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The Sixth Sense
DVD Review by Yanman |
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"I see dead people" O.K. there --we did it-- we used "that quote". We said we wouldn't, but we just had to, it really was the best fit. Now, with that out of the way, we can get on with the review of one of the hottest movies of summer 1999. This suspenseful thriller is well acted right up to its surprising end. Can a twelve-year-old give the performance of a lifetime? It will be very hard for Haley Joel Osment to top his Oscar nominated performance in the future; of this, you can be sure. Above average video, haunting Dolby Digital sound, and a number of high quality extras are on this Buena Vista Home Entertainment DVD. Dr. Malcolm Crowe (Bruce Willis) is an award winning child psychologist in the city of Philadelphia. The same never-ending work ethic that has won him the award however, has also started to come between him and his wife, or as she puts it, he has "put everything second"-- including her. When one of his past patients pays him an unexpected visit however, things get worse not better. When the good doctor meets Cole Star, (the brilliant Haley Joel Osment) he is taken off guard by the secret that is haunting this scared and confused eight-year-old. You see, Cole has been um, "blessed" with the sixth sense, the ability to see ghosts that don't know they are dead, walking around among the living. Can Dr. Malcolm exercise his own demons and avoid making the same mistake twice? The Anamorphic 1.85:1 video is very clear, but there are a limited number of the small white spots that people have pointed out in the past on our message boards. While this is understandable (at least to some degree) with older films, it is impossible to explain why there would be any flaws when the picture was released to theaters just eight short months ago. That aside, the picture quality is still way above average. The haunting music (or is it some weird voices made to sound like music as pointed out in the extra entitled Music And Sound Design) fills the room and compliments the creepiness of the film. The 5.1 Dolby Digital soundtrack does its job well. While not really exploring its deeper side, my guess it will make you jump in all the right places, and isn't that what a thriller's score is supposed to achieve? There should be a big warning sticker on this DVD package that states "Warning: the extras on this DVD will giveaway key plot points, and the film's ending, view the movie in its entirety prior to watching any of the extras." While that may always be good advice, here it is mandatory in order to avoid ruining the movie for first time viewers. With that said, there are some good extras here including deleted scenes, storyboard walkthrough, and a conversation with the director. It takes a great movie to make a great DVD and The Sixth Sense is unquestionably both, with great performances by Willis and Osment coming completely alive on this digital format. Truly a collector's edition you'll be glad to own. Is it just me or did it just get cold in here?
This DVD was reviewed on Yanman.com's Reference Theater #1, using a Toshiba SD-5109 DVD player, Toshiba TW56X81, and M&K 750 THX Speakers. Panamax protects all systems at Yanman.com. |
Warning: the extras on this DVD will giveaway key plot points Staring: Bruce Willis Directed By: M. Night Shyamalan Running time: 107 Min. Bonus Materials
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