Fellowship Of The Ring: Extended Edition (I understand that this is in the running for DVD Of The Year)
Fight Club
Dawn Of The Dead: Dutchworks Version (2-disc set containing the Director’s Cut, the European/Argento cut, trailers, stills, and a 60-minute version of Document Of The Dead, the Roy Frumkes on-set making-of documentary)
Three in particular – all with good or great extra features, and all terrific movies (which is the main thing, after all):
Withnail & I – Bruce Robinson’s 1986 cult black comedy about a pair of chronically unemployed actors in 1969 London (based, in part, on his own sad years as same). Hysterically funny, although I recommend it as a rental first (it tends to provoke a love/hate reaction, although most people love it).
No commentary track, but there is an entertaining and informative documentary (“Withnail & Us”) that profiles the film’s current cult status and sketches the autobiographical roots of Robinson’s tale (although it’s worth adding here that, if what I’ve read elsewhere is true, the aggressively amorous gay “Uncle Monty” character was largely inspired by Italian film director Franco Zefferelli, who directed Robinson in the ‘68 “Romeo and Juliet” and allegedly hit on poor Bruce repeatedly). This Criterion DVD is widescreen, digitally remastered, etc., restores a couple minutes’ footage deleted from the original U.S. video release, and comes with a cool mini-poster. This one’s worth its weight in gold – perhaps even Uncle Monty’s considerable weight.
Notorious – the 1946 Alfred Hitchcock classic. Another Criterion. Many terrific extras on the genesis of the story, its screenplay, and its filming. Also included is the complete radio play version, starring Ingrid Bergman and Joseph Cotten (playing Cary Grant’s role of Devlin). Remastered and utterly wonderful.
This is Spinal Tap – offers a unique actors’ commentary track, in the personnae of their characters (Nigel, David, and Harry Shearer’s bassist character) which is just as funny as the film itself. Great fun!
I, too, received a DVD player for Christmas and own two DVDs. One of them is a previously-viewed copy of Fellowship of the Rings that I picked up for $15 at Hollywood Video. How do I know whether it is the “extended version” or not - does it say on the box? (I haven’t looked at it too closely, or watched it yet, obviously.)
I someday hope to own the entire Humphrey Bogart catalogue.
The movie is on two discs? This is a two-disc set, with the movie on one and the extras on the other… that much I remember…
fooey, I should just dig it up and look at the box, shouldn’t I? If only I knew where my mother stowed it. (She has a tendency to squirrel away anything I bring into the house.)
The standouts are: Jackie Brown, Dangerous Liaisons, LA Confidential, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, Dracula’s Daughter, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and the soon to be added: Sunset Boulevard.
As others have noted re: LOTR be aware of the Normal/Special Edition fakeout. I bought the crappy, pan&scan, muddy audio version of Withnail before Criterion came out with theirs,then rented the Criterion. Oh, hosanna! Discernable dialogue! Widescreen glory! Alas, Criterions usually cost a boatload more than regular editions. I usually try to rent a DVD before purchasing now to see if the quality is part way decent.
The Extended Version of LotR:FotR is hard to miss. It’s in a really thick case that’s colored like an old leather-bound book, and contains a grand total of four – count 'em, four – DVDs.
But even with the extra half an hour, it still doesn’t have Tom Bombadil in it.