To top it all off, the extended editions offer four discs per film: two for the longer movie, plus four commentary tracks and stupendous DTS 6.1 ES sound; and two for the bonus material, which covers just about everything from script creation to special effects. The argument was that fans would need both versions because the bonus material is completely different, but the features on the theatrical releases are so vastly inferior that the only reason a fan would need them would be if they wanted to watch the shorter versions they saw in theaters (the last of which, The Return of the King, merely won 11 Oscars). The LOTR extended editions without exception have set the DVD standard by providing a richer film experience that pulls the three films together and further embraces Tolkien's world, a reference-quality home theater experience, and generous, intelligent, and engrossing bonus features. --David Horiuchi
Running Time 387 Min.
Format: DVD MOVIE
Amazon.com essential video
Was George Lucas's Star Wars Trilogy, the most anticipated DVD release ever, worth the wait? You bet. It's a must-have for any home theater, looking great, sounding great, and supplemented by generous bonus features.
The Movies
The Star Wars Trilogy had the rare distinction of becoming a cultural phenomenon, a defining event for its generation. On its surface, George Lucas's story is a rollicking and humorous space fantasy that owes debts to more influences than one can count on two hands, but filmgoers became entranced by its basic struggle of good vs. evil "a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away," its dazzling special effects, and a mythology of Jedi knights, the Force, and droids. Over the course of three films--A New Hope (1977), The Empire Strikes Back (1980), and Return of the Jedi (1983)--Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher), and the roguish Han Solo (Harrison Ford) join the Rebel alliance in a galactic war against the Empire, the menacing Darth Vader (David Prowse, voiced by James Earl Jones), and eventually the all-powerful Emperor (Ian McDiarmid). Empire is generally considered the best of the films and Jedi the most uneven, but all three are vastly superior to the more technologically impressive prequels that followed, Episode I, The Phantom Menace (1999) and Episode II, Attack of the Clones (2002).
How Are the Picture and Sound?
Thanks to a new digital transfer, you've never seen C-3PO glow so golden, and Darth Vader's helmet is as black as the Dark Side.
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In a word, spectacular. Thanks to a new digital transfer, you've never seen C-3PO glow so golden, and Darth Vader's helmet is as black as the Dark Side. And at the climactic scene of A New Hope, see if the Dolby 5.1 EX sound doesn't knock you back in your chair. Other audio options are Dolby 2.0 Surround in English, Spanish, and French. (Sorry, DTS fans, but previous Star Wars DVDs didn't have DTS either.) There have been a few quibbles with the audio on A New Hope, however. A few seconds of Peter Cushing's dialogue ("Then name the system!") are distorted, and the music (but not the sound effects) is reversed in the rear channels. For example, in the final scene, the brass is in the front right channel but the back left channel (from the viewer's perspective), and the strings are in the left front and back right. The result feels like the instruments are crossing through the viewer.
What's Been Changed?
The rumors are true: Lucas made more changes to the films for their DVD debut. Hayden Christensen (Anakin Skywalker) has been added to a scene in Jedi, Ian McDiarmid (the Emperor) replaces Clive Revill with slightly revised lines in Empire, Temuera Morrison has rerecorded Boba Fett's minimal dialogue, and some other small details have been altered. Yes, these changes mean that the Star Wars films are no longer the ones you saw 20 years ago, but these brief changes hardly affect the films, and they do make sense in the overall continuity of the two trilogies. It's not like a digitized Ewan McGregor has replaced Alec Guiness's scenes, and the infamous changes made for the 1997 special-edition versions were much more intrusive (of course, those are in the DVD versions as well).
How Are the Bonus Features?
Toplining is Empire of Dreams: The Story of the Star Wars Trilogy, a 150-minute documentary incorporating not only the usual making-of nuts and bolts but also the political workings of the movie studios and the difficulties Lucas had getting his vision to the screen (for example, after resigning from the Directors' Guild, he lost his first choice for director of Jedi: Steven Spielberg). It's a little adulatory, but it has plenty to interest any fan. The three substantial featurettes are "The Characters of Star Wars" (19 min.), which discusses the development of the characters we all know and love, "The Birth of the Lightsaber" (15 min.), about the creation and evolution of a Jedi's ultimate weapon, and "The Force Is with Them: The Legacy of Star Wars" (15 min.), in which filmmakers such as Peter Jackson, Ridley Scott, and James Cameron talk about how they and the industry were affected by the films and Lucas's technological developments in visual effects, sound, and computer animation.
The bonus features are excellent and along the same lines as those created for The Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones. Each film has a commentary track, recorded by Lucas, Ben Burtt (sound design), Dennis Muren (visual effects), and Carrie Fisher, with Irvin Kershner joining in on the film he directed, The Empire Strikes Back. Recorded separately and skillfully edited together (with supertitles to identify who is speaking), the tracks lack the energy of group commentaries, but they're enjoyable and informative, with a nice mix of overall vision (Lucas), technical details (Burtt, Muren, Kershner), and actor's perspective (Fisher). Interestingly, they discuss some of the 1997 changes (Mos Eisley creatures, the new Jabba the Hutt scene) but not those made for the DVDs.
There's also a sampler of the Xbox game Star Wars: Battlefront, which lets the player reenact classic film scenarios (blast Ewoks in the battle of Endor!); trailers and TV spots from the films' many releases; and a nine-minute preview of the last film in the series, Episode III, Revenge of the Sith (here identified by an earlier working title, The Return of Darth Vader). Small extra touches include anamorphic widescreen motion menus with dialogue, original poster artwork on the discs, and a whopping 50 chapter stops for each film.
"The Force Is Strong with This One"
The Star Wars Trilogy is an outstanding DVD set that lives up to the anticipation. There will always be resentment that the original versions of the films are not available as well, but George Lucas maintains that these are the versions he always wanted to make. If fans are able to put this debate aside, they can enjoy the adventures of Luke, Leia, and Han for years to come. --David Horiuchi
Customer Reviews:
One of the Best...Ever.......2007-09-04
The Star Wars Trilogy is still one of the best trilogies ever made. Three of the best movies ever produced. Wonderful and took the world by storm in the late seventies. A cultural icon that propelled George Lucas into stardom.
The magic is still here 30 years later. I don't care if you don't like them or not, you owe it to yourself to watch these movies. I did and I loved them.
Each movie features a commentary track with a number of people. The Bonus Disc features a few documentaries and featurettes I suggest that all fans should view.
Highly recommended.
Star fest.......2007-09-02
Compelling space saga with charismatic heroes, comely heroine and superb, creepy villain. State of the art (at the time) special effects. The work of a master movie maker. Kudos!
What can you say - Star Wars Trilogy is great.......2007-08-29
What can you say - Star Wars Trilogy is great.
Sure the acting is subpower in all the Star Wars movies IMHO. But the story line is awesome.
