STARGATE SG-1: LOST CITY VOLUME 37 DVD Review:

Colonel Jack O’Neil (Dean Anderson) and the SG-1 team continue their fight to save Earth from the forces of Anubis and the remaining Goa’uld System Lords…

The Lost City Part 1

Convinced it’s the last hope of finding the Lost City, O’Neil decides to allow the knowledge of the Ancients to be downloaded into this conscious once again. While O’Neil’s mind slowly deteriorates, Anubis attacks and SG-1 must race against time to uncover the secrets of the Lost City…

Lost City Part 2

…Having had the Ancient Knowledge downloaded into his mind, O’Neil will soon know the secret location of The Lost City, where the power to defeat Anubis is thought to lie. SG-1 can only pray O’Neil will recall the knowledge as this physical composition will not be able to last much longer and he could die.

The seventh season of Stargate SG-1 concludes with one of the best two-part adventures in the series’ history.

This consistently excellent show continues to set standard for science fiction television and ‘The Lost City’ is no exception. Anyone who has followed this remarkable series from the beginning will know that storytelling and plot building are paramount to the success of the show and this feature-length episode does that in spades. The Ancients and Anubis stories come full circle climaxing in an epic battle over Earth and setting up the Stargate spin off series Atlantis.

The set pieces and the special effects are outstanding, setting new standards for the show. While the series already boosts some of the finest Science Fiction related CGI every to grace the small screen, the final battle sequence is some of the best that the Stargate effects wizards have ever produced. The sheer scale of Anubis’s fleets as it appears in Earth orbit can’t help but send a shiver down your spine.

This has always been a series about characters and the season finale is no different. After been introduced to President Hayes in Inauguration, the excellent William Devane really makes the character his own in the two-parter. The scene in which he confronts Anubis in the Oval Office of the White House really defines the character for the series and hopefully he will become an integral part of the upcoming seasons. Jessica Steen does a good job as Dr Elizabeth Weir, the civilian chosen to take over command of the SGC from General Hammond by the new President. She has a lot to cope with after learning about the Stargate programme and having to deal with the military personal that have been with the SGC since the start. (Unfortunately the producers thought differently and recast the role for the new season).

Stargate is all about SG-1 and the finale really showcases the core cast’s talents. They have been together for seven years and you can tell as they bounce off each other brilliantly. You just have to watch the scene at Jack’s house to realise this, as this is a brilliant piece of character interaction from the team.

The seventh season of Stargate SG-1 proves again that it is one of the best science fiction shows to ever grace TV. The Lost City is a shining example of this, as it showcases everything that is great about the series.

Star Rating = * * * * *

Presented in anamorphic 16:9 widescreen with a Dolby Digital 5.1 surround soundtrack, the transfer is very good. The picture quality emphasises the high production values of the shows and the amazing quality of the special effects. The sound is also first rate, especially during the climatic battle against Anubis.

BONUS FEATURES

Lost City commentary by director Martin Wood, actor Amanda Tapping and executive producer Robert C. Cooper

In this chatty and funny commentary the group reveal that The Lost City was in fact a movie script that would tie up Stargate SG-1 and introduce the spin off show Stargate: Atlantis but due to SG-1 been picked up for an eighth season, they had to rethink their plans. They discuss the extra special effects budget they received, the casting of new characters and a very special cameo. Director Martin Wood talks about the Jack’s house scene being a homage to the fans and his own very brief cameo in the finale.

SG-1 Director’s Series: Lost City with Martin Wood (13.47 mins)

Director Martin Wood grabs a camcorder and takes you behind the scenes of the shooting of the series seven finale. He takes you through the entire shoot from the planning stage, the location shooting and filming on the main and new sets. This featurette reveals many of the secrets behind bringing the two-parter to the small screen.

Preview to Stargate Atlantis (23.02 mins)

Executive producers Robert C. Cooper and Brad Wright introduce you to the new spin-off series, Atlantis. The pair reveals that this is a completely new show with a new cast, a new threat and a new galaxy. The featurette shows you around the new set and introduces you to the characters, both good and bad, that inhabit this new series. With behind the scenes footage from the feature length season opener and a look at the special effects, this is a very exciting look at the spin-off.

Behind the Scenes: Journey inside The Lost City

The Storyboard Process (2.53 mins)

Director Martin Wood shows you how they storyboarded lava planet and the shuttle landing scenes.

Bra’tac vs. Ronan: Design the fight (4.12 mins)

Director Martin Wood and stunt co-ordinator Dan Shea show you the process of bring a fight to the screen, from rehearsals to the actual stunt double and actor performances.

Stargate Magic: Inside the Lab (7.09 mins)

Digital effects supervisor Bruce Woloshyn takes you through the process of bringing a special effects shot from the filmed greenscreen action to adding the gate FX.

Production design and photo gallery

A montage of behind the scenes and promotional images.

WWW (0.31 mins)

A short trailer for the Stargate fan club and its website.

While this DVD only has two episodes, MGM has added some really good extras to compensate for this fact. The commentary track is extremely good and all Stargate fans will watch the Atlantis preview before they view anything else (I know I did). It would have been better if season seven had been released as one box set but the individual editions make up for this fact with good presentation and the excellent bonus features.

DVD Star Rating = * * * *

Jamie Kelwick

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