Back to School Blu-ray Gift Ideas
Need to take a break from studying? Lucky for you, there's plenty of limited edition Blu-rays hitting stores this fall.
The Big Lebowski (Limited Edition)
If you're looking for a collectors edition Blu-ray that'll really tie the room together, look no further than The Big Lebowski Limitied Edition, which includes U-Control special features like "Mark It, Dude" (an on-screen counter which keeps track of the “F-bombs,” “Dudes” and Lebowski-isms during the film), a scene companion so you can check out behind the scenes footage and interviews as you watch the film. And we can't forget a limited edition collectible 28-page book which includes a exclusive interviews, Jeff Bridges’ on-set photography, a film timeline trivia and much more so you won't be out of your element.
Aspiring filmmakers take note: you will NEVER be as good at the craft as Joel and Ethan Coen (sorry, but someone needs to set it to you straight), but that certainly doesn't mean you can't enjoy the early work of the Academy Award winning siblings. Although lacking in special edition goodies, Blood Simple, Fargo, Miller's Crossing and Raising Arizona are all incuded in this set of glorious, Blu-ray remastered razzle-dazzle.
Witness the pinnacle of Stephen Bauer's career in his iconic role as "Manolo" with this limited edition box set of every Guido's favorite poster, Scarface. In addition to a Montana-sized mountain of bonus features, the set also includes a digital copy of the 1932 film of the same name, 10 collectible art cards, and it all comes in a working humidor, so you'll have a nice place to store your Phillie Blunts (come on, you're not fooling anyone, person who would actually buy this).
Sure, this set doesn't include the recently released fourth film (which must come as a huge disappointment to all you completists out there), but you do get the first three films of the quadrilogy, as well as two documentaries, 'Still Screaming' (a retrospective on the trilogy and its impact with the stars and crew who made the films), and 'Scream: The Inside Story' (The Biography Channel's documentary on the first film which was released a couple weeks prior to Scream 4).
What some pretentious movie snobs refer to as the greatest film in American cinema history (and they're right, by the way), the Amazon.com exclusive Citizen Kane 70th Anniversary Ultimate Collector's Edition includes a tons of special features, collectible art card, a limited edition book featuring never-before-seen production photos and behind-the-scenes stories, and a DVD copy of the Orson Welles directed film The Magnificent Ambersons, the Citizen Kane/Welles biopic RKO 281 and PBS' American Experience: The Battle Over Citizen Kane.
Released for the first time as a complete set on Blu-ray (yay, we get to buy the same movies all over again!), all six movies are included here along with commentaries by the filmmakers including George Lucas, who will probably continue to defend himself for introducing Jar-Jar Binks to the world of sci-fi. That said, if you'd like to forget the prequel trilogy ever existed, there's also a Blu-ray collection of Episodes IV-VI -- that way, you only have to ignore Return of the Jedi!
With 11 Academy Awards to its credit, it's safe to say that Ben-Hur is a pretty good movie, more than deserving of an Ultimate Collector's Edition celebrating its 50th Anniversary. Movie buffs and those who want to see one helluva chariot race that still holds up today in stunning Blu-ray will also get hours worth of special features, CHARLTON HESTON: THE BEN-HUR DIARIES (a reproduction of Charlton Heston’s personal and diary from January 1958 to April 1960, chronicling his time before production through the Academy Awards, an exclusive collectors book featuring rare photos and production art, and a reproduction of the theatrical pressbook.
There seems to be a deluge of Disney animated titles hitting stores on Blu-ray this fall, and while most of them definitely deserve a spot in your collection, none are more impressive than this eight(!)-disc Lion King trilogy (wait, there were three Lion King movies? When did that happen?). Encased in some sort of drum contraption, the set includes all three (eh, just go with it) Lion King movies and apparently another five discs worth of special features.
Chances are, you've seen enough of the BBC's award winning, Oprah-sounding Planet Earth series to satisfy you while waiting in line at Borders (remember those?), but if you'd still like to see more, why not splurge on this six-disc Blu-ray set, that comes in a globe-shaped box, which most likely is a joy to try and keep steady on your bookshelf.
Enter a world of Pure Imagination (we're obligated to say that) with this three-disc, ultimate collector's edition celebrating the 40th anniversary of the classic film. The box set includes collector books, games, and set of pencils, eraser and a pencil box -- perfect for someone to mention who's writing a Back to School Blu-ray list feature!
Jurassic Park fans, get ready for a Dino-mite (ba-dum-dum) trilogy collection, which not only contains all three remastered films and loads upon loads of special features, but a limited edition Tyrannosaurus Rex statue complete with a certificate of authenticity, because that's gonna come in handy when you pass this set down from generation to generation and your great-grandkids try and sell it on Future Antiques Roadshow.
This movie about a bunch of high school kids in 1976 who smoke lots of weed and then smoke more weed (oh, and "come of age" and all that singsongy nonsense) gets the Criterion Collection treatment this fall, complete with special features like rare audition and on-set interviews, a 50-minute making-of documentary, and a collectors booklet featuring essays by Kent Jones, Jim DeRogatis, and Chuck Klosterman; memories of the film from the cast and crew; character profiles; and the original film poster by Frank Kozik.
If you have no idea how a cartoon featuring talking cars is popular, then chances are, you don't have kids (which if you're heading back to school this fall, let's hope you don't have kids). That said, this directors's edition 11-disc (11 discs?! Really?!) box set features both films and Mater's Tall Tales, and more than likely enough special features to keep your kids quiet for at least a few hours.
Relive all of the subtle sexism and racism of classic Looney Tunes cartoons with this three-disc collection featuring 50 all-time great cartoons. But if you think that's all you get in the box set, then clearly you haven't read any of the previous 14 Blu-ray write ups, because fans will also get a character collectible glass featuring Bugs Bunny, souvenir tin sign magnet, framed litho-cel, a digibook with rare images and cartoon guide by historian Jerry Beck featuring your favorite Looney Tunes characters, and a certificate of authenticity because you just know this junk's gonna be worth something someday!