This review is dedicated with love and respect to the memory of my dad, William Cauthen Williams (1915-2002), and all of the heroes of the greatest generation in our history.
When I think about my dad, I think about the times he shared with me how he became involved in World War II. He told me how, as a student at Mississippi State University, he heard of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on the radio in the library and how he decided to enlist in the Army as a result of the attack. As a youth I would see yearbooks and pictures of him and his military unit as they ventured throughout Germany and France in those years, and to this day I have a couple of pictures of him in Germany from 1945.
As the saying goes, everyone has a story to tell. While my dad is no longer around to share more of those stories with me, there are still some left today who share their tales of their involvements in World War II either on the front lines or back home. It’s been over 60 years since the end of the war, and as each day passes we lose more and more of those precious souls to time, at an average of a thousand a day, so it becomes more and more critical to preserve these stories for future generations before all of these survivors are lost to history. Filmmaker Ken Burns has accomplished such a task in “The War”, a 15-hour, seven-part documentary (currently running on PBS) that looks at the four darkest years of the United States’ involvement in World War II through the accounts of not only those involved in the war but also of the effects back home.
Burns, whose accomplishments include the PBS documentaries “Baseball”, “Jazz”, and the highly acclaimed groundbreaking “Civil War” series, spent six years with co-director and co-producer Lynn Novick researching and documenting the personal accounts of 50 such individuals from four different locales – Sacramento, California; Mobile, Alabama; Waterbury, Connecticut; and Luverne, Minnesota – and getting the right feel for what happened both at home and overseas. In the first chapter “A Necessary War”, lives across these towns and the nation are shattered on December 7, 1941 as the United States is thrust into the deadly conflict. In the second chapter “When Things Get Tough”, Americans mobilize for war, factories work around the clock, inexperienced soldiers learn how to fight, and thousands of U.S. airmen gamble their lives against deadly odds in a series of dangerous daylight bombing raids. The third chapter “A Deadly Calling” analyzes the shocking losses suffered at Tarawa, the stalling of Allied forces at Monte Cassino, and the failure of a risky landing at Anzio; while at home things begin to get ugly with racial violence and confrontations as a result of economic growth.
In the fourth chapter “Pride of Our Nation”, over 1.5 million Allied troops participate in the incredible D-Day surge at Normandy, only to become bogged down in the Norman hedges for weeks at a time. Saipan proves to be one of the deadliest Pacific battles to date, while back home concerned citizens begin receiving telegrams from the War Department at an alarming rate. In the fifth chapter “Fubar”, over several different war fronts, American and Allied troops learn the deadly truth that sometimes mistakes happen in war, while on the island of Peleliu the Marines fight one of the bloodiest and most unnecessary battles of the war. In the sixth chapter “The Ghost Front” Americans are shocked at Adolf Hitler’s massive counterattack, but by the spring of 1945 they have the German and Russian forces on the run. Iwo Jima is secured, and American bombers begin their air assault on Japan. In the final chapter “A World without War”, President Franklin Roosevelt passes away, Germany surrenders, American soldiers and sailors endure the Okinawa attack, and Japan ultimately surrenders after American bomber pilots unleash the most terrifying weapon of destruction upon them. With the war now over, millions of military forces return home and attempt to learn to live without war.
In “The War”, Burns pulls no punches. He mixes up documentary footage from the various battles and war fronts with personal stories of the soldiers involved in each conflict and of those back home affected by war in both great and small ways. World War II was a deadly conflict that affected millions on every continent, and just when it seemed hopeless at times, things bounced back for the U.S. military. You see the atrocities perpetrated by the enemies on both military forces and innocent civilians in all its horror and intensity. If you think any slasher flick out there could exceed what actually happened 60-65 years ago, this documentary will make you re-think your definition of what horror and death is truly like. It is a sobering, somber, stark, and touching reminder of where we were as a nation back in the 1940’s and a stark parallel to where we are now in the 21st century. The original music provided by Wynton Marsalis and Norah Jones, coupled with era pieces from Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, and Nat “King” Cole, provide the beautiful and longing musical backdrop for this spectacular program.
Burns also looks at two very overlooked aspects of the war that many Americans of this generation are typically unaware of: the African-American aspect, which experienced further racism and neglect (seen in films like “A Soldier’s Story”), and the Japanese-American aspect, which saw many American-born citizens of Japanese heritage impounded and imprisoned in a labor camp in Rohwer, Arkansas. As the saying goes, those who will not learn the lessons of history are doomed to repeat it.
However, as with all documentaries, there is some obvious material left out. Instead of the all-encompassing documentary of a world at war and its beginnings in 1939, the focus is on the effects of the war on the small American towns profiled and the firsthand accounts from those veterans involved during America’s four-year involvement. Furthermore, Burns had received a number of concerns that the Latin American experience had not been adequately profiled, which forced him to include an additional 28 minutes of footage and stories from the Latin perspective. This footage, while a nice addition, feels a bit shoehorned into and distracted from an otherwise outstanding documentary film.
PBS Home Video and Paramount Home Video have issued “The War” in a stunning six-disc collection that takes advantage of the DVD format and brings the horrors and heroism of World War II to the viewer in a fresh and yet personal way. This in itself is a first, at least in my opinion, releasing the DVD before the TV premiere (if there’s been any other disc that can lay claim to it, I certainly don’t know about it). Each chapter of the 15-hour film is presented in its original 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen format and in your choice of English Dolby 5.1 digital or 2.0 surround tracks, with optional English subtitles. Each chapter is presented on its own individual disc, with Disc Two containing the second and third chapters. To watch this series is to step back in time to what our nation endured as a whole, and what entire families and communities would hear and endure. Their generation didn’t have the benefit of 24-hour news channels or the Internet to inform them of the latest reports; all they had were the radio and movie newsreels, so the wait for any word from the government was just as strenuous and painful as it was a century before during the Civil War. The sound and images fully engross you in this horror and stress, more than any visually graphic movie of today’s time. While some of the actual war footage is referenced from the best possible existing sources, the soundtracks are newly remixed in 5.1 digital sound with an intensity similar to the opening Normandy reenactment in “Saving Private Ryan”.
In addition, PBS and Paramount have included a nice collection of supplements to “The War” that further expand upon the viewing experience. First off we have audio commentaries from Ken Burns and Lynn Novick on Discs 1 and 3, which further analyze the making of the documentary, the “less is more” approach to the storytelling, and the horrors of the war that everyone endured in the 1940’s. The only problem with the audio commentaries is that by listening to these commentaries, you know what’s coming up in later installments. My advice is to listen to these commentaries after you’ve watched the documentary in its entirety.
On Disc 1 there is a 36-minute feature entitled “Making ‘The War’”, which attempts to answer the question of how necessary it was to chronicle these accounts. Burns mentions that at first he had no intention of pursuing another war documentary after “The Civil War”, but he kept hearing story after story from people of their fathers, mothers, siblings, and relatives and their participation in World War II. The question that looms over this feature, as well as the entire documentary, is a sobering one: why do 18-year-olds go to war? This is what Burns and Novick attempt to answer in both “The War” and this production feature. Also on Disc 1 we have a photo gallery of 28 different pictures from 1941-1945 showing various aspects of the war and its effect back home, as well as text biographies of those participants profiled in the documentary.
On Disc 6 we have a 24-minute collection of deleted scenes cut from the documentary. These deleted scenes, culled from a work print version of the documentary, looks at additional aspects of World War II from the news correspondents’ points of view, among them Andy Rooney (of “60 Minutes” fame); further insights from the war veterans interviewed for the documentary, including thoughts on sacrifice, attacks on Aachen and Metz, and battling through the hedgerows in Normandy, among others; and other tales to be told. In addition, on Disc 6 we have 55 minutes of additional, uncensored interviews with many of the participants profiled, also culled from a work print version of the documentary. Both the deleted scenes and the additional documentary could easily form another chapter for this program. Kudos to PBS Video for including this insightful information!
Finally, because this is a historical documentary, PBS and Ken Burns have prepared a list of educational resources for utilizing this DVD set in the classroom. This includes a brief video from Burns, who offers his thoughts on using “The War” and the many PBS resources as tools in the classroom; a collection of still photographs and their credited sources; PDF access to episode descriptions and further comments from Burns and Novick; information on the Veterans History Project; and PBS web links to lesson plans and instructional curriculum. As a former high school teacher, had this came out a decade before, I would have referenced those online sources and materials exhaustively. References to these educational resources can be found on Discs 1 and 6 of the set.
I highly and unquestionably recommend “The War” as essential viewing for all families, not only for the production and storytelling qualities Ken Burns brings to the documentary, but also for the way it paints a portrait of Americana and the world in the 1940’s. It’s a chilling parallel into our times today and what we can and may possibly face if we don’t get our act together. While this is certainly intended for mature audiences because of the violence, profanity, and disturbing content, it is nonetheless as educational a chronicle as “Schindler’s List” or the Naudet brothers’ 9/11 documentary, and it is must viewing for all students in high schools and colleges everywhere. While my wife doesn’t get into material like this, it’s important for our daughters and future generations to learn from the past. I only wish my dad were alive to share more accounts from this period in his life as the participants do here. Very seldom does it get better than this.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Monday, September 24, 2007
Hasta la vista, HTF...
For some reason I can't figure out, the Home Theater Forum - which in my opinion has had some of the best reader participation online over the years - doesn't want any other competition/promotion of reviews on other sites out there. Apparently someone got pissed off because I've got my DVD review blog site going, and they don't like it. But yet they'll let other people promote their own personally run web sites, blogs, etc. on there and not say anything to them about it? There's who knows how many out there, and I get singled out for no reason? And on my birthday, no less? Smacks of a hypocritical double standard, if you ask me.
Remember that old "Andy Griffith" episode where the little sales guy with the stand was trying to make a living, and the skinflint businessman was continually trying to run him off because he felt the little guy was "treading" on his property? Well, I feel like the little guy right now. Look around you and you'll see who knows how much competition is going on in our society, with X number of gas stations, clothing stores, and fast food restaurants all in the same territory competing for business, and nobody's giving in to some corporate muscle. There's room for everyone.
And yet someone whines and gripes about how I'm reviewing DVDs on my blog site and threatens me not to cross their territory? Yet they let other people do who knows what on their forum and promote their other web sites and not say anything? Well, that's why I've got my own site going, where I can review the latest film and TV DVDs, without a bunch of snobby double-minded people moderating it and saying "We can have this person on there but not that one." I've never violated any rules on HTF, I've always been respectful with my thoughts on there, and this is the thanks I get? If the holier-than-thous at HTF don't like it, screw 'em. I used to have a lot of respect for them... not anymore. It's their loss, not mine.
Remember that old "Andy Griffith" episode where the little sales guy with the stand was trying to make a living, and the skinflint businessman was continually trying to run him off because he felt the little guy was "treading" on his property? Well, I feel like the little guy right now. Look around you and you'll see who knows how much competition is going on in our society, with X number of gas stations, clothing stores, and fast food restaurants all in the same territory competing for business, and nobody's giving in to some corporate muscle. There's room for everyone.
And yet someone whines and gripes about how I'm reviewing DVDs on my blog site and threatens me not to cross their territory? Yet they let other people do who knows what on their forum and promote their other web sites and not say anything? Well, that's why I've got my own site going, where I can review the latest film and TV DVDs, without a bunch of snobby double-minded people moderating it and saying "We can have this person on there but not that one." I've never violated any rules on HTF, I've always been respectful with my thoughts on there, and this is the thanks I get? If the holier-than-thous at HTF don't like it, screw 'em. I used to have a lot of respect for them... not anymore. It's their loss, not mine.
Happy birthday to me!
Hard to believe that I'm now 41. I only wonder what's going to happen as I now move into the fifth decade of my life - ouch, that's gotta hurt! - but I can only hope that things will continue to improve in my life and get better as I move through my 40's.
Quick note... I'm in the middle of reviewing the DVD release of Ken Burns' documentary film "The War", which just premiered last night on PBS. This is one extremely powerful and important documentary on World War II that is a must-view (and for the DVD release, a must-own) for every family and every school. Part 2 airs tonight, so check it out, and look for the DVD (and my review) very soon.
Until then, I'm going to enjoy my 41st birthday! Take care!
Quick note... I'm in the middle of reviewing the DVD release of Ken Burns' documentary film "The War", which just premiered last night on PBS. This is one extremely powerful and important documentary on World War II that is a must-view (and for the DVD release, a must-own) for every family and every school. Part 2 airs tonight, so check it out, and look for the DVD (and my review) very soon.
Until then, I'm going to enjoy my 41st birthday! Take care!
