I have been amazed by how fans of the classic Transformers and GI JOE cartoon series have allowed themselves to be raked over the coals by Rhino Home Entertainment. "Oh, it's great to have the series on DVD!" is what I keep hearing. I, however, feel that Rhino's work has been sub-par, at best.
Here's a bit of history:
The Transformers and GI JOE series used 1" broadcast film masters as the basis for the episodes that were aired in the original runs. These masters still exist today, but the image quality/colors/details are a bit worn down, as these were used to make all the tapes sent across the nation for broadcast. Rhino has the rights to these, as well as 35 mm film masters, which feature much more vibrant colors and detail, but often contain incomplete/backwards/missing animation that was originally corrected for the broadcast versions.
Let's examine some of the problems:
The Original Transformers Season 1 box set:
This set uses beautiful 35mm negatives as the basis for the DVD versions of the episodes (as stated, the original airings that most fans know and love came from the finished 1" broadcast master tapes).
Rhino made attempts to splice in footage from the 1" broadcast versions to correct some of these errors (as well as digitally cutting elements from the 1" tapes and pasting them onto the 35mm versions, which looks AWFUL), but MANY remain. As example fo this "cut-and-paste" method can be seen when Autobot Mirage turns visible inside the Decepticon ship at the end of "The Ultimate Doom part 3". He is surrounded by a jagged white "halo", as he has been sloppily cut from the 35mm version and pasted onto the background of the 1" broadcast version. Nearly every episode has some kind of error or change that was NOT in the original version (even many of the faction scene bumpers in MTMTE parts 1-3 have been replaced with bumpers from other episodes, due to their absence in the 35mm versions). Fire in the Sky, Fire on the Mountain, and Heavy Metal War (which is an utter *disaster* compared to the broadcast version of that episode) suffer the most from this.
Also, the end titles actually use the credits from SEASON *2* ("copyright 1985", etc.), NOT season 1. This is due to the fact that Rhino has access only to episodes without the episode titles and end title credits (just the end title background footage, as can be seen in the VHS releases from a few years ago), and had to recreate them for the DVD sets.
The sound is another issue. The DVDs come with the option of 2.0 and 5.1 surround sound tracks. The 5.1 track is HORRID, as the episodes were never MEANT to be mixed in 5.1. They just sound "wrong". Worst of all is the fact that Rhino ADDED A BUNCH OF *CRAPPY*, "STOCK" CARTOON
SOUND EFFECTS (fire, laser blasts, jet flybys) TO THE ORIGINAL AUDIO. These new sounds are distracting, and they drown out dialogue and sound effects in many cases. Thankfully, the original audio is kept intact on the 2.0 track, except for (inexplicably) the episodes on
disc 2, which contain the new 5.1 sound mix (the episodes in question are "Divide and Conquer,"Fire in the Sky", "S.O.S. Dinobots", "Fire on
the Mountain", and "War of the Dinobots").
This new sound mix is a travesty. For those fans who are unfamiliar with the series (as well as new fans who will be introduced to it via the DVD sets), this is a slap in the face. I (and many others) waited for YEARS to get the series on DVD. The DVDs should be the archival
version of the series, the one that is an accurate reflection of the way the series was during its original run. Instead, we have a patchwork of episodes, which are not entirely accurate to the original versions, and create the same kind of problems the Generation 2 versions did in the early 90s. Rhino may have the right to release the
series on DVD, but what right do they have to muck with the work of the original sound editors? These new sounds are not even part of the TF G1 sound library and are wildly incongruous with the *real* sound effects that were a staple of the series.
Still, aside from the inaccurate footage and a few episodes, the picture quality is excellent, the best the episodes have ever seen, but only because the 35mm masters were used, and not because Rhino "restored" them. The original commercial bumpers are also included (including, yes, that's right, crappy new *sound effects* on the 5.1 audio tracks). Thus, the sets are moderately worthwhile. It's a real mixed bag, folks.
Don't call it the "original" Transformers if you're going to pull these kinds of stunts, Rhino.
