Prince of Egypt, The (1998) [ID5917DW]The Movie:
Jeffery Katzenberg's first animated film out of Dreamworks Animation studios came out swinging in order to hold its own against the Disney juggernaut that he had created. But his animated triumph had chosen a different direction: they didn't choose fairy tales or animal driven adventures. People may have known the tale of Pocahontas or heard the stories of Aladdin or The Little Mermaid before, but the vast majority of people know the tale of the Ten Commandments. It is a tale as old as time, and a difficult tale to adapt for many, but in their attempt to bring it to the big screen once more, they have indeed succeeded.
The classic tale of the freeing of the Hebrews from the oppressive slavery under the Egyptian tyrants is brought to life with a stellar voice cast featuring the talents of Val Kilmer, Michelle Pfeiffer, Patrick Stewart, Steve Martin, Sandra Bullock, Jeff Goldblum, and Danny Glover. Using these memorable voices to bring the tale to life once more, many sing their own parts in this musical animated film, similar in style of that which Disney used to bring their animation back into relevance.
What it shares with the animated films released by Disney it also doubles in scale with much skill in the way it flows across the screen.
This may however, not be easiest film for children to swallow, as many scenes have darker elements. I for one, found their interpretation of the plague that killed the first born sons of Egypt to be very chilling in its implementation. The special effect scenes such as the turning of the river into blood are also very chilling to see on screen.
Video:
Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, The Prince of Egypt comes to Laserdisc with a technically proficient presentation, free of any defects or any significant issues. Colors are vibrant and well represented throughout the entire film as I believe it was shown in theaters in 1998. There is an occasional bout of signal noise present in the picture, especially in some of the darker scenes, but other than that there is little present that should disappoint a seasoned Laserdisc viewer.
Audio:
Presented in 5.1 AC-3 encoded audio as it was shown in theaters, The Prince of Egypt comes out of the gate swinging with an enveloping surround track. Sound wooshes from one side or the room to the other in a way that only AC-3 could do on Laserdisc. The front soundstage opens into the surrounds mostly during the large scale musical numbers, but other than that are mostly there for ambient noise effects. Overall an excellent sounding AC-3 soundtrack.
Note: I have also viewed the digital stereo track, and while not as exciting, it is just as proficient.
Extras: There are none, as is the case with most major releases on Laserdisc of this era.
Overall:With a wonderful visual as well as audio presentation, I see no reason not to acquire The Prince of Egypt on Laserdisc. It tells a fascinating tale, one that many are already familiar with, and does so in a delicate, haunting, and epic style. I wholeheartedly recommend The Prince of Egypt on Laserdisc
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