The Obligatory "Post Your Top 10 DVD's of the Decade" Thread
 

Since there are top 10 list threads everywhere else, and since this is DVDTalk.com, it seemed only fitting that there be a Top 10 DVD's of the Decade thread. Now, what makes this different from the Top 10 Movies thread is that you might have put something on the Movies list, but felt the DVD was disappointing so maybe it doesn't make this one. (The Dark Knight comes to mind.) Since this is DVD-specific, make sure to note which edition you're referencing!

Re: The Obligatory "Post Your Top 10 DVD's of the Decade" Thread
 

As is my custom, I'm copping out and listing my selections alphabetically

Batman - Two-Disc Special Edition (Originally released 10/18/2005)

Best bonus feature: Storyboard of a deleted scene featuring Robin, in which Batman and the Joker are voiced by Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill, respectively.

The Departed - Two-Disc Special Edition (Originally released: 2/13/2007)

Best bonus feature: TCM's feature-length documentary film, Scorcese on Scorcese, a retrospective of the acclaimed director's filmography. Frustratingly, this was not carried over to the Blu-ray Disc release.

Lawrence of Arabia - Limited Edition (Originally released: 4/3/2001)

Best bonus feature: An interview with Steven Spielberg in which he recounts falling in love with David Lean's epic. He then boasts of sitting through a private screening of the film with Lean in which he was given an in-person commentary.

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves - Extended Version 2-Disc Special Edition (Originally released: 6/10/2003)

Best bonus feature: The inclusion of previously deleted footage. Nearly all of it features Alan Rickman as the Sheriff of Nottingham, truly one of the most enjoyable screen villain performances of the last twenty years.

Shaun of the Dead (Originally released: 12/21/2004)

Best bonus feature: The sheer quantity of bonus features. There are two audio commentary tracks, a pop-up trivia text track and all kind of behind-the-scenes material, including a clip in which director Edgar Wright and star Simon Pegg present their entire story by flipping the oversized pages of their outline.

Frank Miller's Sin City - Recut-Extended-Unrated (Originally released: 12/13/2005)

Best bonus feature: Robert Rodriguez cooking breakfast burritos--including a walk-through of how to make your own tortillas. Also, the second disc separates the individual stories and presents them in their entirety, meaning the home viewing experience more accurately reflects the reading of Frank Miller's original graphic novels.

Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith - Widescreen (Originally released: 11/1/2005)

Best bonus feature: A two-hour long documentary of the role that every department had in creating a singular minute of the film. Even if you care nothing about Star Wars, film aficionados should appreciate the attention paid to all the behind-the-scenes people.

Tombstone - The Director's Cut VISTA Series (Originally released: 1/15/2002)

Best bonus feature: The three-part making-of featurette that showcases the cast and crew's dedication to getting this story right.

Transformers: The Movie - 20th Anniversary Edition (Originally released: 11/7/2006)

Best bonus feature: Like Shaun of the Dead, there is no singular standout, so much as just the sheer volume of material.

The Wizard of Oz - Three-Disc Collector's Edition (Originally released: 10/25/2005)

Best bonus feature: A collection of early silent Oz films from the 1910's, presented in their entirety. They can be quite bizarre at times, and entirely unrecognizable to fans of the classic 1939 film, but they are certainly an interesting part of the Oz legacy.

Re: The Obligatory "Post Your Top 10 DVD's of the Decade" Thread
 

Moulin Rouge - Two-Disc Special Edition (12/19/2001)
The Rocky Horror Picture Show (10/3/2000)
Titanic - Three-Disc Special Collector's Edition (10/25/2005)
Suspiria - Limited Edition (9/11/2001)
Close Encounters of the Third Kind - 30th Anniversary Ultimate Edition (11/13/2007)
Blade Runner - 4-Disc Collector's Edition (12/18/2007)
Donnie Darko (3/19/2002)
Legend (5/21/2002)
Phantasm - Special Edition (9/28/1999)
Yellow Submarine (9/14/1999)

Re: The Obligatory "Post Your Top 10 DVD's of the Decade" Thread
 

I don't know if I'll have 10 but these are certainly on my list

Suspiria (3 disc #d)
Phantasm Sphere Boxset
The Bronx Warriors Trilogy Tin Boxset (r2 not yet released, but will certainly be in my top 10)
BladeRunner Briefcase

Re: The Obligatory "Post Your Top 10 DVD's of the Decade" Thread
 

Yeah I don't know if I can come up with a list but the Blade Runner briefcase set is definitely at the top.

