V - The Original TV Miniseries

Amazon.com

In its day, V was a monumental event that for one generation remains a pop-culture touchstone. Close Encounters of the Third Kind may have reassured us that perhaps we have nothing to fear from alien visitors and E.T. introduced us to a benign extraterrestrial who only wanted to go home, but Kenneth Johnson's 1983 television miniseries knew better. Visitors who claim to come in peace are revealed to be nothing but human-looking reptilians on human conversion and conquest. As in the dark days of fascism, some collaborate with the enemy; others form the resistance.

At the time, the epic scale of this production was unprecedented. Those 50 motherships that hover over Earth's major cities anticipate Independence Day by more than a decade. The special effects and makeup are still awesome. Less so is the often-hackneyed dialogue. But thanks to their signature roles, the mostly no-star cast, most of whom would be reunited for a sequel and subsequent television series, have ensured themselves standing invitations to sci-fi conventions. Marc Singer is cameraman-turned-freedom-fighter Mike Donovan. Julie Parrish is a medical student-turned-rebel. Richard Herd is the aliens' supreme commander. Jane Bradler is Diana, the ravishing but ruthlessly ambitious alien science officer. Leonardo Cimino lends dignity to his heavy-handed allegorical role as a Holocaust survivor. Look for a pre-Freddy Krueger Robert Englund as one of the aliens.

The DVD is presented for the first time in widescreen format. Supplemental features include an amiable and enlightening director's commentary and a brief "making of" segment. --Donald Liebenson

Description

Aliens pretending to be friendly come to Earth and are received openly. The aliens have masqueraded themselves to look just like humans. When it is discovered that the aliens' planet is dying and that they have come to rape the Earth of its natural resources, the war for Earth begins. An important key to the humans' success is distinguishing the their own from the aliens.

Customer Reviews:

Excelent series...but with a hoaxy title..........2007-08-03

I love the V miniseries, but this dvd's should specify that they do not comprehend the hole seasons or every chapter. This one is just the beggining of it. But it's great to have it in my collection

It Can Happen Anytime Anywhere.......2007-07-19

A Nazi allegory for the 1980s. Instead of Jews, it is scientists, intellectuals, reporters and any other truth seekers who are peresecuted. For a species that comes in peace, the Visitors sure brought a lot of guns and stormtroopers. Scientists like Julie (Faye Grant) and intrepid reporters like Mike (Marc Singer) start to smell a rat after their perfectly normal curiousities about the Visitors are harshly rebuffed. Why all the secrecy and paranoia? Scientists start disappearing and the networks and papers are turned into Visitor propaganda machines. The writing is intelligent. Many interesting ideas about freedom of thought, dissent and information are raised. Also, the many mindsets of those who invade, join, collaborate or resist are explored. The 3 1/2 hour series moves at a breakneck pace. This helps tremendously in covering the subpar acting and occasional plot hole or leap in logic. The ships arrive in the first few minutes and "contact" is made within twenty minutes. The original series ends with V having established control over the world and the resistance firmly established with Mike and Julie as the leaders.

Sci-fi classic.......2007-03-09

If you have never watched "V" hit "purchase with one click." If you have, its the same thing you watched on TV 20 some odd years ago without the commercials, no extras.

TV's Best Miniseries.......2007-03-08

The title just represents my opinion, but this is without a doubt, one of the best if not the best of the TV mini-series. This was followed by the all-too-short regular weekly series (also available on dvd) and V - The Final Battle. And that's the order you want to watch them in - that way everything ties together and you aren't wondering what went on and why something in The Final Battle is happening.

The original though, is still the best. "Friendly" aliens come to Earth in need of water (supposedly)and we find out they aren't what they seem and it makes for gripping viewing even if you've seen it before. It even features a young Robert Englund (Freddy Kreuger in Nighmare On Elm Street 1- 102)as a "good" alien.

There are shades of Nazi Germany and the persecution of the Jews running rampant through the series - showing perhaps that what happened once can happen again and it doesn't have to be a madman who's responsible for the genocide taking place.

While it came out over 20 years ago (1983), V is just as gripping and exciting today as it was when it first came out.

Visitatori.......2007-02-04

There are four kinds of sci-fi:
(1) People go to the stars (Star Trek etc)
(2) Aliens come to earth (V etc)
(3) Aliens interact with other aliens (Dune etc)
(4) Earth of the near (Mad Max) or distant future (Time Machine).
The V mythology developed the second category in important ways that impacted both kids and big people, too. Without V would we have had Independence Day? Or Men in Black?
V also made an impact overseas. In September 1985 in Florence, I heard a street vendor who was fatigued with the surge of tourists sigh: "Visitatori!" His analogy was very well taken.
V-Fans hope for another sequel. The projected "V the Second Generation" sounds a lot like Star Trek TNG. There are other possible names: V-Files, V-Men, V-Hur (aliens attack ancient Rome in a prequel), V-zilla (aliens attack Japan), V-Ventura (aliens abduct rich Italians on a desert island but nobody cares).
One star was taken away because the DVD producers have masked the top and bottom of the image, but the director commentary is a big plus.

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