Okay, so I know last time that I promised you the second part of my "Young Indiana Jones" review. I had it all written out, stored on disc, and ready to post. But somehow along the way to posting the review, for some unusual reason the computer would not read my file at all, and it came out looking like symbolic gibberish. You know how recently in Superman lore how sometimes they revert to those unusual Kryptonian symbols to replace dialog? That's how the remains of my text looked. Why it did that, I have no idea. Can we honestly say that the computer ate my homework? (It wouldn't be the first time that happened!) Unfortunately, that means having to rewrite my entire review from scratch - ugh! That means pushing back the second part of my review until sometime next week, I don't know when. But I promise, once it's rewritten, I'll have it posted for you, along with the third part of my review.
In the meantime, I just received my review copy of the upcoming Universal DVD release of "Battlestar Galactica: Razor". The TV movie is set to premiere this Friday on the Sci-Fi Channel, and the unrated extended DVD will hit stores Tuesday, December 4th. But I've got my copy in hand right now, even before the movie has premiered! It's got running audio commentary with series creator Ronald D. Moore, three and a half minutes of deleted scenes, 19 minutes of mini episodes, two featurettes, and two previews for the upcoming fourth (and unfortunately final) season set for premiere next year, among the bonus features. This will make the first BSG review I'll be working on in about a year, so hopefully I'll have shaken off the ring rust enough to do a good review (which will simultaneously appear on TrekWeb.com as well). Look for it coming soon!
Well, this will make the last time I'll be able to blog for the rest of the week because of Thanksgiving holidays. Stay safe, don't spend too much money on gasoline (it's already too high enough as it is!), and don't eat too much turkey, ham, and dressing (like that'll happen!). If you're in the Alabama area, look for the Albertville High School band in Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade tomorrow! And Guntersville moves into the third round of the Division 4 football playoffs against Brooks this Friday night - go, Marshall County!
See you again soon!
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Friday, November 16, 2007
A quick note on a Friday...
This will be a quickie for you today... First off, I posted my recent review of "Star Trek" Season 1 (DVD/HD-DVD) on TrekWeb.com, which was my main outlet for DVD reviews prior to my blog site. Click here to read both the review and reader comments on the review and the set.
Second, I should have my second part of my "Young Indy" review ready to go next week, so be on the lookout for it! It'll cover Discs 2 and 3 of all the content pertaining to "Passion for Life".
Finally, to change gears, how hard is it to get a job? Half of these places don't ever respond, and those who do give you the polite "no, thank you, we're not interested" line. And those who say they're going to call you back and follow up with you don't ever follow up. What's the point of it all? It's just frustrating, which explains why I haven't been blogging as much lately as I should be. Job searching is a full-time job in and of itself, but it doesn't pay the bills, the gasoline for the car, and the food on the table. When will someone say, "We want you for the job, when can you start?" I'm tired of playing the bridesmaid in this dance. I'm always the one with the impressive resume, but... (and there's that dangling "but" again that I've despised since I was in junior high school). I'm so more than ready for a breakthrough, but nothing's happening. And time's running out.
I'll touch base again with my latest blog when I can. See you again soon...
Second, I should have my second part of my "Young Indy" review ready to go next week, so be on the lookout for it! It'll cover Discs 2 and 3 of all the content pertaining to "Passion for Life".
Finally, to change gears, how hard is it to get a job? Half of these places don't ever respond, and those who do give you the polite "no, thank you, we're not interested" line. And those who say they're going to call you back and follow up with you don't ever follow up. What's the point of it all? It's just frustrating, which explains why I haven't been blogging as much lately as I should be. Job searching is a full-time job in and of itself, but it doesn't pay the bills, the gasoline for the car, and the food on the table. When will someone say, "We want you for the job, when can you start?" I'm tired of playing the bridesmaid in this dance. I'm always the one with the impressive resume, but... (and there's that dangling "but" again that I've despised since I was in junior high school). I'm so more than ready for a breakthrough, but nothing's happening. And time's running out.
I'll touch base again with my latest blog when I can. See you again soon...
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Star Trek: The Original Series - Season 1 (DVD/HD-DVD combo)
Okay, I know that this was to have been the second part of my continuing series of analyses on the first volume of "The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones". But when this baby arrived on my doorstep, it was too good of an opportunity to pass up. So away we go!
In 2006 it seemed that the "Star Trek" franchise was, for all intents and purposes, dead. The fifth series "Enterprise" died in the ratings at the end of its fourth season. All of the series (including the animated incarnation from the 1970's) had been released on DVD, and Paramount was attempting something new with the first of five different Fan Collectives, which were nothing more than selected repackagings of episodes from the different series in cost-friendly sets. The only way to get new adventures was to either pick up the latest Pocket Books novels or surf the Internet for different fan-based productions. Even then, rumblings were abound of yet another feature film project. It looked like the franchise would go quietly into its 40th anniversary with nothing significant.
But someone asked the question, "What if we brought the Original Series back to television but with updated visual effects?" Several years before, fans had done a series of video tests with the second season episode "The Doomsday Machine", giving the special effects a much-needed makeover to compete with all of the current crops of television series and movies that were laden with spectacular visuals. In 2001, Paramount Home Video released the acclaimed Director's Edition of "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" with many completed visual effects. In addition, the then-recent slate of "Star Trek" series and movies, most notably "Deep Space Nine", "Voyager", "Enterprise", and the four "Next Generation" spinoff films, utilized state-of-the-art CGI effects to the max. One of the most celebrated DS9 episodes, "Trials and Tribble-ations", revisited the Original Series' "The Trouble with Tribbles", complete with many fresh visual effects and an equal number of subtle trickeries a la "Forrest Gump" that caught many fans off guard. The two series that needed the heaviest visual effects makeovers were the Original Series and TNG. Could such an attempt be accomplished? Could the original "Trek" return but with a fresh facelift?
This immediately sent shockwaves throughout Trekdom. To some it seemed like the perfect way to celebrate the Original Series' 40th anniversary. To others it seemed sacrilege. How dare they screw up the original 79 episodes we all grew up with and know so well? What would happen to the original masters of the episodes? Would they go by the wayside a la the original theatrical versions of the first three "Star Wars" films, long forgotten by the creators and discarded like yesterday's trash?
When the first remastered episodes came out in the fall of 2006, fans immediately sought out the major and minor makeovers to the classic Treks they knew by heart. Many of the effects were done as outright replacements to the original effects created in the 1960's, which were at the time state-of-the-art. Some of the effects were quite subtle, in the same way that some of the subtle makeovers in the Director's Edition of TMP were accomplished. Even the original Alexander Courage theme was given a new makeover, complete with a new orchestral adaptation and a digitized version of William Shatner's classic opening monologue. It was akin to putting a fresh coat of paint and a new engine into a '57 Chevy. But could this 2006 version of the Original Series ever replace the original episodes in fans' hearts? The debate continues to this day.
