The Green Mile: Two Disc Special Edition
Picture:
B Sound: B Extras: B Film: B
Many
happenings throughout the film The Green
Mile are considered to be miracles, but what this reviewer finds to be a
miracle is how Tom Hanks continuously manages to pick out blockbuster
hits. The Green Mile centers on the tale of how the lives’ of a group of
men were forever changed by one man named John Coffey (like the drink, only
spelled different). At Cold Mountain
Penitentiary life was pretty routine, or as routine as working death row could
have been. One day a new inmate is
brought to The Green Mile (death row), a man who was as big as a house, strong
as a bull, and gentle as a mouse; this man had been convicted of murdering and
raping two little girls and was sentenced to death by electrocution. Once John Coffey entered the Green Mile
nothing would be the same again for that group of prison guards or John ever
again.
The tale
of The Green Mile (written by
Stephen King) is a tale of spirituality, love, life, death, and learning one’s
place in this world. The emotionally
twisting tale coupled with the great acting abilities of Michael Clark Duncan
(John Coffey), Tom Hanks, and Sam Rockwell creates a setting that is sure to
captivate mostly an audience. The film
is fairly long but the enticing storyline makes time fly. Overall, a great film based on the better
side of Stephen King writing style where he creates a atmosphere of controlled
chaos to tell his tale and develop unforgettable characters.
The technicals
of this DVD are much better than previous releases of the film, though the
issue arises of film being stretched over two discs to accomplish the desired
digital remastering. The picture is
quite good with brighter color and the darkness issues fixed from previous DVD
releases. The picture is presented in anamorphically
enhanced 2.35 X 1 widescreen which is excellent though not perfect with some
color issues remaining. The sound is
presented in a Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround which is crisp and clear, but
containing occasional high/low errors where the audience struggles to
hear. The extras are amongst some of the
most plentiful this reviewer has ever experienced on a DVD. Features include
such in-depth contents as:
Disc
One:
Two
Deleted Scenes with Optional Commentary by writer/director Frank Darabont
Tom Hanks
Makeup Tests
Michael
Clarke Duncan Screen Test
The
Teaser Trailer: A Case Study
Theatrical
Trailer
Disc
Two:
New
90-minute Miracles and Mystery:
Creating the Green Mile: A 6-Part Documentary
Walking the Mile: The Making of ‘The Green Mile’ Documentary
Overall,
the extras are impressive but the documentaries drag on after a while, leaving
the audience saying ‘enough of The Green Mile.’
In the
end, Director Frank Darabont and writer Stephen King create an amazing tale
that excites, captivates, and intrigues.
Though the film is certainly not duos first golden child of The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile remains heart warming
and enticing. This is the best release
of the film to date and for those who have never viewed this title or have
forgotten why they loved it the first time, with this 2-disc Special Edition
now is the time to relive the experience.
- Michael P Dougherty II
