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Outstanding
Achievements in DVD for 2003
back
to Editors' Top 10 Choices
 BEST
DVD - OVERALL |
  |
Once
Upon a Time in the West: Special Collector's Edition
(Paramount)
It's an epic starring Henry Fonda as a
bad guy, Charles Bronson as a "man with no name" and
Jason Robards as a serious badass with a heart of gold. Throw in
director Sergio Leone... and now you can see why we've wanted
this film on DVD since day one. We would probably have been
happy with a simple movie-only release of this classic Western.
Guess what happened? Paramount went and blew us all away. The
work that went into making this film look as good as it does on
DVD is staggering. Throw in audio commentary, a documentary in
multiple parts, a hidden trailer to die for and more (not to
mention that sweet cover) and well... witness our Best
DVD - Overall. If you don't own it, we have one
question for you. What's wrong with you? |
WE ALSO RECOMMEND...
Alien
Quadrilogy (20th Century Fox)
This 9-disc set is arguably the most
comprehensive look at a series of films ever released on DVD, so
it was a very hard choice to not put this one as the winner. You
get multiple versions of each film, audio commentaries, lengthy
documentaries and so much more. However, after lengthy debate,
we finally decided that the set is so close to perfect that its
few weaknesses are just that much more obvious. Namely, its
packaging is cumbersome, the fourth film in the series is so bad
that many fans waited until these discs were released as
separate 2-disc SEs to buy just the first two or three films,
and the Alien³
special edition ultimately became a casualty of the bad blood
between Fincher and Fox (see our Digital
Out award later in the Bitsys).
This set is so close to perfect, it's painful.
The
Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers - Special Extended DVD
Version (New Line)
Peter Jackson and his DVD team have done
it again, delivering another 4-disc set that actually makes the
film better than we experienced it in theaters. You get a longer
version of the film, great anamorphic video, both Dolby Digital
and DTS audio, multiple audio commentaries, two discs worth of
documentary material and more. It's not quite as comprehensive
as The Fellowship of the Ring:
Extended Version, but it's a darned solid follow-up.
The
Looney Tunes Golden Collection (Warner Bros.)
Fans have been waiting for Warner to
release these classic shorts since the very beginning, and
finally we get the first batch of 56 on DVD. The good? They've
been lovingly restored so they look and sound fantastic, and
there are plenty of interesting supplements to make any Looney
fan happy. The bad? Why weren't these shorts released
chronologically, like Disney is doing with their Walt
Disney Treasures animated sets? The other problem...
there's like 1,000 to go. At this rate, it'll take a decade to
get them all out on DVD. Still, we're not going to look a gift
horse in the mouth (we just get paid to complain about these
things). |
|
| BEST
DVD - SPECIAL EDITION |
 |
Black
Hawk Down: Deluxe Edition
(Columbia TriStar)
This is, hands down, the single most comprehensive special
edition we've ever seen for a single film. EVERYTHING you'd
possibly want is here. To start with, the film looks and sounds
fantastic, and comes complete with multiple audio commentaries.
You get one with director Ridley Scott and producer Jerry
Bruckheimer, one with the writer of the original book and the
screenwriter, and one with - get this - the original Task Force
Ranger veterans who are portrayed in the film. Then, you get a
full disc of bonus material that concentrates on the making of
the film itself, followed by another complete disc that focuses
on the real historical events and their aftermath. Both bonus
discs include comprehensive and lengthy documentaries and much,
much more. Simply put, this is a beautiful DVD release. Easily
one of the best we've ever seen. |
WE ALSO RECOMMEND...
The
Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers - Special Extended DVD
Version (New Line)
For all the reasons we listed in the last award category, this
film deserves to be included here. Don't believe us? Well, crack
the seal on this baby and give its four discs a spin. Then get
back to us when you're done - like 20-something hours later -
and see if you aren't eating your hat. Not only is this a great
film, it's a fan's dream on disc.
Monty
Python's The Meaning of Life: Special Edition
(Universal)
You've simply gotta love those Python
chaps, and this film is one of their best. We would never have
expected Universal to deliver a worthy special edition, but
surprise... they went ahead and blew us away with this release.
Of course, it wasn't without incident - make sure if you buy
this disc that you get the version with the properly corrected
transfer. Still, problems aside, a great disc is a great disc,
so there you go.
Who
Framed Roger Rabbit: Vista Series
(Touchstone/Buena Vista)
This is another much-loved film that fans had waited a long
time to see given worthy special edition treatment, and the
folks at Disney didn't let them down. Every aspect of this disc
is fun and in keeping with the spirit of the film, from the high
quality picture and sound, to the animated menus, documentaries
and featurettes, and more Easter egg surprises than any 10 other
DVDs. Great fun for fans of all ages.
Fear
and Loathing in Las Vegas (Criterion)
Gilliam + Thompson + Criterion = Perfection... that's the
simple formula at play here. First of all, the film looks and
sounds great. Next, you get audio commentary with director Terry
Gilliam, another with stars Johnny Depp and Benicio Del Toro,
and a feature length audio interview with author Hunter S.
Thompson. Then you get some incredibly in-depth documentaries.
You get a collection of original artwork by famed illustrator
Ralph Steadman (who also designed the cover art). You get
deleted scenes, you get a selection of Hunter S. Thompson
correspondence... the list goes on. This is a strange and
wondrous journey on DVD. |
|
| BEST
DVD - STANDARD EDITION |
 |
Adaptation:
Superbit
(Columbia TriStar)
This was one of the best films of 2002,
and one of the very few films of any year that doesn't just
reward multiple viewings, it practically demands them. Without
so much as a hint of a more fully-loaded version on the horizon,
it's a relief that Columbia gave Adaptation
their Superbit treatment right out of the gate. The disc boasts
an excellent transfer and top-notch Dolby Digital and DTS audio.
As for the lack of supplements... come on. Did you really think
Spike Jonze and Charlie Kaufman were going to include anything
to make this movie any easier for you? |
WE ALSO RECOMMEND...
A
Mighty Wind (Warner Bros.)
Maybe A Mighty
Wind isn't as drop-dead hilarious as Christopher
Guest's earlier films. It is, however, a warmer and more
heartfelt effort that deserved the audience it finally reached
when it arrived on DVD. To sweeten the deal, Warner packed the
disc with deleted scenes, a commentary, and plenty of other
goodies, all without ever calling it a special edition. If only
they put as much care and effort into all of their so-called "special"
editions.
Spider
(Columbia TriStar)
Hardly anyone saw David Cronenberg's
latest when it made its brief run through the theatres early in
2003. Columbia's DVD release will make you sorry you missed it.
And if you're one of the lucky few who did catch it on the big
screen, then you'll really appreciate this great transfer,
thoughtful sound mix and especially your creepy Uncle David's
audio commentary.
Cinema
Paradiso: The New Version (Miramax/Buena Vista)
Giuseppe Tornatore's new version of his
1988 masterpiece is that rarest of beasts, an uncut director's
version that actually improves on what we saw in the first
place. But if you think less is more, Miramax's DVD lets you
make the call yourself by including the original truncated
American cut on the flip side. |
|
| BEST
DVD - CLASSIC RELEASE |
 |
Casablanca:
Special Edition
(Warner Bros.)
When you've already released a top-notch
DVD of a film, it's hard to hit a home run with a new version.
But that's exactly what Warner Bros. did here. With the help of
Lowry Digital, Warner came up with a stunningly crisp, clean and
film-like image on disc. Accompanied by two excellent and
complementary audio commentaries by Rudy Behlmer and Roger
Ebert, and a wealth of other supplements including a production
documentary, a Lauren Bacall-hosted profile of Bogart, extensive
production notes, and television and radio versions, the set
tells us just about all there is to know about
Casablanca. If you want to
make a classic film look its best and ensure that people
understand why the film merits their attention, this is the way
to do it. |
WE ALSO RECOMMEND...
The
Adventures of Robin Hood: Special Edition
(Warner Bros.)
Yankee
Doodle Dandy: Special Edition (Warner Bros.)
Yankee Doodle
Dandy won James Cagney his only Academy Award, so it
was fitting that for its first Cagney title on DVD, Warner Bros.
chose this stirring extravaganza that showcased Cagney's first
love - dancing. The two-disc presentation includes an impeccable
black and white transfer as well as a fine Rudy Behlmer audio
commentary, a new making-of documentary, a Cagney profile, and
classic cartoons and shorts.
One of the most ideally-cast and just-plain-enjoyable films
ever made received the Warner Bros. royal treatment in 2003 as
well, when the company released its two-disc edition of The
Adventures of Robin Hood. The film's glorious
Technicolor shines in this carefully restored image and the
supplements are both meaty and extensive, including audio
commentary, a new making-of documentary, vintage shorts and
cartoons, a documentary on Technicolor, and deleted scenes.
