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The Movie:
An older IMAX feature, this documentary takes a look at the history of Mount Saint Helens, and the peaks around it. The film takes us through before and after photography of the surrounding area; it's remarkable to see the beauty of the surrounding area that was ruined by the destruction and erruption of the mountain.
The film does a remarkable job of taking us into the aftermath of the erruption, showing the destruction of nature and the choking ash clouds that sit over the local cities like a fog. The biggest problem is the length; the film only runs for about 26 minutes, which makes it the shortest IMAX film that I've ever seen.
The DVD
VIDEO/AUDIO: The audio for this IMAX feature is actually quite good; during the sequences where the erruption is shown, there is a solid deep rumble that isn't hugely powerful, but is still pretty impressive. Surround use is occasional, but not terribly effective. The score comes through well, sounding natural and clear. The narration also sounds quite good, clean and easily understood.
There are some flaws with the image quaity, but it's better than I'd expected from it. There are some marks and scratches on the print used that are noticable, but not hugely distracting. Grain is apparent on occasion, as well. Sharpness is fairly good, but some sequences seem a little soft or hazy. Colors seem slightly subdued or faded, as well. For a picture that's 20 years old, it looks fairly good.
MENUS:: Basic main menus using images from the film, and offering the usual selections of special features, languages and other offerings.
EXTRAS: A 25 minute documentary called "Images of a Volcano" that is, simply, lots of images of Volcanos - no more, no less. A couple of trailers for other Slingshot IMAX titles are included, along with a web link.
Final Thoughts: Not one of the best IMAX films I've seen, "Erruption" still does offer some interesting moments and footage taking a look at the before and after of the erruption of the mountain. With the film's short length though, and few extras, it doesn't justify the disc's 24.95 price tag. If you're a fan of IMAX features, you may want to check it out as a rental.
Program Grade:B-
Audio Quality Grade:B
Image Quality Grade:C+
Extras Grade:B-
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