When looking over the best discs of the last twelve months, I had a hell of time singling out a mere ten titles as “The Best” of the year. I could have easily propagated the list with titles from The Criterion Collection, whose commitment to Blu-ray shone through this past year with a host of discs that may go on to define the format for years to come. It would have been equally as simple to pick ten restored classic films from the various studios, as their best work on the best-of-the-best from their film libraries quite often speaks to the benefits of the format. Or ten sparkling, brand-new releases, in all their perfect, demo-disc glory. But I’ve attempted to find a balance in my list of the best Blu-ray discs of the year – new films, classic films, Criterion releases, boxed sets, TV shows, etc. I don’t feel this is by any means definitive. But it’s a fair look back at the best year of Blu-ray releases yet.

2011 certainly has a lot to live up to!

NOTE: This list reflects only the titles released in North America – Region A.

1. AMERICA LOST AND FOUND: THE BBS STORY

As I noted above, I could have easily filled this list with selections from The Criterion Collection. The studio’s output this year has been phenomenal, releasing such must-have Blu-ray discs as Lola Montes, Paths of Glory, The Red Shoes, The Thin Red Line and Night of the Hunter in incredible new, fully restored, feature rich high-def editions. Each one of those title, and many others from Criterion, would be worthy of the top slot on this list but for my money, their America Lost and Found: The BBS Story takes the cake this year!

This is a pretty perfect boxed set. I really couldn’t ask for more – 7 great films on 6 Blu-ray discs in one well-designed box with one 112-page book! It’s not just the sheer amount of films that Criterion delivers for your buck here but the complete nature of the collection (the entire BBS oeuvre, rare films and all), the quality of the discs and the bonus content on them. Out of all the films, we had only seen Easy Rider on Blu thus far and as much as its a treat to finally see some of my favourite films in high-def (The Last Picture Show, Five Easy Pieces, The King of Marvin Gardens) its equally as thrilling to experience their rarely seen sister films (Head, A Safe Place and Drive, He Said) in such a perfect collection, looking and sounding better than ever.

I can’t recommend this boxed set highly enough. I think it’s the Blu-ray release of the year!

READ MORE: Criterion Collection America Lost and Found: The BBS Story Blu-ray set contains Easy Rider, Last Picture Show, Five Easy Pieces

AMAZON: $89.99

2. THE ALIEN ANTHOLOGY

The Alien Anthology Blu-ray set is such a beautiful thing. Nevermind that it includes all four of the original films, two of which (the two that really matter) look mind-blowingly good, but the set also includes more special features than you’ll probably ever be able watch and listen to unless you’re as obsessive-compulsive about the films you love as I am. After spending time with this 6-disc set (one for each film and two for extras) I almost feel like each individual component is worth the price of the box on its own. I’m particularly knocked out by the extremely candid and thorough documentaries included in the set. The Alien 3 piece is such a revelation it might just boot you onto your ass. All six discs are housed in a hardcover book (the discs are slipped within very firm pages with nested trays) which slips into a shiny, creepy Alien box package.

Highest possible recommendation!!

READ MORE: Alien Anthology Blu-ray Boxed Set Officially Announced and Detailed

AMAZON: $69.99

3. APOCALYPSE NOW: FULL DISCLOSURE EDITION

I honestly believe that unless Francis Ford Coppola has something else up his sleeve, this new 3-disc Apocalypse Now: Full Disclosure Edition Blu-ray set is the final home-video word on the film. Not only is the transfer reference quality with a killer DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack, but the added features alone – both cuts of the film, commentary tracks, behind the scenes footage and featurettes, Eleanor Coppola‘s groundbreaking feature-length doc, Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse and so much more – make this set worth the purchase! It’s a must-own for all Blu-ray fans!

READ MORE: Apocalypse Now, Hearts of Darkness doc coming to Blu-ray

AMAZON: $37.99

4. THE SOUND OF MUSIC

I’ve got two admissions to make here. The first is that I’ve never cared for The Sound of Music. The second is that this new Blu-ray edition of the film blew my mind and made me a fan. It’s true! Swear to God. The Sound of Music is, hands down, the best looking restoration of the year (okay, maybe it’s tied with Criterion’s The Red Shoes Blu-ray disc.) Want to impress your friends with your home video setup? Got a couple of jerks in your circle of pals who insist that there’s no point in buying older films on Blu? Pop in The Sound of Music and make their eyes jump out of their heads. The disc is fantastic, technically amazing and packed with extras. Another must-have for film fans.

READ MORE: The Sound of Music: 45th Anniversary Edition Blu-ray officially announced and detailed

AMAZON: $19.99

5. AVATAR EXTENDED COLLECTOR’S EDITION

It’s tough to beat the heavyweight champ. The biggest film of the past year or possibly even of all time. James Cameron’s Avatar makes its triumphant return to Blu-ray in a 3-disc set that is, without question, the finest new-release Blu-ray of the past year.

Not only is this Extended Collector’s Edition packed to the gills with the deleted scenes and extras you’ve been waiting the year to see but it also features three cuts of the award winning film, all demo-disc worthy. With the technical quality of the video and audio presentation off the charts (and surprisingly equal to the stand alone disc available earlier this year) this Blu-ray set is easily the best, most complete new-release of the year!!

READ MORE: Top 5 New Blu-ray releases for the Week of November 16 – AVATAR EXTENDED COLLECTOR’S EDITION

AMAZON: $23.99

6. THE COMPLETE METROPOLIS

The Complete Metropolis is unquestionably one of the finest and most important Blu-ray releases of the year. This restoration, incorporating 25-minutes of newly discovered footage back into the 1927 film for the first time in decades, is absolutely stunning in high-def and is necessary viewing for every film fan. The unfortunate ommision of the U.K. commentary track keeps this disc from the number one slot but don’t let that keep you from owning a copy. If you’re a fan of film, you owe it to yourself to grab this up.

READ MORE: The Complete Metropolis Blu-ray Disc Review

AMAZON: $29.49

7. DEADWOOD: THE COMPLETE SERIES

I hope you’ve been working out because HBO’s 13-disc Deadwood: The Complete Series Blu-ray boxed set is a seriously weighty affair. This is one solid brick of high-def western goodness! The discs, which feature all 36-episodes from the series’ three seasons as well as gobs of special features, are housed within the pages of a gorgeous, solid hardcover book – much the same as last years’ Rome: The Complete Series set. The packaging is honestly a beautiful thing to behold, providing a slipcase for the book and all of the discs to rest in. Along with stunning video transfers, DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 tracks that border on perfection and all of the special features from the previously issued DVD sets (17 audio commentaries and over 6-hours of HD docs and featurettes), you’ll be hard pressed to find anything to dislike about this amazing Blu-ray boxed set. Unless, of course, you have an aversion to foul-mouthed (VERY foul) cowboys.

