2-disc special edition Tagged Articles at Cinematical

OK, the first thing I noticed was the lack of an audio commentary of any kind. I mean, Jon Favreau and Robert Downey Jr. are certainly known for their affable and garrulous nature -- and they're also damn funny guys. So I was definitely looking forward to a chat track with Favreau, Downey and Jeff Bridges -- with maybe an alternate track for the producers / screenwriters / etc. -- but I can only assume those commentaries are being postponed for a later DVD. (And I checked: No commentaries on the Blu-Ray release either.)

So with that minor and very nerdly disappointment out of the way, I dug into the other stuff. And wouldn't you know it? The 2-disc Iron Man Special Edition is every bit the fantastic package that this movie deserves. Will the film warrant a big, fat THREE-discer once Iron Man 2 rolls around? Almost definitely. But that's a few years away, and for twenty bucks you can get a whole lot of Marvel-ous fun out of this set.

On disc one we have the 125-minute feature film in glorious 16x9 widescreen. Also included on this disc are about 18 minutes of deleted bits and extended scenes. Nothing too revelatory, but there are some nice exchanges and interesting takes here. Best of all, none of the excised sequences make you wanna smack someone and go "D'oh! That shoulda been in the movie!!" Plus we get a bunch of promos for Star Trek, Indiana Jones, The Incredible Hulk, and the animated series Iron Man: Armored Adventures.

Ahhh, but then we get to Disc Two!

Sweeney Todd deserved a better fate. Sure, sure, it's a very fine film -- and that's really all that matters when all is said and done, but I can't help but think its domestic box office tally (just over $50 million) and its Oscar nomination haul (lead actor, art direction and costume design) should have been a little ... well, bigger. But I suppose it's tough to sell a big-budget horror musical, even if it is based on a very popular stage play AND showcases movie star Johnny Depp in a really (ahem) unique light.

Fans of the flick will be pleased to learn that Tim Burton's Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street will be available to own (via shiny disc) on the first of April. Choose between a single-disc release (which includes one "making-of" documentary) or a extras-laden double-disc edition that comes with a BUNCH of featurettes, photo galleries, trailers and a Moviefone Unscripted piece, which is cool because we love Moviefone! Neither DVD package will include an audio commentary, unfortunately for those who love audio commentaries. Like me. Oh, but the 2-discer will be making an appearance in my collection. Book that.

[ Thanks to DVDActive.com. Check out the cover art! ]