One of those rare films to attain cult, critical, and popular success, fans of Little Shop of Horrors will be both pleased and disappointed by this Warner Home Video DVD release. There is no faulting the widescreen anamorphic transfer that returns the film to its theatrical aspect ratio, nor the equally fine Dolby Digital audio transfer. Another bonus has the witty Alan Menken and Howard Ashman score on a separate audio track, while Frank Oz's audio commentary gets viewers inside of what was a very hard shoot. Director Oz is on the record as saying that his rather dry demeanor was the basis for the Muppet Bert of Sesame Street fame and he erases any doubt of that in his insightful, if humorously monotone, commentary track. There is also a fun "Outtake Reel" from the shooting which reveals why fans of the movie have reason to be disappointed in this DVD. For a few seconds of outtakes, viewers can see part of the original ending of the movie, in which the monstrous giant plants take over the world. Shot at great expense, the original, darker ending was replaced with a more upbeat (though still cynical) conclusion. In a bizarre move, Warner Home Video has botched both of its DVD releases of Little Shop of Horrors. The first release only showed the film with the original ending while this second release only gives viewers the theatrical version. Can a third DVD release that combines all the features of the first two versions and has both endings be far behind?
This reviewer is a member of the Best Buy Tech Insider Network Program. This invitation-only program provides BestBuy.com reviewers with manufacturer-supplied products for the purpose of writing honest, unbiased and usage-based reviews. Outside of receiving products to test and review, Best Buy Tech Insider Network Reviewers are not compensated in any other way.
One of the many Rankin/Bass collaborations that families have made a part of their holiday traditions, The Year Without a Santa Claus comes to DVD with a standard full-frame transfer that preserves the original broadcast aspect ratio. The closed-captioned English soundtrack is rendered in Dolby Digital Mono. English and French subtitles are accessible. There are no supplemental materials on this disc, but anyone looking for family friendly viewing will be more than happy with this title.
This reviewer is a member of the Best Buy Tech Insider Network Program. This invitation-only program provides BestBuy.com reviewers with manufacturer-supplied products for the purpose of writing honest, unbiased and usage-based reviews. Outside of receiving products to test and review, Best Buy Tech Insider Network Reviewers are not compensated in any other way.
This reviewer is a member of the Best Buy Tech Insider Network Program. This invitation-only program provides BestBuy.com reviewers with manufacturer-supplied products for the purpose of writing honest, unbiased and usage-based reviews. Outside of receiving products to test and review, Best Buy Tech Insider Network Reviewers are not compensated in any other way.
This reviewer is a member of the Best Buy Tech Insider Network Program. This invitation-only program provides BestBuy.com reviewers with manufacturer-supplied products for the purpose of writing honest, unbiased and usage-based reviews. Outside of receiving products to test and review, Best Buy Tech Insider Network Reviewers are not compensated in any other way.
A conniving nephew (Anthony Geary) wishes to get rid of his elderly uncle (Ralph Bellamy) to collect a large inheritance, so he hires the three worst orderlies he can find (played by the Fat Boys).
This reviewer is a member of the Best Buy Tech Insider Network Program. This invitation-only program provides BestBuy.com reviewers with manufacturer-supplied products for the purpose of writing honest, unbiased and usage-based reviews. Outside of receiving products to test and review, Best Buy Tech Insider Network Reviewers are not compensated in any other way.
This reviewer is a member of the Best Buy Tech Insider Network Program. This invitation-only program provides BestBuy.com reviewers with manufacturer-supplied products for the purpose of writing honest, unbiased and usage-based reviews. Outside of receiving products to test and review, Best Buy Tech Insider Network Reviewers are not compensated in any other way.
Arthur Rankin and Jules Bass apply their distinctive animation technique to J.R.R. Tolkien's prequel to the Lord of the Rings trilogy on this DVD release of The Hobbit. The film is presented in a full-frame standard transfer with an aspect ratio of 1.33:1. The closed-captioned English soundtrack is rendered in Dolby Digital Mono. English, Spanish, and French subtitles are accessible. Supplemental materials include background information on Tolkien, as well as the filmmakers themselves.
This reviewer is a member of the Best Buy Tech Insider Network Program. This invitation-only program provides BestBuy.com reviewers with manufacturer-supplied products for the purpose of writing honest, unbiased and usage-based reviews. Outside of receiving products to test and review, Best Buy Tech Insider Network Reviewers are not compensated in any other way.
This animated version of the fantasy novel by J.R.R. Tolkien comes to DVD in a standard full-screen picture format (1.33:1), with no widescreen option and only a single audio track option, English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono). Subtitles are available in English, Spanish, and French. Special features are limited to some "highlights" dealing with Tolkien and the filmmakers. Because the audio was not remastered for this DVD version of the film, the mono-only sound quality is flat and poor, and in places the animation is somewhat jerky. The plastic DVD case includes a brief chapter index.
This reviewer is a member of the Best Buy Tech Insider Network Program. This invitation-only program provides BestBuy.com reviewers with manufacturer-supplied products for the purpose of writing honest, unbiased and usage-based reviews. Outside of receiving products to test and review, Best Buy Tech Insider Network Reviewers are not compensated in any other way.
Peter Berg's 1998 black comedy Very Bad Things comes to DVD from Polygram, presented with both widescreen and full-screen transfers. The Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround soundtrack is in English and French. English closed captions are also available. Special features include theatrical trailers and biographies for director Berg and stars Christian Slater, Daniel Stern, Jon Favreau, Leland Orser, Cameron Diaz, and Jeanne Tripplehorn.
This reviewer is a member of the Best Buy Tech Insider Network Program. This invitation-only program provides BestBuy.com reviewers with manufacturer-supplied products for the purpose of writing honest, unbiased and usage-based reviews. Outside of receiving products to test and review, Best Buy Tech Insider Network Reviewers are not compensated in any other way.
The special R-rated version of Dennis Dugan's silly sex comedy Saving Silverman comes to DVD with this release. Loaded with bonus features, the disc should be a delight for fans of the film. The extras include audio commentary by Dugan, and outtakes reel, web links, theatrical trailers, filmographies, production notes, and scene selections. As if that weren't enough, the film is presented in an impressive widescreen 1.85:1 anamorphic transfer along with the standard 1.33:1 pan-and-scan. Add to that English language soundtracks in Dolby Digital 5.1 and Dolby Digital Stereo, and the disc is a delight for viewers. English and French subtitles are also available.
This reviewer is a member of the Best Buy Tech Insider Network Program. This invitation-only program provides BestBuy.com reviewers with manufacturer-supplied products for the purpose of writing honest, unbiased and usage-based reviews. Outside of receiving products to test and review, Best Buy Tech Insider Network Reviewers are not compensated in any other way.
Yes!! It is very much worth it. They make your tv look the very best that it can in your setting. I would recommend anyone doing this with a tv 42" or larger.