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Outstanding
Achievements on Disc for 2007
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 BEST
ANIMATED RELEASE (FILM/TV) |
  |
Ratatouille
(Pixar / Disney -
DVD/Blu-ray
Disc)
As much as we love Pixar here at The
Bits, even we were surprised by how much we enjoyed
Brad Bird's sublime Ratatouille.
Smart, funny and downright inspirational, this movie is one for
the ages. The disc is equally good, especially on Blu-ray Disc,
with stunning A/V quality, not to mention the addition of a
genuinely fun interactive game and a Cine-Explore option that
brings up a feast of extras. This is the kind of disc that makes
home viewing so much fun. |
THE RUNNERS-UP
Speaking of food, one of the strangest feature films ever made
gets a super-sized DVD treatment on the
Aqua
Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters for DVD:
2-Disc Set (Adult Swim / Warner Bros. -
DVD).
The
Simpsons Movie (20th Century Fox -
DVD/Blu-ray
Disc) may not have been as feature-packed as we'd have
liked, but we'll take Spider-Pig any way we can get him. One of
our favorite Adult Swim shows continues to impress us on disc
with
The
Venture Brothers: Season Two (Adult Swim /
Warner Bros. -
DVD).
Fans of Max Fleischer's animation had reason to rejoice with the
long-overdue release of
Popeye
the Sailor: Volume One - 1933-1938 (Warner
Bros. -
DVD),
four discs of beautifully restored cartoons packed with
informative bonuses. And
The
Jungle Book: 40th Anniversary Platinum Edition
(Buena Vista / Disney -
DVD)
is one of the best entries in the already-impressive Platinum
Series to date. |
|
| BEST
TV SERIES RELEASE |
 |
Twin
Peaks: Definitive Gold Box Edition
(CBS -
DVD)
At long last, every minute of David
Lynch's groundbreaking, influential cult TV series has been
collected into one package, from the classic two-hour pilot
episode to the beyond-frustrating cliffhanger finale. That alone
makes this set worthy of a nod in this category. Add in hours of
bonus material, including both well-produced new features and a
wealth of archival material, and it easily floats to the top of
the list in this category. Now we understand what that old
waiter meant when he told us, "That show you like is going
to come back in style." |
THE RUNNERS-UP
Whet your appetite for the return of Indy and learn a few
things about history at the same time with
The
Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Volumes 1 & 2
(Lucasfilm / Paramount -
DVD).
Make sure you watch it with the kids - they'll enjoy it as much
as you do.
Heroes:
Season 1 (Universal -
DVD/HD-DVD)
is a perfect starter course for those curious about the
much-talked-about series, while still offering plenty of extras
for die-hard fans.
Lost:
The Complete Third Season (Buena Vista -
DVD/Blu-ray
Disc) continues to set a high-standard for TVD, exploring
the mysteries of the Dharma Initiative in more detail. Available
exclusively online for the time being,
The
Man from U.N.C.L.E.: The Complete Collection
(Time Life -
DVD)
is an exhaustive look at the seminal 60s spy series. Another
cult series finally available on disc,
My
So-Called Life: The Complete Series (Shout!
Factory -
DVD)
is a welcome release for fans of the short-lived Claire Danes
show. And
Not
Just the Best of The Larry Sanders Show (Sony -
DVD)
lived up to its name, making up for not being a complete series
collection by adding in hours of great new bonus material with
Garry Shandling. |
|
| BEST
VIDEO |
 |
300:
Two-Disc Special Edition
(Warner Bros. -
DVD/Blu-ray
Disc/HD-DVD)
In a year in which hundreds of new
high-definition releases arrived in stores, this was an
incredibly tough category to pick a single winner. But one title
seemed to stand out, both on high-def and standard DVD as well.
