Dig. Bits has Pearl Harbor: Vista Series review up... (1 Viewer)

[Andrew_Sch]

I don't how good the disc is, a movie this atrocious doesn't deserve to be the "best of" anything. Here's hoping LOTR blows its ass out of the water.

 

[Joseph Young]

I appreciate all the work you put into the review, Jeff. Awesome job.
However, whether they devote 5, 10, or 50 hours to the film Pearl Harbor means absolutely nothing to me, since the inclusion of extras doesn't excuse the fact that I personally disliked the film intensely.
But looks like a reference disc, regardless.
Joseph

 

[Carlo_M]

Jeff, maybe I've been out of touch a bit with TDB but I didn't know you write for them! Congrats! And excellent review.
As for the film, I could take it or leave it (take the action scenes, leave the love scenes) but that set looks impressive. And I admit, I'm a sucker for extra-special-super-editions-plus so I'm probably picking this one up (since I skipped on the first iteration on DVD).
And I've got to see that widescreen tutorial.
UNFORTUNATELY I agree with you completely that this should not be an Easter Egg but should be put right out there on the menu, mayne in flashing lights saying "Don't Like Black Bars? Click Here!"

 

[Jeff Kleist]

Carlo, there were unavoidable production issues that required it to be an Easter Egg unfortunately

 

[Brian_L_Kleis]

Is anybody else as internally conflicted about this situation as I am? I'm not a big fan of the film at all - The Bay Speciality, blow-em-up-stuff, is actually really well done, but couldn't stand the dialogue, most of the acting, the general schmaltziness of the whole thing... And that's why I never even really considered the earlier two disk set...
Now, every review is telling me "reference quality", "best set of the year", "185 hours of extras", and similarly wonderful things about this set (plus reasonable price, I might add)... I'm torn now... Do the seemingly wonderful extras (great docs, gag reel, packaging, etc.) balance out an only fair movie?
Please advise... :frowning:

 

[BrentPollard]

Brian
I have absolutely no conflict, I did not like the movie and no amount of extras will bait me into buying it.If you are not a fan maybe make it a rental. Save your money for something you will really enjoy instead of buying something that may just end up collecting dust.

 

[Walt O]

Personally, I thought Pearl was one of the best movies out last year. Unfortunately, this new cut does not add anything to the film. Seeing more blood and guts in a movie does not automatically make it better. A lot of scenes are the same or close, but simply add fouler language; this also is not impressive. The one scene with Baldwin talking to the heros was slightly interesting, but really unnecessary. The extras may be top notch (I didn't even look at them), but for someone expecting a better cut than the theatrical version, you're in for a disappointment. I sold this disc to a fellow member who hopefully will enjoy it more than I did; I will be keeping the original release.

Walt O

 

[Larry P]

I might be the only one who liked Pearl Harbor more than Lord of the Rings, but I still liked the action of Lord of the Rings as well.

Nope, I think Pearl Harbor was FAR superior to LOTR: FOTR.

I mean, at least Bay knows how to frame an action sequence and make it believable!
(Aragorn fighting off 6 of the evil serial killer guys from The Frighteners just completly destroyed the suspension of disbelief for me guys; same for the battle against HUNDREDS of orcs in the mines that was impossible to even follow])

BTW I should mention that The Fellowship of the Ring is probally my favorite book of all time, and there were many things I liked about the film, but IMHO, it wasn't even nearly as stylishly directed and exciting as WILLOW was 14 years ago....however I am really looking forward to The Two Towers.

Pearl Harbor on the other hand has incredible, believable action, a great old fashioned score, extremly stylish direction and a far more involving emotional story.....(sorry folks, Elijah Wood whining about why it must be him who carries the burden of having to destroy the ring just wasn't compelling in my book)

The fancy Bookend Statues aren't going to be enough for TLOTR to beat this DVD set guys. This is as good as it's ever going to get. Stop fretting and learn to love it.

 

[Damin J Toell]

Pearl Harbor on the other hand has incredible, believable action

A film about a war that actually happened is pretty much always going to be more believable than a film based on a fantasy books with little people fighting monsters.

