Title: The
Mask Of Zorro: Superbit Deluxe
Region: One
Genre:
Action
Stars:
Antonio Banderas, Anthony Hopkins, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Stuart Wilson, and Matt
Letscher
Writers:
John Eskow, Ted Elliot, and Terry Rossio
Based On A
Story By: Ted Elliott, Terry Rossio, and Randall Jahnson
Director:
Martin Campbell
Feature
length: 137 minutes
Extras:
“Unmasking Zorro” Documentary, Deleted Scenes, Costume Designs, Advertising
Materials, Music Video, Theatrical Trailers, Filmographies, Weblink
Languages:
English DTS Digital 5.1 Theatrical Surround Sound and English Dolby Digital 5.1
Surround Sound
Subtitles:
English Captions and Closed Captions and French, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese,
Korean, and Thai Language Subtitles
Packaging:
Keep Case
Chapter
Stops: 28
Sound: DTS
Digital 5.1 Theatrical Surround Sound and Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound
Year of
Theatrical Release: 1998/DVD Release: 2002
Theatrical
Distributor: TriStar Pictures
Home Video
Distributor: Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment
MPAA Rating:
PG-13
Reviewer:
Mark A. Rivera
“The Mask
Of Zorro” was previously released on DVD with a THX certified widescreen
transfer, but few extras and then a two-disc special edition of “The Mask Of
Zorro” followed with both widescreen and full screen transfers each featuring
a DTS soundtrack option as well as a director’s commentary track. This new
“Superbit Deluxe” edition features a beautiful anamorphic widescreen
(2.35:1) aspect ratio transfer compressed using the Superbit method, which
allocates the storage space for the best possible picture and sound quality with
no limits. The anamorphic widescreen transfer is simply wonderful with no
compression artifacts and color bleeding and better color saturation and skin
tones along with solid blacks. It should be no surprise that this new widescreen
version is the more esthetically pleasing and vibrant than the previous releases
as well. The textures are also much more detailed, particularly noticeable is
the little details like the various stone pigments in the background production
design. An English DTS Digital 5.1 Surround Soundtrack and an English Dolby
Digital 5.1 Surround Soundtrack are included too. Both soundtracks are well
mixed and feature high bit rates to a point that it is almost impossible to
judge which sounds better though I am inclined to prefer the aggressive quality
I have found most DTS Soundtracks provide the viewer. Both are excellent so
whatever choice one may choose, viewers with home theater sound systems are
bound to be pleased. English Captions and Closed Captions and French,
Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Korean, and Thai Language Subtitles are encoded on
to the first dual layered DVD.
The second
disc contains the extra value features carried over from the “Special
Edition” released last year. These features include the 1999 documentary
“Unmasking Zorro,” which runs approximately 45 minutes long with Dolby
Surround Sound 2.0. The documentary focuses mostly on the behind-the-scenes
videotaped interviews with cast and crewmembers from the production set, but it
does include a fascinating look into the origins of the Zorro character
from Johnsten McCulley’s pulp stories through Douglas Fairbanks’ “The Mark
Of Zorro” to the new film presented in this DVD set.
There is a
widescreen (2.35:1) teaser and theatrical trailer in Dolby Digital 5.1 Sound as
well as two 15-second TV spots and ten 30-second TV spots with (1.85:1) aspect
ratios and Dolby Pro Logic Surround Sound. The trailers and TV spots are of
excellent picture and sound quality. There are two letterboxed (2.35:1) deleted
scenes from a work print that are pretty clean looking considering and five cast
member photo galleries and one costume design gallery as well.
The Mark
Anthony and Tina Arena Music Video for the film and cast and director
filmographies wrap up the extra features on the second disc. DVD-ROM users also
can access the Columbia TriStar website with a direct link from the DVD. There
is an insert with notes on the Superbit mastering process and another containing
scene selections. The case itself has an appendage that holds the widescreen
disc within the standard keep case that holds the second disc which is marked
full screen version, but is in fact only the added value materials provided for
this “Superbit Deluxe” release. Spanish and Portuguese Language Subtitles
are encoded on to the second disc too.
The main
menu on disc one has a quick “Superbit” animated opening followed by the
standard interactive still frames that are all easy to navigate. The second
disc’s main menu is animated with scenes from the film and features animated
transitions to the special features menu. These subsequent menus on disc two are
standard interactive still frames that are easy to navigate.
“The Mask
Of Zorro: Superbit Deluxe” is available now on DVD-Video from Columbia TriStar
Home Entertainment and is definitely worth adding to anyone’s DVD-Video
library for the best quality picture and sound presentation of “The Mask Of
Zorro” currently available on DVD.
© Copyright
2002 By Mark A. Rivera
All Rights Reserved.