The
Phantom of the Opera: Ultimate Edition
(Milestone)
The
Lon Chaney Collection (TCM Archive/Warner)
2003 was a great year for silent film
star Lon Chaney. Milestone's 2-disc The
Phantom of the Opera contains a stunning restoration
of the 1929 re-issue version, as well as the original 1925
release version. Multiple audio tracks, an audio commentary,
extensive photo galleries, deleted dialogue sequences (from the
1929 re-issue), and interviews and trailers all illustrate how
much homework Milestone did on this DVD presentation. If you
want a great DVD package to show off silent film to the
uninitiated, this is one of your best bets.
TCM's The Lon Chaney Collection
brings together three classic MGM films: The
Ace of Hearts, Laugh,
Clown, Laugh and The
Unknown. It also includes the photo reconstruction of
the long lost Tod Browning film London
After Midnight, as well as the definitive documentary
biography Lon Chaney: A Thousand
Faces. All this and commentary from Chaney freak
Michael F. Blake. If you weren't a Chaney fan before, after
these two sets, you will be.
The
Man Who Laughs (Kino)
The Man Who
Laughs is a rarely seen classic pulled from
Universal's archives. Kino went over it with a fine tooth comb,
giving us a breathtaking transfer as well as a nice making-of
documentary, archival home movies, excerpts from the Italian
release (complete with hand-painted title cards) and the
original ending from the Victor Hugo novel the film was based
on. If you're a nut for classic silent horror films, The
Man Who Laughs is a true library title.
The
Killers (Criterion)
The Criterion Collection can always be
counted on for classy presentations of classic films. In a year
of good efforts, this two-disc set thoughtfully teaming both the
1946 Robert Siodmak and 1964 Don Siegel versions of The
Killers stands out. Fine transfers (particularly of
the 1946 version) are supplemented by a seemingly inexhaustible
catalog of bonus material covering just about everything you
need to know about these films in particular and film noir in
general. There's even a third, short version of The
Killers made by Andrei Tarkovsky while still a
student. A set to die for, perhaps?
West
Side Story: Special Edition (MGM)
The film looks and sounds great, you get a wonderful making of
documentary featuring Natalie Wood's original vocal recordings
and new interviews with the cast and crew, including Robert Wise
and Stephen Sondheim, you get storyboard comparisons and more.
And get this... you even get an insert book (mind you not a
booklet - an actual book) that contains a complete copy of the
shooting script and a reproduction of the original lobby
brochure. Nice. |
|
| BEST
DVD - BOXED SET (TIE) |
 |
Alien
Quadrilogy
(20th Century Fox)
It may not quite be THE DVD release of
2003, but it's still an absolutely wonderful piece of work. It
deserves recognition somewhere and as a box set, the Alien
Quadrilogy truly shines. Two versions of each of the
films including new footage and effects, commentaries galore and
featurettes that cover these films six ways from Sunday. It's
not quite perfect, as we've said, but it is truly an
achievement.
The
BRD Trilogy
(Criterion)
Criterion's BRD
Trilogy, for us, captures the essence of what a
serious box set should be. We're talking three incredible films
that deserve be seen by as many people as possible, scholarly
commentaries by historians and friends of director R. W.
Fassbinder, thoughtful and in-depth featurettes and
documentaries, and a very attractive packaging design that takes
our collective breath away. Criterion consistently does great
work, but this may be their finest achievement (and we don't say
that lightly). |
WE ALSO RECOMMEND...
The
Three Colors Trilogy (Miramax/Buena Vista)
Here's another set of films that we would
have been thrilled just to have on DVD as movie-only releases.
But surprise... the work put into them by Miramax is pretty
impressive. Krzystof Kieslowski's classic swan song explorations
of humanity, life and love blew our minds on discs. Included are
rare short films from the director, commentary on each film by
film professor and historian Annette Insdorf, a look at the
making of each film, historical and biographical information,
interviews and selected scene commentaries from each of the
three actresses who starred in the films. Do whatever you can to
add these discs to your collection.
The
Looney Tunes Golden Collection (Warner Bros.)
We've been on Warner's back for years to
do these classic toons right, and they did. Each is fully
restored, we get special features and commentaries that give us
a look at their history and that of the studio that made them.
Sure... we'll be on Geritol by the time Warner finally gets all
of these shorts out on disc, but still.
