Topic: What are the "must have this" for you to buy.

[RossRoy]

I treasure good featurettes... like the Lord of the Rings stuff).

Also Laurent Bouzerau (or whatever he's spelled) comes to mind, too.

One featurette that comes to mind that I liked is the one for Irreversible (french movie with Monica Belluci and Vincent Cassell) where they show how they did the head bashing scene.

The effect I so well done, before I actually watched the extras, I was still unsure whether they had actually really bashed someone's head in! 

But when I saw the featurette about it, and it is exactly how special effects should be done these days. Mix the different techniques, there was makeup, prosthetics, fake head, CGI, real fire extinguisher, fake one, special lighting. And it all came together masterfully! 

Now THAT was an interesting featurette. The LotR stuff is great too.. probably a bit too exhaustive though  (I didn't watch it all)

[addicted2dvd]

I am also terrible at buying the 2 disc special editions and not watching many of the extras... but I have to have it... just knowing it is there to watch if I ever do want to. 

[Achim]

I am also always going for 2-disc if available. Fairly good at watching the 2nd disc in the next few days after watching the film. I used to even listen to every Audio Commentary, but have somewhat stayed away from that (they are less enlightening after a while); only some still get listened to (David Cronenberg for one...)

[m.cellophane]

I almost always buy the 2-disc or whatever the best is. I usually watch all that's there. I love commentaries and have found that I can rip them to an audio file and toss them onto my iPod for the drive to work.

One thing that bugs me are the DVDs that are downgraded yet keep the same UPC. This creates problems because then you don't know what you're getting online. I've purchased based on a widescreen/full screen listing only to receive a full screen release.

I recently could not find the 2-sided Thelma & Louise which had storyboards on the 2nd side. I hunted down and paid full retail price for Sweet and Lowdown when I found a WS/FS copy after it was downgraded to FS only. I got a great break this week when I stumbled on a $6.99 sale at Circuit City and found a WS/FS copy of Peggy Sue Got Married. They had 4 copies of the downgraded FS-only version and 1 copy of the WS/FS original!

[Touti]

I can rip them to an audio file and toss them onto my iPod for the drive to work.

What a smart idea, I never thought of that.  Thanks, now that MP3 player input in my truck's stereo system can be put to good use.

[Buefox75]

Like everyone else so far, I have to have the original aspect ratio. I prefer widescreen but with older tv series (say, Addams Family) I'll take full. And I'll accept fullscreen if that's the only way I'll ever get my hands on a film.

But I do look for a couple of other things: outtakes (love 'em), theatrical trailer (I like to see how the film was hyped, that way I can bitch if it's overhyped), original language track & subtitles (I hate dubbed films).

I've been known to really dig certain kinds of featurettes, too. I don't remember which film it was, but Bob Anderson did the sword choreography. I watched the featurette about that several times, with an sabre foil, trying to replicate the fights. Drove my roommates crazy.

[Kathy]

I don't remember which film it was, but Bob Anderson did the sword choreography. I watched the featurette about that several times, with an sabre foil, trying to replicate the fights. Drove my roommates crazy.

It might have been The Lord of the Rings.

[Buefox75]

I don't remember which film it was, but Bob Anderson did the sword choreography. I watched the featurette about that several times, with an sabre foil, trying to replicate the fights. Drove my roommates crazy.

It might have been The Lord of the Rings.

No, it was pre-LOTR. May have been The Mask of Zorro.

[Mole]

Original aspect ratio. definately widescreen if there's a choice

Original language. I can live with subtitles, but I dislike the lip-missync from dubbing

No Cuts.

And I tend to go for the extended versions, and the '2-disc' (or more) editions to get all the extras.

[ninehours]

Saw this http://www.amazon.com/Blade-Runner-Five-Disc-Ultimate-Collectors/dp/B000K15VSA/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/104-6603265-4107952?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1189394744&sr=1-1  and i just had to have it