"Slumdog Millionaire" on DVD

A DVD was produced for the movie, "Slumdog Millionaire." Some of the DVDs got into the marketplace without any of the special features on them. Tons of e-mails were sent complaining about the missing features. They were part of those having received the "botched" DVDs. Information was sent to the buyers saying that the makers became aware that the special features were missing. Fox set up a hotline so that callers could give information so that their disc could be replaced.

The DVD conains twelve deleted scenes with a runtime of thirty-four minutes. Director Boyle, in the commentary, explains where most of the scenes would fit and that the reason for their cut had to do with pacing. The DVD was released March 31, 2009. The feature film runtime was two hours.

The film won eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture. The movie won Oscars for its cinematography, film editing, sound mixing, and musical score. Boyle also earned a Best Director Academy Award.

The film reminds one of Charles Dickens' "Oliver Twist." The film is part travelogue and part social commentary. Jamal grows up in the slums. As a young adult, he becomes a contestant on the television quiz show "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" There is a romance between Jamal and Latika. The film is emotionally engaging. One can understand why the DVD purchasers were upset when parts of the film specials were cut. Because it is both entertaining and emotionally engaging, it is important that all features should have been included.