Independence Day [Blu-ray]

MOVIE DESCRIPTION:

A group of intrepid humans attempts to save the Earth from vicious extraterrestrials in this extremely popular science-fiction adventure. Borrowing liberally from War of the Worlds, Aliens, and every sci-fi invasion film inbetween, director Roland Emmerich and producer and co-writer Dean Devlin present a visually slick, fast-paced adventure filled with expensive special effects and large-scale action sequences. The story begins with the approach of a series of massive spaceships, which many on Earth greet with open arms, looking forward to the first contact with alien life. Unfortunately, these extraterrestrials have not come in peace, and they unleash powerful weapons that destroy most of the world's major cities. Thrown into chaos, the survivors struggle to band together and put up a last-ditch resistance in order to save the human race. As this is a Hollywood film, this effort is led by a group of scrappy Americans, including a computer genius who had foreseen the alien's evil intent (Jeff Goldblum), a hot-shot jet pilot (Will Smith), and the President of the United States (Bill Pullman). While some critics objected to the film's lack of originality and lapses in logic, the combination of grand visual spectacle and crowd-pleasing storytelling proved irresistible to audiences, resulting in an international smash hit. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide

DVD FEATURES:

• Number of Discs: 1
• Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 (Cinemascope)
• Audio: Dolby Digital Surrond, Dolby Digital 5.1, DTS
• Screen: Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV, Color
• Subtitle: English, Cantonese, Spanish, Korean
• Features:
  • cc
  • Scene-specific commentary by Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin
  • Commentary by special effects supervisors Volker Engel and Doug Smith
  • Trivia track
  • Search content
  • Personal scene selections
  • Alien Scavenger Hunt game
  • Enhanced for D-Box motion control systems
  • Theatrical teaser and trailers

AWARDS

• Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

•     Won Best Visual Effects - 1996 (Clay Pinney, Douglas Hans Smith, Volker Engel, Joseph Viscocil)
•     Nominated Best Sound - 1996 (Jeff Wexler, Bob Beemer, Chris Carpenter, Bill W. Benton)

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

• Cast:

  
       Will Smith - Capt. Steven Hiller
       Bill Pullman - President Thomas J. Whitmore
       Jeff Goldblum - David Levinson
       Mary McDonnell - Marilyn Whitmore
       Judd Hirsch - Julius Levinson

• Director:

  Roland Emmerich

• Producer:

  Dean Devlin

• Screenwriter:

  Dean Devlin, Roland Emmerich

• Cinematographer:

  Karl Walter Lindenlaub

• Composer (Music Score):

  David Arnold

• Editor:

  David Brenner

• Production Designer:

  Oliver Scholl, Patrick Tatopoulos

• Associate Producer:

  Peter Winther

REVIEW:

• A movie you either go with or completely resist, this cheerfully disreputable science fiction blockbuster actually has more in common with its '50s film brethren than many other modern films. Unlike the director's heavily dismissed follow-up effort Godzilla, Independence Day revels in its genre conventions and aliens-from-Mars clichés, not to mention its steadfast rah-rah patriotism that pervades throughout. Borrowing heavily from such films as Alien and especially Star Wars, the film has enough broad performance style and overheated exchanges to fit in nicely with the films it semi-parodies. In fact, at times, it almost feels like a product of Cold War paranoia, especially in designing its alien invaders as predators before we even get to know who they are. Director Roland Emmerich pulls out all the stops, and even if it's not to everyone's liking, you can't blame the guy for trying. An Oscar winner for Best Visual Effects, and part of the $300 million-plus box office club, though it's one of those blockbusters that has as many detractors as admirers. ~ Jason Clark, All Movie Guide

CUSTOMER REVIEWS: