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Battlestar Galactica - The Complete Epic Series (Limited Edition Cylon Head Packaging)

Battlestar Galactica - The Complete Epic Series (Limited Edition Cylon Head Packaging)

List Price: $119.98
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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: At last!! The original BG on DVD
Review: An absolutely must have!! Don't bother watching the SciFi mini-series! Stick with the original. Great cast.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: The DVD collection that Galactica fans have been waiting for
Review: I won't try to convince those who hate this series that they should really like it. I am glad to see that there are others besides me who find Galactica tremendously entertaining. But I would offer a suggestion to those who hate the show because of the obvious lack of understanding of basic facts about outerspace and physics on the part of the show's writers: just ignore it and enjoy the truly good stuff this series offers.

Other people complained about the special effects not looking quite right. In some scenes you can see the little squares behind the fighter spacecraft where they were put into the scene. You can see the big shaft holding up the Galactica. I never remember seeing this before on the shows aired on TV. Someone did a bad job transferring this to DVD.

The deleted scenes will be interesting to Galactica fans. Some of them fill in missing plot points. It was interesting to see that there were several scenes in the first (three part) episode in which Adama planned to resign because he felt guilty about having to decide who would be allowed to come with the fleet and who would be left behind to be killed, eventually, by the Cylon.

The scenes look very 1970s. The haircuts. All the computers look like they are 25 years old. But this show has ATMOSPHERE. There has never been any adversary in science fiction history as cool as the Cylons. Nothing in Star Wars can compare to them. The musical soundtrack for the series is incredible. Has there ever been another weekly TV series made with a sound track this good? I don't think so.

I just love watching Adama, Starbuck, Apollo, and Boomer. Athena is beautiful. (I didn't remember how gorgeous she was!) The characters are great. A real treat to see them.

There was an interview with Glen Larson, a commentary sountrack only on the first three part episode, and not much else with regards to extras (besides the deleted scenes). I think that there could have been more extras added. I really would have liked to hear more from Glen Larson. I think he's still alive, so why couldn't they get him to do some commentary on some of the episodes he wrote?

Other people have complained about the size of the box. Inside the big outer box is a small inner box that holds the 6 DVDs and is the same size as other DVD containers. If you don't want to keep the big box, THROW IT OUT. It's only supposed to look cool in stores, you don't need it to enjoy the DVDs.

Some have complained that this series is too expensive. I don't understand because it's priced similarly to other DVDs. With 10 DVDs worth of material, that comes out to less than $9/DVD at the current asking price. It's one thing to maybe complain that ALL DVDs cost too much. But to say this series costs to much is to somehow say that two hours of Battlestar Galactic is worth less than two hours of something else. And to that I strongly disagree. I am throughly enjoying watching these DVDs, much more so than most more modern and more expensive/minute DVDs.

I give the series itself 5 stars, and the quality of the DVDs three stars (a horrible job with transferring this series to DVD, good job with the deleted scenes, too bad not more commentary), so it averages out to 4 stars.

Fans of the show will thorougly enjoy watching the whole series from beginning to end without commercial interruption.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A must for a true fan
Review: This is of course for the Battlestar Galactica fan. Even with the extras, just having all the episodes on DVD is awesome!! Been waiting for this for some time, pre-ordered over nine months ago!!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A Classic on DVD
Review: Finally one of my favorite shows has made its way to DVD. I can remember watching Battlestar Galactica reruns many years ago on saturday afternoons along with Buck Rogers and Star Trek. The cylons are some of the best cyborgs to appear in all science fiction. If you enjoy classic, nostalgic science fiction I recommend that you buy this boxed set

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: No felgercarb in this set!
Review: If Classic Trek is the epitome of a cult sci-fi show, then Battlestar Galactica is the very essence of one. The loyalty of the fan base is amazing, and Trekkies are probably jealous on some level or other about what little stolen thunder Galactica fans may have enjoyed in 1978 and since.

As for the series, to be honest, there are some problems with it. The blatant overuse of stock footage puts an Irwin Allen spin on the proceedings (realistically, how many times can a Viper get nicked in the top tailfin by Cylon laser fire, and escape destruction?!) The shamelessly 70's hairstyles, disco dancing, and kid-friendly atmosphere have all tended to date Galactica over time. But even so, despite everything, Galactica retains a certain charm unseen in any of those new Treks we've been inundated with.

