Subtitle The Abyss 1989 Theatrical Cut 1080p HD... EXCLUSIVE

VIDEO and AUDIOGhost of the Abyss is presented in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen and the picture is simply flawless. The large-format photography used for the film results in a bit of odd distortion, but also incredible levels of detail, which is wonderfully conveyed in the pristine transfer. The film's primarily deep blue color palette is accurately and vividly replicated on DVD, and there is never any trouble identifying the focus of the exploration. As with any IMAX film, the sheer impact of the imagery is lessened when seen on the small screen, but the DVD's oustanding video quality is bound to make for an enjoyable viewing experience on the smallest and the largest of 'small screens.' It is worth noting, though, that the film sometimes splits its 16:9 frame into several smaller areas of video footage, an effect that is always visually stunning and easy to digest on the ten-story IMAX screen, but not so much on home video.The Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack was equally deserving of praise. The narration dialogue that makes up a good portion of the film is crisply and faithfully rendered in the front speakers. Music and sound effects do a great job to complement the narration, making effective use of the surround speakers. Your subwoofer may get quite a workout, as the aural ambience of the deep-sea exploration is often heavy on bass. While nothing can compare with the grand scale audio technology and acoustics of IMAX theaters, this 5.1 channel soundtrack does a commendable job at creating a lively and appropriate mix. DISC 2 - BONUS MATERIALSThough there are just two bonus features on Disc 2, they are both of substance. By Disney's count, they total 87 minutes, which by itself wouldn't even mean a packed bonus disc. A more reasonable count of the two bonus features is about 41 minutes, for reasons you'll see later. Still, there's no reason to complain about Disney's wise decision to not try and squeeze a lot onto just a single disc, even if it probably would have been okay.First up is "Reflections from the Deep", which can be played as six short featurettes, or as one 32-minute collection. It is a mix of footage not used in the theatrical or extended cuts of the film with post-production interviews with some of the principals. This collection does provide a nice making-of for the film and I enjoyed the light-hearted tone to these pieces.The first section, "Echoes in Time" covers the translucent live action dramatization that is superimposed over the wreckage footage and used to some degree in the film. "Paxton Under Pressure" discusses how he was persuaded to go 12 thousand feet deep for the film, and what the actor's trip entailed. "Who Are the Zodiac Cowboys?" answers that question which is sure to have been bugging you, and along with some cool text effects, discusses the wetsuit-donning MIR riders. "The Saga of Jake & Elwood" chronicles the snag that the crew hit when one of the two bots became stuck and the other was used to rescue its brother bot. "The Unthinkable" answers the question "Where was Bill Paxton when September 11th happened?" and provides some candid reaction of the crew to the news from America, which coincided with the end of the expedition. It's kind of touching, actually. The last section, "Keldysh Home Movies", contains footage of the crew setting off in August 2001, plus the living and social conditions of the ship, with some more comments from crew members.The second and final bonus feature is "The MIR Experience", which as introduced with a Russian accent, presents the crew's Dive #5 in two tiny MIR vessels. You can choose from six different angles from which to view the footage: cameras from the two MIRs, two cameras outside the MIRs, and the two ROV's cameras. There are real-time thumbnails of the six different camera angles above and you can change at any time, the audio of James Cameron (MIR 1), Bill Paxton (MIR 2) and company plays fluidly.Footage runs for 8 minutes and 35 seconds, so the "DVD Guide" insert's listing of 52:50 is a bit misleading. They seem to have multiplied the length times the six different camera angles and added a minute, and the ROV cameras aren't even always displaying video. While the cinema verite nature of this bonus feature is certainly compelling and the design and angles make use of DVD technology, watching all six angles all the way through would probably only interest the most technically-inclined of viewers.Disc Two's menus also use computer animation that alternates between the boat as it was and the boat as it is. With the images, bubble animation, plus score and sound effects in 5.1, it's a nice presentation. CLOSING THOUGHTSJust how much you enjoy Ghosts of the Abyss is likely to depend on your interest in the Titanic. Both the hour-long theatrical cut and 90-minute extended version of the film offered engaging exploration of fascinating real-life remnants from the fateful ship. Disney's two-disc DVD release presents the film with impeccable video, dynamic audio, and a couple of enjoyable bonus features. With the understanding that Ghosts is neither your typical Disney film nor your typical documentary, it is worth checking out.Support this site when you buy Ghosts of the Abyss now at Amazon.com:2-Disc DVD / Blu-ray 3D + Blu-ray + DVD / Instant Video DVDizzy.com Disney Documentaries & IMAX Films DVD and Blu-ray Reviews DVD & Blu-ray Schedule Upcoming Cover Art Search This SiteRelated Reviews:Ghosts of the Abyss (Blu-ray 3D + Blu-ray + DVD)IMAX: Fantasia 2000 (The Fantasia Anthology)Good Documentaries: Walt: The Man Behind the Myth (2001)With Bill Pullman, not Bill Paxton: Newsies (1992)Ghosts: Blackbeard's Ghost (1968), Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003), The Haunted Mansion (2003)Water: Finding Nemo (2003), The Little Mermaid (1989), 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954)

subtitle The Abyss 1989 Theatrical Cut 1080p HD...

James Cameron is widely viewed as being one of the most difficult and demanding directors, due in large part to the powerful streak of perfectionism that defines his filmmaking. Cameron's most difficult and contentious shoot to date has been The Abyss - a logistically nightmarish experience that frayed the nerves and tempers of cast and crew alike. Cameron completed The Abyss behind schedule and over budget, and the theatrical version is generally regarded as the weakest and most disappointing of the director's six major efforts (the other five: The Terminator, Aliens, T2, True Lies, Titanic). Had the 140-minute cut released into multiplexes on August 9, 1989 been the final word, The Abyss would be a mostly forgotten footnote on Cameron's resume. However, some three years after The Abyss made its debut, the director was provided with the wherewithal to produce an Extended Edition. Incorporating about a half-hour of deleted material, the Extended Edition repaired many (although not all) of the theatrical cut's glaring problems, resulting in a greatly enhanced viewing experience. Today, although both versions are available, I don't know anyone who would choose to watch the theatrical release over the expanded home video one. 041b061a72