Tron (Blu-ray)

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Disney/Buena Vista / 1982 / Rated PG
Street Date: April 05, 2011

Overall Grade
Bottom Line Must Own
Reviewed by Steve Seebacher
Thursday, March 31, 2011

Editor's Note:

This is a review of the 'Tron' 5 disc, 2 movie collection. Disc One contains the 3D Blu-ray version of 'Tron: Legacy,' this disc is playable in 3D only. Disc Two contains the 2D version of 'Tron: Legacy,' along with all of the special features. Disc Three contains the Blu-ray version of 'Tron.' Disc Four contains the DVD version of 'Tron: Legacy.' Disc Five is the digital copy of 'Tron: Legacy.'

Individual releases of 'Tron: Special Edition,' 'TRON Legacy,' 'Tron Legacy - 3D,' and 'Tron / Tron Legacy - 3D (Limited Edition Ultimate Tron Experience)' are also available.

The Movie Itself: Our Reviewer's Take

Tron: The Original Classic

When you think about it, the idea for 'Tron' is more than a bit far fetched, and on paper, it can be hard to connect with the material. Sure, for a modern day audience the idea of artificial intelligence and computer programs interacting with human in a digital environment may seem like a possibility on the horizon -- just look at the modern advances in computer technology -- but for an audience in the early 80s, 'Tron' must have felt really out there. Thankfully, the movie featured an entertaining, fast-paced story that audiences could enjoy, and showcased some of the most groundbreaking special effects ever seen on film.

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'Tron' is the story of programmer Kevin Flynn, (Jeff Bridges) a young phenom who was the brightest young programmer at ENCOM Corp. During his time at ENCOM, Flynn had his two best video game programs stolen by rival engineer Ed Dillinger (David Warner). Dillinger used them to become wealthy and rise up the ranks of ENCOM. Deciding that he wasn't going to accept it, Flynn has been on a mission to hack the company's Master Control program and find the evidence to prove Dillinger stole his work. With the help of ENCOM employee/friends Alan Bradley (Bruce Boxleitner) and Lora Baines, (Cindy Morgan) Flynn breaks into ENCOM to find the evidence he needs. While trying to gain access to the system, the M.C program uses a quantum laser to transport Flynn into the virtual world of its system. Inside, Flynn discovers a world where programs interact in human form and serve the M.C program. With the help of Bradley's security program Tron, Flynn is on a mission to escape the virtual world and defeat the M.C program. Along the way, he is forced to do battle with energy discs and race to the death on light motorcycles.

Having never seen 'Tron,' I was very impressed. The story was engaging and high energy, there were very few instances where I felt the plot dragging. The true treat is the vintage special effects. Much as people love the original 'Clash of the Titans' for its vintage effects and stop-motion creatures, I think the same feelings are felt for 'Tron.' At the time of its release, these were truly groundbreaking effects, heavily driven by the new technology of computer animation. Fans were amazed at the sheer spectacle. I won't go so far as to say it was a must see film in the same way that 'Star Wars' was, but 'Tron' felt like solid evidence that computer animation was the future of movies.

Personally, what I enjoyed most was the story, which felt just as ahead of its time as the effects. Bridges also does an excellent job keeping the audience involved. He's a likable character, one we can't help but root for. Admittedly, 'Tron' isn't for everyone. If you don't have a moderate interest in science fiction or computer technology you won't find much to enjoy here. But for people looking for a nostalgic 80s sci-fi experience, you can't go wrong with this one. (Movie rating: 3.5/5)

The Blu-ray: Vital Disc Stats

The Tron 5 disc, 2 movie collection comes packaged in a standard blue case with a holographic slipcover. Disc one is the 3D Blu-ray version of 'Tron: Legacy,' please note that this disc is playable in 3D only. Disc two is the 2D version of 'Tron: Legacy' along with all the special features. Disc 3 is the Blu-ray version of 'Tron.' Disc four is the DVD version of 'Tron: Legacy' and disc five is the digital copy of 'Tron: Legacy.'

The Video: Sizing Up the Picture

Tron: The Original Classic

'Tron' makes its debut on Blu-ray nearly 30 years after its original theatrical debut. Much of the film was shot on dark sets, where colors were hand-painted in later, and the early computer animation simply doesn't have the detail of more recent films. Keeping that in mind, the best way to look at this transfer is with a "preservation" mind set. As we know from past Disney catalogue Blu-ray releases, they have an excellent track record in preserving the intended visual style of a film while using high definition to showcase that style. Disney has once again done this by treating 'Tron' to a faithful to the source, high definition release.

Disney presents 'Tron' with a 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 transfer that will please fans of the 1980's classic. First off, the real world sequences have never looked better. Colors are bright, skin tones and textures are faithfully preserved, and blacks are deep, at times overpowering background details. Sure, there is a fair amount of grain and noise in the source, and blacks are overblown at times but these are to be looked at as preservation decisions for the transfer, this is how 'Tron' was originally seen and Disney has stayed faithful to that look. The grid also receives a nice upgrade from its DVD counterpart. Keeping in line with the visual style, blues and other bright reds and oranges mix well with the deep blacks. Detail in the characters has also been preserved with no apparent over the top digital clean ups. Basically, you are seeing the film the way it was intended, with a caring cleanup of the source material.

