Many DVD Production companies these days are offering Boxsets of multiple DVDs that share a common theme. With the Criterion Collection this is often films by the same director or, in recent months by Warner - with a common genre or 'star'. The most obvious benefit are the savings one can incur as opposed to buying the same DVDs individually (if they are even available that way) or occasionally an extra disc of supplements might be included - this is usually only available in that Boxset. Film fans drool at the idea of obtaining multiple unseen films neatly packaged that allow immediate consecutive viewing for an even deeper appreciation of said genre/star or director. The only real debatable drawback is the potential inability to categorically shelve the Boxsets which often end up forming a new section of their own in many DVD-ophile's groupings. We will attempt to list some of our favorites (past, present and future) below, giving review and purchase links as well as précised summations. (NOTE: we are limiting our listing to Boxsets of more than 1 feature film - not simply alternate versions of the same film.)

The Blood of Poet, Orpheus, and Testament of Orpheus, Cocteau utilizes the Orphic myth to explore the complex relationships between the artist and his creations. This trio of rousing action epics reveals a deeply unsettling portrait of the Soviet Union under Stalin, and provided battle-scene blueprints for future filmmaking giants. Day of Wrath, Ordet, and Gertrud. Each is an intense exploration of the clash between individual desire and social expectations. Documentary Carl Th. Dreyer—My Métier. The feature films The 400 Blows, Stolen Kisses, Bed and Board, and Love on the Run, and the 1962 short subject, Antoine and Colette, in a special edition five-disc box set. Bergman unleashed Through a Glass Darkly, Winter Light, and The Silence in rapid succession, exposing moviegoers worldwide to a new level of intellectual and emotional intensity. John Cassavetes is the father of independent film - Shadows, Faces, A Woman Under the Influence, The Killing of a Chinese Bookie, and Opening Night in stunning new transfers. Polish director Andrzej Wajda's A Generation in 1955, his second film, Kanal and from 1958 Ashes and Diamonds. These three groundbreaking films ushered in the “Polish School” movement.
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Barry Lyndon, A Clockwork Orange, Full Metal Jacket, The Shining, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Dr. Strangelove, Eyes Wide Shut, Lolita, Stanley Kubrick: A Life in Pictures - 9 disc set highlights Kubrick's consistently cold and sterile expression. The Alfred Hitchcock Signature Collection includes - Strangers on a Train Two-Disc Edition / North by Northwest / Dial M for Murder / Foreign Correspondent / Suspicion / The Wrong Man / Stage Fright / I Confess / Mr. and Mrs. Smith Film Noir ("Black Cinema (or film)" and so defined by French critics post WW2)- Classic Collection Volume 1 with highlights of the genre including The Asphalt Jungle / Gun Crazy / Murder My Sweet / Out of the Past and The Set-Up  Classic Comedies Collection includes Bringing Up Baby / The Philadelphia Story Two-Disc Special Edition / Dinner at Eight / Libeled Lady / Stage Door and To Be or Not to Be
 
The Classic Musicals Collection - Broadway to Hollywood (Easter Parade Two Disc Special Edition / The Band Wagon Two Disc Special Edition / Bells Are Ringing / Finian's Rainbow / Brigadoon) World War II Collection - European Warfare (The Battle of the Bulge / Battleground / The Big Red One Special Edition / The Dirty Dozen / Where Eagles Dare) The Errol Flynn Signature Collection (Captain Blood / The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex / The Sea Hawk / They Died with Their Boots On / Dodge City / The Adventures of Errol Flynn) John Wayne Legendary Heroes Collection (Blood Alley / McQ / The Sea Chase / Tall in the Saddle / The Train Robbers)
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The Warner Gangsters Collection (The Public Enemy / White Heat / Angels with Dirty Faces / Little Caesar / The Petrified Forest / The Roaring Twenties) Controversial Classics Collection (Advise and Consent / The Americanization of Emily / Bad Day at Black Rock / Blackboard Jungle / A Face in the Crowd / Fury / I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang) The Complete James Dean Collection (East of Eden / Giant / Rebel Without a Cause Special Edition) The Joan Crawford Collection (Humoresque / Possessed (1947) / The Damned Don't Cry / The Women / Mildred Pierce) The Bette Davis Collection (The Star / Mr. Skeffington / Dark Victory / Now, Voyager / The Letter) Film Noir Classic Collection, Vol. 2 - Born to Kill / Clash by Night / Crossfire / Dillinger (1945) / The Narrow Margin (1952)
 
The Complete Thin Man Collection (The Thin Man / After the Thin Man / Another Thin Man / Shadow of the Thin Man / The Thin Man Goes Home / Song of the Thin Man) Martin Scorsese Collection (After Hours/Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore /Goodfellas/ Mean Streets/Who's That Knocking At My Door?)
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More Region 1...

The Spaghetti Western Collection (Run Man Run / Mannaja / Django Kill / Django) The Alan Clarke Collection (Scum / Made in Britain / The Firm / Elephant) The Marx Brothers Silver Screen Collection (The Cocoanuts / Animal Crackers / Monkey Business / Horse Feathers / Duck Soup) Toy Story - The Ultimate Toy Box (Collector's Edition) is a scrapbook of "ideas, art, and effort" behind the two landmark films. Treasures From American Film Archives - Encore Edition (2005) - 50 films preserved by America's premier archives - 11 hours on 4 DVDs More Treasures from American Film Archives 1894-1931 - Over 9-1/2 hours on three discs - Commentary by 17 critics, historians, and preservationists John Waters Collection (Hairspray / Pecker / Polyester / Desperate Living / Pink Flamingos / Female Trouble)

With English subtitles...