Re: The Obligatory "Post Your Top 10 DVD's of the Decade" Thread
 

1. T2: Ultimate Edition - Great presentation of a great film packed with extensive features. Literally a film school on a disc.

2. The Godfather - Coppola Restoration - Great transfers, great extras...love it!

3. The Lion King - Special Edition - arguably the best animated film ever and the DVD doesn't disappoint.

4. Pulp Fiction - Collector's Edition - One of my personal favorite flicks and the bonus disc is stacked.

5. Forrest Gump - Special Collector's Edition - Thee very first 2-disc DVD I ever owned. Still got it. Still love it.

6. Speed - Five Star Collection - one of the best action films of the '90s. Features 2 of my favorite commentaries and loads of behind-the-scenes stuff.

7. The Ultimate Matrix Collection - Even though the journey runs out of gas by the midpoint of the second film, you can't deny this set. There are so many extras on this set I literally haven't finished watching them.

8. Sin City - Recut-Extended-Unrated - Great movie. Great commentaries. Great featurettes. All around a great DVD.

9. Star Wars Trilogy (2004) - Not a huge Star Wars fan but I loved the special features. Great bonus disc.

10. Gladiator - Extended Edition - One of the best DVDs of recent memory.

Re: The Obligatory "Post Your Top 10 DVD's of the Decade" Thread
 

Blade Runner

Dazed and Confused - Criterion

Halloween (2007) - 3 Disc

Fight Club

Seven

Godfather Trilogy Restoration

The Sopranos Box Set

Zodiac (2 Disc)

The Lord of the Rings Extended

Alien

Re: The Obligatory "Post Your Top 10 DVD's of the Decade" Thread
 

The Ultimate Matrix Collection
Brazil (Criterion Collection)
Sin City SE
The Wire Complete Series
Lawrence Of Arabia SE (Book)
Lotr: Fotr EE
Lotr: TTT EE
Lotr: RoTK EE
Firefly The Complete Series

Re: The Obligatory "Post Your Top 10 DVD's of the Decade" Thread
 

Re-Edit time. Had to categorize this top 10 ;)

Single Discs:
Terminator 2 - Ultimate Edition
The Evil Dead - The Book of the Dead
Yojimbo - The Criterion Collection (Remastered Reissue)
Fantasia 2000
Hostel
Pink Floyd: The Wall - Special Limited Edition
Switchblade Sisters
The Warriors - Ultimate Director's Cut
Shaun of the Dead
The 36th Chamber of Shaolin - Special Collector’s Edition (Dragon Dynasty)

2-Disc (This was the toughest to narrow down, as you might expect):
Sin City - Recut, Extended, Unrated
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs - Platinum Edition
Do the Right Thing - The Criterion Collection
Once Upon a Time in The West
Monty Python and the Holy Grail - Special Edition
Zodiac - 2-Disc Director's Cut
Glory - Special Edition
The Devil's Rejects - Two-Disc Director's Cut
Batman (1989) - Special Edition
RoboCop - 20th Anniversary Collector's Edition (Steelbook)

3-Disc or more:
The Wizard of Oz - Three-Disc Collector's Edition
Clerks. X - 10th Anniversary Edition - Collector's Series
Woodstock: 3 Days of Peace and Music - The Director's Cut - 40th Anniversary Ultimate Collector’s Edition
Brazil - The Criterion Collection
Dawn of the Dead - Ultimate Edition
Ben-Hur - Four-Disc Collector's Edition
Black Hawk Down - 3-Disc Deluxe Edition
Hot Fuzz - 3-Disc Collector's Edition
Oldboy - 3-Disc Collector's Edition - Asia Extreme Collection
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring -New Line Platinum Series

