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Rome: The Complete First Season |
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Thursday, 24 August 2006 |
 Rome: The Complete First Season
One thing consistent with an HBO production is attention to detail: Rome in 52 B.C.is no exception. Who wouldn’t be interested in a historical piece that details a bygone era that continues to fascinate? While historical accuracy is important, of course, it’s the story that makes or breaks it all—not to mention that the Republic is dying and being replaced by an Empire. And for two war-weary soldiers, the last thing they want is to get caught up in the intrigues and politics going on around them.Just think I, Claudius, but with a common touch.
The whole reason for DVD in the first place was to raise the bar on being able to see detail and so possess a greater “feel” as to what is being watched. No doubt a high-definition disc will push it even higher, but there’s nothing hereto disappoint the viewer’s eye. Audio is multi-channel, and certainly the addition of the surround adds to the ambience in general, as well as when specifically called upon to kick in.
The sheer number of bonus features easily overshadows the 12 episodes in length: inter-active on-screen guides, behind-the-scenes features involving specific scenes, and “how-tos” dealing with special effects, audio commentaries (of course, lots and lots of detailed focus on what made Rome tick), and even a well-appointed character guide booklet. And it’s all encased in an unusual case that looks and feels“old,” as an atmosphere addition to ownership.
| Studio: |
HBO Video |
| Format: |
Widescreen, Dolby Digital 5.1 |
| Audio Quality: |
A- |
| Video Quality: |
A |
| Ratting: |
TV-MA |
| Running Time: |
720 minutes | |
