Legendary DVDs (1 Viewer)

[KyleK]

Which dvds would go down in the annals of dvd history(if there were such a thing) as legendary DVDs? They would have to trancsend the everyday release by generating a huge amount of discussion, whether about their quality, lack thereof, release delays, the actual movie etc.

These are a few I thought of when I asked myself that question:

Terminator 2: Judgment Day: Ultimate Edition
This disc achieved "legendary" status by the sheer amount of added material, and the excessive use of edge enhancement.

Terminator 2: Judgment Day: Extreme Edition
I expect this dvd to attain legendary status because of (1) The Hi-def transfer on disc 2, (2) James Cameron's first commentary track and (3) the horrible, cool looking, case destroying metal slipcover.

The Fifth Element
Long was this lauded as having the "best" dvd transfer, I believe it still stands as a good example of the best of dvd picture quality.

Legend: Ultimate Edition
For a long time I remember hearing fans of Ridley Scott's much-maligned, wonderous fantasy picture despair that the rumored Special Edition would never appear. But when it finally did, it was a sight to behold. It contained the new director's cut AND the theatrical cut. Universal had listened.

The Matrix
This was often cited as being the "best DVD ever"

Anyone else got some?

 

[TonyDale]

LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS, Frank Oz's musical, should be on the list, as it was recalled almost immediately upon being released. Seems that the rights to the raw footage of the original ending weren't totally ironed out with David Geffen, and so, now the dvd takes in big bucks on Ebay.

First dvd that I bought, three months before I had a player, and I've been buying them ever since.

 

[Inspector Hammer!]

Great thread idea.

These are just my opinion's of course, but I would say...

Moulin Rouge Not only is it an exciting and exquisitly done film, but the dvd that FOX delivered to us is the most gorgeous and lavish dvd product I have yet to see topped. Plus, for some, the miss synched DTS track makes it memorable. Fortunatly i'm not one of them.

The Back to the Future Trilogy This one is huge, never did we expect that these highly anticipated films would be messed up so badly upon their arrival to dvd. Sorry Universal, you are fixing your mistake, but he did ask for good and bad legendary status.

X-Men For it's stellar image quality and Brian Singer's insistance on the ommision of a DTS track to retain image integrity. That took balls on his part.

Pearl Harbor Vista Series dvd Never before have we gotten so much information from a dvd of a film that nobody really wanted information about to begin with.

Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins The thread currently raging above is explanation enough.

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory This was the dvd that told the world that open matte and P&S will not be tolerated...and they listened.

Cat's and Dog's Same as Willy Wonka.

The Goonies Same as Cat's and Dog's and Willy Wonka. We dodged a major freakin bullit their! Three strikes, and you were almost out Warner!

Star Wars Ep I: The Phantom Menace For it's startling use of EE when none was needed or wanted.

Star Wars EP II: Attack of the Clones For it's startling LACK of EE that was not needed or wanted. Plus it has the most eye popping transfer i've yet seen. It really shows what the dvd format is capable of when pushed to the limit!

The Indiana Jones Trilogy They're not even out yet, and one doesn't need to be an archeologist to see that it's a shoe in for legendary status!

The Star Wars Trilogy (when we get them) Same as with the Indy trilogy.

Titanic SE This much delayed and long overdue title is a legend in the making...I hope! :frowning:

E.T. The Extra Terrestrial Surrounded in controversy upon it's arrival, the ultimate gift set is the dream dvd of any fan of this beloved classic! And now that it's OOP, it's legendary status is cemented forever in the books.

Anyway, i'll leave some for others. Again, great thread idea.

 

[millercv]

The first "THX approved" Highlander DVD was infamous for its very poor transfer.

Not a movie but universally panned in the early DVD days was the dreaded Polygram Slip Case Worst DVD case ever....

 

[Tony-B]

Fellowship of the Ring: Extended Edition
Fight Club
Scarface (bad quality example)

 

[Patrick McCart]

Citizen Kane
North By Northwest (first DVD with an LDI transfer)
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
8 1/2: Criterion Collection

Some upcoming:

"The Lon Chaney Collection Vol. 1" (first Turner Classic Movies DVD)
The Gold Rush: Special Edition (first 2-disc release of a silent film in R1)
Phantom of the Opera: "Extreme Edition"

 

[Daniel J]

Pearl Harbor Vista Series dvd Never before have we gotten so much information from a dvd of a film that nobody really wanted information about to begin with.

I'll always remember it as the SE that was better presented than FOTR:EE; even though nobody cared. Also possibly the first and last Vista series 4-disc set. (and possibly the last multi-disc set, if signs is any indication...)

 

[Mark_vdH]

The Passion Of Joan Of Arc (Criterion)
legendary disc of a legendary movie.

Bladerunner: Special Edition
For not coming out.....

