This summer’s blockbusters keep rolling in. This one was one of the first to hit theaters for the season and pulled in about $480 million worldwide. It’s the sequel to The Da Vinci Code, even though the book this film is based on is the predecessor of the book that film was based on. If you like playing mind games like these, you’ll want to pick up Angels & Demons on DVD or Blu-ray when it hit stores on November 24th.
Tom Hanks returns as symbologist Robert Langdon in Ron Howard’s The Da Vinci Code follow-up. This time Langdon has to track down four Cardinals kidnapped by the Illuminati, an underground secret society who threaten to kill one Cardinal each hour, culminating with the destruction of the Vatican at midnight.
Each buying option comes at a hefty price, but packs a heavy punch. The single-disc DVD, two-disc DVD, and the two-disc BD all come with a quartet of featurettes, three of which illuminate every angle of the film, from the process of adapting Dan Brown’s book to the cast’s experience making the film. Exclusive to the two-disc DVD and BD is the extended version of the film and four more bonus elements: one about props, a behind-the-scenes featurette, a piece on the ambigram artist, and a music-studio element. The music studio actually sounds pretty cool; it lets you manipulate Hans Zimmer’s original track to create your own version of the score.
The single-disc DVD costs $28.96, the two-disc DVD $36.95, and the BD version $39.95. The single-disc is enough for me, but if you’re a fan of the films and the books you might want to upgrade. If you have BD capabilities, I’d just go all out and get the two-disc BD. For just $5 more you get some interactive features and a digital copy of the film.
1-Disc Theatrical DVD Bonus Features Include
- “Rome Was Not Built in a Day” - The Filmmakers share their secrets to creating the world of Angels & Demons
- “Writing Angels & Demons” - Dan Brown and the screenwriters discuss adapting his bestselling book into a movie
- “Characters in Search of the True Story” - The cast share their experiences of bringing Dan Brown’s characters to the screen
- “CERN: Pushing the Frontiers of Knowledge” - A look at one of the world’s largest and most respected scientific research centers
2-Disc Extended DVD Bonus Features Include
All special features included on the single-disc DVD, plus:
- “Handling Props” - The filmmakers discuss bringing the props from Dan Brown’s book to life
- “Angels & Demons: The Full Story” - A complete behind-the-scenes look at making the film
- “This is an Ambigram” - Meet ambigram artist John Langdon the inspiration for Dan Brown’s leading character
- Hans Zimmer Music Studio Powered by Sequel 2
2-Disc Blu-ray Special Features Include
All special features on the 2-Disc Extended DVD, plus the following Blu-ray exclusives:
- Both Theatrical and Extended Film Versions
- 5.1 DTS-HD MA Audio
- MovieIQ - Fans can immediately access continuously updated information on cast and crew and explore relevant trivia such as production facts, music and soundtrack information all tied to scenes within the movie
- Cinechat — Send on-screen instant messages to your friends around the world while you watch the movie together
- “The Path of Illumination” - Follow Robert Langdon’s journey through Rome and see if you can unlock the path of illumination
- A Digital Copy of the Film for PC, PSP®, Mac or iPod
