With the hype behind its release and the subsequent critical and box office success of "The Fugitive", you might assume that it was always meant to be that way. The new Special Edition DVD release of the movie reveals a production that was far from confident of its end result.

TECHNICAL FEATURES

Picture Some of you may remember buying the 1998 DVD release of this flick back in the days when it was one of the only DVDs you could buy in the UK. It was a disc fit only for spitting on, with picture quality no better than the VHS release. This new Special Edition is markedly better with a sharper picture, particularly during the night time sequences.

Sound There's plenty of punch to this satisfying 5.1 mix that wreathes the speakers around you into the mood of the film, from light atmospherics to a subwoofer-heavy train crash that's frighteningly loud.

SPECIAL FEATURES

Audio Commentary Director Andrew Davis and star Tommy Lee Jones sit in for a commentary that's dominated by Davis. He appears to remember every last detail, from exact locations to the names of minor extras. Tommy chips in for the odd comment and both men reveal in frank terms just how many of the scenes were improvised as time constraints made further script re-writing an impossibility.

Derailed: Anatomy of a Train Wreck

This short featurette offers up plenty of behind-the-scenes footage for the train crash sequence. Interestingly it was cheaper to use full size locomotives at around $20,000 a pop as opposed to creating the scene with miniatures. In line with the film's tight production, there was no opportunity for rehearsals or second takes, and on-set tension is clear to see.

"On the Run" Featurette

Producer Arnold Kopelson chats about the five-year development hell of a screenplay that went through nine writers and 25 significant drafts. By the time it landed in Ford's hands, Warner Bros had the property in turnaround. He liked the idea of the film and suggested Andrew Davis to direct after being impressed with his work on "Under Siege".

Additional Extra Features

Trailer, cast and crew list, and awards list.

Region: 2
Chapters: 42
Ratio: 1.85:1 (anamorphic)
Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1
Extra Features: Scene selection, multiple languages and subtitles, and English and Italian captions for the hearing impaired.

This DVD was reviewed on a JVC XV-S57 DVD player.