Best (and worst) DVD packaging?

[Phobos]

This is probably gonna be a short lived thread, but here goes.

What are the DVDs in your collection do you think deserve special mention in terms of packaging? Here's my list:

• Terminator 2: The Ultimate Edition
  
• Magnolia
  
• Fight Club
  

And the best packaged boxed set I've ever seen: BRAZIL: The Criterion Collection - It's sturdy, it's robust, it's pretty, it's fingerprintproof, it's waterproof, etc. It's beautiful and at the same time, does a great job of protecting the discs. If you've seen this set, you'll know what I mean. If all boxed sets could take a cue from this one, I'd be a happy collector.

[rant mode]
And now for the worst. Sadly, even though I'm a big X-Files fan, I have to say that I HATE the packaging for the series' on DVD. It's not fingerprintproof and the design of the packaging is so delicate that you will need surgical patience and accuracy to make sure that you don't wear out the cardboard whenever you open the package.

[/rant mode]

[Kahon]

The following DVD packages are really nice:

Toy Story:  The Ultimate Toolbox (similar to Brazil: Criterion)
Seven:  Platinum Edition
Lawrence of Arabia (Region 1)


Worst is the Gladiator r1 (not all) and Cleopatra 5-star Edition wherein the extras disk is inserted in a paper envelope or a paper sleeve so who knows what may have happened to that disk before you bought the dvd?

[Komikero]

Worst packaging is the R1 and R3 of JFK: Oliver Stone Collection. Bad enough it comes in that snapper case, they had to insert disc two in a carboard pocket on the back of the cover you have to slide the disc into.  

[utoy]

The best packaging to me so far is the Ultimate Edition Terminator 2. The Fight Club is nice too, but I'm yet to get one (I wonder if somebody here can help me get one ). I have to agree the X-Files Seasons 1 and 2 packaging are the worst yet. Just getting them in and out of the box is a struggle.

[renanj]

Aside from Terminator 2: The Ultimate Edition, I would like to add the collectors edition of Evil Dead II.  Like T2, Evil Dead II came with a metal case however the case is more like a metal container with the disk inside it.

The container is quite big, so it looks a bit awkward alongside other DVDs in a shelf but it's still kindda cool.

[flyderman]

I am fine with snapper cases and am happy with keep cases, but I don't have any title yet with exceptional case quality, except for the way they look like.

Fox-released DVDs are usually the best looking ones, but they are the least sturdy and very "fragile" and dexterously un-ergonomic.  

Like Phoebus, I get really pissed when I saw my X-Men case full of my own fingerprints, and just on the first time I laid my hands on it!  Plus, it's made of cardboard, so if one isn't careful, the case will be destroyed after a few handlings.  Same thing with the Fight Club DVD.

As with The X-Files boxed sets, I really loved the way they packaged it.  But later, I realized this was a disadvantage because I had to open the fold-out casing all the way just to get the farther-off discs.  So what I do is store the current disc I am watching inside the DVD player, and when I'm done with it, I open the box again to return the disc and get the next one, which I will again store in the player until I'm done with it.  So that minimizes the handling of the good-looking cases.

[gonz]

The T2 Ultimate's metal case certainly does look nice, but what I don't like about it is that it does not snugly fit the normal Amaray case inside.  In fact, since my DVDs are on a high shelf, more than once I've partly pulled the T2 Ultimate case from the shelf, only to have the Amaray case slide out from within and fall to the floor.

Agree with Komikero, the JFK Oliver Stone Collection case is one of the worst ever.  Snapper na nga, slide-in pa.  Crap.

Another lousy one is the Sex and the City: Season One case.  It looks great, very distinctive compared to run-of-the-mill Amaray cases, and much nicer than snapper...but the plastic joints deteriorate very quickly, and the cover will soon rip away from the rest of the case.  A perfect example of style overcoming durability.

Also agree with rants vs. the X-Files and X-Men cardboard cases.  They attract fingerprints and feel flimsy.

