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Braveheart DVD

© J. Marcus Ross

Booming, dynamic tale of 13th-century Scottish rebel warrior William Wallace, who leads an outnumbered resistance to the tyrannical, rule of English King Edward I (McGoohan). Gibson succeeds in telling a gripping personal story that grows to epic proportions through a series of eye-popping, brain bashing, and tissue tearing battle scenes. The scenes of hand-to-hand combat are brutally violent, but they never glorify the bloodshed. Winner of Academy Awards for Best Picture, Director, Cinematography (John Toll), Makeup, and Sound Effects Editing

Extremely moving, it reveals Gibson as a multitalented performer and remarkable director with an eye for detail and an understanding of human emotion. In his engaging and amusing audio commentary , Mel Gibson expresses his deep appreciation of his cast and collaborators. "I fell in love a little bit," Gibson states when he cast at the time-newcomer Catherine McCormack.

Mel Gibson, actor/director conveys a true passion for the story and a firm understanding of the period history that informed the entire production. The accompanying documentary, Mel Gibson's "Braveheart": A Filmmaker's Passion, is a 28-minute promotional film with behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with primary cast and crew.

Particularly interesting are sequences revealing the equipment required for the epic battle scenes, including air cannons for firing dozens of arrows, and costly mechanical horses created to simulate animal-related violence. Viewers will especially admire the considerable challenge of filming in Europe's rainiest region, Scotland, where inclement weather ultimately enhanced the film's authenticity.

This is a must own for all DVD owners. The picture quality is remarkable from the Scottish highlands to the blood strewn battlefields of Falkirk. This edition is special enhanced for widescreen viewers with the 16X9 screen option. The dynamic sounds effects of thundering cavalry riding over Scottish infantry or the swish of passing arrows from archers is brought to life by the Dolby Digital (5.1 Surround Sound)tracks.

While this DVD is not as feature rich as Men In Black or Independence day; what the DVD format promises to viewers is delivered. Superior picture and sound quality and a delightful commentary by Mel Gibson makes this a must own for any DVD enthusiast. Overall rating DVD-7 Movie-9 (on a 1-10 scale)