Customer Reviews

Buffy & Angel Chronicle Vol 1 [VHS]

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Built up in the previous seasons, Buffy and Angel's relationship comes to a climax on her seventeenth birthday. However, their brief moments of happiness cost Angel his soul and Buffy immense heartbreak when she realizes she must kill her lover. An amazing two-part episode, definitely one of the best of the series.

I was so happy when my Buffy and Angel Gift Pack arrived- three cassettes! Since I'd only read BTVS books and none of the episodes (no cable), my expectations for these 6 episodes were quite high. Now, all I have to say is: It was everything I hoped it would be and more.

The first cassette contains Episodes `Surprise' and `Innocence', and is coloured in red shades. In Surprise, it's Buffy's 17th birthday, and her friends are planning a surprise party. Buffy's feeling far from festive. Her feelings for Angel have become too hot to handle, and her sleep is disturbed by nightmares of his death. In those dreams, Drusilla and Spike are planning a party of their own. When Buffy learns they're assembling the body of a demon called the judge, she and Angel must crash that party to stop the destruction of humanity.

In Innocence, the evil Angelus is back. After one moment of true happiness with Buffy, Angel's curse is broken and he is once again the demonic Angelus. It's now like the old times with Spike and Dru, who have assembled The Judge and plan to destroy the world. But Angelus has his own agenda: to torture Buffy, who had once made him feel human. Meanwhile, Xander comes up with a plan to destroy The Judge, though it' written that `no weapon forged' can stop the demon.

BTVS Vol. 1 is a great introduction to the B & A Chronicles with an interview with Joss Wendon, the creator at the end of the two episodes. There are sub plots as well, including Xander and Cordelia, and Willow and Oz, as well as the true identity of Jenny Calendar as Yanna from a gypsy tribe.

I still think it's better to get the Gift Pack than the individual tapes because the experience won't be the same. You're worth it so don't cut yourself short.

The Angelus story arc from the second season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer that is captured so perfectly in the three volumes of The Buffy & Angels Chronicles begins with the double punch of "Surprise" and "Innocence" and the transformation of Angel into Angelus after his Faustian moment of true happiness. Angel's final tragic confrontation with Buffy in "Becoming, Part 2" had been a long time coming, set up by Josh Whedon the first time the starcrossed lovers met, and confirming once and for all that Buffy is one of the best series on television.

"Surprise," written by Marti Noxon and directed by Michael Lange, is the calm before the storm. On her seventeenth birthday Buffy has been having prophetic dreams again (never a good sign). The Scooby gang learns that Spike and Drusilla are trying to reassemble the Judge, who was dismembered long ago because he cannot be killed "by any weapon forged." We learn that Jenny Calendar is really Janna, a member of the Romany gypsies that cursed Angel and restored his soul. Warned by her uncle that Angel is becoming too happy, Jenny gets Angel to agree to take the arm of the Judge on a long ocean voyage. But when vampires recapture the arm and complete the Judge, Angel and Buffy spend the night together. The episode, in which Angel finally tells Buffy that he loves her, ends with only a hint of what has happened, a subtle change in Angel as Buffy lies sleeping. (Note: There was a scene cut from this episode in which Jenny and Giles talk have a very serious talk about Buffy that you can find in the first volume of "The Watcher's Guide.")

In "Innocence," written and directed by series creator Josh Whedon, Angel has lost his soul and Angelus is back big time, joining Spike and Drusilla in their effort to destroy the world with the Judge. At first Angel just blows off Buffy, but after he attacks Willow and the Slayer forces the truth from Jenny, the truth is out and everybody has to start dealing with the consequences. Angelus decides he is going to torture Buffy the way he did Drusilla before he turned her. Buffy is not the only one with love life complications, as Willow catches Xander and Cordelia kissing and Oz rejects her offer to make out. However, the immediate concern is the Judge, and Buffy gets around the "no weapon forged" rule by adding a missle launcher to her arsenal. Getting a chance to take down Angelus at the end, she makes her point with the toe of her boot rather than a stake. She might regret that decision. (Note: The Judge is played by Brian Thompson, who played the Master's right-hand vamp Luke in the pilot episodes).

The Angelus story arc concludes brilliantly in the two-parter "Becoming" seasone finale. The nice thing about The Buffy & Angle Chronicles is that of the six episodes inbetween these bookend two-parters, they choose the two best--"Passion" and "I Only Have Eyes For You"--for inclusion in Volume 2. Together, the episodes on these tapes represent the heart of soul of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

This tape of the episodes "Surprise" and "Innocence" is a must have for all Buffy fans. I really enjoyed it because I am a big fan of Buffy and Angel and this episode showed a turning point in their relationship. Anyway this video was really awesome!

This was probably the strongest, if most melodramatic, show up to this point in the series. "BtVS" has always been a satire of high school life, but it really hit its mark here. Buffy spends the night with the man of her dreams only to wake up and find out he's changed into an evil brute. Oh, it will break your heart. The fact that Buffy's mom is completely clueless is even sadder. The final scene will make you cry. Buffy, having been burned by an excess of desire, doesn't even have enough wishes left to blow out her birthday candles. "I'll just let them burn," she says. The scene closes with Buffy watching an old Robert Young movie on television with the heroine singing Benny Goodman's "Good Night, My Love." TV just doesn't get any better.

These are vital episodes in the Buffy story and are brilliantly acted with heart felt performances by Sarah and David.

This video shows the two episodes "Surprise" & "Innocence". In the first, it's Buffy's 17th birthday, when Angel gives Buffy her claddagh ring and they have sex for the first time. In "Innocence", we see the effects of this as Angel reverts to the dark side and snubs Buffy, who is understandably devestated. However, she and her friends still manage to vanquish the Judge, brough forth by Spike & Drusilla, to destroy the world.

I'm a hard die Buffy fan. I started to watch Buffy last year and been hooked on it ever since. The Angel and Buffy Chronicles tell me a little about Angel and Buffy's history. The Becoming is one of the best episodes I've seen. If you are a Buffy die hard fan like me, you would also check out her books. They are just as good. You actually read ever scene like you were actually seen it on tv.

This is some great episodes in the Buffy/Angel relationship. A must havew for all fans of "Buffy- the vampire slayer" and "Angel". I only see "Angel" -the series on the WB, but these are great episodes to understand what Angel whent throu before he moved to Los Angeles. And of cause David Boreanaz plays Angel wonderfully.

I would've gave this tape a full five stars if there wasn't something that bothered me in the two episodes featured on it. The thing that bothered me was the ridiculous sub-plot of the 'Judge.' These episodes didn't need it. These would've been better if they held more substance on the Buffy/Angel relationship.

What is even more annoying is Xander inflitrating a military base to obtain a weapon to kill the Judge. The creators get around this by saying that Xander can do it as he remembers the layout and protocol for the base from the Halloween episode in which he turns into a soldier. One question, if he can remember all that, why can't he remember to fight like a soldier instead of getting his butt kicked all the time?

Overall though, these two episodes are good and they're both wrapped up neatly with the end scene. You'll see what I mean...

All Buffy fans should buy this tape but if you're not, the whole 'judge' subplot might not be some people's cup of tea. I say this as there's a lot more Buffy episodes available to buy that are ten times better than these featured here!