Frankly, a boxset in keepcases looks cheap-o to me. Keepcases are made to order, and the studio just has to print a piece of paper and stick it in the cover. I imagine that, when directors are involved and they want a stylish package, they insist on a digipack. I think the LOTR and Fight Club packages, in particular, are extremely classy.

Plus, when you've got a 10 disc box set, the space on the shelf for keepcases

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I really wish they would do a new bust for this set. I think the busts are great but I'm not buying a 3rd Neo one.

Then again that case looks awful and I normally like crazy cases. I guess I should be happy to save some $$$ on this release.

I'm sure the returns rate for the LE version will be high. Look at the all plastic construction of the box and cases, that will break and crack all over (reminds me of those cracked Schindler's List giftset).

But then again, the LE set looks cool. Decision. Decision :cool:

What sucks about the giftset case is if you put the minibust on a separate shelf the right half of the DVD case will be empty and it'll look funny unless you find something to stick in there.

I kinda like the clear case, but I can tell it's not going to last. That damned Schindlers list one was cracked, and I inspected like 10 before I found one I thought was ok. I got home and I was wrong. At least in that case I could put the actual dvd case on my shelf and put that big plastic case up top as a display item. You don't have that luxury with this Matrix one. On the other hand, the regular box set looks pretty flimsy too. The godfather case isn't that bad, but it isn't that great either.

oh, i'd definately jump on it at that price! $80 is pushing it though. hopefully it'll be closer to 50-60.

The limited edition looks like shit. Worst packaging since Basic Instinct ice case or Total Recall round metal zit.

As for digipacs, I really like them. I have dozens of them and the only ones I have that have been problematic are the Quadrilogy (the plastic wasn't stuck to the cardboard good enough) and a Korean release of Equilibrium (which was smooshed in trasit to me)... every other digipac I own is awesome. Although, the digipac for this set looks kinda cheap. I'd like to see some of the US sets use the thicker cardboard digipacs with hidden magnetic closures like they use in other countries. This set is priced right though and since I only own the first film (in the snapper) and the Animatrix (purchased used off half.com), I'll surely get this set. The question is, will I get the US release or wait for the Korean release which will no doubt be amazing since these films were huge there.

They should at least put out some sort of rebate for the people who bought the first three and animatrix and revisited. $10 to 20 bucks would be great. I definitely do not want to rebuy all these over again regardless of the extras, which aren't to appealing anyway. For me, it probably will depend on the reviews and whether the content justifies my money. I was looking for extended fight scenes, deleted scenes, or a fight between the twins and Neo. Why they couldn't put that in the movie I don't know? That's what I was so hoping for when I saw Revolutions but alas it wasn't in there.

I think the new movie versions will be worth a double-dip for Ken Wilber's commentary alone! That should be tres cool... *Certainly* $56 at Amazon is cheap enough, even without STL! And the critic commentaries might be pretty funny too. I'm not even a big fan of sitting through most commentaries. (Spinal Tap, both versions, is one major exception.) Dunno if I'll ever wade through all of the extras though.

I too think it's funny how a few folks here gripe about "No director's cut -- no sale!" HELLO!!! If the director has enough sway and makes the movies the way he wants, then the release *is* the director's cut! What else do you want??? Added junk footage that they didn't want in the original theater release, just because it exists?? I am not understanding that mentality at all....

No, I think you misunderstand what generally happens with theatrical cuts. Most movies that eventually get a "director's cut" are generally cut down for theatrical release for two reasons, 1) running time, or 2) to avoid a higher rating, beit R, NC-17, or UR.

There are some rare examples in which the theatrical cut *is* the preferred cut of the director. Peter Jackson's LOTR Trilogy is such. The theatrical cuts are the preferred cuts of the movies by Jackson. However, Jackson "claims" that he did the Extended cuts for the fans who wanted to see more that was in the books, but not in the theatrical cuts. He didn't have to do it, but he did it because he's a fan of DVD and wanted to do it.

To those who can't justify buying the Gift Set or even the other Gift Set with the minibust, just do what I do. Buy the damn set, and GIVE AWAY the other older releases to a good friend or family member that appreciates the gift and the movie, but would not necessarily appreciate the perfection and completeness of all these ULTIMATE sets that we buy. This is how I justify buying them.

my 2 cents.

I have my original THE MATRIX in a custom printed case, which I'm sure one of my friends will appreciate oncei upgrade =).

Another good example is the extended cut of Léon. The so-called cut version is the director's cut. The longer version was a gift to the fans from Besson.

And doing the extended cuts of the LOTR films was also another way of making more millions out of the trilogy.