Violet's Bluray Review- Part 1
I finally got my Collector's Edition set yesterday and watched newly restored Raiders. Firstly, I'll go through the set's extra gifts and packaging for Part 1.
Packaging- The Collector's Edition comes with a steelbox designed to look like the Indiana Jones journal that was released a few years back, which I happen to be a fan of so this was acceptable for me and fits with the designs of the Young Indy sets in a way, so it now feels more of a complete collection. The "pages" sides of the box however are not steel but cardboard and personally I think it would have been better off as steel covered in the print as I'm not a fan of the cardboard box fad that seems to be trending at the moment with boxset releases, mainly because cardboard is easily damaged, even if it folds out well and makes it easier to cover with graphics.
The DVDs are packaged the same as the standard but it is handy to ultimatey have the journal box to help preserve the cardboard set. Also what I did find rather convenient was the fact that once I got the little collectibles out of their plastic bags, everything and the DVD set fit absolutely perfectly within the box as opposed to when you normally do that with anything like a game, etc it's always hard to fit everything back into place.
In terms of the art, I absolutely adore it! They're not Drew Struzan, but to me, the work is equal and feels both familiar and new.
The Journal- As others have stated, it is to a degree, a reprint of the Journal from a couple of years back however it is reformatted, misses Young Indy pages and also misses certain pages that the other gifts that come with this edition. Yes, you read correctly. The design of the gifts are lifted directly from the Journal. And those pages are evidently missing in this journal. The journal however is meant to have been originally Henry Sr's in this version, solely for the fact that it's first ten pages are the Grail Diary pages, and after those pages follow the pages from 1925 on. The ten pages are cropped from the original Journal to fit properly and fit the idea that the journal is Henry Snr's initially. In terms of it's texture, the book cover is leather-like and the pages thinner and more journal-like in quality, which I quite like.
The Grail Rubbing- The paper that it's printed on is quite appropriate as is it's size. This is probably my favourite piece and will be framed.
The Club Obi-Wan matchbox- It's cute. I like the detail that they went as far to have wooden fake matches in the box itself. And now, I want to look up if it's address exists.
The film cell- I'm glad its a Raiders one, however I don't like the fact that everyone got the same one. It would have been more interesting if there had been three or four variants and you could have chosen it or been surprised by it. And I also prefer the back side picture with it's blurb about Raiders rather than the front side, it's still not a bad piece to have though.
The four postcards/prod stills- These I also like. Sure I've seen these pics before, but it's an inclusion that I welcome. And would consider hanging the LC or the Raiders ones.
The two photos- Again, both are lifted from the Journal, however they're printed on the right kinds of imitation photo paper and have a good suitable gloss. I actually like the Father and Son one better slightly, because of the edging and the paper looks a tad more authetic than the Raiders Marion signed one.
The Menu from Pankot Palace- Lifted from the Journal. Probably one of my least favourite gifts in this edition. Mainly because it's not something that I think would have been likely in the Indyverse- it's more of a fan fun thing like someone might hand this out at an Indy-themed party rather than something I would think to see in film world.
The Pan Am Ticket and Zeppelin tickets- Again, not my favourites, mainly because I feel they were last minute ideas that were also cheap to do. I don't find a lot of value in the way of those- Would have preferred Indy's passport or something a bit more inventive than stuff merely printed on paper- and I would have been willing to pay more for it too but then I suppose at the end of it all, Indy just ain't well loved enough for something a bit better.
Overall- I'm fairly happy with it and despite the lifting from the Journal, I love the new journal for being a tad more realistic and I lovethe Grail Rubbing for just being an awesome prop replica. I will note that it's kind of interesting that there isn't a KOTCS piece with the exception of the prod still. So obviously, they've accepted the non-love of that film.... I would have liked more physical objects such as a nice pin, rather than the overload of printed paper, but at least some of it I think was worth it and would be worth it to more lit-interested Indyfans.
So I reckon- 3.5 out of 5.
