| Reviews & Columns |
|
Reviews DVD TV on DVD Blu-ray 4K UHD International DVDs In Theaters Reviews by Studio Video Games Features Collector Series DVDs Easter Egg Database Interviews DVD Talk Radio Feature Articles Columns Anime Talk DVD Savant Horror DVDs The M.O.D. Squad Art House HD Talk Silent DVD
|
 DVD Talk Forum |
|
|
| Resources |
|
DVD Price Search Customer Service #'s RCE Info Links |
|
Columns
  
 
|
|
|
Iron Giant, The
List Price: Unknown [Buy now and save at Amazon]
The Movie:
What if a gun had a soul? Based on Ted Hughes' classic Iron Man, The Iron Giant tells the story of a young boy named Hogarth Hughes and his friend, an infant-like robot who can't remember where it's from or what its purpose is. Using the early days of the Cold War as a backdrop, The Iron Giant does an incredible job of exposing paranoia and prejudices more subtly than similar animated films and as is the case with most feature-length animation nowadays, adults will enjoy it just as much as kids.
The Picture:
The animation is simply stunning and is well represented on DVD. A very wide range of colors come through beautifully, and none of the much-dreaded "animation blockiness" that got press before DVDs were prevalent can be found. Also pleasing is how seamlessly CG and traditional animation were blended. Despite the clarity of DVD video, you'd never know that the Giant was entirely rendered on computer. Avoid the pan-and-scan version on the second side, however; the picture isn't as clear, and considering that it was framed at 2.35:1, you're losing a considerable amount.
The Sound:
The Iron Giant features some incredible talent providing the voices, and the sound quality on the disc doesn't disappoint. Unlike some animated discs, the mix is very full, making frequent use of the low-end (considering that the title character is a 50 foot robot, that's to be expected). For some reason, I can see the sound on this disc really blowing kids away.
The Extras:
I remember reading early announcements about the disc saying that it would include a commentary track. Unfortunately, this isn't included, which is quite disappointing. You get the usual trailer (which did a poor job of telling people the point of the movie; The Iron Giant is much more than a kid with a big toy), a music video made entirely with film from the movie, the usual bios, and a Kids WB featurette. Some of the comments made in the featurette really had me pining for a commentary, but for the most part, it was originally what you'd expect -- a special shown on TV to try to draw in the Pokémon crowd.
Conclusion:
The Iron Giant was without a doubt one of my favorite movies of 1999. Although I wish it were loaded with some more extras, I consider this very much to be worth owning, regardless of your age. You might want to justify it by buying it for your kids, but I can virtually guarantee that you'll enjoy just as much (if not more) than they will.
What if a gun had a soul? Based on Ted Hughes' classic Iron Man, The Iron Giant tells the story of a young boy named Hogarth Hughes and his friend, an infant-like robot who can't remember where it's from or what its purpose is. Using the early days of the Cold War as a backdrop, The Iron Giant does an incredible job of exposing paranoia and prejudices more subtly than similar animated films and as is the case with most feature-length animation nowadays, adults will enjoy it just as much as kids.
The Picture:
The animation is simply stunning and is well represented on DVD. A very wide range of colors come through beautifully, and none of the much-dreaded "animation blockiness" that got press before DVDs were prevalent can be found. Also pleasing is how seamlessly CG and traditional animation were blended. Despite the clarity of DVD video, you'd never know that the Giant was entirely rendered on computer. Avoid the pan-and-scan version on the second side, however; the picture isn't as clear, and considering that it was framed at 2.35:1, you're losing a considerable amount.
The Sound:
The Iron Giant features some incredible talent providing the voices, and the sound quality on the disc doesn't disappoint. Unlike some animated discs, the mix is very full, making frequent use of the low-end (considering that the title character is a 50 foot robot, that's to be expected). For some reason, I can see the sound on this disc really blowing kids away.
The Extras:
I remember reading early announcements about the disc saying that it would include a commentary track. Unfortunately, this isn't included, which is quite disappointing. You get the usual trailer (which did a poor job of telling people the point of the movie; The Iron Giant is much more than a kid with a big toy), a music video made entirely with film from the movie, the usual bios, and a Kids WB featurette. Some of the comments made in the featurette really had me pining for a commentary, but for the most part, it was originally what you'd expect -- a special shown on TV to try to draw in the Pokémon crowd.
Conclusion:
The Iron Giant was without a doubt one of my favorite movies of 1999. Although I wish it were loaded with some more extras, I consider this very much to be worth owning, regardless of your age. You might want to justify it by buying it for your kids, but I can virtually guarantee that you'll enjoy just as much (if not more) than they will.
|
| Popular Reviews |
| Sponsored Links |
|
|
| Sponsored Links |
|
|
| Release List | Reviews | Shop | Newsletter | Forum | DVD Giveaways | Blu-Ray | Advertise |
|
Copyright 2024 DVDTalk.com All Rights Reserved. Legal Info, Privacy Policy, Terms of Use,
Manage Preferences,
Your Privacy Choices 
| |||||||