A big package of blood, teeth, and sucking chest wounds. © 1999, 20th Century Fox All Rights Reserved

"I am Jack's ultimate DVD dream come true."

The newly-released "Fight Club" DVD will appeal to two groups: Those who enjoyed the film and those who harbor a deep curiosity for the cinematic production process. Both will revel in the gruesome goodness of this two-disc set.

I preface this column with an assumption that you have already viewed the movie. If you haven't seen "Fight Club," let this serve as a warning -- spoilers lie ahead. If you don't want to know what happens, stop reading this piece.

Moving on. DVD's ease-of-use makes it possible to watch this massive collection in spurts, but I found it hard to rip myself away. This deep collection of audio commentary and deleted scenes can occupy you for the entire day. Sure, you'll be planted in front of the TV for a ridiculous amount of time, but it's a great way to pass the hours.

Disc 1

There are several different audio features available on the first disc in this set. The original English language track is in Dolby 5.1 and additional tracks in Spanish and French are delivered in Dolby 2.0.

Most good DVDs offer commentary from the stars and/or the director, but "Fight Club" goes way beyond typical DVD goodies by delivering comments from Brad Pitt, Edward Norton, Helena Bonham Carter and director David Fincher. It's rare when more than one star participates in these audio sessions. Additional audio comments are provided by screenwriter Jim Uhls, "Fight Club" novelest Chuck Palahniuk, production designer Alex McDowell, director of photography Jeff Cronenweth, and costume designer Michael Kaplan.

The commentary with the cast and director provides a healthy amount of information and entertainment. Edward Norton shows his immense intelligence of movie making by comparing and contrasting the movie with current releases and movies of the past, like "Dr. Strangelove." Fincher, Pitt, and Norton also reveal subtle clues that hint at the movie's massive plot twist (SPOILER: Jack and Tyler are the same person). For instance, in the car crash scene, Fincher notes that Tyler was clearly driving the car, yet he pulls Jack from the driver's side after the vehicle rolls.

The actor/director banter can lull you into a cinematic trance, especially when they talk about never-released scenes and differences between the film and the book. Bonham-Carter's audio contributions, along with those of the crew and designers, are also interesting, but I got a lot more out of the the comments from Pitt, Norton and Fincher.

Disc 2

This disc consists of outtakes, trailers, Internet schwag, concept design, promotional stuff, and 17 deleted scenes. Everything on this second disc is worth checking out, especially the deleted scenes. Most of the deleted material involves alternate voice-over work from Norton, but two notable scenes focus on a gruesome fight between Norton and Jared Leto. In one, Norton's punches are more intense, with blood and teeth spraying across the room. This is contrasted with the theatrical cut, which zeroes in on the crowd reaction and provides that nail-biting, "he's gonna feel that in the morning" feeling.

These two discs offer plenty of material for hard-core "Fight Club" afficionados. Norton said as much on the audio track when he remarked, "If a person is actually sitting and listening to this commentary, they're a true fan of the film." If you marveled at the film and want to know how it came together, this set belongs in your collection.

Filmfodder Grade: A

Geek Stuff:
Title: "Fight Club"
2 disc set
Sound: Movie is Dolby 5.1, commentary is Dolby 2.0
Screen Version: Widescreen