Signs [DVD] [2002]

Disney's "Vista Series" DVDs were touted as the next big line of Special Edition discs, and titles such as Pearl Harbor and The Sixth Sense reflected that, so what's the deal with this release of Signs? Though certainly not a horrible disc, it falls short in many ways. The image, which is 1.85:1 and anamorphic, is good, but flawed. Grainy shimmering shows all to often, especially early in the film. Darks are solid though, with no sign of breakdown or blocking. Color, though relatively muted in the film, comes across pretty well. The 5.1 Dolby Digital EX track suffers also. For such a blockbuster, so much more would be expected. While dialogue is clear, nearly the entire track is focused up front, with little separation. Surrounds are only used sparingly at best and lack any real imagination. Where the disc really falters is the supplemental features. Not that what's offered isn't good, but for a Special Edition series, there just simply isn't much. The highlight is a very comprehensive 58-minute documentary on all aspects of making the film. Director M. Night Shyamalan extensively discusses everything from pre-production, to set design and visual effects, to the scoring of the film and it's world premiere. Interviews with composer James Newton Howard, producer Frank Marshall, and others flesh out the process of making this film. A real treat on this disc because it's so bad (and Shyamalan admits it himself in an introduction) is the inclusion of a minute from his first "creature" movie, Pictures, which he made as a teenager. It's simply awful, making it very funny. Rounding out this disc are five deleted scenes running about eight minutes and a storyboard-to-film comparison with angle function and multiple audio options. Again, what is offered for extras is good, they just don't reach far enough.