Buffy The Vampire Slayer – Collector’s Set (40 discs) (1997)
It is pretty reasonable to assume that if, like me, you are a fan of BTVS, then you probably have the box sets of series 1-7 nestling on your DVD shelves at home.
If that is the case, then you have probably watched them multiple times, and taken them down from said shelves on a regular basis. I’ll bet you have even loaned them out to friends and family in order to convert them to the ways of Buffy (cue a mass of people staring at shelves and trying to remember whether Cousin Jane returned series 5).
I’ll also bet that the discs you have are a little worn out, and some of them a little scratchy? Some of the episodes refuse to play? Or maybe you once loved the show, but haven’t returned to it for a while? Or maybe (shock, horror) you are completely new to the wonderful world of BtVS?
All of the above are real reasons to get this box set. The box itself is a little flimsy (the lid opens in a unique way and flops about a bit), but thats really by the by. It takes up a lot less room on the shelf, and the dvds inside are stacked.
One of the beauties of this show is that you can delve in at random and watch any of the series in any order and love it (I personally recommend starting at 3). Joss Whedon, the creator of Buffy has said that Buffy is not just about slaying vamps and other assorted bad guys, but more so the character development of the main characters – and watching Buffy again you can see that he’s right.
As well as the shows, you get a bonus disc with some great features:
- Back to the Hellmouth: fabulous 54-min conversation with members of the cast and crew, revealing some rather interesting titbits about the show.
- Cast and Crew Favorite Episodes: Exactly what it says on the tin (or in this case, box).
- Buffy: an Unlikely Role Model: Joss Whedon talks about the development of Buffy as a role model.
- Breaking Barriers: Sarah Michelle Gellar’s stunt double, Sophia Crawford, reveals the development over the 7 series of Buffy’s martial arts styles and repertoire.
- Love Bites: all the romantic entanglements!
- Evil Fiends: the baddies! Interestingly, though, this featurette focuses not so much on the individual bad guys but more on the philosophy of how they were created.
Whether these features alone justify the purchase of the box set is debatable, but if you want to complete your collection, fill in the missing gaps, or simply want to make some more space on your shelves, then this is for you.