READ MORE: HBO’s Deadwood: The Complete Series Blu-ray officially announced and detailed

AMAZON: $124.99

8. INCEPTION

Christopher Nolan‘s Inception might just have been my favourite Hollywood film of 2010. I’m fully aware of all the character deficiencies and possible plot holes in the script but I don’t care. The film managed an incredible feat, as far as I’m concerned and spent the first three-quarters of the narrative setting it up – a storytelling gag wherein a group of characters live and interact at different speeds within different dream states. It’s a fantastic narrative gymnastic feat that has never been attempted before and I think it succeeds in a marvelous way. Also, I can’t stop listening to Hans Zimmer‘s incredible score for the film. Seriously. Every time I put my iPod on it’s Inception. I think it might be bordering on unhealthy. Great film presented on a slick looking, ear pounding, feature rich Blu-ray disc.

READ MORE: Inception Blu-ray officially announced and detailed

AMAZON: $17.99

9. THE GHOST WRITER

Roman Polanski‘s The Ghost Writer is one of the best films I’ve seen all year and one of the director’s absolute best in decades. It’s got a great script by Robert Harris (adapting his novel of the same name) with some incredible performances by some of my favourite actors (I’ll watch pretty much anything starring Ewan McGregor.) The Blu-ray is demo-disc worthy with a sparkling clean transfer and rich DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack but less remarkable in the special feature department than other discs released this year. I include it here, in the number nine slot by virtue of the quality of the film and its technical presentation itself. Highly Recommended.

READ MORE: Top 5 New Blu-ray releases for the Week of August 3 – THE GHOST WRITER

AMAZON: $23.99

10. A PROPHET

Combine the HBO prison drama OZ with a touch of the Godfather and you’ve got a glimpse of where Jacques Audiard‘s A Prophet will lead you. It feels epic at its monster 149-minute run-time but honestly doesn’t waste a minute of screen time. This is two-and-a-half very tense hours that will fly right by. One of the best films of 2009 and highly recommended on this stunning yet feature-lite Blu-ray!

AMAZON: $28.99

There were so many more excellent Blu-ray discs released this past year, there’s no way I can touch on them all but the meager selection of covers below will give you a taste of what I was most passionate about in 2010:

CLICK FOR THE TOP 10 WORST BLU-RAY DISCS OF 2010

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Next up: The Best New Blu-ray Discs of the Year!

MORE GIFT IDEAS:

* GIFT & BOXED SETS
* TV ON BLU
* ANIMATION
* THE BEST OF THE YEAR

• The Criterion Collection: Black Orpheus Blu-ray Disc Review
• Top 5 New Blu-ray releases for the Week of September 14 – BREATHLESS (À BOUT DE SOUFFLE)
• criterion.com

AMAZON: Click for price list

The Complete Metropolis is unquestionably one of the finest and most important Blu-ray releases of the year. This restoration, incorporating 25-minutes of newly discovered footage back into the film for the first time in decades, is absolutely stunning in high-def and is necessary viewing for every film fan. This disc receives our highest possible recommendation.

READ MORE: The Complete Metropolis Blu-ray Disc Review

AMAZON: $29.49

David Lean‘s Lawrence of Arabia might not be available on Blu yet but Sony has given us the next best thing in their brilliant new high-def transfer of The Bridge on the River Kwai. The boxed set contains a bunch of unnecessary collectibles, but the disc is to die for!

READ MORE: The Bridge on the River Kwai Blu-ray Disc Review

AMAZON: $19.99

And speaking of Lean, his very fine and highly under-rated Doctor Zhivago was released on Blu-ray earlier this year in a nice, new digi-book edition from Warner. If the photography and the music don’t get you, Omar Sharif surely will. Purely briliant!

READ MORE: Doctor Zhivago: 45th Anniversary Edition Blu-ray Disc Review

AMAZON: $28.99

Who doesn’t just absolutely love the original King Kong?! The Merian C. Cooper film has inspired a couple of remakes, tons of knock-offs and countless filmmakers over the years. And it’s never looked or sounded better on home video than on this gorgeous new Blu-ray edition from Warner. Highly recommended!

READ MORE: Top 5 New Blu-ray releases for the Week of September 28 – KING KONG

AMAZON: $25.99

And while we’re on the subject of brilliant films made with stop-motion animation, don’t miss out on the incredible Blu-ray edition of Ray Harryhausen‘s Jason and the Argonauts! I still can’t get over what a great job Sony did restoring and transferring this to Blu. You have to see it to believe it!

READ MORE: Jason and the Argonauts Blu-ray Disc Review

AMAZON: $20.99

As I stated in my review of the A Star is Born Blu-ray, I really hate musicals. But I’m always willing to make an exception for a well made film presented in a pretty great Blu-ray edition. This is classic Judy Garland and James Mason in a classic George Cukor film. Don’t miss this WHV digi-book edition of the Blu-ray!

READ MORE: A Star is Born Blu-ray Disc Review

AMAZON: $24.99

There aren’t a whole lot of special features on this new Blu-ray edition of the 1935 version of Mutiny on the Bounty but the film itself has never looked or sounded better on home video. This isn’t a flawless restoration here but it’s a great package, including a hardcover digibook, that most collectors and fans will be satisfied with.

AMAZON: $22.99

This gorgeous restoration has been a long time in coming! We film fans have been waiting to get our grubby mitts on a cleaned up, digital copy of The African Queen for ages. It’s one of those few titles that didn’t appear on DVD at all until just this year, when it also saw release on Blu-ray. John Huston‘s classic starring Humphrey Bogart and Katherine Hepburn has never looked or sounded better and is a must for all film fans.

READ MORE: Top 5 New Blu-ray releases for the Week of March 23 – THE AFRICAN QUEEN

AMAZON: $24.99

Speaking of Bogey and Huston, Warner recently hit us with amazing Blu-ray editions of a couple of their finest collaborations – The Treasure of the Sierra Madre and The Maltese Falcon! Both look fantastic, considering their ages, with the transfer for Treasure often quite breathtaking. The discs both contain a myriad of special features, which you can read about here.

AMAZON: $18.49, $17.49

Kino has been absolutely killing it this year with silent film releases on Blu-ray! Aside from their killer high-def version of Metropolis, I think my favourite title has to have been Douglas Fairbanks‘ The Black Pirate. I never thought a two-strip Technicolor film of this age could look this good in high-def! Amazing!

AMAZON: $22.99

ALSO AVAILABLE FROM KINO:

Nuts to the Coen brothers! This here original version of True Grit is the real deal. This classic John Wayne film co-starring the likes of a very young Dennis Hopper and Robert Duvall, is pretty stunning here in its new Blu-ray incarnation. The special features are all carried over from the previously issued DVD but hold up well.

AMAZON: $17.99

CLASSICS ALSO AVAILABLE ON BLU-RAY
Clicking an image will take you to Amazon.com where you can learn more about and purchase the Blu-ray disc:

MORE GIFT IDEAS:

* GIFT & BOXED SETS
* TV ON BLU
* ANIMATION
* THE BEST OF THE YEAR

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My love affair with The Criterion Collection will continue, unabated into March, as the label issues another incredible slate of films on Blu-ray! This batch includes a further round of older spine-numbers (previously issued titles on DVD) like Louis Malle‘s Au revoir les enfants and Edward Yang‘s Yi Yi as well as films new to the Collection such as Mike Leigh‘s Topsy-Turvy and the film adaptation of the Gilbert & Sullivan stage play it dramatizes, The Mikado. Full details below:

Special Features:

• Restored digital transfer supervised by director of photography Renato Berta with uncompressed monaural soundtrack
• Video interviews with Louis Malle biographer Pierre Billard and actress Candice Bergen, Malle’s widow
• Joseph: A Character Study, a profile of the provocative figure from Au revoir les enfants, created by filmmaker Guy Magen in 2005
• The Immigrant, Charlie Chaplin’s 1917 short comedy, featured in the film
• Audio excerpts from a 1988 AFI interview with Malle
• Original theatrical trailer and teaser
• PLUS: A booklet featuring essays by film critic Philip Kemp and historian Francis J. Murphy

Special Features:

• Newly restored digital transfer with DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack
• Audio commentary by writer-director Edward Yang and Asian-cinema critic Tony Rayns
• Video interview with Rayns about Yang and the New Taiwan Cinema movement
• U.S. theatrical trailer
• Optional English subtitle translation by Yang and Rayns
• PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by Kent Jones and notes from the director

Special Features:

• Director-approved digital transfer, from the meticulous UCLA Film and Television Archive restoration with DTS-HD Master Audio
• Audio commentary featuring director Robert Epstein,coeditor Deborah Hoffmann, and photographer Daniel Nicoletta
• New interview with documentary filmmaker and UC Berkeley professor Jon Else
• New program about The Times of Harvey Milk and Gus Van Sant’s Milk, featuring Epstein, Van Sant, actor James Franco, and Milk friends Cleve Jones, Anne Kronenberg, and Nicoletta
• Postscript containing interview clips not used in the film
• Rare collection of audio and video recordings of Harvey Milk
• Interview excerpts from Epstein’s research tapes
• Footage from the film’s Castro Theatre premiere and the 1984 Academy Awards ceremony
• Panel discussion on Supervisor Dan White’s controversial trial
• Excerpts from the twenty-fifth anniversary commemoration of Milk’s and Mayor George Moscone’s assassinations
• Original theatrical trailer
• PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by film critic B. RubyRich, a tribute by Milk’s nephew Stuart Milk, and a piece on the film’s restoration by the UCLA Film and Television Archive’s Ross Lipman

Special Features:

• Director-approved digital transfer, supervised by cinematographer Dick Pope (with DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack on the Blu-ray edition)
• Audio commentary featuring director Mike Leigh
• New video conversation between Leigh and the film’s musical director, Gary Yershon
• A Sense of History, Leigh’s 1992 short film written by and starring actor Jim Broadbent
• Deleted scenes
• Featurette from 1999 including interviews with Leigh, stars Broadbent and Allan Corduner, and other cast members
• Theatrical trailer and TV spots
• PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by film critic Amy Taubin

Special Features:

• Newly remastered digital transfer with uncompressed monaural soundtrack
• New video interview with Topsy-Turvy director Mike Leigh on The Mikado and its adaptation for the screen
• New video interview with Mikado scholars Josephine Lee and Ralph MacPhail Jr., tracing the 1939 filmed version of the opera back to its 1885 stage debut
• More!
• PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by critic Geoffrey O’Brien

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CRONOS (1993, Blu-ray released December 7, 2010 – MSRP $39.95)

After watching the new Blu-ray edition of Cronos from The Criterion Collection, I think I need to be best friends with writer/director Guillermo del Toro. His first feature film might be a little rough around the edges but the special features on the disc prove he’s the coolest nerd in town.

I remember renting Cronos from our local smalltown video store when I was in high-school (or thereabouts.) I recall my response to it at the time being very similar to that of my most recent viewing – it’s a film that’s got everything going for it, all the right elements in place, but just isn’t able to bring them all together in a completely satisfying way. That said, del Toro’s script is a great new take on a vampire story without ever overtly stating it is as such.

An elderly antiques dealer (Federico Luppi) is “gifted” with eternal life when stung by a curious clockwork device shaped like a golden scarab. As his body slowly gives itself over to blood-lust, the old man struggles to retain his humanity while keeping his family safe from the forces who want the power of the device. There’s nothing wrong with the setup. The film falters somewhat in its execution, feeling fairly uneven from beginning to end. Potentially a result of the mash-up of del Toro’s influences at play.

I can say without hesitation that this is the best Cronos has ever looked on home video. The Blu-ray presentation easily best the previously available DVD editions of the film, exhibiting vivid, accurate colours, contrast and details throughout. From the liner notes:

“Cronos is presented in the director’s preferred aspect ratio of 1.78:1. Director Guillermo del Toro and director of photography Guillermo Navarro supervised this new high-definition digital transfer, which was created in 2K resolution on a Spirit 4K Datacine from the original 35mm camera negative. Thousands of instances of dirt, debris, scratches, splices, warps, jitter, and flicker were manually removed using MTI’s DRS system and Pixel Farm’s PFClean system, while Digital Vision’s DVNR system was used for small dirt, grain, and noise reduction.“

The Spanish / English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (the only audio track option) is rock solid and well balanced. From the liner notes:

“The stereo soundtrack was remastered at 24-bit from 35mm LT/RT magnetic soundtrack. Clicks, thumps, hiss, and hum were manually removed using Pro Tools HD. Crackle was attenuated using AudioCube’s integrated audio workstation.”“

There are a lot of truly great special features on the Cronos Blu-ray disc but none are able to best “Welcome to the Bleak House“, a very candid yet brief 11-minute tour through del Toro’s “man cave”. This is his office. The house where he keeps his “stuff”. A museum of sorts, overflowing with books, statues, toys and collectibles from film history and del Toro’s youth. It’s simply astounding. I can’t honestly imagine how anyone can manage to get any work done in that place with all the great stuff laying about to look at, read and play with!

Del Toro’s 1987 short film Geometría has been completed (at long last) for the Blu-ray disc and released here with a nice interview to give it context. The disc also features some new interviews with the del Toro, D.O.P. Guillermo Navarro and co-star Ron Perlman as well as an older one with Luppi. It’s rounded out by 2 commentary tracks (director and producers), a stills gallery, trailers and a 42-page illustrated booklet that features an essay by author and film critic Maitland McDonagh with art by Hellboy creator Mike Mignola!!

