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Just bought a 32" TV and a five-disc DVD player this weekend. GO CREDIT!

Anyway, what DVDs should we get? ("Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", "The Matrix" and the original "Star Wars" trilogy are already on the list.)

― Dan Perry, Monday, 10 June 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

Pre-order LOTR DVD with the extra scenes (hooray for Elf presents) and of course BUFFY BOX SETS!! And The Wicker Man!!

― Sarah, Monday, 10 June 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

harry pottxz0r!

― geeta, Monday, 10 June 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

can you get the original star wars trilogy on DVD? cos you can't here (i don't think). yes yes yes LotR with Elf Presents! and the Simpsons and futurama and lots of lovely Buffy... and Withnail and I!

― katie, Monday, 10 June 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

I want to say - Star Trek The Next Generation 1st season boxset but I would be ridiculed by Stevie T for THE REST OF MY LIFE. So, um, yeah The Wicker Man and also the animated LoTR.

― Archel, Monday, 10 June 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

To echo Katie's skepticism -- both the original Star Wars series (and the Indiana Jones movies, for that matter) are not on DVD yet. No release date for either has been set.

The Bakshi-animated LOTR is a bemusing headscratcher, but cheap.

My first DVD was Blade Runner. So wonderful.

― Ned Raggett, Monday, 10 June 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

Asoka (it's a great film!)

Magnolia (but not if you hate Tom Cruise)

Time Code (would probably be just about right on a 32" screen)

Terminator (it's supposed to have loads of extras)

(which reminds me I shoulda asked to borrow my friends Bollywood films whilst he's on holiday, damn!)

― jel --, Monday, 10 June 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

No Star Wars? RIGHT THE FUCKER'S GOING BACK!!!

I should mention we have "Jacob's Ladder" and Tina Turner's farewell concert already. Guess who picked out which. Also, we've already seen "Magnolia" on DVD and it smelled like wee.

― Dan Perry, Monday, 10 June 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

I've heard of extra features for DVD and all, but smell-o-vision?

― Ned Raggett, Monday, 10 June 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

Also, we've already seen "Magnolia" on DVD and it smelled like wee

haha! dan - one day when i have a lot of money, i'll pay you to be a film reviewer just to advance the crucial 'smells like wee' argt in critical thought

― geeta, Monday, 10 June 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

The recent reissues of those early Disney classics and also the Pixar (PiXoR? PixarXOr?) movies on DVD are supposed to be good.

― Jeff W, Monday, 10 June 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

piXZX0Zx0R i think!

― geeta, Monday, 10 June 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

harry = "lotr for dummies"?!?!

r. bakshi lotr = secretly better than p. jackson lotr?!?!??!?!?!

― geeta, Monday, 10 June 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

The downstairs neighbors have "Harry Potter", so we'll be able to see that one for free. We're waiting for all three LOTR films to come out before buying them (because we are mentalists). I'd be all over "The Simpsons", but Joei would stab me. We could both get behind "South Park", though. And "Blade Runner"!!!!

― Dan Perry, Monday, 10 June 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

RE: the Bakshi being better -- no. It is actually more faithful in parts to the book, to its credit, but it suffers from radical telescoping of the plot (compare and contrast -- Jackson takes three hours to cover Fellowship, Bakshi an hour and a half), some incredibly hammy animation (there's no other way to describe it) and poor characterizations (Gandalf has none of his essential kindness and humor outside of the briefest of flashes, Boromir is little more than a blustering braggart, Gimli more world-weary than stolid, etc.). But that's just me. ;-)

The recent reissues of those early Disney classics

Quite good. I've got the color Mickey Mouse comp and need the Silly Symphonies box. But that reminds me, has Warner Bros. put out a good DVD collection of its own treasures?

― Ned Raggett, Monday, 10 June 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

Thing about Blade Runner is that apparently Scott is overseeing one final edit for a deluxe DVD release. So I say wait a bit for that one, I gather it'll be out by the end of the year.

