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Only ten days since I posted that above and I already want to go back and change the whole list. The R2 Gremillon, R2 Rivette, The Canadian Brault and french Uchida box sets are also absolutely wonderful.

Steven H wrote:Only ten days since I posted that above and I already want to go back and change the whole list. The R2 Gremillon, R2 Rivette, The Canadian Brault and french Uchida box sets are also absolutely wonderful.

If you want to edit, go right ahead, I'm not totting up the scores for another week. I'll just take whatever you've got in your list then.

TEN BEST NON-CC RELEASES OF 2006 (in alphabetic order):

Dr. Mabuse The Gambler (restored authorized version) – Eureka may have beaten Kino to it, but I came to this title through Kino, and I include it here, because I think it is a fine presentation of the film (in a much longer cut than I had ever seen or heard of before), and also to represent a label that have provided me with more hours of film viewing pleasure in the past year than any other (albeit, almost all of the films that I have purchased and viewed have been back catalogue).

Faust – For my money, probably the all-round most gorgeous release this year, and one that also was a complete surprise to me. The film itself was an absolute revelation -- a major spark to go and discover the world of silent film. The booklet was fascinating reading, the additional score was equally fascinating and served to introduce me into the whole question of “scoringâ€

I won't list a top ten of favorite DVDs of 2006 simply because I'm still catching up on so many titles that have been released this year! But I find that I'm generally agreeing with quite a few titles that have already been listed on this thread.

However, I'm only posting this as a reminder of at least two boxsets that have been out of my shelves quite a lot during these last few months and that still haven't been mentioned -- They are: the Busby Berkeley Collection and the Tennessee Williams Film Collection, both by Warner.

These two sets have been lovingly put together, the overall quality of the transfers, audio, extras and presentation is very high and they have given me endless hours of pleasure ever since the moment they arrived at my doorstep. I know many will agree with me that they more than deserve inclusion on a best of out of 2006 DVD releases.

I just decided not to list any boxsets and only count individual releases.
How about adding another category? Best Boxset?

Lino wrote:They are: the Busby Berkeley Collection

Cripes! I forgot that was released this year, even though it is by far the most played set I've laid my hands on. I must have watched Lullaby of Broadway dozens of times this year, just because I can. Had to go back and edit my list accordingly. Thanks, Lino!

The first part of Video Watchdog's Favourite DVDs of 2006. The lists so far are reminding me of so many things I haven't got round to but that I think would have made it into my list if I'd gotten round to seeing them! Along with the Masters of Cinema discs there is the Hollywood Legends of Horror, the No Shame edition of Dark Water, Subversive Film's 5 disc set of Dust Devil, the Quay Brothers set, the latest Looney Tunes collection etc. Oh well, they might not be on my list, but the long Winter nights are the best time to make a start on some of them!

EDIT: Here is the second part

DVDs of the year (excluding Criterion):
The Passenger (Antonioni) (R1)
The Conformist (R1)
Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid (R1)
- three of my favourites films on DVD at last
Raise the Red Lantern (R3)
- at last a watchable DVD of this
Le Pont des Arts (Eugene Green) (R2)
Quay Brothers Films (R2)
- not particularly my sort of thing, I thought, but I was totally won over, especially by Street of Crocodiles
Sir Arne's Treasure (R1)
- thanks, Herr Schreck, I wouldn't have got round to this for a long time without your advocacy
Naruse box (R2)
- a perfect end to the year


Biggest disappointment
Charulata (R2)
- wonderful film, execrable edition and the fear that this is the only version we will get in R2

Under DISSAPPOINTMENT I forgot to mention Kino's SAGA OF GOSTA BERLING... un-restored, about as low def as a digital transfer can be (looks like old laserdisc), from a resto decades old.

Kino's STALKER sure sounds like a booming fart answering the hum of expectations-abuzz, as well. Too bad, as a new hi-def transfer with a solid treatment of the original mono soundtrack would have been fabbooloutious.

non-box greatest release for me: MOC's Faust
Greatest box of the year: Tennessee Williams Box

HerrSchreckkk, you capping on Kino? You know, the postal service is Santa's chimney, so if you didn't get the Kino Xmas Bonus package yet, it may still be on da way bro. Be chillin' befo' ya stop schillin'.

Antabuse is not "harmless fun with sun and a magnifying glass in a Budapest back lot dirt mound.".

HerrSchreck wrote:Antabuse is not "harmless fun with sun and a magnifying glass in a Budapest back lot dirt mound.".

Antialcoholic. Disulfiram (Antabuse) produces a sensitivity to alcohol which results in a highly unpleasant reaction when the patient under treatment ingests even small amounts of alcohol.

