GAK! It’s almost Wednesday and I’m just getting around to publishing the list of new Blu-ray releases. There’s no real stand-out disc this week but there are a lot of very watchable films and some really great catalogue releases. Of note, and not in the list of Top discs this week, are individual releases of the other two “Man with No Name” Sergio Leone films (Fistful of Dollars and For a Few Dollars More) and the three Spy Kids movies. Good times.

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1. RIO

“Feel the rhythm…hear the beat…and let your spirit soar with this 4-Disc Edition of “Rio” – with more music, more dancing and more fun for the whole family! This high-flying animated comedy from the makers of “Ice Age” features an all-star cast that includes the voice talents of Anne Hathaway, Jesse Eisenberg, George Lopez and Jamie Foxx. Blu (Eisenberg) is a rare domesticated macaw who believes he’s the last of his kind. But when his owner learns about Jewel (Hathaway), Blu’s female counterpart in Rio de Janeiro, they set out on the adventure of a lifetime. Even though he’s never learned to fly, Blu befriends a group of wise-cracking, smooth-talking city birds who help him find the courage to spread his wings and follow his destiny.“

If you didn’t know better, you could easily be fooled into thinking Rio was the newest CGI animated Pixar release, what with it’s strong sense of design and reasonably funny (even to adults), smart script. But this charming little fish-out-of-water tale comes to us courtesy of Fox and they’ve done a bang-up job here. While the story itself is terribly predictable, the gags are fresh and fun and, along with a bright cast who really deliver (seriously, Eisenberg could be the new everyman of voice actors and don’t get me started on the juice that Tracey Morgan brings to the party), keep Rio as entertaining as a night at Carnival. Speaking of which, could the creators of the film have chosen a better location to highlight? The city comes alive in a somewhat idealized, colourful rendition of Rio’s most famous time of year, highlighting the grand spectacle of the floats, costumes and parades of Carnival to great effect. Bossa Nova sounds play a big part in the film (they should, with Sergio Mendes on board as Executive Music Producer) and often call to mind the famous songs and sounds of the celebration captured in Marcel Camus‘ Black Orpheus. This is a great looking, extremely entertaining family film.

Rio not only looks spectacular in it’s design but also in it’s digital-to-digital Blu-ray transfer. This is a reference quality disc, near perfection, that you can proudly use to show off your new HD screen. Prepare to be blinded by the most radiant colours you’ve ever seen from a Blu-ray disc. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 equals the image presentation, with a soundtrack that can rival the best of them. Bonus features are plentiful but provide less insight into the filmmaking process than fans will ultimately desire. The 10-minute “The Real Rio“, a look around the locations that inspired the film, and 13-minute “Sounds of Brazil“, interviews with Mendes and the crew regarding the music of Rio, are certainly worth checking out, though, even if you normally give extras a pass.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

• Explore the World of Rio – Beach, Jungle, City, Stadium
• Blu Shows the Way – Introduction
• Boom-Boom Tish Tish: The Sounds of Rio featurette
• The Making of Hot Wings featurette
• Saving the Species: One Voice at a Time featurette
• The Real Rio featurette
• “Welcome to Rio” Music Video
• Deleted Scene: “Fruit Stand”
• Postcards from Rio featurette
• Carnival Dance O Rama – Intro, Blu, Jewel, Luiz, Monkeys, Nico and Pedro, Raphael, Samba Line
• Rio de JAM-eiro Jukebox
• Taio Cruz – “Telling the World” Music Video
• Angry Birds Rio – Trailer
• Angry Birds Rio – Nigel Mash Up
• Angry Birds Rio – Instructional Video
• Live Lookup Powered By IMDB

AMAZON: $25.99

2. CONAN THE BARBARIAN and CONAN THE DESTROYER

CROM!! Just in time to promote the release of the new Conan the Barbarian film, Universal is releasing the original pair of Conan films from the ’80s, both starring Arnold Schwarzenegger in one of his best and most appropriate roles. I haven’t seen either disc (that’s right, still no screener love on the Universal front) but my love for John Milius‘ brilliant, original Conan the Barbarian will see me upgrading to the Blu-ray, which carries over all the previously available special features. I may even pick up the sub-standard, PG-rated Conan the Destroyer, which I’ve avoided watching since my initial letdown with the film way back when it was released. Yes, I’m that old…

