In the Line of Fire [Special Edition] [DVD] [1993]

Clint Eastwood, John Malkovich. A veteran Secret Service agent tries to keep a brilliant psychotic from killing the President. Includes director commentary, a Showtime special and more! 1993/color/127 min/R/widescreen.

Originally released as a bare-bones DVD, In The Line Of Fire has been reissued as a special edition. For the most part, the supplemental materials really make this disc worth owning. Director Wolfgang Petersen supplies an audio commentary that offers plenty of fascinating information not only on making the film, but what it is like to be involved in such a high-profile project. In addition there are four featurettes. The main two, "The Ultimate Sacrifice" and "Behind the Scenes With the Secret Service," run about 20 minutes each and both look at the making of the film, as well as how the Secret Service works. Though the material is similiar, neither of these treads on the other. Never-before-seen footage of the Secret Service at work makes this even more fascinating. The other featurettes are far shorter, focusing on how the visual effects were produced and the actual process of detecting counterfeit currency. Regardless of length, they are still compelling. There are also five brief deleted scenes that vary in video and audio quality. In addition to some talent files for the main cast and director, there are three trailers, and a slew of television spots. While these extras are a wonderful bonus, it's the picture and sound that really make this a fine disc. The image, framed at 2.35:1, uses an anamorphic transfer that is as good as it gets. Colors are perfectly saturated and the darker scenes show no signs of breaking down. The sound is equally impressive. The main 5.1 Dolby Digital track is strong, with frequent use of the surrounds and clear reproduction upfront. As is often the case with discs from Columbia/TriStar, this DVD also contains a number of additional languages including French, Spanish, and Portuguese, as well as subtitles in seven languages including English, Korean, Thai, and Spanish. Fine movies really deserve an exceptional DVD, and in the case of In The Line Of Fire, that goal has been achieved.