Live! At the US Festival 1983 [DVD]

It seems amazing that a studio would do so much for an underachieving film like Detroit Rock City, but New Line has. The image quality on this disc is wonderful, with strong use of color and excellent definition. The film is framed at 2.35:1 and uses an anamorphic transfer. The sound is very good. The Dolby Digital 5.1 track is mostly centered in the front speakers, though there are brief moments of surround sound. The picture and sound alone would make this a great disc, but the extra material takes it to another level. The menus are most unique. You have a choice between text-based menus, like those found on the majority of discs, or audio commands (which have been tried on a few other discs in the past such as The Grifters and Rambo). On first try they can be rather confusing; first-time DVD users may find them too complicated. New Line is proudly claiming that this is the first big "Hollywood" film to feature multiple angles. The angles are used in the supplemental section, separate from the film. It's impressive, but it would have been more so if it were integrated into the main film. Three audio commentary tracks are included. Director Adam Rifkin deals with the making of the film, though his comments are not always scene-specific. Numerous cast and crew members can be heard on a second track. Though interesting, it becomes impossible to tell one person from another. The final commentary is from the band members of Kiss. Each is interviewed separately by associate producer -- and Kiss superfan -- Tim Sullivan. Simmons is by far the most articulate, and the most fervent about what Kiss represents. The rest of the band members sound like they just woke up, but they do offer some insight into their professional lives. Add in 15 minutes of deleted scenes, a half hour of behind-the-scenes footage (including interviews), a couple of music videos from Everclear and the Donnas, some DVD-ROM content, and a guide to playing "Rock 'n' Roll All Nite" and you have a disc that continues New Line's stellar tradition.