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Top 50 DVDs

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the do-you-see-what-i-see dept.

Muftakkabe327 writes "TheForce.net points to UGO's Top 50 DVDs feature where Star Wars makes a healthy appearance at #11. Whether that's high enough to keep fans from rioting remains to be seen. Other nerd-friendly fare on the list include Evil Dead, Lord of the Rings, Ghostbusters, Akira, Dawn of the Dead, Freaks & Geeks and Led Zeppelin. "

32 of 393 comments (clear)

  1. Bias by r_glen · · Score: 4, Funny

    Is it really fair to rate Trilogy/Quadrilogy box-sets against single DVD's?

    According to UGO, Men In Black is better than all three Star Wars movies combined? Really?

    1. Re:Bias by nightsweat · · Score: 5, Funny

      Star Wars does not have Will Smith, therefore Star Wars must be inferior to Men in Black.

      This is the "Principle of Jiggy-osity".

      --

      the major advances in civilization are processes which all but wreck the societies in which they occur - A.N. White
    2. Re:Bias by papadiablo · · Score: 3, Informative

      It is obviously not rating the movies themselves, but rather the DVDS total content, as in special features, etc, contained on the disc and bonus discs. Even given that, it is a bit surprising that Men In Black would beat out the Star Wars Box Set.

    3. Re:Bias by frodo+from+middle+ea · · Score: 3, Interesting

      I would put "Reservoir Dogs" right at the top. I mean it has 2 alternate angles for the "ear scene". That alone tops it.

      --
      for the last time people, I am "frodo from middle eaRTH", not "middle eaST".
  2. Boo by loid_void · · Score: 3, Funny

    Okay, it's call UnderGroundOnline, and they gave ghostbusters a slot at #10. Somethings wrong? Who you gonna call?

    --
    Anyone seen my jagged little pill?
    1. Re:Boo by roseblood · · Score: 4, Insightful

      What is really frightening, not the ghostbusters, but that ESCAPE FROM NEWYOUK was rated higher in the list than THE GODFATHER MOVIES, TRON, THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION, and SAVING PRIVATE RYAN. Escape from New York should make the list, it's *THE* classic lame action film set in a sci-fi enviroment, but there's no way in hell being the best of the bad is better than being one amongst a herd of great movies.

      --
      There are lies, damned lies, and statistics.
  3. The Matrix at #3 by DoubleDownOnEleven · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I can understand the first movie being up there. But a box set? After the second two were so disappointing, I'd really rather own just the initial movie, even with all the extras available in the box set.

    P.S. Did anyone else notice some pretty obvious similarities to Dune in the 3rd movie?

  4. Did you have to be under 15 to vote? by winkydink · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Top 50? Top 50 DVD's? What was the criteria? Movies you can watch without having to think all that much?

    --

    "I'd rather be a lightning rod than a seismometer." -Ken Kesey

    1. Re:Did you have to be under 15 to vote? by eno2001 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I noticed that The Blade Runner is conspicuously missing. If that movie is not on the list, then the list must be kil... err.. retired. :)

      --
      -"...bad old ideas look confusingly fresh when they are packaged as technology" - Jaron Lanier (Digital Maoism on Edge.o
    2. Re:Did you have to be under 15 to vote? by Dogtanian · · Score: 3, Informative

      I noticed that The Blade Runner is conspicuously missing.

      If they were rating the overall DVD package, and not just the film on its own merits, then damn right it shouldn't be in there.

      The current transfer (at least the one available in the UK) is quite dark, and the quality is nothing special. If I remember correctly (and I haven't bought it, because I reckon they'll bring out a better transfer/set), it includes next-to-no extras.

      --
      "Slashdot - News and Chat Sites Deviant". (Click "homepage" link above for details).
  5. What a joke by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    31. Daredevil
    22. Pearl Harbor

    Q.E.D.

    1. Re:What a joke by soliptic · · Score: 4, Interesting
      Agreed, and worse still is Memento at 32!

      I mean what are DVDs if not about films with replay value?

      What is Memento if not the first well-known movie in years to literally require at least two viewings!?

    2. Re:What a joke by wfmcwalter · · Score: 3, Insightful
      What is Memento if not the first well-known movie in years to literally require at least two viewings!?

      Indeed, it really does require that second viewing. But once you've truly figured out what's going on, and the forward-backward conceit, the third viewing is downright dull. With the tension and ambiguity resolved, Memento turns into a movie with negligible plot and incredibly flat characters. I loved it the first time though, but it has no long term watchability.

      Fight Club, on the other hand, is confusing and clever in the same way Memento is, but has far more staying power; there are so many little clues and corners and brilliant lines that it's still entertaining and fresh after a dozen watchings.

      --
      ## W.Finlay McWalter ## http://www.mcwalter.org ##
  6. Goonies? by smallfeet · · Score: 3, Interesting
    I sorry, but who put this list together? Goonies is number 20? That is just wrong. This list is obviously a joke list.

