Well, believe it or not, when I got to work yesterday, what was waiting for me was none other than the queen mother of all music CD box sets, the long-awaited eight-disc "Superman" soundtrack box set of all the music from the four feature films and the 1988 Ruby-Spears animated series. Just looking at this box set makes my mouth water with excitement!
I've got to tell you, I've only sampled a few tracks from the set thus far. I started out with some of the action-oriented pieces from "Superman IV", then checked out some of the variations on the Main Title theme as heard in II and III, followed by the long-awaited alternate version of "The Dome Opens" from STM (which was adapted as the villains' theme music and some of the action music from SII) and the Main and End Title themes from STM. All I can say is this...
WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The music thus far is solid and clear, reproduced from the very best elements around! Mike Matessino, Lukas Kendall, and the guys at Film Score Monthly have completely outdone themselves with this CD box set! Everyone needs to stand up and take notice, this is how the game is played, and this will no doubt be the benchmark for all soundtrack CD sets for years to come in terms of sound reproduction, extensive research and liner notes, and all-around fun and excitement in just listening to the music. And not only that, but with "Superman IV" you get the complete score to the original 120-minute cut of the film that was in progress but never completed after the Orange County sneak preview, which in my opinion could have benefitted from another 6-8 months of completion on the visual effects. With this score, coupled with the 2006 Deluxe Edition DVD and the 93-minute international print (which should have been released on DVD), you get a very clear picture of how the film would have turned out, and it would have been much broader in scope than the B-picture budget revealed.
Hands down, this is the CD soundtrack set of the year to beat, and it's going to be completely impossible to top this set with any other release from any studio. Once I have a chance to listen to the complete set, I'll provide a further detailed review, so look for that soon.
Congrats to Mike, Lukas, and everyone for a job well done!
Friday, March 21, 2008
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Indy returns, Superman flies, etc.
With the release of the fourth "Indiana Jones" film Memorial Day weekend, Paramount Home Video is re-releasing the first three films on DVD in all-new special editions. Apparently none of the extras from the original four-disc box set will be on these new re-releases, though it looks like there will be a host of exclusive bonus features including a preview of the upcoming "Lego Indiana Jones" videogame. Will it be worth the double-dip? Hopefully I'll be able to provide a review soon.
The latest word on the "Superman" score box set is that there are fewer than 600 copies left from Film Score Monthly's initial pressing of 3,000. According to Lukas Kendall, there should be a second pressing down the road in a few months. From everything I've read thus far, it's been an extremely big hit with Superman and music fans. I'm trying to get a copy for review, but it's been no luck at all with nearly all of my leads. Hopefully I won't get left out of the party.
On a side note, I'm in early talks with album producer Mike Matessino to conduct an interview for one of the Superman-based web sites. I had the privilege of hosting a special online chat with him back in 2000 upon the release of Rhino's 2-CD "Superman" set, and he and I have kept in touch on occasion since then on different things. He's quite knowledgeable about the material he's worked on, and he's quite a nice guy to boot. Look for that interview soon.
Finally, I heard this morning that with the upcoming release of "The Dark Knight", the late Heath Ledger has delivered such an extremely powerful performance as the Joker that talks are in the works of considering him for a posthumous Oscar nomination. I wouldn't be a bit surprised if that happens.
On that note, I'll touch base again soon. Take care!
The latest word on the "Superman" score box set is that there are fewer than 600 copies left from Film Score Monthly's initial pressing of 3,000. According to Lukas Kendall, there should be a second pressing down the road in a few months. From everything I've read thus far, it's been an extremely big hit with Superman and music fans. I'm trying to get a copy for review, but it's been no luck at all with nearly all of my leads. Hopefully I won't get left out of the party.
On a side note, I'm in early talks with album producer Mike Matessino to conduct an interview for one of the Superman-based web sites. I had the privilege of hosting a special online chat with him back in 2000 upon the release of Rhino's 2-CD "Superman" set, and he and I have kept in touch on occasion since then on different things. He's quite knowledgeable about the material he's worked on, and he's quite a nice guy to boot. Look for that interview soon.