AMAZON: $20.24 each

3. THE NAME OF THE ROSE

““The Name of the Rose” is a gothic medieval mystery thriller set in a 14th-century Italian monastery. Franciscan monk William of Baskerville (Sean Connery) and a young novice (Christian Slater) arrive for a conference to find that several monks have been murdered in mysterious circumstances. To solve the crimes, William must rise up against the Church authority and fight the shadowy conspiracy of monastery monks using only his wit and intelligence.“

I hate to say it but the only element of The Name of the Rose that stuck with me from my pre-teen viewing of the film is the sex scene – a very young Christian Slater being stripped of his novice’s robes and getting it on with some random village girl, who can barely rub two intelligible syllables together, but who knows her way around a naked body. I guess fixating on the nudie bits is to be expected at that age. To be fair, though, I recall clearly enjoying the mystery and the general gothic dreariness of the mysterious thirteenth-century abbey that provides the setting of the 1986 film. There’s so much more to The Name of the Rose than meets the eye. It’s Sherlock Holmes by way of The Da Vinci Code (Umberto Eco wrote Rose long before Dan Brown had conceived of Code but you get the point), wrapped in some of the grimiest, most authentic-looking production design this side of a Ridley Scott film. Director Jean-Jacques Annaud keeps things dark, both in his shooting style and in adapting the tone of the book. The script is dense, layered with historical fact, literary allusions and theological philosophizing but not to the extent that it compromises the thrill of following along in William of Baskerville’s investigations. Great stuff!

As I said, The Name of the Rose is a dark, dreary film and it shows in this honest, film-like transfer of Warner‘s new Blu-ray disc. You’ll never demo the power of your new HDTV to pals using this bad boy but it really looks great, considering how it was shot. Moody, soft images don’t exactly pop off the screen in 1080p but they do look like film and appear untouched by digital nastiness. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track is solid but, without any of the bombast of modern soundtracks, doesn’t offer any ‘wow’ factor.

Extras aren’t as plentiful as a full-on Special Edition might provide, but there’s some nice stuff to be found on the disc. Annaud offers two commentary tracks here, one in English, the other in French both loaded with facts and production info. There’s also a German television “making-of” that runs almost 45-minutes in length. The disc is rounded out with a “Photo Video Journey” and the theatrical trailer.

AMAZON: $13.99

4. SLEEPERS

“The judicial system is supposed to protect them. But when a youthful prank in New York’s Hell’s Kitchen spins out of control, the punishment doesn’t fit the crime. Sentenced to the Wilkinson School for Boys, four pals are mistreated at will by a cadre of sadistic guards. Now, 15 years later, they have an unexpected opportunity to use that system – for revenge. Friendship. Loyalty. Retribution. The powerful themes and startling events of the controversial bestseller come to the screen in the electrifying thriller “Sleepers“, written for the screen and directed by Barry Levinson (“Rain Man”, “Disclosure”). Kevin Bacon, Robert De Niro, Dustin Hoffman, Bruno Kirby, Jason Patric and Brad Pitt headline the ensemble of the compelling movie that “reminds us what superb acting is all about” (Pat Collins, WWOR-TV). From its telltale opening lines to its stunning courtroom climax, “Sleepers” is spellbinding entertainment. With a vengeance.“

Oh man, I had forgotten what a great movie Sleepers is until watching it again on this new Blu-ray disc. This might just be my favourite Levinson film. The story, adapted from the real-life inspired novel by Lorenzo Carcaterra, is a harrowing one of friendship that’s stronger than evil, time or the US judicial system. It moves from from the ’60s, when the four youths at the centre of the tale are incarcerated in a home for boys where they’re raped and tortured over a year and a half, all the way to the ’80s, where it turns into something of a courtroom drama. Both halves are equally compelling, with excellent performances given from all the cast, both young and old. Sleepers is two and half hours well spent.

Warner packs the film onto a single layer disc that can barely contain it. The encode literally couldn’t be any more economic, sporting a fine transfer that’s rich and film-like, that gobbles up every spare bit and byte it can grab. Contrast seems to waver at times but skin tones are accurate and colours vivid. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 sound track is clean and clear with a nice dynamic representation of John Williams‘ very uncommon (for Williams) but largely effective score. As the feature takes up most of the disc space, the only bonus goodie on the Blu-ray is a trailer, presented in standard-def no less!

