The Signature Edition looks much better than the Special Edition. The Signature Edition has more saturated color and much better black level and contrast. The Special Edition is much brighter overall. None of the many night scenes look like night in the Special Edition. They do in the Signature Edition.

The opening where Hogarth goes on the roof to check the antenna and then into the woods with the flashlight has much more suspense, as it appears to be night in the Signature Edition. The glowing power station and the Iron Giant getting shocked by the wires has much more pop in the Signature Edition. Hogarth coming up the stairs with the TV lighting the stairwell when he goes to check on the noise upstairs while watching TV is another good example. The Signature Edtiion lighting looks like a stairwell being lit only by the flickering TV screen.

The Signature Edition is dramaticallly better. It is like a different movie. And the sound is moderately better on SIgnature Edition.

Wow, what a change from DVD! I'm so glad they brought this movie back from DVD. I originally saw the movie on VHS and from DVD, it was an incredible change! But now we get blu-ray quality!! This movie is such a classic and has been my favorites since I was a kid. So glad to watch the movie in HD. So, question is, when are they releasing an UHD 4k version? hahaha

1, 3, 5 are DVD
2, 4, 6 is from Blu-Ray

FORMAT: Blu-Ray
UPC: 8-83929-52529-4
RELEASED: 2016-09-06

TITLE: Iron Giant, The (1999) [Signature Edition] • PG • 1:29:59
Jennifer Aniston; Harry Connick, Jr.; Vin Diesel, Christopher McDonald
Brad Bird (Director)
MOVIE: 5.0 • VIDEO: 4.8 (35.1 Mbps) • AUDIO: 4.8

Iron Giant, The (1999) [Theatrical Edition] • PG • 1:26:39
Jennifer Aniston; Harry Connick, Jr.; Vin Diesel, Christopher McDonald
Brad Bird (Director)
MOVIE: ?.? • VIDEO: ?.? (35.2 Mbps) • AUDIO: ?.?

The first time that I saw this movie was when it initially became available on home-video, back in November of 1999. I thought then (as I do now) that it was VERY refreshing to see an animated movie that did NOT have any of its characters bursting into song. Also, just as pleasing, was the fact that it did NOT have any cute, cuddly talking animals — whose ONLY real purpose for being in the movie is to sell merchandise to kids (yes, I'm looking at you Disney). And, I thoroughly enjoyed the fact that, though it is ostensibly for kids, it is still a very smart movie that didn't insult the intelligence of its viewers.

By now most people are probably familiar with the story of how this movie — which bombed horribly upon its initial theatrical release in the fall of 1999 — has since then gone on to become a highly respected and MUCH beloved cinematic classic. I believe that the reason that this movie is now so well liked is because it can be enjoyed on so many different levels — which is why BOTH adults AND children absolutely love it. Plus, it's just a glorious example of old-school, (mostly) hand-drawn, animation as an art form. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

NOTE: I bought this set for the "Signature Edition" version of the movie (since I already had a very serviceable copy of the original "Theatrical Edition" on DVD) — therefore, while I sampled portions of the "Theatrical Edition" version that is contained in this set (just to make sure that it wasn't defective), I don't have any plans to EVER watch it in its entirety. So, ALL of the following "video" and "audio" information pertains to the "Signature Edition" version ONLY. (But, if I ever do watch ALL of the "Theatrical Edition" version, then I'll come back and update this review.)

See the other reviews on this page for more detail and/or other opinions regarding the plot of the movie.

VIDEO: 2.4:1 • Color • 1080p • MPEG-4 AVC

This movie's image features dazzling, over-saturated colors, sharply rendered panoramic vistas, and very good apparent depth. It also has very good, to frequently excellent, contrast and has very good shadow detail (as seen in the many dark and shadowy areas, such as the night scenes located at the very beginning of the movie, and the dark scenes located in the forest). Also, fine detail is frequently evident in some of the brighter scenes and in the close-ups of the characters. Lastly, there are no obvious artifacts such as banding, specks, white dots, hair-lines or color fluctuations (probably because it is an animated feature, which makes extensive use of CGI [which is an observation, and NOT a complaint]). Overall, this movie's presentation on blu-ray has VERY good, to frequently excellent, picture quality — and, should satisfy all but the very pickiest of viewers.

AUDIO: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48 KHz, 24-bit)

This is another soundtrack that, if it was a 7.1 mix, I would rate a 5+ for sound quality without hesitation — as it is, it is still one of the very BEST sounding audio presentations that you will ever hear on a home theater system regardless of the number of channels. It has deep bass, very active and highly directional surround channels, clear well-placed dialog, ambient sounds that effectively convey the on-screen environment, and some of the best recorded music that I have ever heard in a film's soundtrack. This is an outstanding soundtrack, that should satisfy all but the ABSOLUTE pickiest of listeners!

EXTRAS: Director's Commentary
Deleted Scenes
Several 'Making Of' Videos
Trailers

None of the extras were reviewed.

One of the many struggles that filmmakers run into when making a children's film is creating something that appeals to both the children and their parents, who will most likely be watching it with them. THE IRON GIANT is an example of one that completely succeeds in that area. While children (particularly boys) will appreciate the friendship of a boy with a giant robot, Brad Bird also manages to send up the Cold War era and provides a strong anti-gun message. For someone's debut film, I thought it was particularly impressive considering this is the same guy who would later make THE INCREDIBLES and MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - GHOST PROTOCOL. He shows a firm directorial hand and gets excellent voice performances from the talent involved. It also helps that the story is very streamlined, so there aren't any pacing issues. The story also takes a rather poignant turn in the end that is completely earned. If I had to pick a single favorite moment from the film, it would probably be the end. Overall, THE IRON GIANT is a touching children's film with a heavy dose of nostalgia for a simpler time. This is a great film that can be enjoyed by parents and children alike.

One of the best animated movies ever. This little gem by director Brad Bird, was the critics darling (and mine, too) when it first came out. Unfortunately, it was not seen by a lot of people. Over the years it has built up quite a following.

This new version has some extra animated scenes that have been inserted since the original release. The new scenes add about 2 minutes to the movie. It makes a already animated classic even better.

Also included is a documentary on the making for the Iron Giant. This documentary was first shown at the San Diego Comic-Con (where I saw it). It is a welcome edition to the loads of extras available on this signature addition.

This is a highly recommended movie for young and old.

I recommend you purchase this BLU-Ray set. For more on the Iron Giant, read about it on Wikipedia:
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