 There
is no question about it, the DVD format just keeps getting
better and better. Are you looking at the horizon to see what
HD-DVD and Blu Ray have in store? Hold your horses, be patient
and wait to see which format wins the hi-definition war. It’s
not as if you’ll be missing much if you do. For film
enthusiasts, never has there been a better time to indulge
in your favorite cinema. From classics both legendary and
cult to mainstream blockbuster films and popular TV shows,
slowly but surely it’s all becoming available on DVD,
and in the case of some of the very best DVD releases, available
in packages jammed full of fantastic supplementary material,
adding new insight, depth and enjoyment to old favorites.
Don’t believe us? Take a gander at  ’
picks for the very best DVD releases of 2005, as selected
by the community.
These releases represent some of the best the format has to
offer: enticing packages with an array of materials that will
keep you glued in front of your TV long after the feature
presentation is over. So read, enjoy, and get that wallet
ready, because you’ll want to add these discs to your
collection.
10) War
of the Worlds (1953)
Special
Collector's Edition
Stephen Spielberg’s 2005 version of The
War of the Worlds, starring an Elfin Delight
and a Couch-Jumping Madman, was a flawed smash hit big
on the bang and clatter but small on the intangibles.
But 1953’s The War of the Worlds?
A classic through and through. And that classic finally
got the treatment it deserves. This Special Collector’s
Edition is packed with good stuff, including commentary
by actors Ann Robinson and Gene Barry, film director
Joe Dante, film historian Bob Burns, and Bill Warren,
author of Keep Watching The Skies!, as well
as documentaries on H.G. Wells and the making of the
film. Also included is the legendary Mercury Theater
radio broadcast of Wells’ chilling tale of alien
invasion, as presented by that other “W”,
Orson Welles. Top to bottom, it’s a great release.
For more on this classic sci-fi film, see
our review. |
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09) Cannibal
Holocaust
20th Anniversary Edition
While certainly not the most mainstream friendly DVD release
of 2005, it may just be the best example of how to correctly
do the release of an infamous cult film. Cannibal
Holocaust is one of the most disturbing films
ever made, and now, for your squirming pleasure, Grindhouse
has given it a disturbingly excellent release, boasting
a contentious audio commentary, extensive interviews with
the director and cast, an hour-long documentary on the
making of the film, and much more. Italian cannibal fans
will want to feast on this fleshed out DVD release; there’s
so much here you won’t be able to swallow it whole.
Intrigued but not sure if cannibals are you thing? Check
out our review of this release. |
 |
08) Henry:
Portrait of a Serial Killer
20th
Anniversary Edition
If you think some of the staff at are obsessed with killing and death, you’d be wro-
… well, actually you’d be right. But that
doesn’t make the 20th Anniversary Edition of Henry:
Portrait of a Serial Killer any less impressive.
This two-disc release has one of the most lively audio
commentaries out there, a comprehensive 52-minute documentary
supplemented by a second 26-minute documentary, tons of
deleted scenes, and other assorted extras. The original
DVD releases of this film were crap, causing
some new to the film to unfairly dismiss this disturbing
cult movie. Well now it gets the opportunity to be enjoyed
it deserves. Our
review of this film will fill you in on all you’re
missing. |
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07) Batman
Begins
Two-Disc
Special Edition
Batman Begins helped revitalize a franchise
that had been ground into silliness, in the process becoming,
in the eyes of some, the best take to date on one of the
world’s most popular superheroes. Warner Bros. wasted
no time in capitalizing on its box office success, turning
around a strong DVD release within months of its exit
from the theater. You’ll get no complaints from
fans, either, who were given a two-disc Special Edition
release chock full of extras covering all aspects of the
character and film. This is surely the start of a new
Batman franchise … and the start is a good one.
Superhero fans won't want to miss this release. |
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06) Star
Wars: Episode III: Revenge Of The Sith
Say what you will about the Star Wars prequels, they were wildly successful, drew fans by the
million and, empty as some critics say they were, filled
the screen with spectacle. And say what you will about
some of the questionable decisions George Lucas has made
with his golden egg franchise in recent years, because
he’s gotten at least one thing unquestionably right:
his DVD releases. The Star Wars prequel DVD releases have
all been laden with goodies and some of the best disc
quality on the market. Revenge of the Sith is no exception. Packed with extras – commentaries,
deleted scenes, documentaries, and much more – this
is a DVD release no Star Wars fan should be without. |
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