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The Others: Dimension Collector's Series

Highly atmospheric and foreboding, "The Others" is unlike any ghost story I've seen since Robert Wise's "The Haunting" in 1963. Director Alejandro Amenabar brings to the screen a uniquely chilling tale that slowly makes its way under our skin until it's almost unbearable. I don't know which aspect of the film I liked better: the ominous setting where the eerie story takes place, or the magnificent performance from Nicole Kidman. ****

Kidman plays Grace, a mother of two children living in an expansive New England mansion surrounded by a ceaseless fog and dry vegetation. When three house servants show up at her door, they are bewildered by the manner in which Grace runs the household, closing each door before opening another, and closing any and all curtains to prevent all sunlight from invading the rooms. ****

We learn the sunlight is harmful to her young children, Anne (Alakina Mann) and Nicholas (James Bentley). From the beginning, Anne speaks of a past event that occurred between her and her mother, and of apparitions throughout the house. Grace dismisses her comments as rubbish, but becomes increasingly uneasy once she begins hearing voices in the upstairs rooms, and finds that doors in the house open and close by themselves without a key. ****

As the movie progresses, Amenabar creates a distinctly uneasy atmosphere in which even the audience knows better than to look at this house as little more than an expensive home. From a continuous fog to the whisperings of voices and things that go bump in the night, the scares come not from what we see, but what we don't see, which is even scarier than you may think. Amenabar proves that one needn't be subjected to a special effect in order to be frightened. ****

What helps the movie is the fact that it has a solid story to back its scares. What starts out as a slow-moving introduction to the characters and settings evolves into a first-class mystery on par with such mysteries as "The Sixth Sense," though this film's clues are much more apparent. You may have found the pieces to the puzzle involving the three housekeepers, but that doesn't mean you've solved the film's resolution, which is an unexpected gem. ****

The real delight comes from the involving performance from Nicole Kidman, who evokes much of the fear throughout the film. There are times when she slowly makes her way into rooms to investigate suspicious noises, her eyes growing wider with psychological fear, and times when she becomes frantic, such as when she searches desperately for the curtains taken from the windows. ****

"The Others" may very well be one of the best scare films we've ever seen. Amenabar gives his unique story a sense of fear that comes from the mind. In a decade of born-again slasher pics and gory bloodshed and mayhem, it's nice to be able to embrace something entirely different from the rest.

Tender, loving care seems to be the mantra for the crafting of the DVD for "The Others," as the transfer is nothing short of attractive and mesmerizing. The image quality succeeds in capturing the eeriness of the dark setting by providing solid blacks and astounding shadow delineation for a picture that is flawless. The colors, drained and lifeless, are as they should be, while edges are sharp and details are meticulous. The sound quality makes full use of the soundfield, wrapping the musical score into each channel while using directionalization to its utmost advantage when things start going bump around the house.

For the DVD edition, Dimension has given "The Others" the ultimate treatment, providing us with a lavish, two-disc set that doesn't contain as much as you would initially expect, but doesn't fail to impress. Things start off with the original documentary, "A Look Inside 'The Others'," which features a wealth of cast and crew interviews and behind-the-scenes footage. Everything from pre-production to the reaction of worldwide audiences is chronicled here, while director Amenabar and cast members Nicole Kidman, Fionnula Flanagan, and Alakina Mann, all relate to the viewer their own personal thoughts on their characters, the overall experience of making the movie, and what they each take from the story. The documentary is more than just a puff piece: it's informative and pleasing to the eyes and ears. ****

Following in its footsteps is a collection of visual effects sequences, mostly comprised of the outdoor scenes and sequences that required the use of heavy fog and dismal weather. We see each scene broken down into four separate screens, or plates as they are called; soon after, they combine to form the finished product. Scenes you never would have guessed were actually done with the use of CGI will leave you breathless at the craftsmanship and meticulous care in their design. ****

I especially enjoyed the featurette on Xeroderma Pigmentosum, the rare skin disorder that Grace's children are stricken with in the film. As it is told, there are fewer than two thousand cases worldwide of X.P., and 150 in the United States. The featurette is comprised of a lengthy interview with an American family whose young daughter is an X.P. patient, and relates their struggles and how they have managed to work around her illness by adopting different methods of living. ****

"An Intimate Look at Director Alejandro Amenabar" is a collection of behind-the-scenes footage showcasing his collaborative efforts in making the movie. We see his interaction with the cast, how he motivates them to get the scene just right, and in this, we see the efforts of a hard-working, able director capable of making great movies. ****

Closing out the special edition disc is a still gallery with images from the movie, behind-the-scenes snapshots, and pictures of the house in all its decrepit glory. Fans of "The Others" will no dout get their fill of backstory with the features available here.