Finally, I heard this morning that with the upcoming release of "The Dark Knight", the late Heath Ledger has delivered such an extremely powerful performance as the Joker that talks are in the works of considering him for a posthumous Oscar nomination. I wouldn't be a bit surprised if that happens.
On that note, I'll touch base again soon. Take care!
Friday, February 15, 2008
It's official!
Last month I reported the "officially unconfirmed" news about the eight-disc Superman movie soundtrack collection. Well, it's now official! Next Thursday, February 21, is the day the set goes on sale through Film Score Monthly's website, with a limited ediiton pressing of only 3,000 copies. Click here to read the full report on FSM's website, along with detailed articles on some of the behind-the-scenes goodness.
This is definitely going to be THE soundtrack release to beat this year! And it's definitely well-timed, considered that this year marks both the 30th anniversary of the release of the first "Superman" film (1978) and also the 70th anniversary of Superman's debut in the first issue of Action Comics (1938). Talk about a way to celebrate!
When I'm able to get a copy of the CD set, I'll provide a blow-by-blow review for everyone, so hopefully that'll be soon.
On a different note, the first trailer for this summer's long-awaited "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" is now online at the official Indiana Jones website. Check it out! This one's been 19 years in the making!
Have a wonderful weekend, and I'll see you again soon!
This is definitely going to be THE soundtrack release to beat this year! And it's definitely well-timed, considered that this year marks both the 30th anniversary of the release of the first "Superman" film (1978) and also the 70th anniversary of Superman's debut in the first issue of Action Comics (1938). Talk about a way to celebrate!
When I'm able to get a copy of the CD set, I'll provide a blow-by-blow review for everyone, so hopefully that'll be soon.
On a different note, the first trailer for this summer's long-awaited "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" is now online at the official Indiana Jones website. Check it out! This one's been 19 years in the making!
Have a wonderful weekend, and I'll see you again soon!
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Battlestar Galactica - Razor (Unrated Extended Edition)
It's hard to believe that over a year has gone by since I've caught up with the continuing saga of BATTLESTAR GALACTICA, Ronald D. Moore's hard-hitting revision of the campy 1970's series. Since the time between the second and third seasons many fans had heard rumors of a spinoff TV project set either before or during the events of the series. And during that spectacular second season, with the return of the Battlestar Pegasus, many fans asked, "What happened to the Pegasus during the Cylons' attack at the start of the series?" With RAZOR, the Sci-Fi Channel has presented an epic lost chapter of the saga that answers many of the fans' questions and more.
Divided between present-day events and flashbacks, RAZOR tells the story of one Kendra Shaw (Stephanie Jacobson), a young officer newly transferred to the Pegasus under the command of Admiral Helena Cain (Michelle Forbes). During her tenure she learns of Cain's ways of command while discovering her own edge and fearlessness in dealing with enemies both external and internal. Shaw soon exposes the secretive plots by Gina Inviere (Tricia Helfer) to lure the Cylons into attacking the Pegasus, eventually leading to her rise in command and to adopting Cain's ruthless nature as her own.
Meanwhile, Commander Lee Adama (Jamie Bamber), newly assigned as commander of the Pegasus in present-day times, orders an assault raid on a secret Cylon regeneration factory, one which brings back haunting memories of his father Admiral Adama (Edward James Olmos) during the first Cylon war.
RAZOR effectively converges the two storylines into a strong cohesive whole, making for one extremely intense chapter of the BSG saga. Of course, it's been no surprise that during the film we get to see the old-school Cylons and their Raiders during the first Cylon war - hearing that classic "By your command!" brings back smiles and laughs from 30 years before! - which definitely more than pleases classic BSG fans. On the other hand, RAZOR offers some tantalizing hints of what we can expect in the upcoming fourth and final season of the series, with a possible plot hint that we may see developed by the series' end.
