Century of Science Fiction Import

"A Century of Science Fiction" is a nicely packaged set with five single-sided DVDs and a fold-out episode guide insert. The DVDs contain 26 individual episodes, each dealing with a separate topic of the history of science fiction cinema. Most of the episodes are theme-based, such as "Alien Life Forms," "Amazing Inventions," "Lost Worlds," "Powers of the Mind" and "The End of the World." Others have a narrower, more specific focus, such as the episodes on "H.G. Wells," "Jules Verne" and "Ray Harryhausen."

The blurb on the back of the DVD case touts that this is "the very best of science fiction and fantasy from a century of cinematic magic, told in 26 haunting half-hour shows." Well, yes and no. There's a little hyperbole in this breathless prose.