That's a wrap!

Gifts for your favorite film buff. By Cheryl Eddy

EVERYBODY'S GOT ONE in their family or circle of friends: that obsessed film geek whose vast and overwhelming DVD collection (and equally vast and overwhelming set of critical opinions) makes them nearly impossible to satisfy come holiday season. For example, only a blundering fool would gift-wrap an unrequested copy of Revenge of the Sith. Chances are, your intended recipient either bought the thing Nov. 1, when it was released, or, more likely, is still burned over the New Hope DVD situation (three words: Greedo shoots first!?) and is boycotting Star Wars DVDs across the board.

Fortunately, there are other options for film freaks close to your heart. An obvious choice is passes to a local rep house like the Roxie or the Castro. But that's what you gave them last year, right? So this year, why not shock and amaze by sending them off on a cushy bus ride commemorating some of the big screen's most indelible scenes? San Francisco Movie Tours (www.sanfranciscomovietours.com) visits famous spots from classics like Vertigo, Dark Passage, Dirty Harry, The Maltese Falcon, and Bullitt; locations from newer films like Mrs. Doubtfire and The Rock; and the San Francisco landmarks that populate nearly every film set here (including, of course, the frequently-mangled-by-evil-forces-for-dramatic-effect Golden Gate Bridge). The three-hour tours are normally $37 to $47, but in honor of the company's recent launch, prices are 20 percent off through January 2006.

If your giftee is less of a Hollywood buff and more a fan of eclectic, independent, and world cinema, consider hooking him or her up with a San Francisco Film Society membership (www.sffs.org), which includes the inside scoop on the San Francisco International Film Festival (2006 marks its 49th year), discounts on festival tickets, and benefits (like admission to members-only screenings of new films) that increase exponentially with each membership level. Annual memberships start at $30 a year (the festival-only version). Another local option for the adventurous filmgoer is a San Francisco Cinematheque membership ($25 and up, www.sfcinematheque.org), which gets 'em discounted admission to screenings, advance notice of special events, and other goodies.

For the horror fan who already owns every horror flick ever made, consider Peter M. Bracke's Crystal Lake Memories: The Complete History of Friday the 13th (Sparkplug Press, $39.95, www.crystallakememories.com). In this ghoulishly colorful, limited-edition hardcover tome, Bracke – dubbed "the world's foremost authority on the Friday the 13th series" – delves into the world of Jason Voorhees and company with the help of recollections from more than 200 folks who were there (including some of the hockey-masked killer's unfortunate victims). Another good pick for the machete set is the anthology Cut! Hollywood Murders, Accidents, and Other Tragedies (Barron's Educational Series, $29.99), which contains nearly 400 photo-packed pages covering Tinseltown from a decidedly macabre angle. Basically, anyone in Hollywood who died even a remotely interesting death, from Jayne Mansfield to Jonathan Brandis, gets at least a page. Fun for the whole family!

Speaking of fun: Check out the can't-miss selection of offbeat and occasionally bizarre DVDs from the Mission District's own Other Cinema Digital (most films $24.95, www.othercinemadvd.com). Let's say your younger brother is interested in experimental film, but he lives back East and hasn't experienced one of Other Cinema's legendary film nights at Artists' Television Access. Problem solved: Scoop up copies of Mike Kuchar's Sins of the Fleshapoids, the horror compilation "Experiments in Terror," the possibly even more terrifying Me Decade time capsule "The 70s Dimension," and at least one Craig Baldwin feature – and prepare to rocket little bro into another universe.

And if you're still in search of the perfect gift for that hard-to-satisfy film connoisseur, why not just get him or her a movie star? Say, Angelina Jolie? On your way down the escalator after a matinee, swing by Things from Another World (Metreon, 101 Mission, SF. 415-369-6131) for a full selection of life-size cardboard stand-ups, including you-know-who in full Tomb Raider regalia as well as other mythical superhero types like The Lord of the Rings' Aragorn and Legolas (who needs a manger scene when you've got those two?), Sarah Michelle Gellar circa Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and, uh, Beyoncé ($29.99 each). The store is also stocking-stuffed with action figures, comic books, and tchotchkes – surely something in here will please your favorite adorable film nerd. If you don't feel like dropping four figures on the Jabba the Hutt resin statue, there's always the (surprisingly cuddly) plush likeness of the dreaded Alien face hugger ($39.95) – because nothing says "Happy Holidays!" like an exploding stomach.