This summer saw the release of many big budget movies that came and went without much impact. Many of the releases disappointed people and left them wanting more. There was one gem, however, that was released in May and stayed strong through the entire summer, ultimately ending as one of the summer’s most acclaimed films – “Shrek.”

“Shrek” is the heart-warming tale of an ogre on a quest to save his swamp from an infestation of fairy-tale creatures. Along the way he meets a talkative donkey, a tomboy princess and a ruler who does not quite measure up (pun intended). With excellent animation, talented voice acting and plenty of fun for all ages, “Shrek” easily deserves all of its summer blockbuster success.

Now, with the release of the DVD, audiences get to see even more of the beloved ogre. The DVD comes packed with over 11 hours of bonus features, including something for just about any age.

For starters, Dreamworks has made sure the DVD appeals to the full spectrum of viewers. Disc 1 contains the full-frame version of the film, while Disc 2 contains the anamorphic widescreen version, for those DVD and home theater enthusiasts. Each version comes with 5.1 Dolby Digital and 2.0 Dolby Surround and Disc 2 offers DTS 5.1 audio, all to meet the needs of a wide range of viewers.

Regardless of which version you watch, the film has been beautifully transferred to DVD format. The animation is very crisp and clear with zero flaws, making it a visual showcase to show off the DVD format.

The sound is equally well done, but since the movie initially lacked a lot of variety, you will find little to take advantage of with the multiple sound offerings. Still, there is enough to make having the DTS 5.1 available on the disc worthwhile.

The extras though, are really a mixed bag, as they are evenly split between those for adults and those for kids. Adults will find plenty of nifty bonus material, such as a wonderful and enlightening commentary by the directors and producer. There are also several features showing you what goes into making a digital film such as “Shrek.” These include The Tech of Shrek, Technical Goofs, Storyboard Pitches for deleted scenes and Character Design Progression Reels. All of these are nice additions to watch, especially the Storyboard Pitches, as you get to watch what an animator goes through to pitch his idea and scene to the producers. Most of the extras are once-through material though, making them less of a selling point and more of a novelty.

The kids’ section offers far more and makes a case in which kids may want the DVD version more.

Some of the extras include trivia games, music videos of some of the movie’s songs, in-character “cast” interviews and a massive DVD-ROM feature including a sound studio where they record their voices in various movie scenes. The DVD-ROM also includes several games to play on your personal computer and items like learning how to draw Shrek. It is all aimed at a young audience but fits them well and offers a fun way to explore the world of Shrek.

While all the extras are wonderful, as mentioned, only some are a selling point for the DVD. Children will find the most to do and explore in these discs and will have hours of fun doing it. Adults will enjoy the extras aimed toward them, but after the commentary is heard and the featurettes watched, the movie is all that really remains.

Still, the “Shrek” DVD is well worth buying for the absolutely superb quality of the movie alone.

Even if you are not big into home theater systems and cannot take advantage of the extra sound and video options, the clear and crisp transfer of the film is noticeable and makes for better viewing. In the end, you get an enjoyable movie that is one of those films you can sit and watch again and again, or just browse through your favorite parts for a few quick laughs.

*** 1/2

Chris Weishaar is a sophomore in construction engineering from Bronson.