Huh, so that's what the wife's been slipping me along with my daily dose of saltpeter.

skuhn8 wrote:my daily dose of saltpeter.

Result of fucking in the ocean. I thought that country was landlocked.

Sadly, my overseas purchases were off this year, however...

Non-CC Release(s) of the year:

L'Armée des ombres (BFI)

The Conformist (Paramount)

Double Indemnity (Universal)

John Wayne-John Ford Film Collection (Warner) [caveat emptor]

Kwaidan (MoC)

Ozu: Volume Three (Tartan)

Naruse: Volume One (MoC)

The Passenger (Sony)

Best non-CC commentary: Gulp!

Best Non-CC Single Supplement: Nick Wrigley's magnificent Naruse book

Best non-CC package design: MoC, in general...

Overall DVD of the year: Naruse: Volume One

Producer of the year: Nick Wrigley

I haven't watched all of the 2006 DVDs that I purchased, but among the treasures which I've watched are:

La Double Vie de Veronique (R2, MK2) (A contender for DVD of the year)

The Red Desert (R4, Madman)

Ozu Vol. 3 (Equinox Flower/Tokyo Twilight/Good Morning) (R2, Tartan) (stunning-looking EF)

Love Is a Crazy Thing (R3, CJ Entertainment (Korea)) (heart-breaking)

Su-Ki-Da (R2/Japan)

Toni (R2, MoC)

Un Coeur en Hiver (R1, Koch Lorber) (looks better than the R2)

Hotel du Nord (R2, Soda Pictures)

Eric Rohmer: the Early Works (R2, AE) (I love that cover)

Naruse Vol. 1 (R2, MoC) (Another contender for DVD/release of the year)

artfilmfan wrote:Hotel du Nord (R2, Soda Pictures)

Didn't make my list-- but heartily seconded.

Thirded. Beautiful transfer. Soda Pictures are also bringing the McLaren 'Masters Edition' to the UK in February.

foggy eyes wrote:Soda Pictures are also bringing the McLaren 'Masters Edition' to the UK in February.

Bet it won't be anything like as cheap as the version I've just received from Amazon.com. Oh the joy of a two-dollar pound!

In no particular order:

Phantom R1 Flicker Alley
Satantango R2 Artificial Eye
Passenger R1 Sony
Faust R2 MoC
L'armee des Ombres R2 BFI
The New World R1 New Line Home Video
Mikio Naruse: 3 Films R2 MoC
Free Cinema R2 BFI
Paris Nous Appartient R2 BFI
Woman of the Dunes R2 BFI

Happy new year to all forum members..

Non-CC Release of the year

1) Brothers Quay: The Short Films 1979-2003 (Brothers Quay, BFI R2): One of the most comprehensive dvd sets I have ever seen, for two artists that really deserve that kind of recognition.
2) Kwaidan (Masaki Kobayashi, Eureka MoC R2): Beautiful transfer, exhaustive booklet, but the full version alone would make this release a must buy.
3) The Innocents (Jack Clayton, BFI R2): I thought the MGM was pretty adequate in terms of transfer, but the new BFI is simply exquisite. Also, since English is not my native language I really appreciate subtitles even on English commentaries and extras. Kudos to the BFI to include them in both The Innocents and the Brothers Quay set. I hope it becomes a habit.
4) Petulia (Richard Lester, Warner R1,2,3,4): At last on dvd, with a beautiful transfer.
5) Forbidden Planet – Ultimate Edition (Fred M. Wilcox, Warner R1,3,4): I wonder when I will sit through all those bonus materials, but that's exactly how a collector's edition should be.
6) Funeral Parade of Roses (Toshio Matsumoto, Eureka MoC R2)
7) Hollywood Legends of Horror Collection (Warner R1): If only for the long awaited release of Mad Love.
8) Innocence (Lucile Hadzihalilovic, Artificial Eye R2): Easily one of the most intriguing French film of the last five years at least, in a stellar transfer.
9) Raise the Red Lantern - Remastered Edition (ERA Home Video R0): ERA erased all the previous abominations (in terms of picture quality). The film certainly deserves the Special Edition care, but for the time being we can watch it in a proper way.
10) Trois films de Raoul Ruiz (Blaq Out)

manicsounds wrote:I just decided not to list any boxsets and only count individual releases.
How about adding another category? Best Boxset?

i've been away for a while and will tabulate the results in a couple of days, so if anyone wants to go and edit their posts or add boxset votes, they are more than welcome as long as they do it soon.

Results are up here