The
Batman: The Complete Series
(2004 - 2008/Animated*)/Robocop
4K
(1987/MVD/MGM/Orion/Steelbook Arrow Blu-ray Set)/Supergirl:
The Complete Sixth & Final Season
(2021/*both DC Comics/Warner Blu-ray Sets)
Picture:
B/B+/B+ Sound: B/B/B+ Extras: B-/B+/C+ Main Programs:
B-/B+/B
Now
for a new group of superhero releases, including a remarkable upgrade
to a genre classic that is as relevant as ever...
We
start with the somewhat child-friendly The
Batman: The Complete Series
(2004 - 2008) which is nowhere nearly as dark as the Matt Reeves The
Batman
and not intended to be. With tie-ins at the time that included an
equally safe comic book printed the old-fashioned four-color, regular
paper way, it is somewhat of a throwback to the 1960s Adam West (who
voices a mayor for the show) series, plus both Filmation Batman
series and Hanna-Barbera's SuperFriends!
retaining some comedy that feature films have passed on at this
point, knowing West and company pushed that as far as anyone ever
could.
Made
up of 65 half-hours altogether, new variations of Batman's rogue's
gallery (Joker, Penguin, Mr. Freeze, Catwoman (voiced by Gina
Gershon,) Clayface, Riddler, Killer Croc, Poison Ivy, Harley Quinn,
Solomon Grundy, etc.) show up in versions that work, if not
necessarily the darkest, most violent or most deadly ever. The
advantage of this is it gets back to storytelling that made these
characters popular to begin with. Unfortunately, many of the jokes
meant for the younger audience fall flat, ring untrue and almost
always hurt the flow of the narrative. Otherwise, there is much
money and hard work on the screen that holds up and the series' high
definition Blu-ray arrival is better late than never, but pretty
solid all around otherwise.
Extras
include Digital
Code and a paper-pullout with the titles and extras on each disc,
while the discs add (per the press release) The
Dark Dynasty Continues
(New Featurette): Explore the relationship between The Batman and his
allies as he evolves from mysterious vigilante to the World's
Greatest Detective.
Joining
Forces: The Batman's Legendary Team-Ups (Featurette): How the
series' producers adapted the DC 'Team-Up-Tales' approach from the
comic books to the screen.
The
Batman Junior Detective Challenge (Quiz): Alfred tests your
detective skills with The Batman: The Complete Series
challenge.
The
Batman Junior Detective Exam: Level 2 (Quiz): Pass The Batman
test of knowledge with the level 2 exam.
Building
Batman (Featurette): Detective Ellen Yin investigates The
Batman's true identity.
Gotham
PD Case Files (Featurette): Highly confidential profiles of The
Batman's most dastardly foes.
New
Look, New Direction, New Knight (Featurette): Go behind the
scenes to explore the development of The Batman television series.
The
Batman: Season 3 Unmasked (Featurette): Supervising Producer
Duane Capizzi talks about the animated series.
and
The Batman: Season 4 Unmasked (Featurette): A behind the
scenes look into the making of Season 4.
Paul
Verhoeven's
Robocop
4K
(1987) has arrived in the ultra high-definition format even sooner
than many fans in and out of the industry expected and the classic
gem out of MGM's Orion Pictures films continues to influence all
kinds of films, including the new Matt Reeves' The
Batman
(2022) film. We reviewed Arrow's all-out special edition of Robocop
in its regular Blu-ray edition at this link:
http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/15608/An+American+Werewolf+In+London+(1981*)/The
That
connects to all the other, many versions of the film we have reviewed
over the years. A 4K version of that all-out edition is coming out
in the U.K., but not yet in the U.S., so this Steelbook edition is
the best version you can get, containing all the disc extras from
that Limited Edition set, booklet and low-def, edited TV cut of the
film. The film deserves all these extras, hopefully on route to
being recognized as the genre classic it is, a film Ken Russell
considered the best Science Fiction film since Lang's Metropolis
(1926) despite so many greats in between.
After
a weak, unnecessary remake, MGM plans to do a sequel that picks up
after this film (and maybe Robocop 2, but NOT 3) so
we'll see if it works enough like the recent Jamie Lee Curtis
Halloween revival, but if it does not have the brutal honesty
of the first two original films, I won't hold my breath.
