Patlabor Movie 1

By Dwight Chapin     February 16, 2002
Release Date: July 25, 2000



The Review!
I just finished watching Patlabor 1 for the first time. I am pleased to say that overall the DVD lives up to what one would expect from a movie 10 years old. I had heard mixed things about this classic. I have been told the movie is slow, and at times down right boring. On the other hand I have heard that the movie is a classic that should be viewed by any fan of anime. Right off the front of the DVD is a quote from Animeco, "A Must-see for both hard-core anime fans as well as newcomers alike." I have to agree with this statement.

The Audio on the Japanese language track is clean and free of any hiss or pop sounds. While a little thin at times, and lacking any real bass, I found things to be about average for a Stereo track. I tried out parts of the English 5.1 track, and found it to be a slight improvements in all areas, but still not up to most modern 5.1 recordings. It just did not have quite the impact off the best DVD's out there. I always frown on studios releasing the English track with a new 5.1 recording, and throwing on a stereo original language, almost as an after-thought. Still, because there was not much improvement on the English recording, you should have little problem with it.

The Video is very nice. I found the picture to be stable and sharp. While the colors seem to be washed out at times, this could be part of the original master. It is not distracting at all, and actually seems to fit the animation style, which is why I think it was the way it was made. I did notice a few small moments of grain, and in dark scenes a haze over the movie. Once again, this could reflect the original print, but it is still there, and keeps it from getting a high score. I think most people will be pleased with the way this DVD looks.

The Packaging reflects the age of this movie. It is not flashy like newer releases like Blue Submarine, or Cowboy Bebop. The front picture is older looking, and has an almost amateurish quality to it. Still, it catches the eye, and fits perfectly with the movie.

The menus are definitely tops. While some might be upset with how modern they look, because it does not fit the animation style of the movie, I liked them. Set up with the choices on the left, and a small screen on the right. In this screen runs a loop from the movie, with audio. Makes you feel like you are in a Labor, albeit a much more advanced one. When you select a feature, you are shown a brief clip from the movie, before the next screen shows up.

The movie itself really is a gem. I went into it with low expectations. This form of anime is not my favorite, and I feared I would have to force myself through the movie. Not so. I found it a very sharp look at our dependence on machines, and the downside to that dependence. The pace of the movie is definitely slower then most. During this time, a nice little story emerges, and the characters are fleshed out. There is not much action in the movie. During the opening credits there is a brief battle that is interrupted by the credits themselves. Early one there is a small fight as a Labor goes on a rampage. Not until the final act do you get any serious action, and even that is kind of tame. If you want constant fights, with a lot of movement, then skip this. On the other hand, if you want a strong story, some small amounts of humor, and a bit of action, then this is for you.

There are not many extras to speak of. Maybe I am spoiled by DVD's like The Abyss, and Fight Club, but It seems that more and more, anime falls behind in this area. There are two trailers, for Patlabor 1 and 2. There is the Manga 2000 preview set to KMFDM, showing some of the newer movies from Manga. You also get the Manga Video Fan Club info, and some Web Links. There is also a page showing all the DVD's by Manga, and some brief artwork and information on each. I expected a little more.

One last thought. During the opening credits I noticed one small brief instance of digital break up. Dots covered the screen for about 1 second. This never happened again for the rest of the movie. Also, the layer change, that happens with about 30 minutes left in the movie, is a bit longer then normal, and seems to smear the image for about 2 seconds, and then it corrects itself.

Review Equipment
Sony DVP-S7700 DVD PLAYER, Toshiba TW65X81 TV, Sony ES TA-N9000ES AMP, Sony TA-E9000ES Pre-amp, Acoustic Research AR1 speakers.