Audio Video News

DVD: Time Bandits DiViMax Special Edition—Anchor Bay
Audio: 2
Video: 3
Extras: 4
This is the third DVD release of Terry Gilliam's 1981 fantasy about a British schoolboy and his adventures with a motley band of time-traveling thieves, assorted historical figures (including John Cleese as Robin Hood and Sean Connery as Agamemnon), a tech-obsessed Evil, and a not-so-wrathful Supreme Being. Anchor Bay's release includes several special features not previously available on disc. There's a funny and revealing interview with Gilliam and co-writer Michael Palin about the production of the film, an AFI-produced documentary on Gilliam's filmography (up to 1998's Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas), and a DVD-ROM copy of the screenplay. The specials are well done, but a commentary track would have been a welcome addition. A 1999 Criterion release includes such a track from Gilliam, Palin, Cleese, and others.

The 1.85:1 anamorphic transfer was mastered using DiViMax, which Anchor Bay describes as a high-definition process that provides "state-of-the-art picture quality." This is my first experience with DiViMax, and I was less than impressed. Some scenes looked muted and lacked contrast, while others were too contrasty, with blown-out highlights and muddy shadow areas. The Dolby EX soundtrack was also disappointing. Despite all of the fantastic sounds that come from this film—thundering hoof beats from a knight's horse, an ogre's growl, clanging swords, booming cannons—I heard nothing from my surround speakers.—Drew Hardin

DVD: Planet of the Apes 35th-Anniversary Collector's Edition—20th Century Fox
Video: 4
Audio: 3
Extras: 5
Planet of the Apes was one of the true cultural phenomena of the early 1970s. The franchise was a monster: five films, two television series, and more merchandising gear than SpongeBob SquarePants. Most of the Apes movies have not aged well, but the original—released in 1968—still holds up as a true science fiction classic. Kids love it for the great ape costumes, and adults can discuss the racial and political overtones inherent throughout the film. Of course, some will enjoy it simply for the sight of Nova in a skimpy loincloth. Truth be told, it's the combination of all these things that makes the original Planet of the Apes such an appealing film.

For the 35th anniversary of the original release of Planet of the Apes, Fox has finally given the classic the DVD treatment it deserves. The new 2.35:1 anamorphic transfer is a huge improvement over the original DVD release, although a few minor print flaws remain in places. Audio is available in both Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS, and an abundance of extras makes this two-disc set a must-own. Three commentaries, multiple featurettes (including the two-hour Behind the Planet of the Apes documentary), make-up tests, and even some fantastic home movies from Roddy McDowall provide hours of extra entertainment.

As great as the bonus materials are, it's the film itself that really stands out. Planet of the Apes is one of those rare old science fiction movies that somehow doesn't feel dated, and its message is still as vital today as it was upon its initial release. Get your stinking paws on this fantastic set as soon as you can.—Gary Maxwell

SACD: Beethoven—The Symphonies—Berlin Philharmonic, Herbert von Karajan (Universal)
Herbert von Karajan recorded the complete Beethoven symphony cycle several times—in mono, stereo, and surround—but these 1962 stereo recordings are the definitive ones. A milestone in the growth of SACD, the six-disc hybrid set includes a bonus disc documenting a rehearsal of the Ninth.

Karajan exploited Beethoven's extraordinary dynamic range by pushing the Berlin Philharmonic to play the fastest and loudest passages right at (but never past) the limit of their coherence. The SACD release serves that strategy by giving the strings an astringent sting at peak moments and a plangent softness during pianissimos. Close-miking conveys superb low-level resolution, articulating Beethoven's whispered intimacies as clearly as his kettledrum-rattling furies.

No stranger to controversy, Karajan joined Nazi party during the 1930s, although he also took flak during the '80s for hiring the orchestra's first female member. The rehearsal disc shows him as a brisk, determined taskmaster, instructing the orchestra in staccato bursts of German, as together they patiently and lovingly craft each phrase of the score. All that hard work paid off. Once you've heard the coiled-spring tension and release that Karajan achieves with the Berlin Philharmonic, other Beethoven interpreters sound like sleepwalkers.

The masters underlying this SACD set are in 24-bit/96-megahertz PCM. One can only speculate how they would sound in a DVD-Audio release—or how the analog source tapes would fare if transferred directly to DSD—but these SACDs compare favorably with both the 1990 CD boxed set and the original vinyl releases.—Mark Fleischmann