The Hughes brothers' stylish thriller is packaged in a dynamic special edition two-disc set. Disc one presents the film in its original anamorphic widescreen 2.35:1 format. The audio is formatted in Dolby Digital 5.1 for the English track and Dolby Surround for the French and Spanish tracks. Special features on this disc include a feature commentary with directors Albert and Allen Hughes, screenwriter Rafael Yglesias, cinematgrapher Peter Deming, and actor Robbie Coltrane. There's also over 20 deleted scenes including an alternate ending. An Easter Egg revealing the DVDs production credits can be found on this first disc by selecting language selection, then highlighting main menu and arrowing right to open the corpse's eye. Disc two has the bulk of the bonus material. The original theatrical trailer is included, along with one for Unfaithful. "Six Degrees of Jack the Ripper: An Exploration of Ripperology" is a fascinating look at the many theories and suspects behind the legendary serial killer. This piece includes interviews, research, and morgue photos. "A View From Hell" is an HBO featurette that's hosted by actress Heather Graham. It discusses the in-depth research the Hughes' conducted to give their movie authenticity. In "Tour of the Murder Sites," the brothers' show off the impressive White Chapel set they had built in Prague. "Production Design" is a behind-the-scenes featurette with production designer Martin Childs that shows how the film's interior and exterior sets were created. "Absinthe Makes the Heart Grow Fonder" gives the history of the wormwood-based drink. From Hell was inspired by the comic book written by Alan More and Eddie Campbell. In a "Graphic Novel to Film Comparison," the brothers show how they utilized the book in the film and where they departed from the original story. Finally, an Easter Egg can be found on this disc by highlighting "Absinthe Makes the Heart Grow Fonder," then pressing the down arrow and the right arrow. This will highlight an instrument in the case. Click on it to watch a 45 minute movie, "Jack the Ripper: The Final Solution." Like the film itself, the bonus material on both discs is engaging and entertaining. The Hugheses and 20th Century Fox have put together an excellent package. |