AMAZON: $14.99

5. STAKE LAND

“America is a lost nation. When an epidemic of vampirism strikes, humans find themselves on the run from vicious, feral beasts. Cities are tombs and survivors cling together in rural pockets, fearful of nightfall. When his family is slaughtered, young Martin (“Gossip Girl’s” Connor Paolo) is taken under the wing of a grizzled, wayward hunter (“In the Cut’s” Nick Damici) whose new prey are the undead. Simply known as Mister, the vampire stalker takes Martin on a journey through the locked-down towns of America’s hearland, searching for a better place while taking down any bloodsuckers that cross their path. Along the way they recruit fellow travelers, including a nun (Kelly McGillis) who is caught in a crisis of faith when her followers turn into ravenous beasts. This ragtag family unit cautiously moves north, avoiding major thoroughfares that have been seized by The Brethren, a fundamentalist militia headed by Jebedia Loven (Tony award-winning actor Michael Cerveris) that interprets the plague as the Lord’s work.“

I wasn’t expecting this little gem! Stake Land, a modest vampire-apocalypse film on a tight budget, sure is one hell of a ride. Granted, the vampires here are treated more along the lines of your traditional, mindless, hungry zombie. And the action is somewhat predictable and repetitive. But there’s a unique balance of character, action and tone that keeps it all from feeling too rote. In particular, I found the score by composer Jeff Grace to be a non-traditional choice – often soft and graceful, where most survival-horror films would crank a Fender strat with overdrive. The quiet moments really make you feel like the film is in the hands of an accomplished, self assured director with a vision, instead of the many modern grindhouse splatter auteurs usually responsible for this sort of direct to home video fare. This one might appear a pale imitation of Zombieland on the surface, but it’s only the similarity of title and setup (elder-guardian/younger-pupil protagonists versus the undead) that that these two films share with one another. There’s little to laugh at in Stake Land but there are plenty of fangs and scares to hold your interest through its modest runtime.

Stake Land looks surprisingly slick on Blu-ray considering its low-budget origins. This detailed, vibrant presentation is clear evidence of what the RED camera is capable of in the right hands, even without much a budget to speak of. Blacks are solid and colours seem accurate across the board. The 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track is well-balanced but powerful, with clean and clear dialogue, thumping lows and active surround channels.

The disc is packed with special features that’ll take you quite a few hours to comb through. There are a pair of audio commentaries – one focused on the creative with the writer/director Jim Mickle, writer/star Nick Damici, co-star Connor Paolo, and producers Larry Fessenden and Brent Kunkle and one dealing with more technical aspects of the production with Mickle, producers Peter Phok and Adam Folk, cinematographer Ryan Samul, composer Jeff Grace, and sound designer Graham Reznick. Both are worth a listen for those keen on the film or film production. Those looking for a more jovial, easy listen are recommended to hit up the cast track. It’s a little more fun. If commentary tracks aren’t your thing, there’s an hour-long “making-of” doc and a ton of production diaries to give you peek into the secrets of the production. There are also seven short films on the disc called “Character Prequels” that offer an extended look at the people and plot of the film. The disc is rounded out with the theatrical trailer.

NOTE: I reviewed the eOne Films edition of Stake Land. The Dark Sky Films edition in the US is most likely identical.

AMAZON: CDN$23.12, US $13.49

6. EASTBOUND & DOWN: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASONand THE COMPLETE SECOND SEASON

“Former Major League pitcher Kenny Powers (Danny McBride) used to have it all: fame, endorsements and a lucrative contract. Now, after hard living took its toll on his fastball, Kenny has found himself crashing with his brother’s family and teaching gym class at a North Carolina middle school he once attended. Wherever he goes, Kenny wreaks havoc with his boorish behavior and even makes a pre-emptive romantic strike on his former high school squeeze, now a teacher engaged to the school principal. Out of baseball, and discarded by the game he abused so well, can Kenny succeed in his plot to triumphantly return to the big leagues? “

Argh! This is frustrating. I was sent a review copy of the Eastbound & Down: The Complete Second Season Blu-ray set this past week and have been hustling to get my hands on the first ever since, to no avail. As a result, I’ve yet to see a single episode. But our own Chris Tucker (the Blu-ray reviewer not the actor) assures me that it belongs in the list of Top Blu-ray discs this week. In fact, he claims it should be in the Number One slot! I don’t know about the show itself, but being an HBO Blu-ray disc set, I have no doubt about the quality of the presentation of the episodes. Like every single one of the studio’s releases, this one will no doubt look and sound great. Bonus features on the Second Season set include “Invitation to the Set“, “Big Red Cockfighting“, deleted scenes, outtakes and audio commentaries.

UPDATE: Eastbound & Down: The Complete First Season now in hand! Let the viewing and reviewing begin!!

