Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3852 in DVD
• Released on: 2004-10-11
• Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
• Number of discs: 7
• Formats: Box set, PAL
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 999 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
In the first season of The X Files, creator Chris Carter was uncertain of the series' future, so each of the episodes is a self-contained suspense story; they do not delve deep into the ongoing X Files mythology or turn to self-parody and humour as do episodes in later seasons. Yet, these episodes display the elements for which the show would become famous: the cinematic production values and top-notch special effects, the stark lighting of the Vancouver sets, the atmospheric halo of Mark Snow's score, and the clever plots dealing with subjects ranging from the occult, religion, and monsters to urban legends, conspiracy theories and science fiction. Most importantly, Season 1 introduces FBI agents Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) and Fox "Spooky" Mulder (David Duchovny), two of the most attractive government officials around. Scully is the serious-minded medical scientist assigned to join Mulder on the X Files, a division of the FBI dealing with the paranormal. Mulder is the intuitive thinker with a dry wit, a passionate believer in the existence of paranormal phenomena and one of the few characters on television smart enough to figure out who the bad guy is before the audience does. Their muddled relationship, a deep friendship laced with sexual tension, provides the human heart in a world where the bizarre and horrible lurk in everyday society.

The materials on the bonus disc provide some interesting trivia and background, but it is the 24 episodes themselves that make this seven-disc boxed set a true find. Those unfamiliar with The X Files often view all the fuss with the same scepticism with which Scully first regards her new partner's ideas. But just as she comes to realise the uncanny accuracy of Mulder's outlandish theories, newcomers to The X Files who sample a few episodes in this boxed set will likely find themselves riveted to their television late into the night. And undoubtedly, the shadows and creaking noises in the house that evening will seem more menacing than usual. --Eugene Wei

Synopsis
This deluxe collection includes the entire first series of the hit television show THE X-FILES, 24 episodes total. The release includes such important episodes as the series pilot, in which FBI agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) meet for the first time; "Deep Throat," in which the duo investigate mysterious government aircraft; "Beyond the Sea," in which Scully's dead father may be trying to communicate with her; and the season finale, "The Erlenmeyer Flask," in which evidence of alien experiments is uncovered. Episodes previously unreleased on video include "Young at Heart" in which Mulder must contend with an old nemesis who seems to have come back from the dead; "Roland," in which a slow-witted janitor seems to be responsible for a series of murders in a jet lab; and many more. This box set also includes interviews with series creator Chris Carter, interactive DVD-Rom material, and other special features. THE X-FILES: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON is a must for any fan of the series.

Customer Reviews

Great Value
Now, I was no big fan of the X-Files. I remember watching the majority of Season One on BBC2, but even at the time I started losing interest.

Ever one for an eye for a bargain, I bought Season One purely because it was cheap. I thought I'd relive a few memories, stick it on eBay and that would be that. How wrong, I was. I watched Season One in about two weeks -the wife wasn't best pleased, I can tell you.

I really got into it and enjoyed it much more than I did first time around. What gripped me was the threads of paranoia and the quest for The Truth that ran through many of the episodes. [...]

The Season climax was thrilling. Luckily, I'd spent more than I care to think at Amazon Jersey for the rest of the seasons. At the moment, I've just started Season Three. It's great to discover everything I'd missed first time around. It's true, there are a couple of duff episodes per season, but the majority of them are excellent stuff.

Remember, the truth is out there and at these prices, it's cheap too.

The X Files will truly stand the test of time
I find it hard to believe that up until buying these DVD boxsets, I didn't see that many full episodes of The X Files on their original showing in the 1990's and I can't really make any excuses for this other than I just couldn't be bothered at the time even though I knew that I would love it if I watched it properly, although looking at the BBC air dates of each episode featured in the booklet (very nicely done) of this season one boxset and some of the other seasons, I am kind of glad that I didn't because acccording to this information, some of the episodes were not shown in the correct order and I really hate it when programmes are treated this way. Anyway like I said, I may have missed out properly the first time round but thankfully these boxsets have given me a second chance to appreciate something that I already knew, that this is one of those programmes that I truly believe will stand the test of time.

First of all I find Mulder and Scully very likeable lead characters and not in anyway annoying or shallow. Their relationship in this starts as nothing, but overtime their trust for each other gets stronger and stronger and this is done in a very quiet and clever way as to never get too much in the way of each story. Another great thing about this programme is that everybody that as seen it has their favourite episodes and not so favourite which proves how diverse it is. Personally I don't think there is such a thing as a bad episode of The X files, I believe people only think this because of the high standard of the ones that they do like. Anyway, this is where I am going to end my comments about this fantastic programme as I can't see the point in spoiling it for anyone that has never seen it. I just want to give a special mention in particular to these M-lock boxsets in the way that they are designed, out of all the boxsets that I own, these are definetly up there with the best of them and find them very tidy and unlike some they don't take too long to open. Also, there are some nice extras, for example a PC game, international clips which I find amusing, Chris Carter talking about certain episodes and TV adverts for every single episode, which strangely I also enjoy, so these are excellent value for money.

So one final comment on the programme itself, if like me you don't want sky TV and you never saw this properly first time round or are just too young to remember it and are interested in anything to do with UFO's and the Paranormal, then like me you are in for an advert freezone, watch at your own pace, absolute treat and remember THE TRUTH IS OUT THERE (sorry I tried but just couldn't resist).

24 Movies for this price?
I was a big fan of the X-Files when they were shown on the BBC back in the mid 90's. Unlike most other primetime shows, these mini-movies were beautifully shot and lit, the use of realistic lighting in many scenes juxtaposing with the use of abstract lighting in others. Deep shadows were common place, again a relativly new style then, though its legacy can be seen in many of the shows that followed.

Revisiting the X-File after 10 years really brought back to me why I loved this show. The stories are well crafted, the acting is, on the most part excellent (I've decidided that David Duchovney is one of the only actors who can cry convincingly on screen!). It has humour, horror, action and conspiracy, what more could you want?

But where the X-Files really excels is in the fact that it treats its audience as if it is intelligent, there are few "dead scenes" filled with needless recaps or explanations. This allows each 43 minute episode to speed along at quite a pace, fitting into each a lot more story than you are likely to find in most 2 hour Hollywood thrillers today.

This is TV at its best, the BBC killed the X-Files off for me with its bizarre scheduling of the later series'. With this pretty cheap but excellent DVD release I can at last, discover the truth! When you consider a Star Trek boxset sells for 70 odd pounds, this is an amzing bargain. By the 1st series as a test. I should warn you though, you will be hooked and with 9 series to get through, you'll have plenty to sate your appetite.