Box sets:
The Monster Legacy DVD Gift Set
Bruce Lee: 30th Anniversary Commemorative Edition (R2)
The Pinky Violence Collection-Limited Edition
The Films of Alejandro Jodorowsky
Warner Bros. Pictures Gangsters Collection, Vol. 1
Sam Peckinpah's The Legendary Westerns Collection
The Godfather DVD Collection
The Mondo Cane Collection
James Bond: Ultimate Edition, Volume 3 (Majority of my favorite 007 films)
Dirty Harry - Ultimate Collector's Edition

Other misc. decade "Awards":

Favorite DVD company: Something Weird Video :beer2::hump:

Favorite audio commentator: Joe Bob Briggs

Favorite DVD menus: Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle

Favorite Blooper reel: The Howling

Favorite storyboards: Basic Instinct

Favorite easter egg: X-Men (Special guest appearance)

Favorite extra evuh: Jackie Brown-Chicks-who-love-guns

Re: The Obligatory "Post Your Top 10 DVD's of the Decade" Thread
 

Whether based on film, package design (creativity) or a vast wilderness of features, this would be my exclusive region 1 release list. If imports enter the thread it would be an entirely different ball game

No particular order:

Blade Runner Briefcase
Schindler's List Acrylic Giftset
Patlabor 1 & 2 Limited Editions
Dawn of the Dead Ultimate
Dust Devil 5D Limited Edition
Lord of the Rings Extended Trilogy
E.T. Giftset
Videodrome (Criterion)
Afro Samurai Directors Cut
Oldboy Tin

As far as collections go (multiple films and/or series):

Pinky Violence Limited Edition
Yakuza Papers: Battle without Honor and Humanity
Robotech: Protoculture
Cowboy Bebop Perfect Session
M*A*S*H Martinis & Medicine
Seinfeld Best Buy Exclusive
Planet of the Apes Re-release
Sergio Leone Anthology

Re: The Obligatory "Post Your Top 10 DVD's of the Decade" Thread
 

I was actually considering this due to the features, but there was is a UK HMV exclusive limited release (that looks similar to the region 1 release) that literally blew this out of the water. 4 discs with a wealth of extra features plus a fifth disc containing Cameron's Ghosts of the Abyss; Titanic exploration documentary.

Re: The Obligatory "Post Your Top 10 DVD's of the Decade" Thread
 

I could forgive the awkward way the acrylic case was designed, but I simply cannot let slide the fact that under the elaborate and expensive packaging Universal gave us a flipper disc for this release.

Re: The Obligatory "Post Your Top 10 DVD's of the Decade" Thread
 

:lol:

Some people hate 'em, I never did and still don't have a problem with them (well the only qualm that I did have was that they fit into the shelving next to the amarays inconsistently). But at least the acrylic case tucked this one away rather nicely ;) ...

BTW - you don't happen to believe the 3D Hot Fuzz release surpasses the Shaun of the Dead release in any way, no?

Re: The Obligatory "Post Your Top 10 DVD's of the Decade" Thread
 

What bugs me is that I paid, like, $60 or whatever it was at the time and I expected in a package that large, with a price tag like that, that Universal would have spent the extra 30 cents to put the second half on a second disc. They could have even kept the soundtrack CD and not had to have changed the packaging to accommodate it at all!

As for the Hot Fuzz 3-disc set, I'm sure it's impressive; I just don't have it! I've got the single-disc release, and then later my wife and I found the Walmart exclusive bonus disc at Half Price Books for $1.00. I've been wanting to get the big release, but we just upgraded to Blu-ray so I suppose that's the format where I will upgrade from my single-disc edition. (The BD does have all the 3-disc contents, right? It'll drive me nuts if it doesn't!)