Waiting on LOTR? You have astounding patience.

― Ned Raggett, Monday, 10 June 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

I think DVDs are the 8-track cartridges/betamax of our day. I was saying this about CDs until DVDs came along, of course.

― Martin Skidmore, Monday, 10 June 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

heh i was joking around about bakshi being better ned (or WAS I??!)

but i still haven't worked out why the matrix is supposed to be good. there, i said it. for me the only purpose of the matrix dvd is to test dvd players.

― geeta, Monday, 10 June 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

"The Matrix" is good because of Carrie-Ann Moss and Lawrence Fishburn. Also, Nokia + black leather!!!!!!

― Dan Perry, Monday, 10 June 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

Salo,The Canterbury tAles and DEcameron(sp) are on DVD. Buy Them.

― anthony, Monday, 10 June 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

Oh, I thought so, Geeta -- but I could never be sure! ;-)

Very bold of you to say that about The Matrix -- to Dan's endless annoyance, I have never been tempted to see the film. The prospect of Keanu Reeves, action hero makes me larf.

― Ned Raggett, Monday, 10 June 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

The prospect of Keanu Reeves, action hero makes me larf. So I needn't ask you what you thought of the proposal I heard a few years back for Keanu as Superman. (;^}) Mind you, I also laughed, but to me it made more sense than Nicolas Cage, whose name was also being floated for the part. Re. DVDs: Search: Powerpuff Girls!
Destroy: Diva (according to what I've heard the audio is in mono and carelessly done)

― j.lu, Monday, 10 June 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

Keanu is completely tangential to the movie, though! It's all about layered realities = coolnees! & Morpheus kicks ass! The robots are evil and live off humans! There's a possibly-hermaphrodite character named Switch! Also, the first meeting with Morpheus scans COMPLETELY DIFFERENTLY pon second viewing! All Keanu has to do is stand there and look pretty and get manipulated by all the other characters! HIS BEST ROLE EVAH!

I appear to have used up my exclamation-point quota for the month. Argh.

― Dan Perry, Monday, 10 June 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

All Keanu has to do is stand there and look pretty and get manipulated by all the other characters!

Which he usually does, anyway.....remember that face called "Bram Stoker's Dracula"? Made all vamps despair, and try to stake themselves.

As for DVDs, I know you probably have "Blade I" and "II" on reserve, so get the Terminator series. All Arnie, all kitsch, all the time!

Also, try "Almost Famous" and "Velvet Goldmine". Glam, true, but still fun to watch.

Next pass, I shall dig up some culture for your brain....

― Nichole Graham, Monday, 10 June 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

"Blade", "Terminator" and "Almost Famous"... good calls! Man, if I ever have money again, I will be doing some SERIOUS DVD purchasing.

I am disappointed that Ned hasn't mentioned "Salival". Pout.

― Dan Perry, Monday, 10 June 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

I am disappointed that Ned hasn't mentioned "Salival". Pout.

Good...so I can! It's decadent fun, for a pack of music commercials.

(Truly enough, he'd swung me in Tool's direction, in the first place;>)

― Nichole Graham, Monday, 10 June 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

Man, if I ever have money again, I will be doing some SERIOUS DVD purchasing.

Preach on; I know the feeling!;> Currently, my Library feeds my hunger....as the moths fly out of my pockets. Wonder if London poverty is any different;>?

Congrats on the TV and DVD player, but be careful that mighty finance charges do not bite you in the ass, dear.

― Nichole Graham, Monday, 10 June 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

man they released episodes of Chris Elliot's classic tv show GET A LIFE on dvd!

― chaki, Monday, 10 June 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

The Old Grey Whistle Test.

― PJ Miller, Monday, 10 June 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

A guy at my local market sells off ex-rental DVD's for a fiver a pop, recent purchases which I'd recommend El Mariachi/Desperado two on one disc, Orphans, Out of Sight, Jaws, Vertigo and Men in black, which will give your super duper tv a good work out if nothing else...

