"Star Wars: Episode III -- Revenge of the Sith" (List price: $29.98)
Release Date: Nov. 1
When "Revenge of the Sith" hit theaters last May, the most successful film franchise in history concluded with a big, box-office bang.
The final installment in the "Star Wars" saga became the top-grossing movie of 2005 and now stands as the seventh highest money-maker of all time, having amassed more than $380 million in domestic ticket sales. With the holidays looming, the "Revenge of the Sith" DVD is destined to make even more millions, no assistance from The Force needed.
Fortunately for "Star Wars" fans, this two-disc set will make a respectable addition to the library of Skywalker-related releases already occupying space on their entertainment center shelves. Like its DVD predecessors, the film looks sharp, sounds superb and comes with an arsenal of extras, including six deleted scenes, several documentaries and a commentary track. All of it is bound to keep Yoda disciples occupied for hours on end.
Of course, one's level of interest in those bonus features will depend largely on one's degree of Darth Vader devotion. Viewers disappointed in actor Hayden Christensen's transformation from upstanding Jedi to heavy-breathing-doer-of-all-Evil may not care to listen to the only-occasionally-interesting commentary track from director George Lucas, producer Rick McCallum and other artists who worked on the film. Lifelong Darth-heads, on the other hand, will relish every moment, particularly the lengthy documentary "Within a Minute," which examines the creation of the climactic Mustafar light saber duel between Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Since "Revenge of the Sith" is the final "Star Wars" movie, many will feel compelled to own it on DVD, if only for the sake of closure. The good news is that most of them should be satisfied with the purchase. Closure, on the other hand, may be harder to come by. Now that all the "Star Wars" chapters are on DVD, you can bet your Boba Fett action figure that more special editions, reissues and box sets will arrive not long from now, in a galaxy not very far away.
Most Detailed Bonus Point: The previously mentioned "Within a Minute" spends close to an hour and 20 minutes introducing the members of every department involved in the filmmaking process. It makes for an impressive cinematic education, but viewers with shorter attention spans may wonder why they need to become acquainted with the crew on the catering staff. For them, the 15-part series of short Web documentaries -- all of which previously appeared on starwars.com -- should feed their featurette fix.
Most Spielbergian Bonus Point: The last deleted scene on the DVD shows Yoda's spaceship landing on Dagobah, the planet where Luke Skywalker finds him in "The Empire Strikes Back." It's unclear whether Lucas intended this, but when the hatch opens to reveal Yoda, bathed in light and standing at the top of the ship's ramp, the moment plays like a twist on the farewell scene from "E.T." Maybe that's why Steven Spielberg was so effusive in his praise for "Revenge of the Sith."
Also New on DVD This Week: "Millions" and "Sex and the City: The Complete Series."
If you have feedback about "Bonus Points" or want to suggest a DVD for review, e-mail Jen Chaney.
