The 2007 complete series includes 2 slim cases inside of a slipcase. Each case contains 2 double sided DVDs. Like most people I’m not a fan of double sided discs. They are easier to get thumbprints on. Worst of all scratches often happen. While it’s more convenient to flip it over, there’s some people who don’t realize there’s more video on the other side. That’s easily understandable coming from a world of mostly single sided discs. We’re also missing out on the opportunity for some nice artwork on each disc. We could have had some disc art displaying the Great Smoky Mountains, Christy, David and Neil. But I guess in the end it all comes down to money.
For the outer cardboard/paper slipcase I’m a little conflicted. It would be nice to have it encased in a completely plastic case for better protection. On the other hand, I think the paper slipcase tends to complement the series. You wouldn’t be seeing a lot of plastic in Cutter Gap. The only downside is that the slipcase can wear out and get some bends in it. Ideally I think it would have been smarter to incorporate some faux leather or fabric as part of the case. Mainly to amplify the theme of Christy.
The artwork of the front of the case looks great with Christy and the church/schoolhouse in the background. A gradient of colors from the setting sun is also quite nice. The font of Christy isn’t like that of the novel, however it is reminiscent of the advertisements back in 1994. I really don’t see a fault using a flowing cursive font. The most disappointing part of the artwork is on the back. The landscape appears to be from a scene out in the western United States or Canada. It certainly doesn’t appear to be the Appalachian Mountains. To be honest I think that is one of the biggest flaws of this set, perhaps even topping the double sided discs. In all reality these mountains were a character of the show. On the inside holding the discs is artwork of the pond with the iconic umbrella from “The Sweetest Gift”. No big problem there for me.
The menu artwork is a little disappointing, it feels a little bland. But I see exactly what they were going for. Trying to complement the series with some beige tones to make things look old-timey. So I can’t really fault them for that. However, I think the design could have been laid out in a better manner. Unfortunately there are no “extras” that many TV Show releases get. Such as outtakes, bloopers, gag reels, photos, etc. They even left out the 45 minute behind the scenes documentary “The Miracle of Christy”. I’ve preserved it from VHS here on my website and Youtube. It would have been interesting to add another documentary about the original real-life history of Christy that took place in Del Rio, Tennessee. On the plus side there was a special release of this set that contained a Bible Study booklet, and you could request a DVD of video clips to accompany it. However this specific release is extremely rare to find.
All in all, the biggest flaws of the set are the double sided discs, no extras, and the artwork missing the Appalachian Mountains. The pros are a paper slipcase, the very well done artwork on the cover and most of all, that every episode is there. One could complain that the TV movies aren’t included, but I’m thankful they aren’t. Good riddance. If you want to have them they have been released separately on DVD. At the end of the day this DVD set is great because some TV shows have never gotten a release.
Hopefully in the near future we’ll get a Blu-ray release of the series. The show was shot on 35mm film and if every precaution was taken you’ll be able to see a widescreen version of the series. In the old days we watched on a square TV (4:3), nowadays we watch our shows on a wider TV that is (16:9 Widescreen). In very layman’s terms, back then the filmmakers had to cut down their film size to a square, even though they were still using their film as a rectangle. In other words they were cropping or zooming-in just because of your TV.
Studio companies in Hollywood have consolidated considerably and each company is practically becoming a monopoly. I’ve reached out to film studios and entertainment distributors. It turns out that Disney now owns the content of Christy. So if you’re wanting a new release or Blu-ray like me, just keep contacting them. Until then I’ll make the best of what I have. Let’s pray for a jump from DVD to both Blu-ray and streaming. To read more details about this set visit the DVD page.