In fact, I have not been 100 percent happy with any DVD packaging aside from the usual Amaray cases.  None of the fancy non-standard ones have really satisfied me.

[Phobos]

Oh yeah, I forgot about the X-Men case. It's such a bitch just trying to clean that one!

[bently]

From earth to the moon
and Fushigi Yugi: - Suzaku Box
excellent packaging.

[Starman]

Yup, its quite a pain to clean up the case after viewing.  They should have kept it in an Amaray case.  Actually the thing that attracts fingerprints to the case is its UV coating which suppose to protect it from acid deterioration.  Most snapcase region 1 discs have a UV coating while its R3 counterparts do not.

Oh yeah, I forgot about the X-Men case. It's such a bitch just trying to clean that one!

[weddingsingr]

These are the best packaging (in terms of casing) for me.  These are the DVDs na dapat ilipat mo sa spare cases if you intend to lend them out as the casings are hard to replace.

Terminator Ultimate Edition
Ganda kasi yuong aluminum outer casing.  You may encounter though some difficulty removing Disc 2 on the 2-disc version.

Walking With Dinosaurs - Clear case but may encounter difficulty removing disks.  Magaalangan ka kasi baka masira ang case o ang disk
Cher: Live In Concert
Brazil Criterion Collection
Fight Club
Toy Story 3-disc Box Set- kaya lang dahil sa maraming metallic areas eh kita kaagad ang fingerprints.  Mas mahirap pa i-maintain kaysa sa X-men  
Seven
X-men

The Rocky Boxed set seems nice based on what I've seen sa Internet.  Gandang i-display siguro iyon kasi each disc case forms part of a picture of Rocky.

[Starman]

Let's not forget the Silver Superman Box Set.  It is worth every penny, sa packaging pa lang, nalampsan lang sya ng T2 The Ultimate Edition, which I have yet to purchase

[PARC]

I don't know if anybody noticed CHARBIT carrying a red DVD case nung first Members' Meet at BYC.  The only thing I remebered was it was RED and ROUND, parang in a tin case (biscuit can).  Can somebody tell me what it is? Charbit?    I'm very curious!

I think it's a unique packaging, but could it be any good, that I don't know.  Sa mata, maganda tingnan.  


PARC

[MultipleAngles]

I'm surprised to be saying this, but the Akira: Limited Ed Tin Case is pretty ungainly. Pretty, but not practical.

The best anime cases come from Pioneer Ent. I think that Fushigi Yuugi was manufactured by them. My friend showed me El-Hazard and it... is... BEAUTIFUL.

(Waitaminute... Pioneer did the Akira discs, too. I think I just condradicted myself)

[gonz]

I don't know if anybody noticed CHARBIT carrying a red DVD case nung first Members' Meet at BYC.  The only thing I remebered was it was RED and ROUND, parang in a tin case (biscuit can).  Can somebody tell me what it is?

Hi PARC, that sounds like the Total Recall Special Edition packaging.  It's a round reddish tin can -- red because it's supposed to look like the surface of Mars.  

[PARC]

Hi PARC, that sounds like the Total Recall Special Edition packaging.  It's a round reddish tin can -- red because it's supposed to look like the surface of Mars.  

That's it!!! Thanks, lad! I almost didn't sleep last night, thinking about.  You know that feeling when you can't sleep until you remembered what it is you're suppose to remember!  

Thanks again!

PARC

[clockwork chico]

and the worst packaging goes to...

the sex and the city season sets...for some reason, once you open the hard plastic cover, ang hirap na i-fold at isarado

also, the x-files box sets...i dunno, maybe its just me..pero once you get the thing out of its cardboard box, its difficult to put the set back in...i think its something to do with the inner cardboard flaps of the box?..

best packaging goes to "fight club", "magnolia" and "the sopranos box set"(cool when they have that red strip of cloth underneath para madali i pull out yun dvd's)

[Phobos]

and the worst packaging goes to...

also, the x-files box sets...i dunno, maybe its just me..pero once you get the thing out of its cardboard box, its difficult to put the set back in...i think its something to do with the inner cardboard flaps of the box?..

