AFL-Brisbane Lions: 2003 Season Highlights (2003)

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General		Extras
Category	Sports	Main Menu Audio & Animation
Rating
Year Of Production	2003
Running Time	78:07
RSDL / Flipper	No/No	Cast & Crew
Start Up	Menu
Region Coding	1,2,3,4,5,6	Directed By	None Given
Studio Distributor	Aust. Football Video Visual Entertainment Group	Starring	Chris Johnson
Case	Amaray-Transparent-Secure Clip
RPI	$29.95	Music	None Given

    Was it not enough that I had to endure my beloved team Hawthorn's obliteration by the reigning premiers during the weekend just gone? Obviously not, as what should arrive but this fantastically packaged, glossy look at just how good this 'champion team of champions' is. In fairness, as the sole interviewee in this traipse through the 2003 AFL season, Chris Johnson (the last of the Fitzroy players still at the club) points out, many members of the Brisbane team have an equal number of wooden spoons (last placings for any of those non-followers of Australia's greatest game) to accompany their now glittering trophy cabinets. It's been basically all highlights since 2001 however, which leads me to commend the editors of this fast paced and well constructed footballing memoir for reducing twenty six games of footy, all but a few of which the Lions won, to a slick 78 minutes. Their thumping of Collingwood in the Grand Final only cemented their claim to the 'greatest team of the modern era' title, although personally I think the Hawthorn of the 80s would put in a very strong showing.

    This title is obviously for fans of the club first and foremost, but even if, like me, you're not among that number, this is still an entertaining and often exciting look at some great football moments from last season, whether the freakish boundary line goals of Jason Akermanis, the unwavering strength of leadership of captain Michael Voss, the silky skills of that possession-getting machine Simon Black or the valour of Jonathan Brown (and no I am not thinking of changing allegiances). If anyone wanted to know how football is, or should be played this is a great starting point.

Video

    This is a 1.33:1 transfer, obviously not 16x9 enhanced, taken from source material I would suggest with the same aspect ratio. I would expect future titles to be in widescreen based on digital telecasting being in full force as of the start of the 2004 AFL Home and Away Season.

    Sharpness and shadow detail are excellent - there is, unsurprisingly, no footage taking place in poorly lit surrounds which aids the chances of success of a transfer tremendously.

    The interview footage of Lions player Chris Johnson is almost faultless, and whilst the match footage does drop in quality a little, there is little to complain about.

    Colours were excellently rendered - however it was interesting to note subtle, and occasionally not so subtle changes in colouration on-screen depending on the differently positioned cameras around the stadia. Colours also tended to be better presented during night games - artificial light versus natural conditions.

    Grain and low level noise were non-existent. Some MPEG artefacts were noticeable on occasion, but again, nothing serious. The transfer held up remarkably well considering how much information the TV cameras are forced to lens at the games. Aliasing is slightly more of a problem - the grass shimmers a little on occasion, and railings and signs in the stands do cause some disturbance, but the focus is always on the game itself so it never detracts from viewing enjoyment.

    Film artefacts? What film artefacts?

    No subtitles are offered.

Video Ratings Summary

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

Audio

    Whilst one could have dreamed of a weighty, immersive 5.1 track that could transport us to the MCG on that day in September, it was not to be, and the English 2.0 surround track is a little underwhelming but accomplishes its job.

    Dialogue was easy to hear in all but a few instances, but I think the difficulty lay with 'interpreting' the mumbling of a few commentators rather than a deficiency in the soundtrack. Audio sync was excellent, although not vitally important except in the interview footage.

    The subwoofer stole very little from the track and the surround channels provided only a whisper of stadium ambience.

    Most disconcerting were a few clear instances of audio distortion - first from 36:44 intermittently until 38:34 and then some clicks and pops at 42:03 and 66:02.

    In sum, a decent transfer that one perhaps unreasonably expected to be more.

Audio Ratings Summary

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

    What more could you want from a highlights DVD than lots of highlights? Well, maybe a little more analysis of the season, interviews with the coaching staff and other players... This does the job well however.

    The video, recently transferred, is excellent.

    The audio is hampered by some annoying clicks, pops and squeaks and is a little flat but nonetheless serviceable.

    There are no extras - unless you count the incessant looping of a couple of lines of the Brisbane Lions theme song at the main menu.

Video
Audio
Extras
Plot
Overall