Returning to true form, Warner continues its string of marvelous re-releases with this two-disc Special Edition. The image, framed at 2:35:1 and enhanced for widescreen televisions, has never looked better. The film may be more than 30 years old, but the transfer rarely gives away this fact. Restoration has been a significant benefit, and while there are some signs of age, the picture is solid in every way. Colors are vivid and well saturated, while the black levels are dense and show no signs of breakdown. The 5.1 English Dolby Digital track is fairly standard in its presentation. Sound is generally centered up front, with occasional use of surrounds for effect. Though the rear speakers are used sparingly, the overall sound scheme is very pleasing. Dialogue, partly dubbed into English depending on the actor, is by and large clear and distinguishable, and the sound effects, now a martial art clich~, are unmistakable. But, while the image and sound are top-notch, the real plus for fans will be the supplements. The first disc, with the movie, has far more extras than would be expected. Included is a scene-specific commentary with co-producer Paul Heller. He offers a range of anecdotal information, but there are plenty of gaps. While good, this track may have benefited from additional participants. A number of featurettes are also included here. The longest, entitled "Blood and Steel: The Making of Enter the Dragon," is newly made, and includes interviews with most of the cast and crew and location shots that are fun to watch. Shorter, but no less interesting, is "Bruce Lee: In His Own Words," a philosophical exploration of Bruce Lee's knowledge and use of the martial arts. The final featurettes, in a section titled "Lair of the Dragon," include the original 1973 making-of piece along with an odd segment called "Backyard Workout With Bruce Lee" in which he beats up a bag and some assistants. Finally on the first disc is "Linda Lee Cadwell Interview Gallery," where Lee's widow discusses her relationship with Lee and who he was as a star. But all of this is simply the tip of the iceberg, as the second disc in the set offers so much more. While there is some repetition, two documentaries on the second disc look at the life and career of star Bruce Lee. Each is in-depth, with extensive interviews from colleagues, family, friends, and co-stars, behind-the-scenes location work, personal films, and much more. Curse of the Dragon, running 83 minutes, is a complete retrospective of his life, while Bruce Lee: A Warrior's Journey, at 98 minutes, is even more thorough in examining his career and personal life. Both documentaries provide so much information about the man that there is a new level of understanding, not only on who he was, but what he tried to accomplish in his short life. Rounding out this fine collection are four theatrical trailers for Enter the Dragon as well as numerous vintage television spots. After the disappointing sets for A Room With a View and Wyatt Earp, Warner has gone out of its way, producing a Special Edition that truly is special, in all respects.

Showdown in Little Tokyo/Bloodsport (DV

One of the best presentations of a Tim Burton film on DVD, Edward Scissorhands features a widescreen, anamorphic transfer, Dolby Digital 4.0 and Surround Audio, and an array of supplements that complement Burton's bittersweet tale of a gentle misfit with blades where his hands should be. The disc includes commentaries by Burton and composer Danny Elfman, a brief "making of" featurette, concept sketches, the original theatrical trailer, and TV commercials, all of which lend different perspectives on the film's creative processes. As with his Pee-Wee's Big Adventure and Sleepy Hollow commentaries, Burton's engaging track focuses mainly on the film's thematic and artistic concepts instead of technical information. Though he's not nearly as talkative as Burton, Elfman's track reaffirms just how intertwined his composing is with Burton's filmmaking process. Burton's spindly, evocative concept sketches of Edward and the inventor who created him both hint at the final versions of the characters and show how much Edward Scissorhands' production and design contributed to the film. Likewise, the featurette includes an interview with screenwriter Caroline Thompson, who wrote the screenplay around those same drawings. All in all, the DVD of Edward Scissorhands gives the film the treatment it deserves, as well as the ideas and the people behind it.