The
Adventures of Indiana Jones: The Complete DVD Movie Collection
(Lucasfilm/Paramount)
It's not even close to being the best
boxed set - the differences between this title and the winners
in this category are huge. But the films are classics and much
loved, and they look and sound great. Then there's that great
feature-length documentary that turned our frowns upside-down.
It's still not as good as it should be, but this box release is
definitely important enough to deserve a mention here. |
|
| BEST
DVD - PSYCHOTRONIC |
 |
Willard:
Platinum Series
(New Line)
Let's see here... 70's movie remake?
Check. Deliriously unhinged performance by Crispin Glover?
Double check. Scenery chewing by R. Lee Ermey? Check. Legion of
rats tormenting a cat to one of Michael Jackson's sappiest
songs? Check. Yep, Willard's
a shoo-in for this category. But what really pushed Willard
to the top are the great extras on New Line's Platinum Series
disc. The Year of the Rat
is a terrific, candid documentary about what went right... and
more interestingly, what went wrong with the movie. Plus, this
year's height of DVD weirdness: the music video for Glover's
cover version of Jackson's Ben
with a breathless audio commentary by its director, Mr. Crispin
Hellion Glover himself. |
WE ALSO RECOMMEND...
The
Hills Have Eyes (Anchor Bay)
An early effort from the unlikeliest
director ever to go on to make a Meryl Streep movie, this
two-disc set benefits from extensive participation by its cast
and crew... folks like Wes Craven and Dee Wallace-Stone, who
really have nothing to gain from sharing their memories of a
gory, down-and-dirty icon of 70's horror. We've known for some
time now that Anchor Bay knows how to do right by cult movies.
The Hills Have Eyes proves
that they aren't just resting on their laurels.
Day
of the Dead: Divimax (Anchor Bay)
Speaking of exceptional efforts by Anchor
Bay... George A. Romero's Zombie
Trilogy capper arrived just in time to remind fans of
28 Days Later that
anything Danny Boyle could do, Romero could do (and in fact has
already done) better. The Bay's two-disc Divimax set helps make
a strong case that this is the best of the three films...
arguably even the best of Romero's career. The film looks and
sounds better than ever and there isn't a clunker in the entire
(and extensive) batch of extras. If you love zombies (and who
doesn't?), you need this DVD.
Jackass:
The Movie - Special Collector's Edition
(Paramount)
Now THIS is how you turn a TV show into a
movie! I know, I know... film snobs like us, who are always
touting Kurosawa and Kieslowski, aren't supposed to be watching
this kind of thing. But goddammit, it made us laugh harder than
just about any other comedy last year. If there's a better use
for your home theatre than watching Johnny Knoxville and friends
careen wildly down an exploding runway in an oversized shopping
cart to the 5.1 strains of Carmina
Burana, we sure haven't found it. |
|
| BEST
DVD - VIDEO (NEW FILM) |
 |
Finding
Nemo: Collector's Edition
(Disney/Pixar)
Digital to digital transfers are almost invariably going to
have the edge in this category, but the thing that makes Finding
Nemo that much more special is the way that the
animators at Pixar sold the reality of their undersea world.
Everything from the way that sunlight refracts through the water
currents, the motion of waves on the surface of the ocean, the
subtle swaying of undersea plant life, the glittering of schools
of fish - it's all spot on perfect. The digital to digital
transfer only makes the sheer beauty and artistry of this
animation that much more obvious. Watch this film on a big,
widescreen, progressive scan display, and you'll have to keep
picking your jaw up off the carpet. |
WE ALSO RECOMMEND...
The
Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers - Special Extended DVD
Version (New Line)
Yeah, we know it's a long film, and it's now even longer in
this version on DVD. But by splitting the film over two discs,
not only do you get a handy intermission to stretch your legs,
the video bit rate on each disc can be fully maxed out. The
result is a gorgeous widescreen presentation that perfectly
captures this film's moody color palate and every tiny nuance of
the action. Real life should look this good.
The
Matrix Reloaded (Warner Bros.)
The surprising thing about the look of this film on DVD, is the
simple fact that the outrageously complex detail is so well and
accurately rendered. This film, with all its complex motion and
interaction, should be a compressionists nightmare. But texture
is visible in subtle ways throughout the image and contrast is
excellent, with the darkest areas retaining just the right
amount of shadow detail. This is absolutely demo material.
Black
Hawk Down: Deluxe Edition (Columbia TriStar)
They say that war is beautiful, and director Ridley Scott is
well known for weaving lush, stylish tapestries on screen. Every
bit of that terrible beauty can be seen in this transfer. For
the same reasons we like Rings
and The Matrix, we have to
acknowledge the visual quality of Black
Hawk Down on DVD. |
|
| BEST
DVD - VIDEO (RESTORATION) |
 |
Lawrence
of Arabia: Superbit
(Columbia TriStar)
Now here is what Columbia's Superbit
label was made for. A quantum leap over the original release of
this title, the Superbit Lawrence of
Arabia is quite possibly one of the most breathtaking
DVDs ever released. Supervised by original LOA
restorer (and Bits
contributor) Robert A. Harris, this disc shows exactly what this
format is capable of simply through careful attention to
compression and color correction, not artificial enhancement or
electronic sharpening. Kudos to the team at Columbia TriStar for
stepping up to the plate and finally doing right by this
important film. If you want to experience one of the most
beautiful films ever shot the way it was meant to be seen, this
is the way to go. |
WE ALSO RECOMMEND...
The
Adventures of Robin Hood: Special Edition
(Warner Bros.)
One of the first examples of Warner's
patented new restoration technique, Robin
Hood leaps off the screen in gorgeous, saturated and
lovingly revitalized 3-perf Technicolor. There aren't many 2003
movies that looked as vibrant or alive as this 1939 classic does
on DVD.
Eraserhead
(David Lynch.com)
After years of damaged, dirty and
timeworn prints, nobody expected Eraserhead
to look this good on DVD. Supervised by director David Lynch
himself, this is an amazingly solid, detailed transfer. The disc
is only available through
the
webstore at David Lynch.com, but we promise you,
you have never seen this movie look this good before. Eraserhead
is hands-down the best black-and-white DVD of the year.
Once
Upon a Time in the West: Special Collector's Edition
(Paramount)
Among the many, many other things about
this disc that knocked our collective socks off was the
beautiful new anamorphic widescreen transfer. We were so taken
with just looking at this movie, we barely had time to notice
how cold our feet were getting. |
|
| BEST
DVD - SOUND |
|
Black
Hawk Down: Deluxe Edition
(Columbia TriStar)
In attempting to recreate the experience of soldiers under fire
in combat, Ridley Scott's Black Hawk
Down is nothing less than an all-out assault on the
senses, both visually and sonically. As you'd expect, the Dolby
Digital surround mix on this DVD attacks you from all sides,
with exceptionally refined panning and directional effects,
terrific clarity and dynamic range, and thunderous low
frequency. The mix can be quietly atmospheric in one moment,
then shift to explosively deafening in an instant. When we call
a DVD's surround mix "immersive", this is exactly what
we're talking about. Dolby Digital 5.1 tracks don't get much
better than this. |
WE ALSO RECOMMEND...
Das
Boot: The Director's Cut - Superbit (Columbia
TriStar)
Das Boot is a film that's
absolutely dependent on sound to convey tension. Thankfully,
Columbia TriStar's Superbit re-release of the film not only
improves on the original version's mediocre transfer, the audio
experience is enhanced with both Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1
mixes. You'll hear everything from the creaking hull of the
U-boat, to the pounding of depth charges, to the pinging of
sonar. This is great movie surround sound on DVD.
The
Matrix Reloaded (Warner Bros.)
The film didn't impress us so much, but its 5.1 mix sure did.
This Dolby Digital mix is extremely active, as it should be,
with lots of directional panning and exceptional atmospheric
fill. But its staging and presentation never hits you over the
head. It's surprisingly natural and features a lot more subtlety
that we've come to expect from a film like this.
Pirates
of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl - Collector's
Edition (Disney)
Once again, this surround mix isn't quite as aggressive as
you'd expect, but that's exactly why we like it. During the
action scenes, swords clash and canons boom from all quarters,
but in the quieter moments there's plenty of subtle atmospheric
fill. Dialogue is natural and Klaus Badelt's rousing score is
wonderfully presented in the mix. The sound is available in both
Dolby Digital or DTS flavors, and you'll enjoy whichever you
choose. |
|
| BEST
DVD - "MAKING OF" FEATURETTE OR DOCUMENTARY |
|
Alien
Quadrilogy
(20th Century Fox)
You simply don't get better documentaries about the making of a
film on DVD than The Beast Within:
The Making of Alien. There is so much material here
that's never been seen before, it's just silly. You get both new
and vintage interviews with virtually everyone involved, you get
a look at outtake and alternate take footage, original home
movie footage taken behind the scenes on the sets, original
production design sketches and artwork... it's just a treasure
trove for fans of Alien.
