Disney's "Vista Series" DVDs were touted as the next big line of Special Edition discs, and titles such as Pearl Harbor and The Sixth Sense reflected that, so what's the deal with this release of Signs? Though certainly not a horrible disc, it falls short in many ways. The image, which is 1.85:1 and anamorphic, is good, but flawed. Grainy shimmering shows all to often, especially early in the film. Darks are solid though, with no sign of breakdown or blocking. Color, though relatively muted in the film, comes across pretty well. The 5.1 Dolby Digital EX track suffers also. For such a blockbuster, so much more would be expected. While dialogue is clear, nearly the entire track is focused up front, with little separation. Surrounds are only used sparingly at best and lack any real imagination. Where the disc really falters is the supplemental features. Not that what's offered isn't good, but for a Special Edition series, there just simply isn't much. The highlight is a very comprehensive 58-minute documentary on all aspects of making the film. Director M. Night Shyamalan extensively discusses everything from pre-production, to set design and visual effects, to the scoring of the film and it's world premiere. Interviews with composer James Newton Howard, producer Frank Marshall, and others flesh out the process of making this film. A real treat on this disc because it's so bad (and Shyamalan admits it himself in an introduction) is the inclusion of a minute from his first "creature" movie, Pictures, which he made as a teenager. It's simply awful, making it very funny. Rounding out this disc are five deleted scenes running about eight minutes and a storyboard-to-film comparison with angle function and multiple audio options. Again, what is offered for extras is good, they just don't reach far enough.

For viewers who find that the picture and sound are more important than supplemental material, this DVD will suit them just fine. The dry, sepia tone look of the film is reproduced perfectly on this disc. Colors are purposely muted, but the image quality doesn't suffer at all. As a matter of fact, the lack of color might even help this already excellent transfer, which doesn't have a single distracting element. The movie is presented, as it was in theaters, with a 2.35:1 aspect ratio, and is anamorphic for widescreen televisions. The sound, utilizing both Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1 soundtracks, is equally good. While generally centered up front, with dialogue that is clear and distortion-free, there is some limited use of the surrounds. Also included are subtitles in Spanish and closed-captions in English. Unfortunately the disc falls a little short with regard to extra material. The few extras it has are relatively weak. There are three individual featurettes, though each is very brief. The first is called "Painting With Pixels" and looks at the work of digitally changing the colors to achieve the specific effect that filmmakers Joel and Ethan Coen were trying to achieve. The second is a too short, behind-the-scenes glance at making the film, including some interviews. It fails to be more than a glorified fluff piece. Finally, there is a comparison between storyboards and the final film of two scenes -- the flood and the Klan rally. Considering the use of music in this film, a real plus is the music video for the song "I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow". Rounding things off is the theatrical trailer. Certainly not the most exciting disc, but fans of this film shouldn't be disappointed with what is offered.

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.