Futurama - Bender's Big Score

(aka 'Futurama: Bender's Big Score!')

Directed by Dwayne Carey-Hill
USA 2007

It's funny - EVERYONE I talk to loved this show. I was in disbelief that it was cancelled. But someone was hearing our prayers as it appears 3 more Futurama movies are set to go for 2008 - The Beast with a Billion Backs, Bender's Game and Into the Wild Green Yonder. They will all be released widescreen and 5.1 DD. Hopefully, it has found a presentation format that will proliferate.

In Bender's Big Score, some smartass nude aliens engage in a successful cyber-attack on Planet Express and while doing so they discover they can travel through time using a tattoo of Bender on Fry's butt. Segway stories arise involving Leela and a love interest and Hermes losing his body (and wife). All the best characters are back; Bubblegum Tate, Nixon's head, Zapp and Kiff, Bad Santa Robot, the Hypnotoad - it's truly like a dream come true! I laughed and enjoyed the antics as much as ever - maybe more as I missed it so much.

If you are into this show at all - this new movie is FANTASTIC!

Gary Tooze

Release Date: November 27th, 2007

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DVD Review: 20th Century Fox - Region 1 - NTSC

DVD Box Cover		CLICK to order from:
Distribution	20th Century Fox Home Entertainment - Region 1 - NTSC
Runtime	1:28:35
Video	1.78:1 Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 7.6 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate:
Audio	English (Dolby Digital 5.1)
Subtitles	English, Spanish, French, None
Features	Release Information: Studio: 20th Century Fox Aspect Ratio: Original Aspect Ratio 1.78:1 Edition Details: • Audio commentary from creator Matt Groening, director Dwayne Carey-Hill producer Claudia Katz, writers David X. Cohen and Ken Keeler and actors Billy West, John DiMaggio, and Phil LaMarr. • ”Futurama Returns!” Live Comic Book Reading. (9:00) • Everybody Loves Hypnotoad (21:57) • Deleted Storyboard Scenes. “Monte Carlo” (1:24), “Robot Mafia” (0:32) and “Limbo Contest” (1:42) • Internet promo for An Inconvenient Truth, (optional commentary from Gore, Groening and Cohen) • Bite My Shiny Metal X (26:10) • Model Turnarounds (1:15) • First Draft of the Script (screen play) • New Character/Design Sketches. • Original Comic-Con Promo. (4:52) DVD Release Date: November 27th, 2007 Custom Case Chapters: 12

Comments:

This DVD is flawless in my opinion. Animation always eclipses live action in terms of image and the only way I see this dual-layered, anamorphic, progressive presentation improving is if it went high-definition (since it's Fox - Blu-ray). Colors are bright and defined, detail is perfect - I saw no shimmering or any deficiencies of any kind. This goes for the 5.1 audio as well - it was clear and separated well at times - no flaw or complaints. There are optional English, French or Spanish subtitles supporting the dialogue.

Supplements should also be commended. A fun, gang-commentary with creator Matt Groening, director Dwayne Carey-Hill producer Claudia Katz, writers David X. Cohen and Ken Keeler and actors Billy West, John DiMaggio, and Phil LaMarr. There is also some cool extras including ”Futurama Returns!” Live Comic Book Reading running about 9 minutes, an episode of Everybody Loves Hypnotoad at over 20 minutes, some deleted storyboard scenes; namely “Monte Carlo” (1:24), “Robot Mafia” (0:32) and “Limbo Contest” (1:42). There is an Internet promo for An Inconvenient Truth, (optional commentary from Gore, Groening and Cohen), another quasi featurette entitled Bite My Shiny Metal X at 25 minutes some model turnarounds artwork, a first draft of the script (screen play), some new character/design sketches and finally, we get an Original Comic-Con Promo (about 5 minute long).

This is so great - even better than my high expectations. Recommend to all!

Gary W. Tooze

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