The first thing you'll notice about the DVD is its abnormally large box. So what's the deal with that? Inside the box you'll find not only the new two-disc set but also a neon green highlighter shaped like a syringe! Dude. It may be a little thing, but it's pretty fucking cool. Still that's not what the $24.99 price tag on this puppy is about. It's about the DVDs inside.
Let it be noted that this collection contains almost every single extra found on the Elite Millennium Edition (only the isolated score audio track is missing, along with some photos from the original galleries). This is where Anchor Bay's newest Re-Animator release hits and misses. Truth be told, the features, while mostly the same, were just laid out better on the last release. On the Elite disc there were scene comparisons that accompanied the storyboards. Here we just get the boards themselves. Even more annoying the deleted/extended scenes play as one continuous feature void of any chapter stops. In the Millennium Edition you could skip to whatever you wanted to watch instantly. Mind you, these are minor quibbles, but if you're trying to decide if you want to buy this newest release, they need to be addressed.
Now let's talk about what you're waiting for — the new shit! Kicking off the supplemental disc of this release is a feature film in and of itself titled Re-Animator Resurrectus. Clocking in at about seventy minutes, Re-Animator Resurrectus is probably the most in-depth look at the film ever. Everything is covered, from Re-Animator's birth as a half hour long TV show for PBS(!) to its afterlife, if you will. Once the ball gets rolling, this feature plays as if it were a near scene-by-scene discussion of the film. The best part here is that it's not just your usual suspects being interviewed. Included are looks back from a great deal of the crew, and while you may not learn anything you didn't know from them, it's still great listening to folks with fresh perspectives. If only David Gale were still with us. I'm sure he'd have the best tales to tell. Considering he had the best view of the lovely Barbara Crampton, I'm sure he died happy.
Article comments
1 - Chris Beaumont
How about the A/V quality? I have the Millenium edition, and improved A/V would probably be the only thing to get me to buy this new edition. Sure, the doc would be nice, but I can live without it.
2 - Dread Central
According to Uncle Creepy, who wrote the review, the A/V is comparable between versions and that he didn't notice much of a difference.
3 - Chris Beaumont
Thanks, I'll probably skip this then....
4 - suziequzie
Just bought this today. I had to after watching it on VHS rental from my corner video store... with all the best scenes cut! Damn if that wasn't annoying... Oh, one of the scenes they cut is shown in that pic of Crampton and Gale above. I couldn't believe it. Badly re-edited too. This DVD more than satisfies. (Highlighter kicks a** too.)