SPR D-Day 60th Anniversary Edition

[Peio 0]

Dreamworks announced the Region 1 DVD release of Saving Private Ryan D-Day 60th Anniversary Commemorative Edition for 25th May 2004 with a retail price of $26.99. The features are the following:

1.85:1 Anamorphic Widescreen

English DTS 5.1, DD5.1 and DD2.0 Surround

English, French and Spanish subtitles

An Inside Look with the Filmmakers

Looking into the Past: The Research, the Screenplay and the Vision

The Making of a Platoon

Boot Camp for the Cast

Re-Creating D-Day: Omaha Beach

And Much More!

(source: dvdtimes.co.uk)

[JoeinAR 1,949]

nothing like cheap commercialism commemorating an event to make a buck or two.

[Eplicon 53]

Ooh...I'm going to double-dip on this. The previous release, while good, made it tricky for those who wanted the full supplements on the DD version or the best sound sans extra with the DTS version. Now we get 'em both in the same release. (Yay.)

[QMM 4]

Worked on me

[Morlock 11]

nothing like cheap commercialism commemorating an event to make a buck or two.

But at least there is something there- a real behind the scenes.

[Guest]

Awesome! I will be selling my DTS disc back and getting this one. Amazing film and I cannot wait to see the extras.

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

Great that they're adding extra's and everything, but it sounds like an asshole move to make a special edition in honor of D-DAY. :?

- Marc

John Williams - Main Title/Rebel Blockade Runner from Star Wars (SE)

[Miguel Andrade 1,275]

I wonder if Williams is on the extras...

Miguel, who don't have the Saving Priate Ryan dvd, so will likelly buy this one.

[HPFAN_2 0]

nothing like cheap commercialism commemorating an event to make a buck or two.

Oh shut up you know you're going to get it.

[Morn 8]

87000 people died to make this movie.

They could have just used that tagline instead.

Morn - Who feels just like Joe.

[Lurker 5]

nothing like cheap commercialism commemorating an event to make a buck or two.

But at least there is something there- a real behind the scenes.

B.F.D.

This movie is not about extras or making of's. Just watch the movie and enjoy it. We don't need 2 hours of Spielberg saying what a great job he did at honoring our veterans.

Neil - who will certainly be skipping this release

[Justin 2]

It seems odd considering 7/8ths of the film is not about D-Day....

Justin -Who'll probably get it anyway...

[Lurker 5]

From DVDFile.com

Also just announced from DreamWorks is a new re-release of Steven Spielberg's Oscar-winning war epic Saving Private Ryan, which will get a spiffy new two-disc set on May 25th, just in time for D-Day. The Saving Private Ryan 60th Anniversary Commemorative Edition features a 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer and Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1 surround tracks on disc one, plus a second disc with the same extras from the previous special edition, including an introduction by Spielberg, the 30-minute documentary Into the Breach, plus production notes, filmographies and theatrical trailers. As of now, there are no additional extras announced (but stay tuned for a confirm) and retail will be $26.95.

Neil

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

I find this to be even weirder:

This new Saving Private Ryan will be part of a larger collection called The World War II Collection, which will retail for $49.99. This package will include a collectable book, the film and two new features: Price for Peace, a $19.99 title executive produced by Steven Spielberg and Shooting War, a $19.99 title narrated by Tom Hanks, directed by Robert Schickel and executive produced by Spielberg.  

Courtesy of IGN.com.

- Marc,

[Ollie 1,069]

See this is one of the reasons why my DVD collection is small, aside from the large collection of Laserdiscs I still have, everytime I turn around another version is being released.

I have the DD release, I might sell it and get this for the DTS track.

-Mark, who finally caved in and bought the JAWS DVD (DTS) because it was on sale for $9.99. Although I will never get rid of my JAWS Signature Collection Laserdisc.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

nothing like cheap commercialism commemorating an event to make a buck or two.

Oh shut up you know you're going to get it.

actually you're wrong. I won't be getting it.

I don't own SPR on dvd as it is. I only own dvd's that I will watch multiple times. SPR isn't a film I want to watch ever again. I saw it, I was moved and I moved on. Great war film, good overall film, but not great. I won't be buying SL either. NOT a film I want to watch repeatedly. It to is only a very good film, and certainly not an entertaining film. I get not a smidgen of entertainment out of either film.

[Lurker 5]

Mark, who finally caved in and bought the JAWS DVD (DTS) because it was on sale for $9.99. Although I will never get rid of my JAWS Signature Collection Laserdisc.

That was $10 too much for the DVD. Sure, the picture may be a little better than the LD, but the new 5.1 track is a nightmare of epic proportions compared to the original Oscar winning mono mix found only on that LD. All other previous versions of Jaws on LD had source music rescored in one scene.

Neil

[NeejaHalycon 0]

You know what movie deserves a 60th Anniversary workover? The Longest Day

The actual D-Day combat is nothing like SPR, but it shows all the different parties (Americans, Germans, British, French resistance). All of the foreigners speak German or French with subtitles, and of course there's about a 20 member all-star cast from around the world.

EDIT: I almost forgot to mention the fantastic score. I know Paul Anka composed the song which is used as the theme of the movie, but IMDb lists Maurice Jarre as also doing music. In any case, music is sparse throughout the film, and the theme is most often heard as source music. Two great moments that stick out in my mind are:

1) Richard Burton is telling a friend that one of his old squad-mates was shot down. In the background, you can actually see a guy tapping out the theme on the bar's piano.

2) On one of the troop ships, Jeffrey Hunter is talking to a guy about his wife sending him a Dear John. In the background, once again, is a man playing the theme on a harmonica.

