Editor’s Note: This was originally published for FANGORIA on December 5, 2003, and we’re proud to share it as part of The Gingold Files.
“A picture’s worth more than a good review, they say,” director Danny Boyle comments on the DVD for his horror sleeper 28 Days Later. But I hope he can appreciate one more rave for this startlingly intense movie (previously reviewed here) —or, more precisely, the terrific DVD Fox has put together for it. In actual fact, this disc is pretty much identical to the Region 2 edition released in Britain this past summer; the only apparent difference is that the first of three alternate endings is in more refined shape here than on the UK disc.
This finale was the one attached to theatrical prints midway through its run and brings the story of protagonist Jim (Cillian Murphy) full circle; home viewers can now debate over whether it is, as Boyle says, “the proper ending.” The other two unused conclusions include a close variation on this one that omits Jim’s presence, but does include a chicken (which Boyle makes a funny joke about) and a radically different, much bleaker closing that was never filmed and eliminates the entire final act set at the soldiers’ mansion. It’s presented here via storyboards, with scripter Alex Garland reading his scene descriptions and Boyle doing the character’s lines—a pretty effective way of conveying their vision for it.
The movie that did wind up on screen looks as good as a feature shot on DV, transferred to film and then remastered to video probably can. Letterboxed at 1.85:1 with no noticeable cropping on the top and bottom, the image is, rather surprisingly, stronger in the darker scenes than in the brightly lit ones, which have their soft and overly contrasty moments. Overall, though, the look complements the on-the-fly shooting style that helps grant the movie its edgy veneer. Contributing even more is the Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround audio; part of what makes Boyle’s “infected” so scary is the terrifying suddenness of their attacks, and the blasts of sound accompanying their appearances help this become a nerve-wracking viewing experience even at home.
It’s noted on Boyle and Garland’s commentary track that once the rules for the infected are set up, the movie goes on to ignore them—one of many honest observations in the course of their talk. The writer refers to scenes he dislikes (“bad TV drama,” he calls them) and Boyle cops to moments that were improvised, written at the last minute or picked up after the main shoot—while also pointing out that DV production makes this sort of thing much easier. The duo address the movie’s many qualities as well, finding a good balance between the approach to story and character and production detail, with a number of amusing location stories. There’s fun trivia, too, such as the fact that of all the music used, “Frosty the Snowman” was the most expensive piece.
The actors get their say in the “Pure Rage: The Making of 28 Days Later” featurette, where they discuss how working with the multiple digital cameras and being in the deserted location affected their performances, and are seen in the “boot camp” they attended to prepare them for the physically stringent shoot. A large chunk of this segment, however, is given over to both experts and the cast/filmmakers discoursing on real-life viruses, and how a plague like the one that sets 28 Days’ horror in motion may be closer than we think. An attempt at a serious warning or just a way to make the cinematic horror seem more immediate? It’s hard to tell, and in any case the movie doesn’t need the help.
In an unusual and welcome touch, Boyle provides commentary for the picture galleries, including a set of continuity Polaroids—which, the director points out, are being rendered obsolete by the advent of digital still cameras. Conversely, over the collection of production photos, Boyle allows that these 35mm film shots are sharper and reveal more detail than the actual movie’s DV images. There’s also a set of trailers (including one neat sequence of animated storyboards from 28 Days’ British website) and a group of deleted scenes. A couple of these allow peeks at shots in which moving traffic has yet to be digitally deleted, while another is a scary mass infected attack that contains what Boyle calls his favorite shot—and, he says, “You should always cut your favorite shot.” On the other hand, a would-be humorous exchange in a taxicab is one that the director says he was happy to lose—and not because it contains a now unfortunately timely Michael Jackson joke.
