Best of 2004?
 

Just out of curiosity... what do you think was the best DVD of 2004 and why?

Also, which 2004 DVD's do you think were the best in these categories:
<ul>
<li>Audio</li>
<li>Video</li>
<li>Extras</li>
</ul>

Best Overall (Movie): The "Original" Star Wars Trilogy

Best Overall (TV Show): Seinfeld Gift Set (Seasons 1-3)

Best Audio: Spider-Man 2: Superbit

Best Video: Lord of the Rings: Return of the King - Extended Edition

Best Extras: The Ultimate Matrix Collection

First off, here's all the 2004 releases I have purchased, thus seen:

- Alfred Hitchcock Signature Collection (box set of the following 9)
- Foreign Correspondent
- Suspicion
- Mr. & Mrs. Smith
- Stage Fright
- Strangers from a Train: Special Edition
- I Confess
- Dial M For Murder
- The Wrong Man
- North by Northwest (ineligble due to it being a reissue of the 2000 disc)
- Alice in Wonderland: Masterpiece Edition
- Around the World in 80 Days (1956)
- Blazing Saddles: 30th Anniversary Edition
- Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde: Classic Double Feature (1932/1941 versions)
- Freaks
- Gone With The Wind: 65th Anniversary 4-Disc Special Edition
- Goodfellas: Special Edition
- Hamlet (1990)
- The Iron Giant: Special Edition
- Kill Bill, Vol. 1
- Looney Tunes Golden Collection: Volume Two
- Looney Tunes: Back in Action (Widescreen Edition)
- The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (Widescreen Edition)
- The Marx Bros. Silver Screen Collection
- My Fair Lady: Special Edition
- Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Essentials (with bonus Shorts Vol. 3 disc)
- The Pink Panther Film Collection
- Rocky & Bullwinkle & Friends: Season Two
- The Star Wars Trilogy (Widescreen Edition)
- The Thief of Bagdad: Special Edition (Kino/1924 film)
- THX 1138: Special Two-Disc SE
- Walt Disney Treasures: On the Front Lines
- Walt Disney Treasures: The Chronological Donald, Vol. 1
- Walt Disney Treasures: Mickey Mouse in Living Color, Vol. 2
- Walt Disney Treasures: Tomorrowland


And now for the categories:

Best Classic Mono Audio: The Wrong Man
Best 5.1 Remix of Mono Original: THX 1138
Best 5.1 mix of multi-track Original: Around the World in 80 Days (1956)
Best Use of Alternate Audio Tracks: Looney Tunes Golden Collection, Vol. 2 (isolated music, music/effects, and vocals)

Most improved video remaster (live-action): Gone With The Wind
Most improved video remaster (animation): Alice in Wonderland
Best restoration (non-digital): Dial M For Murder
Best restoration (digital): Tie between Star Wars Trilogy and Gone With The Wind
Most "reference quality" video transfer: Hamlet (1990)
Best use of mediocre elements to make great transfers: Tie between Marx Bros. Silver Screen Collection, Freaks, and Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde (1932 version)

Best DVD Documentary: Empire of Dreams (Star Wars Trilogy)
Best Commentary: Rudy Behlmer on Gone With The Wind
Best Extras, Classic: Gone With The Wind
Best Extras, Newer Film (last 15 years): Goodfellas
Best Film Collection Box Set (overall): Alfred Hitchcock Signature Collection
Best Film Collection Box Set (just for films): Marx Bros. Silver Screen Collection
Best Packaging: Gone With The Wind
Best Cover Artwork (new): THX 1138 (2-disc SE)
Best Cover Artwork (poster): Around the World in 80 Days (1956)
Best menus: Star Wars Trilogy

Best Animation Release: Tie between Looney Tunes Golden Collection: Vol. 2 and Walt Disney Treasures: On the Front Lines
Best TV on DVD: Walt Disney Treasures: Tomorrowland

Top 5 of 2004:

1. Gone With The Wind: 65th Anniversary Edition
2. Looney Tunes Golden Collection, Vol. 2
3. THX 1138: 2-Disc SE
4. Walt Disney Treasures, Wave 3
5. Alfred Hitchcock Signature Collection

Studio of the Year: Warner Home Video

Special Awards:

Most anticipated and personal favorite: Around the World in 80 Days (1956)
Most suriprising: Walt Disney Treasures: Tomorrowland
It's About Time! Award: Star Wars Trilogy

i hate the SW SEs and really resent the way much of the bonus materials celebrate the films from a historical context (and do this very well with the doc and the abundance of trailers, and the recollections of fans turned pros) while we all we can watch are some contemporary, 2000 era hybrids.
that really disappoints/pisses me off on multiple levels.

