Plot: What’s it about?
The pages of history are rich with stories of courageous heroes, valiant adventures, and monumental events. It all starts at the Dawn of Man, when mankind first begins to populate the world and change it forever. The Stone Age would become an epic era for historians to study, but what was life really like during this period? Another landmark historical event is when Moses came down the mountain with the ten commandments. But are the stories passed down through time about this incredible happening accurate and if not, what is the truth? What was the Roman empire really like? The Inquisition is recalled as one of history’s most brutal and bloody times, but do we know the entire truth? And let us not forget the French Revolution, but perhaps some of the information about this epic event are unknown. All of these questions and more are answered in History of the World: Part 1, a look into some of history’s most important eras.
Ah, Mel Brooks. A man capable of comedic genius, but just as capable at train wrecks. History of the World: Part 1 will not be remembered as one of Mel’s shining moments, a rushed and forced collection of broad humor. The concept is great and loaded with satirical fodder, but Brooks seems content to go after the cheap laughs and cliches. That would be fine if the jokes worked, but you’ll find more groans than guffaws with this production. Brooks throws himself a lot of screen time as always and as always, the film suffers as a result. Brooks is fine in small roles, but when he takes on larger ones, he usually tanks and that is what happens here. If more capable comedians could have stepped into some of the handful of roles Brooks handles, I have no doubts the movie would have been better. As much as I love some of Brooks’ efforts, History of the World: Part 1 is almost painful to watch. So even for fans of Brooks, this is one history lesson that should be left in the past.
Video: How does it look?
History of the World: Part 1 is presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen. This looks good, even better than expected, but some minor flaws do creep in. The image shows good depth, but some scenes do look quite soft. This isn’t a huge concern, but one that warrants a mention here. Overall however, clarity is fine and offers a nice step up over the DVD release. No issues with color or contrast whatsoever, so this one looks good.
Audio: How does it sound?
This DTS HD 5.1 option doesn’t have much spark, but the source is to blame, not this soundtrack. The audio rarely leaves the front channels, so depth is sparse, to say the least. But dialogue sounds good and since that is what drives the movie, that is most important here. The music and sound effects sound fine, but without much presence, the entire experience seems flat. But given the material involved, this is an acceptable presentation. This disc also includes the mono soundtrack, French, Spanish, and Portuguese language tracks, as well as subtitles in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Cantonese, Mandarin, and Korean.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes an isolated musical score, a trivia track, and two interview featurettes.