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Complete Series
It’s hard to believe that it’s been 20 years since the next great modern phase of STAR TREK began. I remember September 30, 1987 all too well. I had just turned 21 a few days before and was in my senior year at Mississippi College. The two-hour premiere of STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION was set for debut on my local Fox affiliate station. However, I had the upper hand in knowing what to expect in the premiere episode as I had obtained a rare 20-minute preview reel and satellite briefing several weeks prior (and to think this was back in the day before downloading videos on YouTube or before there was even a StarTrek.com!).
But there was a bit of a problem. The series premiere fell on the same night that MC had a swap (translated: dance – at MC, you could call a dance anything but a dance, go figure) at the Cascades lodge. Of course, I decided to videotape the premiere, and my dad and I had caught the first 45 minutes of the show, which I found to be quite interesting. I then left for the swap at the Cascades lodge and soon found myself on the dance floor with Laura Ann King, the girl whom I had an on-again, off-again crush on throughout my four years at MC. Some priorities are more important than others, you know. The following day, after classes, I played back my videotape of the TNG premiere and caught up with the rest of the show, looking forward to each episode soon afterwards.
Flash forward 20 years. That so-called “next great modern phase” of STAR TREK had long since passed into the record books. TNG had begat DEEP SPACE NINE, which begat VOYAGER, each series of which ran for seven years apiece (with DS9 concurrently with TNG and VOYAGER), which also begat four spin-off feature films (the most successful of which was FIRST CONTACT), an ill-fated prequel series in ENTERPRISE which lasted four years, and who knows how many spin-off books, comics, multimedia products, toys, cards, fan-based web sites, and the list goes on and on. TNG also spawned something new called first-run syndication, with many other series following in its footsteps over the next several years. I went from advertising to teaching to education management, to editing and eventually to my current vocation of curriculum training and management. Challenger and Columbia exploded. I returned to MC to get my graduate degree in English education. The Internet took off and became a household word. NASA finally landed satellite probes on Mars. TITANIC and THE LORD OF THE RINGS ruled. VHS and laserdiscs fell by the wayside thanks to a little thing called DVD. 9/11 occurred. We got Saddam Hussein. My two greatest heroes growing up – my dad and Christopher Reeve – died. Laura Ann King got married in the early 1990’s, and like a coward I skipped town and got as far away from the wedding as I could. I finally married in 2004 and moved a year later from Mississippi to Alabama with my wife April, stepdaughter Rachel, and infant daughter Lily Grace. How times change.
If I seem to wax nostalgic more than I usually do, it’s because STAR TREK: TNG holds a special place in my heart. It was the first TREK series I really attached myself to. Oh, I’d seen reruns of the original TREK on the local Fox affiliate and picked up a number of episodes on VHS during my college years, and I had gotten into the feature films from my teen years forward. But there was something about TNG that was, in a word, unique. I can’t put my finger exactly on what it was. Perhaps it was that attempt by Gene Roddenberry to, as he put it, “catch lightning in a bottle a second time”. Perhaps it was the then-flashy visual effects which, by today’s standards, come off quite cheesy when compared to many of today’s top CGI effects in film and television. Perhaps it was the level of storytelling, which started out bumpy in the first two years and really hit its stride in the third season, thanks to the creative talent of the late Michael Piller. Maybe it was the music. I don’t really know. All I know is that TNG was something special.
In 2002 Paramount Home Video released all seven seasons of STAR TREK: TNG in a relatively bold new home video concept – complete season sets – on DVD. Over the course of the year I could catch up on all those episodes, digitally remastered, presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 and 2.0 surround sound, and complete with a number of additional bonus features. A few years later Paramount issued the first TNG-themed DVD spin-off, THE JEAN-LUC PICARD COLLECTION, which was basically a sampler set of seven episodes from the popular series. This later begat the STAR TREK Fan Collective sets, which were compilations of different episodes from all five series into cost-effective sampler sets. Of course, TNG was prominently present in each set. Now, for the series’ 20th anniversary, Paramount has gone back to the well and reissued the entire series in one complete box set, which comes out in early October. That’s right, all 176 episodes of the groundbreaking series that set the standard for other TREK series to meet, sometimes with success, sometimes with failure.
Right away I can tell you that the bulk of the set is comprised of exactly the same material that was present in the initial sets from 2002, with none of the DVD content lost. That means you’re getting the same episodes, the same bonus features, and the same 5.1 and 2.0 tracks as before. Only this time, it’s not in seven bulky foldout sets. That’s one of the good things about this new complete series set. It’s housed in a large plastic case with a plastic green slipcover, which means it takes up less shelf space on your cabinet. It also contains an exclusive TNG poster as well, complete with artwork and episode descriptions.
The only new material that is included in this complete series set is an all-new bonus disc with exclusive content newly produced for the box set. First off is “Star Trek: The Next Generation’s Impact – 2007”, a new 25-minute documentary hosted by Wil Wheaton (Wesley Crusher), which takes a look at the many contributions TNG made not only to the world of science fiction but also to the world of science fact. In this new documentary Wheaton talks with scientists, writers, engineers, and fans who were inspired by TNG to further their careers and dreams in the same way the original TREK did back in the 1960’s. We see glimpses of how fictional props used in the series, such as the PADD, inspired today’s PDA devices and the recent iPhone. We see developments in satellite technology and space probes, including the recent probes that carried the ashes of both Gene Roddenberry and James Doohan into outer space. We also see how TNG inspired the Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame in Seattle, Washington and the annual open house event sponsored by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
One of the most popular recurring guest stars on the modern incarnations of TREK, John deLancie (Q), hosts the second exclusive 25-minute documentary, “Star Trek: The Next Generation’s Legacy – 20 Years Later”, which takes another look back at how the series has held up over the past 20 years. He teases us with the Q-like question, “What if TNG never existed? How would that have affected the future of television?” (See my earlier comments for my answer to that question.) Participating in this documentary are new interviews with series contributors Ronald D. Moore, Naren Shankar, and Brannon Braga, among others, who reflect on their time writing and producing numerous episodes of TNG. (Moore would go on to revisit BATTLESTAR GALACTICA for the Sci-Fi Channel, while Braga would become the scorn of TREK fans everywhere by co-creating [with Rick Berman] and screwing up a lot of episodes of ENTERPRISE during its run.) The third and final exclusive documentary, the 25-minute “Star Trek Visual Effects Magic: A Roundtable Discussion”, looks back at the then-groundbreaking visual effects produced initially by Industrial Light and Magic on a weekly basis. Among those interviewed are Dan Curry, Rob Legato, Ron Moore, and Howard Anderson (who created the original transporter effect for the first "Trek" series). Like the special effects produced 40 years ago for the Original Series, some of the special effects produced for TNG are, unfortunately, dated because we’ve become spoiled with flashy CGI effects in many different series and films. Recently comments were made about a possible “TNG Remastered” series with updated visual effects, a la the recent “Original Series Remastered” efforts – as of this writing, nothing has been officially confirmed.
But we’re not done yet. Since its initial announcement many people have wondered about the fate of the additional bonus features that were incorporated into the Region 2 DVD releases overseas and featured as exclusive bonus discs you could only find at Best Buy. Not to worry, those eight bonus features – “Select Historical Data: Part 1” and “Inside the Star Trek Archive” (from the fourth season set), “Intergalactic Guest Stars” and “Alien Speak” (from the fifth season set), “Select Historical Data: Part 2” and “Inside the Starfleet Archives: Sets and Props” (from the sixth season set), and “Special Profiles” and “Dressing the Future” (from the seventh season set) are all included in their entirety on this additional bonus disc and presented in their original formats. This means you can safely sell off not only your individual season sets but also the respective bonus discs from seasons 4-7. There's even an Easter egg on the set that is a tip of the hat to producer Stephen R. Wolcott, who supervised the new documentaries for this set.
Missing in action are quite a number of additional features that could have enhanced this complete set all the more. First of all, there are at least two documentaries that have previously appeared on VHS – “From Here to Infinity: The Ultimate Voyage”, hosted by Patrick Stewart (which also appeared in the two-disc JEAN-LUC PICARD COLLECTION), and “Journey’s End – The Saga of Star Trek: The Next Generation”, hosted by Jonathan Frakes (the latter of which has never been released on DVD) – which could have helped flesh this set out all the more. Then there are all of the series’ generic preview trailers promoting the series prior to its release, before the start of the second season, during the nightly syndication runs, prior to the start of the fourth season, and toward the end of the series, as well as the preview trailers for each episode (which were included in the TNG Companion CD-ROM and are also on StarTrek.com). I figured that these would have been featured in the same way that the vintage preview trailers for the Original Series were included on their VHS, laserdisc, and DVD releases. We also know of many outtakes, bloopers, and raw footage clips that have surfaced over the years, including the infamously raw and ribald first season blooper reel that has appeared at conventions and on who knows how many bootleg videos over the past two decades. Finally, I would have enjoyed seeing the original preview reel and satellite briefing from the summer of 1987 in which many tie-in products were promoted, among them the General Mills’ cereal contest for a walk-on role on TNG and the Associates’ Star Trek credit card.
At a retail price of $440 (with some stores selling the series for a bit less), I have a bit of a problem with the pricing of this complete series set. After purchasing and tracking down all seven seasons and the respective bonus discs at Best Buy, it seems like a bit of a waste to plunk down $440 just to obtain an additional disc with three more documentaries on it. You could go into any Wal-Mart and pick up the seven sets for less than what you would pay for the entire series set, and still get the bulk of the same content. Even my wife agrees with me that this is an extreme waste of money. Still, there are some fans out there who have already purchased the seven sets and the bonus discs who will ultimately shell out the money to get that additional disc – I’m not one of them.
But if you’ve not picked up any of the season sets at all, this is a good way to get everything all in one shot at a fairly reasonable price. Seeing this reissue in a complete box set is more than just all seven seasons with a new wrapper around it and a new disc in it. For me it’s like stepping back into a time capsule to 1987, when all that mattered was school and dances and unrequited crushes on girls and not knowing what the future held for me. Part of me is glad I’m not 21 anymore. Part of me wishes I could have my own Guardian of Forever to go back there and tell myself what to look forward to, and part of me wishes I could go back and change things. (Only in things like TNG does that exist; not in the real world.) And part of me wishes for another day with my dad and another dance with Laura Ann King. I guess we all have to grow up eventually and put things behind us, don’t we?
But there was a bit of a problem. The series premiere fell on the same night that MC had a swap (translated: dance – at MC, you could call a dance anything but a dance, go figure) at the Cascades lodge. Of course, I decided to videotape the premiere, and my dad and I had caught the first 45 minutes of the show, which I found to be quite interesting. I then left for the swap at the Cascades lodge and soon found myself on the dance floor with Laura Ann King, the girl whom I had an on-again, off-again crush on throughout my four years at MC. Some priorities are more important than others, you know. The following day, after classes, I played back my videotape of the TNG premiere and caught up with the rest of the show, looking forward to each episode soon afterwards.
Flash forward 20 years. That so-called “next great modern phase” of STAR TREK had long since passed into the record books. TNG had begat DEEP SPACE NINE, which begat VOYAGER, each series of which ran for seven years apiece (with DS9 concurrently with TNG and VOYAGER), which also begat four spin-off feature films (the most successful of which was FIRST CONTACT), an ill-fated prequel series in ENTERPRISE which lasted four years, and who knows how many spin-off books, comics, multimedia products, toys, cards, fan-based web sites, and the list goes on and on. TNG also spawned something new called first-run syndication, with many other series following in its footsteps over the next several years. I went from advertising to teaching to education management, to editing and eventually to my current vocation of curriculum training and management. Challenger and Columbia exploded. I returned to MC to get my graduate degree in English education. The Internet took off and became a household word. NASA finally landed satellite probes on Mars. TITANIC and THE LORD OF THE RINGS ruled. VHS and laserdiscs fell by the wayside thanks to a little thing called DVD. 9/11 occurred. We got Saddam Hussein. My two greatest heroes growing up – my dad and Christopher Reeve – died. Laura Ann King got married in the early 1990’s, and like a coward I skipped town and got as far away from the wedding as I could. I finally married in 2004 and moved a year later from Mississippi to Alabama with my wife April, stepdaughter Rachel, and infant daughter Lily Grace. How times change.
If I seem to wax nostalgic more than I usually do, it’s because STAR TREK: TNG holds a special place in my heart. It was the first TREK series I really attached myself to. Oh, I’d seen reruns of the original TREK on the local Fox affiliate and picked up a number of episodes on VHS during my college years, and I had gotten into the feature films from my teen years forward. But there was something about TNG that was, in a word, unique. I can’t put my finger exactly on what it was. Perhaps it was that attempt by Gene Roddenberry to, as he put it, “catch lightning in a bottle a second time”. Perhaps it was the then-flashy visual effects which, by today’s standards, come off quite cheesy when compared to many of today’s top CGI effects in film and television. Perhaps it was the level of storytelling, which started out bumpy in the first two years and really hit its stride in the third season, thanks to the creative talent of the late Michael Piller. Maybe it was the music. I don’t really know. All I know is that TNG was something special.