Donnie Darko
Wasn't too popular in the theaters, and this movie really thanks its popularity to the dvd format, which gave this great movie "a second chance".

 

[oscar_merkx]

How can anybody leave these out ?

Brazil the Criterion edition

Once Upon A Time In America

Seven Samurai for its commentary track

Tron the 20th Anniversary Edition

 

[David Lambert]

I'll tune in with some from a category you expect from me:

X-Files Season 1, and The Sopranos Season 1: the first MADE the TV-on-DVD season set format (5/2000), and the second proved it wasn't a fluke (12/2000, a month after X-Files S2 shipped) nor just a type of release dedicated to SciFi fanboys with too much spare change. These two releases set the standard for TV shows on DVD today, and are still two of the best damn releases out there!

Also it's impossible not to mention the July 1, 1997 release by Sony Music of "MTV's Beavis And Butt-Head: The Final Judgment", the first-ever TV Show to be released on DVD, according to all records (noone's proved otherwise to Gord & I yet!). Now available as part of a compilation volume from Time/Life (not sold in stores), the original version containing JUST that portion is long out of print, and extraordinarily hard to come by. It's not the best release in the world, but it's the first...I'm proud to own a copy.

The feat of releasing 7 season box sets in a single year, not once but twice! (and perhaps thrice?...we'll know in 2004) will certainly put Paramount's Star Trek: TNG and DS9 releases into near-legendary status. However they did it, noone has been able to duplicate it since.

I also must say that My So-Called Life will probably end up in legendary status, for all the wrong reasons. This is a classic case of a great business idea (credit to Mr. Joel Rosenberg for that!) which was turned to mud by the incredible mis-handling of the people who told Joel "leave it all to us, it's in good hands". A pre-order-only release not supposed to be available in stores and to have significant extras at a rather high price generated so much response from fans, and was channeled through a company so small that couldn't handle it and also conducted business in a way that left them open to charges of a legal nature. In the end this release ended up without all the extras it was supposed to have (bonus disc, "real" lunchbox case), on shelves in stores across the country (including Best Buy, Wal-Mart, etc.), and at a significantly lesser price (40% less!). While the end result may seem to be a better trade-off (sacrifice extras for lower cost and put it where everyone can buy it), this will never be forgiven by the dedicated fans of the show who over-paid for content they never received, plus had the hassle of dealing with the comic book company that got too big for its britches.

 

[Joshua_Y]

Star Wars Ep1 - For the legendary sound mix which is still probably the best...and the extraordinary Beginning Documentary!

Star Wars Ep2 - For the most breathtaking transfer ever seen!

LOTR FOTR EE - Just for the sheer breadth of supplements...

Black Hawk Down SE - I think this one is a soon to be legendary disc...as good as the LOTR EE!

T2:UE - It was the one of the first discs that just seemed to Wow me!

Mallrats - A Cult classic now...with perhaps the best commentary ever recorded...

Superman The Movie - Unbelievable sound mix...beautiful restoration...and fun supplements...

E.T. Ultimate Gift Set - Everything you could ask for a box set is here!

Matrix - Brought DVD to the masses...

 

[Brad Eisenhauer]

Shouldn't Gladiator be included here for sheer ubiquity, if nothing else? Is there anyone who doesn't have this thing?

 

[Philip Verdieck]

Artisan for Army of Darkness: Demonstrating how many times you can repackage the same material!

 

[MikeSilver]

I think you mean Anchor Bay.

 

[Richard_D_Ramirez]

I always thought Contact was a landmark DVD. It was one of the first DVDs to be truly "Special Edition" with the numerous commentaries and extras, all on a single disc to boot!

8^B

 

[Charlie B. Ch.]

Good Burger is my nomination considering the amount of discussions/jokes over the past few years at DVDTalk.

 

[Steve_Ch]

>>Shouldn't Gladiator be included here for sheer ubiquity, if nothing else? Is there anyone who doesn't have this thing?

 

[Neil S. Bulk]

Star Trek II - The Wrath of Khan is the first DVD that Paramount released twice.

The Alien Legacy I think was the first DVD you could only get exclusively by mail.

Neil

 

[Prentice Cotham]

Hmmm...

Terminator 2: Judgement Day--first use of chapter selections with parts of the film playing inside.

Princess Mononoke--write-in campaign to alter a DVD's release to include the original language track

Terminator 2: Ultimate Edition--first mass produced DVD18 that didn't fare so well in many players

 

[WadeB]

While there are lots yet to list, I'll add L.A. Confidentialfrom the early days of DVD. This was the first disc I ever heard a lot of buzz about, and it rated very highly for sound and picture when it was released. Also it seems it was one of the first discs that really took creative advantage of the format. It's menus and extras were cutting edge for 1998.