World Trade Center (Blu-ray)

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Audio:
Considering that much of the film takes place in either very domestic flashbacks or with the two actors trapped underneath a collapsed skyscraper, I can honestly say I was very surprised at the performance of the Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack. There are ambient sounds throughout the entire film, as you can hear the creaks, wind and other noises associated with being trapped under two of the largest buildings ever built. What was especially impressive in the sound department was the complete rumbling of hearing each building on the World Trade Center complex to collapse. Bass felt like it was coming from everywhere. The rear surrounds were exhibiting some of the lowest frequencies I can every remember coming from them. The .1 LFE channel was going ballistic and the front speakers were all rumbling deep and powerfully. Somehow, those responsible for the sound design found a way to make it sound as if the buildings were collapsing from above the audience. Impressive stuff. The initial airplane strike on the first tower was also deep and booming. Dialogue was clear and a lot of deflection could be heard from the actors as they shouted to one another or talked at a near whisper as they had to cling on for dear life. This was a surprisingly good soundtrack from a film where I did not expect to be impressed.

Extras:
As previously mentioned, Paramount has chosen to release "World Trade Center" as a 2-disc "Commemorative Edition" on both Blu-Ray and HD-DVD. This allows for maximum space for the film to reside for the best picture possible and also allows for the supplements contained on the second disc to be presented in glorious 1080p high definition widescreen. Paramount had previously taken this approach with their release of "Mission Impossible: III," and it has been a great seller, so I have a strong feeling that we are going to continue to see multi-disc releases for many special editions on these high definition formats and that "Next Gen" will not necessarily mean everything can be squeezed onto one disc.

The first disc contains a few supplements, as not everything is necessarily contained on the second platter. Also, both HD-DVD and Blu-Ray are presented with the same supplements. Some HD-DVD titles have had enhanced video commentaries, but only audio commentaries are presented here. The Commentary by Director Oliver Stone was decent enough and Stone presented a good deal of information on making the film, keeping true to the real events and also his feelings on that day. I now wish Stone had provided more commentaries for his other releases. Perhaps there is hope for an eventual deluxe Blu-Ray box set.

The second track, the Commentary by real-life survivors Will Jimeno, Scott Strauss, John Busching and Paddy McGee was a track I looked forward to listening to. Jimeno is one of the principal characters in the movie and both he and John McLouglin were heavily involved with the film's production. This is a heartfelt and important commentary to listen to, as you can hear the story from the words of Will Jimeno himself and others that were involved on that horrible day. The first disc also contains some Deleted/Extended scenes with optional commentary by Oliver Stone. These nine scenes (17:45) are presented in MPEG2 and not in high definition. They are good scenes, but their inclusion in the film was not entirely necessary. A couple previews are also included.

The supplements get even better on the second disc and nearly all of them are presented in 1080p high definition. The nine supplements on this disc are all selectable from a simple menu that ties in nicely with the film. The first and one of the two large pieces of the supplements is the documentary The Making of World Trade Center (53:29). This is broken down into three separate parts that can be played separately or as one coherent piece. It looks stunning in high definition and is one of the best promotional documentaries I have ever seen. It is certainly an EPK feeling project, but is heartfelt and features the filmmakers and the real men behind the story. This is very good and should be seen by anybody who has purchased the 2-disc set. Stone shows he is impassioned by this story and his film and it shows. Jimeno is especially personable and his involvement and that of McLouglin truly helped make this film special.

The next documentary, Common Sacrifice (54:27) is broken down into two pieces, "Rescue" and "Recovery." It too can be played in its parts or as one complete documentary. This is a powerful and riveting look at the actual events of the film and features McLouglin and Jimeno again recounting their tales. The wives take place in this supplement, as do other survivors. There is some graphic and emotional material and I was very happy to see an inclusion of this type of material and this excellent documentary helps make the Blu-Ray release of "World Trade Center" a fine memorial to the fallen heroes and fallen towers of 9/11. This documentary and the making of documentary would have been worth purchasing as separate releases.

After the two large documentaries, a couple smaller and less significant supplements are included. Building Ground Zero (25:09) takes a look at what went into rebuilding Ground Zero with high accuracy to bring the story of McLouglin and Jimeno to life. This is a decent sized making of documentary and even though it does not pack the punch of the two longer bits, a lot of effort went into building Ground Zero and if you had not previously seen some of the destruction that was there after the buildings were toppled, this will give you a good look at the massive destructive as it is recreated. Visual and Special Effects (12:08) is a look at the digital effects and computer work that went into creating this film. As is the case with the other documentaries, it is presented in high definition, but considering there are a number of CGI shots in this film and other computer graphics, the decision to present this feature in HD pays off in dividends.

Oliver Stone's New York (24:29) is a great little feature where Oliver Stone discusses the city he grew up in and takes the viewers for a tour of the city. He gives wonderful first hand information on the city and his own memories of growing up in New York City. DVD Producer Charles Kiselak interviews Stone and this is a nice intimate chat with the director. The second discussion with the director is the Q&A With Oliver Stone (13:06) that was taken from the David Lean Lecture Series and is hosted by Mark Kermode. Aside from Stone's red socks, which are not shown in high definition, as this is the only significant supplement on the second disc to not be mastered in 1080p, but is presented in widescreen, this is a good talk and Stone gives his thoughts on 9/11 and his reasons for making the film. After the lengthy features, a few small and standard bits and pieces are included. A Theatrical Trailer, TV Spots and a Photo Gallery finish out this incredible list of supplemental materials.

Closing Comments:
I believe this is the first time I have ever given out four tens to a review. I feel the picture is an incredibly story and beautiful account of the events of 9/11. This is a film that I feel should be watched by everybody so they can get a better feeling of what happened on that day and the sacrifices that were made. We should never forget and this film helps allow that to never happen. Some say the men that perished were not heroes. They were firefighters, police officers and other civil servants that went racing into massive buildings that were on fire and they risked and gave their lives to help save many innocent people. The fact that less than three thousand people perished is a testament to why they are heroes and had they not given their lives, this number would have been much higher. This is a beautiful and powerful film that pays tribute to not just John McLouglin and Will Jimeno, but to many others that perished or risked their lives on that fateful day.

The picture quality and sound quality of World Trade Center is incredibly good and Paramount needs commended for producing a DVD of this quality. This is not a film that you would expect to be a visual and audible powerhouse, but it is. It is amazing to hear the rumbling and the collapsing of not only the two towers, but other buildings that fell on that day. The bass is deep and the ambient sounds are haunting. Much of the film takes place in low light and it is surprising to see how great these scenes look. The supplements are some of the best supplements that I have ever seen. Counting the running time of the two great commentaries, there is roughly ten hours of bonus materials and a majority of that is worth watching more than once. It is rare that I will say something is a must own, but "World Trade Center" on Blu-Ray is a must own.

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