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VIDEODROME (1983, Blu-ray released December 7, 2010 – MSRP $39.95)

The tech is all wrong but almost 30 years later the ideas in David Cronenberg‘s Videodrome are right on the money. The “New Flesh” is here. And I’m writing this review with it.

It’s difficult not to feel the looming presence of 1983 and its chunky, beige-box technology while watching Videodrome. Cathode ray tubes, beta tapes and VCRs play such an integral part in the story, you can’t help but be perpetually reminded that the days of NTSC and PAL video systems have come and gone. But the concepts of how we create and consume media are more relevant today than ever before. Cronenberg recognized that humanity’s unmitigated need to stare into a looking glass would eventually overcome us and literally become us, foretelling the coming of reality television and YouTube.

If you manage to be able to look beyond the push and pull of the concepts versus the lifespan of technology, the story itself springs to life. James Woods delivers a tempered performance (well, relative to the manic anger he usually has bubbling just under the surface) as brash TV station owner/programmer Max Renn who stumbles upon the pirate snuff-film “Videodrome” signals when searching for new content. He quickly becomes embroiled in a battle for both the hearts and minds of the television audience as well as his own sanity. The film explores its themes by doing what Cronenberg does best – bending his characters’ reality. We the audience become a part of the experiment after a time, as Renn is pulled deeper into the hypnosis of Videodrome we’re led to question what he is actually experiencing and where his narrative intersects with our own passive consumption of the light interpreted through our retina.

“The battle for the mind of North America will be fought in the video arena — the videodrome. The television screen is the retina of the mind’s eye. Therefore the television screen is part of the physical structure of the brain. Therefore whatever appears on the television screen emerges as raw experience for those who watch it. Therefore television is reality, and reality is less than television.” – Prof. Brian O’Blivion

Videodrome looks better than ever on this new Blu-ray disc edition from The Criterion Collection. The film-accurate transfer certainly isn’t going to dazzle but seems to respect the nature of the film itself, exhibiting a healthy retention of grain, improved contrast (relative to the previously issued DVD) and fine detail in close ups. From the liner notes:

“Supervised by cinematographer Mark Irwin and approved by director David Cronenberg, this high-definition digital transfer was created on a Spirit Datacine from a 35mm interpositive. Thousands of instances of dirt, debris, scratches, splices, warps, jitter, and flicker were manually removed using the MTI’s DRS system and Pixel Farm’s PFClean system, while Digital Vision’s DVNR system was used for small dirt, grain, and noise reduction.“

I have to say that I hate Howard Shore‘s plodding, ham-fisted score for this film. It’s a damn far cry from his fine work on The Lord of the Rings series and drags the film down a notch, in my eyes. That said, the English LPCM 1.0. mono track sounds crisp and well balanced here. No complaints about the quality. From the liner notes:

“The Monaural soundtrack was remastered at 24-bit from the 35mm magnetic tracks. Clicks, thumps, hiss, and hum were manually removed using Pro Tools HD. Crackle was attenuated using AudioCube’s integrated audio workstation.”

Special features mimic those found on the Criterion DVD and are strong across the board. Cronenberg’s candid and informative commentary track (along with D.O.P. Mark Irwin) in particular is well worth checking out as it’s passionate, compelling and full of production details. The other standout feature for me is the vintage 26-minute “Fear on Film” roundtable discussion with Cronenberg, John Landis and John Carpenter, produced and hosted by Mick Garris. Filmed shortly before the release of Videodrome and American Werewolf in London and during production on The Thing, this short program serves as a spyglass back to a time when this new age of horror auteur was just beginning to come into its own. The Blu-ray disc also includes Camera, a short film by Cronenberg, a commentary track from Woods and co-star Deborah Harry, “Forging the Flesh” make-up doc, “Effects Men” Rick Baker audio interview, stills galleries, trailers, a 38-page illustrated booklet and more!

Highly recommended!

READ MORE: Criterion announces December Blu-ray titles: Videodrome, Cronos

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Well, this isn’t the most overwhelming Blu-ray release day of the year but there are certainly some incredibly drool-worthy new titles out in shops today. Titles so amazing, in fact, that I’m going to be forced to place my top 3 picks this week all in the number-one slot. They are all must-own discs and I simply can’t rate one above the other!!

1. CRONOS

Cronos has never been my favourite film but it’s a damn important one. It’s the world’s introduction to the modern-gothic vision of Guillermo del Toro. The low-budget gateway into a dark-elegant style that would come to fruition in films like The Devil’s Backbone, Hellboy and Pan’s Labyrinth. This skewed and innovative take on the classic vampire tale is, when viewed in context, quite a marvel.

The gorgeous Blu-ray edition of the film is quite stunning when you consider its indie origins. But then again, you’d expect no less from a Criterion disc, would you? No matter what you think of the film itself, you’ll certainly be impressed with its high-def presentation and the special features that accompany it, which include a couple of excellent commentary tracks, a newly completed short film and a truly magical tour of Del Toro’s home offices and collections.

Highly recommended!

Special Features:

• New, restored high-definition digital transfer, supervised and approved by director Guillermo del Toro and cinematographer Guillermo Navarro, including optional audio with the film’s original Spanish-language voice-over introduction as well as DTS-HD Master Audio
• Two audio commentaries, one featuring del Toro and the other producers Arthur H. Gorson and Bertha Navarro and coproducer Alejandro Springall
• Geometria, an unreleased 1987 short horror film by del Toro, finished by the director in 2010, plus a new video interview with him
• Welcome to Bleak House, a video tour by del Toro of his office, featuring his collectibles and personal work
• New video interviews with del Toro, Navarro, and actor Ron Perlman
• Video interview with actor Federico Luppi
• Stills gallery
• Trailer
• New and improved English subtitle translation, approved by del Toro
• PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by film critic Maitland McDonagh and excerpts from del Toro’s notes for the film

READ MORE: Criterion announces December Blu-ray titles: Videodrome, Cronos

AMAZON: $29.49

1. VIDEODROME

That’s right. This is a two-Criterion Blu-ray week! Along with Del Toro’s Cronos, the studio is serving up the Blu-ray debut of David Cronenberg‘s classic Videodrome and it looks and sounds so much better than it ever has before. I run hot and cold on Cronenberg’s films but Videodrome has always just worked. A twisted look at the world of the media and how we consume it as it consumes us, the film holds up despite the dated technology on display (I haven’t seen that many VHS tapes in years!)

Criterion serve up the same excellent collection of special features as they did on the previously issued Videodrome DVD but the move here to high-def makes this an easy upgrade. There’s a lot more detail to see, colours pop and there’s a nice overall film-like look to the transfer. Audio is only monaural but uncompressed with more dynamic range than previous offerings.

Highly recommended.

