Messages from beyond (Contact (Special Edition, DVD))

Member Name: mohan

Product:	Contact (Special Edition, DVD)
Date:	11/02/01 (32 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Grown up, intelligent scifi, marvellous disc

Disadvantages: the ending can be confusing if not a let down

THE FILM:
The Pedigree couldn't be better. Written by Pulitzer prize winning scientist Carl Sagan, directed by Oscar winner Robert Zemeckis and starring Jodie Foster: CONTACT is the ultimate thinking person's sci-fi.

From the spectacular opening shot of galaxy spanning proportions Contact never lets go of the pace. the story is simple yet of complex scientific/religious/philosophical overtones. The Screen play by James Hart and Michael goldenberg successfully adapts the novel to film without losing the tone. It is a tough book to adapt and kudos to the lads.

Jodie foster is astronomer Ellie Arroway, a woman with a purpose in life. She wants the answer to the question: is there intelligence life out there? MAtthew McConaghey ( Time to Kill, U571) stars as religious scholar Palmer Joss, a man of faith. When a message arrives through the SETI ( Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence) Radio telescopes with details on how to build a craft for first contact their worlsds collide.

Religion and science, Power and politics all interplay well .Determined Ellie wants congress to fund the craft but Joss manages to persuade them otherwise. Help comes from the mysterious millionaire benefactor ( a marvellous John Hurt) who funds the project.

The Countdown to first contact begins.

THE DISC:

This is one of the first DVD's I ever bought and I tell you, this was one of the reasons I stuck with the format. Along with the lieks of MAtrix, Mummy this is the kind of disc you use to persuade friends that DVD is here to stay. The pcture transfer is fantastic and seamless. The blacks ( there is a lot of it too) are perfect, the colours are rich. There is no grain or artefact. The opening sequence deserves an Oscar of its own.

Zemeckis uses panoramic shots and grand vistas to set the tone and the Widescreen format ( enhanced fro 16 x9 televisions: no black bars thank god!) does full justice to his artistry.
One must mention the Sound. One particular sequence ( when Ellie receives the Signal) demonsrates what the Digital sound is capable of. IT ills the room, surroundign you with awsome power and with any devent Dolby system you can impres even the most sceptic viewer.


SPECIAL EDITION:

The Special features include 3 feature length commentaries on alternate Audio tracks: 1. Jodie foster 2. Robert Zemeckis and Steve Starkey 3. Ken Ralston and Stephen Rosenbaum. They all are very perceptive and give afficionados a a good insight into how the film came about.

The Special Effects feature includes Computer animated concept drawings and design. It is well worth a look. There are theatrical trailers and Scene access as standard.


SUMMATION: (max 5*)

FILM: ****

DISC: *****

A must for any self respecting DVD fan. Go out and buy it, I think WB have just dropped the price on their back catalogue.

Summary: