Best DVD's of 2004

[Togo]

My Top 10 nominations:
Spirited Away
Lost in Translation
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Master And Commander - The Far Side of the World (Collectors Edition)
Lord of the Rings The Return of the King (Platinum Series - special extended edition)
Star Wars Trilogy (despite the annoying changes)
Spiderman 2
Neil Young "Greatest Hits" DVD/CD combo
White Stripes Live in Blackpool
Elvis - 68 Comeback Special (despite the lousy fake stereo)

Bubbling Under:
Shrek 2
Warp Vision (Warp Music label Videos Collection)
Sonic Youth "Corporate Ghost - 1990-2002 Videos"
Peter Gabriel "Play - the Videos"
Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban

[Ed Bishop]

Gabriel's video comp, and anything Criterion put out this year....

:ed:

[Jimbo]

Majikat--Cat Stevens. Wonderful! :righton:

[Chris R]

Gabriel's video comp, and anything Criterion put out this year....

:ed:
Ed, I've been eyeballing the Gabriel "hits" DVD. But after all the complaints on the live Gabriel DVD, I was a little gun shy in purchasing the disc. What is so good about it?

[Jamie Tate]

What is so good about it?

Because it contains Peter Gabriel videos. :D

Seriously, the videos are really great (even with the changes) and they put a lot of thought into making the menus and general aesthetics look great. It's a nice presentation. Lots of extras too.

The DTS 24/96 sound is pretty neat (if slightly quieter than the Dolby 5.1). I do have issues with the mixes though. Why are there so many of Peter's lead vocals in the rears? I love aggressive surround mixes (why do it any other way?) but these are usually somewhat lesser than the originals, IMHO.

[Jamie Tate]

Freaks and Geeks Yearbook Edition.

There's probably never been a more complete and thorough set of DVD's for a TV canceled in it's first season. They did everything right with this set and they know it. I emailed Shout Factory and thanked them for doing such a good job and their reply was somewhat conceded (but in a good way). They knew they hit this one out of the park.

[Ed Bishop]

Ed, I've been eyeballing the Gabriel "hits" DVD. But after all the complaints on the live Gabriel DVD, I was a little gun shy in purchasing the disc. What is so good about it?

What Jamie said. I'll only add that the fun here--if you don't mind it--are the radically different mixes for many songs, some of them his best known. Disconcerting at first(and here's hoping 5.1 SACD's with more, um, faithful mixes are in our future), but also, at the same time, great fun. A bit too adventurous, the 5.1's? Yep, but from what I've read so far, Mr. Gabriel didn't mind the liberties taken.

No one has asked him about "Solsbury Hill," though, someone should....that's the one song that apparently could not be located in multi-track, 'cause it sounds faux 5.1 to me, imaged to the front with mirror sound in the backs.

:ed:

[Michael]

Aimee Mann-Live At St. Ann's Warehouse
The Munsters
Andy Griffith Show Season One
Green Acres Season One
The Danny Thomas Show season 5
Married With Children Season 1 & 2
Top Cat
Lost In Space Season 1 & 2

...and about every other 60's TV SHOW released this year...was a great year for 60's TV!

[Jerry]

The WC Fields Comedy Classics box set
Looney Tunes Golden Collection Vol. 2
Grateful Dead Movie
American Folk Blues Festival Vol. 3
Festival Express
Strangers On A Train
Beatles "First US Visit"
Lord of the Rings "Return of the King"

[reechie]

Marx Brothers Silver Screen Collection
Marx Brothers MGM/RKO/UA Collection
Looney Tunes Golden Collection 2
Beatles First U.S. Visit

[Bobo U2]

My most played DVD this year has been
Best of Triumph the Insult Comic Dog
close second are the SCTV collections
Best music video is a tie between Peter Gabrial and the Inxs hits DVD's