Product Details

• Actors: Janyse Jaud, Kirby Morrow, Michael Dobson, Colin Foo, David Kaye
• Directors: Brooke Burgess
• Writers: Brooke Burgess
• Producers: Brooke Burgess, Jonathan Bogner, Kim Violato
• Format: Color, Dolby, Dubbed, Full Screen, Subtitled, NTSC
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo), English (Dolby Digital 5.1)
• Subtitles: English, Spanish, French
• Dubbed: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1
• Number of discs: 4
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: 20th Century Fox
• DVD Release Date: August 1, 2006
• Run Time: 720 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (43 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000FKO3RQ
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #131,908 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• Learn more about "Broken Saints - The Animated Comic Epic" on IMDb

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

A remarkable achievement and thoroughly engrossing, Broken Saints: The Animated Comic Special is the complete 12-hour adventure series (in 24 chapters) originally posted online between 2001 and 2003. A combination of comic book graphics and Flash animation, Broken Saints features characters that don't move (as in a comic book) but exist in scenes that suggest flowing action simply by introducing additional images or shifting a background (thanks to Flash). Dialogue is rendered via conventional speech balloons, but for this DVD set, actors (including William B. Davis, the "Cigarette Smoking Man" from The X-Files) have been cast to provide voices for the characters, giving the story greater immediacy. Also new is a music score, featuring some muscular rock as well as Mozart. Loads of special features are included, too.

Created by Brooke Burgess, Ian Kirby, and Andrew West, Broken Saints is the complex tale of an unlikely alliance between four individuals from very different walks of life. Shandala is a mysterious, 18-year-old woman from an uncharted Fijian island, altruistic and innocent yet possessed of terrifying powers. Raimi is a young, Canadian developer of security software who encounters a powerful force online and believes something big is about to take place on the planet. Oran is a Muslim from Baghdad who goes temporarily mad while guarding a bunker alone. Kamimura is an elderly, Shinto mystic from Japan estranged from his former Buddhist order. The quartet is connected through common visions of dark forces about to be unleashed, though they also learn quite a bit about themselves and each other during their perilous mission. Watching this series from beginning to end is a special and unique experience. As the story progresses, the makers of Broken Saints get better and better at their mixed-media technology, and the results are often beautiful and profound. --Tom Keogh

Product Description

Visually stunning, masterfully told, viscerally thrilling: Broken Saints is finally on DVD! This controversial and critically acclaimed graphic-novel saga fuses anime style, comic-book text, cinematic effects and music into a revolution in modern storytelling! Originally created by a small team of independent artists, this hypnotic and surreal fantasy/horror epic is now presented as a 12-hour, 4-Disc set with the celebrated voice talents of William B. Davis (The X-Files), Scott McNeil (X-Men: Evolution) and more, plus an entire universe of mind-blowing special features!

In the quiet corners of the globe, four strangers receive a series of chilling apocalyptic visions. Simultaneously drawn to a dark city in the West, their fates – and the fate of the world – are somehow tied to a global satellite network, a massive conspiracy … and a mysterious orphan girl with a terrifying secret. What will they give to save us all? What will they give to know the truth?

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Broken Saints stands alone... August 13, 2006

By Angela

Format:DVD

In our world of pre-packaged, ready-to-eat, instant-gratification entertainment, Broken Saints stands alone...a beacon to those who long for more than the 90 minute slack-jaw cinema experience. This series makes no apologies for its 12 HOURS OF ENGAGING STORYTELLING, the likes of which have never been seen before or since. Do not be fooled by overly simplistic paraphrases and summaries of its content - Broken Saints touches on nearly every relevant issue facing humankind today, and builds its foundation upon the most historic and universal archetypes, allowing it to transcend barriers of language, age or creed. Brooke Burgess weaves a tale that is so filled with undercurrent and subtext, that you will find the surface plot only barely scratches the surface of the series' intent.

I like to describe Broken Saints as a comic book in motion. Andrew West's inspired artwork is brought to life through Ian Kirby's masterful manipulation of the Flash medium. Lush canvases are created, figures are gorgeously illuminated, and the text of the story guides you through each frame, bringing you closer to the moment of understanding, when the message of Broken Saints ultimately resonates.

Bringing the emotion of the printed word to the forefront is difficult for even the greatest writer to achieve, but again, Broken Saints excels with the all-important musical contributions of Tobias Tinker. The soundtrack of this series is an emotive journey through various distinctive sonic soundscapes. It is the music of this series that brings you to the edge of your seat, and the tears to your eyes.

In its current evolution, Broken Saints is brought fully to life by the contribution of some truly phenomenal vocal talents. I challenge anyone to not be moved by Michael Dobson's portrayal of Oran, the faithful Iraqi muslim who is tormented by the choices he must make between serving God and serving his nation.

I highly recommend Broken Saints to anyone looking for material that challenges your beliefs, your politics, and your state of mind. I encourage anyone who is even remotely curious to buy this DVD, and give the series a chance. In fact, if you even had the attention span to read this far into my review, you will very likely enjoy and appreciate this set. Turn out the lights, turn up the sound, let Broken Saints wash over you. Engage it, and you will find what millions across the globe have found within...what would you give to know the truth?

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars evolved comic some cool music and a good time. August 9, 2006

By erica al-det

Format:DVD

I was familiar with the series but didn't really get to fully enjoy this until recently. We did a full on "weekendfest" and watched it all. We were joking about how perhaps the music was subliminally charged with messages and that is why we couldn't stop watching it! Or was it the political and evil corporate zest? I am more prone to going for the fact that it was a unique artistic delight. An evolved comic book meets drama meets sci-fi meets art and music hmmmm? Characters in this have enough depth to them you want to get to know them more. Raimi and Kamimura were delivered deliciously. The tie in of the four superb. I could go with the anti Saints haters and say it was loaded with politics and opinion of corporate evildoers but everything we watch is plugging some opinion or belief. That is the Way. This too had its opinion but as in many brands of Art, it did so with beauty and seductively captivated your mind. It entertains you. It was great artistically. Surreal fantastic and a very entertaining piece. Watch it for the characters, the art, and the music, driven story line and be "entertained". Or put your freedom fighter gear on and become a Broken Saint and go fight for your right to get entertained Majestically!!!! For my comics lovers, its a tasty treat*

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars One Of The Great Epics Of Our Time November 4, 2006

By qytSTRM

Format:DVD

Bravo! I just can't say enough about the award-winning epic series, Broken Saints. The creatorz of this phenomenal show, Brooke Burgess, Ian Kirby, and Andrew West, describe it as a "cinematic novel". It was first introduced to the world solely via the internet back in 2001. The creators, despite pouring years of blood, sweat, and tears into their work, made no financial gain.... And since it'z humble beginnings, the series has evolved into a special-edition dvd format, with a next generation console game coming out soon. The animation itself is partially animated but primarily utilizes flash animation. The soundtrack, as composed by Tobias Tinker and Quentin Grey with other pieces by Mozart and others, can only be described as haunting. As opposed to the web version, the special-edtion dvd makes use of dramatic voice talents and sound effects. Again, the artwork on this show is mind-blowing and the dialogue is spell-binding. FYI, Broken Saints is not a light-hearted cartoon. There are a lot of complex, profound issues dealt with on this show. And upon watching it, I think you'll agree that it is highly relevant to the age that we are living in. All in all, Broken Saints is a must-see (at least once, although it will certainly take several more viewings for all of it to sink in) and I highly recommend it!