In 2002 Paramount Home Video released all seven seasons of STAR TREK: TNG in a relatively bold new home video concept – complete season sets – on DVD. Over the course of the year I could catch up on all those episodes, digitally remastered, presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 and 2.0 surround sound, and complete with a number of additional bonus features. A few years later Paramount issued the first TNG-themed DVD spin-off, THE JEAN-LUC PICARD COLLECTION, which was basically a sampler set of seven episodes from the popular series. This later begat the STAR TREK Fan Collective sets, which were compilations of different episodes from all five series into cost-effective sampler sets. Of course, TNG was prominently present in each set. Now, for the series’ 20th anniversary, Paramount has gone back to the well and reissued the entire series in one complete box set, which comes out in early October. That’s right, all 176 episodes of the groundbreaking series that set the standard for other TREK series to meet, sometimes with success, sometimes with failure.
Right away I can tell you that the bulk of the set is comprised of exactly the same material that was present in the initial sets from 2002, with none of the DVD content lost. That means you’re getting the same episodes, the same bonus features, and the same 5.1 and 2.0 tracks as before. Only this time, it’s not in seven bulky foldout sets. That’s one of the good things about this new complete series set. It’s housed in a large plastic case with a plastic green slipcover, which means it takes up less shelf space on your cabinet. It also contains an exclusive TNG poster as well, complete with artwork and episode descriptions.
The only new material that is included in this complete series set is an all-new bonus disc with exclusive content newly produced for the box set. First off is “Star Trek: The Next Generation’s Impact – 2007”, a new 25-minute documentary hosted by Wil Wheaton (Wesley Crusher), which takes a look at the many contributions TNG made not only to the world of science fiction but also to the world of science fact. In this new documentary Wheaton talks with scientists, writers, engineers, and fans who were inspired by TNG to further their careers and dreams in the same way the original TREK did back in the 1960’s. We see glimpses of how fictional props used in the series, such as the PADD, inspired today’s PDA devices and the recent iPhone. We see developments in satellite technology and space probes, including the recent probes that carried the ashes of both Gene Roddenberry and James Doohan into outer space. We also see how TNG inspired the Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame in Seattle, Washington and the annual open house event sponsored by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
One of the most popular recurring guest stars on the modern incarnations of TREK, John deLancie (Q), hosts the second exclusive 25-minute documentary, “Star Trek: The Next Generation’s Legacy – 20 Years Later”, which takes another look back at how the series has held up over the past 20 years. He teases us with the Q-like question, “What if TNG never existed? How would that have affected the future of television?” (See my earlier comments for my answer to that question.) Participating in this documentary are new interviews with series contributors Ronald D. Moore, Naren Shankar, and Brannon Braga, among others, who reflect on their time writing and producing numerous episodes of TNG. (Moore would go on to revisit BATTLESTAR GALACTICA for the Sci-Fi Channel, while Braga would become the scorn of TREK fans everywhere by co-creating [with Rick Berman] and screwing up a lot of episodes of ENTERPRISE during its run.) The third and final exclusive documentary, the 25-minute “Star Trek Visual Effects Magic: A Roundtable Discussion”, looks back at the then-groundbreaking visual effects produced initially by Industrial Light and Magic on a weekly basis. Among those interviewed are Dan Curry, Rob Legato, Ron Moore, and Howard Anderson (who created the original transporter effect for the first "Trek" series). Like the special effects produced 40 years ago for the Original Series, some of the special effects produced for TNG are, unfortunately, dated because we’ve become spoiled with flashy CGI effects in many different series and films. Recently comments were made about a possible “TNG Remastered” series with updated visual effects, a la the recent “Original Series Remastered” efforts – as of this writing, nothing has been officially confirmed.
But we’re not done yet. Since its initial announcement many people have wondered about the fate of the additional bonus features that were incorporated into the Region 2 DVD releases overseas and featured as exclusive bonus discs you could only find at Best Buy. Not to worry, those eight bonus features – “Select Historical Data: Part 1” and “Inside the Star Trek Archive” (from the fourth season set), “Intergalactic Guest Stars” and “Alien Speak” (from the fifth season set), “Select Historical Data: Part 2” and “Inside the Starfleet Archives: Sets and Props” (from the sixth season set), and “Special Profiles” and “Dressing the Future” (from the seventh season set) are all included in their entirety on this additional bonus disc and presented in their original formats. This means you can safely sell off not only your individual season sets but also the respective bonus discs from seasons 4-7. There's even an Easter egg on the set that is a tip of the hat to producer Stephen R. Wolcott, who supervised the new documentaries for this set.
Missing in action are quite a number of additional features that could have enhanced this complete set all the more. First of all, there are at least two documentaries that have previously appeared on VHS – “From Here to Infinity: The Ultimate Voyage”, hosted by Patrick Stewart (which also appeared in the two-disc JEAN-LUC PICARD COLLECTION), and “Journey’s End – The Saga of Star Trek: The Next Generation”, hosted by Jonathan Frakes (the latter of which has never been released on DVD) – which could have helped flesh this set out all the more. Then there are all of the series’ generic preview trailers promoting the series prior to its release, before the start of the second season, during the nightly syndication runs, prior to the start of the fourth season, and toward the end of the series, as well as the preview trailers for each episode (which were included in the TNG Companion CD-ROM and are also on StarTrek.com). I figured that these would have been featured in the same way that the vintage preview trailers for the Original Series were included on their VHS, laserdisc, and DVD releases. We also know of many outtakes, bloopers, and raw footage clips that have surfaced over the years, including the infamously raw and ribald first season blooper reel that has appeared at conventions and on who knows how many bootleg videos over the past two decades. Finally, I would have enjoyed seeing the original preview reel and satellite briefing from the summer of 1987 in which many tie-in products were promoted, among them the General Mills’ cereal contest for a walk-on role on TNG and the Associates’ Star Trek credit card.
At a retail price of $440 (with some stores selling the series for a bit less), I have a bit of a problem with the pricing of this complete series set. After purchasing and tracking down all seven seasons and the respective bonus discs at Best Buy, it seems like a bit of a waste to plunk down $440 just to obtain an additional disc with three more documentaries on it. You could go into any Wal-Mart and pick up the seven sets for less than what you would pay for the entire series set, and still get the bulk of the same content. Even my wife agrees with me that this is an extreme waste of money. Still, there are some fans out there who have already purchased the seven sets and the bonus discs who will ultimately shell out the money to get that additional disc – I’m not one of them.
But if you’ve not picked up any of the season sets at all, this is a good way to get everything all in one shot at a fairly reasonable price. Seeing this reissue in a complete box set is more than just all seven seasons with a new wrapper around it and a new disc in it. For me it’s like stepping back into a time capsule to 1987, when all that mattered was school and dances and unrequited crushes on girls and not knowing what the future held for me. Part of me is glad I’m not 21 anymore. Part of me wishes I could have my own Guardian of Forever to go back there and tell myself what to look forward to, and part of me wishes I could go back and change things. (Only in things like TNG does that exist; not in the real world.) And part of me wishes for another day with my dad and another dance with Laura Ann King. I guess we all have to grow up eventually and put things behind us, don’t we?
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Another Young Indy update...
Good morning, everyone! Buzz word from the guys at TV Shows on DVD is that Paramount Home Entertainment has formally announced December 18, 2007 as the release date for the second volume of "Young Indiana Jones" on DVD!
Not much has been mentioned other than the running time on the set is 12 hours, 6 minutes. Based on this information, and a little mathematical deduction, I can conclude that Chapters 8-15 will constitute this next set, followed by Chapters 16-22 on the third and final volume to come in the spring of 2008. As soon as the latest information on extras comes in, I'll post it for you to enjoy.
Between Young Indy and that awesome five-disc "Blade Runner" Ultimate Collector's Edition, it looks like a lot of us will be in store for one spectacular Christmas! More to come later!
Not much has been mentioned other than the running time on the set is 12 hours, 6 minutes. Based on this information, and a little mathematical deduction, I can conclude that Chapters 8-15 will constitute this next set, followed by Chapters 16-22 on the third and final volume to come in the spring of 2008. As soon as the latest information on extras comes in, I'll post it for you to enjoy.
Between Young Indy and that awesome five-disc "Blade Runner" Ultimate Collector's Edition, it looks like a lot of us will be in store for one spectacular Christmas! More to come later!
Friday, September 14, 2007
Superman: Doomsday
Where were you on November 18, 1992?
For some people that day may not have as hugely significant an impact as, say, November 22, 1963 or September 11, 2001, but for others it was quite a dark day – at least in the world of comic books. For those like me who remember it well, it was the day that Superman died.
Of course, it was all part of a ploy on the part of DC Comics writers, artists, and editors working on four separate titles – “Superman”, “The Adventures of Superman”, the then-recently launched “Superman: The Man of Steel”, and the flagship title of the comics industry, “Action Comics” – who were looking to breathe new life into a franchise that for many intents and purposes had started to grow a little stale. The film series was in a state of limbo after four big-screen installments, and the television incarnations were also in a period of dormancy at this time (it would be another year before "Lois and Clark" would hit the airwaves). So the question was posed: what if Superman actually died? The end result was a seven-part storyline entitled “The Death of Superman”, which saw the Man of Steel fall at the hands of an unstoppable monster of unknown origin dubbed Doomsday, culminating in the landmark 75th issue of “Superman” which, as a result of numerous printings and limited edition versions, sold over four million copies alone. The growing anticipation of the storyline made headlines worldwide over the months leading up to the event and dominated the news over anything else at the time.
This led to two continued storylines over the next year, “Funeral for a Friend” (which dealt with Superman’s funeral and burial, repackaged as “World Without a Superman”) and “The Return of Superman” (which, after several months on hiatus, saw the Last Son of Krypton return to discover four separate and distinct offshoots in the world, each one claiming to be Superman reborn). Note the Christ-like similarities in this tale, which are further explored in the paperback book “The Gospel According to the World’s Greatest Superhero”, written by Stephen Skelton – I highly recommend this book.
From there the Superman line would be re-energized, bringing in new readers as well as bringing back long-time readers. Eventually writer/artist Dan Jurgens returned to familiar territory with “Superman/Doomsday: Hunter/Prey”, a three-part sequel to the “Death of Superman” trilogy which explored Doomsday’s horrific origins on Superman’s home world of Krypton and pitted the two beings against each other in an epic return bout.
As a result of the success of the “Death of Superman” trilogy, word soon began to buzz about a possible return to television, culminating in September 1993 with the premiere of “Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman”. BBC Radio faithfully adapted the trilogy into a three-hour radio drama entitled “Superman Lives”. DC writer Roger Stern penned an epic novelization called “The Death and Life of Superman”, which became a New York Times bestseller for a number of weeks. Skybox cards reprinted the artwork from the tale into two limited edition trading card sets, “Doomsday: The Death of Superman” and “The Return of Superman”. Warner Bros. and producer Jon Peters began considering a film adaptation of the story, with numerous script treatments penned and none of them meeting muster with studio executives and fans alike. (The worst of the lot, a complete and heartless piece of s--t entitled “Superman Lives” [no relation to the well-made radio drama], written by that damn moronic idiot Smith [who needs to go back to his mother’s basement and smoke pot with his girlfriend], almost got made by director Tim Burton with Nicolas Cage in the title role, and the studio actually spent [translated: blew] $30 million in pre-production on this piece of crap? No wonder it got shelved – thank goodness for Bryan Singer!)
Warner Home Video and DC Comics has launched a series of direct-to-DVD “DC Universe” animated productions, and the first installment in the series is none other than “Superman: Doomsday”, a 75-minute adaptation of the “Death of Superman” trilogy that gets to the heart of the story itself. Right now I can tell you that it’s not the most letter-perfect adaptation of the tale, as many events had to be abridged or even eliminated in favor of the main tale, but it’s certainly a decent attempt.
In this new animated feature film, employees of LexCorp accidentally uncover a mysterious vault and unleash the destructive might of Doomsday upon the world. Of course, it’s up to the Man of Steel to stop Doomsday at all costs, but as the fight gets more and more intense, Doomsday’s strength grows at an alarming rate. As with the multi-chapter storyline, the battle winds up on the streets of Metropolis, where Superman makes the ultimate sacrifice in stopping Doomsday’s rampage at the cost of his own life. As the world mourns its fallen champion, Superman’s enemies rejoice, all but Lex Luthor, who unknowingly sets off a chain of events that even he couldn’t have foreseen.
