Dinosaur: Collector's Edition
March 2001 Reviewed by: Roger Kanno Format: DVD	(all ratings out of 5): Overall Enjoyment Picture Quality Packaged Extras Sound Quality

Disney has created another feature length computer animated film, but this time, it does not star any toys or bugs and was not produced in association with Pixar. Along with the expected stunning visuals, this new film, titled Dinosaur, includes the other customary ingredients of a Disney film such as family values and a strong sense of morality. It is available on DVD in both a standard edition and a two-disc collector’s edition that is the subject of this review.

Dinosaur follows the life of Aladar, an orphaned dinosaur who is raised by a pack of monkey-like lemurs. Although the story is engaging, it is reminiscent of other Disney animated films such as The Lion King and Tarzan where the orphaned or outcast central character battles great adversity to save himself and those around him. The familiar formula also includes a feminine love interest for Aladar and her brother who antagonizes him with his often brutal leadership of the herd. After a meteor strikes the earth and devastates their home range, Aladar, his adoptive family of lemurs, and the rest of the dinosaurs must set off on a perilous journey to find a more suitable habitat.

The visuals of Dinosaur are amazing with computer generated images (CGI) that are startlingly realistic. The movement of the dinosaurs and the articulation of their bodies are astounding. Lighting effects and small details in objects are even more refined than in any previous CGI animated film. The quality of animation in this film is sure to please.

While outstanding picture quality has become something of a given with the excellent mastering of many recent films, the direct from digital transfers used for Dinosaur and other computer animated films such as Toy Story and A Bug’s Life still set the standard. All of the usual superlatives can be used to describe the video quality of Dinosaur. The picture is sharp and detailed with deep blacks and very subtle delineation of shadows. As with the previously mentioned CGI animated films, the video is "eye-popping" with incredibly precise reproduction of all the intricate visuals.

The audio quality of Dinosaur is also excellent. The guttural growls and thunderous footsteps of the dinosaurs are reproduced with great authority and power. Although there are a lot of booming sound effects, it was the more understated and complex aspects of the sound design that impressed me most. The lush texture of the sound is evident in the jungle scenes of Aladar’s youth where the jungle creatures and sounds seem to be all around the viewer. The same layered, textured sound is even evident during some of the more exuberant scenes such as Chapter 19: Carnotaurs! where a waterfall and interior of a cave provide a very atmospheric effect. Dinosaur is yet another in the recent string of DVDs to feature both Dolby Digital and DTS soundtracks. As with most of these other DVDs, the DTS soundtrack is superior to the Dolby Digital. With Dolby Digital, the layering and texture exhibited in the previously mentioned scenes are reduced with the sound collapsing toward the speakers which diminishes the depth of the sound.

All of the extras included with Dinosaur Collector’s Edition are too numerous to mention but include many behind-the-scenes features, production information, audio commentary tracks, trivia and background information, and even a mildly entertaining game utilizing branching video. The second disc contains even more material that covers the creative process from the very beginnings of the technical and artistic development to the final stages of production, as well as the ubiquitous trailers and publicity art. There are also some hidden "Easter Eggs" that I had neither the time nor the patience to look for.

Like most Disney films, Dinosaur is suitable for family viewing, which is more than can be said of many films that are produced today. Although the story seems just a little too familiar and predictable, it is still enjoyable if not totally original. The CGI animation is state of the art and breathtaking at times with its realism, but it is also quite literal and lacks the imagination and sense of wonder of a film like Princess Mononoke. But the exhaustive extras provided on the collector’s edition and the superb video quality and impressive sound makes Dinosaur a reference-quality DVD.

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