Most Fully-Loaded Horror DVDs of All-Time? (1 Viewer)

[Dane Marvin]

Hey, guys! My DVD Collection is sorely lacking in the horror department. As you can see by my current DVD collection, bare bones titles are not my game.

Anyway, I've got a couple of the must-haves (Twilight Zone Definitive seasons, Carnival of Souls, The Blob & Hitchcock Criterions), but need a list of some other completely-loaded horror/thriller/gore DVDs. I'm talking about DVDs like the Dawn of Dead: Ultimate Edition, which is already on my want list.

Now I realize four discs devoted to a single horror movie is a rarity, but I'm looking for cool movies (they don't have to be perfect or even above average as long as there is at least some entertainment value to be had) on DVDs with above average supplements. Particular things I look for:

--Alternate versions of the film included on the DVD
--Audio commentaries
--Deleted Scenes
--Extended Cuts
--Trailers for the feature & other films
--Bonus short films
--Interviews
--Blooper Reels
--Making-of Documentaries

Starting posting what you know, and a pre-emptive thanks!

FYI: Worth noting that I'm not a big fan of newer big-budget horror films, so mostly classic films 50s-90s and any independent stuff, no matter what year.

 

[TravisR]

If you're horror movie collection is small, you're probably looking for more mainstream horror movies as opposed to some small cult title. So my own personal reccomendation is the original Halloween. You can find threads talking about the multiple versions and make your own call as to which one to buy. The commentary on Anchor Bay's 25th anniversary edition is what would make me choose that version over the 1999 2 disc version. The multiple DVD versions are a controversial topic for Halloween fans

A few other good suggestions would be most of Anchor Bay's releases of the Evil Dead series which have a lot of supplements (Although the aspect ratio for the original is cropped to 1.85, there are still some pretty good supplements. Elite released the original Evil Dead in its correct 1.33 aspect ratio and it has some decent features too), Elite's Night Of The Living Dead (1968) which has multiple commentaries, The Thing (1982) which has a pretty decent doc, The upcoming special edition of The Fly (1986) seems like it is going to be very, very good too.

Sadly, what you're looking for (mountains of supplements) for good movies don't really seem to happen for the horror genre that much. The best movies seem to have OK to good supplements. There's only a few examples (like the Dawn Of The Dead four disc that you mentioned) that are truly 'special' special editions.

 

[Arnie G]

Friday The 13th From Crystal Lake To Manhattan. 8 movies, some commentaries, extras disc.

 

[Kevin M]

Elite's 2 disc Se of ReAnimator has quite a few good supplements - An American Werewolf in London SE has a healthy share of extras as does The Howling - Halloween's 25th Anniversary disc from anchor bay has plenty of supplements as does WB's SE of The Exorcist & Fox's The Omen - Blue Underground's 2 disc release of Dead & Buried is full of stuff.......others....many others...

 

[Vincent_P]

Anchor Bay's DAWN OF THE DEAD 4-disc Ultimate Edition is probably the standard bearer of horror special editions.

Some other good ones:

Anchor Bay's "DiviMax" DAY OF THE DEAD 2-disc set (although they made a few mistakes with their sound remix, substituting a handfull of "clean" line dubs from the TV version of DAY for the originals)

Anchor Bay's NEAR DARK 2-disc set

Anchor Bay's THE HILLS HAVE EYES 2-disc set

Anchor Bay's THE BEYOND

Anchor Bay UK's region 2 SANTA SANGRE 2-disc set

Blue Underground's TWO EVIL EYES 2-disc set

Synapse Film's THE DEADLY SPAWN

Synapse Film's THE GRAPES OF DEATH

New Line's 2-discer for THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE remake

Criterion's VIDEODROME 2-disc set

Warner's THE EXORCIST- 25th Anniversary Edition

Columbia's special edition of John Carpenter's CHRISTINE

Lion's Gate's CABIN FEVER

20th Century Fox's ALIEN QUADRILOGY

20th Century Fox's PREDATOR 2-disc set

Vincent

 

[TravisR]

Speaking of which, isn't the original TCM having a new special edition this year too? 16 x 9!

 

[Scott Temple]

Yes, a 2-Disc Set from MPI Home Video, under their Dark Sky label. It will include a brand new, totally remastered 16x9 enhanced transfer, The Shocking Truth documentary (80 minutes), a new commentary track with David Gregory, Marilyn Burns, Paul Partain, Bob Burns, and Allen Danziger, etc. It's uncertain if the current extras on the Pioneer DVD (commentary with Tobe Hooper, Daniel Pearl, and Gunnar Hansen, deleted scenes and alternate footage, outtakes, photo galleries, trailers) will be ported over to this new 2-Disc Set.