Oh and Withnail and I is ace too.

― Billy Dods, Monday, 10 June 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

"ace" in the sense of "rub"

― mark s, Monday, 10 June 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

Cannibal the Musical!

― Nicole, Monday, 10 June 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

Girls Gone Wild!

― nickn, Monday, 10 June 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

Star Wars won't be out until 2005, by that time DVD will be extinct.

― Chris, Monday, 10 June 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

I've just gone and bought a new TV (only 59cm chiz) and DVD player too. This very weekend. Snap etc. I already had the Withnail & I DVD so I got muchos pleasure out of watching that.. plus Harry Potter was indeed v good on DVD. I'm going to buy everything mentioned (well not everything, but Simpsons, Futurama, Powerpuff, Hitchhiker's Guide, Young Ones (released in August!) etc etc I am such a nerd)

― electric sound of jim, Monday, 10 June 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

Don't mention Buffy Box Sets around my g/f, it's nearly christmas and I've run out of cash

― electric sound of jim, Monday, 10 June 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

I am disappointed that Ned hasn't mentioned "Salival". Pout.

FINE FINE. But Nichole saved me the bother. And Nicole mentioned Cannibal, so I can speak up for Orgazmo? Thank you.

Yes, the Young Ones DVD set will be a thing of glory.

Fave DVDs that I currently own -- I have more favorite movies in some cases, but these discs generally have plenty of extras, great transfers and presentation, etc.:

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
Alien
Tron
Casablanca
Citizen Kane
Goldfinger
Rocky Horror
Absolutely Fabulous
MST3K (various episodes)
And All That Could Have Been (NIN concert DVD)
Salival
Repo Man
Buckaroo Banzai
Time Bandits
Seven Samurai
Spinal Tap
Once Upon a Time in China
Fong Sai Yuk
A Night to Remember
The Conversation
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Cleopatra
Brazil
Rings Around the World (Super Furry Animals)
Rock and Roll High School
The Dark Crystal
Labyrinth

...among others. The whole Bond series is a model for major studio presentations of a film cycle -- a number of discs have dual commentaries, there's a massive amount of supplementary material, etc. -- while anything on Criterion is automatically pretty high quality (my copies of Time Bandits, Seven Samurai, Brazil and A Night to Remember are all the Criterion versions).

Right now I'm waiting with bated breath for both versions of Fellowship of the Ring on DVD -- the early previews look amazing, the amount of extra material overwhelming. They should knock the admittedly quite good presentation of Phantom Menace out of the ballpark when it comes to raising expectations (though this might have the salutory effect of bumping up the eventual classic trilogy digital presentations, whatever form they take).

― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 11 June 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

Um, what is the point of a five disc DVD player. Even ignoring the obvious joke that if it only plays five discs then you will get mighty bored real quick, you can only watch one at a time. Though if - like similar 5-disc CD players - it has a random shuffle program it could be fun watching Bruce Willis dress a corpse up as Santa Claus fading into the flashback of Rick and Elsa in Paris fading to the barn raising scene in Seven Brides For Seven Brothers.

(My hint for three DVD's everyone must own if the have to own a DVD playa).

― Pete, Tuesday, 11 June 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

It's so you can watch 5/6 of a Buffy season without having to leave the comfort of yr ultra-recliner w/built in commode facility, durrr.

― RickyT, Tuesday, 11 June 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

orgazmo = stretching the concept of radical subjectivity further than it will go, surely?

― mark s, Tuesday, 11 June 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

Five DVDs to start yr collection:

- 'Cockfighter' ('cos it's got Warren Oates, it's banned in the UK, it's directed by the GRATE Monte Hellman, and it sounds like cockfarmer.)

