Film

Monster’s Ball is one of the grittiest and most depressing movies you will ever see. Halle Berry’s Academy Award winning performance is now revisited in this Lions Gate Signature Series DVD release. This release features an extended cut of the film… but don’t blink, the added footage (all during the notorious and raw sex scene) lasts for only one additional minute.

“MONSTER’S BALL is a hard hitting Southern drama tempered by a story of powerful, life-changing love. It is the…story of Hank (Billy Bob Thornton), an embittered prison guard working on Death Row who begins an unlikely, but emotionally charged affair with Leticia (Halle Berry), the wife of a man he has just executed.” – Lions Gate

Audio

As far as I could tell, this release features the same Dolby Digital 5.1 mix used in the original release. That being said, this track is still very good. The subtle soundtrack is smooth, and the soundstage is used wonderfully. The sound dispersion and separation is very clean, and the dialog is precise.

Video

As is the case with the audio, the video transfer is the same used in the prior release. There is very little damage to the print by the way of debris and grain, and the raw feeling of the film is maintained nicely. The skin tones look natural and both the colors and darks are very accurate.

Special Features

The main difference between this release and its predecessor is the extras. This disc contains brand new special features constructed for this Signature Series release.

The new audio commentary includes Director Marc Forster and the 2 co-writers. The insight from the writers is quite interesting, but the entire track seems quite contrived. The track seems to be driven by the Director… trying to prompt the other commentators to share their thoughts. This “prompting” makes the commentary seem unnatural, and undetached. I much preferred the two commentary tracks on the prior edition of Monster’s Ball.

The Sundance Anatomy of a Scene is a wonderful addition to this disc. This featurette walks the viewer through the execution sequence in the film with a fine tooth comb. Unlike many featurettes like this, you will find yourself very interested and educated by this 24 minute program.

Another extra that is far above average is the in-depth discussion with Producer Lee Daniels. This is one of the best interviews that I have seen on DVD. Daniels holds an 18 minute candid conversation about the film… from the films conception, to casting, to the final product. This is one of the few interviews that captivated my attention from start to finish.

This disc also includes a 20 minute set of interviews with the cast and crew. These are your basic interviews, and not overly entertaining. Lastly, you will find the films theatrical trailer, and a series of menus that are far less impressive then the previous release.