Battlestar Galactica (2003 Miniseries)
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Edward James Olmos, James Callis, Jamie Bamber, Katee Sackhoff, Mary McDonnellBrand: UNI DIST CORP. (MCA)
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 5.1; Spanish (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 5.1
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, Miniseries, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.78:1
Running Time: 180 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2004-12-28
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Universal Studios
Movie Reviews of Battlestar Galactica (2003 Miniseries)
Movie Review: Not Your Daddy's Battlestar Galactica
Summary: 5 Stars
When I look back now at the 1978 original Battlestar Galactica created by Glen Larson, I am struck by one thought: cheese.
As a kid, I enjoyed the original Battlestar Galactica, but it simply bores me as an adult.
Consequently, when the SciFi Channel announced that Ronald Moore (of Star Trek Deep Space Nine fame) was going to re-imagine Battlestar Galactica, I was mildly interested because I thought Moore did a fantastic job during his stint in the Star Trek universe (he made Trek interesting again). But, I couldn't shake the "cheese" factor that popped into my brain every time I thought of Battlestar Galactica.
Also at issue is the fact that only the SciFi channel cancels new TV series faster than Fox TV. I'm always cautious about getting into a new series on the SciFi channel because I don't want to be disappointed when they will likely axe it.
So, Ron Moore wrote and produced the update mini-series of Battlestar Galactica. I taped it but never got around to watching it for the reasons I've mentioned.
Here is a brief synopsis of the mini-series (spoiler warnings):
The peoples of the 12 colonies of Kobol created a race of robots to serve humanity; they were called the Cylons. In a Harlan Ellison-esque twist, the Cylons turned on their creators and tried destroy them. Following a long and bloody struggle, the humans and the Cylons signed a peace accord and the Cyclons departed the colonies for a world of their own.
Fourty years passed, during which the Cylons were seen never or heard from again.
As the mini-series opens, the Battlestar Galactica is to be decommissioned and turned into a museum/learning center. Amidst preparation for her decommissioning, the crew of Galactica is honoring their beloved Commander Adama in advance of his retirement.
Unknown to all, the Cylons have evolved to include a model that is almost entirely indistinguishable from human. One such model has inflitrated the capital of Kobol, the planet Caprica, and used her relationship with a brilliant human military scientist named Baltar to spread a computer virus that will expose the 12 colonies and the Colonial fleet to a sneek attack. The surprise attack that follows is reminiscent of Pearl Habor. The 12 colonies are wiped out in a nuclear holocaust, and the Colonial fleet is all but destroyed.
Galactica, thanks to her non-networked computers, survives the attack, and Commander Adama prepares his ship and crew for a counter-attack against the Cylons. The new President of the colonies gather space-stranded refugees and rendezvous with the Galactica. The President convinces Adama that humanity's only hope of survival is to flee the 12 colonies. Adama agrees that the war is lost and he orders the ragtag fleet to travel beyond chartered space. To give what could be the last survivors of the human race hope, Adama sets course to find the 13th colony of man that is known only in legends, which teach that a group of humans left the 12 colonies of Kobol and settled on a world called Earth. The sacred text teaches that "Life here began out there." Neither the President nor Adama believes the legends are true.
The peoples of the 12 colonies of Kobol created a race of robots to serve humanity; they were called the Cylons. In a Harlan Ellison-esque twist, the Cylons turned on their creators and tried destroy them. Following a long and bloody struggle, the humans and the Cylons signed a peace accord and the Cyclons departed the colonies for a world of their own. 40 years passed, during which the Cylons were seen never again.
As the mini-series opens, the Battlestar Galactica is to be decommissioned and turned into a museum/learning center. Amidst preparation for her decommissioning, the crew of Galactica is honoring their beloved Commander Adama in advance of his retirement. Unknown to all, the Cylons have evolved to include a model that is almost entirely indistinguishable from human. One such model has inflitrated the capital of Kobol, the planet Caprica, and used her relationship with a brilliant human military scientist named Baltar to spread a computer virus that will expose the 12 colonies and the Colonial fleet to a sneek attack. The surprise attack that follows is reminiscent of Pearl Habor. The 12 colonies are wiped out in a nuclear holocaust, and the Colonial fleet is all but destroyed.