    I get jokes

    1. Re:Goonies? by DeadMeat+(TM) · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Not to mention the notable omission of the Criterion Collection version of Brazil. It's hard to take any "Top DVDs" list seriously that doesn't acknowledge the grand-daddy of all over-the-top multi-disc sets.

  7. Where's the pr0n? by redonion · · Score: 5, Funny

    It did not make the top 50? Not even one video?

  8. Based on what? by stratjakt · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Sales, I imagine.

    Which makes me wonder, who really cares? What purpose do articles like this serve?

    It's like lists like these exist so that people with nothing rewarding in their lives can read it and go "oh! I've seen, or own, most of those movies! Phew, I can relax! I'm normal like everyone else!"

    Meh

    --
    I don't need no instructions to know how to rock!!!!
  9. This guy is retarded! by bigbabich · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I wasn't going to say anything when I saw Beauty and the Beast AHEAD of the Godfather...but when I saw DAREDEVIL ahead of the royal Tannenbaums (and with a #31) I have to cast my vote for this guy getting the lobotomy of the year award. What a dumbass.

  10. Top 50 DVD List by NYCVidit · · Score: 5, Informative

    From my understanding they rate THE DVDS not THE MOVIES. So they based it on stuff like picture and sound quality, commentary value, menus, features, and packaging. The suckiest movie in the world (Pearl Harbor) can still make an impressive DVD for audio/video buffs and those interested in filmmaking (features)

  11. How incredibly convenient! by cbrichar · · Score: 3, Funny
    Incredibly helpful that we're also given a one-sentence catch-phrase for each of the movies, explaining in detail why each deserves to be in the list.

    "HellBoy - eh, why not?"

  12. Pirates by flossie · · Score: 4, Funny

    I can't believe that the film about how bad pirates are didn't make it into the list. I see trailers for it on almost every DVD I've ever seen!

    --
    flossie

    Write now. Defend liberty

  13. Star Wars should be higher. by GeorgeMcBay · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Ok, I guess I'm a fan coming out of the woodwork, but really... I know it is fashionable to be anti-Star Wars these days, but the original trilogy still kicks all kinds of ass, and the transfer, sound and extras on the original trilogy collection are all top notch.

    I'm not saying it should be #1, but seriously, it should NOT be behind Dawn of the Dead, Men in Black or Ghostbusters. Some of the others are debatable, but I don't think those are. I like all of those movies, and own 2 of the 3 on DVD, but cmon.

  14. Bias schmias. by Scoopus · · Score: 3, Insightful

    It's obvious the list has a bias... it's a list! It's the site's editorial call. The thing about the list is it's obviously not based on the movie, but on the quality of the extras, transfer, packaging, etc. Sure, there are some discs I disagree with, but for the most part, this seems like a collector's wet dream to me... even if it means owning Pearl Harbor.

  15. Top 5 DVDs in my collection by aardwolf204 · · Score: 4, Funny

    The Top 5 DVDs in my collection are:

    1. Ritek
    2. Memorex
    3. Imation
    4. Taiyo Yuden
    5. Verbatim

    Of course, you'll need a good Sharpie or equivelent and a copy of DVD Shrink

    BTW: Special 100 pack of DVD-R's at newegg... See, both funny and informative.

    --
    Im dreaming ofa big bndwdth, That can resist the /.crowd.May ur days b merry & bright & may al
  16. Ultimate Fanboy Fighting League by STrinity · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Sorry, but the Star Wars and Indiana Jones sets don't deserve to be on that list. Don't get me wrong, I love both trilogies, but the DVDs are completely underwhelming. Apart from Irving Kershner on Empire, the commentaries are complete snooze-fests, and the docus in those sets were edited by people who think Bill Moyer specials are the epitome of entertaining documentaries. I'd actually rate the THX-1138 DVD above the Star Wars set -- at least there, Lucas offered an honest appraisal of his career, and actually seemed to enjoy talking about his work.

    --
    Les Miserables Volume 1 now up with my reading of
  17. The IMDB? by bfizzle · · Score: 4, Informative

    What is wrong with the IMDB Top 250 movies?

    1. Re:The IMDB? by Geoffreyerffoeg · · Score: 3, Informative

      That's the top 250 movies.

      These are the top 50 DVDs.

      The difference is important, and the whole point of the review.

  18. i wnat tr0n!! by Dogtanian · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Tron was an interesting selection from the 'complete DVD' point of view. The 20th Anniversary set (*not* 25th; it came out in 1982) had some interesting stuff from it; notably, it provided insight into why the film was technically brilliant for the time, but horribly lacklustre when it came to the story and characters.

    Basically, the actors didn't really "get" the concept. As they said on the DVD, this was almost 20 years before 'The Matrix', computers were new and mysterious to most people, and... they just didn't get it. You can see that they tried, but the characters just never come to life in the way that they should. Some of that is down to the wooden dialogue, but the inability of the leads to place themselves in that situation, reliant on "kludge" explanations (of the nature of the characters and their origins) for technophobes, is in my opinion, probably to blame just as much.