Now comes the first season of "Star Trek: The Original Series" from CBS Video in a new 10-disc combination standard DVD and HD-DVD set. I won't go back and comment on the episodes themselves, having already reviewed the first season in the complete season set back in 2004. Click here to read my original review on TrekWeb for a detailed look at the episodes and its content. While I'm not able to discuss or extol the HD-DVD features, my review is limited to the standard DVD presentation, though I will reference the HD-DVD information for completion's sake.
As with the previous 2004 DVD release, all 29 episodes of the first season of "Star Trek" are presented in their original 1966 airdates, in 1.33:1 full screen format. Sonically, this fresh update is a treat, with the standard DVD sound in English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround, LAS Mono (whatever that means), and French mono, with optional English, LAS, and French subtitles. The HD-DVD presentation features English Dolby True HD and LAS mono sound, with optional English and LAS subtitles.
The picture format is just absolutely stunning and breathtaking! It was like looking at the last couple of seasons of "Enterprise", particularly with all of the new digital effects in place. The picture is that crisp and clear - imagine what it looks like in HD-DVD format! Having grown up with the original 79 episodes over the years, seeing the newly minted visual effects seemed jarring at first. Still, this is the original "Star Trek" we're talking here, and with the advancements in DVD and HD-DVD technology, the only way it can look is better than ever.
The DVD packaging is reminiscent of the four "Enterprise" sets, with the set packaged in a clear plastic case that is smaller than the other series' packages, which means it'll take up less space on your DVD shelves. Housed inside the clear plastic case is the DVD package itself, with the discs in a clear plastic bookcase tray and banded with a yellow sleeve a la the 2004 DVD set. Inside is an insert for the other "Star Trek" DVD releases currently available, as well as an offer for a "Star Trek" phaser remote control.
The majority of the extras on this DVD set have been ported over from the previous 2004 set. This includes "The Birth of a Timeless Legacy", which discussed the series' origins; "Reflections on Spock", a new interview with Leonard Nimoy; "Life Beyond Trek: William Shatner", which profiled the actor's writings and involvement with horses; "To Boldly Go: Season One", a look at the first season's most memorable moments; "Sci-Fi Visionaries", which looked at the many noted science fiction writers who contributed to the series; and the series' episode preview trailers. In addition, the two bonus features that were included in the Best Buy bonus disc - "Kiss and Tell: Romance in the 24th Century" and "Trek Connections" - have also been brought over to this new DVD/HD-DVD combo set. There's no need for me to rehash my thoughts on these additional features, so all I'll say is go back and read my original review.
What is new does have interest to both long-time "Trek" fans and newcomers to the series. First off is "Spacelift: Transporting Trek into the 21st Century". This interesting feature explores the debated and controversial aspects of returning the series to television and updating all of the visual effects and sound to 2006 standards. You get to see rough animatics of the new visual effects, as well as comparisons between the original 1966-67 visual effects and their modern-day counterparts. It's definitely jarring, to say the least, but I will give credit to the CGI artists who made these effects both major and subtle happen.
We also have something that is quite unique when it comes to "Star Trek": outtakes and home movies! In "Billy Blackburn's Treasure Chest: Rare Home Movies and Special Memories", this program spotlights actor Billy Blackburn, who was featured as a background extra in many episodes of the series. During the series' production, Blackburn shot a number of eight-millimeter home movies on the "Star Trek" sets, showing the stars in more relaxed moments and preparing to shoot scenes from different episodes. Now this is a treat! Fans have long clamored for any vintage outtakes and behind-the-scenes films to be included on DVD, and seeing these home movies makes it all the more interesting yet poignant, considering that DeForest Kelley and James Doohan are no longer with us. Kudos to Mr. Blackburn for bringing these vintage films to DVD!
In addition, Perpetual Entertainment has a preview of its upcoming "Star Trek Online" MMO game, which takes the saga into the 25th century. There is also a new feature entitled "Star Trek: Beyond the Final Frontier" - whatever that means. All of these above features can be found on both the standard DVD and HD-DVD sides of the discs.
As if that weren't enough, HD-DVD owners will be in for even more treats. First of all, there is a new on-screen graphic interface program entitled "Starflet Access" on seven episodes - "Where No Man Has Gone Before", "The Menagerie, Parts 1 and 2", "Balance of Terror", "The Galileo Seven", "Space Seed", and "Errand of Mercy". In this interactive feature, viewers can access Picture-in-Picture video commentaries with surviving cast members and writers, comparisons of the remastered episodes with their original visual effects, episode trivia, and encyclopedic information used in the series. This is definitely a step or seven up from the text commentaries from Michael and Denise Okuda!
From there we have the "Interactive Enterprise Tour", in which viewers can explore the interior and exterior of the U.S.S. Enterprise in detail as they pilot their own shuttlecraft in this spectacular 3-D feature.
Obviously, as I said earlier, the majority of the bonus features from the 2004 DVD set were ported over to this new combo set. That means the Okuda text commentaries are the only significant extras that were left off this new set. For that matter, the previous set had a series of "Red Shirt Logs", a series of bonus hidden Easter eggs that contained additional interview segments - I don't know if these have also been ported over from the previous 2004 set.
As with the previous sets, missing in action are a wealth of additional extras that could have greatly enhanced the overall completeness of "Star Trek" on DVD. Of course, I'm talking about the two direct-to-VHS documentaries, "William Shatner's Star Trek Memories" and "Inside Star Trek: The Real Story", both of which feature interviews with cast and production members no longer with us (among them De Kelley, Jimmy Doohan, director James Goldstone, and makeup artist Wah Chang). Furthermore, vintage TV spots promoting the series during its premiere and first two seasons are missing, as well as the infamous blooper reels, production outtakes (can we say Jeffrey Hunter outtakes from "The Cage"?), and deleted scenes that we know exist and have been well documented all across the Internet.
Most conspicuously, the original versions of the first season episodes have been left off. This means forcing the consumer to double-dip to get not only this newly enhanced "Trek" but also the additional bonus features. Not many people are going to enjoy the fact that the original episodes we all grew up with and know so well have been omitted from this DVD/HD combo set. Remember Fox's "Star Wars Trilogy" debacle from 2004, leaving off the original versions of the trilogy? (Of course, it would take another couple of years before getting the originals onto DVD, but in really crappy form, but that's another argument for another place and time.)
Finally, who in their right or left mind is going to spend $217 to get this 10-disc set? When the price tag for this set was announced at this past summer's Comic-Con, how many people didn't mind wanting to pay the high price tag for this set? A grand total of three people. The rest of the hundreds and thousands in attendance gave it a good ol' Stone Cold "Hell, no!" Why didn't CBS and Paramount listen to the fans for once? It's a no-brainer that you'll find this set for probably $150 in stores. For that matter, you can go to your local Wal-Mart and pick up all three seasons of the original "Trek" (in their original forms!) for about the same price as you would spend for this remastered version. Which sounds like the better deal? You do the math.
Yes, "Star Trek" is back and in remastered form, with newly improved picture and sound. So why am I giving it only three stars out of five? It's hard for me to give this set a firmly satisfied recommendation, given all that was left off the new release. But since this is like buying a vintage car with a fresh paint job and high-tech engine, it does merit a decent recommendation. Of course, long-time fans will bemoan the loss of the original versions of their beloved episodes in this new set. As with everything, your mileage may vary.
Okay, next time, I promise, will be my second part of the "Young Indy" review. See you then!
In 2006 it seemed that the "Star Trek" franchise was, for all intents and purposes, dead. The fifth series "Enterprise" died in the ratings at the end of its fourth season. All of the series (including the animated incarnation from the 1970's) had been released on DVD, and Paramount was attempting something new with the first of five different Fan Collectives, which were nothing more than selected repackagings of episodes from the different series in cost-friendly sets. The only way to get new adventures was to either pick up the latest Pocket Books novels or surf the Internet for different fan-based productions. Even then, rumblings were abound of yet another feature film project. It looked like the franchise would go quietly into its 40th anniversary with nothing significant.
But someone asked the question, "What if we brought the Original Series back to television but with updated visual effects?" Several years before, fans had done a series of video tests with the second season episode "The Doomsday Machine", giving the special effects a much-needed makeover to compete with all of the current crops of television series and movies that were laden with spectacular visuals. In 2001, Paramount Home Video released the acclaimed Director's Edition of "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" with many completed visual effects. In addition, the then-recent slate of "Star Trek" series and movies, most notably "Deep Space Nine", "Voyager", "Enterprise", and the four "Next Generation" spinoff films, utilized state-of-the-art CGI effects to the max. One of the most celebrated DS9 episodes, "Trials and Tribble-ations", revisited the Original Series' "The Trouble with Tribbles", complete with many fresh visual effects and an equal number of subtle trickeries a la "Forrest Gump" that caught many fans off guard. The two series that needed the heaviest visual effects makeovers were the Original Series and TNG. Could such an attempt be accomplished? Could the original "Trek" return but with a fresh facelift?
This immediately sent shockwaves throughout Trekdom. To some it seemed like the perfect way to celebrate the Original Series' 40th anniversary. To others it seemed sacrilege. How dare they screw up the original 79 episodes we all grew up with and know so well? What would happen to the original masters of the episodes? Would they go by the wayside a la the original theatrical versions of the first three "Star Wars" films, long forgotten by the creators and discarded like yesterday's trash?
When the first remastered episodes came out in the fall of 2006, fans immediately sought out the major and minor makeovers to the classic Treks they knew by heart. Many of the effects were done as outright replacements to the original effects created in the 1960's, which were at the time state-of-the-art. Some of the effects were quite subtle, in the same way that some of the subtle makeovers in the Director's Edition of TMP were accomplished. Even the original Alexander Courage theme was given a new makeover, complete with a new orchestral adaptation and a digitized version of William Shatner's classic opening monologue. It was akin to putting a fresh coat of paint and a new engine into a '57 Chevy. But could this 2006 version of the Original Series ever replace the original episodes in fans' hearts? The debate continues to this day.
Now comes the first season of "Star Trek: The Original Series" from CBS Video in a new 10-disc combination standard DVD and HD-DVD set. I won't go back and comment on the episodes themselves, having already reviewed the first season in the complete season set back in 2004. Click here to read my original review on TrekWeb for a detailed look at the episodes and its content. While I'm not able to discuss or extol the HD-DVD features, my review is limited to the standard DVD presentation, though I will reference the HD-DVD information for completion's sake.
As with the previous 2004 DVD release, all 29 episodes of the first season of "Star Trek" are presented in their original 1966 airdates, in 1.33:1 full screen format. Sonically, this fresh update is a treat, with the standard DVD sound in English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround, LAS Mono (whatever that means), and French mono, with optional English, LAS, and French subtitles. The HD-DVD presentation features English Dolby True HD and LAS mono sound, with optional English and LAS subtitles.
The picture format is just absolutely stunning and breathtaking! It was like looking at the last couple of seasons of "Enterprise", particularly with all of the new digital effects in place. The picture is that crisp and clear - imagine what it looks like in HD-DVD format! Having grown up with the original 79 episodes over the years, seeing the newly minted visual effects seemed jarring at first. Still, this is the original "Star Trek" we're talking here, and with the advancements in DVD and HD-DVD technology, the only way it can look is better than ever.
The DVD packaging is reminiscent of the four "Enterprise" sets, with the set packaged in a clear plastic case that is smaller than the other series' packages, which means it'll take up less space on your DVD shelves. Housed inside the clear plastic case is the DVD package itself, with the discs in a clear plastic bookcase tray and banded with a yellow sleeve a la the 2004 DVD set. Inside is an insert for the other "Star Trek" DVD releases currently available, as well as an offer for a "Star Trek" phaser remote control.
The majority of the extras on this DVD set have been ported over from the previous 2004 set. This includes "The Birth of a Timeless Legacy", which discussed the series' origins; "Reflections on Spock", a new interview with Leonard Nimoy; "Life Beyond Trek: William Shatner", which profiled the actor's writings and involvement with horses; "To Boldly Go: Season One", a look at the first season's most memorable moments; "Sci-Fi Visionaries", which looked at the many noted science fiction writers who contributed to the series; and the series' episode preview trailers. In addition, the two bonus features that were included in the Best Buy bonus disc - "Kiss and Tell: Romance in the 24th Century" and "Trek Connections" - have also been brought over to this new DVD/HD-DVD combo set. There's no need for me to rehash my thoughts on these additional features, so all I'll say is go back and read my original review.
What is new does have interest to both long-time "Trek" fans and newcomers to the series. First off is "Spacelift: Transporting Trek into the 21st Century". This interesting feature explores the debated and controversial aspects of returning the series to television and updating all of the visual effects and sound to 2006 standards. You get to see rough animatics of the new visual effects, as well as comparisons between the original 1966-67 visual effects and their modern-day counterparts. It's definitely jarring, to say the least, but I will give credit to the CGI artists who made these effects both major and subtle happen.
