The proud. The few. No, not the Marines. This is something MUCH more important—the MUST HAVE DVD boxed set super duper razzle dazzle special spectacular editions of movies and TV shows that make perfect holiday gifts. Here are just FIVE boxed sets out of the plethora on the market that have finally been given the Cadillac treatment:
TITANIC
If ever a movie cried out for a 'Special Edition,' it was director James Cameron's mega monster multi hit from 1997 Titanic. Paramount Home Video has finally complied with this handsomely packaged three-disc set. There have been complaints that the film ( presented in wide screen, of course ) has been sullied by being spread out over two discs, forcing lazy-ass couch potatoes without multi-disc players ( read: all but the most fanatical ) to get up and change the disc. I had the reverse response. I was happy to have the enforced break to answer the call of nature and stock up on more junk from my own personal snack bar. That's the beauty of watching a movie at home on DVD, right?
Onto disc three and all those extra goodies. This is naturally where I started out once I got the package open. Eight years of waiting for deleted scenes ( 29 in all ) is a long time. I started out watching them with Cameron's optional commentary but soon jettisoned that—having seen the film many times before, I wanted the 'pure' experience. It's obvious why many of the scenes were cut ( especially the Rose 'breakdown' stuff early on ) , but even at the film's epic length it could have used a few of these snippets ( like the one with Captain Smith being ignored when ordering the half-empty lifeboat that Kathy Bates is in to come back for more passengers, for example ) . The alternate ending is interesting but happily wasn't used. The rest of the set is rounded out by the exhaustive 'making-of' featurettes that are packed to the smokestacks with lots of useless but kinda fun information. And naturally Ms. Dion's video is included.
I was happy to set sail with Jack and Rose once again—and recall the time period ( reflected by the now-quaint digital effects ) and all the Titanic madness of 1997.
THE WIZARD OF OZ
The main reason I thought I wanted Warners Bros. home version of The Wizard of Oz was for Warners' ultra-resolution process applied to the film. True to other MGM classics that have received this treatment ( Meet Me In St. Louis, Gone with the Wind, etc. ) , the results are breathtaking. The ruby slippers were never this ruby red, Glinda's pink taffeta never sparkled quite so brightly, and one definitely needs a pair of sunglasses to look at that yellow brick road for any length of time.
But it took me a couple of days to get BEYOND the packaging of the three-disc set! Here—at last for Oz fanatics ( and I'm a big one ) were reproductions of the movie's 1939 premiere ticket and booklet at Grauman's Chinese, as well as other memorabilia including an MGM employee newsletter about the film. Lots of fun material.
After digesting that, it was time to sit through the film ( still my all-time favorite ) once and then once again ( this time with Garland historian John Fricke's encyclopedic commentary for the Oz neophytes ) . Honestly, I've seen the movie more than a hundred times and it never fails to thrill. I thought the movie's original DVD release had tapped out all the possible special features ( and they're all here ) , but a new documentary unearths even MORE Oz trivia and footage of various festivals, etc. I also loved the inclusion of the early silent versions which I'd never seen. Fascinating, entertaining stuff. This one gets the highest recommendation.
SCTV VOLUME 4
I keep shouting for joy with each subsequent Shout! Factory release of my all-time favorite television program, the comedy sketch show SCTV. Now, with SCTV Volume 4 we've reached the point in the series where Martin Short came in to try and replace the irreplaceable Catherine O'Hara, Dave Thomas, and Rick Moranis. Short introduced characters Ed Grimley, Jackie Rogers Jr. and Troy Soren—for starters—and did his memorable best. The writing ( especially the 'Melonvote' episode ) was tighter and Andrea Martin is never short of fabulous. This set also includes the hilarious 'Towering Inferno' parody and a lot of guest star turns ( including Robin Williams ) . This was when the series was still 90 minutes and running on NBC. There are the usual assortment of extras and Shout! Factory has learned that detailed episode guides are essential in the packaging. If one is to convince skeptics ( and there are actually a couple out there ) of this, it's important to be able to jump IMMEDIATELY to the sketch in question. A nice assortment of Memory Lane commentaries and supplements round out this gotta-have-right-now essential viewing DVD set!
