The sheer size of the Zodiac: Director’s Cut DVD rivals Meat Loaf’s man breasts in Fight Club. No joke. This thing is massive. I’ve been sifting through my screener copy for nearly two weeks, just finishing it yesterday. There are two feature length commentary tracks included. One features David Fincher, doing the solo act he does so well, while the other is populated by Jake Gyllenhaal, Robert Downey Jr., Brad Fischer, James Vanderbilt, and James Ellroy. Of the two, Fincher’s is superior by a country mile. The guy knows his sh*t like it’s nobody’s business, offering insights into both the filmmaking process and the history of the Zodiac case. The unique visual techniques (of which there are surprisingly many) are spotlighted in The Visual Effects Of Zodiac and an additional previsualization feature. Every other aspect imaginable is heavily documented in the meticulous making-of documentary Zodiac Deciphered.
Because all of that simply just isn’t enough, the hauntingly surreal Zodiac killings and Arthur Leigh Allen are both represented in extensive documentaries made exclusively for this set. This Is The Zodiac Speaking utilizes crime scene photos and interviews with surviving victims and detectives to render an all-encompassing view of the historical events. Presenting a sturdy case, then forcing you to question what you’ve been told, is His Name Was Arthur Leigh Allen. Those who knew and those who investigated the man many believe to have been the Zodiac killer take a retrospective look into the life of a probable madman. Both of these presentations are of the utmost quality, and would be worth purchasing on their own. That they’re available as a bonus just goes to show you how much care went into preparing this essential package. It’s only January, but when the end of 2008 approaches, you’ll almost certainly be hard pressed to find a superior DVD offering.
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