2-Disc SE DVD
Zodiac (2008)
R1 / NTSC DVD
Paramount / 2008
Director: David Fincher
Writers: James Vanderbilt, Robert Graysmith
Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Robert Downey Jr, Mark Ruffalo, Chloë Sevigny, Brian Cox,
Review by Vaughn Drake
As true as possible account of the Zodiac killer that terrified California three decades ago. Easily the best treatment of the Zodiac on film, and based on the detective work of Robert Graysmith and his best selling novel. No one knows for sure who the Zodiac actually was, but this film takes you on a wild ride and lays out its case on who it very well could have been.
Amazing performances by all involved, but Robert Downy Jr, Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo and especially Charles Fleischer—one of films creepiest performances ever—stand out, and you have to wonder why none of them were nominated for Oscars. In fact, how was this film not nominated for anything!?
David Fincher, director of Se7en and Fight Club, meticulously put this together originally, then cut it up, added and subtracted scenes and lines, for this release. The most obvious change is the minute long black screen with only music cues to keep you entertained, to show the passage of time.
Flat out one of 2007’s best movies, but when it was first released on DVD in 2007, it did not get the red carpet treatment, and was in fact it was extremely bare bones. This 2008 2-Disk release is the red carpet, 5 star, and among the best and comprehensive DVD releases ever. Hyperbole? Maybe, but it’s fantastic. So fantastic that the near perfect theatrical cut of the movie may very well be overshadowed by the somehow improved directors cut and all the special features contained on the disks.
The one drawback to this release is the price point, it’s far more expensive then the average two disk release, but thankfully the extensive selection of featurettes and commentaries make it a little easier on the wallet.
Don’t let the cost of this release influence your decision on buying it. If you are at all interested in Fincher or the Zodiac killer, this edition is well worth your money for the special features, and or course the movie itself is fantastic. Zodiac Deciphered The Visual Effects of Zodiac.