DJ

 

[Andrew_Sch]

Larry, I think my head just exploded. Just kidding, you have a right to your opinion and I won't make an ignorant fool out of myself by arguing over your opinion.

 

[Kevin Linke]

Larry, I totally agree with you. I read some of Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring, and the movie sucked compaired to the novel. Plus, In my opinion, Peter Jackson sucks even more. The only film of his I thougholly enjoyed was the Frieghteners. I thought that Pearl Harbor was the best movie of last year and that the critics deeply underratted it. I thought that Lord of the Rings should have been kept as a novel and left out of Hollywood, or in Peter Jacckson's view, New Zealand.

 

[Andrew_Sch]

I think my head just exploded

Yep, now I'm sure of it.

 

[Ron-P]

Great review, a second purchase for me.
Peace Out~

 

[Dan Huey]

What, so it's ok that people can bash Pearl Harbor and not LOTR? Sorry! I don't let people's opinions get in the way of what I think of a movie. If 99% of the population thought Pearl Harbor was horrible, I could care less. I myself thought it was a good movie.

 

[Marty Christion]

Just a note:

There is a new scene inserted into the film. At 20:43 on the second disc, there is a new scene with Alec Baldwin talking to the crews before they take off for Tokyo.

It's about a minute and a half long.

 

[Carl Walker]

Thanks to a non-existant street date policy at my local B&M, I purchased this last night for $28.88. I have never seen the film. However, liked Armageddon CC and this sounds like a whole lot more of the same in terms of special features. I am especially interested in the gag reel and commentary with Affleck (who was da BOMB in Phantoms, yo!) and Hartnet.
Besides, if I don't like, I can always sell it to the local flea market dealer for close to what I paid. He would love to have a copy to sell this far in advance of street date...

 

[Carlo_M]

How is the film broken between discs? Is it a natural stop (I know the theatrical version didn't have an intermission) or is it "forced" (i.e. the middle of some action sequence)? Kind of odd that 2 hours are on one disc and 1 hour is on the second, that's why I ask.

 

[Ray H]

Personally, I liked Pearl Harbor, but I didn't love it. The first hour or so just didn't work for me. It could've been cut down by quite a bit. And I personally didn't appreciate the visual choices made for that sectionn of the film. It was pretty much shot as a stereotyped version of the '40s. Everything looks misty and as if it were done for a stylized romantic commercial. It's just a look that seems to be associated with that time period. There's also the fact that the drama is intercut with unnecessary humor.
It's essentially a sappy film that's supposed to leave you with an uplifting feeling. But if I had to choose my favorite thing about the film, I'd have to say Hans Zimmers theme music. His score wasn't the best of the year, but it's still pretty good IMO.
I'll look forward to the set. I probably won't purchase it unless it's cheap, but I'll give it a shot as a rental if I can. But I have to say that I'm rooting for FOTR's set to come out on top. I like the film better (hell, I love it) and I liked the little emotional touches more than the huge battle scenes. So I'm hoping the extra 30 minutes'll add to that. Another reason: It's a film I've been waiting for for quite some time now, and I'd love to see every minute detail documented and recalled on the 4-disc set.

 

[Ray H]

Oh, and a question, of these two packaging images, which does the actual thing look more like? From what I've heard, it's more like the first (which is what I'm hoping).
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0...1.LZZZZZZZ.jpg
or
http://www.dvdalliance.net/DVD-image...new/pearl2.jpg

 

[Tim Glover]

Well I loved Pearl Harbor too. Sure I would have liked to have been the final editor but since I wasn't asked I am given the choice of either liking the finished product or not. I love the finished product and will be looking for this now. I've looked at various B&M's recently since news was out of it's release and can't find it.
This thread really should be about Pearl Harbor:Vista Series Director's Cut and not about the LOTR. I started this thread because I was interested in the new dvd review and figured other HTF members would be too.
I was counting on more from the R rated version to be really different but it appears only very minor additions were actually made. But the supplemants look really, really terrific.
Anyone in the Dallas area find this early, drop us an email! :b