Universal Home Video has released RAZOR on DVD with not just one version presented but two - both the original 87-minute broadcast version and an unrated extended version with an additional 16 minutes of footage not seen in the U.S. While the disc package only advertises the unrated extended cut, it's quite a pleasant surprise that both versions are presented on this disc! You are given this option when you press Play, so it's quite the surprise indeed! I checked out the original broadcast version first, followed by the extended cut, and I've got to admit I prefer the extended cut more because of some of its additional substance that permeates RAZOR. Granted, the extended cut contains a bit more graphic violence and language not present in the broadcast version, so it plays more like a theatrical release. Both versions of RAZOR are presented in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen format and in Dolby Digital 5.1 sound with optional English subtitles.
The visuals are tightly packed with substance, though during the presentation I did notice some digital artifacting present. This is because of the disc's contents with both versions of RAZOR as well as its varied extras. Thankfully, the artifacting is minor overall, at least what I noticed, and the colors and blacks are rich and balanced. The sound mix is another tour de force for your 5.1 set-up, with explosions and dialog nicely balanced all around. How they continually manage to accomplish this with each successive BSG installment, I have no idea, because it keeps looking and sounding better and better!
The DVD release of RAZOR also contains a wonderful array of supplements. First off is a newly recorded audio commentary with series creators Ronald D. Moore and David Eick, as they discuss the origins of the telefilm and the intentions to present multiple storylines that bounce between present and past. As with their past commentaries, Moore and Eick are an enjoyable listen, and they continue to be extremely knowledgeable about their production and cast selections. The only caveat here is that the audio commentary is accessible only with the extended cut and not the broadcast version.
In "The Look of Battlestar Galactica", director of photography Stephen McNutt discusses how the series achieves its gritty, in-your-face look with each installment. Through a combination of handheld cameras, tightly developed set constructions, strong storylines, and realistic visual effects, we see how each episode looks more like a realistic drama than something clean and neat. We also get to see some on-set production footage from RAZOR as well. Running time: 10:00.
In "My Favorite Episode So Far", cast and crew members discuss, well, their favorite episodes to date. Moore, Eick, Olmos, Bamber, Helfer, Katee Sackhoff, Mary McDonnell, Grace Park, and others select some of the episodes that they found extremely memorable over the past three seasons, ranging from the first season premiere "33" to the second season finale to the third-season two-parter. Olmos' comments are most interesting, because he notes that perhaps the series' best episode may not be until the series' finale. For those of you who have not seen the third season at all (like me), beware that there are spoilers abound in this one! Running time: 7:00.
We also have two deleted scenes cut from RAZOR, running all of three and a half minutes in length, both presented in anamorphic widescreen format and Dolby 2.0 sound. Here, we witness Lee Adama preparing to depart for Galactica at the same time as Kendra Shaw's departure for Pegasus, while in the other scene we have Lee and Kara sitting in the conference room drinking and reviewing old mission tapes (from earlier in the series).
In addition we have a fourth season sneak peek (4:30) and preview trailer (45 seconds) which give us more tantalizing glimpses into what we can expect in the upcoming final season. Once again, for those of you who have not seen the third season, look out for big spoilers! (Of course, by the time you read this review, you'll already know what some of those big spoilers are, thanks to TV Guide.)
Finally, we have a series of wasted preview trailers, promoting upcoming Universal movies and DVDs, at the head of the disc that you can easily skip past in order to get to RAZOR.
Once again Universal has delivered another solid BATTLESTAR GALACTICA DVD release with their unrated extended cut of RAZOR, making for another excellent complement to the entire series. It's got me looking forward to the final two seasons of the series! Originally I had intended to have this review ready back in December, but when life changes affect you, sometimes DVD reviews become less important in the overall scheme of things. Oh well, better later than never!
