“Sith” brings force to DVD
The final chapter of George Lucas’s operatic space fantasy, “Revenge of the Sith” remains the definitive conclusion to a saga that has pioneered cinematic contributions to pop culture. With a combination of show-stopping bravado not seen since the first entry in the series and a pervasive depth that rivals Darth Vader’s haunting revelation at the conclusion of “The Empire Strikes Back,” Episode III marks the triumphant return of that enchanting galaxy far, far away that was curiously absent from Lucas’s latest entries. And look, ma, no fart jokes! Sure, artificial dialogue abounds and love-scene performances remain so awkward and passionless that more authentic chemistry could probably reverberate between Al Gore and a toaster, but nothing can quite contend with the tangible manifestation of the most highly anticipated climax in cinema history. In addition to this pivotal episode of the “Star Wars” saga that bridges the narrative gap between the prequel trilogy and the original films, the “Revenge of the Sith” DVD is fashionably equipped with a comprehensive amount of special features that grants filmgoers complete, uninhibited access to the world of Lucas.
The first disc of the collection contains the film – available in English, Spanish and French – with the addition of a commentary track featuring George Lucas, Rick McCallum, Rob Coleman, John Knoll and Roger Guyett. Although it’s a bit crowded, the commentary track provides noteworthy insight into the production of the film but also reinforces Lucas’s unfortunate affinity for special effects as opposed to character development and storytelling. The second disc completes the jam-packed set with deleted scenes, trailers and TV spots, a playable demo of the “Star Wars: Battlefront II” video game, still galleries, a music video featuring John Williams’ brilliant score and a slew of Web documentaries and featurettes. “Within A Minute,” one of the most striking documentaries available on the second disc, explores every contribution that was necessary to complete less than 60 seconds of film. It’s absolutely mind-blowing to try and fathom the vast resources at the disposal of Lucas’s empire, and this inventive documentary gives viewers a chance to see just how many individuals are involved in this effects-heavy blockbuster.
The customary inclusion of several of the film’s deleted scenes and explanatory introductions by Rick McCallum and the “flannelled one” himself proves to be the most rewarding extra offered by the set. Some of the deleted scenes featured on the second disc include the execution of General Grevous’s Jedi prisoner and an extensive escape scene featuring Anakin and Obi Wan in the fuel ducts of the Separatist cruiser, Yoda’s exile to the planet of Dagobah, and senatorial meetings that provide the foundation for the Rebel Alliance. These scenes help to flesh out plot points that were only hinted at in the theatrical release and help to round out a DVD collection undeniably worthy of the “Star Wars” moniker. The Force is strong with this one.
Mack Perry is a critic for the Statesman. Comments can be sent to him at
mackp@cc.usu.edu.