Re: The Obligatory "Post Your Top 10 DVD's of the Decade" Thread
 

Oldboy (Collector's Edition Tin)
Seven Samurai (Criterion)
Dawn of the Dead (Ultimate Edition)
The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (Extended Editions)
Band of Brothers
The Godfather Trilogy (Coppola Restoration)
The State: The Complete Series
Freaks and Geeks: The Complete Series
The Sopranos: The Complete Series
Monty Python's Flying Circus: The Complete 16-Ton Megaset

Re: The Obligatory "Post Your Top 10 DVD's of the Decade" Thread
 

This is my favorite DVD

Re: The Obligatory "Post Your Top 10 DVD's of the Decade" Thread
 

hanging on to 1200+ titles, it's kind of hard to pare it down to just 10 favorites- so much good stuff just won't make the cut. Anyways, here are the ones that come to mind first

Superman The Movie Special Edition (2001)
I realize this has been supplanted by a 2006 release that restored the original stereo track along with even more great bells and whistles, but I don't own that one and probably won't unless they port it to Blu-ray. FWIW, I never had a problem with the new 5.1 track they came up with. I was more disappointed with some of the new cuts and/or insertions Donner did, but overall this was the kind of release that I had always hoped to see for this film. As a fan of this film since seeing it at the theater 31 years ago, it's hard to overstate just how magical it was seeing it on a large screen again (this is the release that motivated my first front projector purchase), as well as just how awesome it was finally getting to see all that BTS and screen test footage.

Kolchak: The Night Stalker Complete Series
A Holy Grail release for me. Even though the long unseen, un-syndicated episodes made it out in the late 90's via Columbia House on VHS, never before would I have believed I would be able to get the whole series in one shot, in one compact package, for less than the cost of 1 and a 1/2 of those CH tapes. The material is in serious need of remastering, but just to have it is some kind of amazing to me.

The Secrets Of Isis
This was another huge favorite of mine as a kid in the seventies, and another Holy Grail. But unlike Kolchak which did get several syndicated airings down through the decades, all I ever had of this for over 30 years were my memories and 8 eps on two abysmal quality and expensive bootleg tapes. It's a shame how some of the rights holders treated the original materials, but the now deceased BCI still managed to do a superb, highly appreciated job with this. The actual content may not be as scintillating to me as an adult now, but the nostalgia factor is off the charts. And just the fact this exists blows my mind.

Dawn Of The Dead Ultimate Edition
Having missed or sold off the earlier releases, and having missed the Laserdisc, made the wait for this excruciating. But the eventual release was one of the few times the final product was well worth the wait.

Alien Quadrilogy
The only two films I care about are the first two. And even as substantive as this set is, Alien still lacks some of the extras that found their way on to the original 1999 DVD release. Still, apart from those few lapses and the supremely lame packaging, this is as comprehensive and satisfying a package as I could have ever hoped. I don't expect any Blu-ray release to ever better this in terms of content. A/V presentation, yes- but not scope. This set is still a high water mark for this format, imo.

Gone With The Wind Collector's Edition (2004)
A magnificent release for this classic. The new Bd set has better a/v and a few more bells and whistles, but the core supplemental material, as well as the first attempt at a never-before-possible perfect registration of the three strip technicolor, was all first found here. In terms of sheer satisfaction and having all of my needs as a fan filled, this release was about as good as any could ever get.

Jean de Florette/Manon Of The Spring
Nothing special in terms of the entire package. Just two of my favorite films, finally presented in anamorphic widescreen versions. The release was totally unexpected but very much appreciated.

Prophecy (or King Kong '76)
A B-monster movie from the late 70's. Nothing special about the release, at least compared to what else is out there, but just the fact that I could finally see one of my favorite matinee popcorn movies again in it's OAR is enough. Since this is a film that won't get a lot of love outside of a few oldsters now like me who still fondly remember it, this makes me all the more appreciative this DVD exists at all.

Buffy The Vampire Slayer (Seasons 1-7)
I've enjoyed several other TV series just as much if not more, but this one was significant to me since it was the first TV on DVD release that I not just collected, but compulsively watched once I had it. This was also the first property that struck home to me just how superior the DVD format was to my beloved laserdiscs even beyond PQ and AQ. Having an entire 8 season series on Laserdisc would have been just about economically impossible. The capacity of the discs, the form factor of the packaging- this release is what made me finally wrap my brain around the concept of collecting whole TV seasons, and not just scattered episodes.

