Blu-ray Review A Few Words About A few words about…™ Violent Night – in Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[Nick*Z]

From this day forth, let it be known that whenever Christmas-based motion pictures are discussed, David Harbour will be at the top of the discussion.

Never before in the history of motion pictures, which actually goes back before the 1970s - al the way to the 1890s - has there been a more incisive, entertaining, or historically accurate tale of Christmas and St. Nicholas and his place at the Council of Nicea in 325 AD.

When the general public thinks of Christmas films, it's the usual suspects --

It's a Wonderful Life
Miracle on 34th street
Die Hard
Home Alone
A Charlie Brown Christmas
The Nightmare Before Christmas
The Bishop's Wife
Christmas in Connecticut

But not one of these films makes any attempt to tell the history of the man behind the legend.

Violent Night, directed by Tommy Wirkola is a bit akin to Home Alone, as seen through the eyes of those behind the John Wick films.

Low on seasonal sentimentality, high on educational factors and action, Violent Night is a film for the ages.

Shot digitally, and viewed in projection, the imagery appeared much like 4k, with superb colors and rich blacks. No aged-related artifacts printed in from earlier dupes noted.

As to packaging, something special for the slip cover. Beautifully rendered imagery of St. Nick himself, hammer in hand, and below - embossing of the title in two different types. ViOLENT in glossy white in an attractive sans-serif, and below Night in possible an olde English style, properly bloodied. Very nicely done, and as is the norm, presumably for the first edition only.

Collectors take heed!

Finally, a true Christmas film for the entire family.

Image – 5

Audio – 5 (DTS-HD MA 7.1)

Pass / Fail – Pass

Works up-rezzed to 4k - Yes

Recommended

RAH


Thank you for supporting HTF when you preorder using the link below. As an Amazon Associate, HTF earns from qualifying purchases. If you are using an adblocker you will not see link.

See on Amazon

How any 'usual suspects' list could leave off Holiday Inn and White Christmas is, frankly, beyond me; to say nothing of the fringe Christmas classics, Auntie Mame, Meet Me In St. Louis and the ironically titles, In the Good Old Summertime.

 

[B-ROLL]

How any 'usual suspects' list could leave off Holiday Inn and White Christmas is, frankly, beyond me; to say nothing of the fringe Christmas classics, Auntie Mame, Meet Me In St. Louis and the ironically titles, In the Good Old Summertime.

Put the blame on Mame

 

[John Maher_289910]

No mention of Beverly D'Angelo's unfortunate face? Why do women do that to themselves?! I was so preoccupied by it. I had to look up who I was watching. Also, the film, like most made these days, would benefit from having about 30 minutes edited out of it.

 

[Kent K H]

I loved this movie and will absolutely be revisiting it in Christmas future, though I'm holding off on purchasing it in hopes of an honest-to-God 4K release.

 

[Kaskade1309]

No mention of Beverly D'Angelo's unfortunate face? Why do women do that to themselves?! I was so preoccupied by it. I had to look up who I was watching. Also, the film, like most made these days, would benefit from having about 30 minutes edited out of it.

I too was surprised that no one mentioned her here...

It actually took me awhile to figure out that it was actually HER -- I heard the voice and was like "that raspy, smoke-filled-lungs delivery SOUNDS like Bev D'Angelo...." and then it hit me like a ton of bricks when I saw her awful face. She looked terrible in this, indeed. I don't have a clue, John, why women are so dead-set on making their lips look like duck bills today (and everything else they do to mutilate their beauty).

Some of those lines she delivered were hysterical, though, like when she's spitting out experlatives on her phone in the beginning when the family arrives ("Why don't you take that and shove it right up your box.....").

 

[John Maher_289910]

The movie is lots of fun.

 

[Malcolm R]

No mention of Beverly D'Angelo's unfortunate face? Why do women do that to themselves?!

Kind of like Jane Fonda in the upcoming 80 for Brady. She now looks more like Charo or one of the Gabor sisters.

 

[John Maher_289910]

Kind of like Jane Fonda in the upcoming 80 for Brady. She now looks more like Charo or one of the Gabor sisters.

Yeah, it's ridiculous. She looks like a blow-up doll of Jane Fonda, but she still looks like Jane Fonda. D'Angelo looks nothing like her former self, and what was it for? She's playing the grandma, which is appropriate to her age, so it's not like the plastic is getting her younger roles. Sally Field is the only woman in that Brady film that looks appropriate. The other three all have skin that is way too tight. They all had more wrinkles at 30 than they do today. As of last summer, Carol Burnett and Julie Andrews were supposed to be in that film with Fonda and Tomlin. I wonder what happened? You couldn't pay me to see it, but I would have with Andrews and Burnett. It'll most-likely be a hit, though.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Can we get back to discussing Violent Night instead of being so judgmental about "senior citizen" actresses looks in another movie.

 

[John Maher_289910]

You mean li

Can we get back to discussing Violent Night instead of being so judgmental about "senior citizen" actresses looks in another movie.

Discussing how the actors look in a film isn't discussing the film to you? I see nowhere in this thread where you added to the discussion of the movie. Your post is preposterous, and overly heavy handed. Being judgmental about actors looks and talent IS part of discussing a film.

 

[Robert Crawford]

You mean li

Discussing how the actors look in a film isn't discussing the film to you? I see nowhere in this thread where you added to the discussion of the movie. Your post is preposterous, and overly heavy handed. Being judgmental about actors looks and talent IS part of discussing a film.

Except this isn't the "80 for Brady" thread!

 

[Jeffrey D]

Watching this now. This thing is insane! A vulgar, dysfunctional family version of Die Hard, in basic plot (the bad guys don’t account for an outsider).

I had a really good time watching this.

 

[sbjork]

I watched it last night, and while I had a whole pile of other discs that I needed to write up first, it tickled my fancy so much that I went straight to working on it. I had so many different thoughts running through my head that I needed to get them down. It settles the age-old question of whether or not Die Hard is a Christmas movie by inverting the formula -- rather than making Die Hard into a Christmas movie, it makes a Christmas movie into Die Hard. And it doesn't stop there, since it's also replete with references to Die Hard 2, Die Hard with a Vengeance, Christmas Vacation, The Ref, Home Alone, and even On Her Majesty's Secret Service. And that's just scratching the surface.

I do wish that Universal had released a UHD, though. I think that the contrast range could have been noticeably improved with a good HDR pass, and per standard Universal policy, the theatrical Atmos track is missing on the Blu-ray.

 

[Kent K H]

I'm holding out for one. Seems like a lot of them are showing up six-12 months later. Noticed Scream is doing a lot of them as well for more recent flicks and this seems like it would fit in.

 

[Malcolm R]

Maybe later this year in time for the next holiday season.

 

[MartinP.]

I would add The Ref to my own list of essential Christmas movies,

"Is that real coffee or some Scandinavian Christmas potion?"
___

Sorry.