Holiday Guide 2011-Gifts for Moms-The Help on Blu-Ray and DVD

The Help, the inspirational summer hit film people can’t stop talking about, arrives in homes just in time for the holidays, delivering this powerful story on Blu-ray™ Combo Pack, DVD, Digital Download and On-Demand.

The #1 New York Times bestseller by Kathryn Stockett comes to vivid life through the compelling performances of a phenomenal ensemble cast including Emma Stone, Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer and Bryce Dallas Howard. The Help is a courageous and empowering story about very different and extraordinary women in the 1960s South who build an unlikely friendship around a secret writing project.

The Help Blu-ray Combo Pack provides audiences with the chance to delve deeper into the movie through compelling, never-before-seen bonus features, including “The Making of “The Help:‟ From Friendship To Film,” an intimate look at how the life-changing experiences of close-knit childhood friends director Tate Taylor and novelist Kathryn Stockett led to the creation of the best-selling novel and its transition to the big screen.

Additional bonus includes “In Their Own Words: A Tribute To the Maids Of Mississippi,” which is an honest observation of life in the South from real-life maids, including director Tate Taylor‟s childhood caretaker, Carol Lee; Deleted Scenes; and nine-time Grammy Award®-winning and multi-platinum selling singer/songwriter, Mary J. Blige‟s “The Living Proof”, music video from the film‟s end titles.

In continued efforts to provide consumers with multiple viewing choices and unprecedented quality, value and portability in a single purchase, The Help has been packaged as follows:

3-Disc Blu-ray Combo Pack (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy) = $44.99 U.S./$51.99 Canada

Exclusive Blu-ray Bonus Features:

The Making of “The Help:” From Friendship To Film
In Their Own Words: A Tribute To The Maids Of Mississippi
Three deleted scenes with introductions by Director Tate Taylor, including “Humiliated”, “A Book About Jackson” and “Johnny‟s Home‟ (which is a Blu-ray exclusive)

DVD Bonus Features:

Two deleted scenes with introductions by Director Tate Taylor including “A Senator‟s Son‟ and “Keep On Walkin”
“The Living Proof” music video by Mary J. Blige

2-Disc Blu-ray Combo Pack (Blu-ray + DVD) = $39.99 U.S./$46.99 Canada

Exclusive Blu-ray Bonus Features:

The Making of “The Help:” From Friendship To Film
In Their Own Words: A Tribute To The Maids Of Mississippi
Three deleted scenes with introductions by Director Tate Taylor including “Humiliated”, “A Book About Jackson” and “Johnny’s Home” (which is a Blu-ray exclusive)

DVD Bonus Features:

Two deleted scenes with introductions by Director Tate Taylor, including “A Senator’s Son” and “Keep On Walkin”
“The Living Proof” music video by Mary J. Blige

1-Disc DVD = $29.99 U.S./$35.99 Canada
Bonus Features:

Two deleted scenes with introductions by Director Tate Taylor, including “A Senator’s Son” and “Keep On Walkin”
“The Living Proof” music video by Mary J. Blige

High Definition Digital Download = $39.99 U.S./$46.99 Canada
Bonus Feature:

Three deleted scenes with introductions by Director Tate Taylor, including “Humiliated”, “A Book About Jackson” and “Johnny’s Home” (which is a Blu-ray exclusive)
“The Living Proof” music video by Mary J. Blige

Standard Definition Digital Download = $29.99 U.S./$35.99 Canada
Bonus Feature:

Three deleted scenes with introductions by Director Tate Taylor, including “Humiliated”, “A Book About Jackson” and “Johnny’s Home” (which is a Blu-ray exclusive)
“The Living Proof” music video by Mary J. Blige

I received a copy of the 2-Disc Blu-Ray Combo pack. I was eager to watch the movie since I never made it to the theater to see it. I am actually about half way through reading the book and was holding off on seeing the movie until I finished, but when this review opportunity came up I couldn’t refuse. As often happens a lot of the book doesn’t make it into the movie. Timing and pacing come into play when working on a movie and as you can see by the deleted scenes that are on the DVD and Blu-Ray some things just don’t make the final edit. My husband and I enjoyed the movie, though there are some slow spots, they did a good job of capturing the major story lines in the book.

In all honesty, I enjoyed the Bonus feature The Making of “The Help:” From Friendship To Film almost more than the movie. I enjoyed seeing the bonds between the book’s author, the film’s director and some of the cast. This feature also brought the book home for me. The story takes place in 1963 in Jackson, Mississippi. I was born in 1964 in Beverly, Massachusetts and the way Mississippi life was displayed was much different then our life in Massachusetts during the same time period. I spoke with my mom about this and she agreed it was hard to imaging that in the 60s life in the south was that much different than life in New England.

The Help would make a great Christmas gift for any woman on your gift list.

Disclosure: I received a copy of the Blu-Ray Combo pack for the purpose of this review. All opinions are 100% mine.