Galactica, thanks to her non-networked computers, survives the attack, and Commander Adama prepares his ship and crew for a counter-attack against the Cylons.
The new President of the colonies gathers together space-stranded refugees and rendezvous with the Galactica. The President convinces Adama that humanity's only hope of survival is to flee the 12 colonies. Adama agrees that the war is lost and he orders the ragtag fleet to travel beyond charted space. To give what could be the last survivors of the human race hope, Adama sets course to find the 13th colony of man that is known only in legends, which teach that a group of humans left the 12 colonies of Kobol and settled on a world called Earth.
The sacred text of Kobol teach that "life here began out there". Neither the President nor Adama believe the text or the legends, but both agree to the play this dangerous card so that the survivors will do more than simply exist.
The mini-series was a ratings hit, and USA TV and SciFi announced their commitment to produce a 13-episode season of Battlestar Galactica.
As the season progressed, I began to read reviews of Battlestar Galactica that will positively glowing.
I got interested enough to add the DVD of the mini-series to my Amazon Wish List.
After a second season of the show was announced, I decide it was time for me to take a look at the updated mini-series.
There are a few shows and movies that, after the initial viewing, I want to geek out and watch them again and again. Movies like Shaun of the Dead and Napoleon Dynamite are perfect examples. Battlestar Galactica became the next DVD that I simply wanted to watch over and over.
This is not your daddy's Battlestar Galactica. This is a Battlestar Galactica that is dark and militaristic. The Kobol culture was at once alien and yet familiar. Even the Cylons were like humans and not like humans.
Authentic is the word that best describes this Battlestar Galactica. When the pilot of a heavy cruiser hands the Secretary of Education a printed announcement that Caprica has been nuked, his hand is shaking. The Viper pilots are true to fighter pilots everywhere: they are cocky and sometimes insufferable.
The visuals, especially the space shots, make you feel like the events really happened and that someone with a video camera just happened to be there to film them.
The score was outstanding. The drumbeats threading throughout the score produced tension and evoked images of primal cultures calling for war parties, which is particularly apt for this mini-series since humans from the 12 colonies supposedly give birth to the ancient civilizations of Earth, the so called 13th colony of Kobol.
I found myself wanting some extended scenes of life on the colonies, but then again, it might have detracted from the mini-series' pace.
In re: this DVD set, the video transfer is good, is free from dust and is relatively free from grain. The audio features Dolby Digital 5.1 tracks and is good quality.
There are a decent amount of extras, but I was dissappointed that several of the deleted scenes did not contain finished effects and score, which isn't suprising as sci-fi TV is expense to produce in the first place.
I highly recommend this mini-series. Be aware that on September 20, 2005, Amazon and other retailers will be selling the complete first season of Battlestar Galactica. The release is supposed to include the 3-hour mini-series.
As of 8/26/05, Best Buy has an exclusive region 1 encoded version of the complete first season Battlestar Galactica that aired in the U.K. Stay away from this set; it does not have the mini-series, it does not have as many extras as the 9/20/05 set will have, and it costs more than the 9/20/05 release will.
If you haven't seen the mini-series and aren't sure you will like it, then I recommend you buy this DVD, perhaps used, even if you end up buying the complete first season. It is excellent.
Summary of Battlestar Galactica (2003 Miniseries)
Synopsis:Item Type: DVD Movie
Item Rating: NR
Street Date: 12/28/04
Wide Screen: yes
Director Cut: no
Special Edition: no
LanguageENGLISH
Foreign Film: no
Subtitlesno
Dubbed: no
Full Frame: no
Re-Release: no
Packaging: Sleeve Please note: This supplier will be closed on 11/24, 11/25, 12/26, 1/2 for the holidays. The shipping cut off is 12/10 to try and have the products delivered by Christmas.
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