In today’s world, digital entertainment has taken a large step towards online streaming. We have various digital platforms such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, Vudu, and other platforms. It only makes sense as broadband internet has become very widespread across the world. Some movies and some shows are only available online. While I can definitely understand that’s where the tech is going, it’s also important to remember where all this comes from. 40-50 years ago, the only way that most people could see a movie was to actually go to the movie theater, other-wise they would have to watch it on TV. Not many people had access to equipment that could record shows and movies. In fact, home video wouldn’t become a thing until the mid-70s when Betamax and VHS were introduced. During the 80s and early 90s, nearly every household in the United States had a VCR in their living room. In the late 90s, home video would take another huge leap in the digital realm with the advent of Digital Video Discs, or DVDs for short. I was the first in my family to adopt the new technology with a huge-ass DVD player, but the difference in video and sound quality was night-and-day. This is also when home theater set-ups would start emerging. DVD ruled the market until companies Toshiba and Sony would create competing high-definition formats HD-DVD and Blu-Ray. Ultimately Blu-Ray won out in the end and has since become the standard for high-definition media for movies. While Blu-Rays are still on the market and probably will be for some time, people are moving away from digital media and going to streaming services. It’s more convenient and often cheaper than going out and buying a hard-copy of a movie. I’ll still do it because I’m a collector. For this post, I’m going to go over some of the best DVD and Blu-Ray collector’s sets. Be aware that these are the ones that I own. Another thing is that it’s not necessarily how many movies are in the set, but the quality of the set itself. Sometimes, it’s just a single film. Let’s get started shall we?
Army of Darkness 3-Disc Set from Scream Factory
Army of Darkness, being the third entry in the Evil Dead film series, is probably the silliest film of the bunch, but it embraces that B-movie schlock with gusto and it was one of the most entertaining movies I’ve ever seen. This set from Scream Factory gives us the film on Blu-Ray with not one, not two, not three, but FOUR different versions of the film. The first version is the theatrical version released in 1992. The second is the director’s cut which was released in 2001, while an international cut was released about the same time as the US theatrical version. But the version that surprised me the most at its inclusion is the television cut. It’s censored the big swear-words by switching them out with something more family-friendly. It’s displayed in the 4:3 aspect ratio and the video quality is garbage, but it’s such a unique inclusion that I wish more DVD/Blu-Ray editions would include something like that. There’s also a new feature-length documentary featuring many of the film’s principle cast including Bruce Campbell, Ted Raimi, Marcus Gilbert, Bill Mosely and more. It’s a pretty extensive set for a movie that has since become a cult classic. If you are a fan of Army of Darkness and an avid film collector, this is a must-own.
Alien Quadrilogy/Alien Anthology
The Alien films have been among my favorite science fiction films of all time. The first two films in the series are genuine classics as far as I’m concerned. Ridley Scott’s Alien is the real deal when it comes to science fiction/horror hybrids. It’s incredibly well-made and terrifying. James Cameron’s follow-up is no less amazing, even though the film goes in a different direction. Alien 3 and Alien Resurrection are often disregarded as the worst in the franchise, but I don’t necessarily agree with that. Yeah, they’ve definitely got problems, but they’re entertaining in their own right. What can’t be disputed however, is the treatment that the first four films have gotten on DVD and Blu-Ray. First with the Quadrilogy set in 2003 and the Blu-Ray Anthology released in 2011. Each film comes with two different versions on their own disc. Each film has an extensive documentary detailing the making of the film from pre to post-production as well as audience reception. There’s a lot more to describe than I can say in a short paragraph, but suffice to say, the Alien Anthology is worth every single penny, regardless of how you may feel about the last two movies in the set.
