TotalTelly.co.uk
Devoted to Popular, Cult and Retro TV
Dungeons & Dragons: The Complete Animated Series (REGION 1) (NTSC)
Our Price: £22.76 (subject to change)
Gone But Not Forgotten!
Review date: 2008-09-28 Rating: 10 out of 10
Finally, after 2 decades, all 27 episodes of the classic 'Dungeons & Dragons' animated TV series are available on DVD! This was one of my all time favorite shows growing up, and I have anxiously awaited its arrival on DVD for some time. Now, BCI (the same company that brought us the exemplary He-Man DVD sets) have released not only the complete series, but a ton of extras in this beautifully remastered 5-disc boxed set.
For the uninitiated, 'Dungeons & Dragons' tells the tale of six kids who, after riding the Dungeons & Dragons rollercoater, mysteriously get sucked into its fantasy world. There, each of them gains magical talents and abilities, all the better to survive their time in the Realm. The bow-shooting ranger, the acrobat, the thief, the cavalier, the wizard, and the boy-barbarian are soon joined by a baby unicorn, and tutored by the mysterious Dungeon Master. Opposing them is the evil sorcerer Venger, as well as various monsters and entities all intent on keeping the kids from getting back home. 'Dungeons & Dragons' was one of CBS' most popular animated series, airing from 1983-1986, and later on Fox Kids. Created by the legendary Marvel Productions, the series was based on the popular TSR role-playing game created in 1974, which spawned an entire industry.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
*All-new half hour documentary, 'Entering the Realm of Dungeons & Dragons' featuring interviews with the show's production team, writers, animators, and network executives
*Two commentary tracks for episodes 'Night of No Tomorrow' & 'The Dragon's Graveyard' with producer Bob Richardson, story editor/ voice director Hank Saroyan, writers Mark Evanier & Michael Reaves, and CBS executives Ted Field II & Judy Price
*Radio show-style presentation of the unaired final episode 'Requiem' featuring select original voice cast members
*Full length animated storyboard with interactive episode comparison for Episode #16 'The Girl Who Dreamed Of Tomorrow'
*'Choose Your Own Adventure' DVD Game & 'Uni's Fun Facts' Trivia
*50 characters, creatures & artifacts profiles with bios, images & clips, plus extensive gallery of original model sheets & memorabilia
*Short live-action film by fan Sean Kennedy
*Alternate and rare footage plus hidden easter eggs
*DVD-ROM features including scripts for multiple episodes (including the un-produced series finale script), complete storyboards and the original series bible
*Episode guide booklet with show's synopsis, writers and original air dates
*Official 'Dungeons & Dragons' hard-cover game supplement created exclusively by Wizards of the Coast featuring 32 pages of character profiles and stat blocks. The adventures is a prelude to the episode 'The Dragon's Graveyard' and is designed to bridge the game and the animated TV series. The characters and world within the animated series is now playable with the traditional RPG game.
It's unfortunate that some uninformed adults originally feared that the game and show promoted occult activities (a claim that seems ludicrous in retrospect). Eventually, it was not magic that led to the show's premature cancellation in 1986, but rather sagging ratings. But thanks to this DVD release, fans can relive all these great adventures as often as they'd like. For a small company, BCI continues to show their unparalleled commitment to modern cartoon classics through its beautifully remastered DVD sets and extensive supplemental material that are second to none. All of this begs the question, CAN BCI RELEASE ALL MY FAVORITE SHOWS?!?
Product Details/Specifications
Actor(s):
Georgi Irene
Jennifer Darling
Maia Mattisse
Gary Goren
Laurie O'Brien
Creators:
Jennifer Darling (Primary Contributor)
Gary Goren (Primary Contributor)
Hank Saroyan (Producer)
Karl Geurs (Producer)
Margaret Loesch (Producer)
Dave Arneson (Writer)
Dennis Marks (Writer)
E. Gary Gygax (Writer)
Kevin Paul Coates (Writer)
Michael Reaves (Writer)
Director(s):
Recording label: BCI, a Navarre Corporation Company
Manufacturer: BCI, a Navarre Corporation Company
EAN: 0787364760992
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 5
Format: Animated, Box set, Collector's Edition, Colour, DVD-Video, NTSC,
Release date: 2006-12-05
Universal product code (UPC): 787364753093
Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
Region code: 1
Running time: 594 minutes
Theatrical release date: 1983-09-17
Language: English (Original Language)