Tarzan The Magnificent & Tarzan's Greatest Adventure (Warner Archives)
Not only are these the two best Tarzan movies ever made (in my, and many others, opinion), but they are two titles from the first order I placed with the WB Archive program. It remains to be seen how durable these DVD-r's will be, but just conceptually what Warner has begun to institute here is a monumental thing. Opening up the floodgates to all kinds of material that had too low a profile to ever justify a legitimate release is a HUGE deal for movie buffs. As the decade comes to a close, and the whole DVD format as a superior revenue generator format starts to wind down, this program looks more and more like it will be the future for movie collecting as far as hard copy media go. Interesting way to close out the (first) DVD decade.

other substantial or significant releases to me that just missed the cut
Ace In The Hole (Criterion)
The Angelique Collection
Blade Runner 4 Disc Collector's Edition
Close Encounters Of The Third Kind 30 th Anniversary Edition
Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry
Carnival Of Souls (Criterion)
Twilight Zone Definitive Seasons (1-5)
That Girl (Seasons 1-5)

Re: The Obligatory "Post Your Top 10 DVD's of the Decade" Thread
 

I'm slowly prepping a list.

Great work from everyone and fun-as-hell to read. This was the decade of the DVD and it's a great celebration of the format that really overtook our homes. In ten years we'll making a list of the best BDs.

But let's celebrate the DVD. Keep 'em coming.

Re: The Obligatory "Post Your Top 10 DVD's of the Decade" Thread
 

1. Conquest of the Planet of the Apes - Fox dug up the lost original cut that hadn't been seen in 27 years. Unfortunately only BD (does that count?)
2. Sony's Three Stooges Volumes
3. Blade Runner 5 Disc
4. Xena Warrior Princess Complete Series -packed with commentaries, extras, would have been #1 had the show trailers been included.
5. Twilight Zone Ultimate Collection
6. Star Trek V & VII -for alternate ending & rock monster footage, not the films themselves.
7. The Police Certifiable - My favorite band reunites
8. Ghost Busters complete series (live action Forrest Tucker & Larry Storch) Never thought I'd get to see these again.
9. King Kong (1933) 2 disc
10. The French Connection - probably the last version we'll see w/o "Freidkincolor"
Honorable mention - Miami Vice - Don't care for the show, but kudos to Universal for licensing all the music.

Re: The Obligatory "Post Your Top 10 DVD's of the Decade" Thread
 

In no order:
The Third Man: Criterion 2 disc
Blade Runner- 4 Disc
Monty Python: The Monster Box Set R2
Hot Fuzz- 3 Disc
Alien Quadrilogy
Freaks and Geeks
The Adventures of Antoine Doniel: Criterion
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: Criterion
Hellboy: Director's Cut
Don't Look Back: '65 Tour Deluxe Edition

Re: The Obligatory "Post Your Top 10 DVD's of the Decade" Thread
 

Have you listened to Shatner's commentary for Star Trek V? It is absolutely awesome to just hear the guy point out every way that the tight-fisted studio execs sabotaged his vision...for nearly a full two hours. It's like watching a late night talk show, where a joke in the monologue bombs and then gets dredged back up throughout the show. Halfway through it, you're tired of it, wanting to leave it behind and move on, but by the end of the thing you've gotten back on board with it and find it strangely enjoyable.

For my money, that commentary is second only to Joel Schumacher's on-camera apology for Batman & Robin as the best DVD bonus material in which a director acknowledges the elephant in his room.

Re: The Obligatory "Post Your Top 10 DVD's of the Decade" Thread
 

The Human Condition
The Battle of Algiers
La Dolce Vita
Suspiria
Fanny & Alexander
Blade Runner
Dawn of the Dead
Brazil
Inland Empire
Videodrome

Re: The Obligatory "Post Your Top 10 DVD's of the Decade" Thread
 

I absolutely agree with you. The other end of the spectrum is the Glitter commentary, where the director seems oblivious to the elephant.