Certainly, the “Death of Superman” storyline is one of epic storytelling, which makes it extremely difficult to condense the entire saga into a single 75-minute film. As I stated earlier, many story elements had to be condensed or even outright eliminated in favor of a story that stayed true to the essence of the original tale. Gone from this tale are many of the repercussions that followed Superman’s death, among them the emergence of four separate Superman impersonators, each claiming to be the Man of Steel reincarnated. Instead, we now have only one Superman impersonator – and it’s not who you think it is – and it’s this good Superman/bad Superman battle reminiscent of the showdown in “Superman III” that takes up the latter part of the film. Also gone are many of the wonderful personal moments that made up the “Death of Superman”, “Funeral for a Friend”, and “Return of Superman” storylines, including Superman’s journey to save his dying adopted father Jonathan Kent (who's mysteriously absent from this adaptation), a young family affected by Doomsday’s rampage, and some of the epic events in the final third of the trilogy. For that matter, the issue of Lois and Clark’s engagement (which was put on hold for the duration of the trilogy) is also eliminated from the film, leaving her romantic attraction toward the Man of Steel intact. Rather than a single 75-minute movie, this epic tale should have been adapted into three separate animated films a la the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy to get everything appropriately covered.
The voice talents behind the scenes bring a new sense of perspective to the Superman characters not previously seen on the WB animated series. Adam Baldwin (from “Independence Day”) brings a new sense of vulnerability and strength to the Man of Steel and delivers a pitch-perfect balance between the good Superman and the evil Superman in the latter part of the film. Anne Heche (of such films as “Volcano” but most notably known as Ellen DeGeneres’ ex-girlfriend) brings a combination of strength and personal vulnerability to Lois Lane. James Marsters (of “Buffy”, “Angel”, and “Smallville” fame) brings an even more sinister sense to Lex Luthor than we’ve seen previously in the many film and TV incarnations.
However, that's where the praise ends and the rant begins. Halfway through the film, someone with a lack of brain smarts not only decided to stick a Smith in-joke in the film, they also got that bottom-feeder to do a voiceover as well! Who in the hell is responsible for that crappy decision? And why does he think he has to stick his nose in Superman's business - and everyone else's business - for that matter? Why doesn't he go back where he came from and stay there? That alone was enough for me to get turned off on "Superman: Doomsday" right then and there.
But just because this is an animated film, which was produced, co-written, and co-directed by Bruce Timm (of the “Superman”, “Batman”, and “Justice League” animated series), don’t think for a second that this is standard kid fare – it’s far from it. This is an extremely intense animated film with a lion’s share of action violence, particularly in Doomsday's rampage and mindless killings, the titanic battle, and the dark Superman's penchant for murder, which earned the film a PG-13 rating, so it’s definitely not for the kids. Also, while much of the look of the film is played off the “Superman” animated series format, it’s separate from the animated continuity.
The DVD presentation of “Superman: Doomsday” is presented in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen format and in Dolby Digital 5.1 sound, with optional English subtitles. The print is crisp and free of blemishes, and the 5.1 track is hard-hitting all around, especially in the battle scenes throughout the film.
Also included on the single-disc release are a nice collection of extras that take viewers further into the storyline. First off we have a running audio commentary with Timm, writer Duane Capizzi, voice director Andrea Romano, and executive producer Gregory Noveck, who discuss the problems in adapting the “Death of Superman” storyline into animated form and the creative decisions they made in abridging the epic tale into a single film. This was a decent listen, right up until Timm decided to mention the crappy-ass Smith in-joke. I had to check it three times to make sure, and then I went, "Oh no you didn't!"
From there we have “Requiem and Rebirth: Superman Lives”, which is a 43-minute retrospective documentary on how the DC Comics team decided Superman’s fate. We have new interviews with the key participants who all collaborated to pull the trigger – including writer/artist Dan Jurgens (who penned and illustrated the landmark 75th issue of “Superman”) and collaborator Brett Breeding; writer/artist Jerry Ordway (who worked on “The Adventures of Superman”); writer Roger Stern (who eventually adapted the trilogy into his bestselling novel); writer Louise Simonson and artists Jon Bogdanove and Tom Grummett (from “Superman: The Man of Steel”); DC editor Mike Carlin; current DC president and publisher Paul Levitz; and former DC president/publisher Jenette Kahn – and made comic book and news history in the process. Included in the documentary are scenes from the DC Comics trilogy and their animated comparisons, which bear startling similarities to each other at times and no resemblance at other times. Most interesting is vintage video footage from the early 1990’s of the “Super-Summit” meeting, which at the time was a standard regular meeting with all the creative talents of the Superman titles to keep the storylines consistent from one book to the next, since at the time the books were interconnected with one another (it’s a shame that in this current trend the books are not interconnected at all). You get to see the plotting and scripting process each writer, artist, and editor brought to the tale, and how all played a part in making this the most important event in comic book history. We also have vintage footage and news reports from November 1992, where fans lined up in droves to turn out for the landmark event. Clearly, this seemed to be far from the gimmick designed to increase reader turnout due to sagging sales; this event took on a life of its own. It’s quite a fascinating look inside the comic book industry, to say the least. The documentary is divided into five chapters and can be viewed in its full-length form or through the individual chapters.
We also have “Behind the Voice”, which is a quick five-minute look at the voice talent of “Superman: Doomsday”. Bruce Timm and Andrea Romano, as well as Adam Baldwin, Anne Heche, Ray Wise (Perry White), Swoosie Kurtz (Martha Kent), and Adam Wylie (Jimmy Olsen), discuss how they contributed to the development of each character’s vocal portrayal. There is also “Superman’s Last Challenge”, a set-top interactive game where viewers can play as the Man of Steel in stopping Doomsday. We also have a 10-minute preview reel for the next DC Universe animated film “Justice League: The New Frontier” (adapted from the graphic novel by Darwyn Cooke) which stars Kyle MacLachlan (“Twin Peaks”) as Superman, Lucy Lawless (“Xena: Warrior Princess”) as Wonder Woman (one of my perfect choices for a live-action feature film version of the character), and David Boreanz (“Angel” and “Bones”) as Green Lantern – no formal release date has been announced yet, but look for it later this year. Finally, we have a trailer gallery for different film and DVD projects, including “The Last Mimzy”, “Spawn: The Animated Series”, the “Blade” TV pilot, all six seasons of “Smallville” on DVD, and the “Dangerous Days” teaser for the upcoming “Blade Runner” 25th anniversary edition on DVD, among others.
In addition, for Best Buy customers Warner Home Video has included a miniature comic book of "Justice League: New Frontier" in select copies of the DVD. A copy of this bonus book was unavailable for review.
“Superman: Doomsday” is not the most perfect adaptation of the landmark comic book tale. Attempting to squeeze a year’s worth of tales into a single 75-minute film is definitely problematic, which is why various script adaptations in the past have always missed the mark. Squeezing everything out until all you have left is the bare bones of the story doesn’t always work, and that’s one of the main problems going into “Superman: Doomsday”. I only wish that, like the comics trilogy, this was the first installment of an animated Superman trilogy to follow in coming months, with each installment running much longer than 75 minutes apiece. While it doesn’t stay exactly true to the original comics, at least the essential core is intact. And the extremely excessive violence and that crappy-assed Smith cameo was enough for me to turn it off completely. I can't give it the most wholehearted recommendation, and that's saying a lot for me as a Superman fan - even my wife was turned off by the idea - and I remind you that this is not for younger kids to watch. I know I won't be watching this again.
For some people that day may not have as hugely significant an impact as, say, November 22, 1963 or September 11, 2001, but for others it was quite a dark day – at least in the world of comic books. For those like me who remember it well, it was the day that Superman died.
Of course, it was all part of a ploy on the part of DC Comics writers, artists, and editors working on four separate titles – “Superman”, “The Adventures of Superman”, the then-recently launched “Superman: The Man of Steel”, and the flagship title of the comics industry, “Action Comics” – who were looking to breathe new life into a franchise that for many intents and purposes had started to grow a little stale. The film series was in a state of limbo after four big-screen installments, and the television incarnations were also in a period of dormancy at this time (it would be another year before "Lois and Clark" would hit the airwaves). So the question was posed: what if Superman actually died? The end result was a seven-part storyline entitled “The Death of Superman”, which saw the Man of Steel fall at the hands of an unstoppable monster of unknown origin dubbed Doomsday, culminating in the landmark 75th issue of “Superman” which, as a result of numerous printings and limited edition versions, sold over four million copies alone. The growing anticipation of the storyline made headlines worldwide over the months leading up to the event and dominated the news over anything else at the time.
This led to two continued storylines over the next year, “Funeral for a Friend” (which dealt with Superman’s funeral and burial, repackaged as “World Without a Superman”) and “The Return of Superman” (which, after several months on hiatus, saw the Last Son of Krypton return to discover four separate and distinct offshoots in the world, each one claiming to be Superman reborn). Note the Christ-like similarities in this tale, which are further explored in the paperback book “The Gospel According to the World’s Greatest Superhero”, written by Stephen Skelton – I highly recommend this book.
From there the Superman line would be re-energized, bringing in new readers as well as bringing back long-time readers. Eventually writer/artist Dan Jurgens returned to familiar territory with “Superman/Doomsday: Hunter/Prey”, a three-part sequel to the “Death of Superman” trilogy which explored Doomsday’s horrific origins on Superman’s home world of Krypton and pitted the two beings against each other in an epic return bout.
As a result of the success of the “Death of Superman” trilogy, word soon began to buzz about a possible return to television, culminating in September 1993 with the premiere of “Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman”. BBC Radio faithfully adapted the trilogy into a three-hour radio drama entitled “Superman Lives”. DC writer Roger Stern penned an epic novelization called “The Death and Life of Superman”, which became a New York Times bestseller for a number of weeks. Skybox cards reprinted the artwork from the tale into two limited edition trading card sets, “Doomsday: The Death of Superman” and “The Return of Superman”. Warner Bros. and producer Jon Peters began considering a film adaptation of the story, with numerous script treatments penned and none of them meeting muster with studio executives and fans alike. (The worst of the lot, a complete and heartless piece of s--t entitled “Superman Lives” [no relation to the well-made radio drama], written by that damn moronic idiot Smith [who needs to go back to his mother’s basement and smoke pot with his girlfriend], almost got made by director Tim Burton with Nicolas Cage in the title role, and the studio actually spent [translated: blew] $30 million in pre-production on this piece of crap? No wonder it got shelved – thank goodness for Bryan Singer!)
Warner Home Video and DC Comics has launched a series of direct-to-DVD “DC Universe” animated productions, and the first installment in the series is none other than “Superman: Doomsday”, a 75-minute adaptation of the “Death of Superman” trilogy that gets to the heart of the story itself. Right now I can tell you that it’s not the most letter-perfect adaptation of the tale, as many events had to be abridged or even eliminated in favor of the main tale, but it’s certainly a decent attempt.
In this new animated feature film, employees of LexCorp accidentally uncover a mysterious vault and unleash the destructive might of Doomsday upon the world. Of course, it’s up to the Man of Steel to stop Doomsday at all costs, but as the fight gets more and more intense, Doomsday’s strength grows at an alarming rate. As with the multi-chapter storyline, the battle winds up on the streets of Metropolis, where Superman makes the ultimate sacrifice in stopping Doomsday’s rampage at the cost of his own life. As the world mourns its fallen champion, Superman’s enemies rejoice, all but Lex Luthor, who unknowingly sets off a chain of events that even he couldn’t have foreseen.
Certainly, the “Death of Superman” storyline is one of epic storytelling, which makes it extremely difficult to condense the entire saga into a single 75-minute film. As I stated earlier, many story elements had to be condensed or even outright eliminated in favor of a story that stayed true to the essence of the original tale. Gone from this tale are many of the repercussions that followed Superman’s death, among them the emergence of four separate Superman impersonators, each claiming to be the Man of Steel reincarnated. Instead, we now have only one Superman impersonator – and it’s not who you think it is – and it’s this good Superman/bad Superman battle reminiscent of the showdown in “Superman III” that takes up the latter part of the film. Also gone are many of the wonderful personal moments that made up the “Death of Superman”, “Funeral for a Friend”, and “Return of Superman” storylines, including Superman’s journey to save his dying adopted father Jonathan Kent (who's mysteriously absent from this adaptation), a young family affected by Doomsday’s rampage, and some of the epic events in the final third of the trilogy. For that matter, the issue of Lois and Clark’s engagement (which was put on hold for the duration of the trilogy) is also eliminated from the film, leaving her romantic attraction toward the Man of Steel intact. Rather than a single 75-minute movie, this epic tale should have been adapted into three separate animated films a la the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy to get everything appropriately covered.
The voice talents behind the scenes bring a new sense of perspective to the Superman characters not previously seen on the WB animated series. Adam Baldwin (from “Independence Day”) brings a new sense of vulnerability and strength to the Man of Steel and delivers a pitch-perfect balance between the good Superman and the evil Superman in the latter part of the film. Anne Heche (of such films as “Volcano” but most notably known as Ellen DeGeneres’ ex-girlfriend) brings a combination of strength and personal vulnerability to Lois Lane. James Marsters (of “Buffy”, “Angel”, and “Smallville” fame) brings an even more sinister sense to Lex Luthor than we’ve seen previously in the many film and TV incarnations.
