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Inconceivable! Another release of “The Princess Bride.” Longtime collectors should be well versed on the routine by now, though for the film’s 25th anniversary you’d think there’d be a little more fanfare.
The Princess Bride: 25th Anniversary Edition
Release Date: October 2, 2012
Studio: MGM Home Entertainment
Packaging/Materials: Blu-ray EcoBox
Year: 1987
Rating: PG
Running Time: 1:38:21
MSRP: $19.99
THE FEATURE
SPECIAL FEATURES
Video
AVC: 1080p high definition 1.85:1
Standard and high definition
Audio
DTS-HD Master Audio: English 5.1 / Dolby Digital: French 2.0, Spanish 1.0
Various
Subtitles
English, Spanish
Various
The Edition: 2/5
Another few years, another “Princess Bride” home video release.
With at least five previous iterations on DVD, the film now makes its second appearance on Blu-ray in commemoration of the film’s 25th anniversary. In honor of the historic occasion, the release simply trades the previous edition’s DVD copy for a new, 30-minute featurette. Everything else remains the same, right down to the menu design and Easter Eggs.
Needless to say, those who already have the 2009 release shouldn’t bother; those who don’t may not need to either, especially if the older edition can be found at a lower price. There’s also inherent re-play value of the DVD copy that the new featurette simply doesn’t have. Given the choice, I’d go for the older edition.
New Bonus Material
True Love: The Princess Bride Phenomenon (30:10, HD): Split into two parts, the first half features director Rob Reiner and actors Cary Elwes and Robin Wright reminiscing about the production and sharing a few laughs about their experiences. The second half examines the film’s presence in and influence on pop culture. Though it’s a solid retrospective piece, it ultimately isn’t compelling enough as a selling point for the release overall.
For the rest of the disc, please refer to my review of the 2009 Blu-ray edition. The only extra that doesn’t apply is the “Disc Two” DVD.
Recap
The Film: 5/5
Video Quality: 4/5
Audio Quality: 3.5/5
Special Features: 4.5/5
Overall Score (not an average): 2/5
The so-called 25th Anniversary Edition rides on the coattails of the previous Blu-ray release, coming off as perfunctory when it should be celebratory. Given no other choice, it’s still a solid release, though if the 2009 edition can be found, go for that one instead. In the long run I suspect the DVD copy will get a lot more re-play than the retrospective documentary ever would.
The Princess Bride: 25th Anniversary Edition
Release Date: October 2, 2012
Studio: MGM Home Entertainment
Packaging/Materials: Blu-ray EcoBox
Year: 1987
Rating: PG
Running Time: 1:38:21
MSRP: $19.99
THE FEATURE
SPECIAL FEATURES
Video
AVC: 1080p high definition 1.85:1
Standard and high definition
Audio
DTS-HD Master Audio: English 5.1 / Dolby Digital: French 2.0, Spanish 1.0
Various
Subtitles
English, Spanish
Various
The Edition: 2/5
Another few years, another “Princess Bride” home video release.
With at least five previous iterations on DVD, the film now makes its second appearance on Blu-ray in commemoration of the film’s 25th anniversary. In honor of the historic occasion, the release simply trades the previous edition’s DVD copy for a new, 30-minute featurette. Everything else remains the same, right down to the menu design and Easter Eggs.
Needless to say, those who already have the 2009 release shouldn’t bother; those who don’t may not need to either, especially if the older edition can be found at a lower price. There’s also inherent re-play value of the DVD copy that the new featurette simply doesn’t have. Given the choice, I’d go for the older edition.
New Bonus Material
True Love: The Princess Bride Phenomenon (30:10, HD): Split into two parts, the first half features director Rob Reiner and actors Cary Elwes and Robin Wright reminiscing about the production and sharing a few laughs about their experiences. The second half examines the film’s presence in and influence on pop culture. Though it’s a solid retrospective piece, it ultimately isn’t compelling enough as a selling point for the release overall.
For the rest of the disc, please refer to my review of the 2009 Blu-ray edition. The only extra that doesn’t apply is the “Disc Two” DVD.
Recap
The Film: 5/5
Video Quality: 4/5
Audio Quality: 3.5/5
Special Features: 4.5/5
Overall Score (not an average): 2/5
The so-called 25th Anniversary Edition rides on the coattails of the previous Blu-ray release, coming off as perfunctory when it should be celebratory. Given no other choice, it’s still a solid release, though if the 2009 edition can be found, go for that one instead. In the long run I suspect the DVD copy will get a lot more re-play than the retrospective documentary ever would.
