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Outstanding
Achievements on Disc for 2007
back
to Editors' Top 10 Choices
 SPECIAL
ACHIEVEMENT AWARD - THE LIEBERFARB |
 
|
Warner
Home Video
For years, Warner Home Video has
dominated the Best Studio
category. In light of this (and to acknowledge yet another year
of great releases), it seems only fitting to honor them with our
second Lieberfarb award
for outstanding overall achievement. It also seems especially
appropriate given that the award itself is named in honor of the
former president of Warner Home Video, Warren Lieberfarb.
|
| Warner
has long been at the forefront of home video, with a commitment
to quality unrivaled by any major studio. Their "we will
release no disc before its time" creed sometimes results in
frustratingly long waits for fans, but with results like 2007's
Blade
Runner, the
two-disc
special editions of Stanley Kubrick's greatest films,
The
Jazz Singer and many other catalog titles, it's
easy to admit that patience is a virtue. Then there's top-notch
new releases like the
Harry
Potter box set and 300.
Finally, with one fell swoop in early January, Warner
effectively ended the prolonged high-definition format war by
announcing they would be backing Blu-ray exclusively. After that
announcement, the dominoes fell with more rapidity than anyone
could have predicted. Under Warren Lieberfarb, Warner Home Video
helped make DVD the dominant format it is today. Now, they're
poised to help drive the next generation of home video as well.
We look forward to seeing what goodies they have in store. |
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| BEST
OVERALL RELEASE |
  |
Blade
Runner: Five-Disc Collector's Edition
(Warner Bros. -
DVD,
Blu-ray
Disc and
HD-DVD)
Ten years is a mighty long time to wait
for a special edition of one of your favorite movies. Bottom
line: THIS one was absolutely worth the wait. This isn't just
hands-down the best release of the year. This is one of the very
best DVDs produced since the inception of the format... and
we've seen thousands. There are tons of great discs out there,
but very few that are produced with this kind of enthusiasm,
passion, care and expertise. It only happens when the team
producing the disc really loves the movie, has access to a wide
range of cast and crew members willing to share their memories
and archival materials, and the financial and technical support
of the studio releasing it. A release like this doesn't happen
very often but when it does, it reminds you how excited you were
when you first started buying movies on shiny, happy discs.
Whether you get it on DVD, Blu-ray or HD-DVD, the Blade
Runner: Five-Disc Collector's Edition will be one of
the crown jewels of your movie library. |
THE RUNNERS-UP
Never before available on home video in ANY format, Criterion's
release of Billy Wilder's
Ace
in the Hole (DVD)
is an answer to a lot of movie-lovers' prayers. Whenever the
word "ultimate" gets tossed around, we get skeptical.
Fortunately, the Close
Encounters of the Third Kind: 30th Anniversary Ultimate
Edition (Sony -
DVD/Blu-ray
Disc) proved to be just that. Meanwhile, two of the
funniest movies of the year got it right the first time on disc
with tons of top-notch bonus material:
Knocked
Up: 2-Disc Unrated Collector's Edition
(Universal -
DVD/HD-DVD)
and
Superbad:
2-Disc Unrated Extended Edition (Sony -
DVD/Blu-ray
Disc). Another of our favorite recent movies,
Pan's
Labyrinth: 2-Disc Platinum Series (New Line -
DVD/Blu-ray
Disc/HD-DVD)
rewards repeat viewings and offers excellent supplements that
deepen your understanding of both the film and its creation.
Finally,
The
Sergio Leone Anthology (MGM -
DVD)
is another long-awaited release that exceeded our high
expectations in virtually every way possible. |
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| BEST
SPECIAL EDITION RELEASE |
|
Blade
Runner: Five-Disc Collector's Edition
(Warner Bros. -
DVD,
Blu-ray
Disc and
HD-DVD)
The winner in this category was kind of a
no-brainer. Special editions don't get much more special than
this. This 5-disc set is packed with every conceivable variation
of the film itself in extremely high quality, along with more
bonus material than most fans dared dream could exist, much less
would ever see the light of day. Included among these are some
45 minutes worth of deleted scenes and a documentary on the
making of the film that's longer than the actual film itself.
And virtually everyone involved in the production has their say
in surprisingly candid interviews, from camera assistants all
the way up to director Ridley Scott and star Harrison Ford. This
is truly the definitive presentation of Blade
Runner on disc. |
THE RUNNERS-UP
Almost as much of a completist's dream is the Close
Encounters of the Third Kind: 30th Anniversary Ultimate
Edition (Sony -
DVD/Blu-ray
Disc). Proving you can never have too much of a good
thing,
The
Third Man (Criterion -
DVD)
adds interesting commentaries and an entire disc of special
features to what had already been a great release of one of the
best films of all time. Even Die Hard-ier
on disc than it was in theaters,
Live
Free or Die Hard: Unrated Collector's Edition
(20th Century Fox -
DVD)
was a pleasant surprise for everyone who complained about a
PG-13 John McClane. The
Pirates
of the Caribbean: At World's End - 2-Disc Limited Edition
(Buena Vista / Disney -
DVD/Blu-ray
Disc) wraps up the trilogy in as high a style as it began.
