I got it, but I wish I'd read this first, from the review at
http://www.dvdfile.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5879&Itemid=3
Supplements: What Goodies Are There?
For those of you who’ve already purchased the single-disc release of this film, you may be wondering if the bonus material on this new 2-disc SE release are worth the upgrading. From what I can tell, it seems that the new release duplicates most of the worthwhile bonus material from the original edition. One thing I did note is that all the new bonus material on this set is presented in anamorphic widescreen video whereas that bonus material on the original DVD is non-anamorphic letterboxed (I’m assuming all were native 16x9 HD captures). I’ll end your questioning right now and say that I don’t personally feel that the additional bonus content on this new 2-disc SE merits an upgrade purchase for anyone who already owns the single-disc DVD, although I would encourage anyone who values bonus material to consider this new release if you haven’t already purchased the original DVD.
The first bonus item that I encountered upon opening up this new set was the inclusion of 8 collectible postcards nestled into the cover sleeve. Very nice. Whether you leave them there, pin them on your bulletin board at the office, or send them out into the world via the post office it’s a nice touch.
The first featurette new to this release is A Groundbreaking Success (17 minutes), a nice discussion about the unexpectedly positive reaction to the film upon release. Lots of cast and crew contribute their points of view along with journalists and film-critics not associated with the making of the film. This is the only bonus feature contained on the first disc, which also holds the feature film.
On disc two we’re greeted with another featurette debut with Music From the Mountain (11 minutes). This was my favorite bonus item on the disc and details musician Gustavo Santaolalla’s evocative score and inspiration for the music of this film. Songs used in the film from artists like Willie Nelson, Emmylou Harris, Rufus Wainwright, and others are also covered. The remaining exclusive bonus item to this new set is the Impressions From the Film slide show (2:30 minutes) which did not leave a lasting impression.
The following bonus items are shared from the current single-disc release. The On Being A Cowboy featurette (6 minutes) is a nice short that focuses on the sheep-herding and rodeo skills that had to be quickly acquired by the actors. Directing From the Heart: Ang Lee (7:30 minutes) is a wonderful discussion with Lee. And the featurette From Script to Screen (10:30 minutes) is an in-depth discussion with screenplay writing team Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana concerning their adaptation of the original short-story by author Annie Proulx.
One featurette stands out from the rest in terms of style and direction, and that’s the LOGO-produced Sharing the Story: The Making of Brokeback Mountain (20 minutes) which was created as a promotional short and aired on the LOGO channel on cable television. While on the one hand the promo style of this short may be a little off-putting as it contrasts sharply with the more dignified look/feel of the other featurettes, this feature is not to be missed. Looking past the newscast-style narration there’s a lot of good information offered up in this feature that you won’t find in any of the other bonus materials. And most important for me, this was the only bonus item that featured actress Michelle Williams who played the character of Alma Del Mar (Ennis’ wife) in the film.
