Favorite 10 DVD releases of 2004

[oscar jubis]

In no particular order, my favorite DVDs of the year. This is a list of Region 1 (North American) releases. Import DVDs deserve their own thread. I will exclude my favorite theatrical releases of 2004 already on home video: Eternal Sunshine of the Sleepless Mind and Before Sunset, which will be discussed in upcoming Best of 2004 threads.

THE BOYS OF ST. VINCENT (New Yorker Video)
Originally made for Canadian television and broadcasted in two parts in 1992 and 1993. The combined 3-hour film, based on incidents of child abuse at a Catholic orphanage, was given a theatrical release in 1994. Henry Czerny's lead performance is legendary.

ANGELS IN AMERICA (HBO Video)
Mike Nichols' (The Graduate, Closer) adaptation of Tony Kushner's Pulitzer prize winner. Cast includes Al Pacino, and Meryl Streep and Emma Thompson in multiple roles. Likely to shatter any lingering prejudices you may have against made-for-TV productions.

JOHN CASSAVETES: FIVE FILMS (Criterion)
The godfather of American Independent cinema gets the royal treatment here. Includes A Woman Under the Influence, Faces, Opening Night, Shadows (but not the "lost", original cut due to objections from the auteur's wife Gena Rowlands) and two distinct versions of the neglected The Killing of a Chinese Bookie.

FREAKS (Warner Home Video)
Todd Browning's 1932 masterpiece was banned in England for 30 years and subjected to all kinds of censorship in America. A most compassionate circus drama billed as a horror film when released in truncated form over 70 years ago. It has become a Jubis family favorite. Includes a superb doc and alternate endings.

IN THE MIRROR OF MAYA DEREN (Image Entertainment)
This expert documentary received a very limited release last year. Includes excerpts from the seminal avant garde/experimental director's best works. Maya was decades ahead of her time as an artist and as a human being.

ROBINSON CRUSOE (VCI Entertainment)
Beautiful restoration of Luis Bunuel's English-language film, featuring an Oscar nominated perf by Dan O'Herlihy. Includes two dream sequences that are pure Bunuel. Highly entertaining adventure film.

THE PARSON'S WIDOW (Image Entertainment)
This 71-minute silent from Danish director Carl Theodor Dreyer is
funny and very moving. The cinematography, lighting, performances and use of natural settings add up to a lost, timeless classic.

STORIES OF FLOATING WEEDS (Criterion)
Yazujiro Ozu directs A Story of Floating Weeds(1934) and its color remake Floating Weeds(1959). Japanese film historian Donald Richie and Roger Ebert provide commentary.

THE LEOPARD (Criterion)
Luchino Visconti's historical epic in both original and American cut. Burt Lancaster plays the aristocrat trying to cope with changes that threaten to extinguish a way of life. Sumptuous.

THE UP SERIES
Michael Apted longitudinal study of a cross-section of British society. It consists of same subjects being interviewed at age 7, 14, 21 and so on. Six films (42 Up is the latest) on five discs.

Many more merit inclusion, such as "That's Entertainment! Trilogy"(WB), "More Treasures from the American Film Archives", and the stateside release of Japon, the first film by Mexican director Carlos Reygadas.

[wpqx]

Although I loved Angels in America, the DVD sucked, not a single special feature, what a rip off.

My list

Rules of the Game (1939) - About time they got this out, and what an amazing transfer, plus a whole extra disc of special features.

John Cassavetes Five Films - Loaded again, too bad about Gena Rowlands holding out on the alternate print of Shadows.

The Battle of Algiers (1966) - Been waiting for this one, nice to see it out.

Looney Tunes Golden Collection Vol. 2 - Gotta love these guys, and this collection is probably better than the first, although a disc of Tweety and Sylvester gets old really quick.

Simpson's Season 4 and 5 - The Greatest show of all time, at its greatest right here. Commentaries on every episode, and gems like Last Exit to Springfield, Rosebud, Cape Fearce, and A Streetcar Named Marge, prime material.

Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (2003) - Every one of these films has come out on DVD with more than enough special features to make anyone happy. This one also has an extra 50 minutes of footage added. So I'll be busy with 4 commentaries and 20 docs.

Tokyo Story (1953) - Again its about time this came out, props a millioni time s for bringin Ozu out three times no less this year.

Strangers on a Train (1951) - A commentary, an unreleased preview version, a documentary on the film, clearly the pick of the litter in Warner Bros. Hitchcock set.

M (1931) - Well at least Criterion got it right the second time. This is loaded and well worth the wait for those who never picked it up the first time.

Universal Monsters Collection: Dracula, Frankenstein, The Wolf Man, The Invisible Man, The Creature From the Black Lagoon, and The Invisible Man - Universal might have been holding back, but in one year they released an assload of their classics. Granted some films (House of Dracula, the Mummy's Ghost) are for completionists only, all the classics are here, and all the major films do have commentaries. Plus the price is equal to what you would expect for just one film, let alone 3, 4, or 5.

There are others, but I either don't have them, or won't mention them.

[oscar jubis]

Originally posted by wpqx
Although I loved Angels in America, the DVD sucked, not a single special feature, what a rip off.

No extras and no scene selections. Shame. But it's a very good adaptation of a great play, and I want to encourage folks to watch it.

Rules of the Game (1939) - About time they got this out, and what an amazing transfer, plus a whole extra disc of special features.

Indeed. A Top 10 All-time for me. Bought it as soon as it came out, which I thought was late 2003. Release date: January 2004. Straight to the top of my list. Thanks.


Tokyo Story (1953) - Again its about time this came out, props a millioni time s for bringin Ozu out three times no less this year.

This masterpiece was actually released by Criterion in 2003. My import DVD list would include more than one Ozu. Can your player handle discs from other regions? Should I bother posting my imports list for 2004?

Strangers on a Train (1951) - A commentary, an unreleased preview version, a documentary on the film, clearly the pick of the litter in Warner Bros. Hitchcock set.

I'm simply not a big fan of this film for reasons discussed elsewhere.