Customer Reviews

Roar - The Complete Series

5 star:		(53)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

`Roar' is a highly entertaining sword and sorcery series made for television which was originally released to the airwaves in '97. This magical series has finally been released in a boxed set containing the complete 13 episodes, which includes 5 episodes never aired on network television

Synopsis: The year is 400A.D., the place is the British Isles. The Roman Empire rules the Celtic landscape, that is with the exception of a few pagan tribes still offering what little resistance they can. The task to unite the native Celts to battle the invading Roman forces falls to young Prince Conor (Heath Ledger). If Conor is to be successful he must learn to harness the mystical power of his homeland, "the Roar." Only then can he truly lead his people and realize his vision of freedom.

`Roar' is beautifully produced and wonderfully scenic throughout. It also has ingeniously combined Celtic mysticism and Druidism with some rather obscure and archaic elements of early Christian mythology. The inclusion of Longinus, the Roman Centurian who pierced the side of Christ with his spear in the role of Queen Dianna's sorcerer is a fascinating addition to the storyline.

Also starring: John Saint Ryan (Fergus), Vera Farmiga (Catlin), Alonzo Greer (Tully), Liza Zane (Queen Dianna) and Sebastian Roche (Longinus).

I caught this one on SCI FI channel as they re-aired it. I was blown away. The story was great, I love how Christian belief wasnt covered up, it was on the rise, and so played out during the series short run.
The cast was very good, the sets were great and the music very well done.
This IS NOT your cheesy Beastmaster/Xena/Hercules series. There are no cheep over the top fight scenes. It is very well done and serious.

Roar is a wonderful series with a great cast including Heath Ledger, John Saint Ryan, Vera Farmiga, Alonzo Greer, and Sebastian Roché. It was produced by Davd Cassidy and had a great team of writers. What never made any since was why it was cancelled. The casting, directing, and everything about the show was better than most other series at the time. For many years people had to watch their VHS tapes that they had taped of the original airings. There was a cult over it they had forums and web pages and petitions to bring back the show. Apparently it fell on studio execs that had no concept of what people wanted for entertainment. Considering all the great ancient epic movies of late, need I say more? Finally the SciFi channel was smart enough to air it again recently and I guess someone was smart enough to realize they not only had the original fans but a new group as well.

I am happy to see this on DVD. I immediately pre-ordered this series that was far more realistic and dramatic than others that followed. There are a couple things that are fantasy, but so well done you will think them possible. After all there have long been legends of the Spear that killed Christ. To believe the Roman soldier that used that spear was made immortal to suffer is a great story. And that is but one intertwined story that is woven into a tapestry of incredible people and their culture of the past. The acting, production values, sets, and music are all worthy of movie quality. If you enjoy dramas about ancient times you will want this set about the Celts enduring the rule of the Romans until the time for them to throw off their oppressor. So many stories of what life was like and the blossoming of Christianity in this rugged land with people living in Celtic tribes. I just can't say enough about how well crafted this series was and I sincerely believe everyone should give it a chance. My only negative comment is they cut some of the beautiful music from the original airings and a few scenes. I'm not sure why, but this set would have been better if they had left the music and scenes as they were.