However, that's where the praise ends and the rant begins. Halfway through the film, someone with a lack of brain smarts not only decided to stick a Smith in-joke in the film, they also got that bottom-feeder to do a voiceover as well! Who in the hell is responsible for that crappy decision? And why does he think he has to stick his nose in Superman's business - and everyone else's business - for that matter? Why doesn't he go back where he came from and stay there? That alone was enough for me to get turned off on "Superman: Doomsday" right then and there.
But just because this is an animated film, which was produced, co-written, and co-directed by Bruce Timm (of the “Superman”, “Batman”, and “Justice League” animated series), don’t think for a second that this is standard kid fare – it’s far from it. This is an extremely intense animated film with a lion’s share of action violence, particularly in Doomsday's rampage and mindless killings, the titanic battle, and the dark Superman's penchant for murder, which earned the film a PG-13 rating, so it’s definitely not for the kids. Also, while much of the look of the film is played off the “Superman” animated series format, it’s separate from the animated continuity.
The DVD presentation of “Superman: Doomsday” is presented in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen format and in Dolby Digital 5.1 sound, with optional English subtitles. The print is crisp and free of blemishes, and the 5.1 track is hard-hitting all around, especially in the battle scenes throughout the film.
Also included on the single-disc release are a nice collection of extras that take viewers further into the storyline. First off we have a running audio commentary with Timm, writer Duane Capizzi, voice director Andrea Romano, and executive producer Gregory Noveck, who discuss the problems in adapting the “Death of Superman” storyline into animated form and the creative decisions they made in abridging the epic tale into a single film. This was a decent listen, right up until Timm decided to mention the crappy-ass Smith in-joke. I had to check it three times to make sure, and then I went, "Oh no you didn't!"
From there we have “Requiem and Rebirth: Superman Lives”, which is a 43-minute retrospective documentary on how the DC Comics team decided Superman’s fate. We have new interviews with the key participants who all collaborated to pull the trigger – including writer/artist Dan Jurgens (who penned and illustrated the landmark 75th issue of “Superman”) and collaborator Brett Breeding; writer/artist Jerry Ordway (who worked on “The Adventures of Superman”); writer Roger Stern (who eventually adapted the trilogy into his bestselling novel); writer Louise Simonson and artists Jon Bogdanove and Tom Grummett (from “Superman: The Man of Steel”); DC editor Mike Carlin; current DC president and publisher Paul Levitz; and former DC president/publisher Jenette Kahn – and made comic book and news history in the process. Included in the documentary are scenes from the DC Comics trilogy and their animated comparisons, which bear startling similarities to each other at times and no resemblance at other times. Most interesting is vintage video footage from the early 1990’s of the “Super-Summit” meeting, which at the time was a standard regular meeting with all the creative talents of the Superman titles to keep the storylines consistent from one book to the next, since at the time the books were interconnected with one another (it’s a shame that in this current trend the books are not interconnected at all). You get to see the plotting and scripting process each writer, artist, and editor brought to the tale, and how all played a part in making this the most important event in comic book history. We also have vintage footage and news reports from November 1992, where fans lined up in droves to turn out for the landmark event. Clearly, this seemed to be far from the gimmick designed to increase reader turnout due to sagging sales; this event took on a life of its own. It’s quite a fascinating look inside the comic book industry, to say the least. The documentary is divided into five chapters and can be viewed in its full-length form or through the individual chapters.
We also have “Behind the Voice”, which is a quick five-minute look at the voice talent of “Superman: Doomsday”. Bruce Timm and Andrea Romano, as well as Adam Baldwin, Anne Heche, Ray Wise (Perry White), Swoosie Kurtz (Martha Kent), and Adam Wylie (Jimmy Olsen), discuss how they contributed to the development of each character’s vocal portrayal. There is also “Superman’s Last Challenge”, a set-top interactive game where viewers can play as the Man of Steel in stopping Doomsday. We also have a 10-minute preview reel for the next DC Universe animated film “Justice League: The New Frontier” (adapted from the graphic novel by Darwyn Cooke) which stars Kyle MacLachlan (“Twin Peaks”) as Superman, Lucy Lawless (“Xena: Warrior Princess”) as Wonder Woman (one of my perfect choices for a live-action feature film version of the character), and David Boreanz (“Angel” and “Bones”) as Green Lantern – no formal release date has been announced yet, but look for it later this year. Finally, we have a trailer gallery for different film and DVD projects, including “The Last Mimzy”, “Spawn: The Animated Series”, the “Blade” TV pilot, all six seasons of “Smallville” on DVD, and the “Dangerous Days” teaser for the upcoming “Blade Runner” 25th anniversary edition on DVD, among others.
In addition, for Best Buy customers Warner Home Video has included a miniature comic book of "Justice League: New Frontier" in select copies of the DVD. A copy of this bonus book was unavailable for review.
“Superman: Doomsday” is not the most perfect adaptation of the landmark comic book tale. Attempting to squeeze a year’s worth of tales into a single 75-minute film is definitely problematic, which is why various script adaptations in the past have always missed the mark. Squeezing everything out until all you have left is the bare bones of the story doesn’t always work, and that’s one of the main problems going into “Superman: Doomsday”. I only wish that, like the comics trilogy, this was the first installment of an animated Superman trilogy to follow in coming months, with each installment running much longer than 75 minutes apiece. While it doesn’t stay exactly true to the original comics, at least the essential core is intact. And the extremely excessive violence and that crappy-assed Smith cameo was enough for me to turn it off completely. I can't give it the most wholehearted recommendation, and that's saying a lot for me as a Superman fan - even my wife was turned off by the idea - and I remind you that this is not for younger kids to watch. I know I won't be watching this again.
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Smallville - Season 6
I have to admit, as much of a Superman fan as I am, it took me nearly a year before I could really get into “Smallville”, the WB’s weekly series (now a part of the revamped CW) that began in October 2001 and is now heading into its seventh season. It’s not that I wasn’t excited about the series concept – I was. The premise of a young Clark Kent as he matures into the Man of Steel he is destined to become was a definitely exciting concept. The two reasons I couldn’t latch onto “Smallville” at first is because I had already latched onto “Enterprise” (the fifth “Star Trek” incarnation) at that time, and between traveling for my job and caring for my ailing dad I couldn’t find the time to watch the series. I had wound up catching the series’ pilot episode while my dad was in the hospital during one of his many bouts with dehydration due to his strokes and Parkinson’s disease. In the months to come I would catch the occasional episode intermittently during my work travels. It was only in the summer of 2002, when the first season went into reruns that I began to really watch and get into “Smallville”. This followed up with the Canadian DVD release of the first two episodes, and by the time of the second season’s premiere I was hooked.
Flash forward to today. Since moving from Mississippi to Alabama, the only way I’ve been able to catch any episodes of any recent TV series has been solely on DVD. As the series now prepares to enter into its seventh (and possibly final) season, Warner Home Video has issued the sixth season of “Smallville” as a six-disc set across standard DVD, HD-DVD, and Blu-Ray formats. Just catching up on everything that I’ve missed over the past year is exciting in and of itself! But whether you’re going into this latest DVD release blindly or just brushing up for the seventh season premiere, this latest set is a nice addition to your “Smallville” and Superman DVD collections.
As if things weren’t already heated up at the end of the fifth season, things went even higher and farther than before. At the end of the fifth season, Clark Kent (Tom Welling) found himself trapped in the mysterious Phantom Zone, as the mysterious Zod wreaked havoc upon Metropolis. Both Lionel Luthor (John Glover) and fledgling Daily Planet reporter Chloe Sullivan (Allison Mack) found themselves at the mercy of a throng of attackers. Lex Luthor (Michael Rosenbaum) found himself the human vessel of Zod, while his new girlfriend Lana Lang (Kristin Kreuk) vowed to join him on whatever transpired from there. The sixth season premiere, aptly titled “Zod”, in which Clark must find a way out of the Phantom Zone, confront Zod, and save Metropolis from certain disaster. (If you notice very carefully, you’ll be able to spot Zod – it’s none other than Terence Stamp, in footage borrowed from “Superman II” and integrated into the episode!)
But that’s not the first surprise for you right there. In “Sneeze”, as Clark develops a cold and accidentally uses his super-breath whenever he sneezes (oops!), we are introduced to a new cast member to the series: Oliver Queen (Justin Hartley), who has his own secret identity as the mysterious Green Arrow. Clearly, as the series matured and developed throughout the season, series creators and producers Alfred Gough and Miles Millar sought to integrate more DC Comics elements into the series. In “Wither” we are treated to Clark’s battle with a Poison Ivy-like villainess, while we see romantic couplings occur between Lois Lane (Erica Durance) and Oliver, Lana and Lex, and Chloe and Daily Planet photographer Jimmy Olsen. Aaron Ashmore (the twin brother of “X-Men” star Shawn Ashmore, who had appeared in a few “Smallville” episodes earlier in the series) brings a freshness and sense of humor to Jimmy’s character, providing a fun enjoyable balance to the series.
Of course, throughout the season we learn more about Green Arrow and his involvement with both Clark and Lois. In “Arrow” Oliver and Clark learn of each other’s secret identities and abilities, while “Rage” focuses on what happens when Oliver takes an experimental drug and seemingly becomes invincible. Things culminate in the season’s midway episode, the popular segment “Justice”, as Clark is invited to join Oliver’s super-group which also includes Arthur “AC” Curry (Aquaman), Bart Allen (Impulse), and Victor Stone (Cyborg) to thwart Lex’s mysterious 33.1 project. Sounds like a job for the neophyte Justice League! They’re not the only heroes in town, as the Martian Manhunter (Phil Morris) made a couple of memorable appearances in the season.
While all this is going on, Clark must repeatedly contend with numerous escapees from the Phantom Zone, in “Fallout”, “Static”, and “Combat” (the latter two of which featured WWE wrestlers Dave Batista, Ashley Massaro, and Glenn “Kane” Jacobs as the Phantom Zone villains Clark – and even Lois – squared off against). But the WWE superstars weren’t the only surprise guest stars this season. Lucas Grabeel (of the two “High School Musical” movies) appeared as a teenaged Lex Luthor in “Reunion”, which further explored the rivalry between Lex and Oliver Queen. If you were to define clueless, before Jessica Simpson there was Tori Spelling (of “Beverly Hills 90210”) – she made a memorable guest star turn in “Hydro” as a venomous Daily Planet gossip columnist. And Wonder Woman herself, Lynda Carter, appeared as Chloe’s mysterious mother in “Progeny”, which explored the possibility that Chloe may have also been affected by the meteor shower that brought Clark to Earth two decades before.
Some of the more interesting episodes put unique spins on what we’ve been familiar with. Of course, there was “Justice”, which teased fans about the possibility of the JLA in Clark’s future. In “Noir” Jimmy takes a bump to the head that plunges him into a 1940’s era dream. And then there’s “Labyrinth”, which took both Clark and viewers on a wild ride where nothing in his world was what it appeared. We even see a hint of things to come between Lois and Clark in “Crimson”, where an aphrodisiac lipstick makes Lois fall in love with the first man she sees – none other than her future partner in news (and marriage).
But as Clark’s future began to take shape, so did the dramatic turn of events that led Lex and Lana to the altar in “Promise” and set forth a tragic turn of events that led to the end of the season (and would continue into the new season). As a result, Lana finds out the truth of why she married Lex, while he and Clark (now head-deep into their explosive rivalry) must work together to escape from certain death in “Nemesis”. Everything came to a head in the season finale “Phantom”, which led to the shocking arrival of a Clark Kent from another dimension (can we all say “Bizarro”?)
All 22 episodes of the series’ sixth season are presented in their original broadcast aspect ratio in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen format, which makes the visual presentation of each episode look as stellar as their original HD broadcasts. Sound-wise, the series’ DVD presentation has finally graduated from ordinary Dolby 2.0 surround sound to full-fledged Dolby Digital 5.1 sound, the first time since the Canadian single-disc release from 2002. While other then-current series were treated to wonderful 5.1 tracks, it always seemed a travesty to give “Smallville” a lousy 2.0 track. All I can say is this: for a series such as this, it’s about time this incarnation of the Man of Steel (to be) got a 5.1 track!
In terms of extras, we are given the requisite series of behind-the-scenes featurettes, deleted scenes, and online content that further explore the “Smallville” mythology. As opposed to the previous sets, the majority of the extra features (sans deleted scenes) are included on Discs 1 and 2 (where they had been mostly on Discs 5 and 6 in previous sets). First off, on Disc 1, is “Smallville: Big Fans”, a 30-minute look at the many fans from around the world who are devoted to the series. Fans are shown at home having “Smallville” parties, attending conventions, meeting the stars, writing their own original fan fiction, and developing their own fan websites. Among those profiled is Craig Byrne, the webmaster of Kryptonsite.com and the editor of the monthly “Smallville” magazine from Titan Books, who regularly keeps up with the latest information and reviews of episodes, and who over the years has emerged as one of the top fans of the series. John Glover, Erica Durance, Alfred Gough, and Miles Millar, among others, are also profiled. This feature is the result of an online search for the ultimate series fan, and it’s fun at times to see how this series has grown on Superman fans and become the success it is.
Also on Disc 1 is “Green Arrow: The History of the Emerald Archer”, which is a look at the creation of the character in the 1940’s as a second string hero, his evolvement over the decades, and his updated revision for “Smallville”. A number of comic-book writers and artists are profiled, including Dennis O’Neil (who with the late artist Neal Adams took Green Arrow to new heights in the 1970’s), as well as Gough and Millar. Now this is one feature that I could have done completely without, and this is where I have a serious problem with it, so forgive me if I shift into explosive mode here – will somebody please tell me what in the hell is Kevin Smith doing in this profile? Doesn’t this bottom-feeding piece of scum have anything worth living to do with his time? For some reason he and others around him think he’s the cat’s meow, but let’s face it, he can’t write, act, direct, or do anything without having to continually stick his face and his crap agenda of subversion in front of everyone and say “How do you like me now?” He needs to get out of the business, go back to his mother’s basement, and resume smoking his crack, or for that matter get a real haircut and job like the majority of America. As my dad would say, give him a bath, a shave, a haircut, and a new suit and send him home to mama. Whoever decided to interview this twerp for the DVD ought to be flogged alongside him – and that’s just for starters. At the very least someone should have the smarts to either cut the feature off the disc entirely or cut all of that useless Smith footage out of the featurette to make it flow better. (Okay, enough of rant mode, back to the review.)
Disc 2 contains three more unique features. First off is “Smallville Legends: The Oliver Queen Chronicles”, which is a six-part collection of computer-animated tales (or “mobisodes”, as they should be properly called) that graced the small screens of cell phone users everywhere but can now be enjoyed in all their glory. Next is “The Making of Smallville Legends: The Oliver Queen Chronicles”, which looks behind the scenes at how each of the mobisodes were created. Finally there is a collection of five “Smallville Content Wraps”, which are an animated series of comic books that explored the events in between the sixth season’s episodes. Like the “Chloe Chronicles” and the “Vengeance Chronicles” before them, these mobisodes and content wraps are wonderful additions to the “Smallville” family.
The remainder of the DVD set contains numerous deleted scenes from “Sneeze”, “Wither”, “Arrow”, “Fallout”, “Hydro”, “Labyrinth”, “Crimson”, “Freak”, “Combat”, “Progeny”, “Nemesis”, and “Phantom”. All of these deleted scenes are presented in Dolby 2.0 surround sound and anamorphic widescreen format and can be viewed in tandem with each respective episode on each disc. These additional scenes, cut from each of the episodes for time or story constraints, lift the curtain back on more of the worlds of Smallville and Metropolis and are a nice touch to round out this set. Finally, on Disc 6, there is a lone trailer for the direct-to-DVD release of “Superman: Doomsday”.
As an added bonus, for Best Buy customers Warner Home Video has thrown in a bonus book covering the series' sixth season, which is packaged in select copies of the set. A copy of this bonus book was unavailable for review.
Surprisingly, there are no audio commentaries on this latest set. This is definitely a change of pace, as we’ve had some commentaries from writers, producers, directors, and stars on past sets over the years. I guess having only two commentaries per set seemed like a bit of a short shrift, when other sets like “Battlestar Galactica” and “Heroes” have a generous amount of audio commentaries included on their respective sets.
With the sole exception of the Green Arrow retrospective featurette on Disc 1, the sixth season of “Smallville” on DVD could have been a winner, had it been left off the set or edited. This is the only major blemish on what is otherwise a good season set to get you ready for the upcoming seventh season on the CW.
Next time, if all goes well, I’m hoping to have my review of “Superman: Doomsday” for you. See you then!
Flash forward to today. Since moving from Mississippi to Alabama, the only way I’ve been able to catch any episodes of any recent TV series has been solely on DVD. As the series now prepares to enter into its seventh (and possibly final) season, Warner Home Video has issued the sixth season of “Smallville” as a six-disc set across standard DVD, HD-DVD, and Blu-Ray formats. Just catching up on everything that I’ve missed over the past year is exciting in and of itself! But whether you’re going into this latest DVD release blindly or just brushing up for the seventh season premiere, this latest set is a nice addition to your “Smallville” and Superman DVD collections.
As if things weren’t already heated up at the end of the fifth season, things went even higher and farther than before. At the end of the fifth season, Clark Kent (Tom Welling) found himself trapped in the mysterious Phantom Zone, as the mysterious Zod wreaked havoc upon Metropolis. Both Lionel Luthor (John Glover) and fledgling Daily Planet reporter Chloe Sullivan (Allison Mack) found themselves at the mercy of a throng of attackers. Lex Luthor (Michael Rosenbaum) found himself the human vessel of Zod, while his new girlfriend Lana Lang (Kristin Kreuk) vowed to join him on whatever transpired from there. The sixth season premiere, aptly titled “Zod”, in which Clark must find a way out of the Phantom Zone, confront Zod, and save Metropolis from certain disaster. (If you notice very carefully, you’ll be able to spot Zod – it’s none other than Terence Stamp, in footage borrowed from “Superman II” and integrated into the episode!)
But that’s not the first surprise for you right there. In “Sneeze”, as Clark develops a cold and accidentally uses his super-breath whenever he sneezes (oops!), we are introduced to a new cast member to the series: Oliver Queen (Justin Hartley), who has his own secret identity as the mysterious Green Arrow. Clearly, as the series matured and developed throughout the season, series creators and producers Alfred Gough and Miles Millar sought to integrate more DC Comics elements into the series. In “Wither” we are treated to Clark’s battle with a Poison Ivy-like villainess, while we see romantic couplings occur between Lois Lane (Erica Durance) and Oliver, Lana and Lex, and Chloe and Daily Planet photographer Jimmy Olsen. Aaron Ashmore (the twin brother of “X-Men” star Shawn Ashmore, who had appeared in a few “Smallville” episodes earlier in the series) brings a freshness and sense of humor to Jimmy’s character, providing a fun enjoyable balance to the series.
Of course, throughout the season we learn more about Green Arrow and his involvement with both Clark and Lois. In “Arrow” Oliver and Clark learn of each other’s secret identities and abilities, while “Rage” focuses on what happens when Oliver takes an experimental drug and seemingly becomes invincible. Things culminate in the season’s midway episode, the popular segment “Justice”, as Clark is invited to join Oliver’s super-group which also includes Arthur “AC” Curry (Aquaman), Bart Allen (Impulse), and Victor Stone (Cyborg) to thwart Lex’s mysterious 33.1 project. Sounds like a job for the neophyte Justice League! They’re not the only heroes in town, as the Martian Manhunter (Phil Morris) made a couple of memorable appearances in the season.
While all this is going on, Clark must repeatedly contend with numerous escapees from the Phantom Zone, in “Fallout”, “Static”, and “Combat” (the latter two of which featured WWE wrestlers Dave Batista, Ashley Massaro, and Glenn “Kane” Jacobs as the Phantom Zone villains Clark – and even Lois – squared off against). But the WWE superstars weren’t the only surprise guest stars this season. Lucas Grabeel (of the two “High School Musical” movies) appeared as a teenaged Lex Luthor in “Reunion”, which further explored the rivalry between Lex and Oliver Queen. If you were to define clueless, before Jessica Simpson there was Tori Spelling (of “Beverly Hills 90210”) – she made a memorable guest star turn in “Hydro” as a venomous Daily Planet gossip columnist. And Wonder Woman herself, Lynda Carter, appeared as Chloe’s mysterious mother in “Progeny”, which explored the possibility that Chloe may have also been affected by the meteor shower that brought Clark to Earth two decades before.
Some of the more interesting episodes put unique spins on what we’ve been familiar with. Of course, there was “Justice”, which teased fans about the possibility of the JLA in Clark’s future. In “Noir” Jimmy takes a bump to the head that plunges him into a 1940’s era dream. And then there’s “Labyrinth”, which took both Clark and viewers on a wild ride where nothing in his world was what it appeared. We even see a hint of things to come between Lois and Clark in “Crimson”, where an aphrodisiac lipstick makes Lois fall in love with the first man she sees – none other than her future partner in news (and marriage).
But as Clark’s future began to take shape, so did the dramatic turn of events that led Lex and Lana to the altar in “Promise” and set forth a tragic turn of events that led to the end of the season (and would continue into the new season). As a result, Lana finds out the truth of why she married Lex, while he and Clark (now head-deep into their explosive rivalry) must work together to escape from certain death in “Nemesis”. Everything came to a head in the season finale “Phantom”, which led to the shocking arrival of a Clark Kent from another dimension (can we all say “Bizarro”?)
All 22 episodes of the series’ sixth season are presented in their original broadcast aspect ratio in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen format, which makes the visual presentation of each episode look as stellar as their original HD broadcasts. Sound-wise, the series’ DVD presentation has finally graduated from ordinary Dolby 2.0 surround sound to full-fledged Dolby Digital 5.1 sound, the first time since the Canadian single-disc release from 2002. While other then-current series were treated to wonderful 5.1 tracks, it always seemed a travesty to give “Smallville” a lousy 2.0 track. All I can say is this: for a series such as this, it’s about time this incarnation of the Man of Steel (to be) got a 5.1 track!
In terms of extras, we are given the requisite series of behind-the-scenes featurettes, deleted scenes, and online content that further explore the “Smallville” mythology. As opposed to the previous sets, the majority of the extra features (sans deleted scenes) are included on Discs 1 and 2 (where they had been mostly on Discs 5 and 6 in previous sets). First off, on Disc 1, is “Smallville: Big Fans”, a 30-minute look at the many fans from around the world who are devoted to the series. Fans are shown at home having “Smallville” parties, attending conventions, meeting the stars, writing their own original fan fiction, and developing their own fan websites. Among those profiled is Craig Byrne, the webmaster of Kryptonsite.com and the editor of the monthly “Smallville” magazine from Titan Books, who regularly keeps up with the latest information and reviews of episodes, and who over the years has emerged as one of the top fans of the series. John Glover, Erica Durance, Alfred Gough, and Miles Millar, among others, are also profiled. This feature is the result of an online search for the ultimate series fan, and it’s fun at times to see how this series has grown on Superman fans and become the success it is.
Also on Disc 1 is “Green Arrow: The History of the Emerald Archer”, which is a look at the creation of the character in the 1940’s as a second string hero, his evolvement over the decades, and his updated revision for “Smallville”. A number of comic-book writers and artists are profiled, including Dennis O’Neil (who with the late artist Neal Adams took Green Arrow to new heights in the 1970’s), as well as Gough and Millar. Now this is one feature that I could have done completely without, and this is where I have a serious problem with it, so forgive me if I shift into explosive mode here – will somebody please tell me what in the hell is Kevin Smith doing in this profile? Doesn’t this bottom-feeding piece of scum have anything worth living to do with his time? For some reason he and others around him think he’s the cat’s meow, but let’s face it, he can’t write, act, direct, or do anything without having to continually stick his face and his crap agenda of subversion in front of everyone and say “How do you like me now?” He needs to get out of the business, go back to his mother’s basement, and resume smoking his crack, or for that matter get a real haircut and job like the majority of America. As my dad would say, give him a bath, a shave, a haircut, and a new suit and send him home to mama. Whoever decided to interview this twerp for the DVD ought to be flogged alongside him – and that’s just for starters. At the very least someone should have the smarts to either cut the feature off the disc entirely or cut all of that useless Smith footage out of the featurette to make it flow better. (Okay, enough of rant mode, back to the review.)
Disc 2 contains three more unique features. First off is “Smallville Legends: The Oliver Queen Chronicles”, which is a six-part collection of computer-animated tales (or “mobisodes”, as they should be properly called) that graced the small screens of cell phone users everywhere but can now be enjoyed in all their glory. Next is “The Making of Smallville Legends: The Oliver Queen Chronicles”, which looks behind the scenes at how each of the mobisodes were created. Finally there is a collection of five “Smallville Content Wraps”, which are an animated series of comic books that explored the events in between the sixth season’s episodes. Like the “Chloe Chronicles” and the “Vengeance Chronicles” before them, these mobisodes and content wraps are wonderful additions to the “Smallville” family.
The remainder of the DVD set contains numerous deleted scenes from “Sneeze”, “Wither”, “Arrow”, “Fallout”, “Hydro”, “Labyrinth”, “Crimson”, “Freak”, “Combat”, “Progeny”, “Nemesis”, and “Phantom”. All of these deleted scenes are presented in Dolby 2.0 surround sound and anamorphic widescreen format and can be viewed in tandem with each respective episode on each disc. These additional scenes, cut from each of the episodes for time or story constraints, lift the curtain back on more of the worlds of Smallville and Metropolis and are a nice touch to round out this set. Finally, on Disc 6, there is a lone trailer for the direct-to-DVD release of “Superman: Doomsday”.
