The Day After Tomorrow [WS] [DVD] [2004]

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For those whole like their apocalyptic disaster films delivered mother-nature style, Godzilla director Roland Emmerich's The Day After Tomorrow arrives on DVD courtesy of 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment. The feature is presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen and looks virtually flawless. For viewers who neglected to see the grand-scale adventure in the big screen, this disc offers the next best thing -- with remarkable clarity and no discernible evidence of digital artifacting or edge enhancement. The English DTS 5.1 audio mix is appropriately room-shaking, and the surround channels are well-utilized in placing viewers directly at the center of the action. Alternate English Dolby Digital 5.1, and Spanish and French Dolby Digital Surround with optional English and Spanish subtitles are also offered. Though there are indeed some informative bonus materials offered on this disc, one might expect quite a bit more from such a special-effects-oriented film. Audio commentary with director Emmerich and producer Mark Gordon often finds the comments of the soft-spoken but good-humored director taking a back seat to the at times gratingly motor-mouthed anecdotes of the producer, while a more informative secondary track featuring co-writer Jeffrey Nachmanoff, director of photography Ueli Steiger, editor David Brenner, and production designer Barry Chusid really explores the behind-the-scenes work that went into crafting such an elaborate production. The "Audio Anatomy" interactive sound demo offers an interesting look at how sound shapes a film by allowing viewers to cycle between eight separate tracks -- each offering a separate component such as foley or score that, when pieced together, truly bring the film to life. It's an interesting feature for audiophiles, and a great way to learn what an important role audio plays in shaping the filmgoing experience. DVD-ROM materials offer viewers who own a PC with Internet access over an hour of exclusive making-of footage.