The
300:
Two-Disc Special Edition (Warner Bros. -
DVD/Blu-ray
Disc/HD-DVD)
is technically stunning and packed with almost as many bonuses
as testosterone, especially in high-def. We love it when the
least likely movies get the royal treatment, and few have been
as surprising as the
Caligula:
Three-Disc Imperial Edition (Image -
DVD).
And on the other end of the spectrum, we love it when prestige
pictures receive prestige treatment, as is the case with the
Gandhi:
25th Anniversary Collector's Edition (Sony -
DVD). |
|
| BEST
STANDARD EDITION RELEASE |
 |
Borat:
Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation
of Kazakhstan
(20th Century Fox - DVD)
Given the surprising theatrical success
of Borat, it would have
been easy for Fox to slap this sucker on disc with little effort
and simply watch the money pour in. Good on them for taking the
time to create an amusing and cohesive package, from the disc
art to the menus, right on down to the FBI warning. This disc is
worth your hard-earned money just for the glimpse at Sexydrownwatch
alone. High five! |
THE RUNNERS-UP
To win, place or show in this category, it helps to be a great
movie most people missed seeing in theaters and boast at least
one or two compelling bonuses. Such is the case with
Children
of Men (Universal -
DVD/HD-DVD),
Once
(20th Century Fox -
DVD),
The
Queen (Miramax / Buena Vista -
DVD/Blu-ray
Disc),
Breach
(Universal -
DVD/HD-DVD)
and
Volver
(Sony -
DVD/Blu-ray
Disc). Of course, it also doesn't hurt to be something
that wouldn't even exist if it weren't for DVD, as in
Battlestar
Galactica: Razor - Unrated Extended Edition
(Universal -
DVD). |
|
| BEST
CLASSIC RELEASE |
 |
The
Jazz Singer: Three-Disc Deluxe Edition
(Warner Bros. -
DVD)
Eighty years ago, Al Jolson told us, "You
ain't heard nothin' yet!" And for years, that was true as
The Jazz Singer remained
unavailable on DVD. Warner finally rectified that situation in
grand style in 2007. Wisely, they realized that the primary
audience for this title would be film buffs, and they proceeded
to pack it to overflowing with fantastic extras. Coupled with a
restoration that borders on resurrection, The
Jazz Singer truly shines again on disc. |
THE RUNNERS-UP
Billy Wilder's
Ace
in the Hole (DVD)
presents a great film, that has been far too difficult to see
for far too long, in high style. Warner's special edition work
on Stanley Kubrick's best films was long overdue, but
undoubtedly the best of this great bunch was
2001:
A Space Odyssey - Two-Disc Special Edition
(Warner Bros. -
DVD/Blu-ray
Disc/HD-DVD).
Criterion has done exemplary work with the films of Michael
Powell and Emeric Pressburger, a track record that continued
with
49th
Parallel (Criterion -
DVD).
The
Sun Also Rises: Cinema Classics Collection
(20th Century Fox -
DVD)
gives the classic Hemingway adaptation a stunning restoration.
One of John Wayne's most enjoyable Westerns is given a
first-class special edition upgrade with
Rio
Bravo: Two-Disc Ultimate Collector's Edition
(Warner Bros. -
DVD/Blu-ray
Disc/HD-DVD).
And a second disc including, amongst other great bonuses, a
complete spin-off film never before available on DVD, is ample
reason to upgrade your version of Alfred Hitchcock's
The
Lady Vanishes (Criterion -
DVD). |
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| BEST
MULTI-FILM BOXED SET RELEASE |
 |
Ford
at Fox
(20th Century Fox -
DVD)
At three hundred clams, this door-stop of
a boxed set had better be pretty impressive. Sure enough, it
pulls out all the stops. Weighing in at a whopping 21 discs,
featuring no less than 18 films making their first appearance on
DVD, and including a gorgeous hardcover book, Fox's
comprehensive overview of John Ford's work for the studio is
simply a must-own for classic film fans. Just make sure you
don't have to file Chapter 11 to get your hands on it. |
THE RUNNERS-UP
After four volumes, you'd think the noir well would start to
run dry. Instead, digging deep uncovers some real buried
treasure in the
Film
Noir Classic Collection: Volume 4 (Warner Bros.
-
DVD).
The
Sergio Leone Anthology (MGM -
DVD)
collects some of our favorite movies in beautiful new transfers
with packed bonus discs full of fantastic extras. One of the
most significant archival film projects ever undertaken hits a
high point with
Treasures
III: Social Issues in American Film - 1900-1934
(Image -
DVD).
Valentino:
The Flicker Alley Collection (Flicker Alley -
DVD)
is an impressive tribute to a true icon of cinema, produced at a
Criterion-level of quality.
