When it comes to making movies, director Ang Lee exercises such vision and control that the actors who worked with him on Universal’s upcoming The Hulk swear they would have done anything for him.
"I would have done the movie without a script to work with Ang -- he’s a master," said Sam Elliott, who portrays General Ross in the Marvel Comics-based movie slated to bow theatrically June 20.
Lee’s focus is so concentrated on the movie itself that he leaves just about everything else in others’ hands. That includes the eventual DVD -- or almost everything associated with it, anyway. "At the very beginning, I made it clear I just want to make the movie," said Lee.
He said the studio has run some suggestions for extras by him -- such as a commentary (which he’s doing), deleted scenes and sketches -- though he’s not certain what else will ultimately be on the disc.
For the most part, he’s content to let Universal Studios Home Video work it all out.
That’s not to say that he’s completely indifferent to the DVD. He’s deeply involved in the color timing for the disc. And he is passionate about one aspect of the disc as it will appear on home screens.
"I don’t even want to do pan-and-scan," he said, referring to the reformatting often done to fill the square TV screen. "All I care [about] is the letterbox."
The movie stars Australian actor Eric Bana as Bruce Banner, the scientist who turns big and green, and tears everything apart when he gets mad, thanks to some genetic tinkering done by his father, played by Nick Nolte. It was produced by Gale Anne Hurd, Avi Arad, James Schamus and Larry Franco. Schamus, Lee’s longtime collaborator, also penned the story and co-wrote the screenplay with John Turman and Michael France.
Schamus said the DVD is in capable hands at Universal. "They’ve really raised the bar" for the format, he said. One element that will likely make its way into the disc is a look at the special effects from concept to final product for scenes such as the vicious fight between Hulk and a trio of mutant dogs that have been sicced on Betty Ross. "It’s going to be an incredible edition," Schamus said. "They’re putting a lot of stuff into this thing."