rior to 1982, computer-generated animation was rarely seen in motion pictures, and when it was utilized the images that appeared were often simple geometric patterns or crude, wire-frame outlines of boxy spaceships and structures. The movie Tron irrevocably altered that situation. In
commemoration of an achievement that, at the time, wasn't fully recognized by either critics or the public, the Walt Disney Company has issued an exhaustive, two-DVD 20th anniversary collector's edition that showcases not only the original film, but also nearly five added hours of background
and behind-the-scenes footage.
A widescreen, remastered rendition of the picture serves as the focus of the first disc. Along with the usual caption and foreign language (French and Spanish) subtitle options, a laid-back commentary track is accessible, offering remarks from director Steven Lisberger, producer Donald Kushner and visual effects supervisors Harrison Ellenshaw and Richard Taylor. Although not new—the insights were earlier presented as part of the movie's 1995 laser-disc release—these observations remain informative and revealing.
The second platter contains the bulk of the collection's supplemental material. Divided into eight sections, the centerpiece of this portion of the package is a fresh documentary titled "The Making of Tron," featuring recollections from Lisberger, Ellenshaw and actors Jeff Bridges, Bruce Boxleitner and Cindy Morgan, among others. Additional elements on the disc concentrate on the development, design and storyboarding processes, with a separate area devoted to the film's digital imagery. Two unused segments of composer Wendy Carlos' score are available in a small "Music" section, while the "Deleted Scenes" category includes three brief clips (two "love scenes" and an alternate opening prologue) collectively introduced by Lisberger, Ellenshaw and Boxleitner. Finally, the movie's creation and marketing are covered in a "Publicity" subsection through more than 80 production stills, plus trailers and numerous advertisement and poster art concepts.
First steps toward a high-tech Hollywood
Near the conclusion of "The Making of Tron," Academy Award-winning filmmaker and Pixar Animation Studios executive vice-president John Lasseter candidly notes that "without Tron, there would be no Toy Story." This comment is a true understatement: Many of the awe-inspiring visual effects that science-fiction fans nowadays take for granted were first put to the test—albeit in rudimentary form—in this amazing movie. The Tron 20th Anniversary Collector's Edition provides not only a thorough look at the making of a genuinely groundbreaking motion picture, but also a rare backstage peek into one of Hollywood's earliest efforts at comprehensively melding flesh-and-blood actors with computer-generated imagery.
Although the film's commentary track is enlightening and enjoyable, "The Making of Tron" is really the most revelatory part of the collection. From Tron's origin as an "electronic warrior" in a 1970s radio station TV ad to Boxleitner's reaction to the initial script, which he first read while sitting atop a horse in the Arizona desert, this lengthy documentary—only eight minutes shorter than the movie itself—discloses the daunting technical, conceptual and, in some cases, physical and emotional hurdles faced by the cast and crew. Other intriguing supplemental sections spotlight vintage video clips where Lisberger, Taylor and others divulge, in great detail, the specialized imaging techniques invented specifically for the production.
Aficionados of SF artwork will also relish the design and storyboarding areas, which incorporate dozens of intricate drawings by illustrators Syd Mead and Jean "Moebius" Giraud outlining the evolution of various characters and vehicles. A subsection explicitly dedicated to the development of the plot would have enhanced the bonus materials, but, all things considered, the Tron 20th Anniversary Collector's Edition offers an invaluable, in-depth examination of a truly visionary and historic film.
