Is this reissue worth it?
Released this fall, the "Christmas Story" collector's edition is really a 20th anniversary version of the classic. First, let me say I can't believe it's been out for 20 years. I thought 12, at the most 15. Wow.
Briefly, for readers who may not be intimately acquainted with the film, I strongly encourage you to purchase "A Christmas Story" and make it a regular part of your holiday routine. It will grow on you with each viewing and you'll soon find its one-liners making their way into your everyday vernacular. Which version should you get? That's why you're reading this review.
The original DVD release of "A Christmas Story" had no extra features. Nothing. No commentaries, no interviews, no documentaries. Just the movie. This was greatly disappointing, since I'm a big fan and was interested in the making of the film, what the actors are doing now, etc. So naturally I was looking forward to this special edition.
Well, I can't say I'm too satisfied with the reissue.
1. The...
Hurrah for movie, Shame on DVD
This is a must-see, completely charming, wonderfully acted (and I usually don't like child actors), heart-warming without being too mushy, Holiday Season story.
But they made the DVD in Pan&Scan (except the opening credits, which are in widescreen). SHAME ON THE DVD PRODUCER!
The whole idea of DVDs was that there's ample space for both widescreen and pan&scan versions. P&S (now called "Full Screen Format" -- to make you think it's a good thing) makes movies look like made-for-tv shows, with no vistas and too many closeups.
How about an un-modified version of this terrific movie?
Ultimate Collector's Edition mainly for collectors and those who don't have the movie on DVD/Blu-ray yet
Amazon has combined the reviews for the Blu-ray and standard DVD versions of this set, which aren't exactly the same in their features. This review is for the Blu-ray version. My review of the standard DVD version is here too, so be sure you're reading the one you're interested in.
The movie is excellent, a Christmas classic (see below). Should you upgrade to the new Ultimate edition if you already have the 2006 Blu-ray edition? That depends on how much you like memorabilia. The new edition is a repackaging of the 2006 edition, with a couple new non-DVD extras:
-- a collectible retro Christmas cookie tin (the container for the set)
-- a strand of leg-lamp Christmas lights (Blu-ray exclusive)
Those look like fun, if you're into that kind of stuff. Amazon has a photo of the tin and a second photo that shows the tin and the leg-lamp lights. (The announcement for this set said that the items from the standard DVD set...
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