Season 2 part 1 is probably the best Rhino G1 DVD release to date. As before, the 35mm negatives were used as the basis for the episodes in the set,
but this time, they are almost entirely devoid of the errors that plagued the season 1 DVD set. Aside from a bit of tampering with historical accuracy (correcting the spelling of the title of "A Deceptacon Raider in King Arthur's Court", and mistakenly removing the
the camera shakes at the end of "The Core"), the episodes are pretty much the way they've always been, save for the new, pristine picture quality. As stated above, the versions Rhino has access to do not have actual episode titles or end credits, so they had to recreate the white-lettered titles from fan-donated screencaps.
As for the sound, the 5.1 mix is, once again horrible (crappy new sounds and all), but the 2.0 mix contains the original audio (except for "Changing Gears", "City of Steel", "Attack of the Autobots", and "Traitor", which have the crappy 5.1 sound mix in 2.0, too, for some unknown reason).
So, aside from four episodes having a sound problem, this set is excellent.
Before the season 2 part 2 DVD set was released, reliable sources indicated that Rhino promised to correct the "5.1 mix on 2.0 track" problem for future releases. Well, when season 2 part 2 was released, I was horrified to discover that EVERY SINGLE EPISODE in the set has the crappy 5.1 mix in 2.0. That's right, not a *SINGLE* episode in
season 2 part 2 has the original audio. Even the commercial bumpers have sound effects (although they consist of a sampled "transforming" sound effect that actually comes from the *series*, not a stock sound library).
I was upset, to say the VERY least (if you define "upset" as "flying into a rage and wanting to smash everything in sight...").
Aside from that little problem, the picture quality and historical accuracy of the set is great (overlooking a few errors, such as the normal forest converting into a metal one at the end of "The Key to Vector Sigma part 2", due to backwards animation that wasn't a problem in the 1" broadcast version). But, that one little sound problem has ruined the set for me, and I can barely bring myself to watch those episodes now. I hate it that much.
For season 3 part 1, Rhino finally took the hint and added an "original audio option". Further, there seem to be few errors relating to the 35mm versions being incomplete. However, the wrong title sequence (the standard season 3 intro) is used for several episodes of the "Five Faces of Darkness" mini-series, and the episodes are not quite in the right airdate *or* chronological order. Further, Rhino didn't think to put the alternate audio on a separate track for "Dark Awakening", so now we're stuck with the narrator telling us to watch "The Return of Optimus Prime" instead the option to hear either that or the original "So long... Prime" dialogue. Still, the set is a step up from the prior releases.
As for GI JOE (which I haven't seen since the 80s), there don't appear to be many animation problems with the Original Mini-Series set. I'd call the set perfect, except...the 5.1 and 2.0 tracks have the crappy Rhino-sounds added to them (this set came out before the "original broadcast audio option" was created for Transformers)!!!!
GI JOE season 1 part 1 is pretty spiffy. The episodes are in the correct order, and there are very few "Rhino-fixes" made to account for differences between the 1" and 35mm versions (although I'm not that knowledgable about the series, I did notice a few "fixes". Anyone out there notice anything else amiss?). The original audio is intact. The only real problem is that all episodes after the "Pyramid of Darkness" mini-series have the *SEASON 2* opening credits (featuring Serpentor and other season 2 characters), which is totally wrong. Worse, the chapter menus show the season 1 credits! Why don't the actual episodes??? *Sigh*. Also, it seems the Public Service Announcements are all clumped together as extras instead of being attached to the episodes proper. *Sigh*.
Bloopers that weren't there originally, horrid new sound effects, bad packaging design with spelling errors in the liner notes, incorrect title sequences, and much, much more than meets the eye. Hardly a sterling record for Rhino. I would have much preferred it if Rhino had used the lower-quality 1" broadcast masters with the white-lettered opening/end titles added on ( the broadcast versions are what we've known for 20 years, something that gives viewers common ground, not DVD-exclusive variations), and left the sound alone (the original audio should be the *default*, not an "option" Rhino was so "merciful" to provide us). If Rhino had some knowledgeable fans working for them or at least *consulting*, these sets would be much, much better. These DVDs are hardly "definitive". Unfortunately, a new generation will now think this is the way the series have always been. People may dismiss these series as "30 minute commercials", but they deserve better treatment. I can't beleive so many fans don't care about this sloppy treatment. I, for one, won't just take whatever Rhino spoon-feeds me. I care about quality.