The show was always a favorite of mine, but mostly because it was a show I watched as a kid, and have not seen except in bits and pieces over the years. Of course, I had to buy it when it came out on DVD.

The episodes have been transferred to disc with good quality, and the show is as crisp and colorful as possible. The Cylon packaging for the set is interesting, but ultimately fragile and too bulky for storage. While the attempt is appreciated, the special packaging works against those of us drowning in our DVD collections.

What really strikes me after screening the series in this set is just how BIG it was. The scale of the Galactica always seems to be nicely realized, especially on the bridge, which is just packed with extras moving about in the background. Touches like that help convey the epic scale of the story as well, and the sheer vastness of space in the Galactica Universe. On top of that, look at the names of those who guest starred; Lloyd Bridges, Fred Astaire, Ray Milland, Jane Seymour, Patrick Macnee, Lew Ayres, John Hoyt, Paul fix, Edward Mulhare, Rick Springfield, Jonathan Harris, Britt Ekland, Roy Thinnes, Ray Bolger, and more.

Besides that impressive roster, we have the regulars, Lorne Green and John Colicos. It goes without saying that Green was always amazing in any role he played, but I think if there is one actor who gets forgotten, it would have to be Colicos. Colicos was always incredible, here or in any other part. Richard Hatch also delivered in every instance, while Terry Carter, Herb Jefferson Jr., and Maren Jensen hit all the right notes when in front of the camera. Supporting actors David Greenan (Omega) and Sarah Rush (Rigel) also light up the screen in their admittedly limited roles. It pains me to admit it, but even Noah Hathaway (Boxey) gives a good accounting of himself in his part.

Certainly no new Trek can compare with the sheer size and scope of Battlestar Galactica, and the almost unsung achievements of this rare offering from 1978.

By comparison, the most disappointing aspect of screening the show after so long a time is the realization that Boxey, Muffit, and Athena all inexplicably vanish from the last fifth of the series. While I always disliked Boxy and his robot dog (I did like Athena), their sudden absence is very noticeable. Also, other than the two that cameo in "Baltar's Escape", there is the very palpable lack of Cylons in the last fifth of the series. Kind of hard to flee the Cylon tyranny when there are no Cylons to flee from!

The best feature in the set by far is the almost overwhelming amount of cut scenes and alternate takes. Not only do some of these snippets help fill in a few holes and illuminate certain plot points, but you get a good feeling for the production method used on the set to make the series. In fact, it's hard to choose the most important of the cut elements. Probably the best has little or nothing to do with the plots or whatnot, but a scene in which Adama explains to Boxey the problem that the Terrans face with differences in air pressure.

Fun to see this show again after so long, plus the cuts, and the featurettes. The behind the scenes documentary covers just about everything, too. All in all, the set is a real winner, and despite the dated hairstyles and whatnot, Battlestar Galactica reminds us that Trek is not all there is to sci-fi.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Great DVD boxset of the classic original series!
Review: I just finished viewing all of the content in the Battlestar Galactica DVD boxset. It took me nearly two weeks to view all of the episodes and extra features. There is an enormous amount of material to go through on this set.

The packaging is indeed unique, being a molded plastic Cylon helmet with a chrome coat on top of it. The "Red Eye" portion is a thin reflective coating similar to a lenticular sticker. The set is a little large with the helmet packaging, but that really doesn't bother me since it's interesting just to have sitting on a shelf. The set also comes with a nice collector's booklet with air dates and information about all of the episodes, photos, drawings, ship diagrams, etc. The booklet is about the size of a magazine, which is great since it wasn't some dinky little booklet.

As for the 6 DVD discs themselves, they are all Double-Sided. Universal shows Single-Sided on the advertising materials for the set, and even on the back of the boxset! That's a minor gripe, but somewhat deceiving to potential buyers. Many of the DVD's are Dual-layer on one side and Single-Layer on the opposite side to maximize the footage on a single DVD. The Menus on all 6 discs are the same, but still a nicely done motion layer sequence that runs at about 52 seconds. As for the interior package that holds all 6 DVD discs, it is a foldout package that has clear plastic disc holders with photos underneath. They are rather sturdy in their grasps on the discs, I had trouble freeing up one disc at first. On the opposite foldout side are layered photos from the series. All episodes and time lengths are also listed on the back of the inner package.