Peter Greenaway Boxset 4 DVDs : Meurtre dans un jardin anglais / ZOO / The Early Films Part 1 / The Early Films Part 2 Alain Resnais Boxset including 5 DVDs : L'Amour à mort / I Want to go Home / Mélo / Mon oncle d'Amérique / La Vie est un roman Sublime "The Scent of Green Papaya" plus Tran's award winning "Cyclo" on the opposite side, with two un-subtitled shorts. The Claude Chabrol Collection from MK2 includes the following five films: Betty, L'Enfer, Poulet, au vinaigre, Inspecteur Lavardin and Masques. They have all English subtitles on the main feature, but not on the extra material. João César Monteiro - 11 Disc Boxset - HIS COMPLETE WORKS ! + 3 exclusive interviews with João César Monteiro, photos etc.

Tavernier Boxset with 9 DVDs : L.627 / L'Appât / Capitaine Conan / Daddy Nostalgie / Un dimanche à la campagne / La Mort en direct / *Une semaine de vacances / Ca commence aujourd'hui / Des enfants gâtés / Un DVD inédit 12 DVD set - all with English subtitles and many extras with English subs. Includes - Jules et Jim, La Peau douce, Les Deux anglaises et le continent, La Femme d'à côté, Le Dernier métro, Les 400 coups, Baisers volés, Domicile conjugal, L'Amour en fuite, Vivement dimanche !, Tirez sur le pianiste, Fahrenheit 451  Otar Iosseliani 2 Boxset DVDs include : Avril / La Chute des feuilles / Il était une fois un merle chanteur / Pastorale This MK2 Bresson Boxset with Pickpocket, The Trail of Joan of Arc and L'Argent (Money) include English, French, German and Spanish subtitles chock full of interviews and other extras.

* Only film in the Tavernier Boxset NOT subbed in English (or having original English audio)

Without English subtitles:

Avril / La Fonte / La Chute des feuilles / Il était une fois un merle chanteur / Pastorale / Les Favoris de la lune / Un petit monastère en Toscane / Et la lumière fut / La chasse aux papillons / Brigands chapitre VII / Adieu, Plancher des vaches ! / Lundi matin - Coffret 7 DVD • DVD 1 : Coup de torchon
• DVD 2 : L'Horloger de Saint-Paul
• DVD 3 : Le Juge et l'assassin
• DVD 4 : Que la fête commence !
• DVD 5 : La Vie et rien d'autre
• DVD 6 : Les Feux de la rampe (DVD Bonus : Portrait de Philippe Noiret)
Coffret Yasujirô Ozu : Bonjour / Dernier Caprice / Fin d'automne / Le Goût du saké / Fleurs d'équinoxe / Gosses de Tokyo - Digipack 6 DVD • DVD 1: L'Amour par terre
• DVD 2: Hurlevent
• DVD 3: La Bande des quatre
• DVD 4: La Belle Noiseuse (2 DVD)
• DVD 5: Haut Bas Fragile
• DVD 6: Secret défense
• DVD 7: Le DVD Bonus
Coffret Mizoguchi, Vol.1 : Les Amants crucifiés / L'impératrice Yang Kwei Fei / Le Héros sacrilège / L'intendant Sansho [inclus le livret] - Coffret 5 DVD Coffret Mizoguchi, Vol.2 : Les Contes de la lune vague / Miss Oyu / Les Musiciens de Gion / La Rue de la honte / La Vie de O-Haru, femme galante - Coffret 5 DVD [inclus le livret]

Palm D'or winning film by the Dardenne Brothers coupled with another classic of theirs "La Promesse". Includes interview With Luc & Jean-Pierre Dardenne. The best existing version of India's most celebrated director, Satyajit Ray, work - his triumphant trilogy. Roman Polanski Collection contains Knife in the Water / Repulsion / Cul-de-Sac and 8 Shorts, plus a Polanski commentary and much more... Luis Buñuel's Un chien andalou and L'Âge d'or with excellent isolated commentaries (with optional subtitles) by Robert Short. This 21-disc box set includes 20 classic Laurel & Hardy films and various shorts, plus a bonus disc containing the original version of Brats (1930), extracts from the German version of Pardon Us (1931), Thundering Fleas (1926), Fluttering Hearts (1927), Prudence (1927) and the documentary Laurel & Hardy--A Tribute to the Boys (1991)
3 Powell And Pressburger Films - A Matter Of Life And Death / Life And Death Of Col. Blimp , I Know Where I'm Going[1945]
 
After the Three Colors trilogy, master director Krzysztof Kieslowski announced an early retirement at 53. This is part of his legacy. Jean Vigo's complete works: A Propos de Nice (1930), Taris (1931), Zéro de Conduite (1933), L'Atalante (1934) Bob Le Flambeur / Un Flic - Jean-Pierre Melville's earlier independent productions served as a model for the directors of the French New Wave. Lukas Moodysson Box Set (his complete works to date): Show Me Love (aka Fucking Åmål)/ Together / Lilya 4-Ever / Hole In My Heart Aside from cropping of three films from the original pillarbox, this extensive Boxset is stacked with extras.

Still under "investigation":

Luis Bunuel Box Set [1967] Belle De Jour, The Milky Way, The Diary of a Chambermaid Luis Bunuel DVD Collection - Vol. 2 [1977] - That Obscure Object of Desire, The Phantom of Liberty, The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoise Jean-Luc Godard Box Set - Alphaville / Le Petit Soldat / Une Femme Est Une Femme [1965] Jean-Luc Godard Collection Vol. 2: Pierrot le fou / Made in U.S.A. / Prénom Carmen (Pierrot Goes Wild / First Name: Carmen) Jean Renoir Box Set (Le Crime de Monsieur Lange / La Grande illusion / La Bête humaine)

Rest of World 'Orphans'...

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No excuse for not buying one of these machines, that we are practically giving away...

 




 

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