If you feel strongly about this matter, please make your voice heard and e-mail Rhino at:
drrhino@rhino.com
Here's a bit of history:
The Transformers and GI JOE series used 1" broadcast film masters as the basis for the episodes that were aired in the original runs. These masters still exist today, but the image quality/colors/details are a bit worn down, as these were used to make all the tapes sent across the nation for broadcast. Rhino has the rights to these, as well as 35 mm film masters, which feature much more vibrant colors and detail, but often contain incomplete/backwards/missing animation that was originally corrected for the broadcast versions.
Let's examine some of the problems:
The Original Transformers Season 1 box set:
This set uses beautiful 35mm negatives as the basis for the DVD versions of the episodes (as stated, the original airings that most fans know and love came from the finished 1" broadcast master tapes).
Rhino made attempts to splice in footage from the 1" broadcast versions to correct some of these errors (as well as digitally cutting elements from the 1" tapes and pasting them onto the 35mm versions, which looks AWFUL), but MANY remain. As example fo this "cut-and-paste" method can be seen when Autobot Mirage turns visible inside the Decepticon ship at the end of "The Ultimate Doom part 3". He is surrounded by a jagged white "halo", as he has been sloppily cut from the 35mm version and pasted onto the background of the 1" broadcast version. Nearly every episode has some kind of error or change that was NOT in the original version (even many of the faction scene bumpers in MTMTE parts 1-3 have been replaced with bumpers from other episodes, due to their absence in the 35mm versions). Fire in the Sky, Fire on the Mountain, and Heavy Metal War (which is an utter *disaster* compared to the broadcast version of that episode) suffer the most from this.
Also, the end titles actually use the credits from SEASON *2* ("copyright 1985", etc.), NOT season 1. This is due to the fact that Rhino has access only to episodes without the episode titles and end title credits (just the end title background footage, as can be seen in the VHS releases from a few years ago), and had to recreate them for the DVD sets.
The sound is another issue. The DVDs come with the option of 2.0 and 5.1 surround sound tracks. The 5.1 track is HORRID, as the episodes were never MEANT to be mixed in 5.1. They just sound "wrong". Worst of all is the fact that Rhino ADDED A BUNCH OF *CRAPPY*, "STOCK" CARTOON
SOUND EFFECTS (fire, laser blasts, jet flybys) TO THE ORIGINAL AUDIO. These new sounds are distracting, and they drown out dialogue and sound effects in many cases. Thankfully, the original audio is kept intact on the 2.0 track, except for (inexplicably) the episodes on
disc 2, which contain the new 5.1 sound mix (the episodes in question are "Divide and Conquer,"Fire in the Sky", "S.O.S. Dinobots", "Fire on
the Mountain", and "War of the Dinobots").
This new sound mix is a travesty. For those fans who are unfamiliar with the series (as well as new fans who will be introduced to it via the DVD sets), this is a slap in the face. I (and many others) waited for YEARS to get the series on DVD. The DVDs should be the archival
version of the series, the one that is an accurate reflection of the way the series was during its original run. Instead, we have a patchwork of episodes, which are not entirely accurate to the original versions, and create the same kind of problems the Generation 2 versions did in the early 90s. Rhino may have the right to release the
series on DVD, but what right do they have to muck with the work of the original sound editors? These new sounds are not even part of the TF G1 sound library and are wildly incongruous with the *real* sound effects that were a staple of the series.
Still, aside from the inaccurate footage and a few episodes, the picture quality is excellent, the best the episodes have ever seen, but only because the 35mm masters were used, and not because Rhino "restored" them. The original commercial bumpers are also included (including, yes, that's right, crappy new *sound effects* on the 5.1 audio tracks). Thus, the sets are moderately worthwhile. It's a real mixed bag, folks.
Don't call it the "original" Transformers if you're going to pull these kinds of stunts, Rhino.
Season 2 part 1 is probably the best Rhino G1 DVD release to date. As before, the 35mm negatives were used as the basis for the episodes in the set,
but this time, they are almost entirely devoid of the errors that plagued the season 1 DVD set. Aside from a bit of tampering with historical accuracy (correcting the spelling of the title of "A Deceptacon Raider in King Arthur's Court", and mistakenly removing the
the camera shakes at the end of "The Core"), the episodes are pretty much the way they've always been, save for the new, pristine picture quality. As stated above, the versions Rhino has access to do not have actual episode titles or end credits, so they had to recreate the white-lettered titles from fan-donated screencaps.
