Search - The Abyss on DVD

MPAA Rating: PG-13 Content Advisory: Violence, Questionable for Children, Adult Language Movie Release: 1989 DVD Release: 03/21/2000 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV Edition: Special Collection Audio Tracks: English Subtitles: English, Spanish SwapaDVD Credits: 2 Number of Discs: 2 Run Time: 2 hrs 51 mins Studio: 20th Century Fox Members Wishing: 0 Genres: Science Fiction, Romantic Drama, Psychological Sci-Fi, Sci-Fi Adventure See Also: The Abyss [Widescreen Special Edition], The Abyss [Widescreen Special Edition], The Abyss [Fullscreen Special Edition], The Abyss [Fullscreen], The Abyss [Widescreen], The Abyss [Director's Cut] [Lenticular Cover], The Abyss [Spanish], The Abyss

The crew of an experimental, high-tech submersible is called into action to investigate a mysterious nuclear submarine crash. A series of strange encounters leads the crew to suspect the accident was caused by an extraterrestrial craft, and that they may be participating in an encounter with an alien species. However, in order to make contact, they must not only brave the abyss, an exceedingly deep underwater canyon, but also deal with the violent actions of one of their own crew members, an increasingly paranoid Navy SEAL officer. Approved by director James Cameron, The Abyss: Special Edition is an extended director's cut of the 1989 underwater science fiction epic, reinstating nearly a half hour of footage removed from the original release under studio pressure. Much of the restored footage places the film's events in a grander political context, as the crew's mission becomes a factor in the dangerous escalation of nuclear tension between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. The largest change involves the film's ending, which provides further information on the aliens' mission on Earth, bringing the film to closer to Cameron's intention: a modern remake of Robert Wise's The Day the Earth Stood Still. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide

Ed Harris - Bud Brigman
Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio - Lindsey Brigman
Michael Biehn - Lt. Coffey
Leo Burmeister - Catfish De Vries
Todd Graff - Alan "Hippy" Carnes

The Abyss is a science fiction lover's dream, and this Special Edition DVD is a special-feature-lover's extravaganza. Director James Cameron has loaded this DVD with so many extras that it has become a true collector's item. For starters, this two-disc set features two cuts of the film -- the original theatrical version and the Special Edition, which includes 28 more minutes of footage, including the much- discussed and hard-to-find tidal wave sequence. Both are presented in 2:35 widescreen formats and Dolby Surround or 5:1 Surround. Also included are two "making of" featurettes, a ten-minute studio production, and an in-depth, one-hour documentary that takes the viewer step by step through the making of the film. As is typical of a Cameron film, the filmmaking process is so complex and groundbreaking that these behind-the-scenes moments are as incredible to watch as the film itself. Even interviews are done underwater.
Most DVDs extras would stop there, but this disc is just getting started. It also features special effects information, the entire screenplay, extensive storyboards, DVD-ROM games, and dozens of hidden features. The interactive menus, in which the user navigates through different rooms searching for hidden extras, are like action-adventure video games. The DVD's only real flaw is that the information-packed running commentary is text-only, rather than a dedicated audio track. Otherwise, for DVD lovers, it doesn't get better than this. ~ Arthur Borman, All Movie Guide