A Few Words About A few words about...™ The Walking Dead -- in Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[Robert Harris]

AMC's The Walking Dead (not the 1936 WB feature) is nothing less than a phenomenon.


The original graphic comics are collectables.

They've been released and bound in various ways. Possibly the most popular are the Omnibus series for 24 per hardback, slipcased volume. The third has just been issued, and is about to sell out. The first, in a signed, limited edition is going for over $1,000, and the second half that.


To say that there are fans of the series is an understatement. I won't call them rabid, as the word might be misconstrued.


It was my son that had me view the AMC series, and unfortunately, my first exposure of episode two, which I'm told is the weakest. In any case, I've just viewed the initial episode and could not tear myself away.


Here's where it gets interesting. From the S16 imagery, the difference between the broadcast image in its compressed form, and the Anchor Bay Blu-ray is amazing. The new Blu-ray via Anchor Bay is nothing less than gorgeous. Understand going in that the series is shot on Super 16, so there's a bit of natural grain, but the imagery is sharp, and on Blu-ray consistent, with perfect colors, great blacks, excellent shadow detail, and most important, terrific reds.


At 292 minutes, and six episodes, this is a series that will be considered a classic, as this, as the reviews have commented, is the best zombie production in decades.


This is a gorgeous Blu-ray of a good 'ol down home zombie series, kudzu and all. $28 on Amazon, with lots of bonus features.


Just don't let 'em bite you. Season Two is on the way, and you wouldn't want to miss it.


A zombie production with class and elegance for all seasons. Fans of this series, both the original lit as well as he AMC broadcast, will be thrilled.


Highly Recommended.


RAH

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

Thanks for the review. I loved this show during it's original broadcast run. Please check in with your thoughts once you've had a chance to make it through all six episodes. The last two have divided audiences. Personally, I loved them.

 

[Robert Harris]

I've only had time to view the first two episodes, but will get through the rest shortly. One worked for me as a fine set-up. I had seen two before one in broadcast, found the characters overly generic, and have been told that two is the weakest. There are situations in which one can almost figure out which shots are from derived from drawn book panes, which is interesting. The other question that comes into play is whether a production based upon essentially a graphic comic book or novel should be judged in a different way from a film based upon a different type of literary source.


Whatever the answers, it's easy to see how an audience is drawn into this. I may even have to visit the underlying lit.


And as I noted earlier in the thread, the Blu-ray is perfect, and of far higher quality than seen as broadcast.


RAH

 

[Timothy E]

The HTF BD Review of The Walking Dead has been posted here: http://www.hometheaterforum.com/forum/thread/309378/htf-blu-ray-review-the-walking-dead-the-complete-first-season

 

[bgart13]

Huge Romero/zombie movie fan, but thought this series was a big letdown. I still don't understand how people are so in love with this thing. Only way I'd watch it again (the 1st season) is if the discs had extended versions of each episode. I will check out the 2nd season, but my expectations are way low.

 

[Brianruns10]

I think the consensus has been that the writing was fairly weak, and we can be relieved that the show's creators realize this, considering they sacked the lot of them.

And I'd also point out that it is RARE for a show to emerge fully formed and firing on all cylinders out of the gate, especially given the abbreviated six episode series. Recall the Office had what is regarded among most critics to be a fairly disastrous first season, and it was semi-miraculous they got picked up for a second season. Good thing they did.


So the new season will have a new batch of writers, and it will be a full 13 episodes. I feel the chances are good that we'll see a significant improvement on a show that, you must admit, is full of promise even if it didn't manage to deliver in its first season. Give the next season a go, and I bet you'll be surprised!

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

Originally Posted by Brianruns10

I think the consensus has been that the writing was fairly weak, and we can be relieved that the show's creators realize this, considering they sacked the lot of them.

I wouldn't say there's such a consensus at all. I'd say that people who watched the show were pretty evenly divided. I thought the writing was excellent, and I know a lot of others who thought so too.

