THE DA VINCI CODE blockbuster (with noteworthy vfx from Rainmaker UK and MPC) hits DVD shelves on Nov. 14, 2006 (Sony Pictures Home Ent., $29.96), just in time for the Thanksgiving holiday and pivotal Black Friday shopping spree.
The two-disc set not only contains a crisp widescreen transfer of the Ron Howard thriller but also offers more than 90 minutes of special features shot in high-def with exclusive content. Included are 11 featurettes, with individual pieces on Tom Hanks, Audrey Tautou, author Dan Brown, a look at the locations and cities where the film was shot, interviews about how the cast felt working near the Mona Lisa, a two-part discussion with Howard on the challenges of bringing the book to the screen and more.
The DVD packaging for THE DA VINCI CODE also contains hidden phrases from the film that can be viewed only with the use of a blacklight or a magnifying glass. One hidden message even leads to exclusive online content.
Bonus features include:
* "First Day on the Set with Ron Howard" featurette: Howard introduces the film and the excitement of beginning production at the Louvre in Paris* "A Discussion with Dan Brown" featurette * "A Portrait of Langdon" featurette: Who is Robert Langdon? How was Hanks chosen to play this iconic character? How did Hanks become the character? What do Hanks and Langdon have in common?* "Who is Sophie Neveu?" featurette: The long and challenging journey to the casting of Audrey Tautou as Sophie Neveu, including the actress' screen test with Hanks* "Unusual Suspects" featurette: The international cast...colorful, memorable and frightening characters* "Magical Places" featurette: A discussion about the cities and places that were chosen for the film locations* "Close-up on Mona Lisa" featurette: Howard, his cast and colleagues share their experience working next to one of the most famous paintings in the world* "The Filmmaking Experience Part 1" featurette: Howard discusses his collaboration with director of photography Salvatore Totino the challenges faced by production. Includes a DVD exclusive look at filming the last and revealing scene* "The Filmmaking Experience Part 2" featurette* "The Codes of THE DA VINCI CODE" featurette: Discusses the hidden codes and symbols in the film. Isolates images from the film, giving the viewer clues over time as to what they mean, eventually giving a detailed description of what the imagery was intended to mean* "The Music of THE DA VINCI CODE" featurette * DVD-ROM: DA VINCI CODE PUZZLE GAME PC demo
Sony Pictures Home Ent. is a division of Sony Corp. of America, a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corp. Sony Pictures Ent.'s global operations encompass motion picture production and distribution; television production and distribution; digital content creation and distribution; worldwide channel investments; home entertainment acquisition and distribution; operation of studio facilities; development of new entertainment products, services and technologies; and distribution of filmed entertainment in 67 countries. For more info, go to www.sonypictures.com.
Bill Desowitz, former editor of VFXWorld, is currently the Crafts Editor of IndieWire.
