People from Greenwood featured in “The Help” will finally get their chance to relive their moments of glory — as many times as they please — from the comfort of their homes.
The DVD of the blockbuster movie is being released Tuesday.
“I’m giving it to all my children as Christmas presents,” said Jo Claire Swayze, who is featured in the Junior League benefit scene. “I’m going to autograph them all.”
Swayze said she plans to stop the movie near her two scenes: one where she’s entering the Leflore County Courthouse, which was used in the outside portions of the benefit scene, and the other while she’s clapping after her on-screen husband — actor Leslie Jordan, who played the editor of the Jackson Journal — does a somersault.
Those who buy the Blu-ray version will also get to see two documentaries.
“In Their Own Words: A Tribute To The Maids Of Mississippi” features interviews with several former maids from Greenwood and other nearby cities.
Virlee “Birdie” Johnson of Greenwood is one of the former maids shown in the documentary. She said this morning that she’s planning to pick up a copy of the movie.
Johnson said she already has the book and enjoyed the movie version of “The Help” when she saw it in Southaven.
“It was real nice,” she said.
The other documentary, “The Making of ‘The Help’: From Friendship To Film” is about the relationship between author Kathryn Stockett and director Tate Taylor, who grew up together in Jackson.
The two documentaries are exclusive to the Blu-ray version. Blu-ray is a high-definition format.
Although the standard-definition DVD doesn’t have the special features, it does include two deleted scenes with introductions by Taylor and “The Living Proof” music video by Mary J. Blige, which are also on the Blu-ray version.
The film about black maids and their relationship with their white employers set in 1960s Jackson was shot mostly in Greenwood during the summer of 2010.
The DVD will be the latest moneymaker for producer DreamWorks and publisher Disney in what has already been a very profitable project.
The movie had an estimated budget of $25 million but has taken in nearly $200 million worldwide since being released to positive reviews in August. “The Help” has earned $169 million in the United States and $30 million in foreign markets, according to the website Box Office Mojo.
It’s based on Stockett’s bestselling debut novel.
• Contact Charlie Smith at csmith@gwcommonwealth.com.