And I'd also point out that it is RARE for a show to emerge fully formed and firing on all cylinders out of the gate, especially given the abbreviated six episode series.

I do agree with this 100 percent. Season one was an introduction to this world. The real start of the story is with this caravan of survivors hitting the open road to see what they find out there.

 

[cineMANIAC]

Originally Posted by bgart13

Huge Romero/zombie movie fan, but thought this series was a big letdown. I still don't understand how people are so in love with this thing. Only way I'd watch it again (the 1st season) is if the discs had extended versions of each episode. I will check out the 2nd season, but my expectations are way low.

Romero set the bar for definitive zombie movies and now everybody expects all zombie movies to be as good or better than Dawn of the Dead (or in my case Day of the Dead - the ultimate zombiefest). I thought, for a TV series, that Walking Dead was the best zombie show to come out of Hollywood since Day in '85. This thing is just getting started - give it a chance to develop.

 

[bgart13]

Oh, I don't expect any zombie movie to surpass DAWN -- nothing can. But having six hour+ long episodes give more time for developing characters and storylines, which I think the show failed with. The first episode was pretty good, but the second was a stinker. The third got better, then I was left bored and uninterested with four and five. I think six was pretty good, enough to help me decide I would check out the first episode of season two, but even then I'm not looking forward to it.


Here's my problems with the show:

- Boring, uninvolving storylines with boring, uninvolving characters. Those that were interesting didn't last or didn't come to full fruition. And for a show that wasn't guaranteed a second season, that was a big problem for me.

- Too much CGI blood and fx.

- Too much of "sameness" from episode to episode (the camp was ok for an episode or two, but after that it kept getting dragged out).

- Too predictable -- which was the most bothersome element for me. It was all too familiar and unoriginal, which led me to feel like I was wasting my time watching it after the first two episodes. I know there's only so much you can do with zombie movies/stories, but Darabont is capable of a lot more and that is what was the biggest disappointment for me.

 

[TravisR]

^ Read the comic book. Except for the first two Romero zombie movies, it's the best zombie story ever. I like the TV show well enough and I think it's only going to get better but, like most adaptations, it's not as good as the source material.

 

[Brian Kidd]

I'm a fan of the show, with all of its perceived faults. I could never have foreseen a day when a well-written, acted, and directed zombie story appeared on television. It speaks volumes about the "gutsiness" of modern cable channels that they are willing to put money behind shows that are not easy sells. The worst thing I could say about WALKING DEAD is that the first season is too short. When it was over, I wanted more. I can't wait for the next season!

 

[bgart13]

I hope it gets better, but I'm not holding my breath. I've looked at the comics, but I'm not grabbed by the art and/or style. I might try borrowing them from the library, but comics don't do it for me anymore. Only ones I can return to are the old ECs (can't even return to the couple of thousand of superhero ones in boxes I've got at my dad's).

 

[Bryan^H]

I think the video/audio quality are superb. Watching it initially in SD, and now on Blu-Ray is a night, and day difference. I watched the first episode lat night, and it was much...much more creepy than when I first viewed it on AMC. I salute the makeup artists.

Being a huge fan of the comic books, I can tell you I think the tv series is going to be much better. The series has already taken a huge departure of the comic book storyline, and that is just fine with me for two reasons 1) I already know whats going to happen in the comics 2)I feel the series is more creative. The comics have a tendency to take relationships between characters to an overblown unbelievable level. There is so much animosity between characters that some issues you just get too much friction, and inventive curse words. I know human companionship in a time of great despair is the meat and potatoes of the series, but when you read 28 pages squabbling each month it can get a little stale. I want more Zombies!!

 

[Vincent_P]

Originally Posted by Timothy E

Weird, I replied to your review earlier today, and yet, I do not see your review come up when I open up the main Blu-ray forum here? It's there when I click on your link, but if I just open up the main Blu-ray forum here your review is not listed or accessible as far as I can see.


Vincent

 

[gomezfan69]

It's posted over in the "TV on DVD and Blu-ray" forum.