So I just watched Warhorse last night and let me just say  it was a very intense movie! There is lots of emotion and action!Here is a little info about the film.

From Legendary Academy Award-winning motion picture director/producer Steven Spielberg, this critically acclaimed and Academy Award®-nominated epic adventure tells the story of the extraordinary journey of courage and friendship as seen through the eyes of one unforgettable horse named Joey, and his miraculous journey to find his way back home.

I will say I really liked the movie a lot but it left me wanting a bit more character development until I saw the Bonus Material.
I never paid much attention to “bonus” content before but seeing this caused me to like the movie even more.

The Bonus Features Disc contains:

• Film Making Journey                 (64 minutes)
• Editing and Scoring                   (9 minutes)
• The Sounds of War Horse       (7 minutes)
• Through the Producer’s Lens   (3 minutes)

A Film Making Journey tells the back story of “Warhorse”. It began as a novel by Michael Morpurgo and then a Stage Play in London. The story of a horse’s journey through World War II with beautiful scenery of the colorful  English Country Side in stark contrast to the bleak No Man’s Land on the battlefield of France. Most of the movie was shot outdoors in England where the constantly changing weather affected the sky, clouds and the land enhanced the background scenes.

Steven Spielberg  narrates the story of making “Warhorse”. Well worth the 64 minute investment.

Editing and Scoring: Editor Michael Kahn describes the process of scene selection with emphasis on the battle between the natural and mechanical during the transforming struggle that was The Great War. Kahn discusses the emotions felt during the creation of “War Horse” of Love, affection and understanding between “Joey” (the title character) and those humans who become a part of his story.

Scorer John Williams’ creative talents are on display along with scenes from the actual recording studio. You will come away from the second half of this short segment with a greater appreciation for the talents involved.

The Sounds of War Horse:  No sounds from the actual location were used in the film which makes the story behind the creation of the sound effects all the more interesting.

Through the Producer’s Lens:  Co-Producer and Photographer Kathleen Kennedy’s magnificent still shots are the back drop during her compact yet meaningful description of her impressions of the film. The fact that 8 million horses were killed during the Great War was not lost on her. The importance of conveying the horror of war, not just to humans, but to the horses was not lost.

In conclusion this movie is not just a World War I movie. It is an anti-war movie and the story of the journey of a horse from the horse’s viewpoint. Spielberg relates a message about the relationships between many humans and a very special horse. The bonus material is most helpful by helping the viewer understand his insight in understanding the historical connection of man and horse. The horse was man’s only mode of transportation  for centuries. Great armies moved upon the horse. Nation’s fortunes were made or lost thanks to the relationship between the horse and man. The Bonus features describe in detail the difficulties of training, makeup,the tricks used and humane treatment considerations involved. All leave you with a greater appreciation of the making of “War Horse” and of the resulting phenomenal movie.

Thank you to Disney for letting me review this film.

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• War Horse on Bluray and DVD on April 3rd (chipandco.com)
• Oscar Nominated WAR HORSE Gets a Blu-Ray Release Date (chipandco.com)