Warner's 300 was simply
gorgeous looking, with an incredibly detailed transfer that
delivered every bit of the sepia-toned color, contrast and
action of the theatrical experience. Whichever version you
purchased on disc, this was arguably the eye-candy release of
the year. |
THE RUNNERS-UP
Many other titles were strong contenders in this category as
well, including the
Pirates
of the Caribbean: At World's End - 2-Disc Limited Edition
(Buena Vista / Disney -
DVD/Blu-ray
Disc), Michael Bay's hyperkinetic but visually stunning
Transformers:
Two-Disc Special Edition (DreamWorks -
DVD/HD-DVD),
the vibrant CG animation of
Ratatouille
(Pixar / Disney -
DVD/Blu-ray
Disc) and
Cars
(Pixar / Disney -
DVD/Blu-ray
Disc, though only the Blu-ray is eligible), the more
traditionally rendered animation of the gorgeous but
incomprehensible
Paprika
(Sony -
DVD/Blu-ray
Disc), and live-action superhero fare like the
Spider-Man
3: Two-Disc Special Edition (Sony -
DVD/Blu-ray
Disc) and the
Ghost
Rider: Two-Disc Extended Cut (Sony -
DVD/Blu-ray
Disc). |
|
| BEST
VIDEO (RESTORATION) - TIE |
 |
The
Jazz Singer: Three-Disc Deluxe Edition
(Warner Bros. -
DVD)
How do you take a film that's more than 80 years old and shine
it up to look more than just respectable next to far younger
film fare on disc? A lot of time, care and effort. Warner's
restoration team worked meticulously to restore the original
1927 Jazz Singer for
release on standard DVD, and classic film fans were all the
better for it.
Blade
Runner: Five-Disc Collector's Edition
(Warner Bros. -
DVD,
Blu-ray
Disc and
HD-DVD)
Blade Runner presented
something of a different challenge for Warner's restoration
team. The film is obviously much newer, but there were several
versions, each of them slightly different. Add to this the
pressure of the fact that this is arguably Ridley Scott's most
important film, and that fans were expecting it to have every
bit of its well-known visual impact on disc, and the bar was set
very high indeed. Fortunately, Warner met the challenge and then
some. The result is simply dazzling, no matter which format you
choose (but we highly recommend the Blu-ray Disc). |
THE RUNNERS-UP
Notable among the other classic titles that were shined up
beautifully for release on disc in 2007 were Terrence Malick's
Days
of Heaven (Criterion -
DVD),
classic animated fare like
The
Jungle Book: 40th Anniversary Platinum Edition
(Buena Vista / Disney -
DVD),
the
Peter
Pan: 2-Disc Platinum Edition (Buena Vista /
Disney -
DVD)
and
Popeye
the Sailor: Volume One - 1933-1938 (Warner
Bros. -
DVD),
Stanley Kubrick's monumental sci-fi landmark
2001:
A Space Odyssey - Two-Disc Special Edition
(Warner Bros. -
DVD/Blu-ray
Disc/HD-DVD),
the Howard Hawks/John Wayne classic
Rio
Bravo: Two-Disc Ultimate Collector's Edition
(Warner Bros. -
DVD/Blu-ray
Disc/HD-DVD)
and
The
Sun Also Rises: Cinema Classics Collection
(20th Century Fox -
DVD),
staring Errol Flynn and Tyrone Power. |
|
| BEST
AUDIO |
 |
Pirates
of the Caribbean: At World's End - 2-Disc Limited Edition
(Buena Vista / Disney -
DVD/Blu-ray
Disc)
This was another difficult category in
which to choose a single winner, but we could hardly steer you
wrong by directing your attention to Disney's Pirates
of the Caribbean: At World's End as our favorite
ear-candy release of 2007. The climax of Gore Verbinski's
nautical trilogy tests even the very best surround sound
systems, with a soundfield that envelops you completely, placing
you right in the middle of all the cannon-fire, sword-play
and... well... the Maelstrom itself. Getting deep-sixed by Davy
Jones has never sounded so good before. |
THE RUNNERS-UP
Also sonically impressive in 2007 were Zack Snyder's
300:
Two-Disc Special Edition (Warner Bros. -
DVD/Blu-ray
Disc/HD-DVD),
the return of James Bond in
Casino
Royale (Sony -
DVD/Blu-ray
Disc), the musical performances of the
Dreamgirls:
Two-Disc Showstopper Edition (DreamWorks -
DVD/Blu-ray
Disc/HD-DVD),
the explosive action of the
Transformers:
