Top Ten Tuesday: DVD Nostalgia (Sundance Space Filler Edition)

Welcome back to our weekly Top Ten Tuesday, where we the Movie Geeks butt heads until we’ve decided on the top ten picks for a specific category each week. Well, that is when the lot of us aren’t away freezing our nubbins off in the cold coolness of the Sundance Film Festival. So, with Scott and Kirk currently away on a mission to serve up some salty Sundance servitude (all for our readers) I’ve decided to throw a little something together instead of letting this week go wihtout some sort of Top Ten entry.

For whatever reasons and forces that drive my mind into the realms of random and useless thought that I frequent, I was pondering last night the inevitable extinction of the DVD. Granted, the eventual demise of the once was modern standard of movie-watching is likely still years off, but the phrase “not a matter of if, but when” came to mind. I still vividly remember when DVD killed the VHS star. I, along with many other movie geeks I am sure, went through the bittersweet process of replacing my VHS movie collection with a new, more hip DVD movie collection.

Now we have the rise of the beautiful Blu-Ray, robust and elegant, powerful and even efficiently space-saving nonetheless. However, the DVD has now been demoted to the rank of an unwanted 17-year old stepchild that is only tolerated because it has but one year before mom and dad can legally kick it out on its own. I have been gradually building my new Blu-Ray collection, but it will be a slower, more deliberate process than the whirlwind expedition I underwent converting to DVD. With that said, I began to get a little nostalgic about my DVD collection.

As I casually browsed my many DVDs, gently caressing their cases, admiring their curves and angles, I had the idea to take a look back and pick out the ten DVDs from my collection that I am most fond of. No, this isn’t a list of what I consider to be the best DVDs or the best movies in general. No, this is a list of the ten DVDs from my own collection I am most proud of owning… so far as any self-respecting movie geek can be proud of one’s collection. Each of these has a value that rises above the simple act of committing to the ownership of a DVD.

10. THE QUIET EARTH, Steelbook Edition

Geoff Murphy’s 1985 sci-fi flick from New Zealand, THE QUIET EARTH isn’t very well-known amidst most folks, but I saw it many years ago and loved it. But, as I mentioned in my introduction, this list is not about the ten films I love the most. This Steelbook DVD release from Anchor Bay was the first steelbook I ever owned, purchased way back before steelbook editions were popular. This would begin a relatively short-lived but enjoyable trend I later adopted for locating and purchasing my favorite films that were available in steelbook editions. They’re just so cool!

09. MY DINNER WITH ANDRE, Criterion Collection

Hey, imagine that… another movie most people probably have never heard of. Louis Malle’s 1981 film MY DINNER WITH ANDRE is a wonderful little gem. I remember first seeing it with a former boss of mine and finding myself blown away by the film. How could a movie so lacking of anything typical of popular films be so good? Believe me, it is. For a long time I searched and waited, fearing it would never get its day on DVD and then in June of 2009, on my birthday in fact, Criterion Collection released the film on DVD and I was thrilled. Happy birthday to me! This, of course, also makes it the most recent DVD acquisition on this list.

08. GOJIRA, Toho Master Collection

Ishiro Honda’s 1954 GOJIRA is a masterpiece, plain and simple. The film is a piece of social commentary, beautifully photographed and respectfully serious in its demeanor. Unlike the droves of GODZILLA films that would follow, of which I am an avid fan, GOJIRA was a pure work of art. Frankly, I was first introduced to Godzilla as a kid through the hokey but fun production line of GODZILLA films that followed, but developed a new appreciation after having seen the original. The Toho Master Collection edition is a lot of awesome in a small package. This 2-disc DVD edition has a really nice, non-traditional DVD box, contains commentaries and featurettes as well as boasting both the original 1954 Japanese version and the 1956 American version called GODZILLA: KING OF THE MONSTERS.

07. DAWN OF THE DEAD, Ultimate Edition

DAWN OF THE DEAD is, in my opinion, not only George Romero’s best film but also the best zombie film to date. So, I simply had to pick up the 4-disc Ultimate Edition of this 1979 horror classic, which features three versions of the film and a separate disc just for the documentaries. Included within this edition are the US theatrical release, the extended version and the European version, each with their own commentaries. The fourth disc contains four documentaries. The box is a great all black design with the DOTD bald head and the title on the cover. Inside, the package folds out to reveal the discs. On the bottom half of the cover on mine, you’ll find an autograph from Tom Savini, who did the special effects. I have yet to get George Romero’s autograph, which will someday rock the top half of the cover.

