Set Contains:

Taps 25th Anniversary Special Edition special features contains two featurettes that will excite one to see the film again. Watching Taps in theatres upon its release was watching Hollywood history in the making. In the 30-minute featurette, Sounding the Call to Arms: Mobilizing the Taps Generation, director Harold Becker and producer Stanley R. Jaffe discuss casting the then-unknown actors: Tom Cruise (who was originally cast as an extra), Sean Penn (who they plucked off Broadway for this, his first film) and Timothy Hutton (who began shooting Taps immediately after winning an Oscar for his first film). Much discussion is also allotted to George C. Scott and his role and participation on the set. Jaffee discusses the book upon which the movie was based, and the importance that the story be told from the boys' perspective. Stars Timothy Hutton and Ronny Cox speak about their experiences on the film and regale some interesting anecdotes (Hutton playing chess with Scott), and expose what was happening behind the scenes during certain shots. Also interviewed are Director of Photography Owen Roizman and film critic Richard Schnickel. It is not clear as to why Schnickel was relevant to this particular film, although he did have compelling analysis. The second featurette, The Bugler's Cry: The Origins of Playing Taps, is a seven-minute history lesson on the meaning of the tune "Taps," told and played by a bugler. Clever it was to include this information, and a nice extra bonus to stumble upon. The director's commentary is included as an additional feature, and the humanistic connection director Harold Becker has to this film is clearly felt. --Rachel Moss

Product Description

Inspired by a general, a cadet leads an armed defense of his military school to keep it from becoming condos., ISBN13: B000G6BLHY ISBN10: B000G6BLHY Material Type: dvd