Two-Disc Special Edition (DreamWorks -
DVD/HD-DVD),
the quiet - and sometimes not so quiet - desperation of
Children
of Men (Universal -
DVD/HD-DVD)
and even, believe it or not, the sound of hysterical
incompetence in
Hot
Fuzz (Universal -
DVD/HD-DVD). |
|
| BEST
"MAKING OF" FEATURETTE OR DOCUMENTARY |
|
Dangerous
Days
Blade
Runner: Five-Disc Collector's Edition
(Warner Bros. -
DVD,
Blu-ray
Disc and
HD-DVD)
Combining behind-the-scenes footage,
archival photos and audio, unused footage and new interviews
with virtually everyone on Earth who can include Blade
Runner on their resume, Dangerous
Days follows the tumultuous production of Ridley
Scott's masterpiece from development to editing, to re-editing
and re-release. The section in which Harrison Ford comments on
the voice-over sessions alone is worth the price of this set. A
treasure trove of fascinating information for Blade
Runner fans and a thorough overview of the filmmaking
process for everyone else, Dangerous
Days is everything a great "making of"
documentary should be. |
THE RUNNERS-UP
The educational aspects of young Indy's adventures are explored
in detail in scores of Historical
Documentaries on
The
Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Volumes 1 & 2
(Lucasfilm / Paramount -
DVD).
The Possibility of Hope
from
Children
of Men (Universal -
DVD/HD-DVD)
offers a thought-provoking, intellectual exploration of the
film's most complex themes. The Power
of Myth from
Pan's
Labyrinth: 2-Disc Platinum Series (New Line -
DVD/Blu-ray
Disc/HD-DVD)
is a brief but fascinating look at the roots and inspirations of
Guillermo del Toro's fantasy masterpiece. An all-star line-up of
commentators appear in Standing on
the Shoulders of Kubrick and Vision
of a Future Passed from
2001:
A Space Odyssey - Two-Disc Special Edition
(Warner Bros. -
DVD/Blu-ray
Disc/HD-DVD),
two featurettes that work as both a "making of" and a
heart-felt appreciation. Clint Eastwood, Eli Wallach and others
reflect on Leone's West
and The Leone Style from
The
Sergio Leone Anthology (MGM -
DVD).
And Alejandro González Iñárritu gives an
intimate and detailed look at his process in the feature-length
Common Ground: Under Construction
Notes from
Babel:
Two-Disc Collector's Edition (Paramount -
DVD). |
|
| BEST
AUDIO COMMENTARY - TIE |
 |
Judd
Apatow, Seth Rogen et al
Superbad:
2-Disc Unrated Extended Edition
(Sony -
DVD/Blu-ray
Disc)
Judd Apatow, Seth Rogen et al
Knocked
Up: 2-Disc Unrated Collector's Edition
(Universal -
DVD/HD-DVD)
Is it just us, or were Judd Apatow, Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill,
Michael Cera and the rest of this crew pretty much everywhere
last year? Yeah, that's what we thought. But that's just fine
with us. If there's anything better than a new comedy from the
Apatow Factory o' Laughs, it's the promise of a new commentary
featuring Apatow and his various and sundry cast and crew
members on the eventual DVD release. The tracks on Knocked
Up and Superbad
were particularly inspired, continuing the group's winning
streak both on-screen and in the recording studio. Funny, loose
and totally entertaining, these are great commentary tracks for
even those people who usually hate commentary tracks. |
THE RUNNERS-UP
Writer/director Brian Helgeland
talks about what went wrong and what eventually went right on
the
Payback:
Straight Up - The Director's Cut - Special Collector's Edition
(Paramount -
DVD/Blu-ray
Disc/HD-DVD).
Guillermo del Toro's
commentary on
Pan's
Labyrinth: 2-Disc Platinum Series (New Line -
DVD/Blu-ray
Disc/HD-DVD)
discusses the origins and production of the film in passionate,
fascinating detail. Billy Ray
teams up with Eric O'Neill,
the former FBI analyst at the heart of
Breach
(Universal -
DVD/HD-DVD),
to examine both the film and the real life case from the point
of view of someone who actually lived it. Sir
Ridley Scott finally gets the last word on
Blade
Runner: Five-Disc Collector's Edition (Warner
Bros. -
DVD,
Blu-ray
Disc and
HD-DVD).
