THE WALKING DEAD: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON – 3-DISC SPECIAL EDITION (2010, Blu-ray released October 4, 2011 – MSRP $49.99)

TV SERIES:
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AUDIO:
EXTRAS:
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Series review quoted from “The Walking Dead: The Complete First Season Blu-ray Disc Review” – March 14, 2011

Much like the groaning, lurching undead creatures themselves, the zombie genre refuses to lie quietly in it’s grave. AMC‘s The Walking Dead series proves that there’s some life left in the old carcass, producing a thrilling, if flawed, six-episode season that looks and sounds great on Blu-ray, now available in a new-and-improved 3-Disc Special Edition!

“After waking from a coma in an abandoned hospital, police officer Rick Grimes finds the world he knew gone – ravaged by a zombie epidemic of apocalyptic proportions. Nearby, on the outskirts of Atlanta, a small encampment struggles to survive as ‘the dead’ stalk them at every turn. Can Rick and the others hold onto their humanity as they fight to live in this terrifying new world? And, amidst dire conditions and personal rivalries, will they ultimately survive one another? AMC’s The Walking Dead is an epic, survival adventure series from the director of The Shawshank Redemption and the producer of The Terminator and Aliens. “

The Walking Dead might borrow heavily from 28 Days Later for it’s setup but the series quickly and boldly heads off on its own direction, becoming a complex soap opera of a sort. The interpersonal drama that fuels the series’ engine is well balanced with zombie action that’s surprisingly (and I hate to say it, but refreshingly) gory and graphic for television, well realized in special effects work that rivals that of big budget motion pictures. But for every well crafted zombie attack there are just as many missteps in the writing – cliché action beats abound and characters act out of turn, seemingly to support flimsy plot devices, far too often. Gripes aside,The Walking Dead is a compelling viewing experience. It’s addictive. Once I started into the Blu-ray set I couldn’t stop watching.

The Walking Dead was shot dirty and gritty on 16mm but looks incredible on Blu-ray, despite not having the benefit of the visual information of the larger film stocks used for feature films. Anchor Bay has done a bang-up job here, translating the grainy texture of the film to 1080p. Blacks are deep and inky, there’s detail aplenty and the ever-present sheen of film grain hearkens the series back to some of the finer b-movie zombie extravaganzas of the ’70s and early ’80s. Paired with an unflinching, dynamic Dolby TrueHD 5.1 that has the teeth to rip out your jugular, this is one of the finer technical presentations a television series has received on Blu-ray.

The Walking Dead: The Complete First Season was previously available in a 2-disc set that was released this past March. This new 3-disc Special Edition carries over all the special features and adds a ton more. In fact, it adds a whole disc more. And more! This is everything I had wanted from the original release – commentary tracks from the cast and filmmakers, more in-depth behind-the-scenes footage and a closer look at the zombie makeup and effects. This new Blu-ray set even goes so far as to include a black-and-white version of the pilot episode (sadly hobbled by a lowly, compressed Dolby Digital 5.1 track), much like the b&w option on director/producer Frank Darabont‘s The Mist Blu. For the record, whether it’s the loss of the deep red of all the blood and guts on screen or the overwhelming mid-tones of DOP David Tattersall‘s photography, I think this show works better in colour. Don’t get me wrong, though, it’s a kick to see how things look, all Night-of-the-Living-Dead-like. I wish more home video collections went this distance to give the fans what they’re clamouring for. With all these new extras on board and a killer transfer of all the episodes, this release is a complete home run!

The only thing muddying the waters here is that it’s a double-dip, coming only a few short months after the series’ initial Blu-ray release. I’m not sure what the studio is thinking but if you didn’t already grab yourself a copy of The Walking Dead, this new 3-Disc set is the one you want. If you already own the 2-disc set and you don’t really care about extras, don’t worry about it. Just never mind this whole release. But if you’re keen on learning more about the show, you might want to sell your old copy and trade up to the new.

The Walking Dead: The Complete First Season – 3-Disc Special Edition is also available in a Limited Edition Collector’s Box (which appears to be a Best Buy Exclusive) that includes a wearable zombie mask designed By Greg Nicotero and an exclusive Cryptozoic Walking Dead trading card.

That’s me wearing the Nicotero zombie mask in the dark, grainy pic below. Pretty decent, n’est-ce pas? A little small for my head but it looks gory and fairly convincing with the seams tucked under a hoodie! Needless to say, I’m no longer allowed to wear it around the house. This mask is not at all popular with my girlfriend, who reluctantly snapped this pic…

New Special Features

• Pilot Episode: Black and White Version
• Audio Commentaries on All 6 episodes with Writer/Director Frank Darabont, Executive Producer Gale Anne Hurd, Executive Producer/Writer Robert Kirkman, Producer Denise Huth, Actor Andrew Lincoln, Special Effects Make-Up Artist/Consulting Producer Greg Nicotero and more.
• We Are The Walking Dead
• Bring Out the Dead: KNB and the Art of Making Zombies
• Digital Decay: The VFX of The Walking Dead
• No More Room in Hell: The Walking Dead Phenomenon
• Adapting The Dead
• Killer Conversations: Frank Darabont & Greg Nicotero

Previously Released Special Features

• The Making of The Walking Dead
• Inside The Walking Dead: Episodes 1 – 6
• A Sneak Peek with Robert Kirkman
• Behind-the-Scenes Zombie Make-Up Tips
• Convention Panel with the Producers
• Extra Footage: Zombie School, Bicycle Girl, On Set with Robert Kirkman, Hanging with Steven Yeun, Inside Dale’s RV, On Set with Andrew Lincoln
• The Walking Dead Trailer

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