    The other problem that came to light when viewing the DVD was that the film was *so* technically demanding, they didn't have the same freedom to rework and rearrange the material that a more conventional film might have.

    Enough negatives; it's when watching the documentary (which was well worthwhile, despite excessive reliance on "talking heads" and little behind-the-scenes footage), that it becomes apparent how technically brilliant Tron was. Not so much as an innovative CGI movie (which, of course, it is), but for its original and demanding use of multilayered, back-lit animation. And here's the question; are the computer scenes in Tron live-action, or animation?

    I'd still say live-action, but if you watch the documentary, and see how they had to filter, matte, break down, retouch and merge these basic live-action scenes to produce the fantasy world that they ended up with, you'll understand why I asked the question.

    One thing stuck with me from that documentary; they said that Tron was the first, and likely to be the last film that was produced in that manner.

    As a complete film, Tron may be sorely flawed, but it's for the reasons given above that it should be in every geek's DVD collection.

    --
    "Slashdot - News and Chat Sites Deviant". (Click "homepage" link above for details).
  19. Re:the list by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Informative
    UGO's Top 50 DVDs

    #50. Monsters, Inc.
    #49. The Godfather Collection
    #48. Beauty and the Beast
    #47. The Shawshank Redemption
    #46. The Fifth Element
    #45. Saving Private Ryan
    #44. Field Of Dreams
    #43. Jackie Brown
    #42. 12 Monkeys
    #41. The Killer
    #40. Dark City
    #39. Hellboy
    #38. THX 1138
    #37. Black Hawk Down
    #36. Gladiator
    #35. The Sixth Sense
    #34. Superman: The Movie
    #33. The Royal Tenenbaums
    #32. Memento
    #31. Daredevil
    #30. X2: X-Men United
    #29. Rushmore
    #28. Boogie Nights
    #27. Blade II
    #26. Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace
    #25. Almost Famous
    #24. Back to the Future
    #23. Close Encounters of the Third Kind
    #22. Pearl Harbor
    #21. Tron
    #20. The Goonies
    #19. Indiana Jones
    #18. The Mummy
    #17. Se7en
    #16. Stargate
    #15. Clerks X
    #14. Akira
    #13. Escape from New York
    #12. Star Trek Movies
    #11. Star Wars Trilogy
    #10. Ghostbusters
    #9. Dawn of the Dead
    #8. Men In Black
    #7. Fight Club
    #6. Terminator 2
    #5. E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial
    #4. The Evil Dead
    #3. Ultimate Matrix
    #2. Alien Quadrilogy
    #1. The Lord of the Rings

    Best Music DVDs
    #5. Saturday Night Live
    #4. The Who - The Kids Are Alright
    #3. The Last Waltz
    #2. Led Zeppelin
    #1. The Complete Monterey Pop Festival

    Best TV DVDs
    #5. The Office
    #4. Mr. Show
    #3. Band of Brothers
    #2. The Simpsons & Futurama
    #1. Freaks & Geeks

    -Ignore attempt to keep Slashdot from bitching about formatting- Garbage follows.


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  20. Not hard to figure out why LoTR is #1. by MtViewGuy · · Score: 4, Informative

    The Extended Edition DVD sets of all three Lord of the Rings movies pretty much has completely redefined the new standard of excellence and completeness for DVD's.

    Look at what you get in the Extended Edition LoTR releases:

    1. Longer versions of the film, which often help with improving the continuity of the movie.

    2. Dolby Digital 5.1 EX AND DTS-ES 6.1 soundtracks.

    3. Four audio commentary tracks, something that has never been done before (to my knowledge).

    4. Supplementary discs with so much useful information it would take days to view them all.

    In short, the LoTR EE releases probably are the best examples of fully taking advantage of the DVD format.

  21. Pearl Harbor by Detritus · · Score: 4, Insightful
    I can't believe Pearl Harbor made their list. What a POS.

    For less money, you can get a DVD version of Tora! Tora! Tora!, a far superior movie, and they did a great job of restoring the film and mastering the DVD.

    --
    Mea navis aericumbens anguillis abundat
  22. What do you base that on? Dolby Digital Mono baby! by xtermin8 · · Score: 3, Informative

    Why are you spreading FUD about Citizen Kane? Available subtitles: English, Spanish, French, Portuguese # Available Audio Tracks: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono) # Commentary by Orson Welles biographer Peter Bogdanovich # Commentary by Roger Ebert # Disc 1: # Feature Film # 1941 Movie Premiere Newsreel # Gallery of storyboards, rare photos, alternate ad campaign, studio and personal correspondence, call sheets and other memorabilia # Disc 2: # Two-Hour Documentary: The Battle Over Citizen Kane, details the power struggle between Orson Welles and William Randolph Hearst # Number of discs: 2