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Space Jam: SE
List Price: Unknown [Buy now and save at Amazon]
The Movie:
"Space Jam" was a major picture a few years ago; a giant budget and huge promotional campaign prepared audiences for what was to come. Although the final product is a bit too much of a commercial at times, there are ideas, effects and scenes from the film that are incredibly funny and entertaining.
The plot is pretty minor, but it does engage for the film's running time. After an opening sequence focusing on Jordan's childhood dream of being a basketball player, we see his current status - followed around constantly by a publicist(the always funny Wayne Knight). Elsewhere, a theme park in space needs more ticket sales, so they look to kidnap the Looney Tunes stars to make them an attraction. They can win their freedom if they beat the aliens in a basketball game. Where everything seems fine at first, the aliens soon steal the basketball talent of many of the best professional players. The Tunes fight back by getting Jordan to play on their team.
The film is a pretty stunning blend of many levels of animation, from new technology to more traditional forms. The result looks consistently excellent, as Jordan interacts with cartoons pretty seamlessly. As for the basketball's acting skills, he offers a pretty solid and natural performance that carries the film nicely.
Once "Space Jam" really gets going, the combination of an entertaining screenplay and the solid effects make for an entertaining film for both kids and adults.
The DVD
VIDEO: The dissapointment of this Warner release is that the studio has decided to offer only a pan&scan edition of the film; there is no widescreen edition. It would definitely have been nice if even a separate widescreen edition of this release had been offered (the film was originally shown at 1.85:1). I understand that it's a kid's film, but there have been many children's films that are offered in widescreen. But, anyways - for a pan&scan edition, this is a nicely above-average looking presentation.
Sharpness is usually very good; there are a few scenes that look slightly on the soft side, but the majority of the movie looks pleasing. Detail is good, as well. What really impresses are the colors of the film - colors are beautiful looking, bold, bright and vibrant. Colors are well-saturated and never show any problems. Flesh tones are solid as well. There are some flaws that are noticable - some parts look a little bit grainy, but this isn't terribly distracting and only occasionally apparent. Pixelation is visible once or twice, as well. This isn't the best way that this great-looking picture could have been presented, but the edition offered here is watchable and looks strong, at times.
SOUND: I remember "Space Jam" as one of the first movies that played at the (at that time) new movie theater I was working at; it was definitely at times one of the louder movies that I'd heard playing there. You'd open the theater door and literally feel the bass during some scenes. Many scenes definitely are loud, and sequences like the opening credits and many of the action scenes are very powerful. The score of rock, rap and r&b (as well as the usual cartoon theme music) comes through with impressive impact and authority. Surround use is occasionally agressive and usually very creative, making for a very entertaining experience. Dialogueis always clear, as well. "Space Jam" is definitely an intense audio experience that sounds great on this new DVD edition.
MENUS:: The menus open with a very long animated clip that takes the viewer through space; it's a little much, but it's very well-done. The main menu, once its finally reached, isn't animated, but the score does play in the background. I found it a little hard to read some of the selection buttons.
EXTRAS::
Commentary: This is a commentary mainly from actors Daffy Duck and Bugs Bunny as well as occasionally director Joe Pytka. Although there are some pauses during the commentary, when the two cartoons are chattering away, it becomes one of the funnier tracks I've heard in quite a while. Bugs and Daffy's discussion over the opening credits alone is insanely funny.
The human element (the director and some of the voice actors) serve to inform about some of the more technical aspects of the film, but they don't really go into that much detail, mainly sticking to what their inspiration and viewpoint were going into the making of "Space Jam", and also, comparing it to things like "Roger Rabbit".
It's a compliment to both the humans and the cartoons that I wish there were fewer pauses at times during the animated sequences where neither are chatting. Both offer a very entertaining and informative look at the making of a film as big as this one.
Trailers: Trailers for "Space Jam" as well as "Batman Beyond", "My Dog Skip", "The Iron Giant", "Scooby Doo and the Alien Invaders", "Pokemon: The First Movie".
Music Videos: "Fly Like An Eagle", "I Believe I Can Fly" and "Monstar Anthem".
Text Notes: Cast/Crew Bios, Production Notes, and notes on the film's special effects.
Also: Isolated music score.
Final Thoughts: I appreciate the fact that Warner Brothers has gone back to "Space Jam" to make the title a special edition, but the fact that the presentation is not widescreen is dissapointing. Otherwise, I liked the commentary's mix of human and "toon" participants as well as the additional features.
