Titanic: The Complete Story - DVD Review

***SYNOPSIS***

The “unsinkable” Titanic was a dream come true: Four city blocks long and a passenger list worth 250 million dollars. But on her maiden voyage in April 1912, that dream became a nightmare when the giant ship struck an iceberg and sank in the cold North Atlantic. More than 1,500 lives were lost in one of the greatest disasters of the 20th century. Now, the complete sensational history of the premier liner is recounted in TITANIC: THE COMPLETE STORY. Using newsreels, stills, diaries, and exclusive interviews with survivors, TITANIC: THE COMPLETE STORY charts the fateful history of the ship and its passengers as well as providing an overview on the popular culture phenomenon that this tragedy has become.

The definitive story in 3 feature-length programs:

DEATH OF A DREAM –The largest ship ever built is Christened in Ireland before a cheering crowd of 100,000. Witnes the disaster this trek becomes as numerous iceberg warnings go unheeded and the ship sinks in the icy North Atlantic.

THE LEGEND LIVES ON –Overpacked lifeboats edge away from the crippled liner as futile SOS signals flare into the night–leaving 1,500 passengers to a watery grave. Also, witness the courageous deep sea expedition to unearth Titanic’s secrets.

TITANIC’S ACHILLES HEEL –Elite divers explore the explosive theory that the doomed liner may have had a fatal design flaw–using advanced CGI technology, archive documents and photographs, as well as footage from modern-day HISTORY expeditions.




***VIDEO QUALITY***

Titanic: The Complete Story arrives on DVD with a 480i transfer in the original aspect ratio of 1.33:1. While a wholly watchable presentation there were a few things holding it back. Detail was okay but there are instances of softness. I also noticed clear use of edge enhancement. Colors were muted for the most part. Black levels were consistently strong. 7/10



***AUDIO QUALITY***

Audio is provided by a Dolby Digital Stereo 2.0 track. A front heavy track with little in the way of stereo separation was somewhat disappointing. Dialaogue was clean and natural throughout. Overall a perfectly fine listen just not a fun one.6.5/10

History of the World in Two Hours - DVD Review

***SYNOPSIS***

Did you know that 1% of the white noise you see on your television is actually background radiation from the Big Bang? From the formation of the earth and the emergence of life, to the advance of man and the growth of civilization, the CGI-driven special HISTORY OF THE WORLD IN TWO HOURS offers viewers a rapid-fire view of 14 billion years of history – an epic story that reveals surprising connections to our daily lives.



***VIDEO QUALITY***

History of the World in Two Hours arrives on DVD with a 480p transfer in the original aspect ratio of 1.66:1. While the low budget CGI distracts sometimes the overall presentation is solid. Color saturation is real good without any bleeding. Black levels were consistent and deep. Fine detail was above average with a couple instances of softness but nothing to mar the enjoyment of the image.8/10


***AUDIO QUALITY***

Audio is provided by a Dolby Digital Stereo 5.1 track. Dialogue was crisp and clean. Good use of the surrounds added to being immersed in the show. LFE is deep and added to the overall listening experience. A fun audio presentation overall 8/10