Working from individual elements gave the sound engineers the ability to create a very modern mix, with aggressive sound effects placement and better fidelity in all the channels. Both the forward and rear soundstages are very lively, plus there is clean panning of sound effects and especially good use of the split surround channels. Dialogue is crisper and more precise, which allows for greater intelligibility than there was on previous incarnations- throwaway background dialogue can be heard without one straining themselves to hear it. The bass channel pumps up the soundtrack quite nicely, lending weight to all the sound effects and enhancing the music. John Williams' inspiring score has an open, musical quality that wasn't there on the Laserdisc- on that release the score sounded pretty flat and lifeless.
Subtitles are available on the DVD in English, French, Spanish and Portuguese.
Full motion video, animation and sound all enhance the very stylish interactive menus. Through the menus, one has access to the standard scene selection and set up features, as well as some very nice supplements. The other major feature on side one is John Williams' score in isolated Dolby Digital 5.0. A theatrical trailer and cast filmographies close out side one. The Development of Superman runs thirty minutes and looks at what it took to bring Superman from the pages of a comic book to a workable film production.