The Green Mile

Well what a lot we've got, First a minor gripe - you have to swap discs halfway through the movie. Could the film have gone on disc one and the extras on disc two? I guess this is such a no brainer that there must be a technical reason why it ain't so. So on to the meat and drink of it.

The commentary is all right but I would have liked Darabont to talk more about the movie as it unfolds and stick to that. He is more anecdotal, even phoning a pal who worked on the film to check something: crazy! or a bit of a knob? You decide.

It's a shame as he mostly tells the same stories that he, or someone else relates on the other extras featurettes.

They are, in turn: The standard Making of, which distills the best bits rom the other six; Walking the Mile: The Making of the Green Mile Documentary; Miracles and mystery a six-part documentary series; Stephen King: Story Teller; The Art of Adaptation; Acting The Mile; Designing The Mile; The Magic Of The Mile; and The Tail of Mr Jingles

Darabont, the principles and crew all contribute, with insights, anecdotes, revealing among other things, how they made Michael Clarke Duncan look so tall. They vary in run time from 20-25 minutes to just 10 for the effects section. All in if you watch the lot all at once it feels as though you worked on the movie yourself. But there are a few interesting tricks of the trade revealed.

Also we have Michael Clarke Duncan's screen test and Tom Hanks rejected old man make up tests. These are of interest to the movie buff as well as fans of the film. There are two out-takes that had to be hunted down on a beta tape, and so have time code and property off marks burnt across them, although this does not detract from their interest.

This is a well put together set of extras and represents good value for fans of the film or first time viewers.