First up is a feature length commentary track with director Clive Smith. Though the film wasn't a big commercial success, this one was obviously still a very important project to Smith who put a lot of effort into making the best film that he could. Smith has a lot to say about the making of the film, and goes into quite a bit of detail of what turned out well and what he thought could have been better. He unloads a lot of pre-production detail and also delves into the technical side of things a few times too. Smith comes across as a pretty likeable, down to Earth guy and hearing him reminisce about the movie with as much affection as he does on this track and with as much enthusiasm as he does on this track makes for a very enjoyable listen.

The Making of Rock & Rule is an extensive documentary that examines what went into getting the film made. It features interviews not only with some members of the animation team but also with some of the musical talent involved (there's some very good footage here of a couple of the musicians doing their thing). Originally shown on Nickolodean, this is a pretty interesting piece. Also on the first disc is a huge sketch gallery and a restoration comparison feature that gives us a look at how much effort was put into cleaning up the picture for this Blu-ray presentation.

Up next is an alternate version of Rock & Rule. This is the version that was shown a few times on Canadian television and while the differences are subtle and they don't really alter the film that much, they're still interesting. The opening narration differs from the U.S. version, as does some of the voice work (most noticeably the characters of Omar and the computer game that Stretch is playing in the arcade scene. The ending on this one is also slightly different, and the music sounds like it has been mixed with a more aggressive sound here, most noticeable during the guitar parts of the score. This version runs roughly twenty seconds longer than the U.S. theatrical cut. This version is presented fullframe and the video quality isn't on par with the restored version on disc one. Despite the fact that it doesn't look as nice (a lot of the original elements were wrecked in a fire) I'm thankful that Unearthed included this version on the set as this is the cut of the film that I was introduced to, and for nostalgic reasons, it was important to me on a purely personal level that it be in this set.

The Devil and Daniel Mouse is up next. It's a twenty seven minute long animated short film from 1978 that served as the inspiration for Rock & Rule. This film finds a pair of folk singing mice losing favor with their fans when rock and roll starts to take off in a big way. The female of the pair mutters that she'd be willing to do anything to regain their popularity, and the devil appears and offers her fame and fortune in exchange for her eternal soul. Her popularity soars, and her one time partner Daniel is left in the dust. When Satan comes calling for her and it's time to pay the price for her deal, the only one she can turn to for help is Daniel. This is a fun little short, another one I remember fondly from my childhood in Canada. Clive Smith directed this one as well and the influence that it had on Rock & Rule is obvious. Following that, appropriately enough, is The Making of The Devil and Daniel Mouse which is exactly what it sounds like - a look at the making of the short film. Like The Making of Rock & Rule, there is a lot of interesting information in here that details the background of the film and its creators.

A fifteen minute work print of the title sequence of Rock & Rule is also on this disc, which gives some interesting insight into how the animation all came together for this very visual scene. Rounding out the extra features are a trailer for Rock & Rule, and a workprint ending sequence. Included with the previous DVD release but omitted on this Blu-ray reissue were a still gallery and a booklet featuring some interviews and articles on the film along with some production artwork.

Overall:

This Blu-ray release doesn't offer a huge upgrade over the two disc standard definition DVD release that came out a couple of years ago as it features the same audio tracks and actually omits a couple of minor supplements. It does offer a noticeably more detailed transfer with better colors, however, and for some that will be enough. As for the movie itself, it remains an interesting animated oddity that'll intrigue and perplex for years to come. It's got a great musical cast and features some creative and beautifully drawn animation, all of which come together to help its story flow well. Animation junkies probably already know they want this but even if you don't fall into that category, Rock & Rule is still worth checking out and comes recommended.

Ian lives in NYC with his wife where he writes for DVD Talk, runs Rock! Shock! Pop!. He likes NYC a lot, even if it is expensive and loud.