As an added bonus, for Best Buy customers Warner Home Video has thrown in a bonus book covering the series' sixth season, which is packaged in select copies of the set. A copy of this bonus book was unavailable for review.
Surprisingly, there are no audio commentaries on this latest set. This is definitely a change of pace, as we’ve had some commentaries from writers, producers, directors, and stars on past sets over the years. I guess having only two commentaries per set seemed like a bit of a short shrift, when other sets like “Battlestar Galactica” and “Heroes” have a generous amount of audio commentaries included on their respective sets.
With the sole exception of the Green Arrow retrospective featurette on Disc 1, the sixth season of “Smallville” on DVD could have been a winner, had it been left off the set or edited. This is the only major blemish on what is otherwise a good season set to get you ready for the upcoming seventh season on the CW.
Next time, if all goes well, I’m hoping to have my review of “Superman: Doomsday” for you. See you then!
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
The latest news
Hi everyone! I hope all of you took time yesterday to reflect on the events of 9/11 and remember all of the families who lost loved ones on that horrific day in your prayers and thoughts. It's times like these that remind us why we're Americans and how we should never lose hope in the face of tragedy.
Recently Paramount Home Video had announced their plans to re-release the epic blockbuster “Titanic” on DVD in a new two-disc 10th anniversary edition. Now correct me if I’m wrong, but doesn’t this make the third time that this film has been issued on DVD?
In the early days of the DVD format we got a single-disc version of the film (as well as one of the theatrical trailers) on disc. And it was just a couple of years ago that we got a really nice-looking three-disc special edition that was close to the cat’s meow as you could get. The only thing of it is, that set was missing some significant added content. First, James Cameron pulled the feature-length documentary produced and directed by Ed Marsh late in the game, which for a lot of “Titanic” fans was a shame, despite all of the wonderful production supplements the set had. Second, and this is where the real insult occurs, while the U.S. got a three-disc version, overseas markets got a four-disc set that included a whole slew of trailers promoting the film. (I’m still miffed at whoever made that lamebrain decision to withhold that fourth disc from the U.S. market!)
Now we’re getting a repurposed release of the film yet again, but this time it’s just the first two discs only from that really nice three-disc (or four-disc, depending on which side of the Atlantic you live on) set, with all the same content from those two discs, only now they’re holding back the third disc? Give me a break!
I’m not falling for this needless triple-dip. Unless you’ve got something really substantial and up your sleeve to make me warrant wanting to get this disc again (i.e. the Ed Marsh documentary and all of the trailers), I’m not even giving it the once-over. I know that’s pretty harsh to say, but sometimes you’ve got to know where to draw the line, and where this re-release is concerned I’ve drawn the line. My final word on the subject: stick with the 2005 release.
In the meantime, I’ve got a really wonderful review of the three-disc set which I wrote up and submitted to the Digital Bits for possible inclusion on their site, but for some reason Bill Hunt (who I have a lot of respect for as a film, DVD, and “Star Trek” buff) went with a longer rewrite of his own earlier review. I still have that review file on a disc somewhere, which hopefully I can pull up and share on this blog soon, perhaps in time for the film’s 10th anniversary.
Oh, lest I forget, on November 6th the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation will release a two-hour documentary DVD entitled “Hope in Motion”, which chronicles the late actor’s efforts to rebuild his life and overcome his paralysis. Directed by Chris’ son Matthew Reeve, the documentary will contain the original 2002 documentary (shown on ABC-TV as “Christopher Reeve: Courageous Steps”) and a never-before-seen second documentary further exploring Reeve’s life and efforts to walk again after his tragic 1995 accident. It sounds like a wonderful DVD, and I hope to have a review of this DVD when it becomes available. (Thanks to Jim Bowers of CapedWonder.com for sharing the information with everyone!)
Next time (if all goes well), I hope to have a review of one of this month’s two big Superman-themed DVD releases, either “Superman: Doomsday” or the sixth season of “Smallville”. See you then!
Recently Paramount Home Video had announced their plans to re-release the epic blockbuster “Titanic” on DVD in a new two-disc 10th anniversary edition. Now correct me if I’m wrong, but doesn’t this make the third time that this film has been issued on DVD?
In the early days of the DVD format we got a single-disc version of the film (as well as one of the theatrical trailers) on disc. And it was just a couple of years ago that we got a really nice-looking three-disc special edition that was close to the cat’s meow as you could get. The only thing of it is, that set was missing some significant added content. First, James Cameron pulled the feature-length documentary produced and directed by Ed Marsh late in the game, which for a lot of “Titanic” fans was a shame, despite all of the wonderful production supplements the set had. Second, and this is where the real insult occurs, while the U.S. got a three-disc version, overseas markets got a four-disc set that included a whole slew of trailers promoting the film. (I’m still miffed at whoever made that lamebrain decision to withhold that fourth disc from the U.S. market!)
Now we’re getting a repurposed release of the film yet again, but this time it’s just the first two discs only from that really nice three-disc (or four-disc, depending on which side of the Atlantic you live on) set, with all the same content from those two discs, only now they’re holding back the third disc? Give me a break!
I’m not falling for this needless triple-dip. Unless you’ve got something really substantial and up your sleeve to make me warrant wanting to get this disc again (i.e. the Ed Marsh documentary and all of the trailers), I’m not even giving it the once-over. I know that’s pretty harsh to say, but sometimes you’ve got to know where to draw the line, and where this re-release is concerned I’ve drawn the line. My final word on the subject: stick with the 2005 release.
In the meantime, I’ve got a really wonderful review of the three-disc set which I wrote up and submitted to the Digital Bits for possible inclusion on their site, but for some reason Bill Hunt (who I have a lot of respect for as a film, DVD, and “Star Trek” buff) went with a longer rewrite of his own earlier review. I still have that review file on a disc somewhere, which hopefully I can pull up and share on this blog soon, perhaps in time for the film’s 10th anniversary.
Oh, lest I forget, on November 6th the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation will release a two-hour documentary DVD entitled “Hope in Motion”, which chronicles the late actor’s efforts to rebuild his life and overcome his paralysis. Directed by Chris’ son Matthew Reeve, the documentary will contain the original 2002 documentary (shown on ABC-TV as “Christopher Reeve: Courageous Steps”) and a never-before-seen second documentary further exploring Reeve’s life and efforts to walk again after his tragic 1995 accident. It sounds like a wonderful DVD, and I hope to have a review of this DVD when it becomes available. (Thanks to Jim Bowers of CapedWonder.com for sharing the information with everyone!)
Next time (if all goes well), I hope to have a review of one of this month’s two big Superman-themed DVD releases, either “Superman: Doomsday” or the sixth season of “Smallville”. See you then!
Friday, September 7, 2007
Heroes - Season 1
What if you suddenly found yourself with powers and abilities far beyond those of mortal men and were able to change the course of mighty rivers, bend steel in your bare hands, survive bullet or bomb blasts, or leap tall buildings in a single bound? What would your life be like from that point? If you think I’m talking about Superman, think again. From this decades-old premise comes the concept of “Heroes”, which after only its first season on NBC in 2006-07 has found itself to be a highly entertaining series and a major surprise hit for the Peacock Network.
Created by Tim Kring, who had previously worked on the series “Providence” and “Crossing Jordan”, “Heroes” brings together ordinary people from different walks of life into contact with one another, all of whom have different concerns that are addressed throughout the series. Mohinder Suresh (Sendhil Ramamurthy), a genetics professor from Chenmai, continues with the research begun by his late father and discovers that people across the world are developing superpowers. A drug-addicted artist (Santiago Cabrera) is able to predict the future through his incredible paintings. A politician (Adrian Pasdar) is blessed with the ability to fly like a certain Man of Steel. A New York police officer (Greg Grunberg) can hear and read other people’s thoughts. A shy Japanese computer programmer (Masi Oka) finds himself with the ability to distort the space-time continuum. A single mother (Ali Larter) who raises her son by working as a prostitute now finds herself with a Jekyll-and-Hyde personality split. A high school cheerleader (Hayden Panettiere, who made “Save the cheerleader, save the world” a household phrase) finds herself with the gift of invulnerability. And that’s just for starters. These and other ordinary people are linked together with a mysterious helix that brings them into contact with one another at different points, but are their lives changed for the better? To further complicate matters, they are all pursued by the mysterious villain Sylar (Zachary Quinto, who will inherit the role of Mr. Spock in the next “Star Trek” feature film) as well as a mysterious billionaire businessman (Malcolm McDowell), who has a few super-abilities of his own. And you thought keeping up with the “freak of the week” over the years on “Smallville” was complicated enough?
Until the DVD release, I’ve not seen a single episode of “Heroes”, but I’ve heard about how it’s become the hot “in” series right now on television. With lots of plot twists and turns, some of the best visual effects done for a TV series, and one of the most diverse ensemble casts this side of “Twin Peaks”, there’s lots for everyone to enjoy about “Heroes”. Given its comic book-style look and appearance, it’s one of the best comics-style live-action series to grace the TV screen this side of “Smallville”. Even more appealing is the fact that it’s not so much about the special effects as it is about the characters themselves and their quirks. (Of course, the only way I’ve been able to keep up with any recent TV series has been through DVD, since we don’t have cable or satellite TV in our house.) Now as the series prepares to launch into its sophomore year in September (and on my birthday, no less!), Universal Home Video has issued the complete first season of “Heroes” in a seven-disc set on simultaneous standard DVD and HD-DVD formats with lots of generous content that not only brings the excitement home but also expands upon the phenomenon by immersing the viewer into the mysterious realm.
Please note that this review will cover only the standard DVD version of “Heroes”, as I do not have a HD-DVD player in my home (see my earlier blog for the reasons why). I will, however, reference the exclusive HD-DVD features within the context of this review for completion’s sake.
All 23 episodes of the series’ first season are presented in this seven-disc set that takes advantage of the high-quality features only DVD (and I’m sure HD-DVD and even Blu-Ray) can offer. Each episode is presented in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen format and English Dolby 5.1 Surround sound, with optional English, Spanish, and French subtitles. The 5.1 track really does this series justice! First off we have an extended version of the series’ premiere episode “Genesis”, running 73 minutes in length, with a lot of footage not shown on television. This version really does justice by introducing all of the characters and setting up the scenario for the season to come. Also accompanying the extended pilot is a running audio commentary with Tim Kring on how he developed the idea for “Heroes” and some of the substantial and nuanced changes from the broadcast version of the pilot to the extended version. It becomes very clear that this is his preferred cut that he wanted to see air on television but never got the chance. Thanks to DVD, he (like the rest of us) now has that chance. Since I missed out on the series’ run, I’m not able to compare the broadcast version to the DVD version (as with the broadcast and extended versions of “Pegasus” on the second season sets of “Battlestar Galactica”), though I would have liked to have seen an optional footage marker (similar to the “Gladiator” Extended Edition DVD) on the episode indicating where the extra footage was restored into the pilot episode. From what I understand, this extended pilot presents an alternate look at character and plot developments, including an interesting subplot that was ultimately cut from the broadcast version.
In addition, we have no less than 50 deleted and extended scenes from “Genesis”, “Don’t Look Back”, “One Giant Leap”, “Collision”, “Hiros”, “Nothing to Hide”, “Seven Minutes to Midnight”, “Homecoming”, “Six Months Ago", “Fallout”, “Godsend”, “The Fix”, “Distractions”, “Run”, “Company Man”, “Parasite”, “.07%”, “Five Years Gone”, and “Landslide” spread out across the seven-disc set. Most of these moments are cut bits of dialog and extensions that didn’t make the final telecast versions, but some of these lost moments add further bits of character development that we wouldn’t have seen otherwise, while others were cut simply for broadcast pacing. Having these deleted and extended scenes together on the set is a nice touch.
Along with the deleted scenes, there are selected audio commentaries on the extended pilot and many of the episodes on the set. These audio commentaries with Kring, executive producer Dennis Hammer, and various cast members and episode directors provide further insight into the creation of “Heroes” and the challenges this series brings to the table. On Disc 5 we have an interesting interactive bonus feature entitled “Mind Reader”, in which Matt Parkman’s mind-reading abilities reveal the viewer’s inner hero with a series of simple mathematical tests. It’s not too complex, just a fun little look at what kind of hero you are. I’ve taken it three times thus far, and each time he’s guessed my choices accurately! There’s no way you can fool him!
