Paramount/DreamWorks Animation (USA)
1.78:1 1080p
86 minutes
Audio: Dolby TrueHD 5.1 English, DD 5.1 French, DD 5.1 Spanish, DD 5.1 Portuguese
Subtitles: Optional English, English SDH, French, Spanish, Portuguese
Extras: pop-up trivia track; audio commentary by the directors; A Christmas Caper; Behind the Crates; Meet the Wild Cast; The Tech of Madagascar; Enchanted Islands; Penguin Chat; Mad Mishaps; “I Like to Move It, Move It” music video; Drawing Tutorial; DreamWorks Animation Jukebox
Released: 23 September 2008
Blu-ray case
I remember reading a revelatory article in Wired! magazine (http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/13.06/dreamworks.html) about Jeffrey Katzenberg and DreamWorks Animation a few years ago. Basically, Katzenberg admitted that he had ceded the “quality” ground to Pixar in the computer animation derby. After the uber-serious Prince of Egypt grossed a respectable-but-underwhelming $218 million worldwide, Katzenberg changed tack with a string of silly cel-animation movies that lost money. This was around the time that Disney’s Treasure Planet, a computer-animation movie drawn to look like cel animation, bombed big time at the box office. Katzenberg changed tack again, abandoning cel animation for computer animation.
Computer animation isn’t better than cel animation “just because”. The same basic principles that apply to judging all motion pictures apply to computer animation, too. Does it have a good story? Does it have sound ideas? Does it have good performances? Does it introduce innovations in remarkable or memorable ways? Some of the biggest-grossing computer-animation movies have been among the most-overrated or worst movies of their respective years.
However, logistics and the zeitgeist had changed. In the United States, people weren’t patronizing cel-animation movies (or movies that look like cel animation) in the same numbers as they were for computer animation. Also, it is cheaper and faster to render movies by computer than by hand. Even Hayao Miyazaki at Ghibli Studios in Japan and the folks at Aardman Animation (the kings of stop-motion plasticine) are adapting to the times.
Madagascar is an excellent example of Katzenberg’s industrial model approach. In fact, the aforementioned Wired! article uses Madagascar as a case study. Producers, directors, writers, animators, etc. are all interchangeable from one project to another. Actors are hired to tell “edgy” jokes rather than to provide emotional nuance. Instead of reaching for the sublime, the character designs intentionally look like toys, all available at a Wal-Mart near you. In essence, DreamWorks Animation is a high-tech sweatshop (not because of working conditions but because of the mindless churning.
Video:
Like most other computer-animation fare on Blu-ray, Madagascar has a vibrant sheen that is sure to catch many eyes shopping for a TV. The 1.78:1 1080p exhibits vibrant colors, even during nighttime scenes. There were some moments with slight shimmering, but you won’t notice anything distracting as with the CGI effects in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.
Audio:
The back art states “DD 5.1 English” for the primary track, but the disc actually has a Dolby TrueHD 5.1 English track. (The dubs are presented in DD 5.1.) Paramount had a September riddled with mistakes, such as the swapped Godfather bonus disks in the SD DVD box set and a first pressing of the Iron Man Blu-ray disc that wouldn’t load in some Sony and Samsung players.
This is a typical contemporary surround sound experience--boisterous, loud, gimmicky, and boomy. Sound effects zoom from side to side, though the mix is surprisingly front-oriented. Composer Hans Zimmer, who’s not known for subtlety, adds to the cacophony with busy music cues. In short, the Dolby TrueHD track will please those of you who want everything-and-the-kitchen-sink and give others a headache.
Extras:
Upon loading, the disc plays a trailer for Madagascar 2.
You can watch the movie with a pop-up trivia track that provides factoids about the movie and the animals in real life. You can also watch the movie with an audio commentary by the directors that offers the expected information about production and technical details.
“A Christmas Caper” is a new short film showing the penguins invading the apartment of the old lady who beats up on Alex the lion in the main feature. This short film is being added to a new DVD release of the movie timed to coincide with the theatrical release of the sequel.
“Behind the Crates” is a run-of-the-mill promotional featurette. “Meet the Wild Cast and “The Tech of Madagascar” are self-explanatory. “Enchanted Islands” showcases the real Madagascar. With “Penguin Chat”, the voice actors for the tuxedoed birds comment on some of their scenes as if they were the penguins watching the movie. “Mad Mishaps” is an assemblage of bloopers.
Finally, you also get the “I Like to Move It, Move It” music video, a “Drawing Tutorial”, and the “DreamWorks Animation Jukebox”, which has music clips from other movies.
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