We also have something that is quite unique when it comes to "Star Trek": outtakes and home movies! In "Billy Blackburn's Treasure Chest: Rare Home Movies and Special Memories", this program spotlights actor Billy Blackburn, who was featured as a background extra in many episodes of the series. During the series' production, Blackburn shot a number of eight-millimeter home movies on the "Star Trek" sets, showing the stars in more relaxed moments and preparing to shoot scenes from different episodes. Now this is a treat! Fans have long clamored for any vintage outtakes and behind-the-scenes films to be included on DVD, and seeing these home movies makes it all the more interesting yet poignant, considering that DeForest Kelley and James Doohan are no longer with us. Kudos to Mr. Blackburn for bringing these vintage films to DVD!
In addition, Perpetual Entertainment has a preview of its upcoming "Star Trek Online" MMO game, which takes the saga into the 25th century. There is also a new feature entitled "Star Trek: Beyond the Final Frontier" - whatever that means. All of these above features can be found on both the standard DVD and HD-DVD sides of the discs.
As if that weren't enough, HD-DVD owners will be in for even more treats. First of all, there is a new on-screen graphic interface program entitled "Starflet Access" on seven episodes - "Where No Man Has Gone Before", "The Menagerie, Parts 1 and 2", "Balance of Terror", "The Galileo Seven", "Space Seed", and "Errand of Mercy". In this interactive feature, viewers can access Picture-in-Picture video commentaries with surviving cast members and writers, comparisons of the remastered episodes with their original visual effects, episode trivia, and encyclopedic information used in the series. This is definitely a step or seven up from the text commentaries from Michael and Denise Okuda!
From there we have the "Interactive Enterprise Tour", in which viewers can explore the interior and exterior of the U.S.S. Enterprise in detail as they pilot their own shuttlecraft in this spectacular 3-D feature.
Obviously, as I said earlier, the majority of the bonus features from the 2004 DVD set were ported over to this new combo set. That means the Okuda text commentaries are the only significant extras that were left off this new set. For that matter, the previous set had a series of "Red Shirt Logs", a series of bonus hidden Easter eggs that contained additional interview segments - I don't know if these have also been ported over from the previous 2004 set.
As with the previous sets, missing in action are a wealth of additional extras that could have greatly enhanced the overall completeness of "Star Trek" on DVD. Of course, I'm talking about the two direct-to-VHS documentaries, "William Shatner's Star Trek Memories" and "Inside Star Trek: The Real Story", both of which feature interviews with cast and production members no longer with us (among them De Kelley, Jimmy Doohan, director James Goldstone, and makeup artist Wah Chang). Furthermore, vintage TV spots promoting the series during its premiere and first two seasons are missing, as well as the infamous blooper reels, production outtakes (can we say Jeffrey Hunter outtakes from "The Cage"?), and deleted scenes that we know exist and have been well documented all across the Internet.
Most conspicuously, the original versions of the first season episodes have been left off. This means forcing the consumer to double-dip to get not only this newly enhanced "Trek" but also the additional bonus features. Not many people are going to enjoy the fact that the original episodes we all grew up with and know so well have been omitted from this DVD/HD combo set. Remember Fox's "Star Wars Trilogy" debacle from 2004, leaving off the original versions of the trilogy? (Of course, it would take another couple of years before getting the originals onto DVD, but in really crappy form, but that's another argument for another place and time.)
Finally, who in their right or left mind is going to spend $217 to get this 10-disc set? When the price tag for this set was announced at this past summer's Comic-Con, how many people didn't mind wanting to pay the high price tag for this set? A grand total of three people. The rest of the hundreds and thousands in attendance gave it a good ol' Stone Cold "Hell, no!" Why didn't CBS and Paramount listen to the fans for once? It's a no-brainer that you'll find this set for probably $150 in stores. For that matter, you can go to your local Wal-Mart and pick up all three seasons of the original "Trek" (in their original forms!) for about the same price as you would spend for this remastered version. Which sounds like the better deal? You do the math.
Yes, "Star Trek" is back and in remastered form, with newly improved picture and sound. So why am I giving it only three stars out of five? It's hard for me to give this set a firmly satisfied recommendation, given all that was left off the new release. But since this is like buying a vintage car with a fresh paint job and high-tech engine, it does merit a decent recommendation. Of course, long-time fans will bemoan the loss of the original versions of their beloved episodes in this new set. As with everything, your mileage may vary.
Okay, next time, I promise, will be my second part of the "Young Indy" review. See you then!
Friday, November 9, 2007
The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Volume 1 - Part 1
Well, I'm finally getting down to the good stuff that is on CBS/Paramount's long-awaited first DVD volume of "The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones". While you know by now my stance on the decision of CBS, Paramount, and one Mr. George Lucas to release the series on DVD in its re-edited form from the late 1990's and not include the original telecasts with the original bookend segments intact (as seen on ABC during the series' initial run in the early to mid 1990's) - still a crime in my book - I'm going to focus on each respective chapter and the documentaries that complement the first seven chapters of the series.
(Before I go into my thoughts on those documentaries, I just want to put the word out there that if anyone has any of the original one-hour telecasts on video, send me an e-mail. Of this first set I have chapters 1, 2, 4, and 7 preserved to DVD+R, and I know that along the way I missed some of the other segments. I'd like to have all of the original telecasts, as well as the behind-the-scenes segments from the original 11 VHS tapes, preserved and archived on disc, so let's talk!)
Disc 1, "My First Adventure", is just that, young Indiana Jones' first adventures from birth and traveling the world. In the first five chapters, young Corey Carrier portrays Henry Jones, Jr., growing up just as any typical boy would. We learn of young Indy's humble beginnings and the journeys he undertakes with his parents Henry and Anna Jones (Alex Hyde-White, trying for all the world to channel Sean Connery, and Ruth deSosa, in an ineffective role that all but fulfills the perfunctory purpose of Indy's worrysome mother being around in his early years). Joining them on their travels is the crusty Miss Helen Seymour (Margaret Tyzack), Indy's tutor with an iron will all her own. The first half of "My First Adventure" centers on Indy's first trip to Egypt, encountering T.E. (Ned) Lawrence and Howard Carter, while exploring a possible curse centered around an Egyptian jackal - this has been lifted from the first half of the series' premiere "Young Indiana Jones and the Curse of the Jackal", which had a much more effective second half that tied in well with the first. The story then abruptly shifts gears to Cairo, where Indy learns of slavery and nearly winds up a slave as well. This second part of "My First Adventure", which was obviously filmed a few years after the first part, doesn't work as well. Why Luca$ decided to completely forego the original TV broadcasts still baffles many, including me, to this day. But the first part of the story does have a fun charm of its own that parents and Indiana Jones fans should enjoy.
