WOW, Having first read a Review of the 2 Disc Special Edition by Quint over at 'Aint It Cool News I was even more looking forward to seeing the movie for the first time ... In BLACK & WHITE !!!. Yes Folks you read that right, I took Quint's advice & opted to watch the Alternate Black & White version of the movie & it Definitely Works. Director Frank Darabont has delivered an Excellent movie script, developed superb characters & served up a tale of Human paranoia that matches the old school Fifties type Nuclear Bomb hysteria not seen in many a day. This is truly a Very well made film & one I willingly rate at 9/10 !!!. I somehow cannot imagine that the Colour version can match this as the effects will be more obvious & the tension less dramatic. The true eerieness of the movie lies in the fragmentation of people above & beyond the creepy creatures. The creatures are great & remind me of what likely lies at the deepest ends of the oceans in all their wonderment & scariness.
I love this frickin' movie so much. Finally a Hollywood 'A' lister that dares to dispence with the obvious scares & also deliver a balls out un-Hollywood ending where its never going to all turn out to be a dream or all candy coated sugary sweet. Thank you Mr. Darabont ... and Thank you Quint, without whom I may perhaps have completely overlooked the interest in investigating a Black & White feature having viewed the obvious colour option. Brilliant stuff & Highly recommended. bb