BLU-RAY NEWS: "DVD & BLU-RAY REVIEW" MAGAZINE-SEPTEMBER 2011

The new edition of the UK's DVD & BLU-RAY review. Available in Jedi and Sith covers.

The latest issue of the popular British magazine BLU-RAY & DVD REVIEW is out now and its main focus is on, you guessed it, the upcoming STAR WARS SAGA Blu-ray releases. But don't be fooled by the cover lines, though, that make it look as if there's more info about the new releases than there actually is. Basically, the magazine is getting in on a cover and feature as early as it can in order to boost its circulation figures using the STAR WARS brand. There's a decent interview with the always likable and highly talented Matthew Wood who talks about the painstaking restoration work that he and David Accord have done on the sound design/mixing for the new releases (especially the new version of the original STAR WARS) to make them live up to, as best as possible, the way we originally heard the films when they were first at cinemas, and we also find out that the master copies being used for the Blu-ray are sourced from the controversial, previously used for the 2004 releases on DVD (which have now apparently been tinkered about with by ILM with regards to colour fixing and gradings, as well as some new lightsaber corrections, too. Wood doesn't state this in the article, just that the masters are from 2004. This info about ILM's involvement has recent-ish become public knowledge), but that's about it. The pictures are all the same old, same old we've seen in countless other magazines (why didn't they just ask LUCASFILM for some other images to use?), there's an okay feature from ex-INSIDER editor Brian J. Robb about the legacy of the original 1977 film, and a tired old "best of" moments previously done better in EMPIRE film magazine. If you can afford to get this magazine, and want it for your collection, by all means purchase it. Otherwise save yourself some money...

I haven't picked up BLU-RAY & DVD REVIEW in a long time, though I noticed its name re-vamping. I have to say that when it was originally just known as DVD REVIEW a few years back it was a much better title. The then printing of the magazine was really nice, the layouts fun and informative and it was just an overall better package than the drab and boringly designed, almost identity-less product I was reading today. Obviously the money belts held onto by the accountants have been tightened up at the magazine company that produces it (FUTURE PUBLISHING), which is a bit of a shame...

AFICIONADO RATING: 5 out of 10