- 'Suspiria' (made for a big telly)

- 'The Conformitst' (prob. the most beautiful film ever made)

- Any of those fabbo Mario Bava discs that have been issued in the last couple of years - 'Blood and Black Lace', maybe, or 'Bay of Blood'

- 'Mouchette' ('cos Bresson is the greatest)

― Andrew L, Tuesday, 11 June 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

OOoh! Anime! Get OH MY GODDESS!

― Sarah, Tuesday, 11 June 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

As some others have mentioned nearly everything from the Criterion Collection is classic. And they are putting out the dvd for ILE fave (as well as Dr. Vick's) The Royal Tenenbaums pretty soon.

― Nicole, Tuesday, 11 June 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

stretching the concept of radical subjectivity further than it will go, surely?

I larfed nonstop and so did Dr. Ben.

― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 11 June 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

Um, what is the point of a five disc DVD player.

It doubles as a 5 CD player and can play MP3s as well. You could load it up with mp3 mix discs and have enough music for an all-weekend party without ever having to switch CDs.

― Dan Perry, Tuesday, 11 June 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

I don't even like multi-disc cd players, because I would get confused as to what cds were in there and lose track of them all.

― Nicole, Tuesday, 11 June 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

tell you what Dan, you get the Simpsons and then promise Joei that she can have... THE SCORPION KING hahahahahaaaaa!!!

― katie, Tuesday, 11 June 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

ARGH. I wanted to SEE that movie, not OWN it!

I'd buy "The Mummy Returns", though. Is that wrong?

― Dan Perry, Tuesday, 11 June 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

YES!

― RickyT, Tuesday, 11 June 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

Come now, Dan, you know a little Rock in Joei's life can't hurt.

― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 11 June 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

Can someone tell me what the emoticon for "HATEHATEHATEHATEHATEHATEHATEHATE" is again?

― Dan Perry, Tuesday, 11 June 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

yaayy i am a v bad womang!!

― katie, Tuesday, 11 June 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

Hurrah for Katie!

― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 11 June 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

VERY BAD WOMANG I SALUTE YOU.

― Dan Perry, Tuesday, 11 June 2002 00:00 (10 years ago) Permalink

9 years pass...

haha i like that in 2002 DJP was buying a bigger TV than i have in 2011.

anyway i'm wondering if this animal exists: a TV with absolutely no features other than a tuner, and looking great. i don't want a "Smart" TV, i don't want 3D, i don't want DLNA support, i don't want USB ports. i've already got a popcorn hour and a PS3 and between them they take care of pretty much everything. possible?

― TracerHandVEVO (Tracer Hand), Friday, 18 November 2011 11:37 (1 year ago) Permalink

Are you good at electronics? You could ]build one yourself

― StanM, Friday, 18 November 2011 12:55 (1 year ago) Permalink

In the UK? You could just go along to a "recycling centre" and 'literally' pick one up for nothing - it would weigh a lot however. Curry's had an 'Essentials' range of appliances fairly recently - I remember seeing toasters and other small appliances, I think it included TVs.

― Ned Trifle X, Friday, 18 November 2011 13:04 (1 year ago) Permalink

I don't want a shitty TV, I want a TV that tunes in broadcasts and displays them exceptionally well!

― TracerHandVEVO (Tracer Hand), Friday, 18 November 2011 13:06 (1 year ago) Permalink

Oh OK, well, no then...probably.

― Ned Trifle X, Friday, 18 November 2011 13:07 (1 year ago) Permalink

(I did wonder what you meant by looking great...)

― Ned Trifle X, Friday, 18 November 2011 13:07 (1 year ago) Permalink

However thanks for the link to these guys - http://www.nbtv.org/

― TracerHandVEVO (Tracer Hand), Friday, 18 November 2011 13:07 (1 year ago) Permalink

(to StanM)

― TracerHandVEVO (Tracer Hand), Friday, 18 November 2011 13:08 (1 year ago) Permalink

xp Actually the last TV I took down to the recycling centre did have a great picture (and better sound than my new one - do they deliberately soound crappy so you have to buy a home cinema?) but of course it was analogue.

