There’s
no doubt about it, STARSHIP TROOPERS ($27) is one doozie of a giant
bug movie. When I was a kid, I remember tuning in sci-fi films like THEM!
and TARANTULA, which had a certain charm because they featured
giant insects that didn’t always appear convincingly threatening.
However, the CGI insect creatures in STARSHIP TROOPERS are
realistic enough to scare the crap out of anyone, including those that don’t
have any form of bug phobias. The fact that STARSHIP TROOPERS doesn’t
shy away from showing blood and gore, as the human victims of these giant
bugs are literally torn to pieces right in front of their eyes, is certain
to make the viewer dislike insects a little more than usual. Despite the
gore and the high human body count, director Paul Verhoeven’s STARSHIP
TROOPERS is actually something of a political satire that sets
communism (the bugs) against fascism (the humans).
STARSHIP
TROOPERS is set at some point in the future, when Earth has fallen
under a fascist military rule and the human race has begun colonizing
other worlds outside our solar system. Unfortunately, humankind encroaches
upon space that is under the control of giant insects, which leads to an
all out war over territory. As the film opens, we are introduced to a
group of young friends that enlist in the armed forces and go their
separate ways after aptitude testing determines their assignments. Johnny
Rico (Casper Van Dien) is the film’s nominal hero, who is assigned to
the mobile infantry- thus finding himself on the ground, fighting with
giant bugs on alien worlds. Johnny’s girlfriend, Carmen Ibanez (Denise
Richards), becomes a starship pilot, while Dizzy Flores (Dina Meyer), the
third side of the film’s romantic triangle, is stationed in the mobile
infantry with her unrequited love. Lastly, calculating Carl Jenkins (Neil
Patrick Harris) finds he has the aptitude for military intelligence and is
tapped to outthink the giant bugs in the war. While the film’s youthful
performers all acquit themselves rather well, it is Michael Ironside, who
gives the film’s most memorable performance, as the roughneck commander
Lt. Rasczak. The cast of STARSHIP TROOPERS also features Jake Busey,
Clancy Brown, Patrick Muldoon Rue McClanahan and Marshall Bell.
Columbia
TriStar Home Entertainment has made their Superbit DVD edition of STARSHIP
TROOPERS available in a 1.85:1 wide screen presentation that has been
enhanced for 16:9 displays. This is truly a terrific Superbit effort, for
the kind of movie that would benefit most from the higher bit rate-
namely, a big budget sci-fi movie with tremendous special effects and
visuals. While the initial release was from the early days of the format
and looked really good for its time, the Superbit version of STARSHIP
TROOPERS improves the definition and clarity of the picture. Other
improvements come in the form of more dimensionality and depth- creating a
truly impressive visual presentation. Colors are highly saturated and
feature wonderfully appealing flesh tones. All of the hues are rock solid,
without the slightest bit of chroma noise of fuzziness. Blacks are pure,
whites are clean and shadow detail is excellent. Other than an occasional
blemish on the film element, this presentation is utterly outstanding. Of
course, the high bit rate of the Superbit process keeps digital
compression artifacts totally out of sight.
STARSHIP
TROOPERS comes with 5.1 channel soundtracks in both the Dolby Digital
and DTS varieties. The sound design for STARSHIP TROOPERS is
exceedingly aggressive, with a very lively soundstage that makes good use
of all the discrete channels. Sound effects are cleanly defined and move
about the soundstage with complete authority. Battle sequences are
particularly impressive, launching a sonic barrage directly at the viewer
that draws them into the action. Dialogue is always completely
understandable, even when the sound effects are at their loudest. As for
the differences between Dolby Digital and DTS- both tracks are very
similar and qualify as sonically outstanding, with DTS having a decided
edge in spaciousness and bottom end rumble. However, I found that I liked
the way that the Basil Poledouris’ militarist score sounded in Dolby
Digital, as opposed to DTS- go figure. English, French and Spanish
subtitles have been provided on the DVD. The basic interactive menus offer
access to the standard set up and scene selection features. No supplements
are provided on this Superbit title, since all of the storage space on the
DVD has been utilized to maximize the bit rate for the video and audio.
There
is no doubt in my mind; the Superbit version of STARSHIP TROOPERS
is a demonstration quality DVD for both video and audio. If you are a fan
of the movie and have to own the absolute best presentation of the film
this side of high definition- then you are going to want to upgrade to
this Superbit release.