And Sir Christopher Frayling and
Richard Schickel provide an aural history of the life
and work of Sergio Leone for the films included in
The
Sergio Leone Anthology (MGM -
DVD). |
|
| BEST
PACKAGING |
|
Blade
Runner: Five-Disc Ultimate Collector's Edition
(Warner Bros. -
DVD/Blu-ray
Disc/HD-DVD)
Collectible gift sets always run the risk
of appearing hokey, too geeky or just plain overrated. But what
Blade Runner fan wouldn't
want their very own Voight-Kampf machine briefcase, especially
one as handsome as this, packed full of cool swag items like
replicas of the origami unicorn and the Spinner vehicle, a file
folder filled with production artwork cards and a lenticular
motion image from the film? Warner truly outdid themselves with
this set from start to finish, and Blade
Runner fans are thankful for it.
|
|
THE RUNNERS-UP
There were a few more interesting DVD packaging offerings in
2007 as well. The second coolest briefcase of the year,
The
Man from U.N.C.L.E.: The Complete Collection
(Time Life -
DVD)
offers 41 discs of espionage thrills in an attaché case
that would make Napoleon Solo jealous. Pack your trunk and head
back to Hogwarts with the
Harry
Potter: Limited Edition Collection - Years 1-5
(Warner Bros. -
DVD/Blu-ray
Disc/HD-DVD).
Even people who had been buying Seinfeld
season by season as they were released were tempted to upgrade
to
Seinfeld:
The Complete Series (Sony -
DVD)
with its bookshelf-quality box and lavishly illustrated
coffee-table book. The perfect addition to any family rumpus
room,
The
Brady Bunch: The Complete Series (Paramount -
DVD)
comes in a box covered in groovy green shag. Miss Piggy takes
center stage in all her fuzzy, felty, sparkling blue-eyed glory
on the cover of
The
Muppet Show: Season Two (Buena Vista / Disney -
DVD).
And worthy of special note was the transforming Optimus Prime
package for the Target-exclusive version of Michael Bay's
Transformers:
Two-Disc Special Edition (DreamWorks -
DVD
only). |
|
| BEST
STUDIO |
|
MAJOR
(TIE) - 20th Century Fox
Two of the majors did exemplary work this year on different
fronts. For all the attention Warner Home Video gets with their
classic film releases, 20th Century Fox has been doing some
pretty spectacular restoration work of their own. With releases
like the extraordinary
Ford
at Fox boxed set,
The
Ernest Hemingway Film Collection, and their
continuing work with the
Fox
Film Noir and
Fox
Horror Classics labels, 20th Century Fox is
doing a fine job of presenting classic films on disc.
|
|
MAJOR (TIE) - Buena Vista
Meanwhile, Buena Vista did as much as any studio, and more than
most, to promote a single unified high-def format with their
Blu-ray work this year. Besides simply sponsoring Disney's
Magical Blu-ray Tour to promote the format, they provided the
goods to back up their talk with some of the best and most
advanced Blu-ray Discs yet produced, such as
Pirates
of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl,
Dead
Man's Chest and
At
World's End, as well as
Cars
and
Ratatouille.
|
 |
MINOR
- The Criterion Collection
Criterion does first-class work every year, and 2007 was no
exception. But we acknowledge them here for the creation of the
Eclipse series, a line of affordable, bare-bones discs
spotlighting worthy but lost or forgotten films. With boxed sets
like
Early
Bergman,
The
First Films of Samuel Fuller,
Postwar
Kurosawa and
The
Documentaries of Louis Malle in the line-up, we
look forward to future Eclipse series titles almost as much as
future additions to the Criterion Collection. While we're at it,
we can't wait to see what happens when Criterion dips their toes
into the Blu-ray waters as well. We're just itching for a new
1080p version of Brazil. |
|
on
to Other Disc Awards for 2007 |
|