Exactly! Whenever I buy an X-Files boxed set, I make it a point to hold those inner flaps down with scotch tape. It's an improvement, but not much. Wish those fox executives would read our rants about their packaging.

[weddingsingr]

I've noticed that a lot of the DVDs with the good packaging, especially those wiht 2 discs are those that have hard-to-release disc holders.

Especially those with clear cases, minsan ang takot ko at baka mabiyak ang either casing or the disc.  So when I use these DVDs more often or when I borrow DVDs with such casings eh nililipat ko muna temporarily sa mga spare cases para hindi masira ang disc at casing.

[kings5504]

The worst packaging:
- Akira Tin Edition...  ang ganda tingnan sa labas, pero it's a pain to take the discs out!  Kainis nga nung natanggal ko na yung disc 1, may kasabay pang malakas na snap!  Parang ayaw patanggal eh....  kaya inilipat ko na lang sa spare cases yung mga dvd...
- JFK: Oliver Stone Collection...  nasa envelope lang nakalagay sa inside back cover ng snapper case yung disc 2!  tsk tsk tsk...

[levi]

The Madonna Girlie show is also a clear plastic case. its kinda hard to remove the disc but now medyo nakuha ko na technique. I dont like this clear plastic pagnahulog sigurado basag.

[benny]

levi, I believe that case is called the "Super Jewel box/case," although there's nothing super about it  ; they just added the "super" bit to distinguish it from regular jewel cases used by CDs. My R1 dvd of the Girlie show is in that infamous Warner snapper. One of these days, I hope I can replace these darn snappers! Is your copy of the same dvd R3?

You're right, you really have to be careful handling these cases. One drop and you're out of luck. Has anyone seen replacement cases of this size?

[levi]

Benny,

  Yup its R3 from astrovision

[benny]

Hey,levi, what's a good boy like you doing with a Madonna disc? girlie show pa. Just kidding! About the Super jewel box, small consolation na lang since in R2 most music dvds ay ganoon din ang packaging.    

[xlr8]

Among the recent releases, eto ang mga nagustuhan ko

Citizen Kane - in league with Fight Club, Boogie Nights Platinum series, Magnolia and Seven

Terminator:SE - ordinary snapper but the cover with the holograms is so slick and cool

[Starman]

The X-Files Season DVD's have an excellent packaging, it fits 7 disks in a relatively thin box, almost the
size of only 3 AMARAY cases.
The way the package folds and the design makes it quite cool

[Starman]

Ok, so its a little difficult to pull the X-Files DVD of its case.  Thats my only complain about it.  Otherwise I really like the case for compact storage.

[NY152]

Best: Basic Instinct Collector's Edition - in a replica block of ice that comes with an ice pick pen

Worst: Buffy The Vampire Slayer Season 2 (Region 2) - in tight cardboard sleeves that scratch up the discs as you pull them out.

[LYON]

maybe u should not look at the packaging, try to concentrate on the contents.

[Komikero]

maybe u should not look at the packaging, try to concentrate on the contents.

That's a good point of course...but sucky packaging can affect the content itself. The JFK DVD for instance. The 2nd disc of my copy already has scratches because Warner didn't know how to package it well.

And really, packaging really counts for films that are good, but otherwise obscure.  It's like the cover to a magazine. You have to attract attention so you could entice walk in customers, who don't really have any particular title in mind to buy.  And good packaging could just be the clincher. Just check out the Pearl Harbor thread. Some people who really didn't particularly like the movie, is going to buy the DVD because the packaging is way cool. So as far as getting someone to buy the Pearl Harbor DVD, the packaging certainly worked.

On the other hand, people have actually avoided some really good titles because the packaging sucks. Godfather could be an example.