The "Not Quite So" Original Trilogy Finally Hits DVD.......2007-08-16
It's hard to believe that it's been only 30 years since the original Star Wars (now known as Star Wars- Episode IV- A New Hope) was released, thus changing the movie industry as we know it. Sure, Jaws is considered the "original" summer blockbuster, but it was Star Wars which introduced the concept of a larger-than-life, over-the-top movie that wasn't based on a Biblical story, which would resonate with the public in a massive way. Indeed, Star Wars may have been indirectly responsible for the decision to revive Star Trek, as science fiction and fantasy suddenly became a viable commercial proposition. After letting the original trilogy languish on VHS and laserdisc for years, George Lucas finally relented, and released this DVD boxed set in 2004, which includes all 3 movies and a bonus disc. However, these aren't exactly the movies people might remember from long ago, which I'll get to in a bit.
If you're a newcomer to Star Wars, I'll try to cut to the chase about what made these movies special with the Reader's Digest version. A young filmmaker from California, having had some modest success with his coming-of-age nostalgia flick "American Graffiti", decided he wanted to make a movie based on the old "Flash Gordon" serials. Finding that the rights had already been taken by someone else, Lucas decided to instead make his own sci-fi/fantasy story, and forged a vast array of influences, including "The Lord of the Rings", Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa's feudal epics, 1930s serials (such as "Flash Gordon"), World War 2 movies, and much more, into what would become Star Wars. The creation of the original Star Wars was plagued by problems, including financial problems, a general lack of faith by some crew members, encroaching deadlines, hostile weather, and Lucas's own near-breakdown from the strain. Lucas's team had to literally invent new types of special effects in order to avoid a "Plan 9 From Outer Space"-type disaster. When the movie was finally released, cast members actually did a double take, as their experience during the filming never indicated that the result would be so incredibly dynamic. "The Empire Strikes Back" and "Return of the Jedi" both served to expand the scope of the Star Wars universe, and solidified the series as what Joseph Campbell would term "modern day myth".
"A New Hope" establishes the main characters and the primary struggles of the original trilogy, some of which already have been introduced to some degree by the subsequent prequel films. Droids R2D2 and C3PO escape a besieged ship carrying a rebel leader, Leia Organa, and end up on the desert planet of Tattooine, while Leia is captured by the Empire's sinister Darth Vader. When the droids are bought by Luke Skywalker's aunt and uncle, Luke finds that R2D2 is carrying the plans to the Empire's gigantic and deadly space station, the Death Star. Recruited by Obi-Wan (Ben) Kenobi, a former Jedi Knight and master of the mystical "Force", Luke and company engage the services of rogue space pilot Han Solo and his furry Wookie co-pilot Chewbacca to try to get to Alderaan. From there, the film builds up to a climactic battle over the Death Star as our heroes get into one sticky situation after another. There's a reason that this movie defined the "event movie" from that point on: off the cuff, natural delivery of dialogue, fantastic special effects, creation of a living imaginary world, and very effective, if archetyped, characters. In Lucas' latest tinkering for , he tries to half-way amend for the "Greedo shoots first" gaffe of the Special Edition version, by having both Han Solo and Greedo shoot at almost the same time. While this won't appease everyone, it's still enough to keep the scene from looking silly (as was the case with the Special Edition edit). The crude computer effects from the Special Edition are also touched up, resulting in Jabba appearing much less like a crude, mid '90s Playstation cutscene relic.
"The Empire Strikes Back" picks up months after the original film, with Vader, who survived, obsessed with finding Luke, who along with Leia, Han, and a contingent of Rebels, is hiding on the frozen world of Hoth. Luke, after surviving a near-death experience at the hands of a monster, is told by the spirit of Kenobi to seek the Jedi Master Yoda in order to master the Force. Unfortunately, Vader's massive fleet has located the Rebels, and launches an attack on Hoth. In the confusion, Han, Chewie, C3PO and Leia are chased by the Empire across space, while Luke trains under Yoda on the swamp world of Dagobah. Eventually, Luke confronts Vader in a dramatic duel, where he learns a terrible fact about their true relationship, while Han and Leia fall in love, but are tragically separated. "Empire" is cited by most fans as their favorite, perhaps in part due to not only the darker tone of the movie, but also due to the fact that it truly expanded the scope of the Star Wars universe. Most of the changes made in this movie are minor cosmetic changes, with the exception of the re-dubbing of bounty hunter Boba Fett's voice (by Temura Morrison, who played Jango Fett and the clones in the prequels), and a partial reshoot of Vader talking to the Emperor, with Ian McDiarmid being inserted in this scene with revised dialogue.
"Return of the Jedi" begins with an extended sequence detailing Luke and Leia's rescue of Han from Jabba on Tattooine. When all is said and done, our heroes emerge victorious, but find themselves facing a much bigger conflict. The Rebel Alliance has found that a new Death Star is being built, and that the Emperor himself is overseeing the construction. Luke and friends are tasked with destroying the protective shield generator on the forest world of Endor, but find themselves walking into a trap, while the Rebel fleet finds itself cornered by the Empire. In the end, Luke must confront Vader and the Emperor, and take on the role of the last Jedi. Of all the original trilogy movies, this one suffered the most from Lucas' tinkering, in the form of the horrid "Jedi Rocks" musical sequence. Incredibly, Lucas is apparently blind to how hated this "Muppet Show" sequence is, and has not altered it, or restored the original version of the scene. The other major controversy in this version is the removal of Sebastian Shaw from the final shot of the "Force ghosts" at the end, and the insertion of Hayden Christiansen, who played Anakin Skywalker in the prequels. This change is nowhere near as unforgiveable as keeping "Jedi Rocks", which came this close to making the movie unwatchable. While the film itself is the weakest of the three, with Harrison Ford sometimes pretty much phoning in his performance, "Jedi" still ends on a positive note, and wraps up the whole saga nicely, if a bit abruptly.
All changes aside, the video quality is pretty good, although you can sometimes see blatant matte effect squares around TIE fighters in "A New Hope". Lucasfilm was meticulous about removing dirt and age effects from the films as much as possible. In terms of extras, the bonus disc includes a number of short features, and a definitive Star Wars documentary titled "Empire of Dreams". The commentary tracks for the movies are entertaining and pretty informative, being certainly more dynamic and insightful than much of the commentary for the prequels. The audio is also pretty good, although the actual sound quality in "A New Hope" is markedly duller and more muffled than in any of the other Star Wars movies (either an unfortunate byproduct of the original masters degrading, or of the equipment used circa 1977). The simple truth is that, unless you are someone who dislikes any kind of speculative fiction/fantasy movies, you must have this in your collection. I should note that Lucasfilm re-released the Original Trilogy in 2006 in a collector's format, containing both the current versions and the "pre-Special Edition" versions of the movies. However, this is more costly, and the "original unaltered" versions of the movies were not properly cleaned up or adapted for the DVD format, so for the less hardcore fans, you'll be fine with the 2004 boxed set.
Star Wars Trilogy- Full Screen + Bonus Disc.......2007-08-10
Product arrived quickly and is in great condition! Our whole family loves it! Would order from this company again.
Average customer rating:
- "The flesh is only an illusion . . ." but these films are the real deal
- Classic Double Bill Now On DVD.
- Two minor classics finally released!
