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DVD Shopping Bag: 300 Collector's Edition
Pythons, Lynchs and Gangsters OH MY! By
Robert T. Trate
November 18, 2008
300 Collector’s Edition(2008).
© Warner Bros. Home Entertainment
Collector’s Editions, box sets and complete series are all the rage during the holiday season. This week there is a Maniac worthy Collector’s Edition to hit the DVD shelf and unfortunately it falls completely flat. 300 (Limited Collectors Edition + Digital Copy) comes with a beautifully detailed DVD jacket/ book that features Frank Miller’s art work, scenes from the film and rough storyboards. It is everything a 300 fan could want, if only it would have come out back in 2007. Two out of the three discs in the set are identical to the special edition that was released back in July of that year. The new disc in this release comes with a digital copy of the film and a single new thirty minute documentary. Now there is a Lucite display with motion film image and great (not really) poster photo cards included as well to sweeten the set. However, the original limited edition Best Buy collector’s set came with a Spartan’s helmet making that set something worth displaying. This Lucite display is about as thrilling as the Jar Jar Binks film cell I got with my Star Wars Episode One The Phantom Menace VHS Collector’s Edition.
Besides the Lucite display, this Collector’s Edition falls flat for three reasons. First there isn’t a Blu-ray edition available. Warner Brothers released one for their Blade Runner Collector’s Edition so why not their 300 edition? An even bigger slap in the face is that the very first thing you see after putting the disc into your player is an advertisement for Blu-ray featuring scenes from 300 (plus the Blu-ray ad which falls out of the set and has 300 listed in the titles available).
With a Collector’s Edition there needs to be something more than a thirty minute documentary and digital copy as “new” special features. What about a new commentary track by Frank Miller or a documentary on how comic book movies have changed since 1989’s Batman? Warner Brothers does have a huge catalog of DC Comic titles, so how about sweetening the deal with some vintage Comic Book movie trailers? Perhaps even a first look at the Watchmen exclusive only to this Edition. Nothing here gets me excited and I certainly don’t want to buy it all over again.
The timing of this Collector’s Edition is the last thing that bothers me. Over a year ago it would have been great. Now with all the other choices and not being on Blu-ray it is a real bore. Snyder and his work deserve better or at least it should have come out when the iron was hot.
Outside of the 300 Collector’s Edition there is another great crop of box sets and complete sets that populate the DVD Shopping Bag. The David Lynch Lime Green Set features some new to DVD releases and the two different Monty Python sets are both perfect gifts for the holidays. Be warned though there is a Blu-ray 20 pack on the list that is possibly the greatest collection of Sci-Fi Channel original type movies ever collected. I supplied a link only so that you can laugh at what someone thought would be a great idea to put on Blu-ray.
The one box set that completely has me mesmerized is Warner Brothers Gangsters Collection Vol. 4. This fourth volume is a great window into another era and Warner Brothers has supplied it with their Warner Night at the Movies Extras. This feature allows the viewer into the past and what a night at the movies used to mean. A musical number, a comedy act, cartoon, a vintage news reel and a trailer prepare you for the film that you are about to watch. You get more than a couple of movies starring Edward G. Robinson and Humphrey Bogart you get a history lesson as well. All those special features put this film aficionado on the lookout for more of these great box sets.
The box sets are listed first this week in the column but at the end of the column I listed four weeks worth of box sets, complete series and special editions in case you may have missed them. This week is also the release of Wall-E (look for our review) and Tropic Thunder. Check out all the different Tropic Thunder releases and look at the Wal-Mart and Best Buy exclusives.
BOX SETS for this week:
Forgotten Noir & Crime Vol. 4 (includes)
-Counterspy Meets Scotland Yard
-Radar Secret Service
-Motor Patrol
-Mr. District Attorney (1941)
-Western Pacific Agent
- ... of Monte Cristo
-Roaring City
-Sky Liner
ERASERHEAD - REMASTERED VERSION and ERASERHEAD SOUNDTRACK
THE SHORT FILMS OF DAVID LYNCH
THE ELEPHANT MAN
DVD DEBUT WILD AT HEART
INDUSTRIAL SYMPHONY No. 1
BLUE VELVET - NEW LYNCH APPROVED 5.1 SOUND MIX
DUMBLAND
MYSTERY DISC - DVD DEBUT, INCLUDES 32 DELETED OR EXTENDED SCENES FROM WILD AT HEART, 40 PAGE COLLECTORS PICTURE BOOK.
