Mythbusters Collection 4
Image Entertainment
Cast: Adam Savage, Jamie Hyneman, Tory Belleci, Grant Imahara, Kari Byron
Extras:
Rating:
You just gotta love them! Mythbusters is without a doubt one of the coolest show on the Discovery Channel. Filled with quirky humor these guys take common myths and urban legends and put them to the test. OFten it is actually even more than that. Instead of simply testing the myths, they usually also explain the science behind these myths, making it clear to see why some of them work and others just don't.
In their 2-disc Collection 4, you will be treated to some truly amazing myths that are uncovered and dissected in detail, some of which have had significant longevity. But when Adam, Jamie, Tory, Grant and Kari get their hands on these supposed truths, nothing is safe and no stone remains unturned.
Some of the real highlights of this collection are the myths surrounding the NASA Moon Landing, of course. For over 30 years there have been vocal paranoids claiming the moon landing was staged pointing primarily at photos and video footage for their claims. The Mythbusters are determined to find out the truth — and they do, in one of the best episodes the show has ever produced.
Also absolutely worth seeing is the "Phone Book Friction" episode, in which Adam and Jamie interleave the individual pages of two phone books, only to find them practically inseparatable afterwards. How much power will it take to pull these phone books apart? The answer may surprise even you!
Then there's "Airplane On A Conveyor Belt" answering the question if an airplane can take off if it is running on a conveyor belt matching its actual speed. The list is endless as the Mythbusters also turn to some of their favorite movie myths and then go on to do a Viewer Special. Fro eye-popping sneezes to "Please blow up my parents' car" they fulfill viewer wishes and make short work of some of the most common everyday myths we surround ourselves with.
Of course, no Mythbusters collection would be complete without cool explosions and destruction in the name of science, and this collection also delivers on the ends, of course, so prepare yourself for exploding sharks, cars, fire extinguishers and many other "works of art."
I've been a fan of Mythbusters since I first discovered the show a few years ago. Not only is it a lot of fun, it really answers some of the questions that have been plaguing me for all my life. I mean, will cockroaches really inherit the Earth after a nuclear blast, or can you build a water-based stun gun to blast aliens that may attack you and try to carry you away for some bizarre experiments? Adam and Jamie make sure you will find out the truths behind this essential questions that are on everyone's minds.
Arriving on 2-discs – which is about 10 discs too few for my taste – the DVD set mixes episodes form a number of seasons and presents them in their original 1.78:1 widescreen aspect ratio, in an anamorphic transfer. A Dolby Stereo track accompanies the episodes, serving the production perfectly well. Unfortunately the disc has no subtitles to offer and is not closed captioned either, which is sadly a big oversight. Apart from that shortcoming however, the presentation itself is wonderful, with a sharp and clear image that reveals noticeably more detail than anything you may be getting out of your cable or your dish.
The release does not contain any extras, which is too bad. Mythbusters usually have a lot of additional footage for each episode on their website, so these DVD releases would have been the perfect vehicle to add these additional clips for posterity. Hopefully, when someone will get around to actually release the show in chronological season-by-season order, all the goodies will be included, but for now, releases like this "Mythbusters Collection 4" from Image Entertainment is the best way to enjoy the show.