"Space Jam" was a major picture a few years ago; a giant budget and huge promotional campaign prepared audiences for what was to come. Although the final product is a bit too much of a commercial at times, there are ideas, effects and scenes from the film that are incredibly funny and entertaining.
The plot is pretty minor, but it does engage for the film's running time. After an opening sequence focusing on Jordan's childhood dream of being a basketball player, we see his current status - followed around constantly by a publicist(the always funny Wayne Knight). Elsewhere, a theme park in space needs more ticket sales, so they look to kidnap the Looney Tunes stars to make them an attraction. They can win their freedom if they beat the aliens in a basketball game. Where everything seems fine at first, the aliens soon steal the basketball talent of many of the best professional players. The Tunes fight back by getting Jordan to play on their team.
The film is a pretty stunning blend of many levels of animation, from new technology to more traditional forms. The result looks consistently excellent, as Jordan interacts with cartoons pretty seamlessly. As for the basketball's acting skills, he offers a pretty solid and natural performance that carries the film nicely.
Once "Space Jam" really gets going, the combination of an entertaining screenplay and the solid effects make for an entertaining film for both kids and adults.
The DVD
VIDEO: The dissapointment of this Warner release is that the studio has decided to offer only a pan&scan edition of the film; there is no widescreen edition. It would definitely have been nice if even a separate widescreen edition of this release had been offered (the film was originally shown at 1.85:1). I understand that it's a kid's film, but there have been many children's films that are offered in widescreen. But, anyways - for a pan&scan edition, this is a nicely above-average looking presentation.
Sharpness is usually very good; there are a few scenes that look slightly on the soft side, but the majority of the movie looks pleasing. Detail is good, as well. What really impresses are the colors of the film - colors are beautiful looking, bold, bright and vibrant. Colors are well-saturated and never show any problems. Flesh tones are solid as well. There are some flaws that are noticable - some parts look a little bit grainy, but this isn't terribly distracting and only occasionally apparent. Pixelation is visible once or twice, as well. This isn't the best way that this great-looking picture could have been presented, but the edition offered here is watchable and looks strong, at times.
SOUND: I remember "Space Jam" as one of the first movies that played at the (at that time) new movie theater I was working at; it was definitely at times one of the louder movies that I'd heard playing there. You'd open the theater door and literally feel the bass during some scenes. Many scenes definitely are loud, and sequences like the opening credits and many of the action scenes are very powerful. The score of rock, rap and r&b (as well as the usual cartoon theme music) comes through with impressive impact and authority. Surround use is occasionally agressive and usually very creative, making for a very entertaining experience. Dialogueis always clear, as well. "Space Jam" is definitely an intense audio experience that sounds great on this new DVD edition.
MENUS:: The menus open with a very long animated clip that takes the viewer through space; it's a little much, but it's very well-done. The main menu, once its finally reached, isn't animated, but the score does play in the background. I found it a little hard to read some of the selection buttons.
EXTRAS::
Commentary: This is a commentary mainly from actors Daffy Duck and Bugs Bunny as well as occasionally director Joe Pytka. Although there are some pauses during the commentary, when the two cartoons are chattering away, it becomes one of the funnier tracks I've heard in quite a while. Bugs and Daffy's discussion over the opening credits alone is insanely funny.
The human element (the director and some of the voice actors) serve to inform about some of the more technical aspects of the film, but they don't really go into that much detail, mainly sticking to what their inspiration and viewpoint were going into the making of "Space Jam", and also, comparing it to things like "Roger Rabbit".
It's a compliment to both the humans and the cartoons that I wish there were fewer pauses at times during the animated sequences where neither are chatting. Both offer a very entertaining and informative look at the making of a film as big as this one.
Trailers: Trailers for "Space Jam" as well as "Batman Beyond", "My Dog Skip", "The Iron Giant", "Scooby Doo and the Alien Invaders", "Pokemon: The First Movie".
Music Videos: "Fly Like An Eagle", "I Believe I Can Fly" and "Monstar Anthem".
Text Notes: Cast/Crew Bios, Production Notes, and notes on the film's special effects.
Also: Isolated music score.
Final Thoughts: I appreciate the fact that Warner Brothers has gone back to "Space Jam" to make the title a special edition, but the fact that the presentation is not widescreen is dissapointing. Otherwise, I liked the commentary's mix of human and "toon" participants as well as the additional features.
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