DC
Comics' Supergirl
reaches it's ending in The
Complete Sixth & Final Season
(2021,)
which is now available on Blu-ray disc courtesy of Warner Bros. The
series is getting a send off likely because there are plans to
introduce a new big screen Supergirl in 2023's upcoming Flash
movie. The series goes out on a high note and continues its trend of
fun television superhero popcorn munching fun with a little splash of
social satire as well. In this final season, she fights Lex and
Nyxly in a battle to the death along with other super friends that
aide her.
Supergirl
stars Melissa Benoist (Glee,
Whiplash),
Chyler Leigh (Grey's
Anatomy),
Katie McGrath (Jurassic
World,
Merlin),
Jesse Rath (Defiance,
No
Tomorrow),
Nicole Maines (Royal
Pains),
Azie Tesfai (Jane
the Virgin),
Julie Gonzalo (Dallas,
Veronica
Mars),
Staz Nair (Game
of Thrones)
and David Harewood (Homeland).
The
last twenty episodes include Rebirth,
A Few Good Women, Phantom Menaces, Lost Souls, Prom Night, Prom
Again!, Fear Knot, Welcome Back, Kara!, Dream Weaver, Still I Rise,
Mxy in the Middle, Blindspots, The Gauntlet, Magical Thinking, Hope
for Tomorrow, A Nightmare in National City, Believe in a Thing Called
Love, Truth or Consequences, The Last Gauntlet,
and Kara.
Special
Features: Deleted Scenes and A Farewell Tribute to Supergirl.
Now
for playback performance. The 2160p HECV/H.265, 1.85 X 1, Dolby
Vision/HDR (10; Ultra HD Premium)-enhanced Ultra High Definition
image on both major cuts of Robocop 4K are stunning at their
best, when the film is not dealing with old, low-definition analog
video (the various TV screens showing demented news broadcasts and
demented advertising, video playback from Robocop and Robocop's
RoboVision) as lensed by Director of Photography Joss Vacano. Like
American Werewolf In London 4K, we knew the upgrade from
Arrow's regular Blu-ray to 4K would be better, but this exceeds
expectations in the best scenes that include demo moments that rate
above my overall rating above, as shot on 35mm film with
ever-remarkable stop-motion model work in VistaVision by Phil
Tippett, the film not looking this good since 70mm blow-up prints and
higher quality 35mm prints were issued in 1987. Problems with some
recent Blu-ray copies are far more obvious now, while the quality
here proves how amazing some of the camerawork has always been and
that the film never got the credit for it because it is a genre film,
even one with much to say.
The
sound also gets an upgrade since Arrow's Blu-ray edition with a new
lossless, Dolby Atmos 11.1 (Dolby TrueHD 7.1 mixdown for older
systems) mixes in both major cuts that open up the sound, added to
the DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) 5.1, 4.0 and 2.0 Stereo lossless mixes
already available on the older Arrow Blu-rays. However, like The
Beatles' Let It Be, the Atmos opens up the sound more, but it
looses some of the impact best heard in the DTS 5.1 mix, which I
still prefer overall. This was the first-ever Dolby SR (Spectral
Recording) analog noise reduction film (their most advanced analog
system ever) and the 70mm versions were only 4.1 sound mixes. Now
you can choose for yourself, but it will never sound or look better
than it does here.
The
1080p 1.78 X 1 digital High Definition image transfers on Batman
seem to be from slightly older HD masters and has a few minor flaws
throughout the various episodes and seasons, but color is pretty
consistent and since it has a somewhat flat look, not as problematic.
I would have had to give ti a lower overall picture grade, however,
if it were any worse. The
DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) 2.0 Stereo lossless mixes on all episodes
sounds good for its age and has Pro Logic-like surrounds, but there
are times some will wish some of this were in 5.1. Otherwise, it is
well recorded, engineered and mixed.
Supergirl
is presented in 1080p high definition on Blu-ray disc with an MPEG-4
AVC codec, a widescreen aspect ratio of 1.78:1, and lossless English
DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit) soundtracks that round
out a nice HD transfer that's up to standards. It beats the original
network broadcast and is commercial and watermark free which adds for
a better viewing experience.
-
Nicholas Sheffo and James Lockhart (Supergirl)
https://www.facebook.com/jamesharlandlockhartv/