Interestingly, the documentary is broken into separate segments,
and each segment is further supported by extensive galleries of
production photos and drawings, continuity images and so much
more. And all this is found on just ONE disc of this amazing
NINE-disc set. No kidding. |
WE ALSO RECOMMEND...
Black
Hawk Down: Deluxe Edition (Columbia TriStar)
As we said earlier, the documentary components of this 3-disc
set take you behind the scenes on the making of the film, and
also inside the real historical events. So, for example, you get
to go along for the ride during the actors' boot camp (where
they learned to act like real Rangers) in The
Essence of Combat: Making Black Hawk Down, and then
you get to watch Frontline
and History Channel documentaries to see just what the real-life
Rangers were faced with that fateful day in Mogadishu. The
result is a thoughtful examination of this film from every
conceivable angle - an achievement any way you slice it.
The
Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers - Special Extended DVD
Version (New Line)
Picking up where the 4-disc Fellowship
of the Rings left off, the documentaries on this set
take you behind the scenes on the making of the film, from its
elaborate special effects, costume and production design, to the
difficult location work and much, much more. You also get
historical context for this film, and the original Tolken work
upon which it's based. It's all so good that we're having a very
hard waiting for the final 4-disc set for Return
of the King, coming later in 2004.
The
Adventures of Indiana Jones: The Complete DVD Movie Collection
(Lucasfilm/Paramount)
We wanted a lot more from these classic films on DVD, but
there's one thing we'll readily admit. The feature-length Indiana
Jones: The Making of a Trilogy documentary is a
fantastic look at the production of these films, taking you from
the genesis of the story to the final days on the set of Crusade.
Culled together from hundreds of hours of never-before-seen film
and video material found in the Lucasfilm archives, as well as
brand new interviews with literally everyone you'd want to hear
from, it's an experience not to be missed. |
|
| BEST
DVD - PACKAGING |
 |
The
Monkees: Seasons 1 & 2
(Rhino)
If you're old enough to be a fan of The
Monkees, you're old enough to have had a portable
record player just like the ones these box sets emulate. The
discs themselves are designed to look like mini-45s (historical
note for the youngsters: 45s, or singles as they were also
known, were vinyl records that played at 45 RPM or revolutions
per minute. This is how your parents used to download songs in
the pre-Internet days.). Every year, there are always a few
packages that won't fit comfortably on a shelf with the rest of
your discs, becoming love-'em-or-hate-'em propositions. But
Rhino's retro-cool Monkees
sets are so distinctive and unique, we love 'em. |
WE ALSO RECOMMEND...
Eraserhead
(David Lynch.com)
Available only through David Lynch's
website, Eraserhead
arrives at your door in an ominous black box. Open the box and
inside is a large, handsome cardboard case with one of the most
beautifully designed booklets you'll ever see. Though it isn't
the most user-friendly packaging in the world, it perfectly
compliments Lynch's dark vision. Order it and you have stepped
over into another world.
Star
Trek: Deep Space Nine - Seasons 1-7 (Paramount)
The first Star
Trek series packaging design we've approved of, Deep
Space Nine's discs fit together in a book-like series
of trays. Sure, the clear plastic slipcover is a dust magnet if
ever there was one, but when it's all assembled, the set looks
pretty darn great. And the color-coded seasons make for an
impressive line-up when stacked together on your shelf.
Fear
and Loathing in Las Vegas (Criterion)
Getting original Fear
and Loathing illustrator Ralph Steadman to contribute
original cover art to the Criterion version of Terry Gilliam's
adaptation is an impressive coup by any standards. Top it off
with a handsome booklet and a super-cool clear plastic slipcase
and you've got one of Criterion's best packages to date...
The
Adventures of Antoine Doinel (Criterion)
…perhaps only equaled by this box
set of François Truffaut's epic, coming-of-age saga.
Nestled inside a suitcase-styled box are five imaginatively
designed discs. Eschewing poster art or images from the movies,
each film is represented by different styles of clothing worn by
the character Antoine at different stages of his life. This is
exactly the kind of innovative, risk-taking design that could
only come from Criterion. |
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