Okay, onto the first four documentaries on Disc 1. First off is "Archaeology", a 16-minute feature that takes a look at how the real-life science of archaeology differs from the fascinating, adventurous, and sometimes romantic notions conveyed in the three (soon to be four) "Indiana Jones" theatrical films. According to modern-day scientists, archaeology is tedious and unsung, as the documentary profiles two such expeditions into remote parts of the world. For generations it was seen merely as looting and graverobbing, but it was not until 1922 that Howard Carter emerged as the benchmark by which archaeology is measured. This is continued in the 22-minute documentary "Howard Carter and and the Tomb of Tutankhamen", which profiles Carter's life-long love for archaeology and Egyptian history, the discovery and research of King Tut's tomb, and the meticulous and precise methods Carter used to archive and document every detail of the mysterious boy king's life and death. Carter's methods continue to be seen as the standard by which all modern archaeology must be measured.
From there we turn to the 36-minute program "Colonel Lawrence's War", a look at the life of British soldier Thomas Edward Lawrence, best known to many as Lawrence of Arabia. This documentary reveals untold aspects to Lawrence's life that, if you're only familiar with the 1960's David Lean epic with Peter O'Toole in the title role, you're in for a rude awakening. Ever in love with the Arabian way of life, Lawrence studied the Arab culture in the early 1900's and lived among them years before his service in the British military and his revolutionary methods of uniting the Arabs against the Turkish Empire in the closing years of World War I. But Lawrence's actions led to unforeseen circumstances that continue to reverberate in today's times, with all of the current troubles in Iraq and Pakistan. Others saw Lawrence as a romantic war hero and leader; Lawrence saw himself as a failure. In his epic chronicle Seven Pillars of Wisdom, how much of what Lawrence writes is truth and how much is fiction?
Finally we have the 30-minute program "From Slavery to Freedom", which looks at many cultures' attempts to enslave people of seemingly lesser quality into a lifetime of slavery. No mention is made of the Egyptians' enslavement of the Israelites, as seen in the Book of Exodus, which is a shame. The program, however, traces the roots of slavery back to ancient China and looks at the brief enslavement of the Greek philosopher Plato; the Roman execution of 400 slaves as the result of the murder of a prominent Roman official; Pope Gregory's desire to use slaves to till his fields in the 6th century; and, of course, the British and American slave movements from 300-400 years ago. However, slavery still continues to occur in parts of the world today, though in more brutal and horrific forms than we can conceive. But the program, which includes interviews with historians and people dedicated to educating and ending slavery, does give a positive note: this could be the generation that finally sees the end of slavery.
So ends my look at the first disc of "The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones". Next time I'll take a look at Disc 2, "Passion for Life", which cobbles together young Indy's adventures in 1908 and 1909, and the six documentaries that comprise Disc 3. See you then!
(Before I go into my thoughts on those documentaries, I just want to put the word out there that if anyone has any of the original one-hour telecasts on video, send me an e-mail. Of this first set I have chapters 1, 2, 4, and 7 preserved to DVD+R, and I know that along the way I missed some of the other segments. I'd like to have all of the original telecasts, as well as the behind-the-scenes segments from the original 11 VHS tapes, preserved and archived on disc, so let's talk!)
Disc 1, "My First Adventure", is just that, young Indiana Jones' first adventures from birth and traveling the world. In the first five chapters, young Corey Carrier portrays Henry Jones, Jr., growing up just as any typical boy would. We learn of young Indy's humble beginnings and the journeys he undertakes with his parents Henry and Anna Jones (Alex Hyde-White, trying for all the world to channel Sean Connery, and Ruth deSosa, in an ineffective role that all but fulfills the perfunctory purpose of Indy's worrysome mother being around in his early years). Joining them on their travels is the crusty Miss Helen Seymour (Margaret Tyzack), Indy's tutor with an iron will all her own. The first half of "My First Adventure" centers on Indy's first trip to Egypt, encountering T.E. (Ned) Lawrence and Howard Carter, while exploring a possible curse centered around an Egyptian jackal - this has been lifted from the first half of the series' premiere "Young Indiana Jones and the Curse of the Jackal", which had a much more effective second half that tied in well with the first. The story then abruptly shifts gears to Cairo, where Indy learns of slavery and nearly winds up a slave as well. This second part of "My First Adventure", which was obviously filmed a few years after the first part, doesn't work as well. Why Luca$ decided to completely forego the original TV broadcasts still baffles many, including me, to this day. But the first part of the story does have a fun charm of its own that parents and Indiana Jones fans should enjoy.
Okay, onto the first four documentaries on Disc 1. First off is "Archaeology", a 16-minute feature that takes a look at how the real-life science of archaeology differs from the fascinating, adventurous, and sometimes romantic notions conveyed in the three (soon to be four) "Indiana Jones" theatrical films. According to modern-day scientists, archaeology is tedious and unsung, as the documentary profiles two such expeditions into remote parts of the world. For generations it was seen merely as looting and graverobbing, but it was not until 1922 that Howard Carter emerged as the benchmark by which archaeology is measured. This is continued in the 22-minute documentary "Howard Carter and and the Tomb of Tutankhamen", which profiles Carter's life-long love for archaeology and Egyptian history, the discovery and research of King Tut's tomb, and the meticulous and precise methods Carter used to archive and document every detail of the mysterious boy king's life and death. Carter's methods continue to be seen as the standard by which all modern archaeology must be measured.
From there we turn to the 36-minute program "Colonel Lawrence's War", a look at the life of British soldier Thomas Edward Lawrence, best known to many as Lawrence of Arabia. This documentary reveals untold aspects to Lawrence's life that, if you're only familiar with the 1960's David Lean epic with Peter O'Toole in the title role, you're in for a rude awakening. Ever in love with the Arabian way of life, Lawrence studied the Arab culture in the early 1900's and lived among them years before his service in the British military and his revolutionary methods of uniting the Arabs against the Turkish Empire in the closing years of World War I. But Lawrence's actions led to unforeseen circumstances that continue to reverberate in today's times, with all of the current troubles in Iraq and Pakistan. Others saw Lawrence as a romantic war hero and leader; Lawrence saw himself as a failure. In his epic chronicle Seven Pillars of Wisdom, how much of what Lawrence writes is truth and how much is fiction?