There’s
no doubt about it, STARSHIP TROOPERS ($27) is one doozie of a giant
bug movie. When I was a kid, I remember tuning in sci-fi films like THEM!
and TARANTULA, which had a certain charm because they featured
giant insects that didn’t always appear convincingly threatening.
However, the CGI insect creatures in STARSHIP TROOPERS are
realistic enough to scare the crap out of anyone, including those that don’t
have any form of bug phobias. The fact that STARSHIP TROOPERS doesn’t
shy away from showing blood and gore, as the human victims of these giant
bugs are literally torn to pieces right in front of their eyes, is certain
to make the viewer dislike insects a little more than usual. Despite the
gore and the high human body count, director Paul Verhoeven’s STARSHIP
TROOPERS is actually something of a political satire that sets
communism (the bugs) against fascism (the humans).
STARSHIP
TROOPERS is set at some point in the future, when Earth has fallen
under a fascist military rule and the human race has begun colonizing
other worlds outside our solar system. Unfortunately, humankind encroaches
upon space that is under the control of giant insects, which leads to an
all out war over territory. As the film opens, we are introduced to a
group of young friends that enlist in the armed forces and go their
separate ways after aptitude testing determines their assignments. Johnny
Rico (Casper Van Dien) is the film’s nominal hero, who is assigned to
the mobile infantry- thus finding himself on the ground, fighting with
giant bugs on alien worlds. Johnny’s girlfriend, Carmen Ibanez (Denise
Richards), becomes a starship pilot, while Dizzy Flores (Dina Meyer), the
third side of the film’s romantic triangle, is stationed in the mobile
infantry with her unrequited love. Lastly, calculating Carl Jenkins (Neil
Patrick Harris) finds he has the aptitude for military intelligence and is
tapped to outthink the giant bugs in the war. While the film’s youthful
performers all acquit themselves rather well, it is Michael Ironside, who
gives the film’s most memorable performance, as the roughneck commander
Lt. Rasczak. The cast of STARSHIP TROOPERS also features Jake Busey,
Clancy Brown, Patrick Muldoon Rue McClanahan and Marshall Bell.
Columbia
TriStar Home Entertainment has made their Superbit DVD edition of STARSHIP
TROOPERS available in a 1.85:1 wide screen presentation that has been
enhanced for 16:9 displays. This is truly a terrific Superbit effort, for
the kind of movie that would benefit most from the higher bit rate-
namely, a big budget sci-fi movie with tremendous special effects and
visuals. While the initial release was from the early days of the format
and looked really good for its time, the Superbit version of STARSHIP
TROOPERS improves the definition and clarity of the picture. Other
improvements come in the form of more dimensionality and depth- creating a
truly impressive visual presentation. Colors are highly saturated and
feature wonderfully appealing flesh tones. All of the hues are rock solid,
without the slightest bit of chroma noise of fuzziness. Blacks are pure,
whites are clean and shadow detail is excellent. Other than an occasional
blemish on the film element, this presentation is utterly outstanding. Of
course, the high bit rate of the Superbit process keeps digital
compression artifacts totally out of sight.
STARSHIP
TROOPERS comes with 5.1 channel soundtracks in both the Dolby Digital
and DTS varieties. The sound design for STARSHIP TROOPERS is
exceedingly aggressive, with a very lively soundstage that makes good use
of all the discrete channels. Sound effects are cleanly defined and move
about the soundstage with complete authority. Battle sequences are
particularly impressive, launching a sonic barrage directly at the viewer
that draws them into the action. Dialogue is always completely
understandable, even when the sound effects are at their loudest. As for
the differences between Dolby Digital and DTS- both tracks are very
similar and qualify as sonically outstanding, with DTS having a decided
edge in spaciousness and bottom end rumble. However, I found that I liked
the way that the Basil Poledouris’ militarist score sounded in Dolby
Digital, as opposed to DTS- go figure. English, French and Spanish
subtitles have been provided on the DVD. The basic interactive menus offer
access to the standard set up and scene selection features. No supplements
are provided on this Superbit title, since all of the storage space on the
DVD has been utilized to maximize the bit rate for the video and audio.
There
is no doubt in my mind; the Superbit version of STARSHIP TROOPERS
is a demonstration quality DVD for both video and audio. If you are a fan
of the movie and have to own the absolute best presentation of the film
this side of high definition- then you are going to want to upgrade to
this Superbit release.
