Horror maven Wes Craven attempted a slight change of pace from his usual slasher movie milieu with this chiller loosely based on a true story. Bill Pullman stars as Dennis Alan, a Harvard researcher sent to Haiti by a pharmaceutical company to investigate the zombie legend and any possible connection it might have to a rumored drug that could be used as a new breed of powerful anaesthetic. Once on the Caribbean isle, Alan is aided by a good voodoo priest or "houngan" (Paul Winfield) and his daughter (Cathy Tyson), who runs a local clinic. Alan's search also pits him against an evil houngan, Dargent Peytraud (Zakes Mokae). Peytraud also controls the Tonton Macoute (the Haitian secret police), who are involved with soon-to-be-deposed dictator "Baby Doc" Duvalier. The Serpent and the Rainbow was based on the book of the same name by Wade Davis, an ethnobotanist whose real-life hunt for the zombie drug was credited with cracking the medical mystery behind the myth.

To eager fans, it may have seemed as if this massive, four-disc Dawn of the Dead DVD set staggered to its inevitable release date like one of the lifeless walking dead itself, but thanks to the genre-friendly folks at Anchor Bay Home Entertainment, it was certainly worth the wait. Offering no less than three versions of George A. Romero's seminal zombie classic as well as numerous bonus materials and a fourth disc featuring two feature-length documentaries on the making of the film, this release is an absolute must-have for any true Dawn of the Dead fan. Whether you chose to view the "U.S. Theatrical Version," the "Extended Version," or the new-to-U.S. shores "European Version" (supervised by Italian horror legend Dario Argento), each version of the feature presentation is near flawless. Colors are bold and vibrant on all three versions, with virtually no edge enhancement or digital artifacting marring the remarkably clean presentation. Simply stated, this is as good as Dawn of the Dead has looked outside of its original theatrical run. An abundance of audio options are sure to please audiophiles who know that their Goblin is best served loud, and though the extended version only offers audio in original Mono, both the U.S. Theatrical cut and European Versions feature Dolby Digital 5.1 audio that is evenly mixed and truly satisfying (those versions also offer great Dolby Digital Surround and Mono mixes). Bonus materials are spread out over the four discs, with each version also containing a unique commentary track specific to that particular version. Those who have seen Anchor Bay's previous "Divimax" release of the U.S. Theatrical Version will no doubt be familiar with the commentary track featuring Romero, Tom Savini, and assistant director Chris Romero; though the track is both informative and entertaining, those who have heard it will likely move quickly to the other two tracks. Extended Version commentary with producer Richard P. Rubinstein is absolutely fascinating from a business perspective, and though the outspoken producer actually seems to take a few digs at Romero in the later portion of the commentary, he is overall very engaging and -- at times -- surprisingly revealing. As interesting as the aforementioned commentaries are, however, the crown jewel here is surely the track accompanying the European Version featuring stars David Emge, Ken Foree, Scott Reiniger, and Gaylen Ross. Words simply can't describe how much fun it is to listen to the quartet as they lively recall their endless nights of shooting, and in addition to discussing some of the differences between the European and U.S. cuts of the film, their amusing anecdotes are consistently captivating and their enthusiasm infectious. Though it would have been nice to hear Argento talk about the changes he implemented in the European Version, in all fairness the director is notoriously shy about audio commentaries, and the fantastic job done by Emge, Foree, Reiniger, and Ross makes the slight omission go down easy enough to not leave a bitter taste. The disc containing the U.S. Theatrical cut features the same bonus materials as the previous "Divimax" release, with a variety of European trailers and television spots gracing the European Version disc, and various advertising materials, artwork, and production materials generously spread across the European and Extended Version discs -- not to mention a memorable television spot for the Monroeville Mall. Of course, die-hard fans eager to dive headlong into the "documentaries" disc will be pleased to note the inclusion of not only a brand-new, feature-length retrospective documentary which offers numerous interviews with cast and crew members, but also filmmaker Roy Frumkes' fantastic Document of the Dead -- an amazing look behind the scenes of Dawn of the Dead that was actually shot during the production of the feature. When fans are finished viewing zombie extra {$Robert Langer}'s remarkable behind-the-scenes Super-8 footage, they can take a stroll through the Monroeville Mall with none other than Dawn of the Dead star Ken Foree himself! Aside from the obvious omission of Argento on the European Version commentary, it's truly hard to comprehend a more definitive release of Dawn of the Dead.

New Zealand's Peter Jackson is known for his skewed, gross-out films. Dead Alive is probably the grossest film he's made, but it's also the funniest, and the unrated, widescreen presentation on this DVD is a sick, hilarious treat. The video quality is superb. The widescreen transfer is clean and colorful. Jackson's steadicam trickery is allowed to make its maximum effect; the camera zips around every nook and cranny of the stylish settings. Colors do seem a bit muted at times, but this only adds to the clean-cut look of the more sedate scenes. The cookie-cutter look contrasts quite fiercely with the graphic mishmash in other sections of the film. Buckets of blood and comic dismemberments shockingly spill off the screen, and the digital transfer never hampers the horror. The digitally mastered sound fits the visuals to a tee. It's a startling, unusual vision done justice by DVD. As far as supplemental material, the package is lacking. A scene index and a theatrical trailer are the only bonus features. The scene index is split into six screens, allowing instant access to 24 chapters (displayed in full-motion video thumbnails). The theatrical trailer is a full-frame, amusing affair that will either win over uninitiated viewers or turn their stomachs. Dead Alive is a disturbing comic gem, given a respectful, yet bare-bones transfer to DVD.