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Stars:
Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jesse Ventura, Carl Weathers, Shane Black, Bill Duke, and
Kevin Peter Hall
Writers:
Jim Thomas and John Thomas
Director:
John McTiernan
Feature
length: 107 minutes
Extras: Director’s Audio
Commentary, Text Commentary, “Alien Vs. Predator” Sneak Preview, “Alien
Vs. Predator” Trailer. “I, Robot” Featurette, Documentary, Featurettes,
Galleries, “Alien Quadrilogy” Trailer
Languages: English DTS Digital 5.1
Theatrical Surround Sound and Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound, French Language
Stereo Sound, and Spanish Language Monaural Sound
Subtitles: English Captions and
Closed Captions and Spanish Language Subtitles
Packaging: Two-Disc Digipack
Within A Cardboard Slipcase
Chapter Stops: 25
Sound: DTS Digital 5.1 Theatrical
Surround Sound, Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound, Stereo Sound, and Monaural
Sound
Year of Theatrical Release: 1987/DVD
Release: 2004
Theatrical Distributor: Twentieth
Century Fox
Home Video Distributor: Twentieth
Century Fox Home Entertainment
MPAA Rating: R
Reviewer: Mark A. Rivera
“Predator” is one of the few
Arnold Schwarzenegger films where one can truly say, “He got his ass
kicked!” The film has a somber tone towards the end that reminds everyone of
the empty victory that has occurred. “Predator” has grown a legion of fans
with a demand for “Predator” related merchandise in the form of collectible
action figures, life size replicas, and a popular Dark Horse Comics series. In
fact I think Dark Horse did a lot to keep interest in the character brewing with
their ultimate team-up, “Aliens Vs. Predator,” which was first published in
1989. It proved so popular that in the sequel “Predator 2” there is a trophy
case sequence where among the various human skulls and spines as well as other
strange bones from unearthly creatures is the skull of an “Alien.” This
fueled over ten years of development as well as even more merchandise that
included “Alien Vs. Predator” video games and of course more comics. At the
time of my writing this review the feature film “Alien Vs. Predator” has
just opened wide in theaters across the United States. With the exceptions of
“Frankenstein Vs. Dracula,” “Godzilla Vs. King Kong,” and “Freddy Vs.
Jason,” this is perhaps one of the most highly anticipated monster mashes the
big screen has exhibited. The new “Predator: Collector’s Edition” features
a “First Look” featurette (2:11) with a peek inside the creature design
workshop and the addition of a letterboxed theatrical trailer for the new film
(1:23). An “Inside Look” at “I, Robot” (2:25) is also included on the
first disc. I am mentioning all of this now because I want to move on to the
discussion of what really is on this DVD set. I’m saving my “Alien Vs.
Predator” comments for the eventual DVD review sometime in the future.
Writers Jim and John Thomas also wrote the screenplay for “Predator
2.” “Predator” was the first screenplay they sold and according to the
text commentary, which also features comments from various member of the
production crew and select producers, the tales of The Brothers Grimm inspired
them. This optional text commentary is complemented by an insightful
retrospective feature length audio commentary by Director John McTiernan. The
feature is presented in a 16 by 9 enhanced widescreen (1.85:1) aspect ratio and
while certain scenes reveal a touch of grain, overall the look of the film seems
remarkably clear especially when compared to letterboxed home video versions.
The English DTS Digital 5.1Theatrical Surround Soundtrack is a bit edgier than
the Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Soundtrack counterpart, but the music and some
sound effects seem to utilize the multiple channels more than anything else.
There is a French Language Stereo Soundtrack and a Spanish Language Monaural
Soundtrack included too as well as English Captions and Closed Captions for the
hearing impaired and Spanish Language Subtitles encoded as options.
The second disc features the
documentary “If It Bleeds We Can Kill It: The Making Of Predator” (28:46),
which features interviews with cast members from the time of the film’s
production in 1986 as well as more recent videotaped interviews with Director
John McTiernan, Screenwriters Jim and John Thomas, “Lethal Weapon”
Screenwriter Shane Black, who appeared in “Predator” as well as
Actor/Director Bill Duke and Star Carl Weathers, who looks almost
unrecognizable. These interviews were recorded in 2001 to celebrate the 15th
anniversary of “Predator” as well as be included on the DVD release. With a
few slight differences, this is more or less the same two-disc set that was
released in Region 2 in 2002. The documentary features a few funny anecdotes as
well as some unused concept material for the original design of the
“Predator” before Stan Winston came onboard. The ending credits feature
various cast and crewmembers trying to recite Arnold’s signature dialogue from
the film when he first sees the face of the Predator without the mask.
Several featurettes are also
included to support the documentary. Unfortunately they can only be viewed
individually. The featurettes include “Classified Action,” which focuses on
the stunt work and action sequences (5:21), “Unseen Arnold” interviews
(4:43), “Old Painless,” a weapon study (3:36), “The Life Inside,” a
touching tribute to Kevin Peter Hall, who played the Predator in both features
(4:26), “Camouflage,” a look at the makeup design (4:55), “Welcome To The
Jungle,” a look at the on location shooting (2:40), and “Character
Design,” which focuses on how the roles were defined for the cast (4:41).
There also some effects footage, each is less than a minute, three short
reels of outtake footage, and a deleted scene (1:43). A gallery containing
information on the Predator and a still gallery of behind-the-scenes production
photos, promotional shots, and home video cover art is also included. There are
a few Easter eggs hidden on the DVD, but I did not find any. A trailer for
Fox’s “Alien Quadrilogy” DVD box
set (1:19) wraps up the bonus features on this DVD. Unless it is hidden as an
Easter egg, I was disappointed that the trailer for “Predator” was not
included in this DVD release.
The packaging is similar to the
“Planet Of The Apes: 35th Anniversary Widescreen Collector’s
Edition” DVD set released earlier this year and at the time of this writing
there is supposed to be a free movie ticket to see “Alien Vs. Predator”
within the packaging. I wish Fox would revisit “Predator 2” with this much
detail. “Predator: Collector’s Edition” is available at retailers on and
offline now from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment.
© Copyright 2004 By Mark A.
Rivera
All Rights Reserved.
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