The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a wonderfully made film by David Fincher about love and life that’s turned slightly on its ear. It was good enough to be included among the august body of films chosen by the Criterion Collection and one of their first dozen or so in the Blu-ray format.

It took me quite a while to explore the double-disc set fully, but I’m very glad that I did.

First, as far as the movie is concerned I’d like to say that high definition picture and the ability to freeze frame is usually the enemy of any effects laden film. You can usually slow it down and see the seams, you know? The hidden zippers, the lines between reality and effects. So much so, I was a little afraid to see this film on Blu-ray because I thought I might be able to see behind the curtains, as it were. Thankfully that was not the case. The transfer of this film to Blu-ray really illustrates how far we’ve come in the world of visual effects. Not for a minute did I disbelieve what I was seeing, neither in the theatres nor on this disc. Add to that the fact that the movie is pretty damn good and you’ve got a Blu-ray disc worth its weight in gold.

The second disc is dominated entirely with a three-plus long hour odyssey of the making of the film. I was quite glad to see it and impressed by its thoroughness. It covered each aspect of the making of the film, from its development hell in the 80s, through each of its possible incarnations in the 90s and up through until the film actually went into production, and ended with the New Orleans premiere of the film in 2008. It was filled with insight into the filmmaking process, fascinating stories about the production (my favorite was the story about the house they procured for their main location) and lots of interviews with the main members of the cast and crew.

It was invigorating to watch. If you want to make films, I wouldn’t watch this feature too close to bedtime, or you might get a rush and not be able to sleep.

All in all, this is a film and a disc that I’m proud to add to my Criterion Collection and I think you would be, too. Spring for the Blu-ray, though.

To buy The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, simply click the link.