Ok the only reason i bought this is because i was an extra in a few episodes and it didnt do too well when it was released in Australia and was Axed after about Episode 6, if i recall correctly. And i wanted to see myself in the other Episodes. Other then that...
Its actually better then i remembered . I thought it was a tad on the poor side when it came out, Even though every girl i know loved it.. Think thats the because of the Heath element.
I never originally saw the Pilot , Which is a must. Other wise the entire series doesnt make much sense. Because its the Pilot episode that explains the entire reason for Conors (heath Ledger) trek through the wilderness. So its a good thing its on the DVD. I wont go into story details, for those who havent seen it.
Some of the scenery is kind of a laugh.. It Ireland , Filmed on the Gold Coast, Queensland Australia. so the scenes with gum trees make the Ireland illusion fallible. I expected to see some kangaroos in the back ground. :)
to see what i mean check out Disc 2, First Ep. "Red Boot" , the first scene with Conor and Fergus on the horses.. Gum trees man! Gum Trees!
Anyhow.. i enjoyed watching the entire series for the first time, and would recommend it to anyone who liked the first few episodes from TV in Australia. Heath Ledger fans , its a must have.. his first lead role, and he's quite good , bar the few slips of his Irish / Aussie accent. Melissa George fans, Its a must have, With one of her early roles, although one scene of hers took 13 takes, but not sure if that was her fault or the Directors. Its filled with plot holes , and unrealistic events, but hey, its fantasy! So if your up for something that partially based on 11th century Ireland, filled with Magic and Adventure, and of course, Double helpings of Heath Ledger, then this is worth giving a go..
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I read through all of the current reviews on here before posting this and I was very surprised to see that so many people seemed to have overlooked something. Maybe I have a memory for detail that others don't? I'm just not sure how you can call a show 'complete' when you're missing some of the vital songs from the original airing of that show.
Yesterday my husband bought me ROAR, since it was one of the things that brought us together and sparked interest in each other while dating. I found myself a bit let down by watching the first episode. Like most TV shows that are now suddenly coming to DVD the studio cut two of my favorite songs from the show. The first song is "Cymbeline" from Loreena McKennitt's 'Visit' CD (and the original placement of this song was perfect, it was placed right at the moment where Connor lays down beside Claire's body and reprised when he whispered in her ear at her funeral) It is not only the lack of song that I find infuriating but that (I feel) the studio was too lazy to replace it with anything of value. (At least on Roswell the series creator Jason Katims searched until he found music that fit the themes of what he was replacing before the DVD release) The second song that was missing was from the episode "Banshee" and was called "Mystic's Dream" from McKennitt's "Mask and Mirror" CD. This music opened up the scene where the warriors entered the mists and saw shadows of their worst fears and fed into the fight scene that followed. Both of these songs are what helped to enhance ROAR for it's original audience and I'm depressed that they were not included in this release.
(Actually kicking myself now for taping over my original 1997 tape of the show after I got the DVR of the show off Sci-Fi Channel. Because last night I realized Sci-Fi cut out the scene with Claire's funeral pyre and the vision Connor has of her that leads him to finding his father's sword...Methinks I want a copy of the original once more...)
So, with all of my sullen shadows why did I give it four stars? Well, the picture quality is better than what I've seen previously, a touch more clear and such. The sound quality, although lacking in the poignant music I previously listed, was stellar in terms of mixing and such. They really kicked it up a notch.
Another hole in the production department is that they could have put more effort into making the DVD. There were no extras (and I know for a fact that a pitch reel is circulating out there somewhere so they could've added that into the mix) and the menu's are rather static (but that may be due to the fact the last three or more DVD's I've watched had 'motion menus') I would have also adored some commentary by the former cast.

Long ago, at the edge of the known world, the last Celtic tribes were fighting for survival. The great continent had fallen to the Romans and this remote, untamed island was the final stronghold of the ancient ways. If the people and the land were to endure they would have to rise up as one against the invaders, and this they did. With a fury. It was a time of treachery, a time of magic, a time of war. It was a time of heros and the monumental deeds that made them legends. A youth, a reluctant hero, rises from tragedy to listen to the ancient voices to free his people from enslavement in the land that will become known as Ireland.

Heath Ledger plays Conor, the reluctant hero and he is just one of the actors in the amazing short-lived series. If you enjoy fantasy, good fight scenes, humor and passionate characters then Roar is for you.

Despite the fact that there were some rather p.c. elements (such as the addition of a black actor to a cast set in 400 A.D. Ireland and some actors having trouble with the accent). The scenery is beautiful and the storylines are often deep, mystical, and beautiful. One thing I greatly enjoyed was how both paganism and Christianity were presented side by side, both given respect and neither pushed as the superior (that's probably what killed the show with Conservative sponsors, now that I think of it). Sadly, as many have mentioned, the gorgeous Celtic ballads of Ms. McKennitt (sorry if I misspelled) are not included on the dvds (which is the reason for four and not five stars). Her music set the tone for many poignant scenes of the show. Besides that, the show is extremely enjoyable and it is interesting to watch a young Heath starting out (although my favourite actor on the show was Sebastian Roche who was just amazing). If you have any interest in all things Celtic then you should pick this set up.

"Roar" is wonderful, the this disc set is well produced, sharp, and clean. There's just a wee bit of a problem with the packaging. Disc One's label says it contains 5 episodes. Actually, there are only four episodes on Disc One; "Sweet Brigit" is actually on Disc Three, at the very end. And the label on Disc Two (and on Disc Three) does not list the episodes in the order they are on the disc. Not a real biggie, and all 13 episodes are there.

I watched this when it was on the air years ago. It was great, innovative and moving. Was so disappointed when it suddenly disappeared. Can't wait to enjoy it again and share with what I'm sure will be many new fans.

I made it a point to set aside the weekly hour for this series when it aired on television and continued to watch its re-runs. Roar is a highly entertaining little series complete with moments of humor to compensate for its highly intense subject line.

I bought this DVD series only months ago since it was available and sat through the entire series in a day or two (or one long day and an overnight? <g>) before passing it along for my brother-in-law to enjoy. I hadn't recalled the series as being so *intense* and downright disturbing at times. My most recent viewing of the entire series was a real eye opener ... and heart pounder! Maybe one needs to pass the age of 40 to recognize the depths this story actually imparts ...

Highly recommended for young and old alike! :-)