travels to a languorous southern backwater and

Death cradles the Maiden in his bony embrace

With "echoes

guitarist Josef Štepánek

teamed with the latter band's Jon Oliva to create Trans-Siberian Orchestra

Bear Family has here collected the cream of Leon McAuliffe's six year tenure with Columbia

who adds her distinctive

but Ontborg don't pull the chainsaw guitar noose too tight

The Love Me Nots (which was also recorded by the brilliant Bob Hoag)

Daniel Raiskin and his Koblenz Orchestra prove they are at the highest standard

"The Moon Is A Silver Dollar"

It's been a solid run so far

including noticeable stairstepping and signs of digital sharpening (with some resultant haloing)