TWISTER - DVD review

I hated this movie the first time I saw it in a theater. The auditorium was too bright, the screen was faded out, and the sound system was improperly adjusted for surround. Since "Twister" is essentially a special-effects extravaganza, being able to see and hear it correctly is a must. Then, I watched it at home a couple of years later when it first came out on DVD and fell in love with it.

There's nothing to think about; the plot is thin and the characters are shallow. Ah, but the sound is a knockout. Whenever I have anyone over who hasn't heard a home-theater system before, I wow them with "Twister." They never fail to be impressed. This reissued Warner Brothers edition doesn't do much to improve upon the image or audio of the earlier release, adding DTS 5.1 for those with the capability to play it. However, the disc includes a number of new extras that are worthwhile, especially if you don't already own the older release.

Bill Paxton and Helen Hunt star as husband-and-wife meteorologists, Bill and Jo Harding, leading a group of storm chasers around the country following tornadoes. But the plot gimmick is that they're in the process of getting a divorce. Bill is only along because he wants Jo to sign final papers releasing him to marry his fiancee, Melissa, played by Jami Gertz. And Melissa is only along for the ride. Their bickering momentarily takes our minds off the fact that the movie is really just about computer graphics and 5.1 sonics.

Anyway, the goal of the team is to gather enough information about tornadoes to create an early-warning system that will prevent deaths like the one that claimed Jo's father. Following our heroes is another scientist, a bad guy named Dr. Jonas Miller, played by Cary Elwes, and his team of wicked, corporate-funded scientists, all of whom drive around in evil-looking black vans. Never mind any of this. Just pay attention to the amazing visuals and the spectacular surround sound, which, needless to say, you can't avoid doing in any case.

Audio:
The Dolby Digital 5.1 audio is the disc's preeminent feature, not surprising considering that director Jan de Bont had worked on equally outstanding sound in the movie "Speed" a couple of years before. The sound here is of demonstration quality. Channel localization is superb, transient response is quick and clear, voices are rendered naturally, frequency range is extensive, and bass is prodigiously served up for your subwoofer. Compared to the older release, the audio output is about a half a dozen decibels louder, but measuring the opening storm sequence with a sound meter, the dynamic range is no wider. I can't imagine what DTS could do to improve the situation. Oddly, Warner Brothers make no big deal of the DTS feature. They only mention it in the bottom back corner of the keep case where the tiny letters DTS are followed by the even-tinier lettering "English: 5.1 audio track." Maybe they don't want to confuse buyers into thinking the disc can only be played on DTS equipment.

Video:
The picture still looks decent enough, too, although it retains the same grain as the old transfer. Beyond that, a condition that can be ameliorated somewhat by the sharpness control, the 2.35:1 ratio anamorphic widescreen image is certainly vivid, if somewhat dark and murky at times. There is no pan-and-scan option this time out and no mention of THX mastering.

Extras:
The new edition of "Twister" comes with some welcome bonus items. There's a commentary track by director Jan de Bont and visual effects supervisor Stefen Fangmeier that is informative without being either cute or surly as some commentaries can be. There's a thirteen-minute documentary called "The Making of Twister" that helps to explain the film's creative processes and a second, eight-minute documentary titled "Anatomy of the Twister" that adds further illumination to the subject. And there's a loud, noisy music video, Van Halen's "Humans Being," thrown into the mix, along with cast and crew biographies, scene selections, and two theatrical trailers. English and French are the spoken language choices, and English, French, and Spanish are the subtitles.

Parting Thoughts:
"Twister" is a great film to listen to and, for the most part, to look at, especially its state-of-the-art computer-generated visuals. Maybe if the cast had been digitally generated, as the tornadoes, cows, barns, tractors, and trees were, it would have enhanced the story. As it is, the plot seems entirely computer generated. But enough. I recommend the film highly, if only to impress the uninitiated. Just keep the volume under control, or you'll have more neighbors at your door than you can handle.