― Ned Trifle X, Friday, 18 November 2011 13:09 (1 year ago) Permalink

The rubbish sound is more because the race to make flatscreen TVs as slim as possible leaves barely any depth in the casing for speakers, certainly not for a decently sized bass speaker. It's frustrating to have to shell out for a separate audio system/soundbar, but if you use the TV a lot then you'll feel the benefit.

Tracer: if you look at commercial grade LCD and plasma screens then these rarely have any of the extra gubbins you refer to, and they are often very well made with high-quality displays (part of my job involves buying this kind of kit). The flipside is that you'll not get speakers or a tuner as standard. To be honest, any decent consumer grade TV will have USB and dnla etc, so you're not really paying over the odds for its inclusion.

― that mustardless plate (Bill A), Friday, 18 November 2011 13:25 (1 year ago) Permalink

hmph yeah my idea is to save money by getting a set that doesn't include this stuff. And going up to "commercial grade" sounds a bit pricey as well.

― TracerHandVEVO (Tracer Hand), Friday, 18 November 2011 13:32 (1 year ago) Permalink

The bits you're mentioning are the cheapest bits on a TV. Removing them wouldn't reduce the cost by much, maybe £20-30. And for the manufacturer, it would make such a TV harder to sell.

― I certainly wouldn't have, but hey. (snoball), Friday, 18 November 2011 13:39 (1 year ago) Permalink

Just to give you a flavor, for a long time this was my ideal TV:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sony-Trinitron-Broadcast-Monitor-/130587978293

― TracerHandVEVO (Tracer Hand), Friday, 18 November 2011 13:43 (1 year ago) Permalink

Tracer after an eb4y binge...

― I certainly wouldn't have, but hey. (snoball), Friday, 18 November 2011 13:50 (1 year ago) Permalink

>hmph yeah my idea is to save money by getting a set that doesn't include this stuff.

In fairness, a good TV these days is about as cheap as they'll ever get - cf. I bought a 28" CRT Sony widescreen in 2000 for £800. When this broke in 2008 I replaced it with a 37" Panasonic plasma which cost £750. You can get a 42" Panasonic plasma now for just over £400. You could dig deeper and buy a no-brand LCD for £250, but the PQ will be garbage. And as snoball says, the stuff you don't want contributes very little to the price.

― that mustardless plate (Bill A), Friday, 18 November 2011 13:51 (1 year ago) Permalink

OK thanks, this is all v helpful

― TracerHandVEVO (Tracer Hand), Friday, 18 November 2011 14:53 (1 year ago) Permalink

6 months pass...

Soooo didn't do this

― TracerHandVEVO (Tracer Hand), Monday, 21 May 2012 01:08 (1 year ago) Permalink

My new lust object is:

- Networked media streamer
- HD Freeview PVR
- Blu-Ray

all in one box. Apparently this does not exist.

― TracerHandVEVO (Tracer Hand), Monday, 21 May 2012 01:09 (1 year ago) Permalink

Basically my DVD player crapped out and it has made me reassess my entire life, and the nature of things

― TracerHandVEVO (Tracer Hand), Monday, 21 May 2012 01:10 (1 year ago) Permalink

TS: Roku vs. Apple TV vs. streaming from your laptop

― Lee971 (Lee626), Monday, 21 May 2012 03:30 (1 year ago) Permalink

I don't want to have to wake up my computer just to watch something on TV

Basically I want WD TV Live, with a disc slot and a TV tuner inside

― TracerHandVEVO (Tracer Hand), Monday, 21 May 2012 17:47 (1 year ago) Permalink

9 months pass...

I'd settle for a decent PVR that does netflix, youtube & IPTV. why does youview not offer this

why is there no one piece of kit that does it all plus TV tuner

― слабоумие и отвага (cozen), Monday, 25 February 2013 22:19 (2 months ago) Permalink

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