According to the press release, there will be a few different ways to get your DVD. On Dec 26th 2007, you can have the standard, single disc DVD or you can get the two disc standard or Blu-ray format. Listed only as “coming shortly thereafter�, will be the HD DVD which will have the same features as the Blu-Ray. I think it’s a little unfair that the Blu-ray is being released first, but for those of you who have and love the look of high def, trust me it’s worth the wait If you absolutely cannot wait to get your hands on it, the standard two disc set will have the same features as the HD and Blu-ray but it will not have an interactive menu or “Internet Connectivity Experience�, nor will it have the “Enhanced Visual Commentary�.

Oh and to make in more confusing, only the HD will have the “Internet Connectivity Experience.â€? And of course in standard you won’t get the picture to be clear enough to look like you are looking out a window at the action rather than looking at a television screen. Ahhh, HD-TV … once you go flat you never go back.

The single disc is very bare-bones and contains only the trailer and previews of upcoming New Line films.

The film is in wide screen (2.35:1). The sound is available in either Dolby Digital 5.1 EX or 6.1 DTS. There are closed captions for the hearing impaired as well as English and Spanish subtitles. These stats are the same on the single or two disc version of the film.The transfer looks fantastic. (The single disc will not come in HD or Blu-ray) While I did not receive an HD disc, the picture still looks so sharp and clear that you can practically do a thread count on the costumes when it is played in an HD machine and screened on an HD television.

Now for the fun stuff. I can’t imagine why anyone would want to buy the single disc when you can enjoy all these extras:

COMMENTARY BY BRETT RATNER AND JEFF NATHANSON

*The Blu-ray and HD versions will have an “Enhanced Visual Commentary.�

*Brett had wanted the film to start in NY since the last film ended there, but New Line would not allow it due to budget constraints.

*Brett got an education in the simpler “Hong Kong way� of making special effects. When Sun Ming Ming could not move his foot fast enough, Jackie created a fake leg using a pant leg from Sun Ming Ming’s wardrobe, a stick and one of Sun’s shoes. Also to make his foot look even bigger as it came toward the camera, Jackie fixed the problem by cutting a piece of paper slightly bigger than his shoe and taping it to the bottom of his foot.

*The song that Jackie and Chris sing at the Follies was originally going to be Lionel Richie’s “Hello�.

*Jackie came up with the idea of Youki Kudoh having a fan with knives inserted in it.

*The scene which everyone (myself included) thought was an homage to Rear Window, was actually to Marathon Man.

*The idea for the flag escape from the Eiffel Tower came about when they were scouting the site and thinking what they could do with a flag. The wind increased and actually picked someone up a little, and an idea was born.

*The French Government had rules in place so that shots made on the Eiffel Tower had to be shot between midnight and 6 am. Even the equipment could not be moved up onto it until then. Even with the many restrictions they had, they did let Jackie actually leap onto the elevator cables.

*The baby that Jackie runs to the window with in the outtake is the daughter of Brett’s assistant (also his godchild)

by Lisa Clemens.

For the rest of the interview please see SCREEN POWER VOL. 8, ISSUE 3