For fans of Rodriguez's and Tarantino's horror films, this double-disc deluxe edition is a treasure-trove of essential information, as well as being a pristine sound and video transfer. In a slightly unusual arrangement of priorities, disc one contains not the film itself, but a full-length documentary entitled Full-Tilt Boogie which contains an hour and a half of behind-the-scenes footage and interviews and manages to capture almost every single aspect of life on the set. It comes complete with captions, chapter stops, and crew bios and is very entertaining. Disc two contains the extensive remainder of the special features. These include a commentary track with Rodriguez and Tarantino which is very informative, provided you have the patience to decipher Tarantino's tangents and manic speech patterns. Also included are an "outtakes" section which is basically a collection of missteps and flubbed lines, a shorter behind-the-scenes documentary entitled "Hollywood Goes To Hell." It's fun to watch, but in comparison to the full-length documentary also included it feels a little redundant, especially since a good deal of it is taken from Full-Tilt Boogie. Additionally, the disc contains trailers and TV spots, a still gallery, two music videos, alternate and deleted scenes with optional commentary by Rodriguez and makeup artist Greg Nicotero, several segments presented by Rodriguez in the manner of his infamous "ten-minute film school" installments in which he discusses his methods of filmmaking, and, finally, cast and crew biographies and filmographies. The disc's video transfer is impeccable. Every color is faithfully reproduced, especially the fleshtones, and the dark tones and rich blacks have been preserved in all the right places. There are find no instances of artifacting or grain, and the 1.85:1 aspect ratio is maintained, although there is no evidence of 16x9 enhancement. The audio is a very well-balanced 5.1 mix which makes excellent use of the surround speakers. All of these features are brought together through nicely animated menus. This compilation is as comprehensive a representation of the film as one could hope for. Indispensable for fans of Rodriguez, Tarantino, or horror films in general.

The zombie-riffic Shaun of the Dead heads to the U.S. DVD shelves with this fine release from Rogue Pictures. Carrying over many (but not all) of the extras from the packed U.K. disc, this release has loads of special features for you to sink your teeth into, plus fantastic transfers to boot. Starting with the technical aspects, the DVD scores points for delivering the 2.35:1 widescreen image of the film, plus a quality Dolby Digital 5.1 track that whooshes you through the fast-paced action and bathes you inside the gore-filled gunfire later on in the film. The extras start with two commentaries -- one from star/co-writer Simon Pegg and director/co-writer Edgar Wright, while the other is a cast commentary featuring Pegg again with Nick Frost, Dylan Moran, Kate Ashfield, and Lucy Davis. The first track features some downright dizzying banter between the two collaborators as they dish out zombie trivia and generally give major love to all involved with the production, while the cast commentary is filled with more zany fun that's sure to please. This edition did miss out on both the Bill Nighy and Penelope Wilton commentary found in the U.K. release, along with the classic zombie commentary they included there as well, though hardcore fans will surely seek that edition out if they need it. The rest of the extras are packed with more bloody goodness, starting with the fact-filled "Zomb-O-Meter" subtitle track and "Storyboard Comparions" branching feature. Both extras add a bit more to the viewing experience every time you put the disc in, which is a sure sign of a solid DVD. Other bonus features include 15 extended scenes, ten minutes of outtakes, plus three neat comic-book stories by Oscar Wright (brother of the director) that fill in plot holes in the film -- and this disc has only begun to warm up. Add in a behind-the-scenes video diary, casting tapes, makeup tests, and an SFX comparison that is laid out in an incredibly easy-to-understand fashion that highlights the ingenuity of the film's effects staff. Also included is a highly interesting clip with Pegg and Wright filmed in September of 2001 where they literally go through a flip chart of the film as imagined at that time, complete with dialogue and storyboards. If you think that's all, there's still more to chew on and it's all great stuff, from the extra TV bits that were filmed for the movie all the way though the 2000 AD comic adaptation, included in the zombie gallery section. Those that visited the website will be happy to see the basic design layout repeated here on the menu screens, as will the horror fans out there that will appreciate the George Romero quote on the front of the box. Consistently entertaining with enough extras to shake a zombie at, the Shaun of the Dead DVD is a winner for U.S. audiences and proof that Rogue Pictures is a strong supporter of the film and its fans.

Be prepared to be scared. James Wan's directorial debut, written by and starring Leigh Whannell, is a violent, bloody, psychologically exhausting and exhilarating exercise in terror. Direction James Wan Actors Cary Elwes, Danny Glover, Dina Meyer, Ken Leung, Leigh Whannell, Special Features Widescreen . Language English Year 2004 Runtime 102 minutes.