PLEASE NOTE: Michael D's is currently in READ ONLY MODE. Anything submitted will simply not be written to the database.
Lots of stuff is still broken, but at least reviews can now be looked up and read.
PLEASE NOTE: Michael D's is currently in READ ONLY MODE. Anything submitted will simply not be written to the database.
Lots of stuff is still broken, but at least reviews can now be looked up and read.
Hi-5: Surfing Safari

Hi-5: Surfing Safari

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Released 1-Apr-2003

Cover Art

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Details At A Glance

General Extras
Category Childrens Main Menu Audio & Animation
Karaoke-Going Out; Give It A Go; Reach Out
Trailer-Five Alive; Animal Adventures; Let's Celebrate
Trailer-Magical Treasures
Rating Rated G
Year Of Production ?
Running Time 51:35
RSDL / Flipper No/No Cast & Crew
Start Up Menu
Region Coding 4 Directed By Ian Munro
Studio
Distributor

Roadshow Home Entertainment
Starring Kathleen De Leon
Nathan Foley
Tim Harding
Kellie Hoggart
Charli Robinson
Case Amaray-Transparent-Secure Clip
RPI $29.95 Music Chris Harriott


Video Audio
Pan & Scan/Full Frame None English Dolby Digital 2.0 (320Kb/s)
Widescreen Aspect Ratio 1.78:1
16x9 Enhancement
16x9 Enhanced
Video Format 576i (PAL)
Original Aspect Ratio 1.78:1 Miscellaneous
Jacket Pictures No
Subtitles English for the Hearing Impaired Smoking No
Annoying Product Placement No
Action In or After Credits No

NOTE: The Profanity Filter is ON. Turn it off here.

Plot Synopsis

    Hi-5: Surfing Safari provides another dose of Hi-5 summer fun, with plenty of high-energy singing and dancing for kids.

    There are two distinct, but related, themes to this DVD: Firstly, Hi-5 enjoy safaris of imagination into the African and Australian bush. There is a lot of singing and dancing about wild animals, and pretending to be wild animals. Secondly, there is also a beach/surfing theme, with plenty of sunscreen, swimming costumes, and surf tunes. Featured songs include Going Out, Give It A Go, Reach Out, and African Safari.

    As I wrote in a previous review, "Hi-5 is a well-paced and entertaining Australian children's television program that debuted in 1999 . . . The programs are filled with singing, dancing, movement, stories and some Play School style artistic activities. While not so obvious about its educational value as say Sesame Street, like the Wiggles, Hi-5 stimulate children's minds while thoroughly entertaining them. The five Hi-5 team members all posses a great child-like enthusiasm, and they are well supported by a cast of fun puppets and happy children".

    According to their web site, Hi-5 was created and produced by Helena Harris and Posie Graeme-Evans, who are committed to giving the show a solid educational basis. "The aim of Hi-5 is to cater for a wide range of young children, acknowledging the span of cognitive abilities and learning styles. The program presents material with the understanding that children will respond in different ways and be more open to a particular mode of integrating ideas." They recognise that young children learn holistically, therefore the program includes a number of segments, each of which focuses on a different area of learning. For more details, their website can be accessed here.

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Transfer Quality

Video

    The first thing I noticed about this disc is the widescreen transfer! Yippee! Once again we have the wonder and beauty of digital television to thank for a wiidescreen transfer on DVD. As an aside, as I am a proud owner of a digital set top box, my three-year-old son is currently enjoying many widescreen kids shows on our widescreen television. I trust this means that more kids' DVDs in the future will also enjoy widescreen transfers.

    This is the first widescreen Hi-5 release, and the transfer is presented in an aspect ratio of 1.78:1. It is 16x9 enhanced.

    The sharpness and shadow detail of the image are good, and fairly representative of broadcast quality television.

    As one would expect, the image features plenty of bright primary colours. The flesh tones are accurate.

    MPEG artefacts are present, and occasionally the image seems to briefly dissolve into a messy, pixelated soup, such as at 3:16 and 23:29. Film-to-video artefacts are present in the form of a very mild shimmer on some objects, such as on Nathan's 'Jeep' at 5:18. Film artefacts were not a problem.

    English for the Hearing Impaired subtitles are provided, and they are very accurate.

    This is a single-sided, single-layered disc.

Video Ratings Summary
Sharpness
Shadow Detail
Colour
Grain/Pixelization
Film-To-Video Artefacts
Film Artefacts
Overall

Audio

    Recorded as a children's television broadcast, there is only one audio option on this DVD, English Dolby Digital 2.0 (320Kb/s).

    The dialogue quality and audio sync are excellent, and the lyrics are always crystal clear.

    The upbeat and playful music is performed by Hi-5, and composed by Chris Harriott. I found that the songs varied a little more than on other Hi-5 DVDs.

    There is no surround presence or subwoofer activity.

Audio Ratings Summary
Dialogue
Audio Sync
Clicks/Pops/Dropouts
Surround Channel Use
Subwoofer
Overall

Extras

    The extras are very slim.

Menu

    A simple menu.

Karaoke

    Three songs, Going Out, Give It A Go, and Reach Out can be played with or without the vocals, as subtitles display the lyrics.

Previews

    Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.33:1, with Dolby Digital stereo audio, these are short trailers for other Hi-5 DVD/Video releases; Five Alive, Animal Adventures, Let's Celebrate, and Magical Treasures.

R4 vs R1

NOTE: To view non-R4 releases, your equipment needs to be multi-zone compatible and usually also NTSC compatible.

    This title does not appear to have been released on DVD in Region 1.

Summary

    Hi-5: Surfing Safari is not noticeably different from any other Hi-5 DVD, except for the widescreen transfer. However, that does mean that it is up to the usual high quality of fun, singing, and dancing for the little ones.

    The video quality is slightly disappointing, but the little ones won't notice.

    The audio quality is good.

    The extras are really not worth mentioning.

Ratings (out of 5)

Video
Audio
Extras
Plot
Overall

© Brandon Robert Vogt (warning: bio hazard)
Wednesday, April 09, 2003
Review Equipment
DVDPioneer DV-535, using S-Video output
DisplayGrundig Elegance 82-2101 (82cm, 16x9). Calibrated with Video Essentials. This display device is 16x9 capable.
Audio DecoderBuilt in to amplifier/receiver. Calibrated with Video Essentials.
AmplificationSony STR DE-545
SpeakersSony SS-V315 x5; Sony SA-WMS315 subwoofer

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