Death Note Box Set 1
-Way Down East
-D.W. Griffith: Father of Film
-The Avenging Conscience
-Abraham Lincoln
-The Struggle
-Sally of the Sawdust
Heathers - Limited Edition Box Set
The Complete Monty Pythons Flying Circus - Collectors Edition Megaset
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Monty Python's Life of Brian
Monty Python's the Meaning of Life
Star Trek: The Original Series (Re-mastered) - Three Season Pack
ACTION / ADVENTURE / KUNG FU/ THRILLERS / WESTERNS
Awake [Blu-ray]
BANG
Black Belt
Blue Streak [Blu-ray]
The Eagle Has Landed [Blu-ray]
Executive Koala (DVD Special Edition)
EXPLOITATION CINEMA: Chinese Hercules / Black Dragon
Flash Point [Blu-ray]
Infernal Affairs [Blu-ray]
Invisible Target [Blu-ray]
Island [Blu-ray]
Kiss Me Deadly
Logan's War: Bound by Honor
Lucky Number Slevin [Blu-ray]
The Naked Sword
National Security [Blu-ray]
The President's Man Double Feature
Protege [Blu-ray]
Revolver (2005) [Blu-ray]
The Rug Cop (DVD Special Edition)
Street Revenge
Southland Tales [Blu-ray]
The Texan
The Warrior
ANIME
Bleach 13: The Rescue
Blue Dragon 2
Coyote Ragtime Show: Complete Box Set
Ghost Hunt: Season 1, Part 2
The Girl Who Leapt Through Time
The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (Limited Edition)
Gundam Seed Destiny: TV Movie 3
Gunslinger Girl: Box Set (Viridian Collection 2)
Gurren Lagann, Vol. 1
Haruka: Beyond the Stream of Time - A Tale of the Eight Guardians, Vol. 8
Kitaro [Blu-ray]
Neon Genesis Evangelion, Vol. 2: Platinum Holiday Special
Peach Girl: Box Set (Viridian Collection)
Ramen Fighter Miki: The Complete Collection
Saber Rider & the Star Sheriffs
CARTOONS
Doctor Who: The Infinite Quest
Fairly Odd Parents - Season 6, Vol. 1
Spongebob Squarepants - Season 5, Vol. 2
Wall-E (Widescreen Single-Disc Edition)
-Presto – The Pixar Animation Studios original theatrical short
-Animation Sound Design: Building Worlds from The Sound Up
-Audio Commentary by WALL•E director Andrew Stanton.
-Deleted Scenes, Easter Eggs
Wall-E (Three-Disc Special Edition + Digital Copy)
(All of the above plus)
-Robots – Find out everything about the film’s robot heroes, including hilarious web vignettes -Behind the Scenes – Six exclusive featurettes give fans an insider’s view of the making of WALL•E·
-Buy n Large Shorts – Straight from the BnL archives, five revealing short films provide insight into the inner workings of the company
-The Pixar Story, A Documentary by Leslie Iwerks
-Early WALL•E Development Test
(All of the above plus)
-Cine-Explore – A fascinating viewing option in which filmmakers comment on WALL•E
-Geek Track – An additional commentary full of obscure references
-The Axiom Arcade – A retro suite of video games with a Wall•E twist
-Movie Chat – Communicate with your friends on-screen using any text-enabled device
-Movie Mail – Blu-ray owners will be able to record a personalized video message of themselves
-Movie Challenge
-Disney Movie Rewards Live – WALL•E Blu-ray owners will be able to accumulate reward
COMEDY AND LOVE Mania Style
Cannibal! The Musical: 13th Anniversary Edition
TROPIC THUNDER Unrated Director’s Cut two-disc DVD and
-Filmmaker commentary with Ben Stiller, Justin Theroux, Stuart Cornfeld, Jeff Mann, John Toll and Greg Hayden
-Cast commentary with Ben Stiller, Jack Black and Robert Downey Jr.