AMAZON: $26.99, $21.49

7. THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN and RETURN OF THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN

“Spectacular gun battles, epic-sized heroes and an all-star cast that includes Academy Award winners Yul Brynner and James Coburn, together with Steve McQueen, Eli Wallach and Charles Bronson, make The Magnificent Seven a legend among westerns. Spawning three sequels and a successful television series, and featuring Elmer Bernstein‘s Oscar-nominated score, this stunning remake of The Seven Samurai is “a hard-pounding adventure” (Newsweek) and “an enduringly popular” (Leonard Maltin) cinematic classic. Merciless Calvera (Wallach) and his band of ruthless outlaws are terrorizing a poor Mexican village, and even the bravest lawmen can’t stop them. Desperate, the locals hire Chris Adams (Brynner) and six other gunfighters to defend them. With time running out before Calvera’s next raid, the heroic seven must prepare the villagers for battle and help them find the courage to take back their town or die trying!“

Just look at that cast – Yul Brynner, James Coburn, Steve McQueen, Eli Wallach and Charles Bronson. The Magnificent Seven, a western remake of Akira Kurosawa‘s Seven Samurai, is an unadulterated classic of the genre and has appeared already on Blu-ray in the 4-disc The Magnificent Seven Collection released last May. If you were able to spy a copy, you’ll recall that most of the films looked pretty great without much digital tampering. Sadly, there also isn’t any hint of restoration performed on the films. You’ll note the odd bit scratch and fleck here and there but there’s nothing offensive. It’s just a shame that the first film, the original, hasn’t had some work put into it, considering its standing amongst westerns and in film history. Audio is presented in impressive DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 tracks and will surprise you in their clarity and depth.

Fox and MGM are making the first two Magnificent Seven films available outside of the boxed set today, for the very first time. The discs echo the versions in the boxed set, with The Magnificent Seven including extras such as a commentary track by producer Walter Mirisch, assistant director Robert Relyea, and actors James Coburn and Eli Wallach, a 45-minute “making-of” doc, the short docs “The Linen Book: Lost Images from The Magnificent Seven ” and “Elmer Bernstein and the Magnificent Seven” clocking in at around 15-minutes each, a couple of trailers and stills gallery. Return of the Magnificent Seven features only the theatrical trailer.

AMAZON: $12.99 each

8. FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF: BUELLER…BUELLER…EDITION

““Bueller… Bueller…?” Sorry, not here! Instead, high-schooler Ferris Bueller (Matthew Broderick), his girlfriend Sloane (Mia Sara), and his best bud Cameron (Alan Ruck) are off on the spontaneous romp through Chicago known as “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.” You’ll also enjoy righteous bonus materials that give you an insider’s peek at this hilarious comedy hit from John Hughes (“Planes, Trains & Automobiles”, “Sixteen Candles”). So, barf up a lung, forge a “sick note” from the parents, and tag along on the funniest adventure to ever sweep through the Windy City. What are you still doing here? Save Ferris.

Well, I’m not quite too sure about this one. I mean, I love love love Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. Who Doesn’t?! It’s one of the John Hughes classics from ’80s. It might be THE Hughes classic. The film most people think of when you say John Hughes (In my family, that film would actually be Sixteen Candles, but that’s another story all together.) But I don’t quite get this new Blu-ray release of the film. You see, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off has been on Blu for over two years now and, aside from the new package-sleeve on this updated “Bueller…Bueller…Edition” of the disc (a sleeve that opens up to reveal a map of locations relevant to Ferris’ hijinks), I can’t see any difference. These things are the same, as far as I can tell. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

You see, both the original pressing and this new release share the same very fine transfer and surprisingly robust Dolby TrueHD 5.1 audio track. They also share the same collection of special features that falls short of perfection. I’m gathering that this new disc is being released to mark the films 25th Anniversary and as such, I feel it’s a shame that further special features weren’t added. In particular, I really wish there was a commentary track on this thing. I know we’ll never have a Hughes track (the director passed away two years ago this week) but one with the cast would be fun.

But I’m picking nits here. This is a good, solid disc that every fan should have in their collection. If you don’t already own the previously released disc, this one is a safe bet.

AMAZON: CDN$ 15.25

ALSO AVAILABLE: BETTER OFF DEAD

“I WANT MY TWO DOLLARS!!” I haven’t seen this film since I was a kid but I used to LOVE it. Bring on the Blu-ray!!

