BLU-RAY REVIEW: THE GREEN MILE / CERT: 18 / DIRECTOR: FRANK DARABONT / SCREENPLAY: FRANK DARABONT / STARRING: TOM HANKS, MICHAEL CLARKE DUNCAN, DAVID MORSE, BONNIE HUNT / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW
The best film that opens with Tom Hanks pissing has again hit the shelves in a slightly more extravagant Blu-ray edition. So grab yourself a nice cup of Coffey, sit down with your battered copy of Stephen King’s original serialised novel, and bemoan how this three-hour adaptation isn’t faithful to the original. Or something. How you watch this superb film is your business.
For those who have not yet walked The Green Mile, it’s a gripping and tragic Depression-era tale of a prison guard (Hanks) who has the unpleasant task of executing a man (Duncan) who might be an honest-to-God miracle. It’s three hours long and totally worth every minute.
Let’s get down to the nuts and bolts: the picture quality is immensely improved from the crappy DVD you bought for a couple of quid that time. There is little to no digital noise on the picture, leaving it as clear as if you were watching it in the cinema for the first time.
Also on this disc is an insightful and funny commentary on the film by director Frank Darabont, who goes into detail about some of the things that you probably missed. Accompanying it are several featurettes (taken from an earlier release) and little nuggets of footage, such as screen tests and trailers. Locked in solitary on the second disc is a significantly extended version of Walking the Mile, the making-of documentary that’s on the first disc. Why anyone would watch the edited version when this cut exists baffles us.
In the end, the improved picture quality and wealth of special features shouldn’t make a difference to whether you watch this. It is one of the best adaptations ever made (beaten only by Darabont’s earlier adaptation of The Shawshank Redemption) and features several great actors working at the top of their game. If you haven’t seen this film, you need to. If you have, you may as well pick up the Blu-ray and watch it again.
Special Features: Commentary by Frank Darabont / Twelve featurettes inc. screen tests / Extended “Walking the Mile” making-of documentary / Trailers
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Find your local STARBURST stockist HERE, or buy direct from us HERE. For our digital edition (available to read on your iOS, Android, Amazon, Windows 8, Samsung and/or Huawei device – all for just £1.99), visit MAGZTER DIGITAL NEWSSTAND.
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