"THE COLOR PURPLE" has received a "Special Edition" remastering from WARNER BROS.  Some may recall that the film, nearly 20 years old now, created a great deal of protest when it was first released. The NAACP and others criticized it as racist, immoral, and insulting to black males.  While there are problems with the film, ultimately, it works, and the viewer leaves the film with a deeper concern for the human condition. 

Spielberg's cinematic skills come in handy here, and he gives the film an epic quality, creating images that are simply spellbinding.  Unfortunately, there are some ridiculous moments, wherein a viewer can't help but to scratch their head wondering how such a genius didn't realize the stupidity of a scene, eg. one character's klutzyness becomes annoying the 2nd and 3rd and 4th time!

WARNER BROS. deserves praise for the remastering here!  The previous version was presented over two sides, making the dvd have to be flipped over.  There were also numerous compression problems with that release, but it was also one of the first dvds to be released by the studio, and technology has advanced a great deal since then. 

This new mastering is splendid! WARNER BROS. has preserved the film's 1.85:1 aspect ratio, with 16:9 enhancement. This is a flawless transfer, vibrant throughout! Colors are rich, and there's incredible detail in every scene. The contrast is also flawless, offering deep blacks and grays, presenting stunning clarity in darker scenes.  Fleshtones appear natural throughout.

The Dolby Digital 5.1 mix appears to be the same fine mix from before.  It's not an overly aggressive mix, but the wonderful Quincy Jones score is well complimented here.  It plays through all speakers, orchestrated to provide a sweeping atmosphere for the listener.  There's even some wonderful .1(LFE) moments. Dialogue is always intelligible and free from distortion.

The film's original trailer and "re-release" trailer are included as extras on the first disc of this 2 disc special edition.

The 2nd disc offers the featurette, "CONVERSATIONS WITH ANCESTORS: THE COLOR PURPLE FROM BOOK TO SCREEN."    It's a terrific segment, allowing the viewer to get a better understanding of the source material and what and why changes were made in the film adaptation.  It's highly recommended!

Another featurette, "COLLABORATION OF SPIRITS: CASTING AND ACTING IN THE COLOR PURPLE," features the casting director and most of the film's stars to offer their insight of the film, and everyone here is enthusiastic without seeming phony or patronizing about what they've accomplished. 

"CULTIVATING A CLASSIC: THE MAKING OF THE COLOR PURPLE," offers new interviews with the cinematographer, production designer and costume designer.  It explores the film's conceptual design with a fair amount of detail, and while not overly entertaining, still provides even more information for fans. 

A brief but worthwhile featurette, "THE COLOR PURPLE: THE MUSICAL" pays homage to Quincy Jones. 

There are also two still galleries.

For those already owning the first release, there's enough here to recommend doubling it up with this special edition. The image is sharper, and the features are generally worthwhile.