DVDs marked their 10th anniversary in 2007, but the big story of the year concerned the industry's dysfunctional bid to replace them with the rival high-definition formats Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD.

Although Blu-Ray took the lead this year in sales, the two formats still represent such a tiny fraction of overall disc sales that it's not really meaningful. Late-year price cuts among stand-alone players of both formats compelled some fence-sitters to make a choice, but most DVD buyers have been content to wait while Hollywood studios line up behind each format.

Some analysts predict that hybrid players that can handle both Blu-ray and HD DVD titles will render the whole war moot (see technology trends for the coming year in Tuesday's Source). In the meantime, the Switzerland of the high-def war, Warner Home Video, could cause tremors by choosing a side instead of staying the course as the only major DVD producer to release movies in both formats.

'Blade Runner' returns to life

Considering the fractured state of the industry, it's fitting that the best DVD of the year came out on standard DVD as well as Blu-ray and HD DVD. It's even more remarkable that the title was a re-release. But then Warner got everything right with its all-out 25th-anniversary edition of "Blade Runner."

Ridley Scott's 1982 sci-fi classic already had gone through three versions by the time it first appeared on DVD 10 years ago -- the U.S. original theatrical release, an international cut and a 1992 director's cut (the subject of the original DVD) -- but the fastidious director had long been reported to be working on a definitive edition. The recently released ultimate DVD contains not only that modern marvel of a cut, but also all three previous versions and a radical work-in-progress print.

Oodles of fantastic extras, including insightful commentary by Scott, were complemented by a premium version of the five-disc set housed in a briefcase like the one used in the film and containing fun collectibles.

Other 2007 DVD superlatives

Best HD DVD: The ancient-warrior film "300" also came out in an impressive Blu-ray release, but the eye-popping HD DVD version added a picture-in-picture version of the film showing what every scene looked like before heavy computer-generated visual effects were added.

Best Blu-ray Disc: Animation always looks outstanding in high definition, and Pixar's highly praised "Ratatouille" served up a delectable visual treat and engaging extras.

Best classic debut: Among the first DVD appearances of film treasures, none impressed more than a brimming three-disc set of the landmark 1927 talkie "The Jazz Singer." But the nicely presented digital debuts of Sergio Leone's 1971 spaghetti western "Duck, You Sucker" and Peter Glenville's 1964 historical epic "Becket" also were welcome releases.

Largest box set: Seemingly trying to prove the point that size matters, the "United Artists 90th Anniversary Prestige Collection" contained 110 discs covering 90 films for a cool $870.

Best packaging: The complete collection of the 1960s cult TV series "Land of the Giants" came in a wooden cage that looked like one used on the show and included nifty memorabilia.

Best DVD series: The venerable Criterion Collection debuted its new Eclipse line of DVDs that gathers lesser-known films by important directors, such as Samuel Fuller, Akira Kurosawa and Ingmar Bergman, at a pleasing price.

Best new TV show: BBC's "Planet Earth" documentary series not only wowed viewers but also proved to be a surprising bestseller. The first-season set of "Heroes" exceeded fan expectations by including a pilot version of the first episode that included subplots different from what ended up airing.

Best classic TV show: The original "Star Trek" TV series from the 1960s reinvented itself on HD DVD with new seamlessly integrated special effects, fine extras and stunning high-def image quality. And it was a pleasure to see the debuts of the cop classic "Hawaii Five-O" and the British fantasy adventure "Robin of Sherwood."

Best TV reissue: "Twin Peaks: The Definitive Gold Box Edition" stopped short of being truly definitive, but the involvement of co-creator David Lynch made up for any extras not carried over from previous releases.

Looking ahead: Ten years into the format, it seems hard to get excited about anything new on DVD. But this writer can't wait for the debuts of the 1980s sitcom "Newhart" on Feb. 26 and Cornel Wilde's unforgettable 1966 film drama "The Naked Prey" on Jan. 15.

Randy A. Salas • 612-673-4542