Best DVDs (features...)

[Heretic Apostate]

What DVDs out there have the best features? By this, I mean that the publishers REALLY packed the DVD, and that the features added were really worth it.

I've seen too many DVDs where they are just the movie. And that's pretty much it. No deleted scenes, no commentary, no theatrical trailer, nothing else. C'mon, puh-lease! There's tons of space left on a DVD, why not pack it solid?

Or do you have to buy special editions of DVDs to get all those extra stuff? Since I'm buying the $15-20 range of DVD, should I be shelling out the extra $15 or so for the Collector's Edition version?

Anyway, list the best DVDs here....

 

[Sulimo]

Hmm..there's a few I would note that have really quite good extras:

Terminator II: Ultimate Edition
Seven: Deluxe SE
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Citizen Kane
Atlantis
Spartacus - Criterion Edition
The films of Kevin Smith

And of the course the 5 disc FOTR set (not that its out quite yet).

 

[Umbran]

C'mon, puh-lease! There's tons of space left on a DVD, why not pack it solid?

Because each extra feature is extra time and production cost. For many movies, making up a "deleted scene" section is nigh impossible, as nobody considered it a priority when the movie was made. Actor and director commentaries take $$ too.

 

[uberkitty]

Are you interested in general films, or just s-f/fantasy films?

Off the top of my head,

*Magnolia has a great making-the-film documentary.
*Boogie Nights has two sets of commentary, plus lots of deleted scenes and other goodies.
*Life of Brian and Holy Grail have two sets of commentary each (Cleese & Palin on one, Jones, Gilliam, & Idle on the other) and other good extras.
*Gosford Park has commentary, deleted scenes, and a weird Q&A with selected cast & crew.
*Shackleton (the Kenneth Brannagh mini) has some great extras: a bio of Shackleton, a documentary about Antartica, & a making-of film)
*Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid has a bunch of interviews and extras, and I think it also has director commentary
*The Godfather Collection, of course.
*Buckaroo Banzai has a bunch of extras--I'm pretty sure it has commentary and deleted scenes.


A good way to find "loaded" DVDs is to look at Amazon.com's section devoted to them.

 

[madriel]

This is a good website for DVD info: http://www.dvdreview.com/.

Its review section has the info on what's in each DVD; commentaries, deleted scenes, technical info, etc.

The hidden features section is great. It tells you not only what DVDs have easter eggs, but gives you a step by step guide on how to access them. Some DVDs' special features can only be accessed through easter eggs, so it's very helpful.

PS if you're a Highlander fan, the new Immortal Edition is their featured review right now. That one is really packed.

 

[Corinth]

I dare say that more filmmakers ought to produce their work with DVD in mind.

 

[Berandor]

At least you always have the original language track. I want to view my DVDs in Engllish, as well, but there are DVDs out there that only feature a German track. Also, sometimes it's not the best copy they used to bring to disk...

Berandor
has thought of starting a DVD-warning site because of this, but not done it so far

 

[Lady Starhawk]

I agree that the Kevin Smith DVD's are great. I Own Dogma and have seen the rest and they are jam packed with extras goodness. Deleted scenes, gag reels, comentary tracks, and so much more.

I also love my Mummy and Holy Grail DVD'a there;s a lot of extras in them from making of stuff to good comentary tracks (and the Camelot song done in Lego).

I have some that I am less than thrilled with, but I bought them for the movie, not the extras. (but it's the extras that usually get me to buy the dvd rather than the cheaper video)

Lady Starhawk

 

[Kid Charlemagne]

C'mon, puh-lease! There's tons of space left on a DVD, why not pack it solid?

There isn't always lots of space on the DVD... It all depends on how they tweak the settings in the digitization process.

In fact, there have been a few DVD's put out that totally eschew all extra features in favor of using the maximum bandwidth to provide the absolute best picture quality - there's a new version of the 5th Element that does this...

 

[madriel]

Also, sometimes it's not the best copy they used to bring to disk...

The review section at dvdreview.com talks about picture quality as well. It tells you if any scenes are grainy or hard to make out. I like that because I bought the original edition of Pride & Prejudice and they used the VHS copy when they did the video transfer. It looked like a worn out VHS tape. They did it right with the special edition fortunately.