By DEBORAH NICOL

sci-fi (sī-ƒī) A motion picture that deals principally with the impact of real, projected or speculative scientific discoveries or developments, environmental changes, space travel, or life on other planets
 

The Abyss: Special Edition [Fox]

Before Jack and Rose found iceberg-crossed love on the surface of the ocean in James Cameron's "Titanic," Bud and Lindsay were renewing their vows in the belly of an oil rig in Cameron's far more intelligent "The Abyss." The movie that created amazing water-like special effects also produced a smart underwater sci-fi for those who prefer aliens to ascend rather than descend upon us. Ed Harris and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio create great sparks as an estranged husband and wife thrown together again to repair their rig. This DVD set includes two versions of the film, the theatrical version and the extended Special Edition. The longer version reveals what is happening in the rest of the world as the crew sits on the bottom of the ocean, but it is not as clean as the big screen version. The two-disc set is chock full of extras, including a documentary, the screen play, DVD-ROM games, storyboards, text commentary for both versions, and a booklet detailing the differences between the two versions. - DN

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Tron (20th Anniversary Collector's Edition) [Buena Vista]

Before there was "The Matrix," before the green screen became a regular player in any sci-fi movie, before movies such as "Lara Croft: Tomb Raider" were based on computer games themselves, there was "Tron." 1982's video game granddaddy devotes its storyline to a hacker who could have been a contender. Jeff Bridges stars as the hero who gets sucked into his own computer creation just as he is trying to divulge the proof of his penmanship against the lies of his manipulative boss. Bridges enters this "Wizard of Oz" vision turned upside-down, where his friends and enemies have elec-TRON-ic counterparts, and he is no longer the almighty user in control of the program's bits and bites. Lit up like a bi-chromatic Lite-Brite world and scored with the haunting synthesized styling of Wendy Carlos, "Tron" perfectly represents the computer-mesmerized era that is the early '80's. This 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen, 2-disc set is chock full of extras for the obsessed fan. Included is a making-of featurette, deleted scenes with commentary by Bruce Boxleitner, a photo gallery, storyboards, and audio commentary by the director and effects crew. - DN

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