Product Description

The Superbit titles utilize a special high bit rate digital encoding process which optimizes video quality while offering a choice of both DTS and Dolby Digital 5.1 audio. These titles have been produced by a team of Sony Pictures Digital Studios video, sound and mastering engineers and comes housed in a special package complete with a 4 page booklet that contains technical information on the Superbit process. By reallocating space on the disc normally used for value-added content, Superbit DVDs can be encoded at double their normal bit rate while maintaining full compatibility with the DVD video format.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #52632 in DVD
• Brand: SONY PICTURES HOME ENT
• Released on: 2003-05-13
• Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
• Formats: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, DVD, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Georgian, Thai
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: 1.00 pounds
• Running time: 98 minutes

Amazon.com essential video
This imaginative summer comedy from director Barry Sonnenfeld (Get Shorty) is a lot of fun, largely on the strength of Will Smith's engaging performance as the rookie partner of a secret agent (Tommy Lee Jones) assigned to keep tabs on Earth-dwelling extraterrestrials. There's lots of comedy to spare in this bright film, some of the funniest stuff found in the margins of the major action. (A scene with Smith's character being trounced in the distance by a huge alien while Jones questions a witness is a riot.) The inventiveness never lets up, and the cast--including Vincent D'Onofrio doing frighteningly convincing work as an alien occupying a decaying human--hold up their end splendidly. --Tom Keogh

DVD features
Men in Black is one movie that has been issued in so many different DVD editions it's hard to keep them straight. The latest version is the Superbit edition, which, like other DVDs in the Superbit series, offers subtle visual and audio improvements over the version of the movie included on other DVDs. The anamorphic picture in the Superbit version is cleaner than that of the anamorphic track offered in other DVDs of this movie, though in all versions occasional grain is visible in shots of the sky. Overall, though, the picture is quite impressive with its deep, rich blacks and saturated colors. The additional DTS soundtrack on the Superbit version is very similar to the Dolby Digital 5.1 tracks issued on this and other editions of the movie, though slightly more balanced throughout.

Fans of Men in Black have a variety of editions to choose from. This is the version for video- and audiophiles who don't mind the lack of extra goodies. --Eugene Wei

Customer Reviews

Even the Collector's Series is PACKED!
I see many people have beat me to reviewing the movie, so I'll review the DVD(s). First of all, if you haven't played the DVDs, you don't know what you're missing! Compare the greatest DVD you've seen before with either of these two and you'll see just how many features we have here! The Collectors' Series has features like the two theatrical trailers for MIB, visual (or audio) commentary, a behind-the-scenes featurette, a behind-the-scenes look at the metamorphosis of MIB, the deconstruction of the tunnel scene, and studies of the 3 main CGI creatures: the Jeebs head transformation, the worm guys (carrying the cigarettes), the opening scene revelation of Mikey, extended and alternate scenes, a mess of storyboards, storyboard-to-film comparisons, behind-the-scenes photos, and conceptual art, and the music video. As you can see, this is one CRAMMED single-layer disc. But only buy the so-called "Limited Edition" if you're a DVD fan that will go to ends of the earth to get a ridiculous amount of features (some of which you won't even want) on a DVD (or two) for it. Also, only get it if you're a reluctant DVD owner and you hate having to watch movies in anything but fullscreen. Because all the Limited Edition has more is the fullscreen presentation, the Edgar Bug Fight scene deconstruction, a few extra conceptual art and the so-called "scene-editing workshop". If you're willing to pay so much extra for only those features, feel free, but you can get 3/4 of the features of the Limited Edition on the Collectors' Series and save a lot of money.

A great movie and an even better and loaded DVD!!!
Wow! This limited edition isn't limited in features. Disc one has the wide and full screen versions, visual commentry with Barry Sonnenfeld and Tommy Lee Jones and a technical audio commentry with Sonnenfeld, Rick Baker & the ILM team; this feature is exclusive to the limited edition version. Throw in the standards like the sound setups: English 5.1, english 2-channel (Dolby Surround) and french (Dolby Surround) and subtitles that include english, french, spanish, cantonese and mandarin, and that wraps up disc one! Disc Two is loaded! I can't list them all or I will use up all my space, so I will list the major ones. There is a 3 scene editing workshop which allows you to become the filmmaker, so to speak. You get to edit 3 chosen scenes that were filmed in a lot of different angles and then watch the final cut. Sonnenfeld will also descibe his own editing process. Next, there is a Edgar bug fight scene deconstruction using different angles. Then you have "concept to creation" creatures feature and art and production photo gallery. There are extended & deleted scenes, storyboard comparisons, a documentary, a music video, DVD & web links, trailers, talent files and more! Whew! I said there was a lot, and as you can see, I wasn't exaggerating. Throw in a booklet and letter from Sonnenfeld and small poster which may be signed by the artists and you have a DVD with enough features to keep you entertained and busy. Quickly, the transfer was beautiful and, of course, the movie is great. This movie was one of my favorite Will Smith roles. Aside from the comedy woven into the script, the special effects were great! This is a must have for any fan of the movie or comic book! Enjoy!

Don't spend the extra money for this version!
There's no need for me to write about this movie. Many before have done so, and many will follow, with the usual, "It's a great movie" stuff. And, unfortunately, this info will get buried with the reviews that follow. But I hope a few of you get a chance to read it before it slides back into the next pages.

For the extra bucks you pay for this Limited Edition of one of my all-time favorite movies, here's what you get: a pasteboard box (NOT a plastic keep case!) with the disk info on the back attached with something a little more sticky than spit. That was my first, and very lasting, impression.

The extra disk, while briefly amusing, was a disappointment. The part where the Edgar Bug Fight scene (and the MiB car transformation scene) is deconstructed "using angles" merely allows you to switch through five presentations from storyboard through final edit. By using the angle button you actually destroy the evolution; if you allow it to play it will start the sequence again at the next level.

The long-awaited editing workshop is a joke. You are given three different scenes, each with three shots. Then make one of three choices for each shot and play the results. Looks good on paper, but it's actually much less interesting. Quite tedious.

There is an extra audio commentary track, but how many times do you actually watch a movie with the commentary track turned on? And if you want to watch the music video, you have to go to the second disk.

This is a GREAT movie. But the only way I can recommend this version is if you absolutely have to have the full screen presentation, which is unavailable on the "cheaper" model.