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My So Called Life - Volume 1
List Price: Unknown [Buy now and save at Amazon]
The Movie:
I was never a very big fan of "My So Called Life" when it was on - and that was actually when I was in high school. Maybe I just didn't relate to any of these characters, but more likely, I just think that the show overdramatizes high school life. Yes, there are terrible things that happen; yes, there are embarassing moments - but they don't last.
The series does have a lot going for it; it does get the social scene of high school right, and how people deal with friends - losing them and gaining new ones. Claire Danes is also quite good as Angela Chase, the lead character of the series who is shown trying to cope with her high school years. I just begin to get tired of the show's over-analyzing of the events of each show and lingering too long on the problems that happen to the characters.
It's a show that deserved a second chance, though - it lived a short life and since has gained a cult following. Some episodes have been available on video, but this is the first set on DVD. It includes the pilot, "Dancing In The Dark" and "Guns and Gossip". It's not my favorite series, but I can appreciate parts of it, and I'm sure that fans of the show will enjoy this DVD edition.
The DVD
VIDEO/AUDIO: BMG deserves praise and credit for remastering these episodes in Dolby Digital 5.1 audio; with any dialogue-driven series like this one, it's still not agressive, but it does help to open up the environment. Surrounds are used for music and also, some slight/subtle noises that add to the sense of space nicely. The audio is actually very good; the music sounds warm and natural, and dialogue remains clear and natural. Again, this isn't an intense series in terms of sound, but the effort that BMG made in offering 5.1 audio does pay off.
The video quality varies, but it's always at least pretty good. The first episode contains muted colors are images that are fairly soft. The other two episodes fare slightly better, with images that look moderately sharper and more well-defined. Colors are more pleasing on the other two episodes, as well. Softness is really the only problem that occasionally pops up on these episodes; there are no instances of shimmering or pixelation.
MENUS:: Very nice work on the menus, which include music from the show in the background, as well as clips in the background of each menu.
EXTRAS:: Extras on this disc are rather minor, but for the low price tag and strong effort in other elements, this is definitely not a major complaint. Fans of the series will be happy to know that this disc includes previews for 2 future DVD volumes of the series - Disc 2("Father Figures", "The Zit", "The Substitute") and Disc 3("Why Jordan Can't Read", "Strangers in The House" and Other People's Daughters"). There are also DVD credits.
Final Thoughts: Fans of the series will be very pleased with this offering from BMG - not only is the sound very nice, the fact that the studio has offered 3 episodes for the retail price of $14.99(and even less at most places) definitely makes this worth a recommendation. My only recommendation for the disc isn't the DVD itself - it's that the disc seems to be slightly hard to find. Hopefully more retailers will carry future issues.
I was never a very big fan of "My So Called Life" when it was on - and that was actually when I was in high school. Maybe I just didn't relate to any of these characters, but more likely, I just think that the show overdramatizes high school life. Yes, there are terrible things that happen; yes, there are embarassing moments - but they don't last.
The series does have a lot going for it; it does get the social scene of high school right, and how people deal with friends - losing them and gaining new ones. Claire Danes is also quite good as Angela Chase, the lead character of the series who is shown trying to cope with her high school years. I just begin to get tired of the show's over-analyzing of the events of each show and lingering too long on the problems that happen to the characters.
It's a show that deserved a second chance, though - it lived a short life and since has gained a cult following. Some episodes have been available on video, but this is the first set on DVD. It includes the pilot, "Dancing In The Dark" and "Guns and Gossip". It's not my favorite series, but I can appreciate parts of it, and I'm sure that fans of the show will enjoy this DVD edition.
The DVD
VIDEO/AUDIO: BMG deserves praise and credit for remastering these episodes in Dolby Digital 5.1 audio; with any dialogue-driven series like this one, it's still not agressive, but it does help to open up the environment. Surrounds are used for music and also, some slight/subtle noises that add to the sense of space nicely. The audio is actually very good; the music sounds warm and natural, and dialogue remains clear and natural. Again, this isn't an intense series in terms of sound, but the effort that BMG made in offering 5.1 audio does pay off.
The video quality varies, but it's always at least pretty good. The first episode contains muted colors are images that are fairly soft. The other two episodes fare slightly better, with images that look moderately sharper and more well-defined. Colors are more pleasing on the other two episodes, as well. Softness is really the only problem that occasionally pops up on these episodes; there are no instances of shimmering or pixelation.
MENUS:: Very nice work on the menus, which include music from the show in the background, as well as clips in the background of each menu.
EXTRAS:: Extras on this disc are rather minor, but for the low price tag and strong effort in other elements, this is definitely not a major complaint. Fans of the series will be happy to know that this disc includes previews for 2 future DVD volumes of the series - Disc 2("Father Figures", "The Zit", "The Substitute") and Disc 3("Why Jordan Can't Read", "Strangers in The House" and Other People's Daughters"). There are also DVD credits.
Final Thoughts: Fans of the series will be very pleased with this offering from BMG - not only is the sound very nice, the fact that the studio has offered 3 episodes for the retail price of $14.99(and even less at most places) definitely makes this worth a recommendation. My only recommendation for the disc isn't the DVD itself - it's that the disc seems to be slightly hard to find. Hopefully more retailers will carry future issues.
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