Episodes:
“More Than Meets The Eye: Part One”, “More Than Meets The Eye: Part
Two”, “More Than Meets The Eye: Part Three”, “Transport To Oblivion”,
“Roll For It”
Feature
length: 118 minutes
Languages:
English Dolby Digital 5.1 and English Stereo
Subtitles:
N/A
Packaging:
Amaray Keep Case
Chapter
Stops: 6 Per Episode/ 30 Total
Sound:
Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound and Stereo Sound
Year
of Television Broadcast: 1986/DVD Release: 2002
Home
Video Distributor: Rhino Home Video
Reviewer:
Mark A. Rivera
Rhino
Home Video has released the complete first season of “The Original
Transformers” animated series to DVD-Video in a deluxe box set with all 16
episodes and a bonus DVD featuring animation test outtakes, alternative
sequences, restoration comparisons, the original script for the episode
“Transport To Oblivion,” Easter eggs, bumpers and a Japanese bumper, and a
2001 documentary about “The Transformers Convention.”
The
three DVD-Videos outside of the boxed set are also available separately for the
suggested retail price of $19.95 and the box set with the exclusive bonus disc
has a suggested retail price of $59.95. While the three individual volumes are
sold separately on DVD, VHS users interested in purchasing these episodes will
have to settle for the season one VHS set, which carries a suggested retail
price of $49.95 or buy a DVD player to enjoy the enhanced picture and sound
inherent in the DVD format.
The
first disc in the series contains the three-part introduction adventure that
launched the series, which ran for 7 years. Each episode is presented in the
original television broadcast aspect ratio of (1.33:1) with English Dolby
Digital 5.1 Surround Sound and English Stereo Sound options. There are no
captions or subtitles encoded on to the DVD. I have not seen the whole set to
judge the restoration so all I can say is that the 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround
Mix is a definite improvement over the English Stereo Soundtrack, but the
picture has a few anomalies from the source materials used after the restoration
and at times the compression artifacts that were present on the first volume
makes the animation appear somewhat crude.
No
extra features whatsoever are included on volume 1. The interactive menus are
full animated with full motion scene selections and animated transitions along
with a three dimensional interface that is rendered in the same animation style
as the cartoons contained.
“The
Original Transformers: Special First Season Collector’s Edition: Volume One”
is available on DVD-Video now along with the other two volumes and the box set
from Rhino Home Video.
©
Copyright 2002 By Mark A. Rivera
All Rights Reserved.