Mike Mignola's comic book, HELLBOY, about the world's greatest and wittiest paranormal investigator, didn't make as big a splash on the big screen as expected, but Guillermo del Toro's movie has already been wowing viewers on this special edition DVD (Columbia TriStar Home Ent., $28.96), which streets July 27, 2004.
This two-disc set contains a treasure trove of goodies, including three GERALD MCBOING BOING animated shorts. However, there could be a lot more concentration on the vfx from Eden FX, CafeFX, The Orphanage, Tippett Studio, among others.
Disc two (produced by Javier Soto) is highlighted by a 147-minute making-of doc that covers the original comic book, stunt work, vfx and more, structured into 27 segments. There are deleted scenes, 3D sculptures, animatics. Enclosed is also a mail-in rebate coupon good for $5 off the purchase of both this two-disc edition and next October's three-disc director's cut.
DVD Features Include:* Commentary by director Guillermo del Toro and co-executive producer Mike Mignola* Commentary by actors Ron Perlman, Selma Blair, Rupert Evans and Jeffrey Tambor* All-new DVD comics: eight branching DVD comics by Mignola* "HELLBOY: The Seeds of Creation": a 2.5-hour doc on the making of the film* "Right Hand of Doom: Set Visits": behind-the-scenes branching feature* "From the Den" Hellboy recommends... GERALD MCBOING BOING animated shorts (GERALD MCBOING BOING, GERALD MCBOING BOING ON PLANET MOO and HOW NOW BOING BOING) as well as the animated THE TELL-TALE HEART* Feature-length storyboard track* Video introduction by Selma Blair* Four computer-generated animated scene breakdowns* Five Board-a-Matics: side-by-side comparison of scenes with the animated storyboards by artist Simeon Wilkins* Animatics* Three deleted scenes with optional commentary by del Toro* Maquette 3D character sculptures video gallery* DVD-ROM: director's notebook, printable original screenplay, script supervisor's book
Bill Desowitz, former editor of VFXWorld, is currently the Crafts Editor of IndieWire.