Finally we have the 30-minute program "From Slavery to Freedom", which looks at many cultures' attempts to enslave people of seemingly lesser quality into a lifetime of slavery. No mention is made of the Egyptians' enslavement of the Israelites, as seen in the Book of Exodus, which is a shame. The program, however, traces the roots of slavery back to ancient China and looks at the brief enslavement of the Greek philosopher Plato; the Roman execution of 400 slaves as the result of the murder of a prominent Roman official; Pope Gregory's desire to use slaves to till his fields in the 6th century; and, of course, the British and American slave movements from 300-400 years ago. However, slavery still continues to occur in parts of the world today, though in more brutal and horrific forms than we can conceive. But the program, which includes interviews with historians and people dedicated to educating and ending slavery, does give a positive note: this could be the generation that finally sees the end of slavery.
So ends my look at the first disc of "The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones". Next time I'll take a look at Disc 2, "Passion for Life", which cobbles together young Indy's adventures in 1908 and 1909, and the six documentaries that comprise Disc 3. See you then!
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians
It's hard to believe how over the course of 12-13 years animation could change. As a boy one of the mainstay staples of Saturday morning television was the ever-reliable "Super Friends", one of ABC's longest-running and most successful Saturday morning animated series. Beginning in 1972, the "Super Friends" - which initially consisted of Superman, Batman, Robin, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and their teenage sidekicks Wendy and Marvin - went through numerous incarnations and expansions, taking from the numerous DC Comics titles of the era. By the late 1970's the series began to get a little more mature in its storytelling, with more sophisticated plots and adventures that excited kids of all ages. I was definitely one of them. I grew up with this series. It began when I entered first grade, and it ended during my freshman year of college. How time flies.
By the 1980's the "Super Friends" seemed almost passe' in the realm of animation. While the "Superman" feature films were taking off, and plans were in the works for a "Batman" feature film, the animated series was winding down. As animation began to move from traditional hand-drawn cels into the very new realm of realistic animation and the then-experimental form of computer animation (first seen in "Star Trek II" and "Tron"), traditional animiation and simplistic flights of fancy no longer interested young viewers. They wanted newer heroes with more elaborate powers and strengths, with internal issues and problems.
By 1984 ABC took another stab in revamping the "Super Friends" with "The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians", which would be the final animated incarnation of the long-running series. By this time Firestorm was already a part of the team, having been introduced into the series the previous year as part of "Super Friends: The Legendary Super Powers Show", along with original creations such as Apache Chief, El Dorado, Samurai, and Black Vulcan (no relation to Tuvok, of course!) which were designed to bring in a more diverse ethnic culture to the series. With the addition of Firestorm the year before, another hero made his animated debut in the form of Cyborg, a character from the popular "Teen Titans" comic book series of the 1980's. More machine than man, Victor (Cyborg) Stone became a valuable addition to the Super Powers Team.
But things didn't stop there. Along with the addition of new cast members to the series, the look of the series drastically changed. For years Hanna-Barbera relied on the same tried and true look of the characters to drive the series. But animation, like comic books, were entering into a new era of more graphically realistic animation. To this end they turned to DC artist Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez to redesign all of the characters for the series, giving them incredible facelifts and providing a fresh look to the heroes and villains of the series, bringing them closer to their comic-book counterparts. And this was shortly before DC Comics itself was to experience a true makeover of its own with "Crisis on Infinite Earths", "The Dark Knight Returns", and "Superman: The Man of Steel".
Over the course of the ten segments produced in 1984 the Super Powers Team battled classic villains such as Lex Luthor, the Joker, the Penguin, the Scarecrow, Bizarro, and intergalactic space baddie Darkseid. And in one of its penultimate segments, "The Death of Superman", the series took a very mature theme and brought it to life (years before Doomsday did the unthinkable). But with the series on its last legs, even this fresh revamp wasn't enough to bring it back for another season. With this final incarnation, the Super Friends passed into history.
Now Warner Home Video has brought the entire "Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians" series to DVD in a two-disc set that presents each animated segment in its original broadcast aspect ratio and in Dolby 2.0 sound. The animation is clean and crisp, and for a 20-year-old series it looks pretty good, better than I remember catching it on Saturday mornings. Bonus features are limited to just a single featurette - "Super Powers Redux: Galactic Guardians Retrospective", which profiles the making of the series with DC writers and artists and also shows some vintage storyboards and even a copy of the ABC mandate regarding "The Death of Superman" - and a pair of trailers for other animated products.
"The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians", which followed the earlier "Super Friends: The Legendary Super Powers Team" release, is a great way to remember the final years of one of ABC's most popular and successful animated series. I'm looking forward to seeing the remainder of the "Super Friends" series arrive on DVD in coming months!
By the 1980's the "Super Friends" seemed almost passe' in the realm of animation. While the "Superman" feature films were taking off, and plans were in the works for a "Batman" feature film, the animated series was winding down. As animation began to move from traditional hand-drawn cels into the very new realm of realistic animation and the then-experimental form of computer animation (first seen in "Star Trek II" and "Tron"), traditional animiation and simplistic flights of fancy no longer interested young viewers. They wanted newer heroes with more elaborate powers and strengths, with internal issues and problems.
By 1984 ABC took another stab in revamping the "Super Friends" with "The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians", which would be the final animated incarnation of the long-running series. By this time Firestorm was already a part of the team, having been introduced into the series the previous year as part of "Super Friends: The Legendary Super Powers Show", along with original creations such as Apache Chief, El Dorado, Samurai, and Black Vulcan (no relation to Tuvok, of course!) which were designed to bring in a more diverse ethnic culture to the series. With the addition of Firestorm the year before, another hero made his animated debut in the form of Cyborg, a character from the popular "Teen Titans" comic book series of the 1980's. More machine than man, Victor (Cyborg) Stone became a valuable addition to the Super Powers Team.
But things didn't stop there. Along with the addition of new cast members to the series, the look of the series drastically changed. For years Hanna-Barbera relied on the same tried and true look of the characters to drive the series. But animation, like comic books, were entering into a new era of more graphically realistic animation. To this end they turned to DC artist Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez to redesign all of the characters for the series, giving them incredible facelifts and providing a fresh look to the heroes and villains of the series, bringing them closer to their comic-book counterparts. And this was shortly before DC Comics itself was to experience a true makeover of its own with "Crisis on Infinite Earths", "The Dark Knight Returns", and "Superman: The Man of Steel".
