By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla
The phenomenon that is HBO's Game of Thrones cannot be underestimated. The popularity of the made for cable adaptation of George R. R. Martin's Song of Fire and Ice series of novels has, in a way, transcended what the author imagined for his epic sword and sorcery tale of the quest for the Iron Throne. Season six of GOT, now on Blu-Ray, doesn't just bring back all the epic moments of the previous and penultimate season, it does so with a ton of extras as well as a master class dissection of one the most intense battle scenes filmed, the Battle of the Bastards.
No longer held hostage by George R.R. Martin's writing output, HBO's Game of Thrones departed from canon, or at least the printed page in Season 6. The result, for avid followers of HBO's series, was that each episode was completely unexpected. This led to great speculation as to where the characters were going and what was going to happen next. As a Blu-Ray collection, Season Six is intensely watchable. It starts off with the apparent death by mutiny of fan favourite Jon Snow, Lord Commander of the Knight's Watch, bastard of Winterfell and friend to Wildlings.
We are also witness to Khaleesi taken captive by horse riders, turmoil and uncertainty in Mereen and back in King's Landing an unpleasant trial awaiting Cersei Lannister whose son, King Tomnen, has seemingly abandoned to the Faith Militant. Of course, there's Arya Stark, blind and begging in the streets of Braavos.
Blu-Ray exclusives
The Blu-Ray has some great features. The Battle of The Bastards- An In Depth Look, feature shows behind the scenes of what is arguably the best medieval battle shot on film. Once you realize the grueling work that the actors and the extras put in to bring this insane and bloody battle to life you will understand why GOT is consistently raising the bar for production.
Being able to re-watch the episode on Blu-Ray in all its gritty detail on my widescreen monitor was a sublime experience. I am actually planning a viewing party with a projector once Season Seven comes around so we can dive back into Westeros.
Other exclusives fans will enjoy are the audio commentaries with the writers, producers and actors like Lena Headey and Peter Dinklage, which have such snappy rapport with each other and give lots of insider info on how scenes were filmed.
If you love GOT and enjoyed Season Six, this Blu-Ray collection is a keeper. I gives access to digital video as well as to four Blu-Ray discs.