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As much as I love the idea of fantasy worlds in books and movies, the most popular Supernatural Fantasy based role playing game in the world, Dungeons and Dragons ..AKA D&D,  was never something that grabbed my attention, even with quite of a few fellow school mates being quite caught up in it.     I would often hear them make comments relating to the game (I'm buggered if I can remember any of what they were on about now) but never showed any real interest.  Considering it's been around since the 70's and is played by so many people around the world, maybe I'm missing out on something...hmmm, but God Bless the movies to peak my interest in such a thing!!


After a 10 year struggle, Courtney Solomon, D&D/Movie nutter nabbed the rights to make D&D:The Movie. 
While apparently remaining faithful to the laws and rules of the Role Playing Game, Mr Solomon created a new world for this particular game and so created the Kingdom of Izmer.   In Izmer, Those who control the dragons, control the kingdom and the kingdom is run by the magi, an elitist group, who distance themselves from the commoners of the kingdom.   Empress Savina (Thora Birch) stands alone in here political views and believes all people of Izmer should be equals.  One fellow [and quite evil] magi, Profion (Jeremy Irons having an absolute blast) wants to take over the kingdom and sets out to find the Rod of Savri (which controls these Dragons)

As coincidences go, two thieves, Ridley (Justin Whalin) and Snails (Marlon Wayans), break into the Magi Magic Castle. While pilfering, they are caught by Apprentice magician Marina (Zoe McLellan).  At the same time the castle is infiltrated by Profion's henchman Damodar (Bruce "I took over the role of Warlock from Julian Sands" Payne).  Damodar use to work for Empress Savina but is now working for Profion (who has made sure he won't stray by inflicting him with a nasty little virus in the form of a sharp clawed thingy :)
Damodar has come for a scroll which holds the map to the location of the Rod of Savri.
Marina manages to escape through a portal she creates, and brings the boys along with her (actually they had no choice as she lassoed them both together with a magic rope earlier :) 

Damodar and his goons also go through portal and chase after the trio and the Trio soon becomes a Quadro (?) as they are aided by a dwarf, Elwood (Lee Arenberg) and escape down a sewer tunnel.

And so the race is on for our heros to get the Rod Of Savri, before the eeeeeevil Profion does and becomes ruler of Izmer.

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VIDEO
The source used for this Anamorphic Widescreen Transfer was no doubt first rate.  Colours are lush, strong and vibrant, while leaving Fleshtones very accurate.  The Print was ever so clean, with only the odd blemishes flicking past the screen.
Black Level is very good allowing for a very nice range of shadow details.  Sharpness is also quite high and reveals quite a bit of detail (there's a but though :)  BUT... this Transfer is riddled from start to finish with MPEG artifacting. 
Thankfully the Artifacting isn't major and obtrusive blocking, but rather a light overall degradation of the picture. It's disappointing to see this happening as there was potential to be a reference quality transfer on offer here.) Walls, faces, clothing, background and foreground, all exhibit a slightly degraded look with an edginess, so images tend to appear oversharp and a little grainy in appearance. (this was NOT originally a grainy film)
The imperfect encoding by no means has resulted in an unwatchable picture, but it is less than stellar, and will disappoint some DVD'ers given what we're getting use to as the quality of DVD becomes more refined every day.
Some rather noticeable sequences of Mpeg artifacting are within the opening sequence (the clouds are quite blocky, and the screen text has a pulsating jerkiness about it) Chapter 3 as the boys are entering the castle window (the blue lighting is quite blocky) and during the big finale, at around 86:43 the wall to the tower goes nuts.

This movie has been spread over 2 layers of an RSDL DVD with the layer change for this 103 minute movie occurring  at 81:33 [as Ridley is walking out of the cave] (it's quite an obvious layer change as he's walking and half way through..he ain't :)

(maybe if this DVD's extensive extras were put onto a 2nd disc we could have had both video and audio which was of reference quality...pity :(

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AUDIO
Thankfully the Audio is well and truly up to scratch.  Magna Pacific have seen fit to include not only a Dolby Digital 5.1 mix (384kbps), BUT also a DTS5.1 mix (754kbps).
The source tape for Both audio tracks was clearly been re-equalised for HomeTheatre, as there's no excessive dynamic range (like in Frequency).

The DTS track offers the better mix of the two, as this movie's soundtrqack is quite rich with music (it's a very nicely orchestrated score by ..wait a minute i gotta find the dvd case.....Justin Caine Burnett is the fellas name :)
The DTS track offers considerably more higher end detail and tigher low end bass that makes all the difference in these sorts of soundtracks.  It's simply a richer sounding mix that when compared makes the Dolby Track sound quite thin.  The sound levels for both mixes appear to be at the same level, which i wasn't expecting simply because of the obvious improvements in sound reproduction of the DTS track (i honestly thought it was just recorded higher at first..but it ain't :).

