It's pretty safe to say most people's DVD Wish List was shortened by three with the release of this long-awaited boxed set. I don't know about you, but I was looking forward to the DVD release of the Indiana Jones trilogy more than the first three Star Wars films (which still aren't due anytime soon). I'm happy to report it was worth the wait. Paramount pulled out all the stops for this outstanding boxed set, containing expertly restored editions of all three films, with an additional supplemental disc that's loaded with great extras.

I won't insult anyone by summarizing the plots of these films, or the concept of the series in general, since any self-respecting movie fan already knows them by heart (if not, then you need to see more movies). All I can really say is that watching these films on DVD is like seeing them for the first time. It's also easy to see why Harrison Ford became a superstar with Raiders, why Steven Spielberg is probably the world's greatest living filmmaker, and why George Lucas is a much better creator than he is a director. It's also easy to hold firm to the opinion that the second film, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, is still the worst of the lot (but better than many other action films by lesser talents), and the masterstroke of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade is the casting of Sean Connery as Henry Jones, Indy's dad.

All three films are presented in a restored 2.35:1 widescreen presentation (a fullscreen edition of the boxed set is also available), and they have never looked better. In my opinion, this set is the best set of discs Paramount has released so far (I never saw the widescreen VHS versions release a few years ago, so this is the first time I've watched them in their original aspect ratio since their original theatrical runs). Despite the age of these films, there is no grain, dust or scratches. The colors are clean and sharp, and the black tones reflect no age at all. Equal care has been given to the soundtrack; all three films are digitally remastered in 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround. They sound great, with nice balance between dialogue and the effects; John Williams' outstanding music score is preserved in all its glory. Throughout all three discs, there is no hissing or distortion at all.

All the extras are located on the fourth disc, and there's enough here to please damn-near everybody. The best features are easily the three extensive making-of documentaries, one dedicated to each film of the trilogy. Each one is loaded with tons of behind-the-scenes info and footage, and feature new interviews by nearly all of the principal cast and crew members. With the exception of the most obsessive die-hard fans, folks are likely to walk away with a lot of trivia and information they didn't know before, especially with the Raiders feature - while it's common knowledge Tom Selleck was their first choice for the role, I had no idea Tim Matheson (!) was also in contention. I can't even imagine him as Indy; with Karen Allen in the film, that would have made sort of an Animal House reunion. Ironically, I thought the Temple of Doom documentary was the most interesting of the three, maybe because Spielberg and Lucas both candidly discuss why they agree it was the darkest and weakest of the three films; Spielberg also discusses his role in encouraging the MPAA to implement the PG-13 rating, mainly because of the excessive violence in Temple of Doom. In addition to the three documentaries, there are short featurettes on the music, stunts and special effects. Also included are theatrical, teaser and re-release trailers for all three films, as well as links to the Indiana Jones website. Unfortunately, in true Spielberg fashion, there are no commentaries accompanying any of the films. However, unlike other Spielberg films with no commentary (namely, all of them), the documentary features for this boxed set are so extensive that maybe no commentary is necessary. Useless trivia: In one of the behind-the-scenes documentaries, director Steven Spielberg can be seen wearing a hat which reads Blue Harvest. That was the working title of one of the original Star Wars sequels while it was being shot. Similar films: King Solomon's Mines (the original, not the idiotic remake featuring Sharon Stone), The Mummy (1999), Magnificent Warriors, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, Star Wars, the James Bond series.

Even if you are one of the half-dozen poor saps in the free world who've never seen any of these movies, I feel confident saying that buying this boxed set, sight-unseen, is a good investment. They are simply the best action films ever made (well, at least two of them are), and Paramount has done them proud with this DVD release.