BARBRA STREISAND:
THE TELEVISION SPECIALS
Rhino Home Video is going to make a lot of show-tune and diva queens ( myself included ) happy with the release AT LONG LAST of Barbra Streisand: The Television Specials. This five-disc set includes just that. In the initial and multi-Emmy Award winning 'My Name Is Barbra' ( 1965 ) and 'Color Me Barbra,' ( 1966 ) specials, it's just Babs alone in three carefully planned sequences that still dazzle. 'A Happening In Central Park,' ( 1968 ) was still Barbra alone—with 300,000 fans, performing on a humid New York night taking a break from filming Funny Girl. These have been available in VHS versions released in the '80s ( and the original Streisand introductions have been kept ) . The real news ( other than having all of these on DVD ) is the debut of 'The Belle of 14th Street' ( 1967 ) , the infamous 'flop' Streisand special that recreates a 1920s music hall and features guest stars including Jason Robards, Jr. Based on the evidence, the carping by critics at the time was unfair—it's a very creative, colorful special in which Barbra is funny and in great voice.
The other unreleased special, 'Barbra Streisand and Other Musical Instruments' ( 1973 ) is more problematic but has its share of glorious moments. Babs duets with Ray Charles and performs a sublime version of 'I Never Has Seen Snow.' None of the discs has extras, but a handsome booklet is included and the set is beautifully packaged—naturally, as Streisand herself is credited with art direction.
BATMAN: THE MOTION PICTURE ANTHOLOGY
Last but far from least in this edition of MUST HAVE DVD boxed sets is Warners overdue special edition releases of the Batman films, 1989-1997. The awkwardly titled Batman: The Motion Picture Anthology 1989-1997 set includes the two initial Tim Burton entries: Batman, Batman Returns, and Joel Schumacher's latter two, Batman Forever and Batman & Robin. The latter two, in which Chris O'Donnell steps into the role of Robin, the 'Boy Wonder,' adds a distinct gay subtext between Batman and Robin to the proceedings. But even without all the covert gay and lesbian material in the four films ( Catwoman and Poison Ivy are nothing if not confused about their relationship with men ) , these are great fun.
I'm not as big a fan of Tim Burton's Batman ( and yes, Jack Nicholson desperately over shadows Michael Keaton ) , but I DO love his follow-up, Batman Returns, with Michelle Pfeiffer as the alternately sexy Catwoman and the mousy Selena Kyle. Chris Walken is at his droll best as Max Schreck ( an in-joke—the character was named for the actor who played the title role in the silent version of Nosferatu ) . Danny DeVito is great as the Penguin and small but memorable support is given by Jan Hooks, Paul Reubens, and Michael Murphy. This is also the most beautiful film in the series—and that's saying something.
The openly gay Schumacher took over with Val Kilmer stepping into the title role ( thus the BIG gay subtext between he and O'Donnell ) for Batman Forever, the least successful entry in the series. Perhaps because Jim Carrey and Tommy Lee Jones as the Riddler and Two-Face are over-the-top annoying ( it's Jones' worst performance ) .
I seem to be the only person in existence who actually LIKED Batman & Robin, with Schumacher again at the helm. Uma Thurman as the delectable Poison Ivy with her poisoned lips and Arnold Schwarzenegger as a scenery-chewing Mr. Freeze were terrific, comic book villains. And Alicia Silverstone is an enthusiastic Bat Girl. I also think George Clooney was hands down the best Batman of all and he handles the role with an easy authority. Schumacher also made the film that most successfully resembles a comic book—a huge complaint at the time—what with all the excessive, not-to-be-believed action sequences—but these set the course for what has followed in the action genre ( X-Men anyone? )
Each of the films are packaged in nice two-disc editions with copious extras ( and each contains plenty of Dark Knight stuff for the comic book fans ) . Lots and lots of fun.