Divided between present-day events and flashbacks, RAZOR tells the story of one Kendra Shaw (Stephanie Jacobson), a young officer newly transferred to the Pegasus under the command of Admiral Helena Cain (Michelle Forbes). During her tenure she learns of Cain's ways of command while discovering her own edge and fearlessness in dealing with enemies both external and internal. Shaw soon exposes the secretive plots by Gina Inviere (Tricia Helfer) to lure the Cylons into attacking the Pegasus, eventually leading to her rise in command and to adopting Cain's ruthless nature as her own.
Meanwhile, Commander Lee Adama (Jamie Bamber), newly assigned as commander of the Pegasus in present-day times, orders an assault raid on a secret Cylon regeneration factory, one which brings back haunting memories of his father Admiral Adama (Edward James Olmos) during the first Cylon war.
RAZOR effectively converges the two storylines into a strong cohesive whole, making for one extremely intense chapter of the BSG saga. Of course, it's been no surprise that during the film we get to see the old-school Cylons and their Raiders during the first Cylon war - hearing that classic "By your command!" brings back smiles and laughs from 30 years before! - which definitely more than pleases classic BSG fans. On the other hand, RAZOR offers some tantalizing hints of what we can expect in the upcoming fourth and final season of the series, with a possible plot hint that we may see developed by the series' end.
Universal Home Video has released RAZOR on DVD with not just one version presented but two - both the original 87-minute broadcast version and an unrated extended version with an additional 16 minutes of footage not seen in the U.S. While the disc package only advertises the unrated extended cut, it's quite a pleasant surprise that both versions are presented on this disc! You are given this option when you press Play, so it's quite the surprise indeed! I checked out the original broadcast version first, followed by the extended cut, and I've got to admit I prefer the extended cut more because of some of its additional substance that permeates RAZOR. Granted, the extended cut contains a bit more graphic violence and language not present in the broadcast version, so it plays more like a theatrical release. Both versions of RAZOR are presented in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen format and in Dolby Digital 5.1 sound with optional English subtitles.
The visuals are tightly packed with substance, though during the presentation I did notice some digital artifacting present. This is because of the disc's contents with both versions of RAZOR as well as its varied extras. Thankfully, the artifacting is minor overall, at least what I noticed, and the colors and blacks are rich and balanced. The sound mix is another tour de force for your 5.1 set-up, with explosions and dialog nicely balanced all around. How they continually manage to accomplish this with each successive BSG installment, I have no idea, because it keeps looking and sounding better and better!
The DVD release of RAZOR also contains a wonderful array of supplements. First off is a newly recorded audio commentary with series creators Ronald D. Moore and David Eick, as they discuss the origins of the telefilm and the intentions to present multiple storylines that bounce between present and past. As with their past commentaries, Moore and Eick are an enjoyable listen, and they continue to be extremely knowledgeable about their production and cast selections. The only caveat here is that the audio commentary is accessible only with the extended cut and not the broadcast version.
In "The Look of Battlestar Galactica", director of photography Stephen McNutt discusses how the series achieves its gritty, in-your-face look with each installment. Through a combination of handheld cameras, tightly developed set constructions, strong storylines, and realistic visual effects, we see how each episode looks more like a realistic drama than something clean and neat. We also get to see some on-set production footage from RAZOR as well. Running time: 10:00.
In "My Favorite Episode So Far", cast and crew members discuss, well, their favorite episodes to date. Moore, Eick, Olmos, Bamber, Helfer, Katee Sackhoff, Mary McDonnell, Grace Park, and others select some of the episodes that they found extremely memorable over the past three seasons, ranging from the first season premiere "33" to the second season finale to the third-season two-parter. Olmos' comments are most interesting, because he notes that perhaps the series' best episode may not be until the series' finale. For those of you who have not seen the third season at all (like me), beware that there are spoilers abound in this one! Running time: 7:00.
We also have two deleted scenes cut from RAZOR, running all of three and a half minutes in length, both presented in anamorphic widescreen format and Dolby 2.0 sound. Here, we witness Lee Adama preparing to depart for Galactica at the same time as Kendra Shaw's departure for Pegasus, while in the other scene we have Lee and Kara sitting in the conference room drinking and reviewing old mission tapes (from earlier in the series).