Special Features:

• High-definition digital transfer of the unrated version (with uncompressed monaural soundtrack)
• Two audio commentaries: David Cronenberg and director of photography Mark Irwin, and actors James Woods and Deborah Harry
• Camera (2000), a short film starring Videodrome’s Les Carlson, written and directed by Cronenberg
• Forging the New Flesh, a new half-hour documentary featurette by filmmaker Michael Lennick about the creation of Videodrome’s video and prosthetic makeup effects
• Effects Men, a new audio interview with special makeup effects creator Baker and video effects supervisor Lennick
• Bootleg Video: the complete footage of Samurai Dreams and seven minutes of transmissions from “Videodrome,” presented in their original, unedited form with filmmaker commentary
• Fear on Film, a 26-minute roundtable discussion from 1982 between filmmakers Cronenberg, John Carpenter, John Landis, and Mick Garris
• Original theatrical trailers and promotional featurette
• Stills galleries featuring hundreds of rare behind-the-scenes production photos, special effects makeup tests, and publicity photos
• A booklet featuring essays by writers Carrie Rickey, Tim Lucas, and Gary Indiana

READ MORE: Criterion announces December Blu-ray titles: Videodrome, Cronos

AMAZON: $29.49

1. INCEPTION

Christopher Nolan‘s Inception might have been my favourite Hollywood film of 2010. I’m fully aware of all the character deficiencies and possible plot holes in the script but I don’t care. The film managed an incredible feat, as far as I’m concerned and spent the first three-quarters of the narrative setting it up – a storytelling gag wherein a group of characters live and interact at different speeds within different dream states. It’s a fantastic narrative gymnastic feat that has never been attempted before and I think it succeeds in a marvelous way. Also, I can’t stop listening to Hans Zimmer‘s incredible score for the film. Seriously. Every time I put my iPod on it’s Inception. I think it might be bordering on unhealthy.

I haven’t gotten my hands on the Blu-ray yet but I’m assuming that despite its lack of Maximum Movie Mode it’ll be one of Warner‘s best discs of the year. Really looking forward to it!!

READ MORE: Inception Blu-ray officially announced and detailed

AMAZON: $17.99

4. MADEMOISELLE CHAMBON

There’s a lot of talk about Stéphane Brizé‘s Mademoiselle Chambon being a modern, “French provincial version of Noel Coward‘s Brief Encounter” but that’s selling this wonderful little film short. It’s a thoughtful, sensitive romance that feels wholly original. With it’s pregnant pauses and long silences, the pacing won’t be for everyone but believe me, this small scale film is well worth the watch.

AMAZON: $31.49

5. LOST IN TRANSLATION

Lost in Translation is one of my all time favourite films so I have no choice but to place it in my Top 5 list, despite the fact that I haven’t experienced it on Blu yet. I’m really hoping that Universal has delivered a top tier transfer for the film and at least carried over the special features from the DVD, if not created a whole host of new extras for this release. They haven’t done great work with their standard catalogue releases in the recent past so here’s hoping they’ve got their act together for this one!

AMAZON: $19.99

ALSO AVAILABLE ON BLU-RAY THIS WEEK
Clicking an image will take you to Amazon.com where you can learn more about and purchase the Blu-ray disc:

Related posts

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• Inception Blu-ray officially announced and detailed (3)
• Criterion announces December Blu-ray titles: Videodrome, Cronos (2)
• The Criterion Collection: Videodrome Blu-ray Disc Review (0)
• Top 5 New Blu-ray releases for the Week of October 12 (1)

Tomorrow: TV on Blu-ray!

MORE GIFT IDEAS:

* TV ON BLU
* ANIMATION
* CLASSICS
* THE BEST OF THE YEAR

If you follow The Blu-ray Blog at all, you’ll know of my deep, sincere love for pretty much everything that comes out of the Criterion Collection. It’s easy to be a fanboy when damn near every disc they release features a picture-perfect presentation and is packed to the gills with extras. But this seven film box set aptly named America Lost and Found: The BBS Story is really something special. The studio has gone above and beyond here, releasing their biggest and best Blu-ray boxed set to date. All the films from the famous (Easy Rider, Five Easy Pieces, The Last Picture Show, The King of Marvin Gardens) to the less well know (Head, Drive He Said, A Safe Place) are handled with equal skill – each looking and sounding better than ever before and loaded with special features. Each film is housed in its own beautifully designed slipcase, complemented by the box packaging and the incredible 112-page illustrated book of essays on the films.

I can’t recommend this boxed set highly enough. It might very well be the release of the year.

READ MORE: Criterion Collection America Lost and Found: The BBS Story Blu-ray set contains Easy Rider, Last Picture Show, Five Easy Pieces

AMAZON: $87.99

The Alien Anthology Blu-ray set is such a beautiful thing. Nevermind that it includes all four of the original films, two of which (the two that really matter) look mind-blowingly good, but the set also includes more special features than you’ll probably ever be able watch and listen to unless you’re as obsessive-compulsive about the films you love as I am. After spending time with this 6-disc set (one for each film and two for extras) I almost feel like each individual component is worth the price of the box on its own. I’m particularly knocked out by the extremely candid and thorough documentaries included in the set. The Alien 3 piece is such a revelation it might just knock you on your ass. All six discs are housed in a hardcover book (the discs are slipped within very firm pages with nested trays) which slips into a shiny, creepy Alien box package.

Highest possible recommendation!!

READ MORE: Alien Anthology Blu-ray Boxed Set Officially Announced and Detailed

AMAZON: $69.99

I’ve got two admissions to make here. The first is that I’ve never cared for The Sound of Music. The second is that this new Blu-ray edition of the film blew my mind and made me a fan. It’s true! Swear to God. The Sound of Music is, hands down, the best looking restoration of the year. Want to impress your friends with your home video setup? Got a couple of jerks in your circle of pals who insist that there’s no point in buying older films on Blu? Pop in The Sound of Music and make their eyes jump out of their heads. The edition you see pictured above is the full-on gift set, complete with soundtrack, books and goo-gahs. The film is also available in a simple 3-disc combo-pack (Amazon: $18.99.)

READ MORE: The Sound of Music: 45th Anniversary Edition Blu-ray officially announced and detailed

AMAZON: $59.99

One Flew over the Cukoo’s Nest was previously released in a nice, hardcover digibook edition Blu-ray. Warner’s newest release of the film features a very similar presentation but extends the “making of” documentary. Sadly, the audio is still only presented in the compressed version found on the previous disc. Still, this is an amazing film in a beautiful box that contains playing cards, posters, character cards, pre-production correspondence and movie trivia.

AMAZON: $34.49

Oh. Em. Gee. Do you remember how I went off about the Harry Potter Ultimate Edition Box sets last year? Well, get ready for another barrage of praise, this time tempered with a hint of disappointment.

