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| Dvdivas
was founded by John Gabbard in 2000. It's purpose has been and
remains to be to provide you, the entertainment community with
the latest dvds and movie reviews. It will continue to be your
link to the most popular dvd movies. |
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"Dead
Like Me"- "Season 1"
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Reviewed
by: |
Wayne A. Klein |
| Genre: |
Fantasy drama
|
| Video: |
Widescreen
anamorphic 1.78:1 |
| Audio: |
Dolby Digital
Surround 5.1 |
| Languages |
English |
| Subtitles |
None |
| Length |
627 minutes
|
| Rating |
NR |
| Release Date |
6/15/04 |
| Studio |
MGM Home
Video |
| Commentary:
|
Audio commentary
|
| Documentaries:
|
None |
| Featurettes:
|
"The Music of Dead Like
Me featurette"", "Behind the Scenes of Dead Like Me" |
| Filmography/Biography:
|
None |
|
Interviews: |
None |
| Trailers/TV
Spots: |
Previews |
| Alternate/Deleted
Scenes: |
Deleted
scenes |
| Music
Video: |
None |
| Other:
|
Photo gallery
|
| Cast
and Crew: |
Ellen Muth,
Mandy Patinkin, Rebecca Gayheart, Callum Blue, Jasmine Guy,
Laura Harris, Cynthia Stevenson |
| Written
By: |
Bryan Fuller,
Peter Ocko, Dan Fesman, Harry Victor |
| Produced
By: |
Bryan Fuller,
Peter Ocko, Pascal Verschooris, Scott Winant |
| Directed
By: |
Milan Cheylov,
Kevin Dowling, David Grossman, James Whitmore Jr., Helen Shaver
|
| Music:
|
Stewart Copeland |
| The
Review: |
Employment
opportunities exist even for the dead. When George (Muth) dies
at a premature young age, she's recruited by Rube (Patinkin)
who supervises the grim reapers that take those from the world
of the living. Evidently being dead also has its psychological
challenges how else to explain some of the odd habits these
denizens of the afterlife take up and their peculiar behavior?
Each character has its quirks and the ensemble cast are all
given individual moments to shine in the 14 episodes from the
first season of this cable series. Well written, witty, dark
and, ultimately, touching "Dead Like Me" earns its stripes as
one of the most original cult series to emerge in the last decade.
Like "The X-Files", "The Prisoner" and "The Tick" "Dead Like
Me" breaks new ground with its concept and actually delivers
on its initial promise. *** |
| Image
and Sound: |
"Dead Like
Me" looks alive and kicking on DVD. For such a "dark" themed
series, "Dead Like Me" looks pretty darn vibrant employing a
wide variety of colors to portray the mood of each episode.
The soundtrack and use of sound effects throughout the 14 episodes
is imaginatively employed as well. I didn't decade any distortion
or problems with the transfer. Stewart Copeland (former drummer
with The Police) provides an atmospheric and imaginative score
that is rendered very well here. --- |
| The
Extras: |
Two featurettes
break the terminal boredom of the afterlife providing us an
inside peak into the making of the show and the music selected
for the series. The music featurette has interviews with composer
Stewart Copeland and Executive Producer John Masius. We also
get a photo gallery with about 15 photos. We get to view about
a half hour of deleted scenes as well. Personally, I would have
liked to see them within the context of the show ("The X-Files"
offers the option to watch them separately with audio commentary
or reintegrated into the show by comparison). While rather weak
on the extras portion, the strong writing, direction and acting
make up for the slim pickings here. --- |
| Commentary:
|
We get to
hear an audio commentary by most of the main cast. It's nice
to see more cast members doing these type of commentary tracks
(and studios asking them to do them as well). |
| Final
Words: |
A funny,
witty, sad and powerful television show, "Dead Like Me" manages
to make an impact with its innovative way at examining the human
condition. |
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