!!! RIGHT – BEFORE I START I MUST MAKE IT CLEAR THAT I AM REVIEWING THE NEW AMERICAN DVD RELEASE OF THE DIE HARD TRILOGY – NOT THE UK RELEASE OF THE FIRST FILM. I FELT IT WAS SO GOOD THAT IT DESERVED A REVIEW HERE. THEREFORE I ACCEOT THAT TECHNICALLY I AM IN THE WRONG CATEGORY, BUT PLEASE ACCEPT THIS. CHEERS – MARTIN !!!
Right now I can begin :o)
Oh yes!! We are talking the ultimate DVD boxset here, we are talking a must for every single fan of the Die Hard Series of films, we are talking extras galore, glorious picture quality and amazing sound that makes this a fabulous purchase.
Interested? Read on………not interested? Check your pulse!
Die Hard was the original and ultimate action film. Bangs, bullets and more corny one-liners than you can imagine. For anyone who doesn’t know (does anyone not know about Die Hard?) the film focussed on Lieutenant John McClane of the New York Police Department. On a trip to L.A. to see his estranged wife Hollie and his kids at Christmas, McClane inadvertently becomes the centre of a terrorist plot to raid a vault at Hollie’s workplace, the Nakatomi Building in L.A.
The film spawned the inevitable sequel, a rehash of sorts with a similar plot but a new setting. After that McClane went away for a few years before returning to our screens in a third instalment. The third was a different take on the Die Hard style, and was a fitting way to return the series to the screen.
After the initial releases on DVD the demand for a better release was massive, and now we have been rewarded (at least those of us that can play American DVD’s)
The Original Releases.
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The Die Hard trilogy had been released a while ago on DVD, in the UK we got 3 separately available discs, each with one small making of featurette. In the US they got the separate discs as well as a boxset that added nothing except new packaging.
Now in the US the trilogy has been released
again, and not as a cash in idea with a few extras or cosmetic touches. Oh no, this is the full hit remodelling, and a perfect example of what DVD can really do.
I will review each disc separately, as each has so many different characteristics, but there are some things that are on each disc, so we’ll do those first.
2 discs – each of the films and their features are spread over 2 discs, with the film on disc one and the majority of features on disc 2. the features on disc one are the commentaries.
DTS Sound – for those who have the equipment or the player to deal with DTS sound, this is becoming a more and more popular medium, and soon will overtake Dolby as the standard for sound (when we can all afford the gear)
Anamorphic transfers – This means that all the films have been digitally remastered and enhanced for widescreen televisions. Basically the picture has been stretched in a way that means it loses none of the clarity or resolution.
Animated and scored menus – all the menus on each of the 6 discs are animated in a style to go with the film. For example on film one, the menus are based around the Nakatomi building, and selecting one zooms you off to a different floor, with a small soundtrack clip to accompany it.
Die Hard.
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The original and best of the trilogy, this first disc has been released as part of the boxset, and as a standalone release. The list of special features is as follows:
Scene Specific Commentary by Special Effects Supervisor Richard Edlund Subtitle Commentary by Various Cast and Crew
Editing Suite and Sound Mixing Studio
Featurette
Still Gallery
Interactive Magazine Articles
Full Length Screenplay
DVD-ROM Game Demos
Newscasts
Deleted Sequences
Gag Reel
3 Trailers
7 TV Spots
Pretty impressive no? Die Hards special features are almost as good as the film itself. The commentary is interesting in seeing the methods used to create the effects, and is particularly interesting when you think of the advances we have seen in films today.
The featurette is the same as on the UK disc, and gives a look at the making of the film, but it isn’t overly long.
The stills gallery has well over 100 stills of cast, crew props and publicity shots. The added bonus here is that on some stills, the Nakatomi logo will appear and you can jump to a small featurette describing the photo, whether it’s how they made the shot, or just some behind the scenes footage.
The deleted scenes are just some scenes that were cut to allow the films length to be more suitable, but there is an explanation for all scens being cut.
The gag reel is the only disappointment, I was expecting out-takes and mistakes by class actors like Bruce Willis and Alan Rickman and instead it’s a rather poorly chalked up montage of a few off-screen lines and jokes, none of which are that good.
The editing suite is the most amazing part of the DVD. Here you can select certain scenes from the film and re-edit them using a choice of angles for each shot. It gives you the chance to re-make a scene from the film, and then compare it to the final version. It works brilliantly and looks amazing. A great show off point to the DVD.
Die Hard 2 – Die Harder.
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Probably the weakest film in the trilogy (yet still an excellent movie) Die Hard 2 rehashes the idea of the first film but relocates to Dulles Airport in L.A. Another feature packed disc, as detailed here:
Director's Commentary
HBO Special
Featurette
4 Deleted Scenes
3 broken-down Visual Effects
3 Side-By-Side Comparisons
4 Trailers
2 TV Spots
2 Stunt Vignettes
Again an amazing set of features, with the original HBO (Home Box Office) documentary included. This runs a bit like an overlong trailer, but is nice to see as it has some interviews as well. The deleted scenes are akin to film one, with minimal details added and more of time cuts being shown. The broken down visual effects show how certain shots in the film were pieced together and the side by side comparisons allow you to see finished and unfinished footage in comparison.
The trailers and TV spots are as they say, whilst the stunt vignettes are not too special.
The director’s commentary however is quite god, as he explains how he tried to avoid too many repetitious things from Die Hard.
Die Hard With A Vengeance.
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It took a while, but eventually we saw the return of John McClane in a new take on the Die Hard series. This time he teamed with civilian Zeus (Samuel L. Jackson) in an attempt to stop a New York bomber. Feature list time:
Director's Commentary
CBS Special: "A Night To Die For/McClane"
HBO Special
Featurette
Alternate Ending
3 Special Effects and Stunt Studies
Storyboard Sequence
2 Trailers
10 TV Spots
For a third film the extras here a very good, no quick rehash here. The commentary is good and gives a nice insight into what working on the film was like, as well as the thought of the director on resurrecting a series.
The CBS and HBO specials again run like oversized trailers, with some interviews and behind the scenes footage thrown in, fun to watch but nothing really new.
The trailers and TV spots are as usual, but the TV spots are new as they were produced for the US market.
The special effects and stunt studies give more insight into the creation of the films great effects and action moments, and the featurette is a sort of combination of the best bits of the CBS and HBO slots.
However it’s that alternative ending that intrigued me most here, I won’t ruin it by saying what happened instead (e-mail me if you have to know) but suffice to say it’s a good alternative and nice to see that it was included.
Overall.
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This is the sort of reason DVD was created. To have films look and sound as good as this, and be so laden with extras that it takes extra discs to hold them.
For any Die Hard fan this is an absolutely essential purchase, with a UK release of these discs unlikely (though not impossible) any fan has to consider this as a great reason to get a multi-region DVD player. It once again showcases the difference between the American DVD market and other DVD markets around the world. It’s a sad case that we don’t get these releases often, and that is why I have no problems importing these discs from abroad, we are as big a bunch of films as the Americans, we deserve the same DVD’s.
The Die Hard Ultimate Set is available for £43.99 from www.play247.com , as well as other DVD e-tailers.
Cheers, Martin.
UPDATE - 6th August 2001
Today, according to dvdreview.net, the special editions of Die Hards 1,2 and 3 will be released over here. Although the extras may not be quite as plentiful here, and Die Hard 3 may be handled differently due to distribution rights, all 3 should see a special edition release. Due to aforementioned distribution problems though I doubt it will be as a boxset, so expect to pay £20 each for them. Personally I prefer this boxset :o)
![Die Hard (Special Edition) [DVD] [1988]](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/76770162.jpg)
![Die Hard [Special Edition]-DVD](http://picnicb.ciao.com/uk/103280579.jpg)
by (2%):
by (2%):
07.06.2006 18:28
very very long but somewhat helpful. thank you
29.09.2005 15:31
Great review.
23.04.2005 23:43
great revew very well presented ! ste231191