听 The film alone is a good reason to want to own the heartbreaking "Iris" on DVD, but such a successful movie easily deserves a more interesting disc
TECHNICAL FEATURES
Picture For such a new movie, it's somewhat of a shock to see odd flecks of print damage crop up occasionally. Otherwise the palette of muted tones looks excellent in this transfer.
Sound The 5.1 sound mix on this DVD is excellent at absorbing you into the heart of the film with highly atmospheric effects. Capable of both subtlety and power, especially during rainstorms, this track adds a lot to the movie.
SPECIAL FEATURES
A Look at "Iris" At 14 minutes, this is indeed no more than a look at the film, but it's still well worth watching. All the actors interviewed steer clear of patronising descriptions of the characters they play, instead discussing what they gleaned from research of Iris Murdoch, and what they then tried to bring to the movie.
Director Richard Eyre was keen to avoid making a film about illness, preferring to concentrate on the central relationship. To this end, showing both Iris and John Bayley in their youth was important to Richard, as he could then demonstrate to the audience what was being lost to the ravages of Alzheimer's.
A Special Message Actor David Hyde Pierce (Niles in TV sitcom Frasier) talks briefly about Alzheimer's in his family, the symptoms to look out for in people you know, and what to do if you suspect they may have the disease.
Additional Extra Features Also on the DVD is an advert for the soundtrack CD.
TECHNICAL INFORMATION:
Region: 2
Chapters: 14
Ratio: 1.85:1 (anamorphic)
Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1
Audio Tracks: Multiple languages
Subtitles: English and multiple languages
Captions: English
Menus: Animated with music
Special Features Subtitles: None of the special features come with subtitles.
This DVD was reviewed on a JVC XV-S57 DVD player.
