Help me decide my next purchase
 

I get paid tommorow and I want to spend $50-75 on DVDs. I'm considering the following, all of which are blind buys for me. A link to my collection is in my signature for those that want to help me out. Thanks!

Choice A - All R3 Celestial Shaw Bros. Films. I pretty much know what I'm getting here.

Five Shaolin Masters
Executioners from Shaolin
Mad Monkey Kung Fu

Choice B: A Better Tomorrow Trilogy - R3 Korean Edition which looks like a really slick edition. Never seen but like Tsui Hark

Choice C: Herzog/Kinski Collection - I know that Aguirre: Wrath of God and Fitzcarraldo are highly regarded but I haven't heard of the others.

Choice D: Criterion Fassbinder Set. I've heard several people claim that this was the best release of last year and that it is the best Criterion box. I've never seen a Fassbinder movie so I'm very intrigued.

Choice E: Criterion Renoir Set - I love everything I've seen by this guy.

Choice F: The Decalogue - I've seen the Three Colors movies which I liked. I've heard this was good but know next to nothing about it.

Choice G: Marx Brothers Collection - Loved the movies as a kid and I need more comedy in my collection.

You are likely to get a wide variety of responses given the range of titles you selected. It really depends on what kind of movies you prefer or are in the mood for. I have enjoyed many of the films you mentioned, but I would lean towards Choice A. However, I would probably swap out Mad Monkey Kung Fu for a better film. After all the hype, I just don't think it was as good as what I was suspecting.

The Fassbinder set is a very good set and the movies are good, but I would probably rent them before buying again. It's an expensive set and I would not consider them to be in my favorite list of films.

I also liked The Three Colors, but I tried watching the Decalogue and could not make it through it after two attempts (bought and sold it twice). I am sure for those who have the patience, it pays off. But it would not be in my must buy list.

I really enjoyed Aguirre: Wrath of God and Fitzcarraldo. Nosferatu was good but not great. I bought these blind and am glad I did.

I can think of many better Hong Kong movies than A Better Tomorrow Trilogy.

If you have not seen "I, Claudius", I would move that near the top of my list.

As far as Marx Brothers, I'd wait for the box set due out from Universal this Christmas, as it contains a much better batch of films than Warner's collection of the Bros.' MGM & RKO years.

If it were my money and those were my choices, I'd probably go with the Herzog/Kinski set or the Renoirs. I actually think "The Decalogue" is pretty fabulous, but I wouldn't recommend it as a blind buy--like any anthology, it has its peaks and valleys.

Bill C
filmfreakcentral.net

I would go with the B choice. 1&2 are directed by John Woo and 3 was directed by Tsui Hark.

B. One slick looking set.

i bought the Fasssbinder set blind, and while its a handsome production, the films themselves just didn't work for me and i sold it off.
out of all the choices, the Herzog set would be my pick.
there are at least 3 solid movies there along with what is supposed to be a very compelling doc.
and the Herzog Kinski films aren't dry 'art house' fare. they crackle with energy.
ironically, its the Vampire movie thats the most subdued, but to me it works in its favor.
an excellant take on the Dracula story.

great work all around.

Moving to DVD Talk Forum.

- David Stein

Good choices like that make for hard decisions. There are a lot of different types of films here, I'd have to say try to focus on what you feel like watching lately and go with that. As long as you feel like watching it, I don't think you could miss with any of those options.

I'd probably pick the Shaws :D

Thanks for the input guys.

For those that are interested, I went for the Herzog/Kinski set. I'll probably get the Shaw's next paycheck. Thanks again for the input.