Overall, Disney has done a terrific job with this transfer. They have faithfully kept the nostalgic style of the film alive, even if it appears to viewers that the film is plagued with visual anomalies. This is just about as good as 'Tron' is ever going to look, and fans should be very pleased with the result. (Video rating: 4 / 5)

The Audio: Rating the Sound

Tron: The Original Classic

Like the video transfer, Disney has also produced a very faithful DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track for 'Tron.' After nearly 30 years this soundtrack is starting to show its age but having said that, it's still a very good mix. Dialogue is mostly clear and centered throughout, perhaps falling off and producing a slight ringing effect on the lower register. When used, bass and surround effects are very effective, especially in the lightcycle race sequence. Owing to the film's vintage, this mix is very front-heavy, and the music does tend to overpower the dialogue and sound effects at times. I tend to chalk that up to the faithful reproduction of the original soundtrack. Sure, after almost 30 years you can definitely hear the age in this mix, but really, it fits in wonderfully with the look of the film. (Audio score: 4/5)

The Supplements: Digging Into the Good Stuff

The Tron two movie collection arrives on Blu-ray with a generous helping of special features. Here are the features that are carried over from the original 'Tron' DVD and 'Tron: Legacy' DVD.

Tron: The Original Classic

Audio Commentary This is an excellent commentary featuring director Steven Lisberger, producer Donald Kushner, producer and visual effects supervisor Harrison Ellenshaw, and visual effects supervisor Richard Taylor. Together, they discuss the challenges of making the film, how they came up with the idea of for the film, and the process of working with the actors. This is a must listen track for fans.

The Tron Phenomenon (HD, 10 minutes) This is a short documentary featuring thoughts on the impact 'Tron' has had on filmmaking over the years.

The Making of 'Tron' (SD, 88 Minutes) This is a feature length documentary that covers all areas from production to the final cut of the film. It also discusses ways in which 'Tron' has influenced filmmaking and the place it holds in
Disney history. This is a fun documentary that fans will enjoy greatly.

Development (SD, 8 minutes) This is a look at the very beginning phase of the production of 'Tron.' It features some early concept art, test footage, and a television short entitled "Computers are People Too."

Digital Imagery This features the process of the backlit animation process for the film and the use of digital Imagery. It also has a fun little Triple I demo animation sequence from the 80s!

Music (SD, 8 minutes) This features both the lightcycle sequence and end credits with their original music composition by Wendy Carlos.

Publicity (SD, 13 minutes) This collection includes a sample reel of the film, a work in progress trailer, the four trailers for the movie, and a collection of posters and other marketing material.

Deleted Scenes This is a collection of 3 deleted scenes with an introduction by director Steven Lisberger. The scenes are titled, "Tron and Yori's Love Scene," "Tron and Yori's Love Scene 2," and "Alternate Opening Prologue."

Design This is again introduced by director Steven Lisberger. This features a look at the design of the programs living on the Grid as well as the lightcycle vehicle.

Storyboards (SD, 9 minutes) This is a look at the storyboard process for the introduction to the film as well as some of the lightcycle sequences.

HD Bonus Content: Any Exclusive Goodies in There?

In addition to the DVD features, this set also includes a few Blu-ray exclusive features. Here is what you get!

Tron: The Original Classic

Photo Tronology (HD, 10 minutes) Director Steven Lisberger and his son Carl visit the Disney archives. Together, they take a look at some of the props and concept art Disney saved from the making of the original film.
Tron: Legacy

The Next Day: Flynn Lives Revealed (HD) This is a fun feature that explores the reaction of the world when Flynn went missing. It features appearances from a few key cast members. I really enjoyed this, it was very interesting to see the public reaction and the formation of the underground movement to keep Kevin Flynn's memory alive. This is one that fans will really enjoy.

Launching the Legacy (HD, 10 minutes) This is a short feature that shows how this film got off the ground. It shows how the idea for the film was formed and how the production was green lit. It also features the original Comic-Con trailer from 2008.

Disc Roars (HD, 3 minutes) This feature shows director Joseph Kosinski recording crowd noise at Comic-Con to actually use as background noise for the film!

Music Video (HD, 3 minutes) This is the video for the song titles "Derezzed." It is performed by Daft Punk.

Disney Second Screen Although this feature is not yet live so I was unable to test it out, it looks very promising.
Using your computer or iPad, you can sync up with the film and view more extended content at key points in the movie. I will report back with an update upon the launch of this service.

Easter Eggs

No easter eggs reported for 'Tron - 2D / Tron Legacy - 3D' yet. Found an egg? Please use our tips form to let us know, and we'll credit you with the find.

Final Thoughts

This is clearly the definitive version for any 'Tron' fan. You get four ways to watch 'Tron: Legacy' and you also get the original 'Tron' for the first time on Blu-ray! Aside from the two highly entertaining movies, this five disc pack includes numerous bonus features, especially for the original film! Sure, it would have been nice to have a commentary track for 'Tron: Legacy' but I felt the excellent 3D video and audio more than made up for that, and who knows, Disney may be waiting for a double-dip to release the commentary. Once again, Disney has released another 3D Blu-ray gem, but this release shouldn't just appeal to 3D owners. Everyone will find something to love about this release and it's a great value for the amount of content included. This is a must own!