Best of Blu-ray in 2011

By Christopher P. Jacobs
Movies Editor

In 2010 the number of classic, foreign, independent, and cult films on Blu-ray increased substantially over previous years, and 2011 has been even better for the cineaste looking for favorite older movies, obscure and underrated rarities, and recent but non-mainstream productions in high definition. Among these were a number of anniversary editions and special collectors’ editions. Far too many interesting catalog titles showed up over the past year, in mostly outstanding HD editions, to mention all of those worth checking out. Below, however, despite several ties, is a very abridged top ten list of Blu-ray releases from 2011, and some honorable mentions.

#1 - “The Ten Commandments” (1956) - Paramount - Cecil B. DeMille’s lavish and melodramatic Biblical epic is entertaining Hollywood spectacle at its height, and this release of the restored VistaVision film is one of the best HD transfers of any film yet on Blu-ray, old or new. The Ultimate Collector’s set also includes DeMille’s classic 1923 version in full HD with its own commentary and bonus features.

#2 - TIE:  “Twilight Zone” box set collection of all five seasons (1959-63) - Image Entertainment - and “Blue Velvet” (1986)  - MGM/Fox - The iconic sci-fi fantasy TV series is an endlessly entertaining anthology of short philosophical dramas featuring the work of many major stars, writers, and directors, and in stunning HD transfers from original 35mm film. David Lynch’s darkly satiric and multilayered masterpiece has never looked better on home video, and the Blu-ray includes 51 minutes of newly-discovered deleted sequences.

#3 - TIE:  “Buster Keaton The Short Films Collection” (1920-23) and “Our Hospitality (1923)  - Kino - The 3-disc set of shorts is a chronological presentation of all 19 comedies Buster Keaton made for Metro before switching to feature-length films, newly transferred from 35mm material, surviving in quality that ranges from pretty good to excellent. A number of interesting bonus features, also in HD, include the hilarious Keaton-influenced Lupino Lane comedy, “Only Me.” The period family feud comedy “Our Hospitality” is one of Keaton’s best features. After giving us “The General” and “Sherlock, Jr” in the past couple of years, Kino continues to work its way through the classic Buster Keaton silent comedies in beautiful new HD transfers (with “Seven Chances,” “Go West,” and “Battling Butler” also making it to Blu-ray this year).

#4 - TIE: “Smiles of a Summer Night” (1955) and “Fanny and Alexander” (1982)  - Criterion - Ingmar Bergman’s hilarious and sophisticated romantic comedy of manners looks even better in HD, as does his brilliant semi-autobiographical late film, the latter in a 3-disc set including both the theatrical version and the full-length TV miniseries. These two titles are arguably the best to start with for those who’ve never seen Bergman’s work.

#5 - “Sherlock Holmes: The Complete Collection” (1939-46) - MPI - All 14 features that starred Basil Rathbone as the master detective have been lovingly restored by the UCLA Film Archive and given fine HD transfers, many from the original camera negatives. Great fun!

#6 - TIE:  “Tom & Jerry Golden Collection vol. 1” (1940-48) and “Looney Tunes Platinum Collection vol. 1” (1936-66) - Warner Bros - Excellent HD sampling of simply some of the best animated cartoons ever produced, all in beautiful uncut HD transfers, many with audio commentaries, and numerous animation documentaries.

#7 - TIE:  “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” (1961)  - MGM/Fox - and “The Great White Silence” (1924)  - BFI - Audrey Hepburn’s best-remembered film may not be actually her best, but looks and sounds outstanding on Blu-ray, with a number of retrospective bonus features. Filmed in Antarctica over 1911-12, the latter title is a touching documentary depicting the ill-fated Scott expedition, and the restored film looks breathtakingly crisp and clear on the British Film Institute’s region-free Blu-ray. The 1933 sound version, “90 Degrees South” is included as one of the bonuses.

#8 - “The Lady Vanishes” (1938) - Criterion’s fine, sharp release of Alfred Hitchcock’s entertaining mystery on a train, arguably his best British production, includes as a bonus the spinoff comedy feature, “Crook’s Tour” (1941), starring the pair of annoyed cricket fans in their own story.

#9 - “Stanley Kubrick Limited Edition Collection” (1960-99) - Warner Bros - This set of the director’s last nine films includes the Blu-ray debut of “Barry Lyndon” (1975). Added to Criterion’s “Paths of Glory” from late last year and “The Killing” plus “Killer’s Kiss” from this past August, it means every feature Kubrick ever made is now on Blu-ray except his first, “Fear and Desire.”

#10 - TIE:  “Ben-Hur” (1959) and “Citizen Kane” (1941) - Warner Bros - This hugely popular Biblical-era epic is another fine example of Hollywood spectacle, and while the restored 65mm film looks and sounds excellent, the Blu-ray would have rated substantially higher if the bonus features and the classic 1925 version had also been transferred in HD instead of merely ported over from the last DVD restoration. Orson Welles’ first feature has been given a beautiful new restoration for its 70th anniversary, but again all the bonus features from the old DVD restoration are included in standard-definition rather than also upgraded to HD.

Honorable Mentions:
-  “Pale Flower” (1964) - Criterion - This off-beat Japanese blend of American film noir and the French new-wave by Masahiro Shinoda looks gorgeous and is thought-provokingly intriguing.
-  “The Big Country” (1958) - MGM/Fox - William Wyler made this sprawling Oscar-winning western romantic drama with Gregory Peck the year before “Ben-Hur.” The film’s heavy use of extreme long shots requires the high definition of a Blu-ray and a very large screen (or a theatrical film showing) to communicate its grandeur.
-  “Star Wars: The Complete Saga” (1977-2005) - 20th Century Fox - While unfortunately the original theatrical cuts of episodes 4-6 are missing, and episodes 1 and 2 have a softish “video” look, this long-awaited collection has finally brought the mythic and beloved sci-fi series to home video in high definition.
- “Jurassic Park Trilogy” (1993-2001) - Universal - Picture and audio quality are superb on this long-awaited and impressive set of some of the most popular adventure fantasies ever made, and parts 2 and 3 are not nearly as bad as some critics insist.

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