Age Group | I was born while the Beatles were still officially together - I made it by ten days! |
Video Likes | Original aspect ratio and 16x9 enhancement are mandatory as are sharp, detailed, vibrant and colourful images. |
Video Dislikes | Grain is bad, aliasing is really bad, lack of 16x9 enhancement on widescreen transfers is so bad it makes me not even bother purchasing a disc. |
Audio Likes | A soundtrack that makes the most of the six speakers that I paid a lot of money for. A really good audio commentary that adds a whole new experience to watching the movie. A concert track that sounds better than the CD. |
Audio Dislikes | Mono 1.0 soundtracks (at least give me a 2.0). Poor and unimaginative 5.1 mixing (ie. 5.1s that are really 2.0s) |
Favourite DVDs | James - Getting Away With It Live, Glory, Gettysburg, A Few Good Men CE, Eagles - Hell Freezes Over, Almost Famous Untitled - The Bootleg Edition (R1), Shrek, Dead Poets Society, True Lies, Sting - All This Time, Neil Finn - 7 Worlds Collide, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Fast Times at Ridgemont High (The R1 - not the R4), Jerry Maguire R1 Special Edition, Lord Of The Rings - Fellowship Of The Ring (extended edition), Mad Max, The Big Steal. |
Least Favourite DVDs | Days of Thunder (not 16x9 Enhanced) The Acid House (utter garbage), The Lighthorsemen (the picture made me want to vomit), Ken Burns - Civil War R4. |
Most Eagerly Awaited DVDs | Is there anything else left to anticipate? |
Titanic | Why didn't the ship sink at the start and save us all the trouble. It looked great, but the story tried to appeal to everybody and with that you are surely onto one dumbed-down plot. |
The Matrix | First DVD that I bought, simply to check out the added features. I really don't get what the big deal is I'm afraid. |
Terminator 2 | Seemed cool in 1991 - not so sure now and I'm a little fed up with all the different releases now. |
Star Wars | A landmark in cinema that has finally got the DVD treatment it deserved. Somewhat amazingly it was at least 6 years before I thought we'd get it. |
Godzilla | Haven't seen it. |
Independence Day | Jingoistic bull****! - My computer can't talk to a Mac. How did the aliens manage it? this whole film is a bit like the American Baseball World Series. They call themselves World Champion but don't invite anyone else to participate - go figure... |
DVD Player | Denon DVD-3910 , using HDMI output |
Display | Panasonic TH-42PX600A 42" Plasma . Calibrated with Digital Video Essentials (PAL). This display device is 16x9 capable. |
Audio Decoder | Built in to amplifier/receiver . Calibrated with Digital Video Essentials (PAL). |
Amplification | Harmon/Kardon AVR7000. |
Speakers | Front - B&W 602S2, Centre - B&W CC6S2, Rear - B&W 601S2, Sub - Energy E:xl S10 |
1. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring: Special Extended Edition (2001) They don't get much better than this - hours and hours of entertainment - the extended edition is like watching a completely new film. In a word - perfect | 2. Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers: Special Extended Edition (2002) Ok they do get better - this just complements Fellowship Extended Edition superbly | 3. Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King: Special Extended Edition (2003) The perfect end to the perfect trilogy. Just about the greatest achievement in DVD to date | 4. Star Wars-Episode IV/V/VI Box Set (1977) THIS is the reason DVD was invented | 5. The Adventures of Indiana Jones (Box Set) (1981) Now this is the way classic films should be restored. A must-have for all serious DVD collectors. |
6. Back to the Future: Trilogy Boxset (1985) The original is an 80s icon. The set is just about the best value DVD on the market | 7. North by Northwest (1959) The master's best work lovingly restored. This film can take on different personas depending on your mood when you watch it. | 8. Jerry Maguire: Collector's Edition (1996) My favourite director and my favourite film of all time on a 2 disc collector's edition packed with some good stuff | 9. James-Getting Away with It...Live (2002) This is the best music disc going around. It beats Hell Freezes Over by the sheer enjoyment value of the performance - superb, superb, superb. | 10. Neil Finn-7 Worlds Collide: Live at the St James (2001) Spine Tingling Stuff. When the crowd sings solo your hair will stand on end. |