-Deleted Scenes
-Water Buffalo Wrestling (HD)
-Extended Sequences
-Alternate Ending (HD)
-MTV Movie Awards—Tropic Thunder
-Video Rehearsals
TROPIC THUNDER single-disc DVD
-Cast commentary with Ben Stiller, Jack Black and Robert Downey Jr.
-Blowing S&*t Up
-The Hot LZ
-The Cast of Tropic Thunder
-Full Mags
-Portnoy Tied to Tree
-Choose a Dude
-Rain of Madness Trailer MTV Movie Awards—Tropic Thunder
TROPIC THUNDER Retail Gimmicks:
Best Buy - Booty Sweat T-Shirt! (ONLY Available on Blu-ray see Image here)
Walmart - Exclusive two-pack: Tropic Thunder Single-disc DVD and "Get Some" music sampler CD - perfect for anytime you're lost in the jungle! See Image here.
6-song CD Sampler with music inspired by the Tropic Thunder soundtrack! Songs include:
~ Name of the Game (The Crystal Method)
~ I Just Want to Celebrate (Mooney Suzuki)
~ Ready Set Go (Ben Gidsjoy)
~ Run Through the Jungle (Creedance Clearwater Revival)
~ U Can't Touch This (MC Hammer)
~ War (Edwin Starr)
Criterion Collection
Fanfan La Tulipe
HORROR
Alone in the Dark [Blu-ray]
Black Christmas [Import] [Blu-ray]
The Devil's Curse
The Happiness of the Katakuris
Splatter Disco
Stanley: Special Edition
The Stendhal Syndrome [Blu-ray]
Tomie Beginning & Tomie Revenge
Ultimate Death Trance (Deluxe Edition)
The Zombie Diaries
SCIENCE FICTION / FANTASY
The World Sinks Except Japan (DVD Special Edition)
TV LAND
Bones - Season 3
Charmed: The Complete Series
Daniel Boone: Season 6
Doctor Who: The Complete Fourth Series
Hawaii Five-O - The Fifth Season
McHale's Navy: Season Four
The Odd Couple - The Final Season
Star Trek: The Original Series - Season 3 Remastered
UNDENIABLE CLASSICS
D.W. Griffith’s The Avenging Conscience
D.W. Griffith’s Abraham Lincoln (1931) / The Struggle (1931)
D.W. Griffith’s Sally Of The Sawdust
D.W. Griffith’s Way Down East (1920)
Most Maniacal BOX SETS and Complete Series this Holiday Season:
Released: 11/11/08
Band of Brothers [Blu-ray]
Firefly: The Complete Series [Blu-ray]
M Squad - The Complete Series starring Lee Marvin - 15 DVD Box Set
Released: 11/04/08
Batman - The Complete Animated Series
A Christmas Story (Ultimate Collector's Edition) [Blu-ray]
The Bourne Trilogy
Fraggle Rock: The Complete Series Collection
Get Smart - The Complete Series Gift Set
Planet of the Apes 40th Anniversary Collection [Blu-ray]
The Wild Wild West: The Complete Series
Released: 10/28/08
The Flintstones: The Complete Series
Essential Holiday Collection (The Polar Express / National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation / Elf / A Christmas Story) [Blu-ray]
Released: 10/21/08
Family Guy - The Complete Collection (Stewie Head Packaging) - (Amazon.com Exclusive)
The Incredible Hulk: The Complete Series
The Man from U.N.C.L.E. - The Complete Series
Warner Gangsters Collection, Vol. 4 (The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse / Invisible Stripes / Kid Galahad / Larceny, Inc. / The Little Giant / Public Enemies: The Golden Age of the Gangster Film)
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That sounds like a huge fail for the 300 Collector's Edition. Why in the world would they not release a Blu-ray version?