Batman & Mr. Freeze: Subzero (1998) Warner Archive Blu-ray Review

[@Danbo22987]

This is very much the three part finale to the original run. Viewed that way is a lot better. If this had had a theatrical release like Phantasm the comparisons would be more apt I feel.

[@systemmonitor5295]

Heart of Ice and Subzero are the best Freeze stories ever.

[@SlashManEXE]

The different aspect ratio would be a good reason to carry this over to UHD. Not too much else you’d need to make it definitive (I believe they’re not omitting the lost soundtrack)

[@DamnFoolIdealisticCrusader]

Agreed that adding the 1.66 ratio presentation and maybe upgrading to a 4K scan would be the only improvements.

[@pkkingcrimsonrequiem1332]

The first season of Justice League did have the same "made in 4:3 but intended to be aired in letterbox" thing. But from 2003 onwards every WB animated series was actually produced in 1.78:1, but the only series actually aired letterboxed at that time was season 2 of Justice League and all of Justice League Unlimited.

[@DamnFoolIdealisticCrusader]

That fits with what I’ve read. On dvd and broadcast Warner stuck with 1.33 a while longer which seems to have driven Bruce Timm and others a bit nuts. There is a rumor WB considered theatrically releasing Subzero as a Batman and Robin tie in which would explain the theatrical widescreen matting.

[@pkkingcrimsonrequiem1332]

@@DamnFoolIdealisticCrusader A theatrical plan for Subzero seems kinda odd considering how Mask of The Phantasm bombed theatrically. I feel that in this case it was the staff preemptively preparing in case Warners pulled another Phantasm again but i'd also chalk it up to the staff starting to really latch on to the idea of cinematic widescreen presentations in general.

[@DamnFoolIdealisticCrusader]

@@pkkingcrimsonrequiem1332 I think it could be either way. At first I thought it was perhaps just some of the team thinking about the widescreen cinematic feel-but Subzero was conceived as a B&R tie in and later pushed back to 1998 when the film didn’t turn out well. Plus the switch to 1.66 meant they didn’t have the cramped framing issues they had on Phantasm at 1.85 so at least someone learned from that experience.

[@pkkingcrimsonrequiem1332]

@@DamnFoolIdealisticCrusader I think it was always meant have the tie in to Batman & Robin but be the home video part of it while Batman & Robin was for the theatrical side of things. So that there was something for consumers to buy during the time Batman & Robin was in theatres.

[@KevinStriker]

Considering they included 'The New Batman Adventures' in the Blu-ray set (for intents and purposes, Season 3 of TAS), I kind of wish they included 'Mystery of the Batwoman' so that every season had a respective tie-in movie. One look at the front cover and the art's certainly trying to ape the style of TAS despite being released in '03 with the Superman/JLA style.

[@DamnFoolIdealisticCrusader]

You know I might mention that specific title in just a bit…

[@Riddler95]

I absolutely love Batman & Mr. Freeze: Subzero and I enjoy it as much as Batman: Mask of the Phantasm. I was as a kid when SubZero was released and I got impatient because it was delayed for almost a year because of the failure of Batman & Robin. I remember how relieved I was when SubZero finally got released on video in 1998. I think that Boyd Kirkland really put his heart and soul into SubZero and it definitely paid off because the movie turned out to be absolutely wonderful. I find it disrespectful to Boyd Kirkland that Warner Archive didn't include the "Matted WideScreen" version and the 5.1 mix on the Blu-Ray because it seemed like Boyd Kirkland preferred SubZero to be viewed that way. The DVD of SubZero is pretty decent and I find that the 2.0 Surround mix on it sounds really good when you use Pro Logic II. I want to track down a LaserDisc copy so I can check out the "Matted Widescreen" version. The Blu-Ray set of Batman: The Animated Series often goes on sale for $50.00 and when I do order it I will definitely be looking forward to checking out both Mask of the Phantasm and SubZero in HD on Blu-Ray. I also own the comic book adaptation of SubZero.

[@DamnFoolIdealisticCrusader]

I haven’t read the comic adaptation yet but I’m sure it will be like the Phantasm Comic. I really do enjoy the film and saw it numerous times growing up and over re-watches over the years. I do enjoy the storyline but have never had the same emotional attachment to it the way I do with phantasm. But it does have the trademark feel of a Boyd Kirkland directed episode of the series with the added flourishes of it being a feature and some CG bits. Personally I don’t know if a 5.1 mix really exists- it is possible but no one‘s ever found it. My guess is that in the final stages they were just listening to the four track master before matrixing. I do really think the widescreen addition should’ve been included and original storyboards prove it was planned that way. The Laserdisc is cool if you can find one but it rarely pops up. The Blu-ray audio is identical to the Laserdisc so it’s one of the few examples I can point to where every edition sounds fantastic.