Revisiting FANTASTIC FOUR

Once in a while — and by that I mean not all that often — a “special edition” DVD re-issue shows up that really is special. Sure, this new two-disc extended cut of 2005’s Fantastic Four was released to cash in on and promote the release next week of its sequel. But damn it all, this thing rocks! If you enjoyed this film and purchased the original DVD, this new version with extras is worth buying. If you love the comic book series but didn’t like the movie, this new DVD is still worth buying for the extras alone. The package includes both the theatrical cut and the extended (by 20 minutes) cut; the original version features the cast commentary from the 2005 DVD and the new version includes all-new commentary from the director, producers, and screenwriters. The extras on Disc 2 are dynamite. They include an excellent hour-long documentary about the 47-year history of The World’s Greatest Comic Magazine, featuring interviews with almost everybody who ever touched the book, and a wonderful 65-minute feature on the great Jack Kirby that really belongs in the library of anyone who ever bought a Marvel comic in the 1960s.

Get psyched for next week’s Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. Pick this baby up.