Topic: Your Favourite DVD Packages

[Najemikon]

Which DVD releases do you think are amongst the best? The ones with the highest value, regardless of content.

I'm particularly impressed with my Universal Monsters Boxset, the LotR extended editions and the Warner titles that include "Night at the Movies" extras (trailers, newsreels and cartoons, intended to be played with the main feature like old fashioned cinema). And I love my Looney Toons boxsets.

My inspiration for this thread came from my latest Ebay purchase, The Charlie Chaplin Collection. 10 films and a documentary over 18 discs, every one including shorts and interviews. It is nothing short of magnificent, especially when you consider the price. It's currently £140 at HMV and I got it from Ebay for £25 and it is near mint condition. It's hardly been touched. Real Ebay confidence builder!

Some DVDs just stand out for the work that's been put into them, so give them a mention here. 

[DJ Doena]

I do like special casings but I have to like the movie(s), too. I'd never buy a DVD for the casing.

Steel cases have become somewhat mundane and therfore I don't feel the urge to buy the steel book instead of a normal amaray, especially because I'm not to keen on bonus material.

My favourite packages are the LOTR CE, because of the minitures, I, Robot because of the head and my latest aquisition the UK Xena Box.

One thing I bought was the Babylon 5 box, even when I already got all seasons. The reason is that Warner Germany invited me and some others to discuss possible layouts for this box. It was a great evening and we had fantastic ideas but unfortunately most of them were way to expensive to produce. (We had an idea about the Babylon 5 station as model where you could have taken off the upper half along the axis and the DVDs would have bin vertically in the stations core). So I bought the box for sentimental reasons.

[Najemikon]

That's a nice reason to have it.

I struggle to find time to watch extras, so I particularly enjoy DVDs where the extras sort of flow, like the Warner releases that are presented as they were originally.

[SailorRipley]

As hard as I try not to judge a book (DVD) by its cover or package, sometimes they win me over.

Creative packaging is always great but seldom seen. I love my stupid Saw case with the fake blood and the little saw floating around; ditto for the Evil Dead 2 Book of the Dead release (press the eye and it screams!). The LOTR extended editions are great examples of something done with care & respect for the product.

To those I would add the Showgirls VIP edition (yeah, trashy but way cool), the Reservoir Dogs 15th Anniversary (it's a badass gasoline can) and the Alien & Predator Head Collector's Gift Boxes.

I've always been tempted to get the monkey head Planet of the Apes box, but I'm not sure if I want an ugly ape looking at me when I watch my DVD's at night. 

[Touti]

Being in North America, I don't have access to many special packages, distributors here don't seem to get it yet.  The "best one" in my collection is definitely the chimpanzee head of my "Planet of the Apes: The Ultimate DVD Collection".

[Achim]

I somewhat like those tin boxes, which basically just contain regular packaging. Like DJ, I'd never buy it just for the sake of the packaging, of course. I have Evil Dead II (disc is in a CD Keep Case ) Superman Ultimate Edition and Forbidden Planet.

As for Collector's Set, I own the Kong Kong 2005 one, with the little statue. I had to get it, because I already owned the Special Edition but wanted the additional Special features, so getting the Gift Set made me feel I was getting a better deal, rather than just double-dipping on the regular release. The Production Diaries had an interesting packaging too.

Another special item I own is The Incredibles, purchased at 7-11 here in Taiwan. For pre-ordered discs they added a little Dash doll (can be seen in the EPG/Info section in my phpddprofiler). He is usually sitting on the sofa watching DVDs with me.


I absolutely dreaded the Simpson 6 Homer head; actually made me stop collecting them. Was also unhappz with the R2 Frighteners release, the discs were stacked on overlong Keep case spindle!

[Touti]

...the discs were stacked on overlong Keep case spindle!

That's pretty stupid, I would have returned it.

[Kathy]

Real Ebay confidence builder!

A group of us developed a "movie therapy" program for a couple of hospitals and nursing homes. In order to get more movies we buy them used on ebay making sure the items are described as mint or new. Maybe we were lucky but out of several hundred orders we only had a problem once! We are careful that the sellers have a good reputation and are not new at selling. Have you had problems with ebay?

As far as the topic is concerned - I'm like most of you. I had to get Saw - irresistible (if you can say that about a bloody tool!)

I love my LOTR CE set - Once a year I read the book and then watch the movies.

I can't think of any other "special ones" except for ALL of them!

[Najemikon]

A group of us developed a "movie therapy" program for a couple of hospitals and nursing homes. In order to get more movies we buy them used on ebay making sure the items are described as mint or new. Maybe we were lucky but out of several hundred orders we only had a problem once! We are careful that the sellers have a good reputation and are not new at selling. Have you had problems with ebay?

I've bought quite a few now and have no problem doing so. I've had one failure, but in retrospect I missed warning signs. It's actually very easy to pick out the pirates. What's harder to spot are the stupids! I bought Anatomy of Murder (James Stewart) and it was a bargain price. I had to replace the case when it arrived though because the numpty sent it in an envelope! 

I hear a lot of people have a go at Ebay and how untrustworthy it is and it annoys me because I'm one of those sellers, painted with the same brush as everyone else. My feedback is 100% 307 and about half that is selling.

[m.cellophane]

The only figure I have is Robby the Robot that came with Forbidden Planet. Some of my favorites would be the Astaire & Rogers Ultimate Collection (CD, lobby cards) and Short Cuts (booklet of short stories on which the film is based).