Five Films With Great Bonus Features

For many film fans, watching the main feature is only part of the experience. Some films come with an impressive selection of extras that provide a fascinating insight into how the movie was made, while others offer deleted scenes, documentaries, alternate versions and plenty of entertaining material that makes revisiting the film even more enjoyable.

Whether you are interested in the filmmaking process or simply want to see something different from the finished movie, these bonus features can add a whole new dimension to a film. Additional features are always welcome, just like the best slots with bonus games. Anyway, here are five films with particularly memorable extras.

1. Back To The Future

Few films have achieved the enduring popularity of Back To The Future, and the Blu-ray release gave fans plenty of reasons to revisit the classic.

Alongside the hugely enjoyable trilogy itself, the release included behind-the-scenes documentaries that explored how the films were made, with interviews and insights from some of the people involved in bringing Marty McFly and Doc Brown’s adventures to the screen.

There was also some fascinating footage connected to the Back To The Future attraction at Universal Studios. For fans of the franchise, seeing how the movie was transformed into a theme park experience provided an entertaining extra that went beyond the usual production material.

2. Dawn of The Dead

The 2004 remake of Dawn of the Dead offered a particularly creative bonus feature. Among the additional material was a fictional “special news report” covering the outbreak of the zombie apocalypse.

Rather than simply providing conventional interviews about the production, the feature plays with the world established by the film itself. Presented as though viewers are watching a news report during the unfolding crisis, it helps expand the story and gives fans another perspective on the events.

It is a great example of how bonus material can be more than just a collection of deleted scenes and interviews. By creating something that feels like part of the movie’s universe, the filmmakers offered fans an entertaining companion to the main feature.

3. The Lord of The Rings Trilogy

Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy became renowned for its huge scale, ambitious production and attention to detail. The accompanying bonus material was similarly extensive.

The special features gave fans an opportunity to delve deeper into the making of Middle-earth, with behind-the-scenes footage, interviews and production documentaries revealing how the enormous undertaking came together.

One particularly intriguing addition was a previously unseen alternate ending. For viewers who had become deeply invested in the trilogy, discovering how the story could have concluded differently provided an interesting glimpse into the filmmaking process and the decisions that ultimately shaped the finished films.

4. Knocked Up

Knocked Up is very different in tone from the epic fantasy of The Lord of The Rings, but its bonus features are just as entertaining in their own way.

The film’s extras include funny alternate versions of some of its biggest scenes, giving viewers the chance to see different takes on moments they already know from the main film.

These alternative scenes demonstrate how much material can be generated during filming before a director settles on the final version. They also provide plenty of additional laughs, particularly for fans who enjoyed the improvisational style and comedy of the original.

Sometimes the best bonus features are simply the ones that make you laugh, and Knocked Up delivers plenty of that.

5. Batman And Robin

Batman And Robin may not have the best reputation among Batman fans, but its bonus material is arguably more interesting than the film itself.

One of the standout features is a remarkably open documentary about the production and the reaction to the movie. It provides an unusually candid look at the decisions behind the film and the challenges faced by those involved.

Most memorably, director Joel Schumacher even apologises for aspects of the movie. It is rare to see a filmmaker speak so openly about a film that attracted such a negative response, making the documentary a fascinating piece of filmmaking history.

Bonus Features Can Be Worth Watching

A great set of bonus features can turn a standard home release into something much more valuable for film fans. Documentaries, alternative scenes, deleted footage and unusual features can reveal what happened behind the camera while also offering material that never appeared in the original theatrical release.

From the nostalgic world of Back To The Future to the brutal apocalypse of Dawn of The Dead, the expansive production of The Lord of The Rings, the comedy of Knocked Up and the surprisingly candid discussion surrounding Batman And Robin, these films demonstrate just how entertaining the extras can be.