HTF BLU-RAY REVIEW: PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL

Ben_Williams · 06-22-2007, 12:09 AM

Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl (Blu-ray)

Studio: Disney
Year: 2003
Rated: PG-13
Film Length: 143 minutes
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 High Definition 1080p
Disc Type: BD-50 Dual Layer / BD25 Two Disc Set
Codec: AVC Mpeg-4
Audio: English Uncompressed 5.1 PCM (48KHz / 24-Bit), Dolby Digital English, Spanish & French 5.1
Subtitles: English SDH, French & Spanish

Release Date: May 22, 2007

The Movie:
(****/*****) 4/5

As I’ve said in my previous Pirates of the Caribbean reviews, the success of Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl was a huge surprise to me. Creating a worthwhile film from an amusement park ride is definitely a challenge that I didn’t think would result in anything more than a dumb action movie. Thanks to Johnny Depp’s terrific performance as Captain Jack Sparrow, we were treated to something much more substantial.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl follows the exploits of a down-on-his-luck Captain Jack, William Tanner (Orlando Bloom) and Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley) as they face off against a boatload of demonic, ghostly pirates. While that might sound like a pretty thin plot to base a movie on, it is actually quite complex with a series of intricate plot twists and genuinely rich character development. All of the performances are first rate and the special effects are nothing short of groundbreaking. While I’m sure that most of you who are reading this have already seen the film, if you happen to be one of the last dozen or so people on earth who haven’t, the film is a genuinely great time. You won’t be disappointed.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

The Video:
(*****/*****) 5/5

Along with its sequel Dead Man’s Chest, Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl has been given an astonishing Blu-ray transfer using the AVC codec. These two releases signify the two finest film to HD transfers I’ve yet seen with absolutely rock solid black levels, amazing detail and a seamlessly true-to-film image. There is a beautiful amount of grain in this transfer that captures the filmic qualities of the theatrical presentation. Watching this Blu-ray release is a constant reminder of how much detail and personality film can impart to the image. There is just so much character to the image that it would be a crime to see this detail smoothed out or otherwise dialed down. The original DVD release of Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl was a technical mess that featured loads of artificial edge enhancement, bad motion artifacts and a very muted color palette. Fortunately none of those issues are present in this Blu-ray release. Instead we have a seamless image without any transfer induced anomalies.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl is a must own title and is true reference material.

HIGHEST RECOMMENDATION!

The Audio:
(*****/*****) 5/5

Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl also features an equally impressive 5.1 uncompressed PCM soundtrack. This is the very definition of reference audio. For almost the entire duration of the film, my subwoofer was thundering with authority and the surround channels were awash with a massive amount of sound. This is an amazingly uproarious track that is sure to please even the most ardent bass-aficionado. In stark contrast to the massive wall of sound that this disc can produce, the few quieter scenes are also handled with an impressive clarity and excellent dynamics. Dialog is always clear and concise.

HIGHEST RECOMMENDATION!

The Supplements:
(****/*****) 4/5

This Blu-ray release of Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl includes every supplemental release from the previous two standard DVD releases of the film.

Here’s what’s included:
-3 audio commentaries
-“An Epic at Sea”
-“Fly on the Set”
-Video Diaries
-Deleted Scenes
-“Moonlight Serenade Progression”
-“Walt Disney Wonderful World of Color”
-Image Gallery
“Scoundrels at Sea” – BD Exclusive

Since these extras have been covered in detail many times before, I’ll just say that the commentaries are all quite entertaining and the various documentaries are all of above average quality. “Walt Disney Wonderful World of Color” is probably my favorite addition here and is essentially a short produced in 1968 that showcases the original Pirates of the Caribbean ride. Most of the deleted scenes never rise above being merely amusing, so there isn’t much of any substance there. “Scoundrels at Sea”, on the other hand, is a really nifty interactive feature that displays pirate trivia on-screen during the feature. Whenever a gold coin appears on screen, it can be selected by the viewer to then seamlessly branch to a short video feature to expand upon what’s on screen. Essentially, this feature allows the viewer to decide what’s worth viewing and what’s a waste of time. If you plan on selecting all the video clips, be prepared to spend an extra hour watching the film.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

The Final Analysis:
(*****/*****) 5/5

Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl is yet another reference disc from Disney. As Disney continues to impress with each new release, the two Pirates movies stand as the finest video and sound quality yet seen on any next generation release. This one shouldn’t be missed!

HIGHEST RECOMMENDATION!

Equipment used for this review:
Panasonic DMP-BD10 Blu-ray Player
Panasonic PT-AE1000 Front Projector – 1080p
Carada 93” diagonal 16x9 Criterion Series/Brilliant White Screen – www.carada.com
Rotel RSX-1056 Surround Receiver
Rotel RB-1080 Amplifier
B&W Speakers
M&K MX-125 Subwoofer
Interconnects: www.catcables.com

ppltd · 06-22-2007, 06:00 AM

Ben, another great review of what is becoming the normal for Disney, a great transfer. While I am not over thrilled with POTC 2 as a movie, and for what it is worth, did not like POTC3 at all, I have to agree with you on your assessment of the PQ and AQ of this release. Stunning pretty much wraps it up. As with the Disney release of POTC 2, this is most assuredly demo material.

I cannot wait to view the POTC again when I receive my new Panny in a week or two to see if the stellar image my Samsung produced can be trumped by the image the Panny produces.

Paul Arnette · 06-22-2007, 08:39 AM

I love these movies, all of them. To me, they're more Star Warsy than the Star Wars prequels. Anyway, both of these discs show exactly how much HD can shine on optical disc, and I am looking forward to PotC 3 with great anticipation.

Dave H · 06-22-2007, 08:46 AM

Nice review - I will definitely be picking up the first two Pirates movies. (I too did not like the third movie - very disappointing)

BrettB · 06-22-2007, 10:11 AM

What took so long?

I think the video on this one is a little better than P2.

I'm glad they went all out and provided all the previous extras. I never even bought that funky re-release.

Best menus ever (P1 & P2).

I like everything about the Scounrels of the Sea feature. Hi def, no talking heads, plays flawlessly on the PS3. Very well executed.

P3 should be great. Rumor is all/most extras are hi def.

**HTF Ads**

Grant H · 06-22-2007, 10:56 AM

To me, P2 just looks like it was digitally color graded more than the first film, which I suppose suits the atmosphere of the film.

Probably why some herald the 2nd as looking superior on video, and others the exact opposite. The first film has a more natural, film-like look, the 2nd more digital. At least that's my take.

But if I want to show someone how great film can look on HD I'd pop in #1, with it's vibrant, yet natural, color.

Neil Joseph · 06-22-2007, 02:06 PM

These 2 BR films are 2 of my favourites. Other than the sheer detail, it was the colours that struck me. Check out the red colours on the english soldiers attire, or the scenes where Elizabeth and Jack are standed on Jack's little island and many others. And that audio.

Tim Glover · 06-22-2007, 10:15 PM

Nice review Ben.

Looks like Disney is putting out argueably the best stuff on HD. Wow, what a change from their edge enhancement halos from hell sd dvd days.

Now, if they release Tombstone in Blu-ray....then I'm buying a BD player as fast I can.

Jason Roer · 06-22-2007, 10:23 PM

Tim,

Wow - good call on Tombstone.

I'm your Huckleberry, Tombstone - if you show up on BD!

Cheers,

Jason