I have to test a Home theatre set and I need some ideas of DVDs which give the setup a good workout for picture quality and sound. Maybe you have specific scenes you show your folks for demonstration. Any input is appreciated.

Hmm...any Pixar film, Attack of the Clones, Gladiator (still one of the best DVDs EVER), LOTR EE's (any of 'em)...

There's been a few threads in the past on this (not that I'm trying to be part of the "post police" here, which I loathe...), I think one was called "What are you using for Demos" or something similar.

Personally, I still use something like Monsters, Inc. which has a full and bright color palette(the whole scene swinging on the doors), or if I'm going for sound, either Attack of the Clones (the Jedi Battle in the Arena), or the DTS track on any of the large battle scenes on any of the Lord of the Rings EE's (I love the opening battle from Fellowship)...

I think 'toons are very poor tests of a setup as they tend to look good on just about anything. That's why salesmen like to use them to demo their sets.

The Fellowship DVDs are a great reference set.

There was a similar thread here: Most Active Rear-Speaker DVDs

and of course there's the The One & Only Audio Reference Discs/Scenes Thread (merged).

thanks guys ... will look into those suggestions ...

Fifth Element (Superbit)
Black Hawk Down (Superbit)
Chronicles of Riddick
Top Gun SE

Attack of the Clones
A New Hope
Empire Strikes Back
Return of the Jedi
Lord of the Rings Extended Editions
Matrix - Ultimate Collection
X2
5th Element - Ultimate Edition
Alien (In the Quadrilogy set)
Blade II
Hellboy - Director's Cut
Superman The Movie
DareDevil Director's Cut
Starship Troopers Superbit

There are so many DVDs that you can used to test your HT, in terms of audio, and video. here are a few from the top of my head at the moment.

Twister (DTS)
The Haunting (DTS)
Gladiator
Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within
Frailty
Jurassic Park
Independence Day
Con Air
Star Wars: Episode I,II and many more.

Funny they never did a Superbit of the Final Fantasy movie, you'd think that would make for a great Superbit release.

T2 Extreme looks almost HD, unfortunately it doesn't have DTS, but the DD is very good.
Super Speedway SE sounds awesome in DTS

All the suggestions here are great for testing your home theatre, but I have to throw out one there for sub action.

U-571 (dts)

Not the greatest movie in history, but just watch the depth charge scene at a decent volume and prepare for books to fall off the shelf and neighbors to be really pissed off.

Star Trek: First Contact

For showing off dark scenes where the DVD handles shadow detail almost flawlessly, check out the new Assault on Precinct 13. The pallette is fairly dark with a lot of color timing in the blue range, yet the transfer handles this nicely.

The soundtrack on it is also top notch. Lots of unique gun sounds especially the 'silenced' machine gun shots. The initial assault on the precinct with a horde of bullets from the silenced machine gun impacting against the building is like something I've never heard in a movie before.