Blu-ray Feature: The 10 Best Blu-rays of 2012

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5. “Game of Thrones: The Complete First Season”

Game of Thrones: The Complete First Season
Photo credit: HBO

The best TV-HD release of 2012 is HBO’s exhaustive offering for fans of one of their most beloved and award-winning shows. Not only is “Game of Thrones” one of the best shows on TV and not only has it been presented in perfect HD video and audio but the bonus material is absolutely overwhelming. Each episode features an interactive guide that is constantly being updated to make sure you know how the characters relate and even where they are physically in the world of Westeros. There are clan and character histories, not just plot recaps, and it’s all presented in an incredibly user-friendly manner. If someone is understandably apprehensive about getting into a show with as many speaking roles as “Game of Thrones,” HBO has done everything they can to allay their fears, including not just the on-screen guide but a pamphlet that includes a map and a family tree. Seven commentaries, hours of featurettes, an interactive compendium of the houses…it’s damn near exhausting. And for good measure, HBO included DVD and digital copy versions of the episodes as well.

Buy “Game of Thrones: The Complete First Season” Here

4. “Universal Classic Monsters”

Universal Classic Monsters
Photo credit: Paramount

Now we get to the real meat of the list. Seriously, as much as I like #5-10, these top four are the ones that must be owned if your Blu-ray collection is to truly be complete. There was little competition for these top four spots and the first goes to an amazing collection featuring the timeless monsters that not only made Universal a powerhouse studio but redefined what we expect from horror films to this very day. So much of what we think about when we imagine vampires, monsters, and anything that goes bump in the night was defined by classics like “Dracula” and “Frankenstein.” And each film has not only been perfectly remastered but accompanied by incredible special features like the Spanish-language version of “Dracula” shot at the same time but with a completely different tone.

Buy “Universal Classic Monsters” Here

3. “Jaws”

Jaws
Photo credit: Universal

Blu-ray releases should be tested in front of a film’s most loyal fans. I’ve seen “Jaws” numerous times. It is my “oh no, _____ is on cable and now I have to watch all of it” movie. Every time I stumble upon it, I get sucked back into its singular joys. And yet when I started up this Blu-ray, I literally felt like I was watching it for the first time. The way moonlight shimmers off the water in that opening scene took my breath away. Judged purely on HD transfer, this is the best Blu-ray of the year. Add in the excellent special features and it’s a clear choice for the phrase “must-own.”

Buy “Jaws” Here

2. “Indiana Jones: The Complete Adventures”

Indiana Jones: The Complete Adventures
Photo credit: Paramount

A remastered HD version of “Raiders of the Lost Ark”? Where do I pre-order? Yes, we can argue all day as to the quality of the other three movies in this collection but “Ark” is a must-own in HD by itself. And the transfer on “Doom” is a beauty, remastered in a way that makes it look like it could come out today. The fifth disc in this set includes nearly an hour of interviews, clips, and behind-the-scenes footage for each film. Rare footage is included like the screen test between Tom Selleck and Sean Young for “Raiders” along with amazing trivia like the fact that his name was once Indiana Smith or that it was almost called “The Temple of Death.” These making-of featurettes are spectacular. On top of the four individual features, there’s a whole new documentary of archival footage from “Raiders.” The disc adds up to seven hours of bonus material, which may sound like overkill for some franchises but “Indiana Jones” is not your average franchise. It’s a reason to buy a Blu-ray player.

Buy “Indiana Jones: The Complete Adventures” Here

1. “Alfred Hitchcock: The Masterpiece Collection”

Alfred Hitchcock: The Masterpiece Collection
Photo credit: Universal

I know, I know. It’s a little unfair to pick such an expensive release as the best Blu-ray of 2012 but I’d be lying to myself if I didn’t include a box with some of the films that shaped the reason I love movies in the first place — “North by Northwest,” “Psycho,” “Rear Window,” “Vertigo.” And that’s just four of the fifteen works of one of the best directors of all time included in this gorgeous box. You haven’t seen “Vertigo” until you’ve seen it in HD. And the special features are impressive in terms of both quantity and quality. You’ll spend days exploring the featurettes, archival footage, and commentary tracks and learn more about the movies that shaped the next half-century of cinema.

Buy “Alfred Hitchcock: The Masterpiece Collection” Here

By BRIAN TALLERICO Content Director HollywoodChicago.com brian@hollywoodchicago.com