In addition we have a fourth season sneak peek (4:30) and preview trailer (45 seconds) which give us more tantalizing glimpses into what we can expect in the upcoming final season. Once again, for those of you who have not seen the third season, look out for big spoilers! (Of course, by the time you read this review, you'll already know what some of those big spoilers are, thanks to TV Guide.)
Finally, we have a series of wasted preview trailers, promoting upcoming Universal movies and DVDs, at the head of the disc that you can easily skip past in order to get to RAZOR.
Once again Universal has delivered another solid BATTLESTAR GALACTICA DVD release with their unrated extended cut of RAZOR, making for another excellent complement to the entire series. It's got me looking forward to the final two seasons of the series! Originally I had intended to have this review ready back in December, but when life changes affect you, sometimes DVD reviews become less important in the overall scheme of things. Oh well, better later than never!
Friday, January 25, 2008
And now for some good news...
Well, on the heels of such a downer note about the death of Heath Ledger, the John Williams Fan Network, jwfan.com, has just posted some officially unconfirmed news that coming this February is a massive eight-disc box set of the complete scores to all four of Christopher Reeve's "Superman" films, with a newly remastered version of John Williams' score to "Superman: The Movie", the complete Ken Thorne scores to "Superman II" and "Superman III", and for the first time ever the complete Williams/Alexander Courage score to "Superman IV: The Quest for Peace"!
All I can say is...
WOW!!!!!!!!!!
As soon as I'm able to get a review copy of this set, I'll be posting my thoughts on it here. I'll keep you posted!
All I can say is...
WOW!!!!!!!!!!
As soon as I'm able to get a review copy of this set, I'll be posting my thoughts on it here. I'll keep you posted!
Heath Ledger R.I.P.
It's been three days since I first heard the shocking news of the untimely death of actor Heath Ledger at the age of 28 due to a drug overdose and possible pneumonia (the full details are still coming together at this point, but that's what I've heard thus far). It really saddens me, because here was a young man whose career was blossoming because of some really high profile appearances in films such as "A Knight's Tale", "The Patriot", and his Oscar-nominated performance in the 2006 film "Brokeback Mountain" (aka the gay cowboy movie). It saddens me even more that, as a parent myself, he too had an infant daughter who's only two and will now have to grow up without getting to know her daddy. I just don't have more words about that part.
But here's what really is sad. Obviously you know about his high profile portrayal of the Joker in Christopher Nolan's upcoming Batman sequel "The Dark Knight", which is scheduled for release this July. I was looking forward to his take on one of comicdom's most sinister villains ever, which from the few video and audio glimpses I've seen thus far was going to be even more intense than Jack Nicholson's portrayal 20 years ago in Tim Burton's big-screen adaptation. On one of Warner's promotional sites for the film, WhySoSerious.com, it's got a very ironic and chilling message that says something to the effect of, "The only way to live in this world is without rules." On the film's official website, in place of the usual film-related promotions they have a single touching memorial page to Ledger.
And last night I shared this with my wife... Jack Nicholson had talked with Ledger some time recently and warned him of the dangers of drugs and fame. It's extremely eerie that the actor who portrayed the Joker two decades before had warned the actor who would have made his mark as the Joker in this decade of this danger. Even eerier is the fact that in Burton's original "Batman" film, the Joker dies. Apparently, in some earlier promotional teases for "The Dark Knight", a mock police dossier appeared online stating that the Joker was dead. Now Heath Ledger is dead in real life. This is too eerie, if you ask me.
How many more actors, musicians, and Hollywood celebrities have to die from drugs before people stand up and take notice? Marilyn Monroe, Elvis, John Belushi, Chris Farley (who idolized Belushi to the point of boasting that he wanted to live and die like him - don't ask for it, you may get it), Kurt Cobain, River Phoenix, and now Heath Ledger - granted I've only mentioned some of the more notable examples, but who else has to die before everyone gets the message? If Britney Spears doesn't get her act together inside and out, she'll be gone before she's 30, mark my word.
