The first two-disc set from Paramount, Forrest Gump is a sight to see, and sure to please anyone who understood the real meaning of the film. To begin, the picture quality is about as good as it gets. Framed at the original aspect ratio of 2.35:1, and anamorphic, the colors are right on (skin tones are especially on target) and the definition is outstanding. Darker areas stand out with the correct shading that goes to show what can be done with careful authoring. The sound, a 5.1 Dolby Digital English track, is also perfectly realized. Though there is only a slim amount of surround material, the track is very forward and forceful, taking advantage, just at the right time, of the deeper bass. Also available is a French surround track and subtitles in English. As for extras, there is no mistaking that this Academy Award-winning film gets the star treatment. The first of the two discs, along with the movie, has two audio commentary tracks. The first is from director Robert Zemeckis, producer Steve Starkey, and production designer Rick Carter. The second commentary is from another of the producers, Wendy Finerman. Neither is screen-specific, but both are, in different ways, filled with a wealth of valuable information. But it is the second disc that houses the majority of the supplemental materials. There you will find a half-hour documentary (originally released on VHS in 1994) called "Through the Eyes of Forrest Gump." There are enough interviews and behind-the-scenes shots to make this better than the standard fluff piece. Next are some shorter featurettes, "The Magic of Makeup," "Through the Ears of Forrest Gump" (made up of five short segments), and "Building the World Of Forrest Gump -- Production Design." Eleven visual effects discussions, including two scenes that were excised from the film, are the highlight of the extras. Visual effects producer Ken Ralston and his team talk in depth about the multitude of effects shots used in the film. Finally, this disc features a decent photo gallery, some wonderful (though short) screen tests, and a couple of trailers. This is a wonderful DVD set for a memorable movie, certainly worthy of any collection.

John Sturges' World War II thriller The Eagle Has Landed comes to DVD with a widescreen anamorphic transfer that preserves the original theatrical aspect ratio of 2.35:1. The English soundtrack is rendered in Dolby Digital Surround. There are no subtitles, but the soundtrack is closed-captioned. Supplemental materials include information on the cast and crew, and a biography of Winston Churchill. This is a solid release from Artisan that should please genre enthusiasts.

Join an all-star cast including David Niven, Anthony Quinn, and Gregory Peck in this high-adventure adaptation of Alistair MacLean's best-selling novel The Guns of Navarone, presented on DVD in this exciting, extra feature-intensive special-edition release from Columbia TriStar Home Video. Presented in the breathtaking original 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen aspect ratio (enhanced for 16 x 9 TVs) this release also features a variety of audio options, including closed-captioned English Dolby Digital 5.1 and Surround tracks, Spanish and French Dolby Digital Mono tracks, and optional English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Chinese, Korean, and Thai subtitles. Extensive extra features include director J. Lee Thompson recalling the making of this adventure epic in a director's audio commentary track, "Retrospective Documentary: Memories of Navarone," a special message from producer Carl Foreman, four original featurettes, talent files, production notes, and theatrical trailers.

Evil reigns in the Stephen King-based film Apt Pupil. The movie is presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen and features a very solid transfer from Columbia. Aside a small amount of edge enhancement in the image, this picture includes solid colors and dark black levels. The sound mix is presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround in English and sports a vast array of directional effects and Surround sounds (especially when composer John Ottman's music score kicks in). Overall, the mix is free and clear of any excessive hiss or distortion. Also included on this disc are English subtitles. The only extra features available on this disc are a fluffy "Making Of" featurette with some behind-the-scenes footage and interviews by the cast, as well as a theatrical trailer for the film.