7.2 | / 10 |
Users | 3.9 | |
Reviewer | 2.0 | |
Overall | 2.8 |
Over America is a spectacular visual essay on the beauty and grandeur that is America. Shot in High Definition, every detail from wave swept coasts to majestic mountains is brilliantly captured to show the awe-inspiring scenic magnificence of our nation. Transcend to some of the nations most beautiful places with this incredible program. Over America will undoubtedly become a treasured addition to your video library.
Documentary | 100% |
Nature | 83% |
Video codec: MPEG-2
Video resolution: 1080i
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: Dolby Digital 2.0
None
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Slipcover in original pressing
Region free
Movie | 2.0 | |
Video | 2.5 | |
Audio | 2.0 | |
Extras | 0.0 | |
Overall | 2.0 |
Most Region A showcase Blu-rays readily available in the United States have unsurprisingly been centered around U.S. locales. Sunrise Earth's initial volume was comprised entirely of dawning in national parks, coastlines, and picturesque countrysides, for example. None of these titles have been nearly as nationalistic as Over America, however. From the improper use of the term "America" to the less-than-cursory overview of the country's many regions, the whole affair feels rather silly all around.
The disc itself is composed of a rather odd hodgepodge of eight chapters; most focus on single states like Alaska, Hawaiʻi, California, and Texas. In the case of New York, it naturally hones in on New York City alone. Also included are the Midwest, the Southwest, and the Mid Atlantic. This results in an incomplete picture of the United States; even the Midwest segment covers mainly industrial states like Illinois, Indiana, and Missouri, with Iowa being the sole exception. These sections depict aerial flyover shots of various natural wonders, as well as artificial landmarks and sprawling urban centers. The chapters - which can be played individually or all together - are brief, ranging from 3 to 11 minutes long each, marking a total runtime of 54 minutes.
An aerial shot of la misión San José in San Antonio, Texas - part of a complex of Spanish missions established in the area in the 1700's.
Presented in 1.85:1 and encoded in MPEG-2 video at 60Hz, averaging around 35 Mbps, Over America's picture quality is spotty at best. Although the bitrate remains satisfactorily high throughout, the video is all too often plagued with macroblocking and an interlaced picture. Some of the camerawork is too distant, brief, or unsteady to really appreciate the featured sites.
Of course, one can't be too harsh on the production when it was essentially an early experiment in HD filming. Shot and broadcast on PBS in 1995 as a tech demonstration, the video artifacts are part and parcel on the master itself. Colors are captured nicely on this title, and most hues have a "real" feel to them. Bathed in the intense golden light of sunrise, monuments like the Golden Gate bridge and Ellis Island literally glow with warm tones. The brilliance of the waters at the Havasu Falls shine through; even the neon glow of cityscapes at nightfall is depicted well. Blacks are adequately deep, and no blooming was apparent in whites.
Over America comes with the sole audio option of a Dolby Digital 2.0 presentation. As the scoring is somewhat cheesy and the discussed dialogue is just silly, the stereo option is adequate enough. What would have been far superior, and certainly an easy enough compromise, would be a lossless PCM 2.0 track with ambient sounds of wind and rustling to replace the roar of the helicopters. Again, though - the segments were part of primitive HD trials on a low budget, and as such, a stereo track was utilized for the audio.
With the material given, one would be better off playing the Blu-ray for its visuals, and utilizing a different audio channel via their receivers to play their own music over it.
No extras are featured on this release. As a note, Topics Entertainment made the curious choice of distributing this title with a cardboard slipcover - and nothing but a clear, naked Blu-ray keep case underneath. It lends something of a "bootleg" feel to the title, which feels oddly appropriate given its quality. I'm sure it will annoy some packaging aficionados, however.
There is not a whole heck of a lot to say on eye candy releases like Over America. The abundance of such titles is to be expected early on in a format's life - especially one that touts superior picture and, to a less important extent, sound. The picture quality on this title is middling, however, and not quite worth the purchase price. Nothing can be said of its dialogue, either - there is little to no substance, and the "yay for the U.S.!" attitude gets a bit obnoxious after a little.
If world landscapes were captured on HD cameras with the caliber of BBC productions like Planet Earth or Galápagos, it would certainly be worth a look. Despite its history, its low budget, and the fact that it was an early tech demo for HD capabilities, Over America has too little going for it.
2001
1998
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+ Photo Booklet
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2011-2012
IMAX
1997
The Complete Series
2006
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1992
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2014-2015
2013
2001
BBC
2011
IMAX
2004