Both The Prisoner of Azkaban and The Goblet of Fire get the full-on, Ultimate Edition Blu-ray treatment this year, joining the wonderful Philosopher Stone and Chamber of Secrets sets of 2009. Both films carry over their nearly-perfect high-def presentations and extras from previously issued discs while adding a host of brand new special features and collectibles all housed in magnetically latched box packaging. ‘The World of Harry Potter‘ 8-part documentary continues with parts three and four in these sets and is, once again nearly worth the price of purchase alone. The accompanying hardcover books are a nice compliment to each part of the doc. Missing from the Ultimate sets this time around are alternate cuts of the films (both directors have gone on record stating that the theatrical cuts are the only ones they care to present) and the picture-in-picture tracks.

READ MORE: New Harry Potter: Ultimate Edition Blu-ray sets announced for Prisoner of Azkaban, Goblet of Fire

AMAZON: $33.99 each

This toy box of Toy Story is a really great gift for those who haven’t picked up any of the individual Blu-ray releases from the series. It’s essentially just a bundling of the combo-pack discs from each film with nothing new added aside from the handsome box. So, if you’ve already got the 3-disc Toy Story and Toy Story 2 and the 4-disc Toy Story 3, there’s not much to see here. But if you’ve been holding out for whatever reason, or if you know someone who has, now is the time to dive in to the toy box!

AMAZON: $64.99

I still haven’t managed to get my hands on the Back to the Future: 25th Anniversary boxed set but by all accounts this is one of the best Blu-ray releases of the year. I understand that the new high-def transfers are gorgeous and the 2-hours of brand new special features are worth watching. I’ve got this one on my list and hope to see it under the tree in a couple of weeks!

READ MORE: Back To The Future Trilogy Blu-ray Boxed Set Officially Announced

AMAZON: $49.99

I’m not personally a big fan of the Shrek films but my four-year old niece certainly is. This Shrek: The Whole Story Boxed Set is like a dream come true for her, packaging together all of the films with over 7-hours of special features.

AMAZON: $39.99

I’m a huge, unabashed fan of Robocop – the film, not the franchise. So, this boxed set is a bit of a bittersweet release. I was hoping for a better transfer of the first film and the special features from the 2-disc DVD set but alas, the set only features bare-bones editions of the films. It’s a great gift for fans of the character or the series as a whole, as this is the first time the sequels are available in high-def and they both look and sound pretty great.

READ MORE: Robocop Trilogy Blu-ray Disc Review

AMAZON: $36.49

Here’s another set on my wish list this year – the Goonies: 25th Anniversary set comes jam-packed with a lot of collectibles I’m not interested (ok, maybe I’d play that Goonies board game once or twice over the holiday season) but I genuinely love this film and remain excited to see it in high-def.

READ MORE: Goonies: Ultimate Collector’s Edition Blu-ray coming in November

AMAZON: $34.99

Oh boy. If Santa brings me anything this year, I hope it’s a stocking full of Apocalypse! I’ve been longing for this 3-disc deluxe ‘Full Disclosure Edition‘ set ever since we caught wind of it earlier this year and I swear, I’m buying it on boxing day if I don’t unwrap it the day before. It contains both cuts of Apocalypse Now, the Hearts of Darkness documentary and a crap-ton of special features. Drool drool drool…

READ MORE: Apocalypse Now, Hearts of Darkness doc coming to Blu-ray

AMAZON: $37.99

MORE GIFT IDEAS:

* TV ON BLU
* ANIMATION
* CLASSICS
* THE BEST OF THE YEAR

Related posts

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• [VIDEO] Fox Blu-ray Demo features Alien Anthology, Sound of Music, Moulin Rouge and more! (1)
• [VIDEO] The Sound of Music (45th Anniversary Edition) Blu-ray Trailer (3)
• Top 5 New Blu-ray releases for the Week of November 2 (1)

This is an amazing week for Blu-ray – not only in that there are a handful of pretty amazing new releases (and some duds) to grab up but that there are more deals to be had this week on titles and players than at any time of the year, thanks to the incredible BLACK FRIDAY sales in the USA. If new releases aren’t your thing this week, you can find a handy, constantly-updated Black Friday Blu-ray Guide to sales and sale prices here.

1. AMERICA LOST AND FOUND: THE BBS STORY

I know I’ve said this a few times recently, but this really might be the Blu-ray release of the year. Criterion have assembled a box full of seven of the most important and influential films from the late 60s/early 70s, all made and produced by Bob Rafelson, Bert Schneider and Steve Blauner. And of course, each one has been prepped and transferred with the same love and care that Criterion give each standalone release, individually stacked with great special features.

Less well-known films, Head, A Safe Place and Drive, He Said hold up well amongst their popular siblings. In fact, though most film fans will pick up the boxed set for The Last Picture Show or Five Easy Pieces, I think the true delight will be the discovery (or re-discovery, as the case may be) of these hidden gems.

Higher profile Blu-ray releases and boxed sets might steal the spotlight this holiday season but the true coveted prize for any true film-fan will be this incredible, robust collection of films from Criterion. America Lost and Found: The BBS Story receives our highest possible recommendation.

FULL DETAILS HERE: Criterion Collection America Lost and Found: The BBS Story Blu-ray set contains Easy Rider, Last Picture Show, Five Easy Pieces

Amazon: $87.49

2. THE COMPLETE METROPOLIS

Speaking of incredible, influential and must-own releases of the week, The Complete Metropolis Blu-ray release from Kino is the newly released disc that you don’t put on your Christmas list – you run out and buy it today. Metropolis is inarguably one of the most important films ever made and now, for the first time in decades, we have the opportunity to see it in its complete form. Well, as close as technology and available resources allow.

The film was censored, ravaged from its initial length to a truncated 90-minutes. This version, which looks incredible on Blu-ray, for the most part, restores a good deal of the story and brings the run-time to a more film-accurate 145-minutes. This is a landmark Blu-ray release that shouldn’t be missed at any cost!

Amazon: $29.49

3. DEADWOOD: THE COMPLETE SERIES

On any other week, this would have easily been the number one release. The Deadwood: The Complete Series Blu-ray boxed set showed up at my door just as I was stepping out on vacation. As a result I haven’t been able to watch it yet but I’ll tell you, the damn thing weighs a ton! It’s packed with 13-discs of one of the best shows to ever have aired on television. And knowing HBO as I do, I’d be willing to bet that the quality of the packaging and the transfers are all beyond reproach. It’s an expensive set but an easy recommendation, even without having viewed a single one of the 13 discs.

