Criterion Collection Special Directorís Cut Of ""Armageddon""

Buena Vistaís Armageddon is slated to be released by The Criterion Collection as a special directorís cut on both DVD and LaserDisc. Armageddon is Criterionís first DVD license from a major video label. Criterion scored a coup and will break new ground as the first two-DVD-9 single-sided, dual-layer set of a single feature. Previously, Image Entertainment release of Dances With Wolves with a DTSÆ Digital Surround soundtrack was a two-DVD set, but with one DVD-9 dual-layer disc and one DVD-5 single-sided, single-layer disc. Criterionís Armageddon DVD release (not to mention director James Cameronís Titanic upcoming DVD release) could have easily benefited from the availability of DVD-18, which would have accommodated both the movie and all of the supplemental material to be presented onto a single, double-sided dual-layer disc.The Special Edition DVD will carry a $49.95 suggested retail price when it streets in April. The DVD two-disc package is rich in content, as is the LaserDisc edition. One DVD-9 will include the exclusive 153-minute directorís cut of the film, with nine minutes of extra footage and two separate running commentary tracks. One track features director Michael Bay, producer Jerry Bruckheimer, and stars Bruce Willis and Ben Affleck; the other, cinematographer John Schwartzman, NASA consultant Joe Allen, and asteroid consultant Ivan Bekey. Also in the special edition are Michael Bayís gag reel made for the filmís wrap party, complete with outtakes; three video pieces analyzing the special effects by the visual effects supervisors; behind-the-scenes footage; production design drawings; storyboards, trailers, teasers, and television spots; and finally, an Aerosmith music video created for the film, plus interviews with band members. While we applaud the features set of 5-plus hours of supplemental material announced for the Criterion special edition we are disappointed that the film-to-video transfer was not mastered in the anamorphic widescreen process which optimizes the DVDís format vertical resolution. Instead the same digital video master used for the LaserDisc will be the source element for DVD authoring. The standard Buena Vista release of Armageddon neither was anamorphic widescreen. Not releasing in anamorphic widescreen results in under-performance and has been a criticism of all Buena Vista DVD releases to date. Until Disneyís home video distribution unit embraces anamorphic widescreen mastering the studio will never achieve the accolades for high-resolution picture quality that other studios have garnered. Other studios have earned acclaimed reviews for picture quality performance due to the dramatic resolution enhancement gained with anamorphic widescreen mastering. Warner Home Video, Columbia TriStar Home Video, MGM Home Entertainment and New Line Home Video are putting out the best quality DVDs. New Line Home Video is arguably the best at developing special-feature-laden DVD versions as demonstrated with such titles as Blade and Lost In Space. Those studios that have produced DVD special editions acknowledge that Criterion set the standards years ago with special edition LaserDiscs. With Armageddon, Criterion is aiming at re-establishing its special edition status with the DVD format. With past LaserDisc editions THXÆ Digital Mastering was employed to assure optimum picture and sound performance, but with Armageddon it appears that Criterion decided not to spend the money for an anamorphic widescreen re-transfer and new authoring and mastering of the film, with or without THX-quality assurance supervision and certification. Instead, the picture performance is identical to Buena Vistaís relatively extraís-free release. While that DVDís picture is superior to the LaserDisc edition, the picture quality falls short of our standards for ""the best that it can be"" considering an anamorphic widescreen presentation would have produced even better resolution. (See review in Widescreen Review Issue 31.)