AMAZON: $16.99

ALSO AVAILABLE ON BLU-RAY THIS WEEK
Clicking an image will take you to Amazon.com where you can learn more about and purchase the Blu-ray disc:

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Weeks like this kind of tear me up inside. You see, I’m often torn between whether to present a Top 5 list that represents my personal feelings about the Blu-ray discs being released or whether to outline the most popular new titles of the week. I know…first-world problems. Anyway, as usual, I’ve followed my own passions and assembled this weeks list based on the films that excite me the most. As a result, it’s four-fifths catalogue releases, with potentially popular recent Hollywood fliks like the I Spit on your Grave remake, Paranormal Activity 2 and the rom-com, Life as We Know It not making the cut.

As always, clicking the Blu-ray package art will zip you over to Amazon where every purchase made through our links helps the site stay on its feet. We appreciate every single click and thank you again for continuing to read The Blu-ray Blog.

1. AMARCORD

Any week that brings another Fellini film to Blu-ray is a pretty good week. And you just know that any Fellini film released on Blu-ray by The Criterion Collection is a worthwhile purchase, sight unseen. Amarcord is no exception.

“This carnivalesque portrait of provincial Italy during the fascist period, the most personal film from Federico Fellini, satirizes the director’s youth and turns daily life into a circus of social rituals, adolescent desires, male fantasies, and political subterfuge, all set to Nina Rota’s classic, nostalgia-tinged score. The Academy Award–winning Amarcord remains one of cinema’s enduring treasures.”

For those who don’t already own Amarcord on DVD this new Blu-ray edition should be a blind-buy. You won’t regret it. Those with the DVD already in your collection will find this a beautiful upgrade, with richer colours and more detail. Gone are the digital artifacts of standard-def, replaced here with a beautiful film-like grain structure. The original Italian audio is presented in a full, resonant lossless track. Special features are carried over from the previous DVD edition and are, as you’d expect from Criterion, fantastic.

Highly recommended!

Special Features:

• All-new, restored high-definition digital transfer
• Audio commentary by film scholars Peter Brunette and Frank Burke
• American release trailer
• Deleted scene
• Optional English-dubbed soundtrack
• New and improved English subtitle translation
• New 45-minute documentary, Fellini’s Homecoming, on the complicated relationship between the celebrated director, his hometown, and his past
• Video interview with star Magali Noël
• Fellini’s drawings of characters in the film
• “Felliniana,” a presentation of ephemera devoted to Amarcord from the collection of Don Young
• Audio interviews with Fellini, his friends, and family by Gideon Bachmann
• New restoration demonstration
• PLUS: A book featuring a new essay by scholar Sam Rohdie, author of Fellini Lexicon, and the full text of Fellini’s 1967 essay, “My Rimini"

AMAZON: $27.99

2. STILL WALKING

It’s another two-Criterion Blu-ray week to break the bank! The second title is one of the premiere Japanese films to be released in 2008, directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda (After Life, Air Doll).

“The lyrical, profoundly moving Still Walking (Aruitemo aruitemo) is contemporary Japanese master Hirokazu Kore-eda’s most personal work to date. Created as a tribute to his late mother, the film depicts one day in the life of the Yokoyamas, gathered together for a commemorative ritual whose nature only gradually becomes clear. Rather than focus on big dramatic moments, Kore-eda relies on simple gestures and domestic routines (especially cooking) to evoke a family’s entire life, its deep regrets and its daily joys. Featuring vivid, heartrending performances and a gentle naturalism that harks back to the director’s earlier, documentary work, Still Walking is an extraordinary portrayal of the ties that bind us.”

Special Features:

• New high-definition digital transfer, approved by director Hirokazu Kore-eda and director of photography Yutaka Yamazaki (with DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack on the Blu-ray edition)
• New video interviews with Kore-eda and Yamazaki
• Making “Still Walking”
• Trailer
• New and improved English subtitle translation
• PLUS: A booklet featuring a new essay by film critic Dennis Lim and recipes for the food prepared in the film

AMAZON: $27.99

3. TAMARA DREWE

Tamara Drewe is an odd duck. Both the character and the film. It’s an adaptation of the comic book by Posy Simmonds, which, in turn is something of an adaptation of Thomas Hardy‘s nineteenth century novel Far from the Madding Crowd. Having not read either book, I entered into the film version with only my expectation of seeing new work by Stephen Frears (Dangerous Liaisons, The Queen) and all that entails. Well, this is like no Frears film I’ve ever seen. It is witty but plays very much like a soap-opera, with selfish, deceitful characters who are difficult to empathize with. When the credits rolled, I felt like I had just sat through a new episode of Coronation Street, or something of its ilk. But I have to admit, it stuck with me. The more I think back on Tamara Drewe, the more affection I have for this strange little country film, with it’s collection of quirky, needy, duplicitous characters. I have a feeling that this is a Blu-ray disc that’ll see a few more spins in my player.

As we’ve all come to expect from Sony, the Blu-ray disc looks spectacular. This studio can do no wrong, when it comes to transfers these days. It’s a crisp, clean, bright image that’s a pleasure to look at from beginning to end. The DTS-HD MA 5.1 is no slouch either, but given the conversational nature of the film, there are few bells and whistles to impress here. Stars Gemma Arterton and Luke Evans provide a fun, if not lite commentary track and there are a couple of decent, short featurettes.

AMAZON: $26.99

4. THELMA & LOUISE: 20TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION

“Directed by action master Ridley Scott (Hannibal, Gladiator, Black Hawk Down) from an Oscar-winning screenplay by Callie Khouri, Thelma & Louise is an “exhilarating” (The Washington Post), full-throttle adventure hailed as one of the best road movies of all time! Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis star as accidental outlaws on a desperate flight across the Southwest after a tragic incident at a roadside bar. With a determined detective (Harvey Keitel) on their trail, a sweet-talking hitchhiker (Brad Pitt) in their path and a string of crimes in their wake, their journey alternates between hilarious, high-speed thrill ride and empowering personal odyssey even as the law closes in.”

I love the films of Ridley Scott but couldn’t bring myself to see Thelma & Louise when it was released. I’m older now, and somewhat wiser, but still haven’t seen the film. Much like my recent experience with the Dances with Wolves: 20th Anniversary disc, I’m looking forward to discovering a gem on this new Blu-ray release.

AMAZON: $13.99

5. UNCLE BUCK

It’s John Candy starring in one of his finest, funniest rolls! Uncle Buck is one the great John Hughes films of the 80s and if you haven’t seen it you really owe it to yourself to hunker down with a big bowl of popcorn and dig in (to both the corn and the flik). I haven’t seen the disc itself but, c’mon, it’s only ten bucks on Amazon. Can’t really lose with this one!

AMAZON: $9.99

ALSO AVAILABLE ON BLU-RAY THIS WEEK
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NATIONAL LAMPOON’S CHRISTMAS VACATION: 20th ANNIVERSARY ULTIMATE COLLECTOR’S EDITION (1989, Blu-ray released November 3, 2009 – MSRP $49.99)

It wouldn’t be Christmas without the Griswold‘s, as far as my family is concerned. We have a few films that we make sure to catch every holiday season and National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation is at the top of the list. And now, with this Ultimate Collector’s Edition Blu-ray Disc tin, we can not only enjoy the film we love so much but we’ve got a whole lot of Griswold paraphernalia to celebrate with!

In 1989, Chevy Chase and Beverly D’Angelo made a return to their characters of Clark and Ellen Griswold (along with two new actors playing their children, as is par for the course in the series) in the third of National Lampoon’s Vacation films. This Christmas edition, teaming the Griswold’s suburban family with their RV traveling, backwater cousins and some eccentric seniors made for some pretty great gut-busting. A jello cake full of cat treats, a blinding amount of holiday lights and the biggest Christmas tree anyone has ever packed into a tiny living room set the stage for some classic holiday humour.

All right, look. I’m not really here to review National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation or the Blu-ray disc it’s on. Not exactly. This release that I’m tackling includes the disc, yes, but it’s more like I’m telling you about a big metal gift basket filled with goodies and holiday treats. The Blu-ray disc inside the tin is the same one that Warner Home Video released in December of 2006. It’s not the best looking or sounding disc on the market but anyone who is picking up this gift set is clearly a fan of the film and won’t be disappointed by the transfer. It’s the best representation of the film available on home video. But it’s extremely unfortunate that we’re not getting any further special features than the old, previously available commentary track on this 20th Anniversary Blu-ray. It’s not a bad track by any stretch of the imagination, despite the absence of Chase. It’s just that it would have been amazing to finally see some of the cut scenes we’ve heard so much about make their way to disc! Or to see a retrospective featurette. Anything more would have been welcome. Sigh…

As I mentioned above, this Ultimate Collector’s Edition isn’t just about the film. Oh no! Aside from a copy of National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation on Blu-ray disc, the tin also contains a ton of goodies that will get you into the spirit of the Griswold festivities: