It was definately the Matrix. Not only was it the fastest selling DVD at the time, it helped sell many DVD players.

I remember seeing the DVD player sales numbers around that time and they dramatically increased after the release of the Matrix.

I agree, which is why my choice is The X-Files: The Complete First Season.

Rob

Hmmm...I think Gladiator could give Matrix a run for its money, and wasn't it the best selling 2-disc DVD set for sometime? And wasn't it the first one to do the DD/DTS track combo? Not sure but I think that's when DVDs really spread to the mainstream. Matrix only attracted the tech-buffs like us, IMO, but Gladiator made the casual moviegoer more giddy than usual for it.

The Matrix, and I don' think it's close.

Not knowing what the first commercial DVD was, I'd say it's not that because whatever it is, it didn't push the acceptance of the format.

How is Indiana Jones important at all? I doubt Indy is in the top 50 most important. The format has long been established and we're waiting for the next one now (HD-DVD). Maybe Indy will come out early after HD-DVD debuts and be important for that format, but it's just too late for it to be an important DVD.

As for television DVDs, I think the first major one (if that's X-Files season one, then that), should be awarded the worst in the history of DVD. Isn't the purpose of DVDs so we have something to watch other than the rubbish on the tele?

I dont ever remember going into a store and just about eveyone has Indy in their hands. I dont remember that happening when I went to buy the matrix when it was released.

The Matrix.. without a doubt. It used never before seen special effects, and a very indepth plot and story especially after Reloaded was released. Out of all the people I've talked to, The Matrix is the most common first-buy DVD. I think for the people that were still iffy about switching over to the DVD format, it helped them make the switch.

Indiana Jones, while being a groundbreaking film release, is not a major -DVD- release in my opinion.

As far as being a reference quality disc and helping DVD grow, there isn't much argument against the Matrix in my opinion. While Indy may have had that effect back in '99, the majority of people have already switched to DVD.

Like I've said numerous times, the premise of another format is not as appealing as you might think.

5 minutes after DVDs were beginning to be produced, new and better formats were invented. But they haven't taken off.

HD-DVD (IMHO) may go the way of the laserdisc.

The public has just now begun to accept the fact that DVDs are the new standard. Techies may be prone to switching formats, but the public is not.

You think the majority of the people out there are going to buy into: "You just upgraded to DVD. But wait! There's something better now! HD-DVD will be sooo much better! Well, it will if you have a $30,000 home theatre setup, but still! Buy it anyways!"

Nah. DVD made the jump because it beat VHS hands down in every aspect.

I doubt that HD-DVD will be able to make the same claims to the average consumer.

My first statement didn't really have anything to do with my second. Anyway, despite your very good argument, I disagree with The X-Files, mainly because of the retail price point. But I admit I don't know what the sales figures were like for X-Files season one.

I think the Matrix is very important, because it really did get people to buy players and it does definitely seem like the odds are if someone owns a DVD player, they own The Matrix. My first thought though is always Fight Club, and I'm surprised no one has mentioned it yet. It is another title that seems like 90% of people with collections own. Plus, to me it was the first really excellent 2 disc set. It is still one of the most feature packed sets available (or unavailable depending on the whim of Fox Home Ent.) Now a 2 disc SE is standard, and I think that road was paved by Fight Club. Also, personally Fight Club beats Matrix every day of the week

Its the Matrix people. The previews of it that were on VHS rentals is what lead people to buy DVD players. The use of the "white rabbit mode" of viewing the movie proved to people how much more enhanced and feature rich watching a movie in DVD format could be.

Hands down its the Matrix.

Have to agree with the Matrix. It was the to really push the DVD format into the mainstream.

Yeah, I suppose it's The Matrix, because IIRC that was the first disc that had widespread problems with certain players that couldn't handle it. Because of what they learned from it, the studios made sure that discs would be authored to work with, and were tested on, a wide variety of players. Would we have flawless discs like LOTR: TTT, Monty Python ATHG, and Disney's Dinosaur: SE without it? I think not.

A few of the most notable, in my opinion.

Citizen Kane (Warner) - First effort by a major studio (and one of the most impressive) at presenting classic films in "special editions". The first of Warner's incredible special editions of classic movies.

Singin' in the Rain (Warner) - Best color transfer ever.

By Brakhage (Criterion) - First home video collection of one of the most important avant garde directors. One of the most daring and perfectly crafted DVD releases.

Fight Club (Fox) - Sthe standard for special editions.

Godfather Trilogy (Paramount) - Set the standard for boxed sets. One of the most wanted DVD releases of all time.

The Matrix (Warner) - Best selling DVD ever.

