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Directed by |
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Starring |
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Specs |
- Widescreen 2.25:1
- 16:9 Enhanced
- Dual Layer (RSDL )
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Languages |
- English: Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround
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Subtitles |
English, Hebrew, Czech, Polish, Hungarian, Portuguese, Icelandic, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish |
Extras |
- Deleted scenes - original ending
- 3 Teaser trailer
- Theatrical trailer
- 2 Audio commentary
- 3 Featurette - Creating Reality, The ID4 Invasion, The Making of ID4
- Photo gallery
- Animated menus
- 8 TV spot
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Independence Day - Special Edition |
20th Century Fox/20th Century Fox .
R4 . COLOR . 147 mins .
PG . PAL |
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Contract |
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Ever since their success with Universal Soldier, Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin have been at the forefront of creating THE pop-corn movies of the 90's with hits such as Stargate, Godzilla and the coming soon to DVD release of the Patriot. Sure it's not all great cinema but we're not studying at film school in our lounge rooms. All we really crave for is a vehicle to get us through 2 hours of movie time with something that will provide us constant entertainment and the supreme 'wow' factor. Independence Day is it. Despite the size that it eventually ended up becoming, Independence Day was just a basic premise in the minds of these two budding film-makers. Aliens come to Earth, in the biggest damn ships you've ever seen, and start wiping out the human race. It's up to a select few who have survived, with the knowledge that has been acquired at the infamous Area-51 military station, to save the day, the American way, ofcourse. Tagging along for the ride is a fun-filled cast including the likes of Jeff Goldblum, Will Smith, Harry Connick Jr., Randy Quaid, Bill Pullman, Judd Hirsch and Brent Spiner (Data of Star Trek fame). Whilst their characters are as flat as the cities that the alien destruction has left behind, they do bring a certain charm to the film. One of the biggest stars of the film though is the special effects that make the alien invasion feel supremely realistic. The miniature work and creative techniques used really do make you believe that these huge ships are causing mass destruction the likes never seen before.
Video |
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As for the DVD. Astounding. This is a damn fine looking disc and seems, what's the word I'm looking for?, complete! Those NTSC scan lines are gone and this disc seems to fill them in with more detail, a smoother image (not softer image) and yes, complete, that's the word I'm looking for. I've had the good fortune (or bad if you're my credit card) to have owned the VHS and laserdisc versions of ID4 and continue to be amazed by the huge improvement that DVD offers. Whilst the laserdisc produced a clean 'composite' image that was widely regarded as a reference transfer, the resolution increase of dvd and the component format of the medium produces an image that is leaps and bounds ahead of what I've previously experienced at home. The digital image is pristinely clean and free of any niggling film dirt and is coupled with a dynamic looking image that produces deep blacks and very a rich palette of colors. The gritty New York streets, the alien ship innards, the white sands of the desert are all rendered beautifully. It's now a given that 20th Century Fox (both here and abroad) is pushing DVD to new heights with their commitment to anamorphic transfers ans enjoyable as this. The same goes for the audio.
Audio |
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I'm always surprised at the clarity and oomph that my little Sony unit is able to produce and this soundtrack certainly provides it's circuitry with some very entertaining sequences that are sure to get a repeat viewing time and time again. Right from the outset we are treated to some deep bass in preparation for what is to come in some of the most impressive and intense explosion scenes I've seen for a while. The sounds effects guys should be commended for providing all 5.1 speakers with ample time share on the soundtrack - insert academy mention here. The key scenes to look out for here are obviously the nationwide destruction of the United States whereby building after building are destroyed with precision. Both visually and audibly, this is a jaw dropper each time I see it and if you get the chance, experience it on the biggest screen you can invite yourself to with the biggest sound. It just craves for it. Channel separation and directionality are very good and give you a real sense of immersion as all manner of object and construction bounce and disperse around the room. The technical sections like the dogfight scenes make full use of this to help you follow who's what and where on the screen. On the more common aspects, dialogue is fine and even if you can't make out what they're saying the plot is basic enough to follow so who really cares in this instance.
Extras |
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Overall |
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With extras this abundant and a video and audio transfer that many others would kill for, you've got an excellent disc here. My only problem is the packaging. The US release was presented as a 5 star disc in a double amaray casing. I don't much care for the 5 star rating, it's just FIGJAM, but I do care for the double amaray casing giving it a presence in your hand for something more than just a single disc movie. It's all about looks when it comes down to it and we need to make these special editions distinct from the basic releases out there. That said, this is THE exact kind of movie that just craves a BIG presence in your home cinema because that's what it is made for. It's pure fun so let i be that. Forget the inconsistencies in the plot, forget the implausibilities, forget the "Amercian save the world" inadequecies and you'll have a rip-roaring good time. Highly Recommended.
LINK: http://www.dvd.net.au/review.cgi?review_id=325
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And I quote... |
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Review Equipment |
- DVD Player:
Sony DAV-S300
- TV:
Hitachi CMT2979 68cm
- Video Cables:
standard s-video
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