Reservoir Dogs

It is rather surprising that the new special-edition DVD of Quentin Tarantino’s “Reservoir Dogs” would actually have a transfer that may drive fans away from this two-disc set. For some reason, the video for this disc has been given (or mistakenly given) a very washed-out and dull look.

Should one find that this new transfer is for the better, however, then the rest of the “Reservoir Dogs” DVD is sure to please. The audio has been given some extra “oomph” with the new Dolby 5.1 and DTS 5.1 track, and the real treats of this DVD come in the extras – there is a lot to work through, all done in a unique style.

The lengthiest of these is a commentary consisting of interviews edited together from several members of the cast and crew in a number of different styles.

After getting through all that, there is still plenty to explore, including tributes, film critic commentaries, a look at the 1992 Sundance Film Festival, deleted and alternate scenes, explorations of Film Noir and trinkets such as trailers, posters and merchandising.

While these extras will mostly appeal to fans, the film is still an excellent caper movie and one with interesting characters and great style. The DVD should be rented or researched first, as the transfer is not what one may expect.

Pulp Fiction

If you already own the previous “Pulp Fiction” DVD and are looking forward to the new special edition DVD, you might be a bit disappointed. However, if you want a top-quality version of the movie, then this new edition is definitely a must-have.

Miramax put a lot of effort into the quality of this version of “Pulp Fiction,” which really shines through.

However, for those looking for a slew of extras, these discs come off a little thin. There is a quite a bit of material included, but most of it may have been seen already. Extras like the deleted scenes are disappointing, though, and Tarantino’s ramblings beforehand can be dull. If you are interested in them, there are also other features regarding articles about “Pulp Fiction” or different bits from Tarantino interviews.

Sadly, the features that seem like they should be the big ones – the commentary and documentary – are really not all that great. The commentary is only text, not nearly as enjoyable as speech, and the documentary is uninteresting fluff and does nothing for expanding on the film.

Jackie Brown

“Jackie Brown” is not typically the top pick of Tarantino’s films for fans, but it is still an enjoyable movie with fleshed-out characters and plenty of excellent dialogue, all done in a realistic and understated style.

Included in this new two-disc set are lots of extras, some of which should interest fans of the movie. These includes an interesting documentary that covers all aspects of the film.

Sadly, “Jackie Brown” lacks a commentary of any sort. There is at least an interview with Tarantino regarding the film, but that is not a fitting substitute. Other features include the full “Chicks With Guns” video shot for the film and the “Jackie Brown” segment that was featured on MTV.

Deleted scenes are rather interesting, as some are just there for kicks, like a scene of Michael Keaton and Pam Grier improvising.

There are lots of little extras, such as trailers for Pam Grier and Robert Forster movies, which can be enjoyable, and there are plenty of production notes, photo galleries and other promotional material to see.