Brian Gibson's biopic of Tina Turner, What's Love Got to Do with It?, comes to DVD with a widescreen transfer that preserves the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.85:1. An English soundtrack is rendered in Dolby Digital 5.1, while a French soundtrack has been recorded in Dolby Digital Stereo. There are neither subtitles nor closed-captions on this release. Supplemental materials include a theatrical trailer. The film looks and sounds superb on this disc, but the best aspects of it are the commanding performances by Angela Bassett and Laurence Fishburne. They both earned Oscar nominations, and the small screen does nothing to diminish their amazing work.
New Line has put together a special edition DVD for The Mack that is required viewing for anyone with a serious interest in this film. The remastered transfer used for this disc makes it look and sound better than it ever has on video: despite the limitations of the low-budget source materials, the image is rich in sharp detail and robust color and the disc's producers have assembled a credible Dolby Digital 5.1 remix from the soundtrack's original mono elements. Even better, this disc of The Mack offers a stellar pair of extras. The first is an excellent commentary track that involves director Michael Campus, producer Harvey Bernhard and most of the principal cast. Everyone delivers a no-hold-barred array of information about the production but the undeniable star of the show is Max Julien, who acts as both a philosopher and raconteur as he discusses what he brought to the film and how it has affected his life. The other bonus is an excellent video documentary called "Mackin' Ain't Easy" that combines film clips, news footage and new interviews to create a definitive portrait of the film's production and the influence it continues to exert over pop culture. Strangely, the DVD lacks a trailer for the film: this omission is disappointing but a minor gripe when one considers the quality of the transfer and supplements. In the end, New Line's DVD of The Mack is a great way for novice viewers to experience this unique film and a necessity for the film's fanbase.