STARGATE - DVD review

When I first encountered "Stargate" on video back in 1994, I was deeply disappointed with the product that had been presented. Marketed as a sci-fi action/adventure film on the levels of the original "Star Wars" or an Indiana Jones tale in space, the movie was a beast of a different nature entirely, disappointing this reviewer in his youth. The trailers for the film picked up an inordinate amount of action sequences and trumpeted the film as a trek into the past to understand the future. This, the movie is not. So as a youth of 14 who was enamored with the idea of a pseudo-Egyptian deities and time travel and epic battles, I was excited. But the final product was much different from the marketing would have had me believe, and that left me quite bitter toward this film.

Ah, how a decade can change the mind of a reviewer.

Looking upon the newly released Ultimate Edition of "Stargate," I have radically changed my mind. What I first saw as a plodding, detour-laden trip to the ultimate showdown with Ra has become clear as a true performance of the concept of a science fiction film. The movie does rush the exploration aspect of the concept for narrative construction purposes at times, such as Daniel Jackson (James Spader), the Ph.D. brought in to help translate the symbols of the Stargate moves too quickly, but I do understand the need to move the story along into the subject for which the viewers have paid their money. Some of the sequences that bothered me as a youth who wished for action and adventure now stand out as some of the most magnificent and avant garde when placed in comparison with modern films. Early scenes in the film where the language rift exists between the military travelers and the native slave population being punctuated by a lack of subtitles, leaving the viewer just as clueless as to the motives and understandings of the villagers as the military crew.

"Stargate" is a film of exploration. The theatrical version of the film is crafted in such a way as to pull the audience along on the journey and allow them to experience the discoveries of Kurt Russel's Col. O'Neil and Dr. Jackson on a parallel path, ignoring the omniscient viewpoint that is common in today's films. Although that narrative perspective does allow for humor or suspense in limited situations because the audience knows something that the characters do not, it is refreshing to be kept out of the loop and have to wonder what is going on outside the sphere they are presented with. Some may believe that limiting perspective is frustrating, however I find it far more engaging as a viewer. It's just the line that's drawn between an enthymeme and a syllogism… at what point to we disengage the audience because we've laid the entire plot out before them.

The line between narrative perspectives is the distinct difference between the story structures on the Ultimate Edition of "Stargate." The theatrical version of the film preserves the sense of wonderment and exploration that the audience feels as they view the film, not having the plot laid out before them. However the "Director's Cut" of the film commits the cardinal sin of exposing too much, too early. This new version of the film opens with a scene that is seen later in the film, that of Ra coming down from the heavens in his ship to take a human form to house his dying mind. However this scene, combined with a brief shot of the petrified remains of Ra's guards spoils the audience by giving them too much information. It removes the sense of discovery from the film by telling the audience that this is a story about alien spaceships and technology at a time when they should be enamored with the discovery of a piece of ancient machinery whose purpose is unknown. Although the Director's Cut of the film does contain a few brief scenes that are beautiful and rather brilliant that were excised for time constraints, such as a sequence where Jackson (after awaking from Ra's healing chamber) takes his time and explores Ra's chamber rather than rushing into conflict with the perceived deity. However these sequences are minimized by the aforementioned premature expositionary additions.

Getting down to the nuts and bolts of the film, Director Roland Emmerich shows his youth as an action director in the sequences featuring copious amounts of physical conflict. Fisticuffs are laughable as it is immediately apparent that no blow has come close to landing on another's person, and it breaks you briefly from the film as a whole and makes you aware of the barrier between you and the characters in the film. The same is seen with the attacks on the slave village by the attack ships and in the revolt of the people. However, as I've stated before, the film is not necessarily dependant upon those scenes and never fully realizing the full, epic scope that is possible with a film of this magnitude, succeeds in transmitting the needed information in a clear and quite enthralling manner.

Performances by the actors range from acceptable to good, with no actor jumping off the screen with a dynamic and memorable performance, though in an ensemble cast such as this, that is actually a blessing since all roles are quite important to the overall narrative. Kurt Russell brings Col. Jack O'Neil to life, a marked character who came through conflict unscathed, only to have his son die in an accident when playing with one of the Colonel's guns. Russell plays his typical strong-yet-silent roles, and does it well. The subtle emotional conflict he feels when dealing with the slave children is obvious and only once is played blatantly when a boy reaches for his gun. James Spader brings little to the table, playing Dr. Daniel Jackson's eccentric Egyptologist in such a way as to underplay his intelligence. The role under Spader is that of a reluctant genius, one who knows his stuff but doesn't seem to get excited by the prospect of working on finding the answers to all his questions. On the opposite spectrum, I was incredibly impressed by the likes of Erick Avari and Mili Avital and Alexis Cruz for their work as a culture which has never existed, flawlessly speaking a language which doesn't exist, never missing a beat and exposing themselves as simple actors playing a role.

