Roland Emmerich's science fiction blockbuster Independence Day comes to DVD with a widescreen anamorphic transfer that preserves the original theatrical aspect ratio of 2.35:1. Closed-captioned English soundtracks are rendered in Dolby Digital 5.1 and Dolby Digital Surround, while a French soundtrack has also been recorded in Dolby Digital Surround. English and Spanish subtitles are accessible. Supplemental materials include a smattering of commentary from Emmerich and producer Dean Devlin, as well as commentary from the special effects crew. This is a solid disc from 20th Century Fox that should be appreciated by fans of the film.
One of the earliest popular DVD releases, Luc Besson's fanciful, visually striking 1997 sci-fi epic The Fifth Element has a surprisingly spare presentation: it includes standard and widescreen aspect ratios, as well as Dolby Digital 5.1 and Stereo Audio in English and Spanish -- and that's it. While both the sound and audio preserve the film's intricate, and often witty, details, it's still a slightly disappointing package; filmographies, a making-of featurette, or even a trailer would make the disc more substantial. Though the film's fans would want it in any DVD version, The Fifth Element deserves a more thoughtful presentation than this, and Columbia TriStar obliged by releasing a deluxe edition in early 2005.