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Rated: Unrated; DVD Release Date: Apr 03, 2001; Genres: Epic, War; With: Peter O'Toole and Omar Sharif; Distributor: Columbia Pictures
B
By Ty Burr
Ty Burr
Ty Burr
Ty Burr is a writer at large for EW and is no relation to Raymond or Aaron

The Hope diamond set in a plastic Cracker Jack ring: That's the impression left by this deluxe DVD package, which surrounds a pristine, restored, wide-screen print of David Lean's unsettlingly neurotic epic drama with all sorts of marketing flotsam disguised as ''special features.'' The one germane disc-player extra is a par-for-the-course making-of documentary, but why settle for a brief ''Conversation With Steven Spielberg'' (it turns out he thinks Lawrence is rather good) when the studio could have rounded up the surviving cast and crew for an audio commentary? Four ''original featurettes'' turn out to be scratchy, unilluminating newsreel promos; a bonus insert reprints the text of a 1962 souvenir booklet in all its Barnumesque glory; and the sole note of enthusiasm is sounded in a historical analysis of the film's PR campaign.

The genuine goodies, it turns out, are available only if you have a PC with a DVD-ROM drive. Here you'll find behind-the-scenes facts, photos, and trivia arranged by chapter; you'll also find ''Journey With Lawrence,'' an incredible deep-dish interactive map/history lesson about the real T.E. Lawrence, which complements Lean's Lawrence better than anything you'll see on your TV.

Oh, and the movie? Spielberg's right -- it's pretty damned good. B


Posted Apr 06, 2001
 

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