HTF REVIEW: "Signs" (with screenshots) (1 Viewer)

[Rick Blaine]

I am afraid I have to disagree with Ron.

What is missing here is the effective use of the

I think the surrounds were used VERY EFFECTively. The surrounds were used for exactly what surrounds are meant to be used for.
Though I am not a big fan of this movie I was impressed with the use of Sound Effects over Visual Effects. We fear more what we do not see, but hear! This is how horror is supposed to be done.
I still love Ron's Reviews.
RB

 

[Zane Charron]

I really enjoyed this film when I saw it in theaters earlier this year. Sure, it's got plot holes and some obvious setups and a kinda-lame ending, but it always has a lot going for it, especially it's performances and downright ominous and creepy atmosphere. I particularly enjoyed

the amateur footage from I believe S. America that was shown on the news. Reminded me of the visceral thrill I used to get watching 'In Search of' when I was a kid and seeing grainy far away shots of Nessie and Bigfoot.. Wonderful stuff.

 

[Jens Raethel]

Thanks for the review.
Cant wait to see this movie...

 

[Patrick Sun]

There was a small bit of grain running through the film for its theatrical print when I saw it at the theaters.

 

[Cees Alons]

Somehow I missed all about this movie. Thanks, Ron! it's going to be ordered.

Cees

 

[Bill J]

 

[Andre F]

Thanks for the review. I'm looking forward to it!

 

[Gavin_L]

thanks ron for another wonderful review, keep up your great work.
I'll be totally picking up this movie on dvd

 

[Adam_WM]

Ron, I was wondering...I distinctly remember the excellent surround sound when Mel and family were in the cellar and the aliens were running around upstairs
. Were these great effects retained for the DVD audio mix?

 

[Dan Hitchman]

Could this have been a non-Vista Series title that was "bumped up" as a marketing gimmic, just as Sony's Panic Room was a pseudo-SuperBit disc?

I thought the whole point of the Vista Series line was sort of like Sony's SuperBit discs with the best audio (DTS and DD) and video possible on DVD with the movie only on disc one and the extras on the second disc. The selection of titles were ones of unique and somewhat important films.

All the other Vista Series titles have been two disc-ers (although Pearl Harbor DC was a multi disc set) with a DTS soundtrack, which is also the case of the Who Framed Roger Rabbit? Vista Series release.

Dan

 

[Brenton]

What a fantastic movie. I hope I'll be able to pick this one up. The buildup to the climax was absolutely gripping, and it scared me more than any other movie has since I was a little tiny kid.

That's exactly the way I see it.

 

[Gerhard]

Thanx for the review Ron!
However I have cancel my pre-order for the DVD (R1) since it don´t have an english dts audio track.
I will buy the R2 version instead!

 

[DarrylWHarrisJr]

I want my DTS. Disney is so damn inconsistant with their releases. Vista Series is a joke

 

[JoshB]

Can anyone comment on what the packaging looks like? Is it similar to the previous Vista Series releases, or is it the typical Keep Case type?

 

[DarrylWHarrisJr]

You call this a VISTA title? Why would they even bother calling this a VISTA title? Is Night the only director to get VISTA titles? Where's my deluxe cardboard packaging? Where's my inserts? Where the heck is my 2nd disc? Where the hell is my DTS?? This is VISTA title is obviously mislabeled. This is nothing but a regular disc like the rest of them. What is going on here? Is this a Sign?

 

[JoshB]

I agree. All of the previous VISTA titles were very good discs, with nice packaging, great inserts and were at least 2 Disc(or in Pearl Harbor's case, 4) I figured when Signs was first released, since it was a Shyamalan movie, that along with his previuos films it would be a VISTA title. 2 discs, VISTA packaging, THX certified, DTS. The film being on one disc and the extras, even if they were few, to be on the other. Instead we get the EXACT opposite of all that, minus the THX certifcation, which doesn't really mean much because even that slogan is pretty stretched in terms of certification(why is a movie like Bad Company getting THX?). This does not make any sense. Why make a good thing bad so easily? If it was a question of wanting to get the title out early, maybe they should have considered waiting a while and putting the worthwhile supplements and features with the title to make it a good release. Now, it is a substandard release by these standards. I think its hurt the VISTA series a little, since I own all the previous releases and have Signs already on the way. Its a good film, but the disc won't look the same along side those other titles. This title had alot going for it, and alot of us were expecting better. Could this be a SIGN of things to come from VISTA? Can we expect more VISTA series releases to come barebones, with lack of DTS, single disc releases that come out under the VISTA banner simply because of the name? Are they hurting from lack of sales and have to expand their releases to improve profits? If so, its a bad move on their part. Disney(being Buena Vista and Touchstone) can learn a thing or two about from Newline(Platinum and Infinifilm) when it comes to DVD releases. This chould hav been a no brainer on their part, and either someone screwed up or just got lazy. Its pretty clear already that Disney simply doesnt listen to the consumers the right way when it comes to DVDs(Fullscreen titels, Non-Anamorphic, bare bone titles, family friendly releases, etc)I also find it suprising that a film that was such a hit at the box office as well as with critics and audiences alike would get such a release. Well, we can only hope that this isn't a SIGN, that many more titles(perhaps those already released) are going to get the VISTA treatment simply because of the name(although some titels could use it). This is another blow to the DVD community in my opinion.

Oh yeah I almost forgot. Who could forget that AWFUL cover art. Another example of making a good thing bad.

 

[Bill J]

I don't see what else they could have put on the disc besides the three theatrical trailers and a DTS track. I don't think Shyamalan likes to record feature-length commentary tracks and there are already several featurettes on the DVD. Perhaps they could not find any worthwhile extras and did not think it was necessary to put the bonus features on a second disc since the film itself is only about 100 minutes long.

 

[JoshB]

They could have included something about aliens or crop circles, since the movie contains them.
Shyamalan had a feature about ghosts and the afterlife on the Sixth Sense VISTA Series disc. Also, featuress about the films cinematography, editing or sound creation could have been included. I'm sure their are plenty of other things that could have been included as well. Oh well, heres to hoping for a re-release, but I wouldnt count on it.

 

[Tim Glover]

I was hoping for more too. Especially the great artwork and packaging that usually comes with a Vista Series dvd. I love the Pearl Harbor Vista Series packaging and Tombstone's package as well.

Of course in the end, the movie is what really counts for me and Signs was # 2 on my top 10 of 2002.

 

[Andrew Chong]

I just hope that the powers-that-be don't repeat with Signs what was done with Sixth Sense where the latter was released as a single-disc release (which I bought), then later re-released it as a dual-disc release (which I grudgingly bought).

For Signs, I believe I'll pass at least for a long while.