Over the course of the ten segments produced in 1984 the Super Powers Team battled classic villains such as Lex Luthor, the Joker, the Penguin, the Scarecrow, Bizarro, and intergalactic space baddie Darkseid. And in one of its penultimate segments, "The Death of Superman", the series took a very mature theme and brought it to life (years before Doomsday did the unthinkable). But with the series on its last legs, even this fresh revamp wasn't enough to bring it back for another season. With this final incarnation, the Super Friends passed into history.
Now Warner Home Video has brought the entire "Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians" series to DVD in a two-disc set that presents each animated segment in its original broadcast aspect ratio and in Dolby 2.0 sound. The animation is clean and crisp, and for a 20-year-old series it looks pretty good, better than I remember catching it on Saturday mornings. Bonus features are limited to just a single featurette - "Super Powers Redux: Galactic Guardians Retrospective", which profiles the making of the series with DC writers and artists and also shows some vintage storyboards and even a copy of the ABC mandate regarding "The Death of Superman" - and a pair of trailers for other animated products.
"The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians", which followed the earlier "Super Friends: The Legendary Super Powers Team" release, is a great way to remember the final years of one of ABC's most popular and successful animated series. I'm looking forward to seeing the remainder of the "Super Friends" series arrive on DVD in coming months!
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Spider-Man 3 out today - in multiple forms...
Well, the year's biggest box-office moneymaker, "Spider-Man 3", has now arrived on DVD from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. It's out in no less than four different versions - single-disc full frame, single-disc widescreen, two-disc widescreen, and two-disc Blu-Ray format - so this should be a visual treat for the eyes. From what I have heard, the film's story is not up to snuff as the far superior "Spider-Man 2", but it made a boatload of money, so it should be worth checking out.
As if the above weren't enough to mention, Wal-Mart has an exclusive bonus disc with over 30 minutes of additional interviews and content not found in any of the other versions of the film. To add insult to injury, this bonus disc is packaged with the single-disc widescreen and full-frame versions of the film. That means if you want every last little bit of info on SM3, you're going to have to pony up the bucks to get the two-disc SE and the Wal-Mart release.
(This follows on the heels of Disney's reissue of "Cars" with yet another Wal-Mart exclusive bonus disc of 60 additional minutes of content. That's the second one in less than a year! What gives with these multiple dips of the same movie just to get every last bonus disc? Why couldn't Disney and Pixar do it right the first time and give everyone a two-disc set with the content from both of these bonus discs included as the second disc? It's all about one thing... money, money, money.)
In any event, as soon as I have my copy of "Spider-Man 3" in hand, I'll have the full review posted for everyone. (Oh, and don't forget to get your copy of the "Twin Peaks" Definitive Gold Box Edition today - 10 discs with all the episodes, the original TV pilot, the European theatrical cut with the alternate ending, and lots of exclusive bonus features! Of course, you'll have to hold onto your copies of the two previous season sets in order to have every last bonus feature that's not been ported over to the Gold Box - another head-scratcher of a multi-dip, but one that's worth getting for all the "Twin Peaks" goodness that's included.)
See you again soon!
As if the above weren't enough to mention, Wal-Mart has an exclusive bonus disc with over 30 minutes of additional interviews and content not found in any of the other versions of the film. To add insult to injury, this bonus disc is packaged with the single-disc widescreen and full-frame versions of the film. That means if you want every last little bit of info on SM3, you're going to have to pony up the bucks to get the two-disc SE and the Wal-Mart release.
(This follows on the heels of Disney's reissue of "Cars" with yet another Wal-Mart exclusive bonus disc of 60 additional minutes of content. That's the second one in less than a year! What gives with these multiple dips of the same movie just to get every last bonus disc? Why couldn't Disney and Pixar do it right the first time and give everyone a two-disc set with the content from both of these bonus discs included as the second disc? It's all about one thing... money, money, money.)
In any event, as soon as I have my copy of "Spider-Man 3" in hand, I'll have the full review posted for everyone. (Oh, and don't forget to get your copy of the "Twin Peaks" Definitive Gold Box Edition today - 10 discs with all the episodes, the original TV pilot, the European theatrical cut with the alternate ending, and lots of exclusive bonus features! Of course, you'll have to hold onto your copies of the two previous season sets in order to have every last bonus feature that's not been ported over to the Gold Box - another head-scratcher of a multi-dip, but one that's worth getting for all the "Twin Peaks" goodness that's included.)
See you again soon!
Friday, October 19, 2007
And now for something completely different...
As the week is fast coming to a close, I now turn my attention to something that's quite a bit unusual. As you may know from my earlier posts, I have a great concern for altered TV programs surfacing on DVD. That seems to be the bane for many a TV-on-DVD fan who likes to have his/her TV shows kept intact on DVD. Of course, there are many titles that have appeared over the last few years that have been altered. This includes no less than...
WKRP in Cincinnati
The Adventures of Superman (specifically, the episode "Crime Wave")
The Adventures of Superboy (the episode "Countdown to Nowhere")
The New Adventures of Superman (minus all the Superboy segments)
Star Trek: Captain's Log Fan Collective (an altered edition of the two-part "Chain of Command")
Soul Food: Season 2
The Odd Couple: Season 2
Jericho: Season 1
The Real World: New York, Season 1 (really bad!)
The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles (the entire series!)
...and who knows how many countless other TV series with significant alterations. As more and more series continue to be released on DVD, the casualties mount.
But have you ever heard of a DVD release that, upon its TV broadcast, has been greatly altered for television? Believe it or not, there is one such direct-to-video series that has been altered for its TV broadcasts, and that is the long-running animated family series "Veggie Tales", nearing its 15th year of production.
Over the last 15 years Phil Vischer, Mike Nawrocki, and the people at Big Idea Productions have produced 27 separate animated tales for VHS and DVD releases, as well as two big-screen feature films, "Jonah" and the upcoming release "The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything". In each of these hilarious animated stories and films, Bob the Tomato and Larry the Cucumber host a series of stories geared toward families that present significant Biblical truths and Scripture references tied in to the stories. Sometimes they even go to the edge and spoof different pop-culture references, including "Star Trek", the Beatles, "Gilligan's Island", "The Lone Ranger", "Bonanza", the "Batman" and "Spider-Man" films, "Indiana Jones", Sherlock Holmes, "Rocky", the WWF/WWE, "The Wizard of Oz", and the "Pirates of the Caribbean" trilogy, among others. But in every tale they mention an active presence of God in their lives.
