Audio Video News

DVD: Anastasia—20th Century Fox
Video: 3
Audio: 2
Extras: 3
They say that, in Hollywood's Golden Age, people didn't go to the movies to see movies; they went to see stars. I can only imagine that this was the case with Anastasia, a flop that stars Ingrid Bergman and Yul Brynner. A story as intriguing as that of the mysterious Romanov princess has so much potential, especially when you pair it with the prospect of a Pygmalion story in the vein of My Fair Lady. No such luck, though. Star power notwithstanding, Anastasia left me numb and, at one point, asleep.

Sadly, this disc's technical merits don't make up for a weak film. The restored 2.35:1 anamorphic transfer is bright and mostly clean, but it suffers from its share of shimmering artifacts and the occasional grain. The Dolby Surround soundtrack is poorly mixed and buries dialogue under the too-loud score. I had to use the subtitles to decipher the dialogue. The extras package is crammed with the standard fare, but it also has an interesting side-by-side comparison of the film's original master and the restored version. There's also an A&E Biography on the Romanovs and the Bolshevik Revolution, which is much more interesting than the feature film.

Unless you're a true Brynner or Bergman fan, I'd give this one a pass. If the story interests you, it shouldn't take your TiVo too long to pick up the A&E segment.—Claire Lloyd

DVD: There's Something More About Mary—20th Century Fox
Video: 4
Audio: 3
Extras: 5
No, this isn't a direct-to-video sequel. This is a DVD re-release with a whole bunch of new features. In this case, that's a good thing. The story follows loser Ted (Ben Stiller), who scores a date with the most beautiful girl in school, Mary (Cameron Diaz). He blows his chance with a rather unfortunate incident involving a zipper and a body part. Years of misery later, he decides to look her up with the help of a sleazy P.I. (Matt Dillon). Suffice it to say, things don't go as planned. There's Something About Mary is an excellent comedy, even if you don't count the gross-out humor.

The 1.85:1 picture gets an upgrade to anamorphic. There's a fair amount of fine detail, and, where warranted, the colors are vibrant (after all, you can't have Miami without vibrant colors). Dolby Digital 5.1 is the only soundtrack choice here, and, as in most comedies, it doesn't get much use beyond the front three speakers.

The first disc in this two-disc set offers an extended version of the movie. Don't get too excited, though: It's just longer, not better. The theatrical release is here, too. The Farrelly brothers' commentary track is mostly recycled from the original release, as are the outtakes. However, the second disc is packed with more than eight features, cast interviews (even Brett Favre!), marketing info, and music videos—all of which are new and fun to watch. Even if you already own the original DVD, this version is worth a buy.—Geoffrey Morrison