Game
Of Thrones: The Complete Fifth Season (2015/HBO Blu-ray Set)
Picture:
B+ Sound: B+ Extras: B+ Episodes: A-
The
first great Blu-ray release of the year so far is the long awaited
release of the fifth season of HBO's Game of Thrones.
Releasing a little over a month before the new season debuts, the
fantasy/ action/ drama continues to be the most interesting and
intricate show on television. Pitch perfect acting and directing,
incredible production design, an interesting and unpredictable story,
and realistic special effects elevates the show and continues to
shock and amaze audiences worldwide. Anything is possible in this
world of Westernos, and even characters that you come to know and
love could end up dead, or worse in some cases.
If
you are new to the phenomenon, then my best piece of advice is to
start at the beginning. This is definitely a show that you have to
watch in order. First and foremost a dark fantasy, Game of
Thrones centers around noble families in the seven kingdoms of
Westeros vie for control of the Iron Throne. The show stars Emilia
Clarke, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Peter Dinklage, Iain Glen, Lena Heady,
Sophie Turner, Kit Harington, Charles Dance, and Maisie Williams to
name a few.
Season
Five of the HBO series primarily adapts material from A
Feast For Crows and A Dance with Dragons, which
are the fourth and fifth novels in legendary author George R.R.
Martin's book series A Song
of Ice and Fire, to which the show is based. There
are also elements used in this season from the third novel, A
Storm of Swords, as well as the upcoming sixth novel the
Winds of Winter.
10
Episodes comprise Season Five:
The
Wars To Come
The
House of Black and White
High
Sparrow
Sons
of the Harpy
Kill
The Boy
Unbowed,
Unbent, Unbroken
The
Gift
Hardhome
The
Dance of Dragons
Mothers
Mercy
Picture
and sound on the disc are pitch perfect with a crisp 1080p high
definition presentation with a widescreen aspect ratio of 1.78:1 and
a powerful Dolby Atmos sound mix. If you thought the show looked
good when broadcast on television, then you won't believe the detail
that went into this fantastic set of transfers. Also on the disc
sound-wise is a Dolby TrueHD 7.1 track that sounds incredible and
several foreign language tracks.
There
is also a digital copy of the season included for your tablet or
smart phone and look and sound fine for the format.
As
with every season of Game Of Thrones that is released, there
are plenty of great extras and this season is no exception and a must
for diehard fans of the series. This time we get...
Audio
Commentaries - Twelve audio commentaries with cast and crew including
David Benioff, D.B. Weiss, Peter Dinklage, Lena Headey, Kit
Harington, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Iain Glen, Maisie Williams,
Natalie Dormer, Gwendoline Christie and others.
Anatomy
of an Episode: Mother's Mercy - Details about the creation of
"Mother's Mercy,"
from
the writing table all the way through to visual effects.
The
Real History Behind Game of Thrones - In a two-part series,
historians and George R.R. Martin discuss the era known as "The
Wars of the Roses" and other historical events that served as
inspiration for his novels.
Deleted
Scenes - 4 deleted scenes.
New
Characters/New Locations - Explore the new societies, cultures and
locations from Season 5.
The
Dance of Dragons - An in-depth look at the story behind the
Targaryen civil war (BD exclusive).
In-Episode
Guide - Provides background information about on-screen characters,
locations, and relevant histories (BD exclusive).
Histories
and Lore - Explore the mythology of Westeros and Essos from
character perspectives in 14 history pieces with feature
illustrations (BD exclusive).
A
fantastic Blu-ray release and excellent television, Game of
Thrones continues to amaze.
-
James Lockhart
https://www.facebook.com/jamesharlandlockhartv/
