languatron
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Life could be this beautiful without NBC-TV in it.
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Being the most popular and best episode of "Battlestar Galactica" (the 1978 series), it comes as no surpise that "Saga of a Star World" would end up being the worst looking episode on Universal Studios "Galactica" DVD set. Putting it mildly, the transfer of "Saga" is absolutely HORRENDOUS. I have only one DVD in my entire collection that has a transfer actually worse than "Saga of a Star World", and that is the 1971 "Evel Knievel" movie starring George Hamilton. This isn't saying much for Universal Studios, and it sure as hell does not win them any browny points of praise in their transfer of "Saga."
Digitally Remastered my ass, as the visual quality of "Saga of a Star World" doesn't look any better than a syndicated UHF broadcast from the early 1980s. The more polite reviewers have noted that "Saga" merely contains "grain." I'll be more BLUNT and say that this transfer of "Saga" has dark, snowy reception; complete with a flickering black background in many dark scenes, most notably in the "Imperious Leaders" chambers. The image overall is not crisp and clear by any stretch of the imagination. This is a 20 year old print slapped onto the DVD set WITH NO RESTORATION DONE. Specks. pops, floaties, and debris is all over this transfer of "Saga of a Star World", to such a degree that this transfer will go down in DVD history as being one of the ALL TIME WORST TRANSFERS.
For the money Universal Studios charged for "Battlestar Galactica: the Complete Epic Series", MORE should have been on this set than just the CRAPPY ASS ABC-TV EDIT of "Saga of a Star World." A good 25% of this pilot episode is STILL MISSING:
1) Starbuck storms the bridge and demands to know why the "Galactica" pulled out of battle.
2) More scenes involving Serina's illness and Adama's resignation from the council.
3) A SHITLOAD of scenes involving the Carillon casino.
4) More footage of the Ovions. Most notably, the Ovions leading Apollo, Serina, and Jolly down into the catacombs.
The deleted scenes section of "Saga" doesn't help the viewer either. No information is provided as to EXACTLY WHERE and WHEN these missing scenes were supposed to fit into the pilot episode. Some missing scenes are EDITED!!!!-Abruptly cut and ending in the middle of dialogue going on!! So, what is Universal Studios MASTER PLAN? To keep sitting on this STILL MISSING FOOTAGE for another 27 years? I'd rather see Universal Studios GUTTED and turned into a roller rink than see that happen.
The sad reality is, is that the STILL MISSING FOOTAGE from "Saga of a Star World" was probably allowed to ERODE AWAY INTO NOTHINGNESS thanks to the CORPORATE IDIOTS working at Universal Studios. Granted, this is a 27 year old tv show; but "Saga of a Star World" also functions as an independent movie worthy of as much restoration care as any other movie. Movies made BEFORE "Saga of a Star World" look BETTER because there was INTELLIGENT PEOPLE working at the other studios who VALUE the HISTORICAL IMPORTANCE of film. The "Wizard of Oz" made in 1939 looks better than "Saga of a Star World" made in 1978 for CHRIST SAKE!!
So ONCE AGAIN, Universal Studios FAILS MISERABLY in their handling of the "Battlestar Galactica" property. Being the FAIR and IMPARTIAL grader that I am, I give the following grades to "Saga of a Star World" as presented by UNIVERSAL STUDIOS on the DVD set:
1) Transfer: F-
2) Digital Restoration?? F-
3) Deleted Scenes Section: F-
4) Hatch, Benedict, Jefferson Jr. commentary: A+
5) Audio: B-
6) Disc Defects (Freezings, skips, pops, heavy grain, debris on transfer, flickering black background, SOFT IMAGE) F-
  
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