TLD has got to have one of the most bare-bones releases for a film of such importance. For starters, the only "special features" are trailers for The Longest Day, Tora! Tora! Tora!, and some other war movie. The two-tape colorized version has better extras. On top of that, the transfer is non-anamorphic, which does a number on the picture with widescreen TVs.

This film needs at LEAST a two-disc special edition with THX sound and picture. There should be commentary from film historians, and maybe something edited from veterans' audio histories. The extras disc could have featurettes on subjects from the actual history, to the book, to putting together the all-star cast, to the different directors doing individual segments.

(Now watch someone post a press release saying all of this will be arriving at BestBuy in a month.)

[Peio 0]

This new Saving Private Ryan will be part of a larger collection called The World War II Collection, which will retail for $49.99. This package will include a collectable book, the film and two new features: Price for Peace, a $19.99 title executive produced by Steven Spielberg and Shooting War, a $19.99 title narrated by Tom Hanks, directed by Robert Schickel and executive produced by Spielberg.  

This boxset will include a new SPR DVD edition (with new special features), and 2 documentaries.

more info at www.spielbergfilms.com

[Rogue_Leader 2]

nothing like cheap commercialism commemorating an event to make a buck or two.

EXACTLY!

and of course still no commentary from the "too high and mighty to provide one" Steven Spielberg!

[Lurker 5]

still no commentary from the "too high and mighty to provide one" Steven Spielberg!  

I read recently that it may be Laurent Bouzereau who is not comfortable with commentaries.

Neil

[Rogue_Leader 2]

still no commentary from the "too high and mighty to provide one" Steven Spielberg!  

I read recently that it may be Laurent Bouzereau who is not comfortable with commentaries.

Neil

Who is this Laurent guy?

[Lurker 5]

still no commentary from the "too high and mighty to provide one" Steven Spielberg!  

I read recently that it may be Laurent Bouzereau who is not comfortable with commentaries.

Neil

Who is this Laurent guy?

He's responsible for all of the docs on every Spielberg release.

Neil

[A24 4,370]

It's Spielberg that doesn't want to do them and I fully agree with his motives. Let the movies do their magic! All I want is a pristine transfer from the best available source.

----------------

Alex Cremers

[Rogue_Leader 2]

still no commentary from the "too high and mighty to provide one" Steven Spielberg!  

I read recently that it may be Laurent Bouzereau who is not comfortable with commentaries.

Neil

Who is this Laurent guy?

He's responsible for all of the docs on every Spielberg release.

Neil

Well I doubt this guy has any hold over Spielberg. If Steven wants to do a commentary its HIS decision. No one forces Mr. Spielberg to do anything!

Except me!

DO A COMMENTARY SPIELBERG YOU SLACKER! DO ONE NOW!

Seriously though, I would like to hear Steven just once give a really detailed explanation on why he doesn't feel comantaries are a good thing or just come out and say "Cause I dont friggin feel like it!". I'm serious. If he really doesn't feel like doing em he should just come out and say that.

If he did I would seriously let it go. I'd figure they guy may be being arrogant but at least he is honest.

[Morn 8]

It seems odd considering 7/8ths of the film is not about D-Day....

Isn't it? You have the vital paratrooper battles and the battle of normandy, you're being very picky.

You know what movie deserves a 60th Anniversary workover? The Longest Day

A fine movie indeed. That gives equal time to all sides. Spielberg achieved the best and most innovative combat in a war movie in SPR though, and some veterans say SPR is how war combat is to experience.

[Morlock 11]

The Longest Day is a very good movie, but not nearly as good as SPR. It may give equel time, but I found it very uninvolving. And all the cameos made it a bit ridicules. The one thing I really loved about the movie is how they really had German and French actors, speaking their languages. But I find it aged, and it either looks like an old naive hollywood movie, or like documentry footage. And I don't go to the theaters to see a documentry. It should be somewhere in between.'

The packaging looks great.

[A24 4,370]

Spielberg did already express himself about his aversion to commentaries. It was a day my respect for the man grew even more deeper.

----------------

Alex Cremers

[Justin 2]

I read recently that it may be Laurent Bouzereau who is not comfortable with commentaries.

Odd then that he provides commentary for the BTTF DVD's.

Justin

[Morlock 11]

That's not commentary. That's a Q&A. I don't know if the film was playing when they did that.

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

There's an audio commentary on the R1 release.

- Marc, who thinks we got censored in the extras department.

John Williams - Super Rescues from Superman

[Lurker 5]

There's an audio commentary on the R1 release.

- Marc, who thinks we got  censored  in the extras department.  

No, it's not an audio commentary. It's a USC film school Q&A session with the two Bob's moderated by Laurent. It's not screen specific and it doesn't even run the length of the film.

BTW, I read the Laurent thing here.

Neil

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

Well there's that, and then there's a scene-specific commentary by Bob Gale and Neil Canton. Add least, that's what it says over at IGN. I don't have the R1 version unfortunately. I have the R2 version, which has DTS audio, but major cuts in the extras department.

You can find a comparison between the sets here.

- Marc, who doesn't care that much for DTS on an almost 20-year-old movie.

[Morlock 11]

BTW- Amazon has a list of features a tiny bit more detailed:

An Introduction By Steven Spielberg

Looking In To The Past: The Research, the Screenplay and the Vision

The Making of the Platoon

Boot Camp for the Cast

Re-creating D-Day: Omaha Beach

Music And Sound

Parting Words and more

For those (like me) who just wanted confirmation beyond a doubt that there is a JW feature.

Otherwise- it looks like a great set, with great docs (just by the titles of the featurettes).

I'm really glad- since I remember that when I saw th first DVD I was like 'They better have some rerelease or something, since the extras suck!' and I said the exact same thing with the first Black Hawk Down DVD, and sure enough- last June we got the fantastic 3 DVD BHD release, and now we get a real SPR release.