Streetdance 3D DVD and extra features review

Two worlds certainly do collide with this much anticipated DVD release. We get two discs containing both the 2D edition and 3D with four pairs of (kind of cool) anaglyph 3D glasses of the old red and blue variety.

You know the story well enough by now: Streetdance crew Jay2O, later Breaking Point are forced into rehearsing with members of a Ballet Academy when they lose their rehearsal space. Will they gel in time to win the Streetdance Championships? You don’t have to have seen the film to know how it turns out.

Starring a scene-stealing Charlotte Rampling as ballet school headmistress Helena, a fine screen debut from Matthew Bourne favourite Richard Winsor  and Nichola Burley as leader of Breaking Point, most of the target audience are more likely to be interested in George Sampson‘s very charming interviews as part of the extras and the disproportionate extra time devoted to Diversity who are featured as no more than a cameo in the film.

Disc 1 contains the 2D version and the extras: Making of Streetdance; Anatomy of a Scene; Streetdance Tour Video; On Set; Diversity Sequence; Extended interviews and the National Music Awards performance. The directors and producer offer us insights into their motivations and aspirations for the film and make it clear that they wanted to create a ‘feel good’ movie that stands as a uniquely British take on the genre. The scene chosen for detailed analysis is the first meeting of the ballet dancers and street dancers at the Academy and it does provide an interesting breakdown of the details involved in putting together such a scene from both an acting and technical point of view. However, the On Set and Making Of sections disappoint by not showing us more of the dance action from the film, we get the same clips repeated of the Flawless and Diversity routines from the movie, but it would have been nice to see sequences that didn’t make it or more of the on set impromptu throw downs and jams that took place.

We do see a clip of a backflip battle where the supporting artistes swamp Hugo Cortes with love after he pulls off an impressive sequence of flips and eagle eyed viewers will spot Twist & Pulse jamming on set, but those involved as extras know that there were more of the UK finest dancers who were filmed including Peridot, Jukebox Juniors and Animaineax, and it would have been great to see some of that footage as part of the bonus features.

Disc 2 contains the 3D version. And that is all. Surely there was room for some more extra goodies on that second disc? In the interests of journalistic integrity we have watched both the 2D and 3D versions and we have to say that we have no preference. The 3D is fun,  you see the relevant bits stand out just as you did at the cinema, but the best thing about the film is ultimately the dancing, which is just as engaging in 2D as it is in 3D thanks to well positioned cameras and expert choreographers.

Some have questioned why this is released in ‘old fashioned’ red and blue 3D, but it is perfectly adequate in this format and egalitarian to those who haven’t yet forked out thousands of pounds for a 3D television.

Of course, with the sequel due to go into production next year the 3D may be ramped up a step and the subsequent DVD offering will definitely need to up its game, but this is the first British film to be made entirely in 3D and a slice of movie history for you to either purchase or get from your well meaning Aunt, Uncle or Grandparents for Christmas.

Streetdance 3D DVD extras

Making of Streetdance (30 mins)
Anatomy of a scene (8:30 mins)
Streetdance Tour Video (6:28 mins)
Premiere Footage (3:48 mins)
On set of Streetdance (13 mins)
Diversity sequence (3:10s)
Extended interviews (15 mins)
National Movie Awards performance (4 mins)

Streetdance 3D is available on DVD now.

You can see footage from the Streetdance 3D DVD launch here.