Amazon: $137.99

4. THE EXPENDABLES

Ahhh, Sly. I totally missed this one in the theatres. (I know, you’re shocked, right?) But strangely, I have a feeling that this testosterone-fueled 80s callback will be better enjoyed on the smaller screen, just as we all truly fell in love with this type of film on cable and VHS back in the day. Call me crazy, but I’m actually more excited to check this out on Blu-ray than in the theatre. I’m looking forward to having the boys over, ordering pizza and busting out The Expendables very soon. Too bad the disc doesn’t have a VHS-quality transfer as one of the special features. … I can’t believe I just wrote that…

Amazon: $19.99

5. THE PILLARS OF THE EARTH

I have a feeling I’ll take a little heat for this but I loved The Pillars of the Earth! After steadfastly avoiding the television mini-series format for ages, I found myself quickly sucked into this brilliantly executed medieval melodrama, adapted from the bestselling novel by Ken Follett. Admittedly, the fact that the show is produced by Ridley and Tony Scott and stars a ton of amazing actors (Donald Sutherland, Gordon Pinsent, Hayley Atwell, Ian McShane, Matthew Macfadyen to name a few) makes watching what could have been a very weak movie of the week-style program an easier pill to swallow. The castles and bloody battles look great on the 3-disc Blu-ray set, despite the fact that the 6-episodes are actually encoded in 1080i (the back of the packaging incorrectly states that the encoding is 1080p.)

Amazon: $38.99

6. SALON KITTY

Another week, another sixth title in the Top 5 list. I’m sorry, but I can’t wrap up this column without pointing out that the lude, rude and all-together very nude (see what I did there, with the rhyming?) Salon Kitty has made its way to Blu-ray thanks to the dirty boys and girls of Blue Underground. Three years before he would shock the world with Caligula, Tinto Brass delivered a lengthy, somewhat muddled World War II-era film about a madame whose brothel is bugged in an attempt to gather bedside intel from unsuspecting Nazi soldiers. Brass takes the subject matter seriously but undermines his intent with over the top tits and ass. Fans of the film will be happy to know that Salon Kitty looks and sounds better than ever on Blu-ray and includes a limited but informative collection of extras (“Inside ‘Salon Kitty:’ Interview with Director Tinto Brass“, “Designing ‘Salon Kitty:’ Interview with Production Designer Ken Adam“, international trailer and three radio spots)

Amazon: $22.49

ALSO AVAILABLE ON BLU-RAY THIS WEEK
Clicking an image will take you to Amazon.com where you can learn more about and purchase the Blu-ray disc:

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Another month, another collection of amazing contemporary and classic titles making their way to Blu courtesy of the Criterion Collection. With February bowing six titles, a collection of films both new to the Collection as well as vintage Criterion efforts, I’m going to be hard pressed to decide where to spend my hard-earned Blu-ray dollars.

Special Features:

• All-new, restored high-definition digital transfer
• Audio commentary by film scholars Peter Brunette and Frank Burke
• American release trailer
• Deleted scene
• Optional English-dubbed soundtrack
• New and improved English subtitle translation
• New 45-minute documentary, Fellini’s Homecoming, on the complicated relationship between the celebrated director, his hometown, and his past
• Video interview with star Magali Noël
• Fellini’s drawings of characters in the film
• “Felliniana,” a presentation of ephemera devoted to Amarcord from the collection of Don Young
• Audio interviews with Fellini, his friends, and family by Gideon Bachmann
• New restoration demonstration
• PLUS: A book featuring a new essay by scholar Sam Rohdie, author of Fellini Lexicon, and the full text of Fellini’s 1967 essay, “My Rimini"

Special Features:

• Restored high-definition digital transfer with DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack
• Audio commentary by Annette Insdorf, author of Double Lives, Second Chances: The Cinema of Krzysztof Kieślowski
• Three short documentary films by Kieślowski: Factory (1970), Hospital (1976), and Railway Station (1980)
• The Musicians (1958), a short film by Kieślowski’s teacher Kazimierz Karabasz
• Kieślowski’s Dialogue (1991), a documentary featuring a candid interview with Kieślowski and rare behind-the-scenes footage from the set of The Double Life of Véronique
• 1966-1988: Kieślowski, Polish Filmmaker, a 2005 documentary tracing the filmmaker’s work in Poland, from his days as a student through The Double Life of Véronique
• A 2005 interview with actress Irène Jacob
• New video interviews with cinematographer Slawomir Idziak and composer Zbigniew Preisner
• New and improved English subtitle translation
• PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by Jonathan Romney and a selection from Kieślowski on Kieślowski

Special Features:

• New high-definition digital transfer, approved by director Andrea Arnold, director of photography Robbie Ryan, and editor Nicolas Chaudeurge with DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack
• All three of Arnold’s short films: Milk (1998), Dog (2001), and the Oscar-winning Wasp (2003)
• New video interview with actor Kierston Wareing
• Interview with actor Michael Fassbender from 2009
• Audition footage
• Stills gallery by on-set photographer Holly Horner
• Original theatrical trailer
• PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by film scholar Ian Christie

Special Features:

• New high-definition digital transfer, approved by director Hirokazu Kore-eda and director of photography Yutaka Yamazaki (with DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack on the Blu-ray edition)
• New video interviews with Kore-eda and Yamazaki
• Making “Still Walking”
• Trailer
• New and improved English subtitle translation
• PLUS: A booklet featuring a new essay by film critic Dennis Lim and recipes for the food prepared in the film

Special Features:

• New, restored high-definition digital transfer with uncompressed monaural soundtrack
• New audio commentary by film scholar James Naremore
• Mackendrick: The Man Who Walked Away, a 1986 documentary featuring interviews with director Alexander Mackendrick, actor Burt Lancaster, producer James Hill, and more
• James Wong Howe: Cinematographer, a 1973 documentary about the Oscar-winning director of photography, featuring lighting tutorials with Howe
• New video interview with film critic and historian Neil Gabler (Winchell: Gossip, Power and the Culture of Celebrity) about legendary columnist Walter Winchell, inspiration for the character J. J. Hunsecker
• New video interview with filmmaker James Mangold about Mackendrick, his instructor and mentor
• Original theatrical trailer
• PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by critic Gary Giddins, two short stories by Ernest Lehman featuring the characters from the film, notes about the film by Lehman, and an excerpt from Mackendrick’s book On Film-making

Special Features:

• New, restored high-definition digital transfer, created in collaboration with the Cineteca di Bologna and Martin Scorsese’s Film Foundation, supervised by director of photography Giuseppe Rotunno with uncompressed monaural soundtrack
• The Making of “Senso,” a new documentary featuring Rotunno, assistant director Francesco Rosi, costume designer Piero Tosi, and Caterina D’Amico, daughter of screenwriter Suso Cecchi D’Amico and author of Life and Work of Luchino Visconti
• Viva VERDI, a new documentary on Visconti, Senso, and opera featuring Italian film scholar Peter Brunette, Italian historian Stefano Albertini, and author Wayne Koestenbaum
• The Wanton Countess, the rarely seen English-language version of the film
• Visual essay by film scholar Peter Cowie
• Man of Three Worlds: Luchino Visconti, a 1966 BBC special exploring Visconti’s parallel masteries of cinema, theater, and opera direction
• New and improved English subtitle translation
• PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by filmmaker and author Mark Rappaport and an excerpt from actor Farley Granger’s autobiography, Include Me Out

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What a week! If not for the lack of 3D version of Avatar, I think we could officially claim this as the most massive outing for the new three-dimensional format do date. Even still, with eight films new on 3D Blu, James Cameron‘s Pandoran epic, with its multiple cuts, bevy of extras and near perfect presentation, still reigns supreme.