I'd like to add

Critical Mass' Black Christmas (1974) Collector's Edition DVD

-Commentary with Director Bob Clark
-Commentary with actors John Saxon and Keir Dullea
-"Black Christmas Revisited" Documentary featuring all-new cast & crew interviews. Hosted by Lynne Griffin and Art Hindle. (36 minutes)
-Unabridged interview with Bob Clark (25 minutes)
-Unabridged interview with John Saxon (13 minutes)
-Dark Dreamers episode with John Saxon (20 minutes)
-Two trailers (English & French)
-Six TV spots
-Two radio spots
-Two alternate openings ("Silent Night, Evil Night" & "Stranger in the House")
-Picture and poster gallery
-Complete original script (DVD-ROM)
-Press kit and Posters in high quality (DVD-ROM)
-Reversible cover featuring the original 1974 artwork and the new 2002 artwork.
-Animated menus (motion & sound!)
-Scene selection

Video: non-anamorphic widescreen (1.66:1)
Audio: English Mono and English 2.0 Dolby Stereo

Some other good choices not already mentioned would be

Basket Case (20th Anniversary Special Edition)
Carrie (1976) (Special Edition)
Children of the Corn (20th Anniversary Special Edition, Divimax Series)
Duel
I Spit on Your Grave (Millennium Edition)
Jaws 2
Killer Klowns From Outer Space
The Last House on the Left
The Nightmare on Elm Street Collection (8-Disc Box Set with all 7 films plus a bonus disc)
Phantasm
Piranha (1978)
Psycho (1960) - might be a 16x9 re-release this fall though
Sleepaway Camp 2: Unhappy Campers (*Pamela Springsteen makes these films awesome)
Sleepaway Camp 3: Teenage Wasteland (*)
The Thing (1982) - be sure to get the 16x9 re-release from October 2004
Tremors

 

[Kevin M]

Well I certainly hope they include the first commentary as it is a classic, lots of good info and funny to boot.



........where the hell did the saying "to boot" originate from anyway?

 

[BrettGallman]

Although some of us truly hardcore Friday fans may argue that it could have been much, much better. Still definately worth getting if you don't own any of the films though. Be sure to get New Line's DVD's for Jason Goes to Hell and Jason X (though I couldn't begrudge you for passing on the last one). Both of these feature pretty good AV and features. Freddy vs. Jason is also a very good DVD, though I feel it could have been better by dropping the full-screen option and including a DTS track. Also, considering the long history of this movie, I would have liked a decent documentary.

And my other suggestions:

The DVD for the Dawn of the Dead remake really has some great features (make sure to pick up the unrated cut).

The two disc Platinum Series edition of Seven is a great DVD.

The Amityville Collection is a pretty good (and relatively cheap) set, lacking on extras for the sequels though.

The Army of Darkness two disc "Boomstick" edition is pretty much the definative version of that film (to my knowledge).

The Sixth Sense (Vista series).

 

[Arnie G]

3 disc Suspiria is also great. Comes with the Goblin CD Soundtrack, 10 Lobby Card reproductions, and a 30 page color booklet.

 

[Dane Marvin]

Three discs! That's what I'm talkin' about! Keep the suggestions coming, everyone. I've added a few wants to my list.

Anyone own the Driller Killer 2-Disc set? How about The Toolbox Murders?

 

[Damin J Toell]

A few others the come to mind:

Synapse's Blue Sunshine. Has a commentary by the director, a 5.1 remix and the original mono soundtrack, a short film from the director, a 30-minute interview with the director, stills gallery, trailer, and a restoration comparison. It also comes with the soundtrack on a separate CD.

Troma's Terror Firmer 2-disc unrated set. Has 3 commentaries, 30 minutes of deleted/alternate scenes, audition footage, blooper reel, feature-length making-of documentary, interviews, and a slew of the usual random Troma features.

If you're looking for discs with alternate versions, Image's 2-disc release of Raiders of the Living Dead has 3 very different versions. It also has a commentary, stills, etc. I haven't seen the disc, though, so I can't vouch for its overall quality.

DJ

 

[Paul D G]

Joy Ride's alternate ending is a whole 30 minutes long!

-paul

 

[Hank E]

I didn't realize this. What lines were dubbed?

 

[Thomas Newton]

How about the Universal monster releases?

Not the original, $30-for-one-title ones ... but the ones that came in the green boxes, or in the deluxe packages with the little "head busts" of the monsters.

 

[walter o]

LAST HOUSE ON DEAD END STREET
RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD
THE BEAST (cult epic 3 disc set)

are some ones that havent been mentioned before

 

[Paul Strilka]

I have the Driller Killer disc. It contains some of Ferrara's early films.
The real treat here is Ferrara's hilarious commentary. He's a true character.

 

[Ruz-El]

a fact so solid you could give it a kick?

I second the Universal Legacy Edition classic horor movies, really could making of material on those.

Also "Freaks" is a good disc with a featurette, David Skall commentary, alternate ending repros, etc.

 

[JackKay]

ALIEN QUADRILOGY as mentioned before, it's loaded to the gills, also the 1933 King Kong this November. Not sure if this falls in your category but I hear Forbidden Planet has a SE in the works.

 

[Dane Marvin]

"King Kong" and "Forbidden Planet" (if the latter title indeed happens) are both mine on release day. I'm sold on the the Universal Legacy Collection stuff. I'd like to start with Dracula since Tim Burton's "Ed Wood" made me a Lugosi fan.