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Avg. Rating: 4
DVD should have been better but still a must own
I don't really have much to say about the film that you couldn't read elsewhere. It's an animated classic by uber director Osamu Dezaki. The art is gorgeous,incredibly detailed and looks like the comic in motion. The jazzy soundtrack is also superb. It's essentially a must own for any animation fan.
Thats the movie, the DVD itself is rather dissapointing. For one, it features next to no extras outside of a short 3 minute tidbit interview with the producer. Next, while the picture is in widescreen, it's non-anamorphic which really ruins things for anyone with a HDTV. There's a problem in the audio area as well. For the Japanese audio track, the wrong music is played for the opening and closing credit sequences, while both English audio tracks play the correct music. Urban Vision also saw fit to alter the logo sequence, inserting a terribly out of place new logo graphic. I guess they felt people buying a Japanese animation DVD would have a problem with a Japanese title logo..?
Of course outside of importing the Japanese region 2 DVD, this is the best option for owning the movie at this point. So unless your content with your rotting Streamline vhs tape, I suggest you pick this up.
Classic anime done even better
This is an awesome movie!!! It's not for children -- there's sex, murder, and action from beginning to end -- but that's exactly why it stands above the usual fluffy, magical anime. This is a dark anime with a substantive story and great visuals. I first saw The Professional on VHS, and Urban Vision has done a great job upping the quality of the picture and remastering the sound. It's bright, sharp, and engaging. The interview with the producer is an interesting bonus feature. I would have loved to see more bonus features, but with a title of this age, I'm just thrilled the film looks and sounds as good as it does. After all, the film is what I bought the DVD for.
Great movie. Disappointing DVD
I already reviewed the movie for the VHS release, so I won't repeat too much of what I said here. If you haven't seen the movie and you are into animation, I suggest you look into it. It's a fine piece of cinema, with every shot meticulously planned and a storyline that makes sense of the killing and nudity, something missing in many films of the same genre. It should be noted that my score for this is a result of the DVD release, not the movie itself.
I have waited a long time for "The Professional: Golgo 13" to be released on DVD. When I heard Urban Vision (who I assumed was dead from their lack of updates at their website) was finally releasing it on DVD November 1st, I couldn't wait. Come the date I ran to Best Buy and bought it, bringing it home and Christianing it on my computer's DVD drive. Ultimate feeling? Bittersweet.
To put things in perspective, let's review the special features for the horrible sequel that Urban Vision released on DVD long ago. The sequel, "Queen Bee: Golgo 13," (which I have also already reviewed) comes with an audio commentary by the film's Japanese director and executive producer. This DVD came with a short (barely three minutes) interview with the producer, and while he mentions one or two interesting things (such as this was the first Japanese animated film to use computer graphics) it was really a waste. A large section is him saying what an "otaku" is. Uh...Urban Vision? I think a large majority of the people watching this DVD already know what an otaku is. Any way, you're telling me Osamu Dezaki could take time commentating on the lackluster sequel but couldn't be found to discuss the box-office hit that made the sequel possible? Imagine Steven Spielburg doing a commentary for "Jurassic Park II" but not the first one, and you'll understand how I feel.
The special features of this DVD can be reviewed individual as thus:
--5.1 Digitally Remastered Japanese and English Audio (which means the old Japanese track will sound like a really well recorded old Japanese track and the English audio will sound like it was recorded in a tunnel)
--Interview with producer Mata Yamamoto (already discussed)
--Art Gallery - let me take a moment to rant on this. DVD releasers, stop it with this "art gallery" rubbish. An "Art Gallery" on a DVD are nothing but screenshots from the film. Whoop dee doo. This is a step down from DVD releases boasting "chapter selections." (which is like if VHS tapes boasted "VCR playability") Do not tell people the DVD has an art gallery unless said gallery consists of character model sheets, original storyboards, and concept art. Otherwise, don't bother.
--Trailers (the Urban Vision trailers you've already seen a dozen times already)
There are two things I am happy with regarding this DVD:
1) Urban Vision put back in the original opening with CG skeletons that was taken out in the original American release. I do commend them for doing that.
2) The movie is in widescreen format - and, to be fair, it looks cleaner in video than the original VHS release. I commend them for their job on that as well.
I now own this copy because I'm always upgrading my movie collection to DVD. I'm happy with the movie itself, but as a DVD release I was really disappointed. Urban Vision could have - and should have - done better.
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