Predator: Special Edition - Dark Lord's DVD Collection.

"I'm gonna have me some fun... I'm gonna have me some fun..." - Mac

Predator: Special Edition

Predator: Special Edition DVD Cover Year of Release - 1987
DVD Release - 20th Century Fox - 2002 - 2-Disk Special Edition
Region 4 (also R2 encoded) - PAL - Rated M15+
Running Time - 102:13

Director: John McTiernan
Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers, Jesse Ventura, Bill Duke
Music: Alan Silvestri

Who hasn't seen Predator? Writers Jim & John Thomas, after watching the latest Rocky film of the day, wondered "What's next? Rocky vs E.T.?". And with that one irreverent thought, the idea of Predator was born.

SYNOPSIS

Major Dutch Schaeffer (Schwarzenegger) is the leader of an elite Special Forces Unit (they're a Rescue Team, not Asassins...) hired by the CIA, represented by one of Dutch's old friends, Dillon (Weathers), to rescue a Cabinet Minister and his enterage that went missing behind enemy lines in Central America. Despite Dutch's protests, Dillon tags along for the ride.

What Dutch doesn't realise is that there is more to the story about the situation than Dillon will reveal. They find the Minister's downed chopper ... and three skinned people hanging in the trees like they were in a butcher's shop.

Something is out there. Something is hunting them. There is a Predator in the jungle and they are the prey...

VIDEO

This transfer is in the film's original theatrical aspect ration of 1.85:1. It is also 16:9 enhanced, however it's flawed by some grain and film artefacts. Not a great deal has been done to clean up the source material.

The Cinematographer for Predator is fellow Australian, Donald McAlpine. McAlpine shot Aussie Cinema classics such as Breaker Morant, The Adventures of Barry McKenzie and The Club. The photography is sensational as McAlpine and McTiernan manage to make the Jungle a character as well.

SOUND

The sound quality, however, is a different matter. There are three audio tracks: Dolby Digital 5.1, DTS, and the Audio Commentary in Dolby Stereo 2.0. The sound is clear and the use of surround is awesome. The jungle sounds highten the suspense of the movie and you feel as if you are in the jungle with Dutch and Co.

The score is composed and conducted by Alan Silvestri. This is one of the best movie scores around. It raises this movie from being an Intermediate Monster Movie to a Classic. The Soundtrack was never originally released, but in October 2003, Varese released a Limited run of 3,000.

EXTRAS

DISK 1

Audio Commentary by Director John McTiernan

How do you create the most laid-back, understated, and (let's be honest) boring Commentary of all time? Just put John McTiernan in a recording booth. He is ridiculously laid back and barely speaks above a whisper. The only way that the Commentary could be more laid back is if you added Harrison Ford in there as well!

I have the utmost respect for McTiernan (although helming the atrocious re-make of Rollerball knocked him down several of pegs), and although he does provide very interesting information about the film and the filming, this is quite simply one of the most underwhealming and boring commentarys I have ever heard! Speak up John! I had to turn the Volume right up just to hear him.

Text Commentary

This is much better, an informational subtitle track! Very groovy, check it out.

DVD-ROM

I believe that it is a demo of Aliens vs Predator II.

Easter Egg - SPOILERS

In the Special Features Menu, highlight either DVD ROM or MAIN MENU and press Left. This will give you a 3:07 Featurette called John McTiernan on Learning Film. Very nice and interesting for budding directors or film students.

DISK 2

Featurette - If It Bleeds, We Can Kill It (The Making of Predator) - 28:49

This is a very good Documentary - made for the DVD - which goes through the process of making the film. One of the better featurettes around and worth a look-see, especially for a view of the original design of the Predator.

Inside the Predator - 7 Mini-Featurettes

Classified Action, Unseen Arnold, Old Painless, The Life Inside (A Tribute to Kevin Peter Hall), Welcome to the Jungle, Character Design.

These 3 - 5 minute Featurettes are a great supplement to the main Featurette.

Deleted Scene & Outtakes

Some interesting scenes of varying video & audio quality.

Predator Special Effects

A collection of Red-Suit and Camoflage clips. Of interest, but not at all entertaining...

Gallery - Predator Profile

Some pictures and descriptions of the Predator's gear. Any fan of Predator 1 & 2 or the Alien vs Predator games already knows this stuff, but it's nice to have on the DVD.

Photo Gallery

Some good stills. I still think that Photo Gallerys are inanely boring.

Easter Eggs - SPOILERS

In the Inside the Predator menu, highlight Classified Action and press Up. This will give you a 2:20 Featurette called Jesse's Ultimate Goal.

In the Predator Special Effects menu, highlight Main Menu and press Left. This will give you a 3:04 Featurette called Stan Winston: Practical Joker.

The Region 2 cover.

OVERALL

What makes Predator a great film? Firstly, the simplicity of the plot combined with the interwoven genre elements of the story. Secondly the interesting characters played perfectly by an interesting cast. And of course, a very cool Monster!

Predator is one of my all-time favourite films. It has elements of Sci-Fi, Horror and an Action film. With memorable Characters, memorable guns and memorable lines, not to mention a most memorable Monster, Predator will always be remembered as a fan-favourite.

This 2-Disk Special Edition is uncensored and only misses out on Trailers. This is the best Predator DVD around. It is also available in Region 2. The disks are identical, but the cover art is different. As of yet, this has not been released in Region 1, only the single disc version is available in R1 (Although, at least it has a trailer!).

The Film:
The Disk: 1/2 (No Trailers and a grainy/artefact laden transfer brings down what should be a 5 Rating.)