I think J.J. Abrams (director of Star Trek and producer of LOST and Cloverfield) loves a great story but he’s one of the few working directors that’s equally enamored by the technical realization of those stories as much as he his the characters and themes. He loves getting his hands dirty putting his stamp on every aspect of the job filmmaking.
This is a blessing and a curse for film buffs. On one hand sitting back and soaking up the work of a real auteur can be an exhilarating experience—you see exactly what Abrams wants in every frame of every project he pours himself into—but this also stretches him thin. His latest movie Super 8 wants desperately to be a classic Spielbergian sci-fi drama layered with all the pizazz and camera trickery of a modern blockbuster. The result is a pretty picture but a half-hearted cinematic experience—one that tugs at your heart stings just enough to cautiously categorize as “solid.” That said someone with as much interest in the art of making movies regardless of the final big screen product should be able to put an equal amount of care into a Blu-ray release and Abrams’ Super 8 delivers on the goods.
The accompanying features are perfectly organized and detail-oriented for a movie about youngsters eager to dive into the world of film. Abrams and his tech crew walk audiences through every step of the process each department and aspect of Super 8 receiving their own ten minute-ish featurette. And they’re not just talking head interviews; Abrams made sure that a behind-the-scenes camera was rolling at all times and the extras successfully pull back the curtain on nearly every scene of the movie. In addition a separate expanded feature takes us deeper into the construction of the explosive train scene—a sequence Abrams suggests was barely planned or stoyboarded.
Along with the mini-docs the disc also includes a healthy serving of deleted scenes that help expand the human side of the story (something I would have liked more of in the actual cut of the film!). And unlike his mentor Steven Spielberg Abrams sits down with a few of his crew to record a commentary for Super 8 that’s even geekier than the featurettes. Discussions on film styles locations and working with the kid actors abound—a real Film 101 for any budding movie maker. The running gag throughout is “What should Abrams prank text message Steven Spielberg.” You can tell he’s giddy to have the master filmmaker’s phone number.
The Super 8 Blu-ray goes out of its way to appeal to the next generation of Speilbergs and Abramses. While the film is so-so the whole package is an enjoyable mini film school. While J.J. purposefully leaves out all the parts about 14 hour days and surviving on Snickers bars and coffee it’s a magical portrait of filmmaking and is fuel for the fire for those already mesmerized by the medium.