In any event, when "The Dark Knight" hits theaters in July, we'll have the opportunity to see Heath Ledger's last fully completed performance on the big screen. As for his unfinished work on Terry Gilliam's current film project, nobody really knows what'll happen there - probably Gilliam will have to recast the role and reshoot everything. Really sad.
I know this is a bit of a downer compared to my reviews, but somehow I just had to get this out of my system.
But here's what really is sad. Obviously you know about his high profile portrayal of the Joker in Christopher Nolan's upcoming Batman sequel "The Dark Knight", which is scheduled for release this July. I was looking forward to his take on one of comicdom's most sinister villains ever, which from the few video and audio glimpses I've seen thus far was going to be even more intense than Jack Nicholson's portrayal 20 years ago in Tim Burton's big-screen adaptation. On one of Warner's promotional sites for the film, WhySoSerious.com, it's got a very ironic and chilling message that says something to the effect of, "The only way to live in this world is without rules." On the film's official website, in place of the usual film-related promotions they have a single touching memorial page to Ledger.
And last night I shared this with my wife... Jack Nicholson had talked with Ledger some time recently and warned him of the dangers of drugs and fame. It's extremely eerie that the actor who portrayed the Joker two decades before had warned the actor who would have made his mark as the Joker in this decade of this danger. Even eerier is the fact that in Burton's original "Batman" film, the Joker dies. Apparently, in some earlier promotional teases for "The Dark Knight", a mock police dossier appeared online stating that the Joker was dead. Now Heath Ledger is dead in real life. This is too eerie, if you ask me.
How many more actors, musicians, and Hollywood celebrities have to die from drugs before people stand up and take notice? Marilyn Monroe, Elvis, John Belushi, Chris Farley (who idolized Belushi to the point of boasting that he wanted to live and die like him - don't ask for it, you may get it), Kurt Cobain, River Phoenix, and now Heath Ledger - granted I've only mentioned some of the more notable examples, but who else has to die before everyone gets the message? If Britney Spears doesn't get her act together inside and out, she'll be gone before she's 30, mark my word.
In any event, when "The Dark Knight" hits theaters in July, we'll have the opportunity to see Heath Ledger's last fully completed performance on the big screen. As for his unfinished work on Terry Gilliam's current film project, nobody really knows what'll happen there - probably Gilliam will have to recast the role and reshoot everything. Really sad.
I know this is a bit of a downer compared to my reviews, but somehow I just had to get this out of my system.
Friday, December 28, 2007
The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones - Volume 2: The War Years
Well, just as quickly as the first volume of "The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones" was issued on DVD, CBS/Paramount Home Video has just come out with the second volume, "The War Years". In this new, stunning nine-disc set, the curtain continues to be unveiled on young Indy's (Sean Patrick Flanery) adventures during World War I.
When we last left our young adventurer-to-be, he had left behind the girl of his dreams and retreated to the Belgian army with a broken heart. Now, as Indy goes into battle, he soon faces dangers too immeasurable to consider. In Chapter 8, "The Trenches of Hell", Indy and his friend Remy face certain danger in the battle of the Somme, which claimed over a million casualties on both sides. Indy, however, is captured and imprisoned in a German prison camp that makes Alcatraz look like a Sunday school picnic. Indy soon finds himself plotting his escape with the help of a young visionary officer named Charles de Gaulle. In Chapter 9, "Demons of Deception", Indy finds himself as a messenger in Verdun carrying messages between two sides of the army, only to discover that senseless death in war need not occur. From there Indy journeys to France where, in the second portion written by Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia of "Star Wars" fame), Indy has a torrid romance with the infamous Mata Hari.
