The Dresden Files - The Complete First Season
List Price:
Our Price: $10.72
You Save: $9.26 (46%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $6.63 (click here)
Category: DVD
See more DVD releases
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada
Canada
DVD Cover Information
Actor: Paul Blackthorne, Valerie CruzBrand: Lions Gate
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language)
Format: AC-3, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, NTSC, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.78:1
Running Time: 530 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2007-08-07
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Lions Gate
Movie Reviews of The Dresden Files - The Complete First Season
Movie Review: Harry Dresden: In Print and on Screen
Summary: 5 Stars
I didn't know what to expect from The Dresden Files. I'd never read any of the books, didn't even really know that they existed (which was my loss and I've quickly corrected that little mistake). So I went into this show with my eyes and mind wide open.
What I found was a wonderful show that mixed magic and a detective/crime drama quite well. Harry, named after Houdini not Potter, is a Wizard in Chicago. He consults with the Chicago PD's 'Special Investigation' unit and more specifically, he works for and with Lt. Karen Murphy. Not all the cops like him or even trust him or believe in his power, but Murphy does and that's enough for Dresden.
In the first episode, we see a young Harry on the road with his dad, a traveling magician or 'stage' magician who does the kind of magic that's really only slight of hand and misdirection. We learn that his mother died when he was very young and that Harry, well, Harry has real power. We're introduced to the characters one by one and we learn a little bit about Harry's world; first up is 'Bob', the ghost of a thousand year old wizard who was cursed to spend eternity in his own skull. He's sort of a repository of arcane knowledge and Harry's teacher.
Next up is Murphy; a no nonsense cop who sees a lot of things that can't be explained, which is when she calls Dresden to come and explain it. She closes cases but she's not happy about the explanations when they are more supernatural than natural.
Later on in the series we meet Morgan, a Warden of the Council whose mission in life is to catch Harry breaking the Laws so he can end that life once and for all.
I like the pacing of the show, the writing, the jokes (Bob: "Perhaps the boy left some snot on the table at the diner. What? Where there's children there's snot." Murphy's dad: "So a 'Wizard' huh? Let me guess - last year you were a 'Jedi'?"). Considering that Robert Hewitt Wolfe (Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Gene Roddenberry's: Andromeda) it doesn't surprise me that the show was so well done.
The show is fun, the characters full of depth, the stories intriguing and interesting. They catch your attention and entertain.
NOW - having said that - I will add that if you have read the Dresden books by Jim Butcher, you may not care for this show. A lot changes from the books to the show. A LOT.
I am not a fan of Hollywood changing things 'for the better' - I've ranted (elsewhere) about that before. Harry from the books is different from Harry in the show. For one thing, in the books it takes him a very long time to come clean to Murphy about some of the stuff going on with magic, the Council, the Red Court, so on and etc. In the show, the pacing has to be different. His girlfriend Susan makes only one appearance and then is gone (I actually think that episode was the original pilot as it followed a part of the plot of 'Storm Front' pretty well) - in the books, Harry actually pops the question to her (right after some bad er, 'people' make bad stuff happen that I won't spoil if you wanna read the books). Bob from the book, a spirit living in a skull because Harry is protecting him from some bad stuff in the NeverNever, becomes the ghost of a Wizard in the tv series because they just didn't know how to do a talking skull and have it be cost effective. The Alpha's from the books, a group of young college men and women who are Werewolves and who try to help Harry whenever he'll let them never once make an appearance in the show. Neither does the Knight, Michael, who helps Dresden quite a lot with the Vampies and the Sidhe.
IF you are looking for a fun, different and intriguing show then I suggest you pick up The Dresden Files. If you want an excellent and compelling new series of books to read, then I suggest you pick up 'Storm Front' and go from there. If you want BOTH - start with the show first. If you read the books first, I just don't think you will be happy with the show.
Summary of The Dresden Files - The Complete First Season
DRESDEN FILES SEASON 1 - DVD MovieSimilar DVD Movies
The Invisible Man: Season OneNBC Universal; Release date: 2012-01-10; DVD
Best price: $3.95
Price in other shops:
Dead Beat (The Dresden Files, Book 7)by Jim Butcher
Roc; Published: 2006-05-02; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $9.99
Changes: A Novel of the Dresden Filesby Jim Butcher
Roc; Published: 2011-03-01; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $9.99
The Dresden Files: Welcome to the Jungleby Jim Butcher
Del Rey/Dabel Brothers; Published: 2008-10-14; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $12.55
Price in other shops:
Turn Coat (The Dresden Files, Book 11)by Jim Butcher
Roc; Published: 2010-03-02; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $9.99
Primeval Season 1Release date: 2012-01-30; Amazon Instant Video; TV Series Season Video on Demand
Best price: $9.99
Moonlight: The Complete SeriesWarner Brothers; Release date: 2011-05-31; DVD
Best price: $13.43
Price in other shops:
Birds of Prey: The Complete SeriesWarner Brothers; Release date: 2008-07-15; DVD
Best price: $10.95
Price in other shops:
Side Jobs: Stories from the Dresden Filesby Jim Butcher
Roc Trade; Published: 2011-12-06; Paperback; Book
Best price: $10.01
Price in other shops:
Witchblade: The Complete SeriesWarner Brothers; Release date: 2008-07-29; DVD
Best price: $14.14
Price in other shops: