The iconic '70s show hits blu-ray.
Review by Mike Vaughn
Created By: Ivan Goff, Ben Roberts
Starring: Farrah Fawcett, Kate Jackson, Cheryl Ladd, David Doyle, Jaclyn Smith, Tanya Roberts, Shelley Hack
In the pantheon of television, Charlie's Angels (1976-1981) was a milestone. To say it's iconic is an understatement. The show has been parodied, spun off, remade and given several big budget Hollywood treatments. It launched the career of Farrah Fawcett, who was among the most iconic people of the '70s, not to mention the theme music, which you can never get unstuck inside your brain.
You probably know the basic plot but if not, basically the show centres around three take charge women who solve crimes and work under the mysterious Charlie. Every week the women get into various scrapes but everything wraps up nicely, the way most '70s shows do.
Campy and loads of fun, Charlie's Angels is comfort food for the eyes and ears. Dated? Oh boy yes, but for me that’s part of its charm. Of course, the early seasons are way more solid in terms of writing but it's easy to forgive when you consider it's not exactly high art and the show is often in on the joke. It's an enjoyable, breezy show; the kind you can put on and switch off your brain. Bottom line: it's iconic for a reason.
[ READ MORE: Mike's Strange Cinema Cavalcade - The Bad and the Beautiful ]
When the Blu Ray was announced, fans were worried that the print might be cropped as it is on some television re-runs, but not to worry as the show is presented in all its original 1:33.1 glory. Fans will also be happy to hear that the show looks great! Mill Creek does a fine job at restoring the show and it looks great in 1080p.
Overall the picture is crisp and clean with very few digital artifacts. It sounds great with a nice mono 2.0 soundtrack. Sadly, the Blu Ray has no features like interviews old or new - I mean, even some fun retro commercials for the show would have been a welcome addition. This might be a sore point for fans that were hoping for a little more bang for their buck.
[ READ MORE: Mike's Strange Cinema Cavalcade - The Thing (2011) ]
Which brings me to my next point: value. Mill Creek has always been a no-frills company BUT they typically pass the savings onto the customer. Because after all, not everyone wants to pay extra for extra material. However, in this case I feel like $89.99 is a steep price. Especially when you consider the set is bare bones. I guess its value depends on if you are a hardcore fan of the series or not. I'm sure that this set will come down in price; after all it's currently almost 50% off of its retail price on Amazon. I`d say if you can wait, get this cheaper, unless you are a hardcore fan of the show and want it now.
It is nice that instead of any features we do get the short lived 2011 reboot. This comes out just as yet another series reboot crashes and burns.
Two TV shows and three movies have attempted to recapture its magic, but there really is only one Charlie's Angels. Thanks to Mill Creek Entertainment, you can relive all those memories or enjoy the show for the first time. Maybe just wait until it becomes a bit cheaper.
You probably know the basic plot but if not, basically the show centres around three take charge women who solve crimes and work under the mysterious Charlie. Every week the women get into various scrapes but everything wraps up nicely, the way most '70s shows do.
Campy and loads of fun, Charlie's Angels is comfort food for the eyes and ears. Dated? Oh boy yes, but for me that’s part of its charm. Of course, the early seasons are way more solid in terms of writing but it's easy to forgive when you consider it's not exactly high art and the show is often in on the joke. It's an enjoyable, breezy show; the kind you can put on and switch off your brain. Bottom line: it's iconic for a reason.
[ READ MORE: Mike's Strange Cinema Cavalcade - The Bad and the Beautiful ]
When the Blu Ray was announced, fans were worried that the print might be cropped as it is on some television re-runs, but not to worry as the show is presented in all its original 1:33.1 glory. Fans will also be happy to hear that the show looks great! Mill Creek does a fine job at restoring the show and it looks great in 1080p.
Overall the picture is crisp and clean with very few digital artifacts. It sounds great with a nice mono 2.0 soundtrack. Sadly, the Blu Ray has no features like interviews old or new - I mean, even some fun retro commercials for the show would have been a welcome addition. This might be a sore point for fans that were hoping for a little more bang for their buck.
[ READ MORE: Mike's Strange Cinema Cavalcade - The Thing (2011) ]
Which brings me to my next point: value. Mill Creek has always been a no-frills company BUT they typically pass the savings onto the customer. Because after all, not everyone wants to pay extra for extra material. However, in this case I feel like $89.99 is a steep price. Especially when you consider the set is bare bones. I guess its value depends on if you are a hardcore fan of the series or not. I'm sure that this set will come down in price; after all it's currently almost 50% off of its retail price on Amazon. I`d say if you can wait, get this cheaper, unless you are a hardcore fan of the show and want it now.
It is nice that instead of any features we do get the short lived 2011 reboot. This comes out just as yet another series reboot crashes and burns.
Two TV shows and three movies have attempted to recapture its magic, but there really is only one Charlie's Angels. Thanks to Mill Creek Entertainment, you can relive all those memories or enjoy the show for the first time. Maybe just wait until it becomes a bit cheaper.
Charlie's Angels: The Complete Series is on blu-ray now from Mill Creek Entertainment.
Michael Vaughn is a rabid horror and cult fan who turned that love into a career. He is a writer, blogger and film historian and now author of 'The Ultimate Guide to Strange Cinema' which Shock Wave Podcast named their pick of the month, and Chris Alexander of Fangoria called “recommended reading.”
You can get your copy at amazon.com/Ultimate-Guide-Strange-Cinema/dp/0764354280
His other credits include Scream Magazine, Fangoria and websites like Films in Review and Bloody Flicks(UK). Please follow his Twitter @StrangeCinema65 and Instagram @gorehound_mike.
"It might be the last time this crop of talent comes together. Thankfully, they've given us a stone cold, razor sharp masterpiece."— ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ง๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ฃ.๐๐ ๐ ๐ฌ (@themoviewaffler) November 27, 2019
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