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Starcrash lands on Blu-ray as a two-disc set, with several special features found on disc one, and a host of additional extras located on a second DVD disc. Disc one features a pair of audio commentary tracks which are the unquestioned highlight of the Starcrash special features bonanza. The first is dubbed History of 'Starcrash:' Making of the Film & Its Importance in 1970s Fantastic Cinema, while the second is labeled as Scene by Scene: Production Trivia, Anecdotes & Critical Analysis. Both feature Starcrash historian Steven Romano sharing his vast knowledge of the picture and covering the movie from most every angle conceivable. He believes he's seen the film no less than 500 times (that works out to about 750 hours or a little over a month of his life), and considering his seemingly unending knowledge of all things Starcrash, one can't doubt that figure. To be succinct, both tracks are nothing less than marvelous listens. In Romano's own words, the first track covers "the history of fantastic film in the 1970s, the background of the key players involved in the making of 'Starcrash,' a bullet point analysis of how the picture was made and where it stands historically." Track two contains "scene notes, trivia bits, anecdotes, [and] critical analysis." Both tracks are easy to become lost in; they're so well-spoken, so informative, and delivered with nothing but an honest and deep love for the material that one can't help but find a whole new appreciation for the film through Romano's words. Romano never pretends that Starcrash is some all-time great picture in the same vein as The Godfather or Bridge on the River Kwai; instead he shares his thoughts on why the picture is a classic within its own little realm. Needless to say, both tracks are must-listens and alone make this set worth buying. Disc one continues with a pair of featurettes. Interview with Luigi Cozzi (1080p, 41:24) is another impressive piece that features the film's director passionately and with a fondness for the history of the film discussing the origins of his fascination with Science Fiction and Monster movies, similarities to and the influence of Star Wars, the casting, his screenplay, the influences of Ray Harryhausen pictures on the film, John Barry's soundtrack, the picture's release, and talks of a sequel. Next is The Music of John Barry: Commentary of the Score by Composer Mars of Deadhouse Music (1080p, 12:55), a piece that features the deadhousemusic.com founder sharing his thoughts on John Barry's score. He speaks over both parts of the score and still images and footage from the film. Five photo galleries (1080p) are next: Designs, Storyboards, Behind-the-Scenes, Promotional Artwork, and Fan Artwork. Rounding out the extras on disc one is the Starcrash theatrical trailer (1080p, 2:36), the trailer with Joe Dante commentary (1080p, 2:36), the trailer with Eli Roth commentary courtesy of trailersfromhell.com (1080p, 2:58), the French language trailer (1080p, 2:56), a Starcrash TV spot (1080p, 0:32), and several Starcrash radio spots (1080p, 1:33). Disc two is a DVD with a host of additional Starcrash content, beginning with a collection of 17 deleted and alternate scenes (480p, 36:36). Interview with Caroline Munroe (480p, 1:13:00) is a relatively new and extensive piece that features the actress who played "Stella Star" recounting her career, with emphasis, of course, on her work in Starcrash. Next is Making of the Special Effects by Armondo Valcauda (With Exclusive Never Before Seen Footage) (480p, 24:00). Not just another interview piece, this supplement features Valcauda's text recounting his early work and his contributions to Stracrash appearing over a series of still behind-the-scenes photographs and accompanied by music. What's nice about a supplement like this is that viewers have a chance to see a cast member's career progression leading to his work on Starcrash, rather than the piece simply focusing on the snapshot that was his efforts on Luigi Cozzi's film. Behind the Scenes Footage with Commentary (480p, 19:48) features raw home video footage taken on the set, accompanied by verbal observations recounting the story behind the footage. Rounding out the extras found on disc two is the Starcrash original screenplay, illustrated with storyboards and concept art. This supplement is only accesible through a PC or Mac equipped with a DVD drive. Inside Starcrash's Blu-ray case is reversible cover art and a full-color booklet that primarily features All the Stars in the Universe, a nine-page essay penned by the disc's commentary star, Steven Romano. |
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