The UK goes into shutdown as sprinting zombies (the PC expression being rage-filled infected people) chase after a ragged band of survivors in the latest film from Danny Boyle. He reveals some unusual influences on a gruesomely good DVD.

TECHNICAL FEATURES

Picture Shot digitally, the film is transferred to disc with exquisite clarity. Which is ideal, given that low lighting is used throughout the movie (so much so that the Budgens supermarket scene is lit using no more than their own fluorescent lights).

Sound The 5.1 sound mix works overtime on creeping you out, with busy rear speakers offering the type of uncomfortable rustles that help keep you on edge.

SPECIAL FEATURES

Audio Commentary Director Danny Boyle and writer Alex Garland pick their way through the debris, comprehensively detailing locations used in every scene, and issues that were dealt with during the shoot.

Influences are discussed and, before you hear this commentary, why not stop to ponder how "Dawn of the Dead", "Psycho", "Tootsie" and Homer Simpson left their marks on the movie!

Pure Rage: Making of "28 Days Later" Better made than the average behind-the-scenes investigation of a movie, this 24-minute programme opens with ten minutes of contemplation from scientists as to how our future on this planet is under increasing threat from a viral menace.

Indeed, the timing of phrases like "How protected are we from a new killer pandemic?" could not be more eerie given the current SARS panic.

After a hefty dose of scaremongering, the featurette settles down into the more familiar territory of cast and crew discussing the plot and merits of "28 Days Later".

Deleted Scenes Seven deleted scenes of good quality - including one with Danny Boyle's favourite shot - feature here. There are some good train-based moments, and an unfinished motorway sequence complete with commentary from Boyle and Garland as to why the material was cut.

Alternate Endings It turns out that right up to post-production, a different ending was being mused over. There are two on offer here, again with optional explanatory commentary.

Image Galleries There's both a production photo and Polaroid gallery for you to rifle through while listening to a commentary explaining what the images represent.

Additional Extra Features Also on the DVD is a 'Marketing' section with a teaser, theatrical trailer, animated storyboards for the UK "28 Days Later" website, and a music video. The DVD also opens with a selection of trailers for other Fox horror and fantasy titles.

TECHNICAL INFORMATION
Region: 2
Chapters: 32
Ratio: 1.85:1 (anamorphic)
Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1
Audio Tracks: English
Subtitles: Swedish
Captions: English
Menus: Animated, with the scenes and sounds of London under zombie - sorry, infected people's - rule
Special Features Subtitles: All of the special features come with subtitles, apart from the commentaries for the image galleries, and the material in the marketing section (trailers, etc).

This DVD was reviewed on a JVC XV-S57 DVD player.