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Posted by : beartist
The fourth season of ``The Simpsons'' (released on DVD in June) may be the best in the long history of the animated series. But certainly ``The Simpsons: The Complete Fifth Season'' ($49.98), now in stores, is first runner-up.
With such rewatchable favorites as ``Cape Feare,'' ``Rosebud,'' ``Bart Gets an Elephant'' and perhaps the show's finest ``Treehouse of Horror'' episode, adding this DVD to your library is a no-brainer.
It's a delight to get two ``Simpsons'' collections in the same year. What's even better is watching the quality of these box sets continue to rise. The menu screens on the fifth season are especially impressive; humorous animated elements that draw on moments from the season's episodes -- like the one where Bart is chased by a murderous Sideshow Bob -- dominate the screen, but the features are still easy to access, which hasn't always been the case on ``Simpsons'' DVDs.
Another bit of good news for fans: More deleted scenes are included here than on any previous set (a total of 21 minutes, to be exact). As always, other extras abound, including animation showcases, a featurette with executive producer James L. Brooks, commentary tracks on every episode, animated commentaries and, of course, hidden Easter eggs.
Most improved bonus: Although some of them were clearly excised for a reason, it's still a joy to see so many deleted scenes. Some reveal little-known secrets, like the fact that Apu wears a wig.
Dullest bonus: The ``A Look Back With James L. Brooks'' featurette doesn't disclose anything everyone doesn't already know about the ``Simpsons'' phenomenon. Skip it, and watch the far more enlightening commentary tracks instead.
Coolest bonus: The animated commentaries allowed illustrators Wes Archer and David Silverman to talk and sketch characters on the screen as the episode unfolds, demonstrating, for example, how completely different the original Bart drawings looked. It's a fun and creative use of the commentary medium, one I suspect other DVDs may copy.
A bonus suggestion: Please add subtitles or a picture-in-picture element to the commentary tracks. On ``Treehouse of Horror,'' for example, eight people participate in the commentary, but the only voice I could reliably, consistently identify was Conan O'Brien's. A subtitle effect would go a long way toward clearing up the confusion.
Note: Newspaper News |
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| Thursday, January 06, 2005 - 09:50 AM | |
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