Brazil (Criterion) - Three disc set. One of the milestones in DVD special editions.

LoTR: FotR Extended Edition (New Line) - Easily THE standard for DVD presentation of a single movie.

Metropolis (Kino) - One of the most miraculous TRUE restorations ever crafted. Still waiting for a release of Greed, or of Napoleon.

Tokyo Story (Criterion, upcoming) - One of the greatest movies of all time, restored, released for the first time in the US on disc format. The rights were yanked from New Yorker Video (legendary for terrible DVDs of foreign films) early in the year, and the year marks the 100th anniversary of the director's birth, 40th anniversary of the director's death, and 50th anniversary of the film's release. The first of the "100th anniversary" restored Yasujiro Ozu films to be released on DVD in R1.

Grand Illusion (Criterion) - One of the record setters for delayed releases (if I remember correctly, delayed from March 98 until Sept 99), and Criterion's odyssey for the best possible print, remains a milestone effort for film restoration and preservation.

Sunrise (Fox) - First major studio effort in presenting silent films on DVD.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (Disney) - The first of Disney's "platinum editions". Sets the standard for classic animated film on DVD.

Stanley Kubrick Collection (Warner) - The first collection was one of the great dissapointments in DVD history. The second collection rectified the mistake, and more.

High Noon (Artisan) - Mother always said there were no monsters, but she was wrong.

I vote Matrix as well. The Matrix got DVD into mainstream acceptance.

The X-Files Season 1 started the TV Shows on DVD and look where that has gone. X-Files is almost as important since TV shows on DVD have become so popular.

Direct contact with 'nail' right upon the 'head


The David Lynch approved 'Eraserhead' can't be far behind!

If I remember correctly Season 1 of The X Files came out early in 2000.
I know lots of people who bought that set long before they bought a DVD player. lol. It was what made me change over.

Night of the Living Dead: Millenium Version- for a few reasons. One is that it's the best horror movie ever made. That's an opinion I guess, but no one in their right mind can argue it hasn't had a HUGE impact in the movie world.

Two is that since it's a public domain film, countless versions (mostly) crap have been released, screwing the people who worked hard on this film out of their money. It also screws the fans as they get a poor version. So when this version came out it gave respect to the film, George Romero and the rest of the cast & crew crew, all of which were long overdue.

Scarface

While no one can deny the popularity of The Matrix and that many people bought DVD players in order to get The Matrix, the truth is it's not a very good special edition. The commentary sucks, the featurettes are short, and "choosing the red pill" or whatever is an inconveniant way to access suplements.

In many ways The Matrix is the perfect specimen of a very bad, very commercial set of suplements that's more centered around generating hype and kissing the butts of the actors than in educating the viewer about film craft or the critical study of the film.

The Matrix isn't a good special edition by today's standard, but it was great for it's time.

It showed the masses how DVD could offer much more than the movie (besides the enhanced picture and sound).

I have to go with the Matrix. It is what got me hooked on this addiction.

The question was the most important DVD not the best DVD. I took that as which DVD had the biggest affect on the market.

It wasn't even really great for it's time. Contact: SE, Armageddon: CC, Brazil: CC, 12 Monkeys: SE, Vertigo: SE all blew it's doors off for features.

Yes but none of those movies carried the mass appeal of The Matrix, and therefore could not have been as important. I agree with The Matrix also.

1. Matrix (The 1st truely great DVD, was one of the 1st DVD I bought)
2. LoTR: FotR Extended Edition (Standard by which all EE/SE will forever be compared to and one of the 1st to announce the set before the 2 disk set was released)
3. Metropolis (How an old movie should be restored)
3a. Casablanca/Citizen Kane (how an old B/W movie should be restored)
3b. Ben Hur/Gone with the wind/Singing in the Rain (how an old Color movies should be restored
4. Snow White (The 1st and best Disney restoration)
5. Disney Treasures 1 wave (standard by which all other classic cartoon release will be compared to - ie Looney Tunes)
6. Superman (1st, that I know of, that updated both sound by adding in new special effect to the mix, like it or not)
7. Back to the Future set (One of the 1st big Steven Spielberg/George Lucas set to be release. True, Back to the future was not as good as Indiana Jones, but it set the table for IJ to be leased.)

Future releases:
8. Schiendler's List (just becuase of the emotional impact it will have on those who will be watching it)
9. Star Wars 4, 5 and 6 (I do not believe this as important as it would have been 3 years ago, it just will be fun to have)

If had to choose just one, it would have to be The Martix, but DVDs have evolved over the past few years. So, it is very difficult to pick just one.