Special Features:
Theatrical Trailer  �  Production Notes   �  Cast and Crew   �  French Language Soundtrack

FILM
This is one of those surprise films that just grows on you. The story is from Stephen King's collection called Different Seasons. This collection also produced the film Stand By Me and if Columbia had any balls it could have produced a third classic in the film that became Apt Pupil. That film was a major disappointment. This film was not. The humanity and attention to detail this film displays is remarkable.

I will guess that most people reading this review have probably seen the film and I have to say I have yet to find some who did not like it. It may not be everyone's favorite, but the film is so well crafted that if you say you hate it, you must have some other agenda you are trying to fulfill. Since I think most people have seen the film I will not go into the plot at all and just talk about some of my favorite scenes in the movie.

For me the real key to this film is Morgan Freeman's narration. His insights and observations give a depth and understanding to the events that we might dismiss as unrealistic if presented any other way. The movie is fable and that is what makes it work. That being said my favorite scene in the film is the Mozart, Marriage of Figaro sequence. The contrast of that beautiful piece of music with the dull and dreary prison yard is one of the things that makes movies magical. The dazed expression on every man's face as the camera sweeps by perfectly captures the freedom the music represents.

Another scene that brings a smile to my face is the population watching Rita Hayworth in Gilda. The joy every man in the room gets as Rita flips her hair back is the feeling I get while watching a really good movie. There is just nothing else quite like it.

One other scene I felt was extremely important and I am sure the studio talked about cutting because of the length of the film is Brooks' release from prison. Here we see a man who has been in prison for over fifty years and can't imagine living any other way. This gives us a whole other perspective on what may be in store for all the other lifers in the movie including Tim Robbin's and Morgan Freeman. If they don't get out after a certain amount of time they might as well die in prison because they probably will not be able to handle the change.

Last but not least we have the escape sequence and it's aftermath. It is a very manipulative sequence, but it is a great feeling for the audience as we discover what Tim Robbins has been up to this whole time and how each of the prison staff that abused him is going to get theirs.

VIDEO
After watching the Heat DVD I was a little worried about the picture quality of this disc. Luckily Warner Bros was up to its LA Confidential, Matrix standards on this disc. The muted colors are nicely reproduced and the blacks in the picture have a lot of depth. The quality level is set early in the prison scenes which are quite dark. I breathed a huge sigh of relief that I was not going to have to watch 2 hours and 22 minutes of grainy, washed-out footage.

AUDIO
Sound quality of this film matches the picture. There is nothing extraordinary, just a solid atmospheric sound field. It puts us in the middle of the prison without drawing attention to itself.

EXTRAS
I know while this disc was in production it was announced as a full special edition. After as many delays as this disc went through you would have expected almost a second disc of extras. What do we get? A theatrical trailer.

SUMMARY
As far as audience manipulation goes this film is up there with some of Spielberg's films. Despite that fact I still love this film. At a $19.98 list price (I got it for $11.99 at Fry's Electronic) if you have not added this to your collection you need to unclench cheap ass.