View Full Version : Help needed, which DVDs would you buy??
theoriginalsparky
14-12-2003, 11:58
Right guys and gals, basically i need your help. My mum and dad are getting their first DVD player this christmas, so as a pressie from me im gonna get them some dvds to start their collection.<p>
Problem is they dont really watch a lot of films. So which ones would you reccomend i buy for them, that will show them the wonders of dvd compared to vhs and will encourage them to buy more dvds?? Their tastes in films are pretty much widespread, but they're not into sci-fi or fantasy stuff (e.g LOTR)....so anything that you think will give them DVD delight would be appreciated!
Thanks in advance :)
Arch Stanton
14-12-2003, 12:22
How about something from Pixar... Monsters inc or (if you can play R1's) Finding Nemo?
jroadley
14-12-2003, 12:48
Why not try some old films that have been restored well onto DVD... off the top of my head:
North By Northwest
Gone With The Wind
Singin In The Rain
Ed Parsons
14-12-2003, 12:49
How old are they, do they have a widescreen TV, and what genre do they like best?
I Spit on Your Grave is an instant family fave! :thumbs:
Old TV series might be a good idea - "All Creatures Great & Small" etc etc.
Otherwise, I'd agree with JRoadley that old movies would be a good first move - stuff like the "Casablanca" SE, the "Sound of Music" SE etc
Steve
Paul Lynock
14-12-2003, 13:40
Yeah, I agree with buying a couple of Pixar films- especially Toy Story and Monsters Inc, because everybody loves them and they looks great on DVD :thumbs:. Maybe you could look at what they have on VHS and buy a couple of those on DVD? Then you'd be able to to a direct comparison :lol:
Originally posted by theoriginalsparky
Right guys and gals, basically i need your help. My mum and dad are getting their first DVD player this christmas,
Problem is they dont really watch a lot of films.
maybe a DVD player is not for them :confused:
Originally posted by theoriginalsparky
Right guys and gals, basically i need your help. My mum and dad are getting their first DVD player this christmas, so as a pressie from me im gonna get them some dvds to start their collection.<p>
Problem is they dont really watch a lot of films. So which ones would you reccomend i buy for them, that will show them the wonders of dvd compared to vhs and will encourage them to buy more dvds?? Their tastes in films are pretty much widespread, but they're not into sci-fi or fantasy stuff (e.g LOTR)....so anything that you think will give them DVD delight would be appreciated!
Thanks in advance :)
I'd go with old TV stuff - failing that just buy porn. ;)
theoriginalsparky
14-12-2003, 14:14
Originally posted by madstu
maybe a DVD player is not for them :confused:
yeh but im not buying the dvd player just wanna get them started with some good films. And the thread says 'help needed which dvds would you buy' not 'write down your best pointless comments'
'ed' they are in there late 40's so not that old!
good idea about the pixar films, hadnt thought of that.
any other ideas?? i thought maybe something like shawshank or green mile, both excellent films
theoriginalsparky
14-12-2003, 14:15
Originally posted by Paul490
... failing that just buy porn. ;)
Na think they've got enough of that!!!!;)
Ed Parsons
14-12-2003, 14:57
A dozen suggestions...
Apollo 13
Chicago
The French Connection
The Great Escape
The Italian Job (1969)
Laurence Of Arabia
North By Northwest
Shakespeare In Love
The Silence Of The Lambs
Some Like It Hot
The Sound Of Music
The Usual Suspects
Can't beat some classic Hitchcock like Rear Window.
Try these also -
Once upon a time in America
Jaws
The Searchers
A bond film - Goldfinger?
LOTR
Moulin Rouge
Die Hard
The Mummy
:)
I haven't sat through the whole film as it was pretty dire, but I know a lot of people actually like it, and the picture did seem amazing............
Pearl Harbour!
It was one of the first DVDs I saw played on our player when we first got it, and the picture really blew me away (then the film drove me away!). (Now I bet someone will tell me it was just newbie love, and the picture is actually quite pants ;) )
What about any of these?
Almost Famous
Amadeus
As Good As It gets
Beautiful Mind
Catch Me If You Can
Easy Rider
Dances With Wolves
Horse Whisperer
Music of the Heart
Pay It Forward
The Pianist
Rabbit Proof Fence
The Rose
Topsy-Turvy
Do your mum and dad go to the cinema much? (I guess probably not)
Did your mum and dad used to go to the cinema much (I guess probably yes when they were in their 20s, i.e. in the 1980s)
If they are anything like my parents, they probably wistfully read the film reviews in the paper and the Saturday TV guide, but never actually go to see a film. In that case, there would be tons of stuff that has been in the cinemas recently that they are "aware" of and would like to see. You could get them something very recent, that you know they haven't seen. If their player is multi-region and you can get them something from region 1 which is still on current release here, so much the better.
Incidentally, to someone who is in their 40s now, North by Northwest, Casablanca etc are old movies, strange as it may seem .... They might feel insulted if you present them with these, saying "Here, mum and dad, this seems like your sort of film."
Also, they may not be all that chuffed with the Pixar films. In my
opinion, although these are sharp and colourful on DVD, DVD really comes into its own with more difficult 'film-like' material that looks bad on VHS: obviously I am talking about DVDs with good transfers, here.
In terms of modern classics that 40 yr olds would like (no Sci Fi, no Fantasy) I would recommend (all good DVDs):
Ocean's Eleven
Out of Sight
Romeo and Juliet (Baz Luhrman) - my mum's favourite
Moulin Rouge
Amadeus (director's cut)
Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon
Leon
Pulp Fiction
Apocalypse Now (Redux)
Das Boot (get the Superbit)
Top Gun (great for 1980s nostalgia)
Most of these are on sale currently at Play.
Well my inlaws are in their seventies and never go to the cinema - we lent them One night at McCools and As good as it gets and they loved them both!
Ordered them up Seabiscuit for Xmas which is out now on R1 - will be a nice surprise for them as they are only aware that it's not out till Feb on R2.
Nathan-Wind
15-12-2003, 13:32
I'd go with Finding Nemo, its a good disc and a great film, with the bonus of it not being released here until around March.
Do they have a widescreen TV?
Just asking cos you might get asked about those EVIL black bars on the screen! :nuts:
My own recommendations, taking their age into account, would include:
Ben Hur
Dr Zhivago
Lawrence Of Arabia
The Great Escape
Amadeus (Directors Cut)
Jaws
The Good, The Bad & The Ugly
The Green Mile
The Shawshank Redemption
Platoon
The Usual Suspects
Fellowship Of The Ring: EE
Don't think you'd go far wrong with any of those. A WS TV would make a helluva difference though.
theoriginalsparky
15-12-2003, 22:14
cheers guys, some good films here. thanks for all your help :)
The Boogerman
16-12-2003, 18:55
You will probably struggle to be certain of getting R1 in time now so R2 maybe the best bet.
A few more suggestions;
Pirates Of The Caribbean
Back to the Future Trilogy
Indiana Jones Trilogy
perhaps Thomas Crown Affair (1999)
or if you go for older movies, classics maybe the way
Its A Wonderful Life
Wizard Of Oz
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