DVD Review HTF REVIEW: The Chronicles of Narnia - THOROUGHLY RECOMMENDED (1 Viewer)

[Holadem]

Travis, I do, you're not alone.

This was (along with Red Eye) probably the best trailer I saw in 2005. I saw it on some other DVD recently, but it was a rather poor resolution .

--
H

 

[Brett_B]

I'm in the same boat as well.

For the most part, the trailer is generally the selling point for me to actually pay money and sit in the theater, and there is nothing better than being able to relive part of that past by being able to see what it was that made you interested in the movie in the first place. Believe it or not, but I have never heard of "The Chronicles of Narnia" prior to seeing the trailer for it.

 

[Sam Posten]

Dear god, how can I live up to writing reviews like that =)

 

[Nate Anderson]

I did not for one second think about getting anything but the 2 disc edition, but your review sealed the deal...can't wait for Tuesday!

 

[NeilO]

I thought I had saw in various places including Narnia Web about an extended edition coming out later. Has anyone heard any details about that? Is there a mention about it with this DVD set? Will there be a rebate coupon like with the LOTR DVDs?

Neil

 

[AlexBC]

DaViD,

if every review was like yours, I don't think I'd ever fear another blind buy again. Fantastic work as always, thank you very much.

Travis, I feel the same way too about the lack of trailers. This is a very upseting trend. I like trailers so much, sometimes I like them better than the movie itself. I've actually buyed some DVDs just for the previews.

As I said in a recent thread where we were discussing the same thing about Sony's DVDs with Aaron (the HTF Sony DVD reviwer) and others, I've bought some Sony DVDs just for the great quality they used to present the trailers even though I didn't care for the movie itself. Nowadays, I just can't risk it anymore, as most of their previews no longer have 5.1 audio and many are non-anamorphic unlike they used to be.

 

[LarryH]

Thanks for the great review.

I can't wait to get this because, in contrast to replicating the look and feel of the theatrically projected film print, I expect it to be far better than the theatrical projection inflicted on me - multiple scratches throughout the entire length of the film, including one deep one from beginning to end.

I got a couple of comp passes after complaining, but I forever lost the wonder-inducing experience of seeing the film the first time.

Not surprisingly, I seldom go to a theater, even though I would greatly enjoy seeing films pristinely projected on the big screen.

 

[Tim Glover]

Fantastic review David. Outstanding! Regarding the trailer...thats a bummer with it being left out. I remember it playing right before Revenge Of The Sith started and the audience I was with Memorial Weekend, clapped when it finished. A great trailer indeed! I think it is on the Herbie: Fully Loaded dvd though and I think? it's 16x9 and in 5.1...have to go back and look.

Can't wait until tomorrow for the 2 disc version!

 

[DaViD Boulet]

Tim,

thanks for the compliments.

BTW, I don't remember *ever* seeing this trailer in 16x9 on any other Disney DVD. At the very least, I know that every trailer that I *did* see of it (on other Disney DVDs) was "video edited" and looked HORRIBLE in progressive-scan playback because of the impossibility of proper deinterlacing...they mixed 60Hz 480I video-text (the spinning 'Narnia' title) with 3-2 film-based material and it just combs and looks like CRAP.

If that's the best Disney could do, I'm just as happy NOT to have that trailer on this DVD.

Only a proper, film-derived trailer works for me.

 

[BrettB]

I was thinking I might save a few bucks and get the 1-disc... you don't work for Disney do ya?

Lack of trailers; it's so common now I've just filed it under Inexplicable Things That Suck and try not to let it ruin my life.

Great review as always David.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

I had a little time last night and
started fiddlin' with the extras.

They are sort of fun to watch, particularly
for the fact that as a viewer you are drawn
into the amazing discoveries these young actors
went through. This includes their first look
at the Narnia set, learning to swordfight and
riding a horse.

From the bits and pieces I watched, they
really did a nice job presenting this material
in a manner that's quite pleasurable to watch.

....and a terrific DTS track on the main feature!

 

[John Swarce]

David, you weren't very clear in your review.....should I get the single disc or the double disc set?????

Great review, as always. I did the BB $5 deal as well, when i picked up Lady and the Tramp. Heading down to BB at 10:00 AM on Tuesday!

John

 

[David_Blackwell]

I was watching the 2 disc set last week. It's fantastic. The more I got into the extras on disc two, the more I loved them. The packaging is A+.

 

[DaViD Boulet]

Yes, wasn't that cool? Sort of like when in (the original) Willy Wonka when the kids went into the candy factory room it was literally their *first time* seeing it...so the wonder and thrill you see in their faces during the "Pure Imagination" sequence is for-real.

 

[RogerH]

I picked this up this morning. The packaging is first rate my only problem is I have so much to watch now, Knight Rider: S4, The A-Team: S4, Narnia and like 4 more other movies with more on the way :frowning:

 

[Travis Brashear]

Everybody made it sound like the packaging was really something--I pictured thick cardboard made to look like leather, but alas, it's just the same type of flismy paper slipcover found on countless DVDs...cool graphic, but nothing impressive in terms of materials used for the actual case.

 

[DaViD Boulet]

Travis,

that's what I meant in my review by "not embossed like LOTR"...should have made it clearer.

In any case, it's not the cardboard sleeve that I think it the coolest part...it's the choice of artwork for the disc-package inside it.

 

[Travis Brashear]

That, I agree, is most cool!

 

[EdHoch]

Can anybody confirm an Extended Edition later this year? I'd hold out for that if I could.

 

[TysonK]

According to Digital Bits, Disney is mulling over releasing a extended cut of the film later this year or next year. I'm thinking it's going to happen close to the release of the next chapter sometime around Christmas 2007. Furthermore, I don't think Disney included any deleted scenes on the 2 disc dvd...probably saving them for the extended cut. I bought the 2 disc version but will certainly buy the extended cut when it is released.