Release Date: August 28, 2012 Rating: TV PG Running Time: 946 minutes
The Evil Queen has cast an evil spell on an enchanted forest filled with fairytale characters. The curse trapped these characters in a place where all their happy endings were stolen – our world. Now the Evil Queen is acting as town mayor, and all of the inhabitants of the fairytale world of Storybrooke can’t seem to remember any details of their past lives. As the truth starts to unfold, the battle between good and evil begins. Bonus materials include “Welcome To Storybrooke,” a feature that takes you on a tour of the town that was the inspiration for the show, deleted scenes, audio commentaries, bloopers, and much, much more!!!
A lover of fairy tales, the decision to start watching Once Upon A Time was an easy one. A viewer who appreciates good effects… the decision to stop watching Once Upon A Time was a tough one. I was initially 100% invested in the show… and then I realized that I could not in fact get past the really bad CGI and all of that good stuff. But never one to give up on television easily, I decided to tune into the show after taking a break from viewing and fell in love all over again. The best part? I noticed that the effects had improved and there was much less to wince at. So I am happy to say again that I am a huge Once Upon A Time fan.
I’ve come to realize that the list is endless when it comes to the reasons why I love this show and the list stops at one when it comes to the reasons I don’t. One of the aspects that I love so much is the fairy tale mash ups throughout the season. The possibilities are endless when worlds collide. The way that the writers have interwoven the fairy tales is truly astounding. It makes for great twist but more significant, fascinating stories – both in the fairy tale world and in Storybrooke. Which brings me to the depth that these fairy tale characters have now that they are rooted in the real world. These characters may as well have been stick figures before but now, oh now… thank you Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz for creating this show!
These stories are incredible and will be remembered (and retold) just as much as the fairy tales that we have all come to love and retell. The casting is perfect for each and every episode, every fairy tale that is introduced as the season goes on. This makes me very excited for what’s to come because there is still so much ground to cover, so many characters to bring into this world. And the (present day) small town setting was such a smart decision. We’ve all seen Enchanted and have know what the city life is like for fairy tale characters but what about a small town? Yeah, this is definitely more fitting. There really is so much to love about Once Upon A Time and I could go on but you should experience the magic yourself. If there’s one DVD to buy today or put on your Christmas list, let it be Once Upon A Time.
Special Features:
ONCE UPON A TIME: ORCHESTRAL SUITE – You can listen to a sample of the score! Taking part in one of Jane Epenson’s writing sprints and need some background music? Here you go!
ONCE UPON A TIME: ORIGINS – Actor, Josh Dallas guides fans through historical origins of our favorite European based fairy tales (Snow White, Beauty & the Beast, Little Red Riding Hood, The Little Mermaid, Rumpelstiltskin), also sharing how they have evolved over centuries of retellings. If there’s one feature you want to watch for those interested in the origins, it is definitely this one. I was hoping a feature like this would be featured on the Blu-ray. Score!
FAIRY TALES IN THE MODERN WORLD (15 minutes) – This feature shows the creative approach of adapting the world of fairy tales into Once Upon A Time. It’s heartwarming to see the writers and producers especially talk about this process because they have been allowed to create dialogue and back story and so much more to the fairy tale characters that we all love and it seems that every member of the cast and crew knows not to take that lightly. What a rewarding feature!
BUILDING CHARACTER (7 minutes) – This features follows Co-Creator/Executive Producers Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz and actress, Emilie de Ravin as they create the character of Belle. This features takes viewers through the process, from the character meeting to the wardrobe concept meeting, wardrobe fitting, and finally filming. This is a fun feature since viewers usually don’t get to see these stages. Looking for something different? Check out this feature!
WELCOME TO STORYBROOKE (6 minutes) – Ginnifer Goodwin takes viewers on a tour of Storybrooke, Maine, which is actually a small town outside Vancouver…Steveston. It takes about 10 hours to change Steveston to Storybrooke and all of the business are still open while filming is going on! These are just two of the many fun facts you’ll learn as you take a peak at this feature. Go on, you know you want to!
THE STORY I REMEMBER… SNOW WHITE (Approx. 5 minutes) – The cast shares their childhood memories of the beloved fairy tale Snow White, illustrated to original storybook graphics. This is quite a fun feature to watch, especially for fans of Snow White or viewers who have forgotten the tale. Must watch!
THE FAIREST BLOOPERS OF THEM ALL (Approx. 3 minutes)
DELETED SCENES – There are nine deleted scenes and if want more Once goodness, I’d encourage you to watch. There’s nothing wildly different from what did make it to air but it’s still worth watching.
COMMENTARY – There are five commentaries. The Pilot commentary is conducted by Co-Creator/Executive Producers Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz 7:15AM commentary is conducted by cast members, Ginnifer Goodwin and Josh Dallas. Of these two commentaries, I learned more from the first but more enjoyed listening to the latter. I find the dynamics to always be better between a male and a female when it comes to commentary, no matter if it is a mix of cast and crew so I was easily more entertained with “7:15AM.” Both commentaries, all of the commentaries were equally insightful. It’s clear that everyone involved with this show is very passionate about this show. That said, some voices are monotone and others are not. Then there’s the Skin Deep commentary which is conducted by writer, Jane Epenson and cast member, Robert Carlyle. I’d love it if Jane Epenson commentated every episode she was heavily involved in. Big fan over here. Also, this is one of my favorite episodes of the entire season, so I’d really be biased if I said that this was my favorite commentary, so I won’t say it. I will say, aspiring television writers, watch this commentary if you don’t watch any other commentary on here. That is all. Another favorite episode of mine is The Stable Boy and commentary for this episode is conducted by Co-Creator/Executive Producers Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz and cast member, Lana Parilla. Finally, A Land Without Magic commentary is conducted by Co-Creator/Executive Producers Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz and cast member, Jennifer Morrison.
Own Once Upon A Time on Blu-ray and DVD today.