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BATTLESTAR GALACTICA: RAZOR Unrated Extended Edition
DVD Review by David Blackwell
DETAILS: 101 minutes, audio commentary, deleted scenes, minisodes, three featurettes, season 4 trailer
VIDEO: 1.78:1 (Anamorphic Widescreen)
AUDIO: English 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround
Subtitles: English, Spanish
STUDIO: Universal Studios Home Entertainment/ Sci-Fi Channel/ R&D TV
RELEASE DATE: 12-4-2007
BATTLESTAR GALACTICA: RAZOR chronicles the unseen story of the Battlestar Pegasus through the eyes of one of her crew, Lieutenant
Kendra Shaw. The story takes place during the Second season as Lee Adama (Jamie Bamber) takes command and during the nine
to ten months the Pegasus was out there alone before they encounted the Battlestar Galactica. Admiral Cain (Michelle Forbes)
is shown as more of an understandable figure as the viewers witness the choices she had to make. It puts the season Two Pegasus
episodes in more perspective. Also you see events duing the last days of the First Cyclon War as a young Adama (40 years
before he was the commander of Galactica) flies his first combat mission for the Galactica and Cain as young girl. All these
events put a different light on things.
Then you have even more twists as Adama was the first to comes across the early experiments to make Cyclon hybrids during
the First Cyclon War and the Galactica encountering the ship that carries the first Hybrid. Old versions of the Cyclon soldiers
and ships are a nice tribute to the original series. The story doesn't stop there as it puts a twists to the season Three
cliffhanger. BATTLESTAR GLACTICA: RAZOR is a fantastic extended episode that will nicely tide over fans until the start of
season Four on the sci-Fi Channel in April (I just wish it was sooner). The current WGA strike puts in question whether we
will see a shortened fourth season and the episodes yet to be written will be part of season Four or a newly dubbed season
Five (even though season Four has been labeled as the final season).
SPECIAL FEATURES: The extras are plenty on this DVD release. You can watch the broadcast version or the unrated extended
version. A few scenes in the unrated extended version are also in the minisodes (originally shown on the sci-Fi Channel during
Flash Gordon in 2 1/2 minute segments). Two scenes are exclusive to the extended cut and a few minisodes feature material
not in the extended cut. Then two deleted scenes bring even further insight to a couple of characters (Lee and Starbuck).
The audio commentary for the extended version is by Executive Producer Ronald D. Moore and Writer Michael Taylor. Interesting
tidbits include that RAZOR was originally edited differently as in the way the events were shown (so they used the season
Two story as a framing device for the flashbacks) and that the shipyards attack was the result of the SFX people coming up
with things that were asked for.
THE LOOK OF BATTLESTAR GALACTICA covers how they designed the show to look realistic from the way the Galactica looks to the
way lighting (and camera angles) are used.
MY FAVORITE EPISODE SO FAR- cast and crew say what are their favorite episodes in the series so far. I love Edward James
Olmos' answer that the best episode is yet to come.
SEASON 4 SNEAK PEEK- cast and crew drop hints on what will happen. If that isn't good enough, a season Four trailer shows
a few scenes.
FINAL ANALYSIS: BATTLESTAR GALACTICA: RAZOR is a nice addition to the series and gives some nice twists to the storylines.
I hope Universal asks for more direct-to-DVD films. Also the extras make this DVD release very satisfying.
this DVD review is (c)11-23-2007 David Blackwell and cannot be reprinted without permission. send all comments to lord_pragmagtic@hotmail.com
look for additional content at http://enterline-media.tripod.com and http://enterlinemedia.livejournal.com
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