‘The Iron Giant: Signature Edition’ Blu-ray

Category: Blu-ray's and DVD's


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The Iron Giant is about a lonely little boy, Hogarth Hughes (voiced by Eli Marienthal), who finds a metal giant (Vin Diesel) that becomes his best friend for life. When it was released in theaters it tanked at the box office, yet audiences and critics raved about the movie. The new Signature Edition includes two new scenes as well as a new documentary with Director Brad Bird who takes viewers through the process of how this little film came to be.

“We’re tremendously gratified by the ever-growing status of The Iron Giant, which was a labor of love for those of us who made it,” said director Brad Bird. “It seems like a perfect time to give the film’s large and expanding fan-base the deluxe Blu-ray they’ve long been asking for.”

The year is 1957. The cold war is running hot. Sputnik is orbiting the earth. Paranoia about the Russians is everywhere. So when authorities hear something has landed in Maine, agent Kent Mansley (Christopher McDonald) comes to get to the bottom of the mystery.

Hogarth knows his new friend will be a target if found, so he hides the giant with the help of a “beatnik” artist named Dean (Harry Connick Jr.) Meanwhile, Hogarth’s mother (Jennifer Aniston) is worries about her son’s extravagant imagination. A giant robot? Who would believe that?

“You are who you want to be” is the main theme in the story. The giant turns into a killing machine when provoked but Hogarth knows there is a sensitive soul inside the metal man and tells him he doesn’t have to be bad. He can be good – like Superman. And the theme of selfless friendship is also a major part of the film as well as the idea that souls never die.

“The Giant’s Dream” is a new documentary looking at the making of the film from inception to today. Viewers learn how the lack of publicity on the part of the studio was responsible for the film tanking at the box office. The life and career of Director Brad Bird, with his failures and successes, is another interesting aspect of the documentary.
At age 14 Bird created his first animated film. He then became a young intern at Disney and the studio gave him a scholarship to Cal Arts where he perfected his talent. He said he was “fascinated by animation” from his childhood and his entire life has been directed toward that genre.

This edition includes the Signature Edition of the film as well as the original theatrical release. There are also some featurettes about different aspects of the film.

The Iron Giant is rated PG for fantasy action violence, language, some thematic material, and smoking. There are a few sensitive scenes that might be a bit disturbing to some viewers. However on the whole, this is a sweet, touching, and unforgettable movie that will touch your heart – and soul.

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment industry for 20 years. She also writes about products and travel. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as Internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, from Sourced Media Books.

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