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TV show review: CONTINUUM season 4
PHOTOGRAPHY
BATTLESTAR GALACTICA (1978)
Blu-ray review by David Blackwell

DETAILS:  125 minutes, no extras
VIDEO:  1.85:1 (Anamorphic Widescreen) 1080p High Definition
AUDIO: English 2.1 DTS-HD Master Audio with Sensurround, French 2.0 DTS Digital Surround Mono
Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish

STUDIO: Universal Studios Home Entertainment
RELEASE DATE (Best Buy): 5-14-2013
RELEASE DATE (wide): unknown

I’m more of a fan of the reimagining of BATTLESTAR GALACTICA that came out about 25 years after the original BATTLESTAR GALACTICA, but I did grow up watching it in syndicated reruns in the 1980s.  The original series only lasted one season and had a one season sequel series (which many fans hated).  During the time of the original series, they edited the first three episodes (SAGA OF A STAR WORLD) into a feature film and it was released theatrically in the US in 1979 (after it was released in cinemas in Europe and aired on TV on ABC as part of the TV series).  The movie follows the story of Battlestar Glactica and a fleet of ragtag ships full of human survivors after the Cylons (robots) attack the Twelve Colonies (after deceiving the Colonial fleet that the Cylons wanted to sign for peace).   The feature film is the beginning of the story of the crew of the Galactica including Commander Adama (Lorne Greene), Apollo (Richard Hatch)- the son of Adama, Athena- Adama’s daughter, hotheaded womanizer pilot Starbuck (Dirk Bennedict), Boomer, and Tigh in addition to some of the survivors of the human race.  They begin their search for the planet earth while being hunted by the Cylons.  Their first stop is the casino planet which isn’t as bad as I remembered, but it still sticks out compared to the rest of the movie which is stronger story wise.

 

The video and sound are great on the blu-ray which features a remastered picture for the 35th anniversary of BATTLESTAR GLACTICA.  Some of the space scenes do come off a very grainy, but the rest of the picture presentation is perfect.  The 2.1 Sensurround is included to replicate the stereo sound mix used for the original theatrical release back in 1978 and 1979.

 

EXTRAS:

 none other than trailers for BATTLESTAR GALACTICA: BLOOD AND CHROME.  I hear the 1978 movie DVD has extras which weren’t carried for this blu-ray.  No actual menu is on the disc other than the pop-up menu you can access during the movie.

 

FINAL ANALYSIS:  Except for no extras and lacking a real menu, the BATTLESTAR GALACTICA pilot movie looks and sounds good on Blu-ray.

 

This review is (c)5-20-2013 David Blackwell and cannot be reprinted without permission.  Send all comments to feedback@enterline-media.com