Stand by Me (Widescreen)

When I was 12 ( I'm 21), I fell in love for a movie called Now and then, starring Christina Ricci, Rosie O'Donnell, Demi Moore and more...It was a coming-of-age movie. So, on the box of the VHS, it was written : The best coming-of-age since Stand by me. It made me curious about this flick, but I didn't any chances to watch it, until last May. I was working (in a Video Store), when I saw the vhs box of the movie...And when I watched it, I immediately felt in love with this beautiful movie. I really think it's the better coming-of-age movie that I've seen in my life. I just bought the DVD and woaw, again, it's a great movie. The performances of the 4 boys are remarquabe, especially Wil Wheaton and River Phoenix. I will watch this movie again and again and again. You can't be tired of Stand by me. And I don't know what to say about the end of this movie.It makes me cry each times that I see it. The story is wonderful. When I'm listening this movie, I forget all my problems. It's a film you can't miss.It's a masterpiece !

Many times in my life I've felt on the verge of an adventure. Many times I haven't followed through, but when I have the world has opened up to a new understanding. That's what I think about when I think of this movie. A coming of age tale of stretching the view of the world and the lessons that are part of a growing understanding. Any person that has tried to stretch their wings and move out into an unknown opportunity or future can identify with the feelings such a choice encompasses. The moving story combined with a beautiful song are a hard combination to top.

I'm not going to write a synopsis of the plot here or tell you how great the movie is. You already know that. If you are going to buy this movie on DVD and have never seen it, plan to watch the bonus documentary included on the new DVD release first, "Walking the Tracks," a behind-the-scenes look at the making of film as told by Rob Reiner, Stephen King, Wil Wheaton, Corey Feldman and Jerry O'Connell. You'll hear Wil explain why Gordie doesn't get his brother's Yankee cap returned, what Jerry O'Connell really thought of Kiefer Sutherland, and how Rob Reiner made two of the cast members weep during the train trestle scene! The docu footage appears to have been shot on the late 1990s or even early 2000, and it's wonderful to see these people together again (River Phoenix, who died in 1993, is not part of the documentary, but is referred to by just about everyone being interviewed). The DVD format has the advantage of letterbox format (don't worry--you won't get a shrunk and stretched-looking movie . . . the widescreen format for this movie is superb, and it will make you toss your old VHS copy in the trash five minutes into the movie). The sound is good as it gets, and you'll also have subtitle options (watch dialogue to the flick in English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Japanese, Tai, or Korean). Overdubbed voice options include French, Spanish, Portuguese, and of course, the original dialogue in English. The best part for me was watching the movie with English subtitles, which made me realize for the first time what some of the dialogue was (including some put downs my ears could never quite figure out--"wet end" and "whoremaster," among others). But far and away, the reason you must buy this DVD is to listen to Rob Reiner's personable director's commentary as the film plays. It's an option, so you can still watch and listen to the complete movie in its original format, but if you've already memorized the scenes because you've seen this movie countless times, listen to Rob's (apparently one-take and continuous) comments about each scene. He's also very funny, and his anecdote about the scene in which Ray Brower is found by the tracks is hilarious, despite the somber tone of this section of the movie. Other perks: the long-lost video of "Stand by Me," featuring singer Ben E. King, River Phoenix and Wil Wheaton (the song was originally a #4 hit in 1960 and was re-released in the fall of 1986, peaking at #9--Rob Reiner makes a comment about the song going to #1 both times, but he's not correct). Some other treats round out the DVD, like bios of each star and scene selection. Don't wait another minute. Buy/rent a DVD player if you don't already have one.