A Few Words About A few words about...™ The Portrait of a Lady -- in Blu-Ray (1 Viewer)

Jane Campion's The Portrait of a Lady (1996), based upon the book by Henry James, is a far darker visit to 19th century English literature. If you're thinking Jane Austin, this isn't it.

What it is, is a beautifully crafted piece of manners, relationships, a bit of game-play. Think The Piano meets James.

As a Blu-ray disc, from Shout Factory, it's a decent looking conversion from film to Blu-ray, but understand that as typical Universal product, what you're going to be getting is a bit older transfer, that might have been fine, but appears to have been needlessly sharpened a bit. Nothing terrible. Just not what it might have been, for a bit of less work.

The scope film was shot S35. Color and densities are very nice, along with shadow detail and overall resolution. The transfer appears to have been taken from an IP. Audio is DTS-HD MA 2.0, and it's fine.

If you're seeking car chases, this isn't the film for you. But if you're willing to take time, and spend it with some very interesting characters, the film works beautifully.

I would have loved to see a newer transfer, but this will suffice. At least we have it out on Blu-ray.

Image - 3

Audio - 4

Recommended.

RAH

This is a very good adaptation of this amazing novel. The novel is better, but the film is much more impressive than you might expect...