HTF DVD REVIEW: Zorro The Complete Series (1 Viewer)

[Timothy E]

ZORRO The Complete Series Box Set

Studio: A & E Home Video

Year: 1990-1993

Rated: Unrated

Film Length: 33 hours, 44 minutes

Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1

Audio: English Dolby Digital 2.0

Release Date: January 25, 2011

The Series

The Family Channel version of Zorro premiered on January 5, 1990, and aired for 4 seasons until its last new episode aired in early 1993. Don Diego de la Vega (Duncan Regehr) is seemingly a bookish young man who has returned to Los Angeles in the early 1800s from his studies in Spain. The Spanish Colonial government in the pueblo of Los Angeles is oppressing its people, which forces Diego to take action in the alter ego of the masked el Zorro, aka the Fox. The only somewhat sympathetic representative of the Spanish military is Sergeant Jaime Mendoza(James Victor). Diego is assisted by Felipe(Juan Diego Botto), a mute young man who hears more than he lets on. Diego also has a friend in tavern owner Victoria Escalante(Patrice Martinez) who has eyes for Zorro in much the same way that Lois Lane admires Superman. Diego’s father, Don Alejandro, is played in the first season by Efrem Zimbalist, Jr.(The F.B.I., Maverick) and in subsequent seasons by Henry Darrow(The High Chaparral, Harry O). Darrow had a history with Zorro at the time he played Don Alejandro, since he had previously played the same character on the short-lived comedy Zorro and Son on CBS-TV and provided the voice of Don Diego on Filmation’s animated Zorro series from the early 1980s.

Zorro began in print as a character in "The Curse of Capistrano" written by Johnston McCulley. The character appeared quickly thereafter in the fledgling film industry in The Mark of Zorro(1920) in which Diego de la Vega was portrayed by one of the top film stars of the day, Douglas Fairbanks. Other films and movie serials featuring el Zorro followed during the succeeding decades. Walt Disney produced the fondly remembered Zorro television series starring Guy Williams which aired regularly on ABC-TV from 1957 through 1959. The character dynamics of the Family Channel version were (perhaps wisely) modeled closely after the successful Disney version of Zorro. Ironically, the Disney version was actually filmed in California whereas this Family Channel version, which also takes place in old California, was actually filmed in Spain. The Zorro films starring Antonio Banderas and Catherine Zeta Jones feature what is probably the version known best to contemporary audiences.

Duncan Regehr is well cast as a dashing Zorro, even to those of us who enjoyed Guy Williams (or Tyrone Power) as Diego de la Vega. This series had a number of great guest stars, including Adam West, Andre the Giant, Jesse Ventura, and even Daniel Craig. The Zorro character and concept have influenced many characters created since, with Batman being the best example; secret identity and mask, headquarters in a cave, etc. The episode starring Adam West even credits that lineage as West’s character, Dr. Henry Wayne, who is an avid student of science, admires Zorro’s ingenuity of using a cave as a hideout. This version of Zorro is mostly serious but knows when to have fun as well.

Video

The series is presented in its original 1.33:1 aspect ratio. The video image tends towards softness, but the series has always had this appearance, even back when it first aired on the Family Channel, when its video lacked the same sharpness of detail of many other shows from that time-frame. I suspect that the series was either produced originally on videotape or on film with all post-production on videotape. Any apparent deficiency in video quality is attributable to the source and not to the quality of these DVD transfers. This series still looks as good on DVD as it did when originally aired, or perhaps even slightly improved in quality.

Audio

The English Dolby Digital stereo tracks are adequate if not exceptional for the time this series was in production. Dialogue is always appropriately audible over the score and there are no defects such as audible hiss or variations in sound level.

Special Features

This complete series set includes a bonus disc with some interesting special features for fans:

The Mark of Zorro(1:28:42): The original silent film starring Douglas Fairbanks is included in its entirety with a "2010 Allied Artists" watermark during the opening credits. Even if you are not a fan of silent films, this film comes recommended as an entertainment that could convert you to an appreciation of this art form.

Zorro’s Fighting Legion(27:37): This is the first chapter, entitled "The Golden God" of the movie serial from 1939.

Zorro: The Legend Continues(22:21): This is the lost pilot film of the Family Channel Zorro series. It was produced in 1987 and starred Patrick James in the title role. Patrice Martinez also appeared in this pilot, as she did in the series, credited here as Patrice Camhi. The concept is fairly different from the version that began airing in 1990. The video quality is inferior on this to the regular episodes and appears to have been transferred from a videotape master. It is terrific to see this unaired pilot included in this set.

Trailers(6:30): This consists of trailers for the movie serials Zorro’s Black Whip, Zorro’s Fighting Legion, and Zorro Rides Again. Video quality on these trailers is not unexpectedly inferior to the remainder of the set.

Photo Gallery(7:18): This photo gallery includes many still photos from the series.

Conclusion

Zorro: The Complete Series is recommended to fans of this character, especially those who appreciate and enjoy the Walt Disney version. I think the Disney version is superior to this series on most levels, yet this series is a fun successor to the Guy Williams series produced in a more modern era. (Has it really been 2 decades since this series began airing on the Family Channel?) The video and audio presentation are adequate but not exceptional. The special features are interesting, with the crown jewel being the unaired pilot episode and the welcome inclusion of one of the best film versions of Zorro, the Douglas Fairbanks version of The Mark of Zorro. If you are a fan of Zorro, or superheroes, or adventures with a dash of comedy, you will probably find something to enjoy in Zorro: The Complete Series.