Star Wars - Clone Wars, Vol. 1 (DVD)

With the upcoming release of Star Wars: Episode III, sci-fi and Star Wars fans are in a frenzy and willing to buy up anything that comes out of the Lucas camp and with the demanding audience asking for more and more story George Lucas doesn't let down as he offers, for the first time, the go-between stories as the animated Clone Wars shorts supply the story between Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith.

Personally, I could do without anything other than the full-length features but the Clone Wars series is not at all a let down as audiences bare witness to the beginnings of Anakin's turn to the Dark Side and we are introduced to the Episode III villain General Grievous in Volume One of the Cartoon Network series.

With a running time of only 70 minutes you can pop this DVD in and quickly get your Star Wars fix as these cartoons are filled with action and allow you to gain storylines you usually are only able to imagine from the opening scene scrolls we have all come familiar with as the Clone War gets underway.

As for special features, this one is loaded with them including a featurette with Lucas and the Clone Wars production crew giving insight into the creation of the series and the idea of bridging the gap between Episode II and III. On top of that there is a behind-the-scenes featurette, director commentaries, a gallery of concept art, storyboards, sketches and more, the Episode III teaser trailer and video game trailer and an Xbox playable level of the Star Wars Republic Commando game.

If there was to be a complaint about the series it would be that Anthony Daniels (C-3PO) is the only veteran voice you will hear, but the animation and story more than make up for that fact and for any Star Wars fan this is an essential buy.