What was your best "Blind Buy"?
 

I don't do much blind buying, especially since I see a lot in theaters, and can get almost any dvd new release from my library on release day and check it out before deciding to buy.

That being said, I have made a few, and for the most part been pleased with them. Here are just a few of my best:

SPACED: THE COMPLETE SERIES - I had seen just one random episode on PBS a long time ago, but after Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, I knew their brand of comedy was for me. I was not disappointed.

AN EVENING WITH KEVIN SMITH 1-2-3

LOST IN LA MANCHA

THE TEN - Most of the cast/writers/directors from The State, and Paul Rudd. This had funny writtten all over it.

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER: THE CHOSEN COLLECTION - I don't know if this quaifies as "blind", but I had only ever seen a total of maybe 5-6 episodes. But when I found I coud get the whole series for under $90, I bit. Still haven't opened it yet, though. Can't decide if I'd watch it enough to keep it or not.

Probably Spaced, but that was well-recommended for me. I think Bright Young Things was magnificent, and I didn't know anyone else who was a fan or had something to say about it.

Six Feet Under: The Complete Series (although I had previously seen all of Season one before I bougth this so Its only like 4/5ths of a bling Buy
Also:
The Alejandro Jodorowsky Collection

I hardly ever watch any TV shows when they're on the air. I wait to hear the "buzz" and then look for deals on shows I want to check out. I'm currently watching the third season of The Office after having not watched a single episode on TV. Largely due to this forum, my unwatched pile includes the Arrested Development and The West Wing series, which I anticipate being great blind buys as well.

If you have seen an entire freakin' season of a show, buying a box set is hardly a "blind buy".

It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia may just be #1 for me. I literally knew nothing about the show, except a few friends raved about it. Was in Target one day, it was on sale, figured what the hell. May be the 2nd best sitcom I've ever seen.

Some other favorite blind buys. . .

Sportsnight
Flight of the Conchords
The Thin Man Collection
Rome

& a ton of Criterions particularly the Melville films have been the best movie blind buys I'd ever made.

Futurama

Band of Brothers
24-season one

All of the Ozu releases from Criterion, MoC's Tabu and Naked Island, and BFI's Bigger Than Life.

Amelie

I have to go with the Hitchcock boxset from Criterion. I never watched any of the films before and I was a bit hesitant to buy it because of the price but I'm so glad that I did.

I would say WALL-E...I seen it at my local drive-in and didnt really like it all that much but I decided to give it another chance and bought it on DVD. After I watched it a few times, I fell in love with it :)

Offhand, "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" was pretty funny. We bought it last year via Amazon because it was cheap and rounded out our Black Friday order to qualify for free shipping. I've also been fairly impressed with the few "After Dark Horrorfest" titles we've picked up. I'm not a big horror fan, so I'm sure there are horror junkies out there who cringe when I say this, but I thought they were pretty good. "Thank You for Smoking" was also really good; we bought it used at a local video rental store. Friends of mine had told me I would like it, but that was the extent of what I knew about it, so I count it as a blind buy.

Suspiria
Beowulf

Anything having to do with Pinky Violence.

The Beyond, without a doubt.

ummm... I don't think that would be a blind buy then. But I'm glad you came around and enjoyed it!

+1

The complete series of "Arrested Development" for $29.99 from Amazon last year, easily.

Probably Kill Bill.

Picked up Sports Night as a blind buy the day after Christmas about 5 years ago and it's been one of my most watched DVDs ever since.

You should upgrade to the 10th Anniversary Edition. The extras are well worth it.

lol as soon as i read the title i tought "Spaced" and the first 2 posts mention it right away.

But yeah i bought it based on my love of SOTD and the awesome cover. Ended up loving it.

Picked up Buffy The Vampire Slayer seasons one and two on a whim and now the series is my favorite thing ever.

Deadwood. I love westerns and I do not have cable. I thought it would be worth it, and I was right!

The Professional
Robocop
The 40 Year Old Virgin

Heroes: Season 1

I put Sports Night on my Christmas list (and I know I'm getting it) even though I have never seen an episode. But I love Sorkin's style in West Wing and Studio 60, and everyone raves about the show, so I expect it'll be a great blind buy.

I'm considering Deadwood, but I think I'm going to check out a disk or two at the library before I make a purchase decision.

Firefly, Buffy and Angel.

Without question:
Buffy season 1 and 2.

