Search - Signs on DVD

MPAA Rating: PG-13 Content Advisory: Adult Situations, Not For Children, Adult Language, Sci-Fi Violence, Children in Peril, Suitable for Teens Movie Release: 2002 DVD Release: 01/07/2003 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV - Closed Captioned Edition: Dual Layered,Special Collection Audio Tracks: English, French SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 1 hrs 46 mins Studio: Walt Disney Video Total Copies: 197 Genres: Science Fiction, Thriller, Alien Film See Also: Signs [Blu-ray]

Following the smash hit The Sixth Sense (1999) and the under-performing follow-up Unbreakable (2000), directing phenom M. Night Shyamalan returns to the summer box office landscape that served as the backdrop for his cinematic breakthrough. In Signs, another paranormal outing for the writer-director, Shyamalan explores the eerie implications of a 500-foot crop circle that mysteriously appears on the Bucks County, PA farm of reverend Graham Hess (Mel Gibson). As Hess and his family (Joaquin Phoenix, Rory Culkin, Abigail Breslin) try to take stock of what the sign means, and how its message incorporates into their faith, they start to get the feeling they are not alone in the fields behind their house. Shyamalan re-teams with producers Frank Marshall, Sam Mercer and Kathleen Kennedy, and produces the project in association with his Blinding Edge Pictures banner and Touchstone Pictures. ~ Derek Armstrong, All Movie Guide

Mel Gibson - Graham Hess
Joaquin Phoenix - Merrill Hess
Cherry Jones - Officer Caroline Paski
Rory Culkin - Morgan Hess
Abigail Breslin - Bo Hess

Disney's "Vista Series" DVDs were touted as the next big line of Special Edition discs, and titles such as Pearl Harbor and The Sixth Sense reflected that, so what's the deal with this release of Signs? Though certainly not a horrible disc, it falls short in many ways. The image, which is 1.85:1 and anamorphic, is good, but flawed. Grainy shimmering shows all to often, especially early in the film. Darks are solid though, with no sign of breakdown or blocking. Color, though relatively muted in the film, comes across pretty well. The 5.1 Dolby Digital EX track suffers also. For such a blockbuster, so much more would be expected. While dialogue is clear, nearly the entire track is focused up front, with little separation. Surrounds are only used sparingly at best and lack any real imagination. Where the disc really falters is the supplemental features. Not that what's offered isn't good, but for a Special Edition series, there just simply isn't much. The highlight is a very comprehensive 58-minute documentary on all aspects of making the film. Director M. Night Shyamalan extensively discusses everything from pre-production, to set design and visual effects, to the scoring of the film and it's world premiere. Interviews with composer James Newton Howard, producer Frank Marshall, and others flesh out the process of making this film. A real treat on this disc because it's so bad (and Shyamalan admits it himself in an introduction) is the inclusion of a minute from his first "creature" movie, Pictures, which he made as a teenager. It's simply awful, making it very funny. Rounding out this disc are five deleted scenes running about eight minutes and a storyboard-to-film comparison with angle function and multiple audio options. Again, what is offered for extras is good, they just don't reach far enough. ~ Trent Fordham, All Movie Guide