The
Ernest Hemingway Film Collection (20th Century
Fox -
DVD)
collects five adaptations of Papa Hemingway's work, beautifully
restored and bursting with extras. Hey kids! Let's put on a show
with
The
Mickey Rooney & Judy Garland: Ultimate Collector's Edition
(Warner Bros. -
DVD),
a lavish tribute to the 30s and 40s musicals of Judy and the
Mickster. |
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| BEST
FOREIGN LANGUAGE RELEASE |
 |
Berlin
Alexanderplatz
(The Criterion Collection -
DVD)
A long-time holy grail for foreign film
fans, Rainer Werner Fassbinder's 15-hour epic finally arrived on
DVD in the highest of high styles in 2007. Painstakingly
restored and packed with an additional disc of bonuses,
including the 1931 film version, Berlin
Alexanderplatz is a weighty, handsome package that
deserves to go on your bookshelf next to hardcover editions of
War and Peace and Moby
Dick. |
THE RUNNERS-UP
Discover one of the best movies you've probably never heard of:
Army
of Shadows (Criterion -
DVD).
A classic of Italian neorealism gets the treatment it deserves
(and gets its title correctly translated into English for the
first time in over 50 years!) on
Bicycle
Thieves (Criterion -
DVD).
Guillermo del Toro returned to his native language with
Pan's
Labyrinth: 2-Disc Platinum Series (New Line -
DVD/Blu-ray
Disc/HD-DVD)
and came back with arguably the best film of his career so far.
Celebrate the work of one of Spain's greatest filmmakers with
the 9-disc
Viva
Pedro: The Almodóvar Collection (Sony -
DVD).
And a deserving Oscar-winner for Best Foreign Language Film,
The
Lives of Others (Sony -
DVD/Blu-ray
Disc) is a fascinating character study whose fan base will
continue to grow on disc. |
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| BEST
PSYCHOTRONIC RELEASE |
 |
The
Films of Alejandro Jodorowsky
(Starz / Anchor Bay -
DVD)
If you were listening carefully when this
boxed set was announced, you could hear cult film fans around
the country gleefully shouting, "No f--king way!!!"
Just having the long-out-of-circulation mind-benders El
Topo and The Holy Mountain
on DVD would have been good enough, but Anchor Bay went the
extra mile, filling this set with great bonuses including
commentaries, interviews and even soundtrack CDs. The only
downside to the release of The Films
of Alejandro Jodorowsky is that now Doogan and Jahnke
will have to find some other movies to whine about not being
available on DVD. |
THE RUNNERS-UP
Another much-desired title, the cult sci-fi movie
Robinson
Crusoe on Mars (Criterion -
DVD),
finally got its long-overdue day in the sun in 2007. One of the
seminal cult movies of the early 1970s,
Two-Lane
Blacktop (Criterion -
DVD),
was cleaned up and given an A-list presentation and a platter
full of choice extras. 2007 may be remembered as the year
Criterion went completely nuts. In addition to the above, the
4-disc boxed set
Richard
and Alex Gordon present Monsters and Madmen
(Criterion -
DVD)
bestows landmark status on four of the goofiest movies the
Collection has presented to date. Jack Hill's great, bizarre
horror flick received a much-needed upgrade with
Spider-Baby:
Special Edition (MPI -
DVD).
The
Caligula:
Three-Disc Imperial Edition (Image -
DVD)
deserves at least a mention here, if for no other reason than
they somehow got Malcolm McDowell and Helen Mirren to talk about
Caligula after all these
years. And
The
Monster Squad: Two-Disc 20th Anniversary Edition
(Lionsgate -
DVD)
rewarded the patience of those who were between the ages of 10
and 16 in 1987, most of whom have a soft spot for this
horror/comedy/adventure. |
|
| BEST
DOCUMENTARY RELEASE |
 |
Planet
Earth: The Complete Series
(BBC / Warner Bros. -
DVD/Blu-ray
Disc/HD-DVD)
Even if you think nature documentaries
are about as exciting as watching grass grow, we defy anyone to
not be captivated by Planet Earth.
This 11-episode BBC series isn't merely educational. It's
eye-opening, showing us sights we never expected to see -
including many captured here for the first (and quite possibly
the last) time ever - in absolutely breathtaking detail. This
also happens to be the first such documentary series shot
entirely in high-definition video, making this series a
spectacular way to show off your new HDTV to family and friends. |
THE RUNNERS-UP
America's involvement in World War II is captured in intimate,
personal detail in
Ken
Burns' The War (PBS -
DVD).
Meanwhile, America's involvement in our current conflict is
captured in surprising and frustrating detail in
No
End in Sight: Iraq's Descent into Chaos
(Magnolia -
DVD).
It's somehow fitting that it took a historian of all people to
figure out what went wrong over there. Michael Moore rouses some
more rabble, taking on the health-care industry in the
Sicko:
Special Edition (Genius Products / The
Weinstein Company -
DVD).
One of the best documentaries about filmmaking ever made makes
its long-awaited DVD debut on
Hearts
of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse
(Paramount -
DVD).
And it was entirely our love of the Dixie Chicks' music and
nothing whatsoever to do with any kind of bleeding-heart liberal
media bias that got us excited about
Shut
Up and Sing (Genius Products / The Weinstein
Company -
DVD).
Yeah, that's the ticket. |
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