(Angel was a blind buy -- kinda. Buffy, by that time, was one of my all-time favorite TV shows)

This year...
The Angelique Collection A collection of 5 widescreen French films from the mid 60s based on a series of 'bodice rippers' that were apparently very popular internationally at the time. The film series is not only highly entertaining in the old fashioned spirit of "tell me what happens next!", but also quite fascinating for several reasons- first off, the series is focused on a female protagonist yet her 'adventures' show her dominated and submissive (to slave traders, shieks, the royal court, etc) almost as often as they show her resourceful, pro-active, and triumphant. Secondly, and maybe more significantly, the films are a picaresque adventure series- lots of action (sword fights, duels, rescues, battles, fortunes won and lost, etc) that is remarkable for its continuity. The first film ends on a downbeat with a major characters death and the second picks up the action directly from that. She makes her fortune in one film and loses it in the next and so on. A lot of film series prior had loose continuity with the same characters appearing and aging over the course of the series, but this is one of the earliest I've ever seen where continuity is completely serial in nature. With some expensive and expansive production values and a very attractive lead, this set is real, under the radar, gem and a great value at under $30 (street). A/V quality is quite good too.
Green For Danger (Criterion)- a vintage WWII era Brit whodunnit- Great mileau and atmosphere with a great cast featuring an appearence by Allister Sims that is an absolute hoot! Has to be one of the greatest detective characters ever captured on film.
Phase IV nifty, claustrophobic, nature gone wild 70s era sci-fi
Centennial I'm only a third of the way in, but it's been a blast so far-a highly entertaing century spanning mini-series w/ a great cast of characters and actors to play them. Definitely one of the best purchases I made this year.
Fox Western Classics Great movies, killer value.

Fight Club

The Royal Tenenbaums. It has since become my favorite movie! :D

I think in my entire collection, I have maybe four blind buys: Pirates of the Carribean: At World's End, Batman: Gotham Knight, Beowulf, and Star Wars: The Clone Wars, so I've got a pretty good streaking going. In retrospect, I really didn't need the Pirates sequels, Gotham Knight was take it or leave it, and Clone Wars was about what I expected, so I'd say Beowulf is my best blind buy.

Can a sequel really be considered a blind buy if you had been into the predecessor(s) though?

I'm going to buy Harry Potter 6 when it comes out even if I don't make it to the theater, but is it still a blind buy because I have 1-5 already?

I hadn't bought the second one yet, thought it was alright, so I figured this one would be too. After I bought At World's End, I immediately started looking for Dead Man's Chest.

Spaced by far.

Farscape, Horatio Hornblower, The Office (UK), and Phoenix Nights are right up there too.

But you had seen DMC before buying AWE, you just didn't own part 2 until you owned 1 & 3? I think I'm reading that right.

a few more...(this is one of my favorite subjects, so I can't help overindulging)
Scream Blacula, Scream
The Budd Boetticher Collection another great set of 'adult' westerns I'd never seen before.
Zombi For years I avoided this thinking it had to be a cheesy low budget euro rip off of the Romero stuff. I was suprised it was actually engaging (enough) on character and plot levels and performed it's primary functions well.
The Major And The Minor the premise is hard to buy, but Wilder still makes it a fun way to spend 90 minutes.
The House That Dripped Blood Another Amicus anthology, but this one had a noticeably higher than average hit to miss ratio for me
The Way West Kept reading negative things about this one, but I bought it based on the cast (Kirk Douglas, Robert Mitchum, Richard Widmark, Sally Field) and was not disappointed at all.
The Night They Raided Minskys Friedkin's style took a bit getting used to ( lots of zooms and fast cuts seem very odd to see in an early 70s film), but an otherwise interesting burlesque romp.
Tyronne Power Matinee Idol set only watched one film from it so far ( I'll Never Forget You) but I enjoyed it so much, I consider the set already paid for.
previous all time best blind buys
Heroes Season 1
Will Penny
Zodiac
Walkabout
The Verdict
Disney Treasures: Tomorrowland
The Hot Rock
The Girl Next Door ( June Haver)
Soylent Green (even w/ knowing the big 'secret' in advance)
Masada
Anne Of The Thousand Days/ Mary Queen Of Scots
Hopscotch
Robert Mitchum Signature Collection
A Bout de Souffle(Criterion)
Almost Famous
All That Heaven Allows (Criterion)
A Canterbury Tale (Criterion)
Freaks and Geeks
Bite The Bullet
ffolkes
Happy Accidents
The Black Marble
Tru Calling
Prime Cut
...amongst others

The Big Lebowski
Bringing Out The Dead (very underrated)
Californication S1
Dazed and confused
Fight Club
The Graduate
I'm Not There

Firefly series
Aimee and Jaguar
Baraka
Justice League series
Come Drink With Me
Dreamers
Kingdom of Heaven Director's Cut
Mindgame