As for the sound, the 5.1 mix is, once again horrible (crappy new sounds and all), but the 2.0 mix contains the original audio (except for "Changing Gears", "City of Steel", "Attack of the Autobots", and "Traitor", which have the crappy 5.1 sound mix in 2.0, too, for some unknown reason).
So, aside from four episodes having a sound problem, this set is excellent.
Before the season 2 part 2 DVD set was released, reliable sources indicated that Rhino promised to correct the "5.1 mix on 2.0 track" problem for future releases. Well, when season 2 part 2 was released, I was horrified to discover that EVERY SINGLE EPISODE in the set has the crappy 5.1 mix in 2.0. That's right, not a *SINGLE* episode in
season 2 part 2 has the original audio. Even the commercial bumpers have sound effects (although they consist of a sampled "transforming" sound effect that actually comes from the *series*, not a stock sound library).
I was upset, to say the VERY least (if you define "upset" as "flying into a rage and wanting to smash everything in sight...").
Aside from that little problem, the picture quality and historical accuracy of the set is great (overlooking a few errors, such as the normal forest converting into a metal one at the end of "The Key to Vector Sigma part 2", due to backwards animation that wasn't a problem in the 1" broadcast version). But, that one little sound problem has ruined the set for me, and I can barely bring myself to watch those episodes now. I hate it that much.
For season 3 part 1, Rhino finally took the hint and added an "original audio option". Further, there seem to be few errors relating to the 35mm versions being incomplete. However, the wrong title sequence (the standard season 3 intro) is used for several episodes of the "Five Faces of Darkness" mini-series, and the episodes are not quite in the right airdate *or* chronological order. Further, Rhino didn't think to put the alternate audio on a separate track for "Dark Awakening", so now we're stuck with the narrator telling us to watch "The Return of Optimus Prime" instead the option to hear either that or the original "So long... Prime" dialogue. Still, the set is a step up from the prior releases.
As for GI JOE (which I haven't seen since the 80s), there don't appear to be many animation problems with the Original Mini-Series set. I'd call the set perfect, except...the 5.1 and 2.0 tracks have the crappy Rhino-sounds added to them (this set came out before the "original broadcast audio option" was created for Transformers)!!!!
GI JOE season 1 part 1 is pretty spiffy. The episodes are in the correct order, and there are very few "Rhino-fixes" made to account for differences between the 1" and 35mm versions (although I'm not that knowledgable about the series, I did notice a few "fixes". Anyone out there notice anything else amiss?). The original audio is intact. The only real problem is that all episodes after the "Pyramid of Darkness" mini-series have the *SEASON 2* opening credits (featuring Serpentor and other season 2 characters), which is totally wrong. Worse, the chapter menus show the season 1 credits! Why don't the actual episodes??? *Sigh*. Also, it seems the Public Service Announcements are all clumped together as extras instead of being attached to the episodes proper. *Sigh*.
Bloopers that weren't there originally, horrid new sound effects, bad packaging design with spelling errors in the liner notes, incorrect title sequences, and much, much more than meets the eye. Hardly a sterling record for Rhino. I would have much preferred it if Rhino had used the lower-quality 1" broadcast masters with the white-lettered opening/end titles added on ( the broadcast versions are what we've known for 20 years, something that gives viewers common ground, not DVD-exclusive variations), and left the sound alone (the original audio should be the *default*, not an "option" Rhino was so "merciful" to provide us). If Rhino had some knowledgeable fans working for them or at least *consulting*, these sets would be much, much better. These DVDs are hardly "definitive". Unfortunately, a new generation will now think this is the way the series have always been. People may dismiss these series as "30 minute commercials", but they deserve better treatment. I can't beleive so many fans don't care about this sloppy treatment. I, for one, won't just take whatever Rhino spoon-feeds me. I care about quality.
If you feel strongly about this matter, please make your voice heard and e-mail Rhino at:
drrhino@rhino.com
Oh and a very similar thing *did* happen with Star Wars on DVD. *cough*lightsabers*cough*.