The Lord of the Rings: Extended Editions
The Lord of the Rings trilogy is among the greatest trilogies ever made. Peter Jackson did the impossible when he crafted such an incredibly epic and powerful fantasy film series. 6 months after each film was released, and extended version of the film was released on DVD. Each film had anywhere from 30 minutes up to nearly an hour of additional footage put into the film, expanding on an already enormous universe. While I personally prefer the theatrical versions of the films, there is no doubt in my mind that these special extended editions are incredibly well-made. Over 26 hours of content spread across multiple discs was an achievement unlike any other. While the extended versions of the films are available on Blu-Ray, I actually like the individual film sets a bit better, because each film has 4 discs encased in a book-like case. Like the Alien Anthology, the Lord of the Rings Trilogy Extended Edition is easily one of the most comprehensive sets ever released.
Hellraiser: Scarlet Box Limited Edition
As a huge fan of horror, Hellraiser is among my favorite franchises in the genre. While it has seen its ups and downs of the past 30 or so years, the impact that the original Clive Barker film had is inescapable. Featuring one of the most iconic villains in cinema history, Pinhead has become an icon. For most people, Hellraiser doesn’t extend beyond the first two or three movies. I certainly understand why, the quality of the films after the third one have gone steadily gone downhill. But for those of us still enjoy the first three films, this collector’s set is an absolute most. Released by Arrow Video, The Scarlet Box is easily the most definitive versions of the first three films. Each film comes with its own mini case and has an additional disc detailing the effects that Clive Barker had on the genre, both in print and on film. Not only that, the set also comes with a 200 page hardbook detailing writings by Clive Barker as well as a 20 page book featuring concept art that hasn’t been previously released. Each film has some pretty extensive special features as well, with each film including interviews with principle cast members like Doug Bradley and Ashley Laurence. This is a set that belongs on the shelf of EVERY fan of horror and Hellraiser.
The James Bond Collector’s Set
While the other sets that I mentioned are nothing short of amazing in their quality, when it comes to quantity, look no further than the James Bond 50th Anniversary Collection. Holy shit. This sucker is massive. Released in 2012, the set included every single official 007 film, which came to a total of 22 at the time. The set even included a special empty spot for Bond’s 23 outing, Skyfall. Every Bond film from every era(again, at the time) is included here, with the exception of Never Say Never Again, which was an unofficial James Bond film, and the original Casino Royale from 1967. In 2012, this was the most complete collection for James Bond fanatics around the world. To be fair, some of the movies in the set aren’t that great. I actually hate Moonraker with a passion, but it’s inclusion is still warranted. If you have a favorite 007 film, it’s here, and each film has a bevy of special features. This is an absolutely wonderful addition to any film buff’s collection.
James Cameron’s Avatar Collector’s Edition
When it comes to pushing technology in movies, nobody does it quite like James Cameron. Whether it was The Terminator, The Abyss, or Titanic, Cameron always had a vision for each film that he made. His 2009 release of Avatar was the culmination of 15 years of work that came to life in 2009. It was a visually spectacular film with a message that was pretty heavy-handed, but it was such an experience that I couldn’t wait to see it again. The initial Blu-Ray release was a massive disappointment. It had no special features of any kind aside from the films themselves. It was about November of 2010 that audiences would get a serious release of the film in a collector’s edition. It was worth the wait. The Collector’s set included not one but three different versions of the film, with the 3-hour extended cut being the most anticipated, because it came with a very different opening sequence. As with a James Cameron extended film, most of the editions tended to be more character focused and helped flesh out the world of Pandora a little bit more. With extensive behind-the-scenes footage as well as the entire marketing campaign for the film, it all came together in an attractive little package that opened up like a book.
These aren’t the only collector’s sets I have, but these are the ones that really stand out in terms of content and quality. Some of them are upwards of a 100 bucks or your regional equivalent, but I assure you, they are worth the entry fee. People these days are saying that digital media formats like Blu-Ray are on their way out. Eventually, maybe. But right now, not so much. These sets that I mentioned are some of the main reasons why I collect movies. There are advantages to streaming films and hard formats like DVD and Blu-Ray. I think both complement each other very well. I don’t formats like Blu-Ray are going away any time soon, but I could be wrong. Regardless, these are some of the best collector’s sets available.