Last year NBC picked up the broadcast rights to "Veggie Tales", but for obvious reasons each of the segments were greatly altered from their original video presentations. In short, they wanted all references to God eliminated from the shows. That reduces the tales to little more than silliness without a message. For that matter, they also got a different opening credits sequence that has never been included on any DVD or VHS release of the series! Last week I happened to catch on the Guardian Television Network a broadcast of "The Ballad of Little Joe" that had a completely different main title sequence and introduction that was never featured on the DVD, and it was something I'd never seen before as well. At first I thought it was something from the earlier release "God Made You Special", but it quickly turned out that I was wrong.
I can understand having to edit one of these segments for time constraints, not to mention shadowboxing the end credits. That's fine and dandy when you're trying to squeeze something into a 30-minute time slot, and as the "Veggie Tales" series have gotten longer and longer it becomes a necessary hazard. But to create a different main title sequence for the TV broadcast and feature footage that's not available on the DVDs? I don't get it.
For that matter, I don't get Phil Vischer's decision to make necessary edits for television. To do that, he's robbing the series of that special something extra that makes "Veggie Tales" stand out head and shoulders above all other animated series. If I were in Vischer's shoes, I wouldn't have compromised for one second. I would have either held out for the message to be maintained in each episode, or I wouldn't have brought the series to TV in the first place. While I like the idea of appealing to a broader audience, dumbing down the message and completely cutting it out of the different segments is wrong. Had that been the case, then older series such as "Touched by an Angel" and "Doc" wouldn't have stood a chance on television, and look how popular those series were. For that matter, ABC wouldn't have stood a chance of even airing its yearly ratings spectacular, "The Ten Commandments" (the 1956 version with Charlton Heston), uncut.
Recently I saw on TBN that filmmaker Tyler Perry (who just released "Why Did I Get Married?" to blockbuster status last weekend) was offered a lucrative deal to bring his stage concepts of Madea (the character he made famous in "Diary of a Mad Black Woman" and "Madea's Family Reunion") and company to television. However, he refused because he did not agree with pushing the envelope to television's edgier standards and watering down his Christian witness all for the sake of money. He rejected the big network deal, took it to a smaller network, and presented it uncompromised and with his Christian themes intact. I have to give Perry credit for standing firm for his faith amid his businessman's beliefs. Phil Vischer could learn a thing or two from Perry.
Bottom line, if you like your veggies uncut and in its original format, then stick with the original DVD (or VHS) releases. But at the very least Vischer and company should give us the alternate TV credits and monologues with each DVD release for completion's sake. That way everyone is satisfied.
Have a good weekend!
WKRP in Cincinnati
The Adventures of Superman (specifically, the episode "Crime Wave")
The Adventures of Superboy (the episode "Countdown to Nowhere")
The New Adventures of Superman (minus all the Superboy segments)
Star Trek: Captain's Log Fan Collective (an altered edition of the two-part "Chain of Command")
Soul Food: Season 2
The Odd Couple: Season 2
Jericho: Season 1
The Real World: New York, Season 1 (really bad!)
The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles (the entire series!)
...and who knows how many countless other TV series with significant alterations. As more and more series continue to be released on DVD, the casualties mount.
But have you ever heard of a DVD release that, upon its TV broadcast, has been greatly altered for television? Believe it or not, there is one such direct-to-video series that has been altered for its TV broadcasts, and that is the long-running animated family series "Veggie Tales", nearing its 15th year of production.
Over the last 15 years Phil Vischer, Mike Nawrocki, and the people at Big Idea Productions have produced 27 separate animated tales for VHS and DVD releases, as well as two big-screen feature films, "Jonah" and the upcoming release "The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything". In each of these hilarious animated stories and films, Bob the Tomato and Larry the Cucumber host a series of stories geared toward families that present significant Biblical truths and Scripture references tied in to the stories. Sometimes they even go to the edge and spoof different pop-culture references, including "Star Trek", the Beatles, "Gilligan's Island", "The Lone Ranger", "Bonanza", the "Batman" and "Spider-Man" films, "Indiana Jones", Sherlock Holmes, "Rocky", the WWF/WWE, "The Wizard of Oz", and the "Pirates of the Caribbean" trilogy, among others. But in every tale they mention an active presence of God in their lives.
Last year NBC picked up the broadcast rights to "Veggie Tales", but for obvious reasons each of the segments were greatly altered from their original video presentations. In short, they wanted all references to God eliminated from the shows. That reduces the tales to little more than silliness without a message. For that matter, they also got a different opening credits sequence that has never been included on any DVD or VHS release of the series! Last week I happened to catch on the Guardian Television Network a broadcast of "The Ballad of Little Joe" that had a completely different main title sequence and introduction that was never featured on the DVD, and it was something I'd never seen before as well. At first I thought it was something from the earlier release "God Made You Special", but it quickly turned out that I was wrong.
I can understand having to edit one of these segments for time constraints, not to mention shadowboxing the end credits. That's fine and dandy when you're trying to squeeze something into a 30-minute time slot, and as the "Veggie Tales" series have gotten longer and longer it becomes a necessary hazard. But to create a different main title sequence for the TV broadcast and feature footage that's not available on the DVDs? I don't get it.
For that matter, I don't get Phil Vischer's decision to make necessary edits for television. To do that, he's robbing the series of that special something extra that makes "Veggie Tales" stand out head and shoulders above all other animated series. If I were in Vischer's shoes, I wouldn't have compromised for one second. I would have either held out for the message to be maintained in each episode, or I wouldn't have brought the series to TV in the first place. While I like the idea of appealing to a broader audience, dumbing down the message and completely cutting it out of the different segments is wrong. Had that been the case, then older series such as "Touched by an Angel" and "Doc" wouldn't have stood a chance on television, and look how popular those series were. For that matter, ABC wouldn't have stood a chance of even airing its yearly ratings spectacular, "The Ten Commandments" (the 1956 version with Charlton Heston), uncut.
Recently I saw on TBN that filmmaker Tyler Perry (who just released "Why Did I Get Married?" to blockbuster status last weekend) was offered a lucrative deal to bring his stage concepts of Madea (the character he made famous in "Diary of a Mad Black Woman" and "Madea's Family Reunion") and company to television. However, he refused because he did not agree with pushing the envelope to television's edgier standards and watering down his Christian witness all for the sake of money. He rejected the big network deal, took it to a smaller network, and presented it uncompromised and with his Christian themes intact. I have to give Perry credit for standing firm for his faith amid his businessman's beliefs. Phil Vischer could learn a thing or two from Perry.
Bottom line, if you like your veggies uncut and in its original format, then stick with the original DVD (or VHS) releases. But at the very least Vischer and company should give us the alternate TV credits and monologues with each DVD release for completion's sake. That way everyone is satisfied.
Have a good weekend!
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