06. HARD BOILED, Criterion Collection

John Woo’s 1992 poetic masterpiece of violence HARD BOILED is a favorite film of mine, but the Criterion Collection edition I own was one of the early spine numbers that went out of print long before DVD began it’s slow decline. This edition of HARD BOILED was hot, back in the day when Criterion was (and still is, of course) the cream of the crop for serious movie collectors. Along with another John Woo film called THE KILLER (which I never manged to acquire on Criterion) and a slew of other foreign films such as SALO, these out of print Criterion DVDs were boasting prices on eBay upwards of $400 each. I somehow managed to steal mine out from under some poor schmuck for a mere $45! I was giddy with materialistic joy for having shamelessly fought for this DVD.

05. THE LORD OF THE RINGS Trilogy, Special Extended Edition

THE LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy, in my mind at least, is an obvious choice. This epic fantasy saga from Peter Jackson is one of the most amazing and enjoyable cinematic experiences of all-time. When it came time for me to purchase this addition to my collection, I found myself reluctantly restraining myself as each of the three films came out, one at a time, one edition after another… holding out for the Special Edition Boxed Set, which I just knew was gonna happen. I was right, and my patience paid off. Each of the three extended versions are individually boxed with four DVDs, then housed in an equally nice collector box and sits nicely on my shelf with the appearance of the books written by Tolkien.I wonder how many viewings it will take to wear these out?

04. ARMY OF DARKNESS, Limited Edition

Sam Raimi’s ARMY OF DARKNESS was the third, and most likely last chapter of his EVIL DEAD films. While I also own and love my Ultimate Edition of the original 1981 THE EVIL DEAD, I am more keen on my Limited Edition 2-disc DVD of ARMY OF DARKNESS from Anchor Bay. Released as a limited edition — numbered to 30,000 — and featuring commentaries, documentary featurettes, altnerate endings, deleted scenes and more, this DVD holds a special place (#8,448 out of 30,000) to be exact… a special place in my collection. It is not, however, my only copy. Thanks to a friend of mine who was in India on business, I received a version of ARMY OF DARKNESS dubbed in Hindi as a Christmas gift… and, let me tell you, that’s an experience!

03. BRAZIL, Criterion Collection

Terry Gilliam’s 1985 film BRAZIL was a testament not only to great filmmaking and storytelling, but also to the hazards involved in the process of making movies. The film’s infamous reputation as being an all-out battle between the director and the studio is almost more recognizable than the film itself. This is a significant part of why this 3-disc Criterion Collection edition is so fascinating. This boxed set includes both the final director’s cut and the studio forced “Love Conquers All” version, with a third disc containing two documentary featurettes. This educational 3-disc edition is surprisingly NOT out of print and is a far better option than the single disc edition later released by Criterion.

02. Charles Band/Full Moon Features’ THE ARCHIVE COLLECTION

Laugh at me if you will, but I grew up watching the films of Charles Band. I attended his traveling Full Moon Horror Roadshow not long ago and enjoyed the bizarre, intimately staged variety show-like escapades, got to meet and talk with the man himself, and conducted an interview for the now-defunct HackSlashDead horror division of WAMG. Mesmerized by the overwhelming urge to be a kid again, I decided to throw financial responsibility to the wind and forked out $120 for his 18-disc Archive Collection, which came with his personal autograph and a certificate stating I would receive an executive producer credit on one of his future films. Now, I have no idea if or when that will occur, but still… I was like Charlie when he realized he had found the last Golden Ticket. Included in this definitive boxed set are the first 3 PUPPET MASTER films, DOLLMAN, DEMONIC TOYS, TRANCERS 1-3, SUBSPECIES 1-3 and more. Oh yeah, its also a limited printing, numbered 11 out of only 900… so, drool all you want!

01. BURDEN OF DREAMS, Criterion Collection

Those who know me best may not find this surprising, how I keep coming back to and mentioning Les Blank’s monumentally excellent documentary BURDEN OF DREAMS, which follows legendary filmmaker Werner Herzog’s epic endeavor to complete his film FITZCARRALDO. I cannot stress enough how fundamentally crucial seeing this film for any serious movie buff or individual interesting in making movies. I purchased this Criterion Collection release the day it came out… well, I had to order it as I couldn’t find any retail establishments that stocked it, but nonetheless, it was mine! The DVD features an audio commentary, a 38-minute interview with Herzog, the infamous short film WERNER HERZOG EATS HIS SHOE by Blank that chronicles Herzog fulfilling the terms of a bet, deleted scenes and an 80-page book of production notes from Blank and Gosling. I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve viewed this film, including a screening at Webster University – St. Louis with Les Blank present to introduce, speak about and indulge in Q&A for the film… I was on top of the world that night! This DVD is one-third of a modest but much loved BURDEN OF DREAMS collection I own, which also includes a rare original poster print for the film and a book containing the screenplay, journals, reviews and photographs of the film, edited by Les Blank and James Bogan.