Re: The Obligatory "Post Your Top 10 DVD's of the Decade" Thread
 

10. Hedwig and the Angry Inch

For a cult film with limited mass appeal, Hedwig received a first -class DVD release from the late lamented New Line, with commentary, featurettes, a song only menu in addition to the regular menu, and a feature-length documentary on the evolution of the show from its origins as a short musical act in a gay club to a long run Off-Broadway at the Jane Theatre in NYC's Meatpacking District to the film being workshopped at Sundance.

9. The Wizard of Oz 3-disc release. A fan could not ask for a more complete, feature-packed box than this. The 3rd-disc contains silent film versions of TWoO, which aren't all that entertaining but are fascinating from an archival point of view.

8. Cronenberg's The Fly 2-disc release, which contains a director's commentary, a full-length "making-of", the original short story and screenplay, and the final shooting script.

7 The Fly II. I include the vastly inferior sequel not because it's a good movie (although I do enjoy it), but because it is feature-packed, including a feature-length docu covering the entire series from the 1958 original on.

6. The Fellowship of the Rings:EE

5. The Two Towers: EE

4. The Return of the King: EE

3. The Jazz Singer 3-disc edition. For anyone who is interested in the history of films, this is a jewel. The movie itself is too schmaltzy for me, but still, its Jolson on film! Not only that, but you get the original brochure and lobby cards from the 1927 premiere, as well as documentaries on the arrival of talking pictures and an illuminating commentary. The third disc contains a swathe of Vitaphone shorts form the early days of talkies, presumably of vaudeville acts, giving us a glimpse of the what our great-grandparents considered entertaining.

2. Gone With the Wind 4-disc release. Like The Jazz Singer[/b], this release is fully packed with the same kinds of documentaries on the making of the film, including marketing shorts from the original release.

1. The Alien Quadrilogy Unlike most fans, I enjoy all 4 movies (yes, even Resurrection has its moments),and this is an amazing 9-disc set. The only defect is that it lacks The Alien Legacy documentary that had been part of the VHS box set.

Re: The Obligatory "Post Your Top 10 DVD's of the Decade" Thread
 

Hard to pick ten, but this is what I came up with, in chronological order based on the films' ages:

THE COMPLETE SUPERMAN COLLECTION – DIAMOND ANNIVERSARY EDITION (17 Superman cartoons, 1941-43/U.S./animation) Image Entertainment
The best copies I’ve ever seen of Paramount’s classic Superman cartoons. The real revelations here are the ones made AFTER the Fleischers departed the operation.

WHEN TAEKWONDO STRIKES (1973/Hong Kong/live-action) Fortune Star/Legendary Collection. One of Angela Mao’s best kung fu films, featuring Chinese, French, Korean and Japanese martial artists. Set in wartime Korea.

BROKEN OATH (1977/Hong Kong/live-action) Fortune Star/Legendary Collection.
Angela Mao’s best kung fu movie, a loose remake of the Japanese film, LADY SNOWBLOOD.

7 GRANDMASTERS (1979/Hong Kong/live-action) Tokyo Shock
One of the best kung fu films ever made, given first-class legit treatment here after years of tawdry bootleg editions.

NAUSICAA OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND (1984/Japan/animation) Disney
Hayao Miyazaki’s first epic masterpiece.

CRYING FREEMAN: PORTRAIT OF A KILLER (1988/Japan/animation) ADV
Violent anime crime drama based on a great manga. Adapted for live-action at least three times.

WHISPER OF THE HEART (1995/Japan/animation) Disney
A beautiful animated comedy-drama about conflicted adolescents. Written and produced by Hayao Miyazaki.

THE ANIMATRIX (2003/U.S.-Japan/animation) WB
Japanese animated spin-off of THE MATRIX, and better on all counts than all three Matrix movies.

KILL BILL, VOL. 1 (2003/U.S./live-action & animation) Miramax
Tarantino’s best, with lots of extras. I have the Japanese cut on a Region 2 DVD and it’s even better.

OSAMU TEZUKA’S PHOENIX (aka Hi no Tori) 3-disc box set (eps. 1-13/complete series) (2004/Japan/animation) Anime Works
The greatest manga by Osamu "Astro Boy" Tezuka is adapted for television and given strong, imaginative treatment, staying true to the themes of the manga while giving anime lovers a dazzling experience.