The other element I need to comment on for this film is the score, produced by David Arnold. It has a sweeping, epic quality that both fills the viewer with wonder and simultaneously letting the listener experience the expansiveness of the desert. A wonderful piece of music, one that I've heard replicated numerous times in film trailers. A beautiful score.

In the end, "Stargate" is a film about exploration, about understanding the roots of our culture and how it developed to better our understanding about where we are going. It mixes the adventurous exploration of films like "Raiders of the Lost Ark" and blends that with science fiction technology and sensibilities. The product is a film that is closer to a traditional sci-fi film than pretty much any movie since "Star Wars," and does so at a pace that pulls the viewer along for the ride.

Video:
The Ultimate Edition of "Stargate" houses two different versions of this film with marked differences in video quality. On the first disc, there is the Director's Cut of the film, an inferior version of the movie, as I've stated previously. The video quality on this disc is absolutely abhorrent, with grain and film artifacts marring every sequence, even those that look absolutely stunning on the second disc. Considering the amount of praise that Devlin and Emmrich give their extended version of the film, it is disturbing to see it found in such a poor state.

However, I don't like the Director's Cut of the movie, and prefer to watch the much superior Theatrical Cut of the film… and this one is demo quality, folks. For a movie that's approaching 10 years old and has seen 3 releases on DVD, it would seem that the folks at Artisan nailed this one. The colors on the disc are amazing, and the separation between shades of brown and tan (very important in a film set in the desert) are detailed. The contrast did seem a little off, as flesh tones varied greatly, but I chalked that one up to the harsh desert conditions, and less to a flaw in the film. Dark tones are solid, and the scenes that vary from light to dark are presented in a more-than-adequate fashion. The film has never looked this good, Anamorphically speaking.

AUDIO
Wow.

I would rank the audio mix for the Ultimate Edition of "Stargate" on par with recent, magnificent efforts like "Fellowship of the Ring." Although there are very few "gimmicky" effects that utilize positional audio, the overall mix will thoroughly immerse you into the desert. The films dynamic, epic score nicely filled my theater room. The Dolby Digital-EX 5.1 soundtrack is excellent, and understandably the 6.1 DTS-ES is even better. The track is aggressive and deep. The surround usage found in the actual usage of the Stargate (the trippy travel sequence) would rival the gravity mines in "Star Wars: Attack of the Clones" for a demo point. Be prepared to receive complaints if you have neighbors, sit back and enjoy if you don't.

EXTRAS
Artisan continues their trend of mediocre "Ultimate Editions" with "Stargate" by including little to anything of any importance. One could say that the inclusion of both a Director's and Theatrical cut of a film is extra special, I would disagree, especially when one of the versions is in piss-poor condition as the DC is on this DVD. And, as I've stated before, I think the Theatrical edition of the film is far superior.

The matching jewel of this set would be the inclusion of a Feature-Length Audio Commentary with director Roland Emmrich and producer Dean Devlin. This commentary is found only on the extended DC of the film, and features the two speaking about the film in a very reactionary method, speaking about different topics as they come on the screen, talking about everything from the headaches of filming in the far-flung desert to the inclusion of deleted material to the design influence for Kurt Russell's hair. The two rarely let a lull grow in the film, and do not get caught up watching the movie, nor do they go off on tangents and forget there is a film being presented. A well-balanced commentary with the two filmmakers who got their break with this film.

Additionally, there is a host of written materials which I believe have been taken directly from the previous DVD editions, since there is nothing more recent than 1998 in any of the biographies and filmographies. There are also extensive production notes which just read like a short biography on the film. All of this information is repeated through the commentary, if you prefer your information presented to you.

Two Featurettes are included with this set, one on each disc. On disc one, the Featurette asks the question, "Is There a Stargate." This featurette is something that could be found on the television show Sightings on SciFi, featuring an alternative look at the creation of human civilization, showing the theoretical possibilities of the ideas posed in Stargate. The other, found on the second disc, is called "The Making of Stargate." This EPK style feature gives a cursory look at the creation of the groundbreaking effects found in the film, as well as the creation of models, design elements, and story genesis. It's a rather broad look, but covers a wide range of topics. Although there is much more that could be covered in depth, this brief look should satisfy the casual fan such as myself.

Rounding out this Ultimate Edition are… Interactive Menus, Spanish Subtitles, Scene Access, and Theatrical Trailers. To talk briefly about that final option, there is a pair of trailers for the film. The American trailer sells the film as a jam-packed action ride, completely misrepresenting the film. The International trailer sells it as a discovery, much truer to the actual content of the film, something I appreciate.

On the physical side of the disc, there is a nice booklet that is reminiscent of "The Mummy" Ultimate Edition that allows the director to say a few words about his project. This is a handy little bonus for fans of the film.

Film Value:
Combine a great science fiction story of discovery with a solid DVD presentation, throw in some action and adventure, and reference-quality audio and video, and you've got a disc that is a must in any movie fan's collection. If you are a modern SciFi fan, don't hesitate to pick up this wonderful set!