Boxes of Joy
As a year packed with wonderful new high-definition and 4K discs comes to a close, we’ve selected ten standout box sets that are certain to bring a smile to the home theater buff in your life. Each box is special in its own way: some are hefty with gravitas, others have actual heft. All are sure to deliver ample audio/video pleasure plus a bounty of bonus features to enjoy through the new year and beyond.
The Beatles Super Deluxe Edition (Universal Music)
How does the biggest band in the world top what is possibly the greatest album of all time? Released a year-and-a-half after , The Beatles’ eponymous (a.k.a. ) was their ninth studio album (not counting the soundtrack to their TV special in between) It was also the band’s only double-LP affair—an attempt, perhaps, to augment their creativity with sheer quantity. Indeed, packs frothier cuts such as “Rocky Raccoon,” but it also showcases the lads’ striking evolution, both as a band and as solo artists. It kicks off with the high-energy “Back in the U.S.S.R.” before taking us on an eclectic journey highlighted by the, producer Giles Martin and mix engineer Sam Okell have crafted something authentic yet distinctive for the 50th anniversary, with a clarity and dynamic range that makes every note somehow feel new again. A truly lavish fact- and photo-filled hardbound book comes complete with reproductions of the vintage portraits of John, Paul, George, and Ringo plus the two-sided foldout poster.
