Best and Worst DVD Menus

[Hardnox]

Graphically...best ive seen is Mummy Returns...obviously newer are often graphically better...but as far as general design goes...Snatch is pretty cool....

any opinions?

[john316]

Predator DTS R1 is probably the worst menu I have seen - just so plain!

[Bapapapa]

I'll take static unobtrusive menus over pain in the a$$ animated ones any day of the week.

[SimonI]

I agree with Bapapapa there; best ones are Criterion, also with the added bonus of not having endless FBI, CIA, MI5 and Stasi warnings on front telling us honest folk not to make copies...

On the other hand, the Simpsons (R1) menus must be the worst I've seen - could they be more boring!

[john316]

Originally posted by SimonI
On the other hand, the Simpsons (R1) menus must be the worst I've seen - could they be more boring!

At least there is some music playing! :D

[daveyboy19]

worst: Hollow Man.

[DeadKenny]

I can think of a whole bunch with dull (and in some cases badly designed - if there is any design to it), static menus by a certain bunch who coincidentally use snappers. Both the case, menus, and in many cases lack of content, contribute to the cheap feel of the things, but then they are cheap anyway ("you gets what ya pay for").

I don't mind too much if the content is okay, but with many if they can't be bothered about content (both extras and the quality of the print/transfer), they may as well have not bothered at all with a menu.

Worst offenders though for me are those split over two sides (where there are extras on the 2nd side in rare cases) and the same menu is presented on both sides leading to a nightmare of selecting menu options only to be told to flip the disc over, then having to flip back (same said company that uses snappers and also has used single-layer double-sided discs when a dual would have been far better).

Best, don't know, but I'm not too fussed about over the top animation, just something that gives the right impression. Fun menus are quite good. The MGM 2-disc version of Spinal Tap, and Rocky Horror Picture Show are both quite good. Gladiator and Star Wars:EP1 are fairly static, but great looking backgrounds, fonts and overall design.

[jamie_rowe]

The R1 Toy Story/Toy Story 2 menus are static and silent, so rubbish.

Also don't think much of The Matrix one as it gives away all the best bits of the film if you haven't seen it before.

Jaws and ID4 are pretty good.

My DVDs (http://www.dvdprofiler.com/mycollection.asp?alias=jamie_rowe)

[SimonI]

Originally posted by jamie_rowe
The R1 Toy Story/Toy Story 2 menus are static and silent, so rubbish.

That must be the two-pack - on the Ultimate Box they are animated and with (slightly irritating) music...

[Vinyl-Pants]

Well I always feel disappointed when im met with static silent menus. Good menu systems that I can remember, imo of course, are;

T2 UE
Goldeneye


hmm expected to be able to list more than two...all I can remember for now, oh well :)

[mikegray]

Worst : Bridget Jones

I just want to see the bloomin' film not sit through all this junk to get to the menu, and worse, it's every time you go between menus. :(

[Roberto]

Best: The early James Bond discs

Worst: Some of the early Warner discs (Bladerunner is a prime example that most of you will have)

[Mr Vampire]

In regards to Hong Kong DVD menus almost all are $h!te. But recently I've liked the menus from Fulltime Killers, Legend of Zu and... and... hmm. I think it ends around there (unless people can give me anymore examples) The menu in Shaolin Soccer got tiresome when you had to wade through that title screen for the hundredth time.

[Madm@tt]

Best:

All Bond Discs,
FDTD,
The Abyss,
ID4,
Hannibal,
The Terminator,
T2,
X Men,
Austin Powers,
Austin Powers 2,
and Star Wars Episode I: TPM


Worst:

Blade Runner,
The Shawshank Redemption - good menus but they spoil the film completely,
Con Air - original release,
The English Patient
and The Insider.

[Mozley]

Surprised no-one's mentioned Aliens or Withnail and I yet!

And rubbish ones are too many to mention: 2001/2010, Star Trek films, Predator, High Fidelity...(if ever there was an opportunity for a cool menu....there's not even any music!)

[silverpenguin7]

Hmmmmm.....

Well one of the worst I have is R1 Very Bad Things.

OMG, my mind has gone blank for an example of a good menu screen!!

[Dan Druff]

This is Spinal Tap - cucumber!
T2 UA - future war!
The Abyss - underwater!
Ghostbusters - Stay Puft!
Edward Scissorhands - snow!

etc.

[robbiejm]

Good:

Seven (R2)
Platoon
Criterion - generally
Snatch
Alien

[powlest]

I quite liked:

The Abyss r2
X-men r1
Shaolin soccer

[Alanok]

The best menu's I have seen in along while are the ones on Monty Pythin and the Holy Grail. Very funny and in Dolby Digital. Also like the Jurasic Park menus, Veloceraptor tastic.

[Michael Mackenzie]

Problem is, the best-looking menus often end up being the ones with the most annoying (ie. lengthy) transitions. Take Tomb Raider: cool design (although the Special Features screen is a pain to navigate), but you have to sit through endless spinning globes to get anywhere. The Mummy Returns is in the same category -- except even longer transitions.

I think Scream 2 has a very nice menu. Simple, but effective, and atmospheric. Hannibal and Chicken Run are also nice.

[burn]

Personaly the nicest menus i have seen around at the moment are on Final Fantasy and POTA, Yeah they may have long transitions but initially you can skip em which is cool if you ask me.

[nwgarratt]

A lot by EIV

[whitty]

Best: SHREK - Oh Oh Pick me, Pick me

Worst: Game of death - Jeeeeees it takes all day

[richarde007]

The worst ever ever ever is..................

TOP GUN

No music, no animation and no special feature button!