* WWE “The Top 100 Moments in RAW History” Blu-ray (2-Disc Set)

WWE: Raw 100 - The Top 100 Moments in Raw History Blu-ray, 

  

No surprise, Raw 100 Moments' Blu-ray presentation varies wildly in original picture quality. From standard definition 4x3 material to early lower-end and more modern sharp 1.78:1 HD presentations, the collection is understandably all over the map in terms of how it looks. As usual, the standard definition material won't factor into the overall score, but fans should be satisfied with the general look and feel, even as it's home to a myriad of technical issues inherent to the source material. The newest material fares quite well, and viewers familiar with the evolution of WWE HD picture quality know to expect a little bit of a lesser presentation from the earlier days of the high definition footage on through to its more mature, stable appearance as seen in the most recent moments brought to Blu-ray. The new graphics are sharp, though they do show a bit of aliasing. Newly minted interview snippets offer superior detailing and colors, not to mention strong black levels across the background. The newest HD footage shows fewer compression issues. It's all very much watchable and thoroughly enjoyable if videophiles go in expecting a naturally wide berth of content from the past twenty years.

WWE: Raw 100 - The Top 100 Moments in Raw History Blu-ray, Audio Quality

 

Raw 100 Moments features a stable and accurate Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack. Generally, the presentation is high on dialogue but does muster up some additional elements. The spoken word is sufficiently clear even way back down memory lane; the presentation of older ringside, in-ring, and backstage banter lacks the crispness and definition of the more recent elements -- both in the wrestling clips themselves and through various interview footage crafted just for this set -- but the net effect is fine and most listeners absorbed in the material won't detect a very steep drop-off. Bass is a little heavy and rattly when the graphics introducing each moment pop up on the screen. Music in various forms whether front-and-center or off in the background during classic clips plays adequately and reflects the vitality, clarity, and presence of the original source. All in all, it's about the best-case scenario for a program that spans about twenty years of material.