All 5.1 channels are very well ultilised with a heck of a lot of Sound FX in stereo from the surrounds, and a nice use of musical ambience from the surrounds also.
Dialogue is well anchoreed the screen with very good panning to the sides, and all comes across with very good clarity and detail (it does on occasion sound a little bit ADR produced, but it's at least in sync :)

For owners of 6.1/7.1 setups you might want to engage your "EX"tra   surround channels, even though this was NOT mixed for Dolby EX/DTS ES playback.  There are some fabulous mono surround FX mixed in with the extensive split surrounds that truly kick ass in 6.1 mode, and still leaves for a very expanive surround mix.  (gotta love a fire breathing dragon breathing from behind before it attacks :))))

The only gripe i have with the Audio is that you CAN"T change the audio on the Fly, and with the menu design you're probably gonna get a bit peeved by this (see extras below for explaination :)

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EXTRAS
This is certainly a pull out all the stops on the extras DVD, starting with the very nicely animated menus, with Dolby 5.1 sound. (that's one tick :)

My one complaint about the menus is in the access to the "audio setup"!
From the main menu you can only select from "play movie" "scene select" and "Special Features.  To access the "audio menu",   you must select Special Features, AND at this point, first time around,  you don't actually go to a special Features page, but rather a quiz!  (which really is a nice touch).  You MUST answer 3 questions pertaining to the movie in order to get the actual "special Features" page.  WHICH IS WHERE THE AUDIO SELECTION IS!!!! So without knowing the answers, you can only watch the DVD in Dolby 5.1, seeing as you can't change the audio on the fly.  (with a bit of guess work you can eventually get the special features page, but for those of you who can't be bothered the Answer to Each question is hidden here.  Q1. B   Q2. C   Q3. D END OF HIDDEN TEXT
You also have to answer a question to access the Motion Scene Selects for the first time.
(these really are great gimics, and so long as you have answered the questions once, AND not ejected/stopped the disc, you can then free access the Scene Select and Special features pages as much as you want.  Also the "selection" on the Special Features Page is abysmially slow....we're talking "Pulp Ficition gun fires menu select slow..."  but every other aspect of this DVDs menus is lightning fast

Okay, enough griping.

• Commentary 1. Features Director Courtney Solmon, D.O.P Doug (Dougie) Mileston and D&D co-creator Dave Ameson.   Director and DOP have been recorded together, with D&D Creator having been recorded seperately and simply inserted between the quite parts of the boys comm track.   It doesn't work too badly, as the boys have a heck of a lot to say, from a technical viewpoint, and Ameson's comments are few and far between (though at times you kinda get a bit a surprise when the "other" voice pops up)
• Commentary 2 Features Director Courtney Solmon, Lead Actor Justin Whalin and D&D co-creator Dave Ameson.
  Same deal as above, but Ameson's comments aren't the same (which i was at first expecting them to be for some silly reason :)
  This is the better of the two comm tracks as it's a bit more fun with the boys kidding around a bit more :)
• Trailer  4x3 with 2 channel sound..nuff said
• B-Roll  just behind the scenes footage shot on video.. is a bit disjointed, but worth a look.  Runs 10 minutes and is 4x3 with 2 channel sound
• The Making of D&D - pretty good 20 minute featurette.  Anamorphic Widescreen with 2 chanel sound
• Let the Games Begin - 2nd featurette runs 15 minutes with interviews, etc.  (anamorphic Widescreen)
• Production Notes  - 30 pages of Text based info on the 10 years it took to get D&D on the big screen.  (Anamorphic Widescreen)
• Cast and Crew - your usual sort of bios, but with a nice addition of interviews at the end of each, except for Dougie Mileson.
• Deleted Scenes - 22 minutes worth   there's 1 alternate ending, and 11 deleted scenes (some without finished CGI work).   You can listen to this with a dolby 2 track, OR director's commentary... this audio CAN be switched on the fly!!  :)  (all are Anamorphic Widescreen)
• Special Effects Demonstation.  - 4 sequences with multi-angle capability.  (you get the finished film shots, pre-cgi, midway cgi, or storyboard piccys).  nice and (all are Anamorphic Widescreen)
• Sydney City Dolby Trailer (Authorers DVDtech, have included their version of the Dolby City Trailer on the end of the movie)
  

I really didn't have great expections for this movie, as the Role Playing Game never really peaked my curiousity, but i found the movie is a fun little romp, that didn't take itself too seriously.
As for the DVD, well it is technically flawed in the video Department, but does offer a terrific DTS5.1 mix and a wealth of extras. (Rent it first if you think the less than perfect Video might bother you) 

Review Equipment
TV: Pioneer SD-T50W1 (16:9 RPTV)
DVD: Pioneer DV717  (using RGB outputs)
Receiver : Denon AVC-A1SE THX Ultra (Dolby Surround EX, DTS-ES Discrete)
Speakers:-
     Mains: Quadral Amun
     Centre: B&W CDMC-SE
     Surrounds Left/Right: M&K SS500 (Dipole)
     Surrounds Back : Polk RT/fx (Diplole)
     Subby: M&K V125 

- Reviewed 5th September 2001

*  jpeg files for internet promotion use only. Copyright© exists on all aspects of these files by Magna Pacific