The remaining bonus features are located on Disc 7. Leading the block off is “The Making of Heroes”, which is a behind-the-scenes look at how the series went from concept to pop culture phenomenon. Next is “Special Effects”, a featurette on the secrets behind the spectacular visuals that give the heroes their amazing powers. This is followed by “The Stunts”, which is a backstage look at the many different stunts seen in the series. We also have a profile on comics artist Tim Sale, best known for his work on the DC Comics series “Batman: The Long Halloween”, among others, who discusses how his manga-style artwork influenced the look of the series. Finally, “The Score” is a 10-minute interview with Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman (yes, that Wendy and Lisa from Prince’s band The Revolution), as they discuss the creation of the award-winning musical score and discuss their influence on the main hero theme for the series. They’ve come a long way since the days of “Purple Rain” and “When Doves Cry”, I’ll tell you that!
The DVD set is rounded out with two trailer galleries on Discs 1 and 7. The gallery on Disc 1 contains a teaser trailer for NBC’s upcoming remake of “The Bionic Woman”, DVD trailers for “Hot Fuzz” and “Knocked Up”, a Nissan spot, and a generic spot promoting the wonders of HD-DVD. This trailer gallery can be completely bypassed using the menu button on your DVD remote in order to get to the main menu. The gallery on Disc 7 contains DVD trailers for “House”, “30 Rock”, “Friday Night Lights”, “The Office”, and “Miami Vice”, among others, as well as another Nissan spot.
As if that weren’t enough to wet your whistle, the HD-DVD version of “Heroes” features even more exclusive interactive content that will further immerse yourself into the series. Each disc contains three exclusive features – “Character Connections”, which allows you to follow your favorite heroes throughout the series; “The Helix Revealed”, an interactive guide to the mysterious helix symbol that appears throughout the series; and “Artwork Presentation”, in which you can further study Tim Sale’s artwork that appears in the series. Disc 2 contains two more exclusive features – “Download Center”, where you can download exclusive content, trailers, and updates to your HD-DVD player; and the “Genetic Abilities Test”, which allows you not only to determine what kind of hero you are but also upload the test results to NBC.com and receive a unique access code to unlock even more exclusive media content. Finally, there is a running Picture-in-Picture cast and crew video commentary on Discs 4, 6, and 7 with the episodes “Godsend”, “The Fix”, “Distractions”, “.07%”, “Five Years Gone”, “The Hard Part”, “Landslide”, and “How to Stop an Exploding Man”. These PIP commentaries allow you to view exclusive running commentaries during the respective episodes. Since I’m not familiar with HD-DVD usage, this sounds like running video commentaries I’ve seen on “The Scorpion King” and “Superman: The Animated Series” in years past. For those of you who have HD-DVD access, these additional features only enhance the enjoyment of the series.
But we’re not done yet. Target has included a bonus eighth disc that includes 45 minutes of additional content not found on either the standard or HD set. From what I have heard, the additional content includes bonus interviews with creator Tim Kring and the cast members, as well as a series of character profiles. There’s also an exclusive deluxe collector’s edition available at Target that contains bonus foldout artwork and postcards. Even more so, Best Buy has included a free “Heroes” comic book with its standard DVD release. None of these bonuses were provided for review.
I’ve got to admit, just the concept of the series alone had me hooked from the beginning. Even my wife seems to like the concept just based on the premise alone, and for me that’s saying quite a bit. And bringing the first season of “Heroes” to DVD and HD-DVD is a great way to relive your favorite moments and catch up for the forthcoming second season, which I’m sure is going to be even bigger and better than the first season. Couple that with the absolutely staggering amount of bonus content on both the standard DVD and HD-DVD releases, and you’ve got a winning set that I’m sure will be one of the top TV-on-DVD sets of the year to beat. With Universal’s commitment to quality DVD presentations (as with their recent “Battlestar Galactica” sets), this is a nice addition to any DVD collection. I only wish I had been able to watch it from the beginning – oh well, better late than never. Time to save the world!
Created by Tim Kring, who had previously worked on the series “Providence” and “Crossing Jordan”, “Heroes” brings together ordinary people from different walks of life into contact with one another, all of whom have different concerns that are addressed throughout the series. Mohinder Suresh (Sendhil Ramamurthy), a genetics professor from Chenmai, continues with the research begun by his late father and discovers that people across the world are developing superpowers. A drug-addicted artist (Santiago Cabrera) is able to predict the future through his incredible paintings. A politician (Adrian Pasdar) is blessed with the ability to fly like a certain Man of Steel. A New York police officer (Greg Grunberg) can hear and read other people’s thoughts. A shy Japanese computer programmer (Masi Oka) finds himself with the ability to distort the space-time continuum. A single mother (Ali Larter) who raises her son by working as a prostitute now finds herself with a Jekyll-and-Hyde personality split. A high school cheerleader (Hayden Panettiere, who made “Save the cheerleader, save the world” a household phrase) finds herself with the gift of invulnerability. And that’s just for starters. These and other ordinary people are linked together with a mysterious helix that brings them into contact with one another at different points, but are their lives changed for the better? To further complicate matters, they are all pursued by the mysterious villain Sylar (Zachary Quinto, who will inherit the role of Mr. Spock in the next “Star Trek” feature film) as well as a mysterious billionaire businessman (Malcolm McDowell), who has a few super-abilities of his own. And you thought keeping up with the “freak of the week” over the years on “Smallville” was complicated enough?
Until the DVD release, I’ve not seen a single episode of “Heroes”, but I’ve heard about how it’s become the hot “in” series right now on television. With lots of plot twists and turns, some of the best visual effects done for a TV series, and one of the most diverse ensemble casts this side of “Twin Peaks”, there’s lots for everyone to enjoy about “Heroes”. Given its comic book-style look and appearance, it’s one of the best comics-style live-action series to grace the TV screen this side of “Smallville”. Even more appealing is the fact that it’s not so much about the special effects as it is about the characters themselves and their quirks. (Of course, the only way I’ve been able to keep up with any recent TV series has been through DVD, since we don’t have cable or satellite TV in our house.) Now as the series prepares to launch into its sophomore year in September (and on my birthday, no less!), Universal Home Video has issued the complete first season of “Heroes” in a seven-disc set on simultaneous standard DVD and HD-DVD formats with lots of generous content that not only brings the excitement home but also expands upon the phenomenon by immersing the viewer into the mysterious realm.
Please note that this review will cover only the standard DVD version of “Heroes”, as I do not have a HD-DVD player in my home (see my earlier blog for the reasons why). I will, however, reference the exclusive HD-DVD features within the context of this review for completion’s sake.
All 23 episodes of the series’ first season are presented in this seven-disc set that takes advantage of the high-quality features only DVD (and I’m sure HD-DVD and even Blu-Ray) can offer. Each episode is presented in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen format and English Dolby 5.1 Surround sound, with optional English, Spanish, and French subtitles. The 5.1 track really does this series justice! First off we have an extended version of the series’ premiere episode “Genesis”, running 73 minutes in length, with a lot of footage not shown on television. This version really does justice by introducing all of the characters and setting up the scenario for the season to come. Also accompanying the extended pilot is a running audio commentary with Tim Kring on how he developed the idea for “Heroes” and some of the substantial and nuanced changes from the broadcast version of the pilot to the extended version. It becomes very clear that this is his preferred cut that he wanted to see air on television but never got the chance. Thanks to DVD, he (like the rest of us) now has that chance. Since I missed out on the series’ run, I’m not able to compare the broadcast version to the DVD version (as with the broadcast and extended versions of “Pegasus” on the second season sets of “Battlestar Galactica”), though I would have liked to have seen an optional footage marker (similar to the “Gladiator” Extended Edition DVD) on the episode indicating where the extra footage was restored into the pilot episode. From what I understand, this extended pilot presents an alternate look at character and plot developments, including an interesting subplot that was ultimately cut from the broadcast version.
In addition, we have no less than 50 deleted and extended scenes from “Genesis”, “Don’t Look Back”, “One Giant Leap”, “Collision”, “Hiros”, “Nothing to Hide”, “Seven Minutes to Midnight”, “Homecoming”, “Six Months Ago", “Fallout”, “Godsend”, “The Fix”, “Distractions”, “Run”, “Company Man”, “Parasite”, “.07%”, “Five Years Gone”, and “Landslide” spread out across the seven-disc set. Most of these moments are cut bits of dialog and extensions that didn’t make the final telecast versions, but some of these lost moments add further bits of character development that we wouldn’t have seen otherwise, while others were cut simply for broadcast pacing. Having these deleted and extended scenes together on the set is a nice touch.
Along with the deleted scenes, there are selected audio commentaries on the extended pilot and many of the episodes on the set. These audio commentaries with Kring, executive producer Dennis Hammer, and various cast members and episode directors provide further insight into the creation of “Heroes” and the challenges this series brings to the table. On Disc 5 we have an interesting interactive bonus feature entitled “Mind Reader”, in which Matt Parkman’s mind-reading abilities reveal the viewer’s inner hero with a series of simple mathematical tests. It’s not too complex, just a fun little look at what kind of hero you are. I’ve taken it three times thus far, and each time he’s guessed my choices accurately! There’s no way you can fool him!
The remaining bonus features are located on Disc 7. Leading the block off is “The Making of Heroes”, which is a behind-the-scenes look at how the series went from concept to pop culture phenomenon. Next is “Special Effects”, a featurette on the secrets behind the spectacular visuals that give the heroes their amazing powers. This is followed by “The Stunts”, which is a backstage look at the many different stunts seen in the series. We also have a profile on comics artist Tim Sale, best known for his work on the DC Comics series “Batman: The Long Halloween”, among others, who discusses how his manga-style artwork influenced the look of the series. Finally, “The Score” is a 10-minute interview with Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman (yes, that Wendy and Lisa from Prince’s band The Revolution), as they discuss the creation of the award-winning musical score and discuss their influence on the main hero theme for the series. They’ve come a long way since the days of “Purple Rain” and “When Doves Cry”, I’ll tell you that!
The DVD set is rounded out with two trailer galleries on Discs 1 and 7. The gallery on Disc 1 contains a teaser trailer for NBC’s upcoming remake of “The Bionic Woman”, DVD trailers for “Hot Fuzz” and “Knocked Up”, a Nissan spot, and a generic spot promoting the wonders of HD-DVD. This trailer gallery can be completely bypassed using the menu button on your DVD remote in order to get to the main menu. The gallery on Disc 7 contains DVD trailers for “House”, “30 Rock”, “Friday Night Lights”, “The Office”, and “Miami Vice”, among others, as well as another Nissan spot.
As if that weren’t enough to wet your whistle, the HD-DVD version of “Heroes” features even more exclusive interactive content that will further immerse yourself into the series. Each disc contains three exclusive features – “Character Connections”, which allows you to follow your favorite heroes throughout the series; “The Helix Revealed”, an interactive guide to the mysterious helix symbol that appears throughout the series; and “Artwork Presentation”, in which you can further study Tim Sale’s artwork that appears in the series. Disc 2 contains two more exclusive features – “Download Center”, where you can download exclusive content, trailers, and updates to your HD-DVD player; and the “Genetic Abilities Test”, which allows you not only to determine what kind of hero you are but also upload the test results to NBC.com and receive a unique access code to unlock even more exclusive media content. Finally, there is a running Picture-in-Picture cast and crew video commentary on Discs 4, 6, and 7 with the episodes “Godsend”, “The Fix”, “Distractions”, “.07%”, “Five Years Gone”, “The Hard Part”, “Landslide”, and “How to Stop an Exploding Man”. These PIP commentaries allow you to view exclusive running commentaries during the respective episodes. Since I’m not familiar with HD-DVD usage, this sounds like running video commentaries I’ve seen on “The Scorpion King” and “Superman: The Animated Series” in years past. For those of you who have HD-DVD access, these additional features only enhance the enjoyment of the series.
But we’re not done yet. Target has included a bonus eighth disc that includes 45 minutes of additional content not found on either the standard or HD set. From what I have heard, the additional content includes bonus interviews with creator Tim Kring and the cast members, as well as a series of character profiles. There’s also an exclusive deluxe collector’s edition available at Target that contains bonus foldout artwork and postcards. Even more so, Best Buy has included a free “Heroes” comic book with its standard DVD release. None of these bonuses were provided for review.
I’ve got to admit, just the concept of the series alone had me hooked from the beginning. Even my wife seems to like the concept just based on the premise alone, and for me that’s saying quite a bit. And bringing the first season of “Heroes” to DVD and HD-DVD is a great way to relive your favorite moments and catch up for the forthcoming second season, which I’m sure is going to be even bigger and better than the first season. Couple that with the absolutely staggering amount of bonus content on both the standard DVD and HD-DVD releases, and you’ve got a winning set that I’m sure will be one of the top TV-on-DVD sets of the year to beat. With Universal’s commitment to quality DVD presentations (as with their recent “Battlestar Galactica” sets), this is a nice addition to any DVD collection. I only wish I had been able to watch it from the beginning – oh well, better late than never. Time to save the world!
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