Search - Independence Day [Special Edition]

A group of intrepid humans attempts to save the Earth from vicious extraterrestrials in this extremely popular science-fiction adventure. Borrowing liberally from War of the Worlds, Aliens, and every sci-fi invasion film inbetween, director Roland Emmerich and producer and co-writer Dean Devlin present a visually slick, fast-paced adventure filled with expensive special effects and large-scale action sequences. The story begins with the approach of a series of massive spaceships, which many on Earth greet with open arms, looking forward to the first contact with alien life. Unfortunately, these extraterrestrials have not come in peace, and they unleash powerful weapons that destroy most of the world's major cities. Thrown into chaos, the survivors struggle to band together and put up a last-ditch resistance in order to save the human race. As this is a Hollywood film, this effort is led by a group of scrappy Americans, including a computer genius who had foreseen the alien's evil intent (Jeff Goldblum), a hot-shot jet pilot (Will Smith), and the President of the United States (Bill Pullman). While some critics objected to the film's lack of originality and lapses in logic, the combination of grand visual spectacle and crowd-pleasing storytelling proved irresistable to audiences, resulting in an international smash hit. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide

Will Smith - Capt. Steven Hiller
Bill Pullman - President Thomas J. Whitmore
Jeff Goldblum - David Levinson
Mary McDonnell - Marilyn Whitmore
Judd Hirsch - Julius Levinson

1996	Best Visual Effects (winner)	Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie	Volker Engel
1996	Best Visual Effects (winner)	Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie	Douglas Hans Smith
1996	Best Visual Effects (winner)	Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie	Clay Pinney
1996	Best Visual Effects (winner)	Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie	Joseph Viscocil
1996	Best Sound (nominee)	Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie	Chris Carpenter
1996	Best Sound (nominee)	Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie	Bill W. Benton
1996	Best Sound (nominee)	Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie	Bob Beemer
1996	Best Sound (nominee)	Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie	Jeff Wexler

Roland Emmerich's explosive alien-invasion flick receives a stellar DVD treatment courtesy of 20th Century Fox. The two-disc set, part of their Five Star Collection, offers an incredible transfer, phenomenal sound, and more extras than one can get through in an afternoon. For starters, the film itself looks great. It's presented in a 2.35:1 widescreen anamorphic format that is simply stunning. As a bonus, there are two versions of the film -- the theatrical cut and a "special edition" with nine extra minutes of footage. The theatrical cut offers a commentary from Emmerich and producer Dean Devlin, while the special edition offers the same commentary as well as one from visual effects supervisors Volker Engel and Doug Smith. As for sound, those who saw Independence Day know what an earth-shaking soundtrack it had. The DVD has brought that roaring to life with Dolby Digital 5.1 Sound. Certain sequences are so well-defined sound-wise, that viewers may feel their good china starting to shake. Disc two offers extras galore. There are a ton of trailers and television spots, two "making of" featurettes, a deleted alternate version of the film's ending (with a commentary from Devlin), and a gallery of stills. Additionally, both discs feature excellent animated menus that inventively incorporate scenes from the films. This disc is great for entertainment purposes, and an excellent "showcase" disc to demonstrate the amazing capabilities of DVD. ~ Jeremy Brown, All Movie Guide

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