- welcome back, Midnight Movies
- A lost classic! And a lost....well, decent b-movie
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The Return of Dracula/The Vampire
Starring:
Francis Lederer ,
Norma Eberhardt ,
Ray Stricklyn ,
Jimmy Baird , and
Greta Granstedt
Director:
Paul Landres
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
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ASIN: B000UDGOBG
Release Date: 2007-09-11 |
Customer Reviews:
"The flesh is only an illusion . . ." but these films are the real deal.......2007-09-15
RETURN OF DRACULA (usually known as CURSE OF DRACULA in its TV showings, at least when I was a kid) is an extraordinarily well-done updating of the Stoker story. If it seems reminiscent of Hitchcock's SHADOW OF A DOUBT, that's because both were written by the talented and imaginative Pat Fielder.
Francis Lederer shines in a fine cast with his smoothly sardonic, mockingly charming portrayal of the Count. There is always something going on under the surface here, and Lederer lets us know that the Vampire King truly enjoys pulling the wool over the eyes of his mortal victims. The sense of menace lurking under the surface charm has rarely been done more effectively. While a tad old for the teenager part she's cast in, Norma Eberhardt turns in such a fine performance that it's ridiculous to quibble. Her portrait of a repressed small-town girl yearning for wider horizons (and getting them in the person of a vampiric pseudo-cousin) is well-etched, believable and totally sympathetic. The rest of the cast is similarly fine -- there isn't a bad acting job to be seen. Of special note is Virginia Vincent's fine portrayal of the blind vampire girl, Jenny.
What's particularly amazing is how Fielder has transposed and updated the Stoker story almost completely intact while preserving the Middle American tensions of the Cold War era. The family-under-attack-by-the-masquerading-stranger-from-within is a good metaphor for the "A red under every bed" attitude of the '50's. But all political subtext aside, Fielder turns in a taut, well-structured and engrossing story that preserves all the strongest elements of Stoker's novel while translating them into the American milieu.
Some of the finely imaginative touches are the way in which Dracula's victims seem to hear him "calling" them just before he attacks, even though he is completely silent; the creepy metaphysical lines that Fielder uses to great effect (Dracula is given some truly eerie dialogue, which Lederer makes the most of); the blind girl gaining a sort of second sight as the vampire's victim; and the vampires' mist-filled coffins, sometimes filmed in slight slow-motion to good effect. A special mention should be made of Gerald Fried's marvelously menacing score.
I have to note, regretfully, that the low budget shows up in a few spots (the day-for-night shooting is painfully ineffective, and a camera angle on the European cemetery from which Dracula escapes at the film's opening shows up later in the American graveyard where the vampirized Jenny makes her lair), but the film is just so darn good that such quibbling can only be classified as sheer spoilsportism.
THE VAMPIRE is also an excellent little-known film (despite a low-budget makeup job on the title monster). All in all, a great buy and a real treat for fans of the genre.
Classic Double Bill Now On DVD........2007-08-28
I have waited for years to see these titles on DVD and at last they are finally here. Anyone who grew up watching late night horror shows on local TV probably saw these films at one time or another especially THE RETURN OF DRACULA. Both were made by Gramercy Productions a division of Levy-Gardner-Laven an outfit that produced shows for television in the 50's and 60's (most notably THE RIFLEMAN and THE BIG VALLEY). What sets these 2 films apart from other B-movie horrors of the era are the use of once major stars (Francis Lederer, John Beal) who were really good actors, maximum use of their minimum budgets (like Val Lewton in the 40's), and the fact that both screenplays were written by a woman (Pat Fielder) which gives a slightly different perspective to the proceedings where you wind up caring more about the characters most notably John Beal in THE VAMPIRE. Unlike Val Lewton's pictures these are 1950's films and both contain some truly graphic moments which are still effective today. Of the two my personal favorite is THE VAMPIRE although THE RETURN OF DRACULA is overall the better film. Excellent black and white photography and effective background music contribute to the overall atmosphere. While the low budget shows through from time to time and John Beal's make-up is a mixed bag (although THE VAMPIRE is a Jekyll/Hyde story rather than a supernatural one), if you're a fan of low budget 50's horror films than these both deliver the goods. Now if MIDNITE MOVIES (which says MGM but is owned by Fox) would just double up THE MONSTER THAT CHALLENGED THE WORLD and THE FLAME BARRIER (the other two Gramercy films made at the same time) then that would be a real cause for celebration. You could then compare them with the Richard Gordon English horror/sci-fi films (see my Listmania lists) made at the same time and boy would that be a trip.
Two minor classics finally released!.......2007-08-19
I've been waiting for these 2 movies to be released on DVD and finally they will be. RETURN features an excellent portrayal of Dracula by Francis Lederer. No boo-hooing about the lonely life of a bloodsucker for him--his Dracula is pure and (given the way vamps are often portrayed today)refreshingly E-V-I-L. It's amazing that he really didn't want to play this part and not at all evident. VAMPIRE is another favorite, a really tragic tale of a caring doctor who accidentally becomes addicted to some experimental pills that cause him to regress into a vampire like beast. Both are highly recommended, minor classics.
welcome back, Midnight Movies.......2007-08-15
I'm really glad to see that MGM and Fox both have resurrected this excellent DVD series after a long hiatus (here's hoping that Lion's Gate will do the same with their Samuel Z. Arkoff Cult Classics series). This is probably the best of the bunch. As a previous reviewer noted, Return of Dracula is a minor classic and well worth seeing, and The Vampire, though not quite as good, makes for a perfect companion piece. Hopefully both MGM and Fox will keep this series going, as there is I'm sure plenty more in the vaults. Most wished for title: Burn Witch Burn, which came out on VHS only in this series, just prior to the introduction of DVD, so howzabout a DVD reissue?
A lost classic! And a lost....well, decent b-movie.......2007-08-05
Classic horror fans rejoice! Return of Dracula, though previously available on VHS, has been out-of-print for years. If you've never seen it, it's a suprisingly well-done black & white horror film from 1958.
In a plot that, oddly enough, echoes Hitchcock's Shadow of a Doubt, Count Dracula (a sublime Francis Lederer) relocates to California to live with supposed relatives. And although it's unrelated to the Hammer Films' Dracula films of the same period, it certainly holds its own against those more-polished efforts. The vampire's demise is somewhat graphic for the time.
The Vampire, while arguably the lesser film here, is by no means a waste of time. John Beal generates sympathy as a small-down doctor afflicted with the "disease" of vampirism. Fifties genre favorite Kenneth Tobey is on hand as the local sheriff. While both of these films are basically drive-in stuff, The Vampire's low-budget roots are more obvious, particularly in some laughably-bad make-up work.
If you've been through most or all of the films in the Hammer, AIP or similar catalogs, you're in for a real treat here. Highly recommended for Return of Dracula alone.
![The Fly Collection (The Fly [1958] / Return Of The Fly [1959] / The Curse Of The Fly [1965])](http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/I/31hjV4mUhpL.jpg)
Average customer rating:
- Thank you, Fox!
- One classic, two OK sequels, and a bonus disc
- The first two films are classics..................
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The Fly Collection (The Fly [1958] / Return Of The Fly [1959] / The Curse Of The Fly [1965])
Starring:
Vincent Price ,
Brett Halsey ,
John Sutton ,
David Frankham , and
Dan Seymour
Director:
Edward Bernds ,
Don Sharp , and
Kurt Neumann
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
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| ( B )
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The Food of the Gods
ASIN: B000RXVNDI
Release Date: 2007-09-11 |
Description
Disc 1: THE FLY 1958 Disc 2: THE RETURN OF THE FLY 1959 Disc 3: THE CURSE OF THE FLY 1965 Disc 4: BONUS DISC
Customer Reviews:
Thank you, Fox!.......2007-09-15
Thank you, Fox, for finally putting all three FLY films together in one nifty set, with a pretty good bonus disc! The details of what is included are in an excellent previous review, so I'll throw in my two cents on a couple of things not covered:
1) The film to DVD transfers are all excellent, the sound clear and crisp. All three films are in their widescreen 2:35 aspect ratios, although on RETURN OF THE FLY and the original FLY you may want to tweak your big screen presentation ratio so that the Cinemascope is a shade taller. Faces appear just a bit stretched on both of these films.
2) The commentary by David (Al) Hedison and film scholar David Del Valle on the original FLY is very, very entertaining, and when you see Hedison in the documentary on the "Disc of Horrors", prepare to be impressed! For a man born in 1927, he looks and sounds spectacular! Wotta hunk!
3) Fox did miss one thing: it would have been nice to see the A&E half-hour look at the FLY chronology (was it called THE FLY PAPERS?), but what they've put on the bonus disc is pretty darn good and a lot of fun.
4) This is the first time out on DVD for CURSE OF THE FLY, and it is quite deserving, whether it is within the FLY chronology or not. Produced in Britain, it is actually more akin to the Quatermass and the Hammer films of the time, with fine production values, a good cast, and an intelligent script. Yes, it's true, there is no actual Fly in the film, but instead the creators used the Delambre clan to segue into a new idea on what else might go wrong with the concept of teleportation. Overlooked and considered a failure in the Sixties, it is now looked upon as a fine genre film. Actually, if it had not been set up as a third FLY movie, it would have had a much better reception. See it.
So, once again, thank you, Fox, for putting out this set.
One classic, two OK sequels, and a bonus disc.......2007-09-10
Fox is releasing its series of the original "The Fly" films and even including a bonus disc of extra features in this set, most notably a biography of the great Vincent Price. Many people prefer Cronenburg's 1986 remake with Jeff Goldblum, but to me the original will always be best because the result was one of the creepiest horror films ever made without the capability of doing the kinds of special effects that were possible by the the time the 1980's remake was done. The contents are as follows:
Disc One - The Fly (1958) - This one is a classic of 1950's sci-fi/horror, and weds traditional horror - the idea of something half human/half insect - with the science of the atomic age that made it possible. It deals with the psychological issues of madness, of what it means to be human, and therefore with what it means to murder. Top acting jobs by everyone, including Vincent Price in a supporting role here, turn what could have been very campy material into one of the creepiest films ever.
Disc Two - The Return Of The Fly (1959) - This film takes a step down from the first film mainly because there is nothing novel going on here as there was in the first film, but you still have the great Vincent Price reprising his role as the dead scientist's brother, this time trying to convince his nephew not to follow down the same path as his father. In this film the half fly/half human output of the teleportation machine is a murder attempt rather than an accident, and there is more emphasis on action rather than the psychological angles of the first.
Disc Three - The Curse Of The Fly (1965) - Vincent Price is not in this one since by this time he was under contract to another studio. However, I found this film to be better than its reputation. The Delambres, despite what has happened in the two previous films, have continued to experiment with the teleporter. The result has been more subtle but just has horrific. Now the Delambres are a family with various physical and mental ailments that are in danger of disintegration if an answer cannot be found. Oddly enough, after all the tragedy, they still think the answer to their troubles is the the teleporter. Many people don't like this film because it is quite a departure from the first two, but I think that is its strength.
Disc Four - Bonus Disc
Vincent Price biography
"Fly Trap: Catching A Classic" featurette
The Fly bonus features:
Trailer
Playboy article and gallery
Photo gallery
Lobby cards and posters
The Return Of The Fly bonus features:
Trailer and TV spots
Lobby cards and posters
Photo gallery
The Curse Of The Fly bonus features:
Trailer
Pressbook gallery
Lobby cards and posters
Photo gallery
The first two films are classics.........................2007-07-28
and I already own them but the completest in me must have the vastly inferior in my opinion third and the additional special features this set offers.
Amazon.com
The greatest trilogy in film history, presented in the most ambitious sets in DVD history, comes to a grand conclusion with the extended edition of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. Not only is the third and final installment of Peter Jackson's adaptation of the works of J.R.R. Tolkien the longest of the three, but a full 50 minutes of new material pushes the running time to a whopping 4 hours and 10 minutes. The new scenes are welcome, and the bonus features maintain the high bar set by the first two films, The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers.
What's New?
One of the scenes cut from the theatrical release but included here, the resolution of the Saruman storyline, generated a lot of publicity when the movie opened, as actor Christopher Lee complained in the press about losing his only appearance. It's an excellent scene, one Jackson calls "pure Tolkien," and provides better context for Pippin to find the wizard's palantir in the water, but it's not critical to the film. In fact, "valuable but not critical" might sum up the ROTK extended edition. It's evident that Jackson made the right cuts for the theatrical run, but the extra material provides depth and ties up a number of loose ends, and for those sorry to see the trilogy end (and who isn't?) it's a welcome chance to spend another hour in Middle-earth. Some choice moments are Gandalf's (Ian McKellen) confrontation with the Witch King (we find out what happened to the wizard's staff), the chilling Mouth of Sauron at the gates of Mordor, and Frodo (Elijah Wood) and Sam (Sean Astin) being mistaken for Orc soldiers. We get to see more of Éowyn (Miranda Otto), both with Aragorn and on the battlefield, even fighting the hideously deformed Orc lieutenant, Gothmog. We also see her in one of the most anticipated new scenes, the Houses of Healing after the battle of the Pelennor Fields. It doesn't present Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen) as a savior as the book did, but it shows the initial meeting between Éowyn and Faramir (David Wenham), a relationship that received only a meaningful glance in the theatrical cut.
If you want to completely immerse yourself in Peter Jackson's marvelous and massive achievement, only the extended edition will do.
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And for those who complained, no, there are no new endings, not even the scouring of the Shire, which many fans were hoping to see. Nor is there a scene of Denethor (John Noble) with the palantir, which would have better explained both his foresight and his madness. As Jackson notes, when cuts are made, the secondary characters are the first to go, so there is a new scene of Aragorn finding the palantir in Denethor's robes. Another big difference is Aragorn's confrontation with the King of the Dead. In the theatrical version, we didn't know whether the King had accepted Aragorn's offer when the pirate ships pulled into the harbor; here Jackson assumes that viewers have already experienced that tension, and instead has the army of the dead join the battle in an earlier scene (an extended cameo for Jackson). One can debate which is more effective, but that's why the film is available in both versions. If you feel like watching the relatively shorter version you saw in the theaters, you can. If you want to completely immerse yourself in Peter Jackson's marvelous and massive achievement, only the extended edition will do.