In Chapter 10, "The Phantom Train of Doom", Indy encounters a group of aging soldiers in Africa seeking to take out and destroy the Germans' latest superweapon, the Big Bertha. Later, in Chapter 11, "Oganga, the Giver and Taker of Life", Indy's mission through Africa brings him face to face with a deadly epidemic in a small village with only a single child as the lone survivor. As his troops fall one by one to the epidemic, Indy eventually encounters Dr. Howard Schweitzer and relearns his humanity in the process. From there, in Chapter 12, "Attack of the Hawkmen", Indy engages in battle against the German force's legendary pilot, the infamous Red Baron.
Chapter 13, "Adventures in the Secret Service", finds Indy as a spy to bring two brothers to the emperor of Habsburg, then later Indy must choose between friendship and war as he comes face to face with the growing Bolshevik rebellion in Russia. The lighter-hearted Chapter 14, "Espionage Escapades", finds Indy in Barcelona meeting up with his old friend Pablo Picasso and caught up in a humorous spy mission in, of all places, the opera! Indy then finds himself in Prague caught up in the most perilous of situations - hoping to get his telephone turned on to find out his next assignment! - until he is aided by Franz Kafka. Finally, in Chapter 15, "Daredevils of the Desert", Indy is sent to assist the Australians as they attack the ancient town of Beersheba. He enlists the help of a belly dancer (Catherine Zeta-Jones) in a suspenseful mission to defuse the explosives with which the occupying Turks have booby-trapped the city's water supply. Look for future 007 star Daniel Craig in a supporting role in this installment.
As with the first volume, executive producer George Lucas has reedited many of the original one-hour segments into two-hour telefilms, eliminating all of the old Indy (George Hall) bookend segments and filming new footage to bridge the gaps where needed. Each segment is presented in full-frame format in English Dolby 2.0 surround sound, with optional English subtitles. For "The Trenches of Hell", an elderly Indy's encounter with a rude donut worker lands him in jail. In "Demons of Deception", the elderly Indy recounts his tale as a courier, then later finds himself in line at a grocery store spinning his tabloid-like romance with Mata Hari to shoppers. These and many other bookend segments were completely omitted from the DVD release, and it's a real shame, since only those like me who remember the original broadcasts remember these bookends quite well. Only "The Phantom Train of Doom" remains virtually untouched from its original two-hour broadcast, with only a few minor changes in the credits sequences. That credit on the package, "Some episodes have been re-edited from their original TV broadcasts" should really read, "All...", if you ask me.
Accompanying each chapter are a total of 26 new documentaries produced by Lucas and Rick McCallum that further explore the real characters, locations, and themes conveyed in each chapter. Unlike the first volume, which had some of the documentaries occupying a single disc, all of the documentaries are contained with each respective chapter, thereby streamlining the set by three discs. The final disc contains a new 40-minute discussion on history and war, as well as a DVD-ROM interactive game and interactive timeline. If only we had had more meaty information on the making of the series itself, as with the 11 VHS releases, then I would have found it more satisfying, along with the original broadcast versions of these episodes.
What a wonderful Christmas present this made! The second volume of "Young Indiana Jones" is another great addition to the Indy canon, and I've got to admit, I'm ready for the third and final volume to come in the new year (not to mention the fourth "Indiana Jones" feature film - maybe they'll do a cross-promotion for the film with a trailer on the final set). If only my dad were alive to enjoy this series once again as he did during the early 90's.
How about that for a nice surprise review! With that I wish you a blessed and prosperous Happy New Year, and I'll see you again in 2008!
When we last left our young adventurer-to-be, he had left behind the girl of his dreams and retreated to the Belgian army with a broken heart. Now, as Indy goes into battle, he soon faces dangers too immeasurable to consider. In Chapter 8, "The Trenches of Hell", Indy and his friend Remy face certain danger in the battle of the Somme, which claimed over a million casualties on both sides. Indy, however, is captured and imprisoned in a German prison camp that makes Alcatraz look like a Sunday school picnic. Indy soon finds himself plotting his escape with the help of a young visionary officer named Charles de Gaulle. In Chapter 9, "Demons of Deception", Indy finds himself as a messenger in Verdun carrying messages between two sides of the army, only to discover that senseless death in war need not occur. From there Indy journeys to France where, in the second portion written by Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia of "Star Wars" fame), Indy has a torrid romance with the infamous Mata Hari.