As for the episode transfers on the set, they are very clean and clear for a TV series which aired in the late 1970's. Actually they are almost too sharp and clear at times. You can sometimes see the "matte-frames" or "wires" in shots very clearly. It doesn't bother me while viewing, but it might with some viewers. At least the episodes were all untouched and not fooled around with. The sound is presented in a new Dolby Digital 5.1 mix. I didn't notice too much stereo seperation on my home theater system except in certain intense scenes. On nearly every episode there are various Deleted and Alternate scenes, and Bloopers. In total there are well over 3 hours of those additional scenes spanning the 6 discs.

There is a great 45 minute feature with all new interviews with the cast and creators. A video interview with series creator Glen Larson concerning the creation of the series is also included. To top it off, there are several mini-featurettes about the music score, Daggits, and Cylons.

I would gladly recommend this DVD set to any fan of the series. It is well worth the money and the wait to have the entire series to view at any time, and finally crystal clear in quality!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Question for anybody who has this
Review: Can somebody please tell me which version of the pilot is included-- the standard 2:05 movie version, or the longer version originally shown on TV? Not one of the wannabe movie critics provided this information in his lengthy treatise. Thank you.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: deleted scenes galore!!!
Review: This is the best box set that I have seen so far! It totally blows the xtra content of most sets away. I had read a fair number of reviews before dishing out the 90 bucks but I have to say that I am totally happy with my purchase. (and the box rocks, even if it doesnt fit on the ol' DVD shelf) Buy this set and you won't be sorry!!!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: As Homer Simpson might say, "Holy Macaroni!"
Review: Okay, so the oversized Cylon-head box won't fit neatly on a shelf with other "regulation sized" DVDs. This is to be expected for a DVD set of Battlestar Galactica: a show which forged a path all its own.

This DVD set includes the complete original series. No, this doesn't include "Galactica 1980," as if anyone would want it to. Instead, it includes all 22 episodes of the original series, before ABC-TV pulled the plug in April 1979. Each of the six discs is two-sided, meaning essentially 12 discs for the 22 episodes. This leaves room for the episodes and a slew of extras.

Extras...? How about an audio commentary for the pilot episode, including Dirk Benedict (Starbuck) and Richard Hatch (Apollo)? How about tons upon tons of deleted scenes for 15 of the episodes...? Granted these deletions are very "raw cut" though that's what makes them so cool. Someone literally must've scrounged the cutting room floor for all of this lost footage. Featurettes include an interview with series creator Glen A. Larson, a look at the robot "Daggit," a look at the upcoming video game (which stars Terminator 3's Kristanna Loken), and the new Sci-Fi Channel Mini-Series.

The best extra is a 45 minute reunion special, on the final disc (fitting enough). All the original cast and crew are present, with the exception of Jane Seymour, Lorne Greene and Maren Jensen. This is a nice addition. They obviously had a lot of fun starring in this show. That's only fair. I had a lot of fun watching them!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: As Homer Simpson might say, "Holy Macaroni!"
Review: Okay, so the oversized Cylon-head box won't fit neatly on a shelf with other "regulation sized" DVDs. This is to be expected for a DVD set of Battlestar Galactica: a show which forged a path all its own.

This DVD set includes the complete original series. No, this doesn't include "Galactica 1980," as if anyone would want it to. Instead, it includes all 22 episodes of the original series, before ABC-TV pulled the plug in April 1979. Each of the six discs is two-sided, meaning essentially 12 discs for the 22 episodes. This leaves room for the episodes and a slew of extras.

Extras...? How about an audio commentary for the pilot episode, including Dirk Benedict (Starbuck) and Richard Hatch (Apollo)? How about tons upon tons of deleted scenes for 15 of the episodes...? Granted these deletions are very "raw cut" though that's what makes them so cool. Someone literally must've scrounged the cutting room floor for all of this lost footage. Featurettes include an interview with series creator Glen A. Larson, a look at the robot "Daggit," a look at the upcoming video game (which stars Terminator 3's Kristanna Loken), and the new Sci-Fi Channel Mini-Series.

The best extra is a 45 minute reunion special, on the final disc (fitting enough). All the original cast and crew are present, with the exception of Jane Seymour, Lorne Greene and Maren Jensen. This is a nice addition. They obviously had a lot of fun starring in this show. That's only fair. I had a lot of fun watching them!


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