Army of Darkness - The Evil Dead 3 (Blu

Michael Mann's Heat is one of those special crime movies. Outside of the stylish visuals and powerfully violent gun battles, there's an emotional substance that transcends the genre. The DVD shines, bristles, and consistently impresses. Heat is filled with beautiful photography and excellent audio flourishes. Mann and cinematographer Dante Spinotti infused the film with high-contrast scenes in broad daylight, moments where the screen is awash in blues or whites, and pitch-black night scenes. Over the movie's three hours, there is ample room for the DVD to show any flaws in the transfer, but there are none to be found. Sound-wise, both film and DVD are a tour de force. Explosions, gunshots, and dialogue (Al Pacino in full, caffeinated glory) flow passionately from one's audio system. The musical soundtrack, with songs by Lisa Gerrard, Michael Brook, Einsturzende Neubauten, and other artists known for their mood-setting sounds, is stunning here, though the volume must be turned relatively high to appreciate the more ambient moments. There are really no special features to be found, outside of three separate but quite similar theatrical trailers. Sadly, the great TV spots for the film are not included. "Jump to a Scene" is the scene access menu system, where viewers can easily choose from all 52 chapters and the theatrical trailers. Lack of supplemental material aside, Heat is an impressive DVD.