The X-Files - The Complete Fourth Season

Buy This Item The X-Files - The Complete Fourth Season  List Price: $99.98  Available from Amazon  $89.99  on 12-7-2008     Features Actors: David Duchovny Format: Box set, Closed-captioned, Collector's Edition, Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, Full Screen, NTSC Language: English, French Subtitles: English, Spanish Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.) Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 Number of discs: 1 Studio: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment DVD Release Date: November 13, 2001 Run Time: 999 minutes Average Customer Review:   63 Reviews 5 star:  (50) 4 star:  (12) 3 star:  (1) 2 star:    (0) 1 star:    (0) See all 63 customer reviews...   (63 customer reviews) Reader Reviews While the fourth year of THE X FILES does not inhabit the Olympian heights of its immediate predecessor, the 1996-97 season is without question superb. It is also very likely the "darkest" season of THE X FILES. The prodigious, brooding intelligence of Fox Mulder and Dana Scully's continuing conflict of faith and purpose convey a tension culminating in a series of crises, with dramatic ramifications that extend through all of the following seasons. The consistency of the writing, expansion of characterization ( Anderson and Duchovny in their most intensely committed acting ) , the complexity and interest of the "mythology arc", the ever greater feats of craftsmanship on the part of an amazing production team; all these aspects lead me to believe that the crucial 4th Season, along with the 3rd and 5th seasons are the real "glory years" of THE X FILES, the crème de la crème of the greatest television show in history. The season opener "Herrenvolk" doesn't quite keep up the level of quality exhibited in the previous years cliff hanger ( "Talitha Cumi" ) but does effectively link to the conspiracy storyline which would shortly be taken up in the first series of myth-arc episodes. According to a tradition that had been established in the two prior years, the 4th Season contained a couple of these two-part scripts, airing in the early and late season respectively. This well planned bit of strategy helped balance the "stand alone" episodes while maintaining a forward momentum leading to the cliff-hanger at the very end. "Tunguska"/"Terma" are action oriented episodes, featuring both the return of the ever-treacherous Alex Krycek and Mulder's chilling imprisonment in a Siberian gulag. The late season two parter, "Tempus Fugit"/"Max", skillfully reintroduces a beloved and eccentric character not seen since Season 1. The prevailing mood is one of darkness, where Mulder and Scully face yet another series of losses. A technical note: the re-creation of the plane crash is mind-bogglingly good, even in a show where miracles of production are common. The overhead, wide angle cinematography conveys a grim, documentary style realism that is very disturbing. The "stand alone" episodes, while not as brilliantly quirky as those of the 3rd Season, are of a high quality and originality. In the infamous "Home" humor is mixed with gruesome violence in a manner that makes one understand why the television censors were, to put it mildly, "concerned". A lesser (though entertaining) bloodletting episode in the same vein, "Sanguinarium", is the 4th season representative of what could be termed "Exorcist Files" (there are numerous scripts of this type throughout the history of the show ). "Musings of a Cigarette Smoking Man" is a take, somewhat whimsical, on the Cigarette Smoking Man's background. In an interview Chris Carter gave in response to this episode, he made it clear that this story was more a type of fantasy than the true history behind the mysterious arch villain played by William B. Davis. "The Field Where I Died" is a mixed bag; a very good performance by David Duchovny but the "reincarnation romance" script strained after a dramatic effect that didn't seem to fit his character. "Paper Hearts", written by Vince Gilligan, is rightly acclaimed for its interweaving several strands of plot: Mulder's quest for his sister ( and her then unknown fate ) and yet another unstinting look at human evil ( great guest actor ). Mark Snow's score is particularly memorable. Mid season is the literal and figurative "center" of Season Four, the point where the dramatic action really heats up. The folks at Chris Carter's "1013" productions arranged the airing of several mid season episodes with a mind to showcasing Gillian Anderson's superb acting ability. "Leonard Betts" (4X14) was, as the episode number indicates, the 14th episode put in the can, but it was aired before "Never Again" (4X13) in order to build up the suspense regarding Dana Scully's physical and psychological state, reaching a climax in "Momento Mori" (4X15). Following the latter episode, a distinct and pervasive sense of gloom fell over the shows imaginative landscape, a melancholia reflected not only in Scully's ongoing "condition" but also in the subject matter unique to the episodes subsequently aired: "Kaddish", "Unrequited" and the two-parter previously mentioned ( "Tempus Fugit"/"Max" ). In the myth arc episode titled "Zero Sum", F.B.I. Assistant Director Walter Skinner is forced into a nefarious scheme due to the Faustian bargain he made in "Momento Mori". Mitch Pileggi turns in a customarily fine performance that adds another layer of substance to Skinner's character and at the same time represents the latest link in the "conspiracy chain" ( which arguably unraveled when the show moved from Vancouver to Los Angeles for its 6th Season ). Writer John Shiban is the unfortunate creator of Season 4's worst episode ( "El Mundo Gira" ) but to his credit the episode doesn't take itself too seriously. As with Vince Gilligan's clever, lighthearted comic episode "Small Potatoes" ( featuring former X FILES writer Darin Morgan in an onscreen role ), Shiban's script lends an air of levity that is welcome relief in a predominantly dark year. In fact, both episodes seem almost out of place when considering the season in its gloomy totality, which reaches its zenith in the tragedy of the cliffhanger, "Gesthemane". In closing, it is necessary to point out yet again what has been oft said; that the success of THE X FILES is shared amongst many talented and dedicated individuals, most applying their craft off screen. Mark Snow's custom tailored music is simply gold: consistently excellent, moving work ( with the occasional sly quote from classical composers woven in ). The directors frame their shots in very interesting ways. The lighting, sets and camera work are redolent of high quality film making ( television standards are left in the dust ). The writers ( truly the core of the show ), most especially in Seasons 3 thru 5, created layered, complex scripts that challenged the considerable talents of Duchovny and Anderson ( not to mention the numerous excellent guest actors chosen by superb casting agents ). Finally, regardless of what some embittered fans may opine, Chris Carter deserves credit for continually guiding his creation through the years. His labor of love was especially evident during the "glory years" of 1995-98, of which Season Four is an inspired testament.  Comment | Permalink |  function showYesNoCommunityResponse(uId,result,value) { var msgLayer = getElement("thanks" + uId); if ( result == "SUCCESS" ) { msgLayer.innerHTML = "Thanks for the valuable feedback you provided to other Amazon.com readers and reviewers. Your vote will be counted and will appear on the product page within 24 hours."; } else { showVoteErrorResponse(msgLayer,result,value); } } (Report this)

The X-Files - The Complete Fourth Season List Price: $99.98 Available from Amazon Price: $89.99 Updated on 12-7-2008.

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