In Chapter 10, "The Phantom Train of Doom", Indy encounters a group of aging soldiers in Africa seeking to take out and destroy the Germans' latest superweapon, the Big Bertha. Later, in Chapter 11, "Oganga, the Giver and Taker of Life", Indy's mission through Africa brings him face to face with a deadly epidemic in a small village with only a single child as the lone survivor. As his troops fall one by one to the epidemic, Indy eventually encounters Dr. Howard Schweitzer and relearns his humanity in the process. From there, in Chapter 12, "Attack of the Hawkmen", Indy engages in battle against the German force's legendary pilot, the infamous Red Baron.
Chapter 13, "Adventures in the Secret Service", finds Indy as a spy to bring two brothers to the emperor of Habsburg, then later Indy must choose between friendship and war as he comes face to face with the growing Bolshevik rebellion in Russia. The lighter-hearted Chapter 14, "Espionage Escapades", finds Indy in Barcelona meeting up with his old friend Pablo Picasso and caught up in a humorous spy mission in, of all places, the opera! Indy then finds himself in Prague caught up in the most perilous of situations - hoping to get his telephone turned on to find out his next assignment! - until he is aided by Franz Kafka. Finally, in Chapter 15, "Daredevils of the Desert", Indy is sent to assist the Australians as they attack the ancient town of Beersheba. He enlists the help of a belly dancer (Catherine Zeta-Jones) in a suspenseful mission to defuse the explosives with which the occupying Turks have booby-trapped the city's water supply. Look for future 007 star Daniel Craig in a supporting role in this installment.
As with the first volume, executive producer George Lucas has reedited many of the original one-hour segments into two-hour telefilms, eliminating all of the old Indy (George Hall) bookend segments and filming new footage to bridge the gaps where needed. Each segment is presented in full-frame format in English Dolby 2.0 surround sound, with optional English subtitles. For "The Trenches of Hell", an elderly Indy's encounter with a rude donut worker lands him in jail. In "Demons of Deception", the elderly Indy recounts his tale as a courier, then later finds himself in line at a grocery store spinning his tabloid-like romance with Mata Hari to shoppers. These and many other bookend segments were completely omitted from the DVD release, and it's a real shame, since only those like me who remember the original broadcasts remember these bookends quite well. Only "The Phantom Train of Doom" remains virtually untouched from its original two-hour broadcast, with only a few minor changes in the credits sequences. That credit on the package, "Some episodes have been re-edited from their original TV broadcasts" should really read, "All...", if you ask me.
Accompanying each chapter are a total of 26 new documentaries produced by Lucas and Rick McCallum that further explore the real characters, locations, and themes conveyed in each chapter. Unlike the first volume, which had some of the documentaries occupying a single disc, all of the documentaries are contained with each respective chapter, thereby streamlining the set by three discs. The final disc contains a new 40-minute discussion on history and war, as well as a DVD-ROM interactive game and interactive timeline. If only we had had more meaty information on the making of the series itself, as with the 11 VHS releases, then I would have found it more satisfying, along with the original broadcast versions of these episodes.
What a wonderful Christmas present this made! The second volume of "Young Indiana Jones" is another great addition to the Indy canon, and I've got to admit, I'm ready for the third and final volume to come in the new year (not to mention the fourth "Indiana Jones" feature film - maybe they'll do a cross-promotion for the film with a trailer on the final set). If only my dad were alive to enjoy this series once again as he did during the early 90's.
How about that for a nice surprise review! With that I wish you a blessed and prosperous Happy New Year, and I'll see you again in 2008!
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