that said, i am floored by the PQ on at least the first two films.
i sit there with my mouth agape...just an amazing job.
contrary to the popular concensus, the first film wows me the most.
in fact, next to last years remastered Alien, this is probably the most incredible looking 'vintage' catalog title i've ever seen.
but even if i didn't knock off points for the versions present, the audio problems on SW are just way too big to ignore.
its a set that i feel i already got my moneys worth out of, and yet it was without a doubt the most disappointing release of the year for me as well.

absent SW, the two discs/sets that most impressed me this year were
• Gone With The Wind SE
• Dawn Of The Dead UE

i feel both are 100% satisfying, excelling in both a/v and bonus features.
haven't watched the ROTK:EE but i' m sure that goes up there as well.

also- a special nod to Warners Film Noir collection- primarily because they saw fit to include 5 solid, 4 star features, and not just get by with a couple Great films and then pad it out with a 3 second or third tier choices like most other studios would have done.
that was impressive.

and for TV on DVD- Freaks & Geeks- not my favorite tv set this year (that would have been one of the Buffy sets), but i do appreciate the trouble, and cost, that they went to in securing music rights.
its ironic that a deep pocket outfit like NBC/Universal will cut corners, while a studio without the resources will dig deep.
also, the Yearbook set sounds like it had the best/most creative packaging of all time so far.

best trend of 2004: Warner switching to keep cases.

<ul>
<li>Audio</li>:
Return of the King: Extended Edition
Star Wars Trilogy
Ultimate Matrix Collection
Spider-Man 2: Superbit
<li>Video</li>:
The Ultimate Matrix Collection
Star Wars Trilogy
Return of the King: Extended Edition
<li>Extras</li>:
The Ultimate Matrix Collection
Star Wars Trilogy
Return of the King: Extended Edition
Hellboy: Director's Cut
Clerks X
Spider-Man 2 Special Edition
</ul>

Audio: Master and Commander

Video: Black Hawk Down SB

Extras: Return of the King EE

Master & Commander
Gone With The Wind
Star Wars Trilogy

Criterion's M - a remarkable transfer on an amazing 75 year old film, that's still as fresh and cutting edge as anything that's coming out today.

bump

My Top Three:

*Warner's Film Noir Collection
*Gone With The Wind SE
*Universal's Classic Monster Collection Box Set /w busts

* * *

Honorable Mentions:
*The Chaplin Collection Vol. 2
*The Good, The Bad and The Ugly SE
*Clerks X
*Return of the King EE

Best of 2004

Lord of the Rings: Return of the King Extended Edition
Star Wars Trilogy
Master and Commander CE
Seinfeld Gift Set
Arrested Development

Best of 2004

Lord of the Rings: Return of the King Extended Edition
Star Wars Trilogy
Master and Commander CE
Seinfeld Gift Set
Shrek 2
Arrested Development
Spider-Man 2
Hellboy SE

what... no love for Panic Room SE?

Audio - Master and Commander

Video - Star Wars Trilogy

Diamond In the Rough - John Cassavetes Box Set

Just one more - Pickup On South Street

Best Overall (Film) - LOTR: Return of the King EE
Best Overall (TV) - Seinfeld Gift Set
Audio - Spider-Man 2 SuperBit
Video - LOTR: Return of the King EE
Extras - LOTR: Return of the King EE

So many movies to choose from. I'm looking forward to 2005.

Shitty movie. :p

Best Video
Restoration: Star Wars Trilogy with a nod to THX 1138. (both Lowrey Digital Restorations)
Remastered: The Matrix from the Ultimate Collection.
New releases: I gotta go with I, Robot. Simply stunning. And a nod to the ROTK-EE.

Best Audio
Restored: Gotta go with Star Wars Trilogy despite issues with ANH.
Remastered: Probably THX 1138 from the old mono mix.
New Release: ROTK-EE with a nod to I, Robot and Master & Commander.

Best Extras:
Documentary: I don't know...I'd say Empire of Dreams I guess.
Basic Extras: Toss-up between Matrix Ultimate Collection and ROTK-EE

Best Overall: The Return of the King: The Extended Edition - The epic is now complete. Great video, great sound, great extras. What more could you want?

Biggest Disappointment: The Star Wars Trilogy - Insulting botchjob on ANH's audio, way too few extra material for these classics, Empire of Dreams is disappointing and most important, THE REAL VERSIONS WE ALL LOVED ORIGINALLY ARE STILL NOT AVAILABLE. Star Wars deserves better.

:lol: Why am I not surprised.

For me, the best DVD releases of 2004 are.

Star Wars Trilogy
THX-1338
LOTR: ROTK
Matrix Collection
Gone With the Wind

Even though I didn't buy ROTK or Matrix Collection, I rented them. LOTR bores me and I didn't dig the last two Matrix films. So I passed. But both are excellent DVDs.

I'm stunned with the restoration done on Gone With the Wind, Star Wars, and THX-1138.

Hands Down = Buffy the VAmpire Slayer Season 7 cause it finished the series

&

Popular Season One - becuase it was actually released.