1. AVATAR EXTENDED COLLECTOR’S EDITION

Nothing beats the heavyweight champ. The biggest film of the year or possibly even of all time. James Cameron’s Avatar makes its triumphant return to Blu-ray this week in a 3-disc set that’s bound to find its way under damn near every Blu-ray fan’s Christmas tree this year.

Not only is this Extended Collector’s Edition packed to the gills with the deleted scenes and extras you’ve been waiting the year to see but it also features three cuts of the award winning film, all demo-disc worthy. With the technical quality of the video and audio presentation off the charts (and surprisingly equal to the stand alone disc available earlier this year) this Blu-ray set has claimed the crown of high-def title to beat! Bring on the challengers!!

Special Features:

Disc One

• Original Theatrical Version
• Special Edition Re-Release
• Collector’s Extended Cut
  • 16 more minutes and exclusive alternate opening)

Family Audio Track (All Objectionable Language Removed)

• Original Theatrical Release
• Special Edition Re-release

Disc Two

• Capturing Avatar: An in-depth feature length documentary with James Cameron, Jon Landau and cast and crew
• Deleted scenes: including over 45 minutes of new never-before-seen deleted scenes
• Production materials (BD-exclusive)

Disc Three (BD-exclusive)

• Open “Pandora’s Box” and go deeper into the filmmaker process
• Interactive Scene Deconstruction: Explore the various stages of production through three different viewing modes
• Production shorts: 17 featurettes covering performance capture, scoring the film, 3D Fusion camera, stunts and much more
• Avatar Archives, including original scriptment, 300 page screenplay and the extensive Pandorapedia
• BD-live Portal with additional bonus materials

Amazon: $24.99

2. THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER

On any other week, Charles Laughton‘s Night of the Hunter would have easily been in the number one slot. This nightmarish Mother Goose tale is sadly the only film the famous actor ever directed and it’s a damn shame. Because it’s a masterwork. Robert Mitchum has never been better or more creepy.

Criterion finally does the film justice, presenting it in its original aspect ratio of 1.66:1 as opposed to the 1.33 of previous presentations. Couple that with Criterion’s exceptional package of special features and this is clearly one of the finest releases of the year.

Special Features:

• New, restored high-definition digital transfer with uncompressed monaural soundtrack
• Audio commentary featuring assistant director Terry Sanders, film critic F. X. Feeney, archivist Robert Gitt, and author Preston Neal Jones
• Charles Laughton Directs “The Night of the Hunter,” a two-and-a-half-hour archival treasure trove of outtakes from the film
• New documentary featuring interviews with producer Paul Gregory, Sanders, Jones, and author Jeffrey Couchman
• New video interview with Simon Callow, author of Charles Laughton: A Difficult Actor
• Clip from the The Ed Sullivan Show, in which cast members perform live a scene that was deleted from the film
• Fifteen-minute episode of the BBC show Moving Pictures about the film
• Archival interview with cinematographer Stanley Cortez
• Gallery of sketches by author Davis Grubb
• New video conversation between Gitt and film critic Leonard Maltin about Charles Laughton Directs “The Night of the Hunter”
• Original theatrical trailer
• PLUS: A booklet featuring essays by critics Terrence Rafferty and Michael Sragow

Amazon: $36.49

3. MODERN TIMES

Criterion does the Little Tramp justice as well this week. Charlie Chaplin‘s final outing as his most famous character has never looked better in this restored 2K-resolution digital transfer. Gone are the rounded corners and frayed edges of precious transfers, replaced with a rich, detailed image. There have been some nice editions of this film in the recent past but nothing bests this new one from Criterion. Recommended!

Special Features:

• New, restored high-definition digital transfer, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack
• New audio commentary by Chaplin biographer David Robinson
• Two new visual essays, by Chaplin historians John Bengtson and Jeffrey Vance
• New program on the film’s visual and sound effects, with experts Craig Barron and Ben Burtt
• Interview from 1992 with Modern Times music arranger David Raksin
• Chaplin Today: “Modern Times” (2004), a half-hour program with filmmakers Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne
• Two segments removed from the film
• Three theatrical trailers
• All at Sea (1933), a home movie by Alistair Cooke featuring Charlie Chaplin, Paulette Goddard, and Cooke, plus a new score by Donald Sosin and a new interview with Cooke’s daughter, Susan Cooke Kittredge
• The Rink (1916), a Chaplin two-reeler highlighting his skill on wheels
• For the First Time (1967), a Cuban documentary short about a projectionist who shows Modern Times to first-time moviegoers
• PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by film critic Saul Austerlitz and a piece by film scholar Lisa Stein that includes excerpts from Chaplin’s writing about his travels in 1931 and 1932

Amazon: $29.49

4. MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY (1935)

Speaking of Charles Laughton, his turn as the cruel Captain William Bligh in the 1935 edition of Mutiny on the Bounty with Clark Gable is new on Blu this week. Warner‘s new restoration looks mostly fantastic (there is some damage on the print that has not been restored yet…but nevermind, this looks great!) on Blu-ray. Certainly the best its ever looked on home video. The disc is packaged in a nice hardcover digibook but includes sadly few special features.

Amazon: $25.99

5. SHERLOCK JR./THREE AGES

Kino‘s new Blu-ray with both the short films Sherlock Jr. and Three Ages is a welcome addition to the studios Buster Keaton collection. While the visuals are nowhere near as reference quality as The General or even Steamboat Bill Jr., Sherlock Jr is certainly impressive. Three Ages doesn’t fare quiet as well but is still a treat in high-def. The disc has a host of extra features such as multiple music tracks, a commentary track, documentary and more!

Amazon: $25.99

6. ROBO-GEISHA

Another week, another sixth entry in the Top 5 list. I haven’t seen FUNimation‘s new Robo-Geisha film yet but based on the sheer entertainment value and disc quality of the studio’s recent Vampire Girl vs. Frankenstein Girl I thought this release was probably worth a mention. I’ve seen the trailer and I haven’t been the same since. I haven’t been able to get the image of geisha girls shooting ninja stars from their butts out of my head since…

Amazon: $21.99

NEW THIS WEEK ON 3D BLU-RAY:

ALSO AVAILABLE ON BLU-RAY THIS WEEK
Clicking an image will take you to Amazon.com where you can learn more about and purchase the Blu-ray disc:

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