There were no less than 5500 titles released this year, which represents almost a 60 percent increase over last year's releases. If it felt like DVDs were coming out faster than ever before, you weren't imagining things. Because of this furious release schedule, many of us have even begun forming piles of unwatched titles, like squirrels storing nuts for the long winter nights.

So, my job is to now pick the best DVDs of the year -- Wow, what a task! There have simply been dozens of fantastic titles released in 2001. It's amazing when you look back on the year and realize not only how many great special editions have come out, but also how many blockbuster films and deep catalog titles have made their way onto this glorious 5-inch disc. There's still quite a long way to go (and there are three pretty famous trilogies that have yet to appear -- Back to the Future, Indiana Jones, and the original Star Wars), but we really couldn't ask for a better mix of films or a more aggressive release schedule than we saw in 2001. Looking down at my list of the best releases, I'm frankly amazed at what has come out in such a relatively short period of time.

However, great DVDs of mediocre films do not make the cut, so you'll see very few 2001 theatrical releases on my list. As impressive as the DVDs were for films like Tomb Raider, Shrek, The Grinch, Planet of the Apes, and Pearl Harbor -- I simply didn't enjoy the films. While the studios deserve to be acknowledged for putting out fantastic DVDs, they also need to realize that I'm not too excited to sit through 11 hours of extra material for a film that was virtually unwatchable to begin with.

Like last year, my list of favorites will certainly not match yours exactly. But, I've tried my best to feature some of the most entertaining and impressive releases, and focus on the major positives (and negatives) of DVD watching in 2001. And, as I did for my Best of 2000 list, I've cheated with my "top 10" list a little bit by grouping similar titles together. There were simply too many great titles released to restrict the list to only ten.

So, here it is -- my TOP 10 DVDs OF 2001 (in no particular order):

• Dogma / Big Trouble in Little China -- Two great cult comedy films came to DVD in fantastic 2-disc editions, with entertaining commentary tracks and other great extras.


• Universal's Alfred Hitchcock Collection -- After slowly releasing some classic Hitchcock titles like Psycho and Vertigo during the early years of DVD, Universal surprised fans by releasing all ten of their remaining Hitchcock films (including Rear Window, Shadow of a Doubt, and Rope) in March of this year. All of them arrived with great documentaries by Laurent Bouzereau detailing every aspect of production.


• Krull / Willow -- Two fun (and slightly goofy) fantasy films show up on DVD with amazing picture and sound quality, and more extras than I ever expected either film to have.


• Citizen Kane / Lawrence of Arabia -- Two of the best films ever made showed up as 2-disc special editions, with restored picture and sound and extensive extra material detailing the creation of these monumental film achievements.


• The Wicker Man / Manhunter -- Anchor Bay released both of these great films on DVD in limited edition 2-DVD sets, including extended cuts of each movie.


• Star Wars: The Phantom Menace / Star Trek: The Motion Picture -- The initial films in these famous sci-fi franchises both arrived on DVD, with slightly altered cuts. Each includes an informative audio commentary and a full disc of extra bonus supplements that are both entertaining and informative.


• Superman / Close Encounters of the Third Kind -- Both of these classic blockbusters from the late '70s arrived on DVD, with final cuts restoring the director's original vision. Both also arrived in extensive special edition sets, with hours of fascinating extra material.


• The Terminator / The Silence of the Lambs -- MGM acquired these films in their catalog and reissued them on DVD with improved picture and sound quality and extra material that fans of these classic films are sure to enjoy.


• Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs / Walt Disney Treasures Collections -- Disney continues to impress with their DVD releases. Snow White, the first of their "Platinum" line of yearly releases, raised the bar for picture/sound quality, extras, menu design, and just about every other aspect of DVD production. Their new limited tin sets are very well-designed (with collectible tin cases that are sturdy, attractive, and reasonably-sized). The material on these sets includes collections of some of the best classic Disney programs from a variety of decades, giving a great historical perspective. I sure hope to see more of these collections in the years to come.


• Notorious / Rebecca -- Criterion has once again done Hitchcock fans a favor by releasing editions of some of the master's best films, with excellent picture and sound quality and a tremendous wealth of supplemental material.

Honorable Mention: Ben-Hur, The Bridge on the River Kwai, Cleopatra, Dr. Mabuse, The Gambler, Elephant Man, Fritz Lang's The Tiger Of Eschnapur/The Indian Tomb, Gandhi, The Godfather Collection, Haxan: Witchcraft Through the Ages, The Hidden Fortress, Pin, V: The Original Miniseries, When Harry Met Sally

Fantastic Re-releases: American Werewolf in London, Behind the Planet of the Apes, Carrie, City of the Dead (aka Horror Hotel), The Die Hard Trilogy, A Few Good Men, The Lost World (1925), Monty Python and the Holy Grail, My Best Friend's Wedding, Nosferatu, The Princess Bride, Queen: We Will Rock You, Spartacus, The Stanley Kubrick Collection, Total Recall, The Vanishing

Missed Opportunities: 2001 was not without its share of missteps by the studios. Here are a few of the most notable:

Most Exciting Development: The most exciting and surprising aspect of DVD collecting in 2001 was the wide variety of television programming released on disc. British comedies like Absolutely Fabulous and Fawlty Towers; science fiction like Farscape, Space: 1999, and The Prisoner; animated comedies like Clerks and The Simpsons; old favorites like The Sopranos, Star Trek, and The X-Files; and even variety programs like The Muppet Show and The Best of Johnny Carson -- 2001 saw an amazing number of TV show releases.

2002 looks to be adding some great collections as well, including Buffy the Vampire Slayer, M*A*S*H, and Star Trek: The Next Generation. We can only hope that the great quality of most of these releases continues into 2002 and beyond, and studios begin to delve deeper into their catalogs. Many fans would love to own season boxes of shows like Miami Vice, Futurama, The Outer Limits, Hill Street Blues, Battlestar Galactica, Cheers, NYPD Blue, Family Guy, and -- dare I say? -- Babylon 5.

Final Thoughts: Considering the number of players I'm seeing this holiday season with price tags below $100, there's no denying it -- DVD has gone mainstream. Nearly a third of U.S. households now have a player. By the end of 2002, Blockbuster Video expects DVD to account for 40 percent of rental revenue.

As the format matures, we're sure to see some of those last remaining major titles trickle out, in addition to even more obscure cult films and other surprises. And, of course, the constant stream of re-released titles -- with better picture quality and more extras than the original releases. If the past two years are any sign of things to come, 2002 should be a truly amazing year for DVD fans.