The polar opposite of director Guillermo del Toro's flashy Hollywood action feature Blade II, The Devil's Backbone receives its second official stateside DVD release courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics. With a brand-new audio commentary track and a wide selection of special features that make the previous release look positively bare-bones (despite the fact that it did contain some impressive extras), this release is certain to please del Toro fans who prefer deep chills to pulse-pounding vampire mayhem. Presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen, the high-definition transfer is nothing short of pristine -- the ideal conduit for cinematographer Guillermo Navarro's moody photography. As with the previous release, the Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack perfectly balances the mournful score with a variety of impressive and effectively unsettling directional effects. With such a solid presentation of the feature itself, Sony Pictures Classics could have called it a day there, but del Toro's rapidly growing fan base will undoubtedly thank them for gathering some truly impressive bonus materials. A newly recorded commentary track offers the soft-spoken but engaging director a chance to voice his opinions on the "gothic romance" genre and the symbiotic relationship between horror and context while taking the informative track in an entirely new direction than the one that graced the previous release. It's great to hear him talk about his influences, which range from the literary works of Horace Walpole to the haunting hallways of his grandmother's home -- a lingering memory that fuels one of the film's most effective fright sequences. Clocking in at just under 30 minutes, a making-of documentary entitled "What is a Ghost?: The Making of The Devil's Backbone" goes into even more depth by offering detailed interviews with the cast and crew of the film. From the original concept for the story to special effects and the talented cast, the impressive featurette leaves no stone unturned as it explored every aspect of production. Aspiring filmmakers who may like to see how visual concepts are fleshed out from concept to execution will undoubtedly want to check out the director's thumbnail track, which is in turn expanded upon with a thumbnail-to-storyboard feature that divides the screen into three segments: thumbnails, storyboards, and the film itself. Deleted scenes with optional director's commentary find del Toro emphasizing the importance of pacing while offering a little more characterization and setup, while five galleries offer a wealth of imagery related to characters, art direction/set design, prosthetic effects, thumbnails, and, best of all, del Toro's personal director's notebook. A trio of previews for such features as del Toro's Hellboy top the features off nicely, making this definitive release of The Devil's Backbone a must-have.

Filmmaker Peter Jackson set out on one of the most ambitious motion-picture projects of recent memory when he attempted to bring J.R.R. Tolkien's epic Lord of the Rings novels to the screen. Jackson's films proved to be a rousing success both critically and financially, and this special box set collects the three award-winning pictures in one package. The Lord of The Rings: The Motion Picture Trilogy features deluxe extended DVD editions of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, which follow the battle between good and evil in the mythic land of Middle-earth and the quest to destroy the One Ring of all power before it is found by the forces of evil.

Just when there's no more room in you're DVD collection, Anchor Bay Entertainment will release yet another version of George A. Romero's zombie classic Dawn of the Dead. Filtering into stores just in time to cash in on the much-ballyhooed, big-budget remake, this release seems little more than a precursor to Anchor Bay's heavily touted three-disc Special Edition -- set for release in the fall of 2004. Mastered in the high-definition Divimax process and letterboxed at the correct theatrical exhibition aspect ratio of 1.85:1 (previous releases were often matted and released in 1.66:1), the image as presented on this release is the best that Dawn of the Dead has ever looked on home video. In addition to the corrected aspect ratio, the remarkably clean image sports solid, vibrant colors, even skin tones (for the living), and no evidence of edge-enhancement. As for audio, Anchor Bay has seen fit to include a multitude of choices that should please both purists and those looking to push the limits of their home theater systems. In addition to an effective mix in the original Mono, mixes in DTS, Dolby Digital 5.1, and Dolby Digital Surround expand the terror by surrounding viewers with the blood-chilling moans of the undead. Of course, the audio feature that most viewers will jump for is the commentary track, featuring director Romero, makeup effects artist Tom Savini, and assistant director Chris Romero -- and moderated by Perry Martin. It's great to hear Romero comment on the origins of the story and the events that set the sequel into motion, and the enthusiasm of Savini when Romero told him to start thinking of various inventive ways to kill people is palpable. With virtually no dead air, the commentary is both entertaining and informative. Outside of the commentary track, the extras are fairly standard -- a seeming warm-up for the massive Special Edition that lies ahead. A pair of theatrical trailers are in top condition, as are a trio of television spots -- and with no less than nine radio spots, fans will no doubt get the gist of the advertising campaign that ushered audiences into theaters. A poster and advertising gallery offers various posters, newspaper clippings, and black-and-white stills for the film, and a deeply informative biography explores Romero's motivations as a filmmaker while scrutinizing his macabre body of work. Rounding things out is a somewhat disappointing preview of the upcoming comic-book adaptation. Overall, you have a pretty tantalizing release that would be a great addition to the old DVD collection -- until that massive Special Edition blows this one out of the water, that is.