How Are the Bonus Features?
To complete the experience, The Return of the King provides the same sprawling set of features as the previous extended editions: four commentary tracks, sharp picture and thrilling sound, and two discs of excellent documentary material far superior to the recycled material in the theatrical edition. Those who have listened to the seven hours of commentary for the first two extended editions may wonder if they need to hear more, but there was no commentary for the earlier ROTK DVD, so it's still entertaining to hear Jackson break down the film (he says the beacon scene is one of his favorites), discuss differences from the book, point out cameos, and poke fun at himself and the extended-edition concept ("So this is the complete full strangulation, never seen before, here exclusively on DVD!"). The documentaries (some lasting 30 minutes or longer) are of their usual outstanding quality, and there's a riveting storyboard/animatic sequence of the climactic scene, which includes a one-on-one battle between Aragorn and Sauron.
One DVD Set to Rule Them All
Peter Jackson's trilogy has set the standard for fantasy films by adapting the Holy Grail of fantasy stories with a combination of fidelity to the original source and his own vision, supplemented by outstanding writing, near-perfect casting, glorious special effects, and evocative New Zealand locales. The extended editions without exception have set the standard for the DVD medium by providing a richer film experience that pulls the three films together and further embraces Tolkien's world, a reference-quality home theater experience, and generous, intelligent, and engrossing bonus features. --David Horiuchi
Description
The WINNER of 11 Academy Awards* including BEST PICTURE is now 50 minutes longer! This extended version of the epic conclusion of The Lord of the Rings trilogy includes new score by Howard Shore and over 350 new digital effects shots.
DVD Features:
Additional Scenes
Audio Commentary
DVD ROM Features
Documentaries
Easter Eggs
Customer Reviews:
Wish I could give it 10 stars.......2007-08-22
This is my favorite film. Probably ever. It is an absolute MUST for any movie lover in general. Along with the other 2 films of course. The platinum edition is pretty damn sweet. I loved the intertwined extended/deleted scenes. I wish other directors did that more often. Yes the movie is 4 hours but for people who love movies and love great movies, it shouldnt matter how long a film is. If it was 6 hours, I would still watch it without complain. I cannot gush enough about this movie. Peter Jackson created a masterpiece that noone could possibly match. At least not anytime soon.
His attention to every detail is evident in this movie. The acting is wonderful, I even stopped cringing at Elijah Wood's acting after this film. And I absolutely adore the score to this. I own the soundtrack to all 3 films. I love them all. I dont own many other soundtracks but this is a must for anyone. I could go on and on.
"No! We need him alive. We need him to talk".......2007-08-09
Why has it taken me three and a half years to review this movie on Amazon? Because it's taken me that long to decide whether I like it or not.
My initial reaction to "The Return of the King" was one of disappointment. Not only was there no way it could have lived up completely to the hype in advance of the release of the third film in the most acclaimed film trilogy ever, but many of the specific decisions Peter Jackson made with respect to this film, both in the scripting process and in the editing room, seemed calculated to infuriate die-hard fans of the book, the films' core constituency. Certainly the most controversial example was the omission of Christopher Lee's Saruman from the Theatrical Edition.
In this Extended Edition the Saruman scene is, of course, restored to its place in the film, but turns out not to be as satisfying as one might have hoped. The manner of Saruman's death is certainly not faithful to the book, and the scene is indeed, as the filmmakers have said to explain their controversial decision to cut it, a structural encumbrance on the front of the movie. One is left to wonder whether "The Return of the King" may have been better off without the scene after all.
This is a recurring pattern with the additional scenes in the Extended Edition. Each of the new scenes most anticipated by fans of the book proves to be so far inferior to its book equivalent that the film was probably better off without it in the first place. The Extended Edition gives us a Gandalf/Witch King confrontation which is harmful rather than helpful to Gandalf's character and a Mouth of Sauron scene which is profoundly untrue to Tolkien's philosophy of warfare. Of the three Extended Editions, "The Return of the King" has been the most poorly received by Tolkien fandom, probably deservedly so.
But away from the hype of its release, the film as a whole can be seen to be an awesome piece of work. Not quite as perfect a literary adaptation as "The Fellowship of the Ring" or as cinematically compelling as "The Two Towers", "Return" nonetheless provides a powerfully emotional climax to a film trilogy fully worthy of Tolkien's beloved epic. The climactic scenes of the story may not live up to one's imagination of them in reading the book -- how could they? -- but they are more memorable than anything in the vast majority of the movies I have seen.
"The Return of the King" will always be my third favorite of Jackson's "Rings" trilogy, but that still makes it one of the greatest fantasy films of all time.
One of my favorites.......2007-07-30
Amazingly creative, scary, and inspirational. Wonderful story full of drama, moral examples, and deep meaning. It's hard to add to 622 reviews. It's not for the faint of heart.
Return of the King DVD.......2007-07-30
Great movie. THe series is just awesome and this last movie is wonderful and suspenseful.
Excellent Movie.......2007-07-26
This is an excellent movie. That is why I bought it. The theatrical version of this movie made you say, "Wow, what a great movie." The extended version raised the bar to, "Oh WOW!! What a totally awesome, AMAZING movie!" That is all.
Product Description
Warner Brothers Superman Returns (Blu-ray)
The Man of Steel flies back to the silver screen in this thrilling adventure directed by Bryan Singer ("X-Men"). Following a five-year absence from Earth, Superman (Brandon Routh) resumes his old life as Clark Kent and discovers that Lois Lane (Kate Bosworth) is living with her longtime boyfriend and has a child who may possess some extraordinary powers of his own. But when old foe Lex Luthor (Kevin Spacey) sets in motion a deadly real estate scheme, Supes faces themost dangerous challenge of his life. Co-stars James Marsden, Parker Posey, Frank Langella, and--inarchival footage--Marlon Brando.
Customer Reviews:
Man of Steel, Untarnished.......2007-09-08
After a nearly two-decades-long absence, the Man of Steel returns to the big screen in this superb fifth installment in the Superman series. But this belated movie is actually more of a sequel to the first two Superman films, the second released a quarter century ago in 1981.
Director Richard Donner, novelist Mario Puzo, and uncredited screenwriter Tom Manckiewicz (listed as "creative consultant" in credits) conceived the initial outing, Superman: The Movie (1978), as a legendary epic of almost Shakespearian dimensions, a saga pitting good versus evil. Unfortunately, their lofty vision was not shared by producers Alexander and Ilya Salkind. Uncomfortable with a serious treatment of the Superman story, they brought in the husband/wife screenwriting team David and Leslie Newman to make the script more "campy," à la the 1960s "Batman" TV series.
As a result of creative differences, and the Salkinds' refusal to pay Marlon Brando's steep royalties, Donner was replaced with director Richard Lester on the next installment, Superman II, and much of Donner's original footage was left on the proverbial cutting room floor. Fortunately, cinematic history has been kind to Richard Donner. On November 28, Warner Home Video finally releases his authorized version of Superman II, not only restoring scenes with Brando back into the film, but also restoring Donner to his rightful place as director.
To understand the downward spiral of the Superman franchise, consider 1983's Superman III, written solely by the Newmans and directed by Lester. An appalling collection of poorly timed slapstick gags, it has earned the dubious distinction of being the only movie in which comedian Richard Pryor can't buy a laugh. Superman IV in 1987 was even more unwatchable, suffering from bargain-basement production values and a PC script that reduced Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster's classic superhero to a "No Nukes," Bleeding-Heart of Steel.
Now, years after lesser filmmakers left the Man of Steel in rust, director Bryan Singer finally restores the untarnished, larger-than-life superhero to his pedestal.
Comparisons between Superman Returns and Superman: The Movie are inevitable, especially because Singer and screenwriters Michael Dougherty and Dan Harris consciously planned this film to have the same look, feel, and sound of the original. The most obvious similarity is in casting relative newcomer Brandon Routh in the role of Superman/Kal-El/Clark Kent. Routh bears an uncanny resemblance to the young Christopher Reeve; indeed, he looks as though he could be Reeve's younger brother.
Superman Returns builds upon the plot of the first Reeve movie, and part of the second. To explain Superman's absence from the screen during the past nineteen years, Singer brings him back to Earth after a five-year self-imposed exile, during which time he trekked among the stars searching for the remains of his home planet, Krypton.
The movie opens with an amazing special-effects sequence as Superman's spaceborne ship hurtles through the galaxies back to Earth, returning to his family farm outside Smallville, USA. Voiceover monologue from his father, Jor-El--taken from Marlon Brando's unused footage for Superman II--sets the tone for the drama that follows. "Because of their [Earthlings'] capacity for good, I send them you, my only son." Using Christ-like visual imagery, Superman is cast as Earth's savior, rescuing the planet time and again from those who wield the capacity for evil.
After a brief reunion with earthly mother Martha Kent, played by Eva Marie Saint, Superman reclaims his alter ego, Clark Kent, and his job in Metropolis as reporter for the Daily Planet. Things haven't changed much at the paper, except that cell phones have replaced desk sets and typewriters have been retired in favor of personal computers. Otherwise, editor Perry White (Frank Langella) is just as gruff as ever. Shutterbug Jimmy Olsen (Sam Huntington) is still the same earnest greenhorn, and the only reporter in the MSM, aside from Tucker Carlson, still sporting a tacky bow tie.
But one important thing has changed. When Superman left on his intergalactic quest for his roots, former lover Lois Lane (Kate Bosworth), the Planet's ace reporter, believed she'd been ditched. Feeling betrayed, Lois won a Pulitzer Prize for an article, "Why the World Doesn't Need Superman." "The world doesn't need a savior," she tells Clark, "and neither do I." He is devastated to learn that, on the rebound, she has given her heart to Richard White (James Marsden), the boss's nephew. What's worse, Lois and Richard now have a son, Jason.
Meanwhile, having discovered Superman's secret hideaway, the Fortress of Solitude, arch-enemy Lex Luthor (Kevin Spacey) launches a diabolical scheme using crystals laced with Kryptonite--the radioactive remains of Superman's planet that render him powerless. Placed in the Atlantic Ocean, the crystals multiply, creating a huge, artificial island that displaces enough ocean water to threaten much of North America with flooding. It's an ecological disaster right out of Al Gore's most fanciful nightmares, one that will force millions to turn to Luthor if they want to stay dry. Cha-ching!
Brandon Routh more than fills Chris Reeve's boots, and also those of George Reeves, the square-jawed actor who portrayed Superman in serial movies and on television during the 1950s. Like Reeve, Routh convincingly projects the superheroic qualities of Herculean strength and speed, as well as honor, chivalry, and courage. However, this loner-hero is cast in a more human, vulnerable light, though without ever mocking his dignity and heroic stature. This is a nobler Superman: all the annoying touches that in previous movies were meant to undermine the character are absent here.
Every superhero needs a supervillain in order to bring out his best virtues, and the movie delivers by casting Kevin Spacey as Lex Luthor. Although Gene Hackman is a great actor, he underplayed in the Luthor role a generation ago, almost to the point of nonchalance. Part of his failure to portray a true supervillain was due to his goofy wardrobe and even goofier sidekick (Ned Beatty). The sheer silliness undercut his credibility as a viable threat to Superman.
By contrast, Spacey's Luthor is a plausible adversary for the Man of Steel. "Gods are selfish beings who fly around in little red capes and don't share their powers with anyone else," Luthor snarls. Spacey's characterization conveys that, for little men with big ambitions, envy of the good can be the most corrupting motive. When I first saw Spacey in American Beauty (1999), his smarminess as anti-hero Lester Burnham really rubbed me the wrong way. But after seeing him as Jack Lemmon's duplicitous boss in Glengarry Glen Ross and as the deliciously sociopathic Luthor here, I find him uniquely suited to playing cads and villains--not unlike George Sanders (Rebecca, All About Eve) a couple generations ago.
Kate Bosworth is somewhat less successful as Lois Lane. Undoubtedly a better actress than the previous Lois (Margot Kidder), Bosworth's waifish looks and spiral curls aren't what come to mind when you think of the spunky journalist from the DC comic books. A stronger, more alluring actress, such as Hilary Swank, would have been perfect to play the female lead in Superman's life.
All in all, however, Superman Returns is a widescreen extravaganza with something for everyone.
For the guys, it has street cred as an action flick, with its shoot-'em-up pyrotechnics and computer-generated images. These are truly spectacular, because they don't look so much like special effects as like natural camerawork. In fact, this film comes off as even more realistic than another visually impressive superhero flick, Spiderman II.
For the women in the audience, the movie offers a heart-rending story of unrequited love, though hinting at the possible reconciliation of the (literally) star-crossed lovers in the next film in the franchise, planned for release in 2009.
For fans of John Williams's soaring score in the 1978 film, there is composer John Ottman's skillful weaving of Williams's brassy fanfare into the new soundtrack, and conductor Damon Intrabartolo's lush interpretation.
For older movie buffs, Superman Returns also boasts the first reunion (in dialogue, thanks to the sound editors) of the late Marlon Brando and actress Eva Marie Saint since they appeared as working-class lovers in Elia Kazan's 1954 classic, On the Waterfront.
And for the kids, the picture provides not just grand entertainment but also some wonderful lessons. Its themes of gallantry, honor, and bravery will cause even many adults to revert to the child's uncorrupted and innocent point of view. In fact, when we saw this movie at an advance critics' screening--in midtown Manhattan, no less--that was exactly how that normally blasé audience reacted.
If a bunch of aging, cynical critics can "Wow!" aloud at the implausible actions of their childhood hero, boo and jeer at the soulless villain, and rise to a raucous standing ovation at the end, then Superman Returns may just be the savior that Hollywood has needed during all the years that he's been gone.
Great picture with an average plot.......2007-09-03
This is an interesting movie with both pros and cons
The picture quality is outstanding and provided you have the proper hd 1080 equipment you will really enjoy it.
The plot is interesting although it tends to be slow at times. It does reflect the 1970s theme which gives it an interesting twist. Kevin Specey is the villain taken directly out of the comic book but his character is spiced up both by his acting as well as the script. However Lois Lane (Kate Bosworth) is quite flat and, at least in this movie, does not justify Superman's feelings towards her.
The directing is decent. Sole exception is that in the airplane flight in the beggining of the film she gets bounded around quite badly (an average person would have being killed) yet she emerges without a scratch or broose and her hair is perfectly combed while the rest of the women in the scene are all messed up.
All in all it is not a bad film with an excellent picture quality.
this is great!!!.......2007-08-02
i went to best buy and this movie is being sold for 37 dollars !! just buy it here and it will look so great in 1080p trust me. the movie itself is awesom so dont i didnt just buy it for the looks i bought it for the movie becuz its a great movie.
Bryan Singer nailed it !.......2007-07-24
Superman Returns was one of my favorite movies of 2006. Bryan Singer nailed it! Not only was Superman Returns a great homage to the Christopher Reeve's movies but it also surpasses them in many ways.
The sound and picture are A+ on the Blu-ray DVD. I originally saw Superman Returns in an IMAX theater (in 3-D). I purchased the standard DVD when it became available and found it a letdown. With Blu-Ray, the picture and sound is as vibrant and exciting as I remember it in the theater.
This is the best-looking Blu-Ray DVD I have seen so far. If you love the original Superman movie this will not disappoint.
Great Re-introduction!!.......2007-05-18
Superman Returns [Blu-ray]Put it this way, this film is so good and so entertaining (Hey its my little review!)that purchasing on dvd wasn't enough. It absolutely shines in High Definition, from the crisp visuals and audio,(of course it really depends on your entertainment setup) you will not be dissapointed.
Average customer rating:
- Old School Zombie Goodness...Buy This...
- My favorite zombie film, with one minor complaint...
- Save your money!
- A MAJOR MOMENT in MODERN HORROR CINEMA!!!!
- Finally a collectors edition, but whats included?
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The Return of the Living Dead (Collector's Edition)
Starring:
Robert J. Bennett ,
David Bond ,
Don Calfa ,
Cathleen Cordell , and
Michael Crabtree
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD
General
| Horror
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General
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
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Calfa, Don
| ( C )
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Crabtree, Michael
| ( C )
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Durbin, John
| ( D )
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Gulager, Clu
| ( G )
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Karen, James
| ( K )
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Philbin, John
| ( P )
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Quigley, Linnea
| ( Q )
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Shepard, Jewel
| ( S )
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Tales From the Crypt / Vault of Horror (Double Feature)
ASIN: B000RPCK2Y
Release Date: 2007-09-11 |
Description
Just when you thought it was safe to go back to the cemetery'those brain-eating zombies are back and hungry for more tasty mortals. A fiendish mix of outrageous humor and heart-stopping terror, The Return of the Living Dead is a veritable smorgasbord of fun (LA Herald-Examiner) filled with skin-crawling jolts, eye-popping visuals and relentless surprise! On his first day on the job at an army surplus store, poor Freddy unwittingly releases nerve gas from a secret U.S. military canister, unleashing an unbelievable terror. The gas re-animates a corps of corpses, who arise from their graves with a ravenous hunger for human brains! And luckily for those carnivorous cadavers, there is a group of partying teens nearby, just waiting to be eaten!
Customer Reviews:
Old School Zombie Goodness...Buy This..........2007-09-16
I've alway's enjoyed this movie. In fact I put it into the catagory of my "cable classics" as I was too young to see it when it hit the theaters. The combination of carnage, boobies, and gore based humor was awsome at the time and still stands up to this day although the wardrobe and some of the slang dates it.
I'll preface this by saying that I've got the DVD version that came out in 2002, and that was great. I was very happy at it's special features at the time. This edition is great in it's own right. I won't expound on the features carried over from the first DVD offering, so if you want to hear about that go to one of the other reviews.
New Special Features include:
1. The first new feature is a great retrospective with a good many of the cast and crew. Great fun seening what they look like now and how they view the film in retrospect. I'd liked to have seen more, but it was well done.
2. The second new feature is a really cool documentery about the status of horror in the 1980's which interviews quite a few prominent film directors about thier experiences of making horror films in the '80s. Almost worth the price of the DVD by itself.
3. Commentary by some of the cast and crew. Loads of fun until someone decides to impersonate a zombie. That gets old really fast, but thankfully the commentaters cut it short (although not early enough for my taste, as I feel we've missed out on some info, but we'll never know). Otherwise it's very fun hearing the various cast members relate their experiences from the filming and reactions from the public even years later.
To address a few things I've seen online about this version:
1. Yes, the cover artwork isn't great, but that's just the cardboard slipcover; which is forgivable given the rest. The actual DVD wrap art is sweet and worthy. Additionally, the cardboard slipcover is glow in the dark, which I've submitted a photo of to Amazon, although I don't know if they will publish it.
2. I can't speak to earlier comments about the soundtrack and over dubbing. I've never watched the movie on VHS, and only have vague, but fond memories of seeing it on cable as a young lad. You'll have to make up your own mind as to whether this affects the viewing experience for yourself.
3. The Zombie audio track. I didn't bother listening to this, and feel a bit bad about writing a review of the DVD without doing so, but if it's anything like the zombie intrusion on the cast track I can live with that.
All in all this is the superior of the DVD releases for this film. If you have not seen this Zombie movie, then you really owe it to yourself to add it to your collction, and if you own the original release and love the film, then it will enlighten you to a few more aspects and broaden the experience which will be worth the double dip.
My only real disappointment is that they did not include the full interviews with the cast and crew used for the retrospective feature as a bonus feature. That would have been a boon and I suspect a lot of fun. Otherwise it's a great package.
Either way, if you are a zombie movie lover you should definately own this film.
P.S. Send more paramedics, send more cops!
My favorite zombie film, with one minor complaint..........2007-09-14
I'll get the complaint out of the way first... THE EDITED SOUNDTRACK! I know it seems minor, and compared to what Warner Bros. did to Part II, it's miniscule, but I'm still kind of irked that MGM can't seem to correct the soundtrack from their original DVD release. This IS, after all, one of my favorite movie soundtracks ever. It only happens in three scenes, and two of them are just shortened. The only one that's actually replaced is 'The Damned' - 'Dead Beat Dance', that originally played in the scene when the group is going to pick up Freddy... Why they edited and replaced some songs, I have no idea. Possibly something to do with the rights. So I'm glad 'Return of the Living Dead' was one of the few VHS's I didn't sell... Wish I could say the same about Part II. Although the sequel is nowhere NEAR as clever or horrifying...
SPOILERS
Still, the movie remains the classic it was in '84. I'll give a brief plot synopsis. Freddy is being given the rundown on life in the MEDICAL SUPPLY WAREHOUSE business (the back of the package says it's an Army surplus store) by his boss, Frank. The two unwittingly unleash a toxic chemical developed by the Army that causes the dead to become reanimated. On their way to pick up Freddy from his first day on the job, his punk-rock friends decide to stop off in the loacal cemetary and the horror ensues, especially when our would-be victims discover that these zombies are a little harder to kill then the ones George Romero cooked up in his classic 'Night of the Living Dead', of which this might be considered a very loose spin-off... Along with some GREAT tombstone action from Linnea Quigley, there's also a fair deal of humor along the way, but I gotta admit... This movie still gives me chills. Far more so than any other zombie movies, with the exception of Romero's films. The zombie interrogation scene, where the zombie explains that it hurts to be dead, and you can feel yourself rot... I mean, just the IDEA of that STILL creeps me out. Although the reaction to this from Spider always gets a laugh out of me. Also, the ending is pretty chilling. The Army's "plan" is classic, and in a way, coldly realistic.
The cast and characters are excellent. Everybody in the film hands in a memorable performance. I really love Clu Gulager in this. I mean, his portrayal of the average middle-aged joe, with that old members-only jacket and everything (Did anyone else's dad used to wear that? Besides Al Bundy, I mean...), suddenly cast into this incredible situation is a sight to behold. I think the rest of the cast is just as great, but he makes this working-class guy so memorable.
The picture and audio of the DVD and all that stuff is perfect. I already had the other DVD, but I got this one hoping the soundtrack would be corrected, but I gotta say the two featurettes more than justified it. I'm glad they were able to get interviews with so many of the cast members. Anyway, I first saw the film probably about fifteen years ago, I've seen it numerous times since then, and it's still one of the funnest horror flicks I've ever seen. Definately in my top 5.
Save your money!.......2007-09-12
If you never seen Return of the Living Dead in your whole life, then get this. Most likely your going to enjoy it. I'll give a brief summary to those who haven't seen this. It combines the zombie thriller with some mild comedy. Its very serious but has its comedic side. Two workers tamper with a canister that contains a chemical which brings the dead to life. The dead then begin to feast on the living, by eating their brains. A group of teenagers have their night of partying in a cemetary turned into a nightmare. They spend most of the night trying to survive with the help of a couple of others. Its a very good movie with a pretty good soundtrack. Like I said, if you never seen it before then you'll most likely enjoy it.
Now the part I really want to hit. I'm sick to death of amazon allowing people to review and rate an item, whether its high or low before it even comes out. It can be so misleading. This has gotten way out of hand. And getting worse as of late. These first three reviews couldn't be anymore off. The same alterations on the first movie, still exist here! Such as shortened songs(Franks cremation), songs playing late(when they escape the tar zombie), and the zombie who orders to send more cops. Still does not have the original voice!
The extras are a waste of time to me. They consist of commentary, trailers, to this movie and for some dumb reason jeepers creepers 1&2. And hidden in the special features. There is an icon the shape of a red brain. If you scroll up you will hit this. This is the "zombies thought" option. This option allows you to read the zombies thoughts in a green text located in the bottom of the screen. Basically when the zombies are not talking, this subtitle will pop in every single zombie scene. Literally expressing their thoughts. This could have been cool and added a new sense of creepiness. But they kill it by adding lines such as, "brains are good, but could use more ketchup though". The scene with the paramedics heading to the van, "I got dibs on the one on the left","lets party", "being a cadaver sucks". Or something stupid to that effect. It even went so far to give the split dog some dialogue. The chopped up body inside the bags was still dishin' out ridiculous thoughts. Some funny but then eventually I was thinking. Who's dumb idea was this? It just got to the point I had to shut it off because it really didn't add nothing to the movie. I mean, I just don't believe zombies would say s*** like that.
If you already have this movie, then I recommend not wasting your money. Your buying the same thing twice. But then again its your cash, if you really need this widescreen or your just curious then pick it up. Personally, I feel like I wasted my money.
Edit; 9-13-07
I don't want to confuse any potential buyers in the slighest. It appears by the comments that were left. Some things were left out. So I'll address these questions openly.
If you seen ROTLD and liked or loved it but don't own it. Either on DVD or VHS then of course you should get it, if you don't have it. Especially if you loved it. I love the movie in its original form. Not this right here, thus my 2 star rating! No there is no extended version. Its the exact same movie from the original DVD format. If you never seen this on vhs then you won't exactly understand the differences. Fans of the original will know what I'm talking about. Some may feel its nitpicking but I don't care. And many others don't care if its nitpicking. Thats the way the movie is suppose to be.
A MAJOR MOMENT in MODERN HORROR CINEMA!!!!.......2007-09-02
Although it is overlooked by many horror fans, RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD is a very important film for it updates the "zombie movie" into a fully mature sub-genre inside horror cinema. We all know Romero's great trilogy NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, DAWN OF THE DEAD and DAY OF THE DEAD. These were great films for they were the true beginning of the "zombie movie". But in the 80's, the zombies lost terrain to the slasher movies (in the FRIDAY THE 13th tradition) and more compeling villains (in the Fred Krueger tradition).
Being a zombie fan, O'Bannon knew that the zombies needed an updating. This is why RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD is so important: it brought the zombies into the 80's character/action oriented horror films. With this thought, he wrote a great screenplay that rewrote the "zombie genesis". So, in this film, the zombies of George A. Romero are refered as a mild version of something that was really true: a chemical accident in India that ended as an Army cover-up operation; and the Romero's zombies just a way of putting it into films without being bothered by the U.S. Army.
Having established that point, O'Bannon introduces us to the REAL zombies: living dead that talk and move (they run!) just as living people do. They are extremely dangerous because they are not those dumb slow-moving zombies people used to walk through (like in the Romero's films). They are also intelligent as they devise ways of getting what they want - brains. And this is where O'Bannon makes a new wonderful twist: the zombies do not die by destroying their brains (for they are already dead and the brain has nothing to do with it). Instead it is the zombies who try to eat living brains!
Having said that, it is also important to point that the screenplay is a beautiful piece of cinematic storytelling for two reasons. FIRST because the whole story works flawlessly in the sense that the inicial incident, the characters' actions and the consequences are very well constructed. SECOND because the story weaves a sense of loneliness and confinement (I am talking about the way they treat the narrative space in relation to the story) that works wonders with the characters and what happens with them (this treatment of space echoes Romero's masterpiece DAWN OF THE DEAD).
The ending is great (so great that the sequels didn't touch it)and the soundtrack is very good. The actors are well cast and the film boasts a lot of dry humour.
The extras in this DVD special 
The Ultimate Matrix Collection (The Matrix/ The Matrix Reloaded/ The Matrix Revolutions/ The Animatrix)
Star Wars Trilogy (Widescreen Edition with Bonus Disc)
Star Wars - Episode III, Revenge of the Sith (Widescreen Edition)
The Adventures of Indiana Jones - The Complete DVD Movie Collection (Widescreen Edition)
Star Wars - Episode I, The Phantom Menace (Widescreen Edition)
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