For the record, I am a wholehearted advocate of the movie theater experience. After approximately 500 trips to the cinema in my lifetime, I still get that little thrill when the house lights go out and my fellow audience members and I are transported to another time and place for a couple of hours.

But the arguments for staying home and watching a DVD are compelling: It’s less costly, it’s more convenient – that pause button comes in soooo handy for bathroom breaks and popcorn stops – and the choice of titles is endless.

Sitting in your media cabinet right now are never-before-seen treasures like behind-the-scenes clips, gag reels, games and trailers, all hidden on the disks containing your favorite movies. Web sites like www.dvdreview.com and www.dvdeastereggs.com contain instructions for using your DVD remote to find concealed features that aren’t listed on any menu. Check your collection to see if you can find these DVD Easter Eggs:

Charlie’s Angels

From the disc’s main menu, go to the “Special Features” section. On each of the three Special Features menus, a hidden feature can be found. On the first page, highlight “G’ed up” and then press the right arrow on your remote control to highlight Cameron Diaz’s midsection. Press “Enter” now and you will see a 20-second montage clip of the girls.

On the second page of “Special Features,” highlight “Wired Angels” and then press the left arrow key. This will highlight a box on Bosley’s chest. Pressing “Enter” now will give you some behind-the-scenes footage featuring Drew Barrymore having a plaster cast made of her face.

On the third “Special Features” page, highlight the arrow pointing left on the menu screen and then press the right arrow key on your remote control. This will highlight another box, which will give you access to short behind-the-scenes sequence, including a more than passable impression of Christopher Walken by Sam Rockwell.

Collateral

Insert the second disc of the DVD set and go to the “Special Features” menu. Highlight the menu entry for “City of Night” and then press the left arrow key on your remote control, which will give you access to some additional footage.

Then highlight the menu entry for “Special Delivery” and press the left arrow key to see another hidden clip.

Now highlight the menu entry “Shooting on Location,” press the left arrow key on your remote and you’ll have the chance to watch some additional footage from the car crash scene.

Highlight the menu entry “Tom Cruise & Jamie Foxx Rehearse” and press the left arrow key. This will give you access to footage of Michael Mann explaining “line of fire” filming.

Go to the second page of the “Special Features” menu and highlight the menu entry for “Cast.” Press the right arrow key on your remote control this time for access to director Michael Mann’s “thumb” footage.

Constantine: Deluxe Edition

Insert the second disc of the DVD set in your player and highlight the menu entry “The Production from Hell.” Press the right arrow key on your remote control to highlight the symbol on the skull. Press the “Enter” key now and you will get to see an animatic with director’s commentary.

On “The Production from Hell” screen, highlight the menu entry “Main Menu.” Press the left arrow key to highlight a crucifix and then press “Enter.” This will allow you to view a hidden featurette on the fight scenes in the movie.

Back on the disc’s main menu, select the entry “Imagining the Underworld,” and on the next menu screen, highlight the entry “Hellscape.” Press the right arrow key and a symbol will be highlighted on the screaming face. Press “Enter” and you will be treated to a featurette on actor Gavin Rossdale.

Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story

From the DVD’s main menu, go to the “Special Features” section and there use the directional keys on your remote control to highlight the Purple Cobra logo. Then press the “Enter” key and you’ll see Ben Stiller in a fat suit congratulating you on being a loser and finding the Easter Egg. He then goes on to tell you that during the movie, every time he snaps his fingers you can press the “Enter” key on your remote control to see extra bloopers and other clips.

National Treasure

Buena Vista Home Entertainment has added an Easter Egg in which the hidden material is part of a code game.

To play the game, go to the “Bonus Treasure Hunt” screen from the DVD’s main menu. Watch all or part of the selections on the menu, and when it ends, a two-letter code will be revealed. There are four separate two-letter codes, and when you acquire the final code, a screen will pop up. Here you must enter the correct code combination. Entering the correct code takes you to an alternate Bonus Treasure Hunt Menu and you will receive a three-digit Secret Key Number. Playing “Riley Poole’s Decode This!” game will give you the Master Code Key.

Now, go back to the DVD’s main menu and highlight the menu entry “Bonus Treasure Hunt.” Hit the down arrow key twice on your remote control and a Masons insignia will appear. Press the “Enter” key and you will be able to enter either the Secret Key Number or the Master Code Key to unlock the hidden features. If you use the Master Code Key, it will also allow you to view the movie in the Trivia Track viewing mode.

A Mighty Wind

From the DVD’s main menu, go to the “Special Features” section and highlight the first menu entry on the screen and press the right arrow key on your remote control. This will highlight the strings on the instrument and give you access to more behind-the-scenes footage.

The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King

Insert the first disc of the DVD set and go to “Select a Scene.” Highlight the very last scene on the disc, titled “The Siege of Gondor.” Press the down arrow key on your remote control and the One Ring will appear on the screen. Press “Enter” now and you will be treated to a high-spirited practical joke played on Elijah Wood by his costar Dominic Monaghan.

Now insert the second disc of the DVD set and go to the “Select a Scene” section. Highlight the menu entry “Fanclub Credits” and then press the down arrow key and the One Ring will appear. Now press “Enter” and you will get to see a clip from the 2004 MTV Movie Awards featuring Peter Jackson, Ben Stiller and Vince Vaughan.