DVD Review: Taps 25th Anniversary Special Edition

With the war in Iraq fresh on most peoples' minds, 20th Century Fox's timely release of the 25th anniversary edition of TAPS could not have been better. Originally released in 1981, TAPS' message on the true meaning of honor and war is just as poignant today as it was twenty-five years ago.

The movie opens with the commencement ceremony for seniors at the Bunker Hill Military Academy. As is tradition at the school, the names of former students who were killed in action are read aloud. This is the firs introduction of George C. Scott's character, General Harlan Bache the academy's commander/ Bache is a tough yet honorable man revered by his students, and above all else in love with being a soldier.

Among the students participating in the ceremony is Brian Moreland. He has earned the honor of becoming Cadet Major; a rank second only to general Bache. He is invited to have dinner with the old General where he sips brandy and is regaled with stories about honor. Moreland takes every one of the General's words about glory, battles, and honor to heart, and this sets the stage for what is to come.

It is quickly learned that after 141 years the Bunker Hill Military Academy will be closing its doors. In a year's time the academy will be demolished and replaced with condominiums. It is during the graduation speech Bache implores his students to preserve the academy so it is never forgotten. The General's words unwittingly are taken to heart by several students in attendance.

This sets the stage for one of the best scenes between the two Oscar winners Hutton and Scott. Hutton's character Moreland goes to his mentor Bache looking for answers to which the old General has none. Instead Bache promises he will not let anything separate him from the boys he sees as his troops, this only intensifies Moreland's belief in Bache and his beliefs in the General's ideals.

Shortly after this conversation, a tragic incident occurs when a civilian is accidentally shot with Bache's own gun. The General is literally dragged away by police appearing to suffer some sort of breakdown. This sets into motion a series of events which eventually leads Cadet Major Moreland to mobilize the student body, seize control of the school's arsenal, and take control of the Academy.

From here on out the movie does slow its pace somewhat as it becomes almost a test of wills between Moreland and the outside world made up of police, student's parents, and eventually the National Guard. During this time Moreland relies heavily on the counsel of his two closest friends Alex Dwyer (Penn) and David Shawn (Cruise). These two serve as the yin and yang of Moreland's own personality as Dwyer is the level headed conscience while Shawn is an almost mentally unbalanced die hard soldier.

The whole thing comes to a head when a young cadet is mistakenly killed. This eventually leads to Moreland questioning his actions. He is torn between what he feels is his duty to his mentor General Bache, and what he knows to be the right decision of surrendering the school. Dwyer and Shawn re seemingly in a fight for Moreland's very soul at times over what should be done. The final scene between Dwyer and Moreland is notable as it gives brief glimpses into the greatness lying ahead for actor Sean Penn.

The acting in this film is brilliant. The cast is a virtual who's who of today's Hollywood. Timothy Hutton who had just won an Oscar the previous year this movie was released pulls off another Oscar caliber performance. As a viewer you can sympathize with Hutton's character as he is a teenager caught up in ideals for bigger than he is. Sean Penn in his first film role shows flashes of brilliance movie audiences have come to expect over the years. Tom Cruise delivers a fierce performance and his last scene is haunting and will linger with viewers long after the movie is over. George C. Scott though only in the film for a short period of time delivers a performance on par with his Oscar winning role in Patton.

The director, Harold Becker, probably best known for his film The Onion Field, does a masterful job of building the tension to a nail biting crescendo. His ability to make the film seem so real and authentic is riveting and also worthy of noting.

The TAPS 25th Anniversary Special edition comes with a few extras that do enhance the overall set. The main extras are the two featurettes. "Sounding The Call to Arms: Mobilizing the TAPS Generation" gives a look at the film through interviews from the director, along with many other cast and crew. The other featurette takes a look at the history of the playing of "Taps". Both are interesting and welcome editions.

Though TAPS is a bit dated its message is timeless. At its heart TAPS is a character study about easily influenced youth and their idealism fueled by the people they admire most and how this influence and indirectly put those same youth on a dangerous path. The movie's message is still important in today's world as a war rages on in the Middle East. The acting is superb with an almost dream team cast. Though the special edition is limited in its extras what the DVD set does include is exceptional. The TAPS 25th Anniversary Special Edition DVD is a must have for fans of high drama.

4 Stars

Special Features:

Subtitles: English & Spanish

Languages: English, Spanish & French

English 4.0 Surround Sound, Spanish and French mono

Commentary by Director Harold Becker

Featurettes: "Sounding the Call to Arms: Mobilizing the TAPS Generation" & "The Bugler's Cry: The Origins of Playing 'Taps'"

6 trailers & TV spots

TAPS 25th Anniversary Special Edition
Starring: George C. Scott, Timothy Hutton, Sean Penn, & Tom Cruise

Produced by: Stanley R. Jaffe & Howard B. Jaffe

Directed by: Harold Becker
20th Century Fox
Rated PG