A Few Words About A few words about...™ The Lost City of Z -- in Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[Robert Harris]

James Gray has created a superb film regarding Percy Fawcett, working to regain his family's good name, taking on a military assignment to chart portions of the Amazon.

And interesting that it's an Amazon production.

During his travels, and travails, he comes upon what appears to be lost city in the Brazilian jungles, suggesting that an earlier civilization of unknown origin, pre-existed the Victorian era.

This discovery becomes his obsession, and the basis for the film.

Lost City was shot on film, and taken through to a final 4k DI, which makes it a perfect candidate for 4k release.

Photographically, the film is a gorgeous affair. As photographed by Darius Khondji, it takes on a very warm, almost antique appearance, which glows in the sunlight.

A beautiful work, meticulously offered on Blu-ray, that's well worth your time.

Charlie Hunnam, Robert Pattinson, Sienna Miller, and Tom Holland in the leads.

Image - 5

Audio - 5 (DTS-HD MA 5.1)

4k Up-rez - 5

Pass / Fail - Pass

Recommended

RAH

 

[Edwin-S]

I thought the film was done well enough, but is emotionally bloodless.

Fellow Canadians interested in the film should buy the US release, not the Canadian version. I was told there is a very good commentary about the film on the Blu-ray. It is missing on the Canadian release. The only extra on the Canadian disc is a fluff piece about location shooting.

 

[benbess]

I thought the film was done well enough, but is emotionally bloodless.

Fellow Canadians interested in the film should buy the US release, not the Canadian version. I was told there is a very good commentary about the film on the Blu-ray. It is missing on the Canadian release. The only extra on the Canadian disc is a fluff piece about location shooting.

Yes, I agree that the emotional impact that they were clearly going for only barely came through for me. I felt like if Peter Weir had directed this I would have found it to be a classic. As it was, and as beautifully made and acted as it was, I felt that once was enough.

 

[gadgtfreek]

Enjoyed it, but it is slow, some will not like it. Blu-ray PQ did not impress me much.

 

[Winston T. Boogie]

Enjoyed it, but it is slow, some will not like it. Blu-ray PQ did not impress me much.

This is one gorgeous looking film, at least to my eyes in my home theater. It does have an intended look...which as described by Mr. Harris above is basically what I believe they were going for. Often the images are lit by fire light or sort of bathed in golden sunlight...it is beautiful reminding me a bit of the photography on Days of Heaven.

Plus the director shot it on film because he felt film would help give it the look he wanted. So, I think what you are seeing on the blu-ray is what the director intended you to see. I think it is safe to say the picture quality is excellent but perhaps not to everybody's tastes.

 

[Winston T. Boogie]

I thought the film was done well enough, but is emotionally bloodless.

I was emotionally invested in the picture but I guess this falls into the category of different things move different people. I will admit a bias to stories about explorers like this. Hunnam may be a bit reserved in his performance but I don't think that drained the emotion from the film.

 

[Winston T. Boogie]

I wondered if anybody caught that Murray Melvin, the right Rev. Runt, from Barry Lyndon made an appearance in this picture...adding to the sort of Kubrick vibe a lot of the picture sort of had.

 

[gadgtfreek]

Yeah, I mean it was an intended look I get that, and the jungle sequences were great, but some of it just did not look that good.

I know some reviews rate PQ on artistic intent, I just offer up my perspective when compared to all the other movies I have watched. If the director chooses to make the movie grainy, soft, etc..., Im fine with it, but I wont say the PQ is "great" because it is faithful. If it is faithful and some scenes look like crap, well, they look like crap.

I don't have backgrounds on many movies I watch, so going in and not knowing what is intended, I just have a first impression of the image. Im also noticing that when I watch a non 4K flick, 1080p blu is just showing its deficiencies now.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Amazon is now selling this title to Prime members for $12.99!

 

[Tino]

Amazon is now selling this title to Prime members for $12.99!

Yeah I put It in my cart. Mulling it over.

 

[Johnny Angell]

No 4K disc? Amazon has a 4K video for purchase.

 

[Keith Cobby]

Watched the blu-ray last night. At the beginning when the main protagonist was looking to restore his family name I thought it might be similar to The Four Feathers. No such luck as what followed was 141 minutes of turgid cinema. Major Fawcett seemed to think he was under promoted/medalled, when in fact it was the opposite. His character was exposed in the scene in which he struck his oldest son. Just my opinion but based on the evidence of this film he wasted his life.

I thought the cinematography was bland and uninteresting and the blu-ray far from reference. Not at all surprised the film did poorly in theatres.

 

[Dick]

Watched the blu-ray last night. At the beginning when the main protagonist was looking to restore his family name I thought it might be similar to The Four Feathers. No such luck as what followed was 141 minutes of turgid cinema. Major Fawcett seemed to think he was under promoted/medalled, when in fact it was the opposite. His character was exposed in the scene in which he struck his oldest son. Just my opinion but based on the evidence of this film he wasted his life.

I thought the cinematography was bland and uninteresting and the blu-ray far from reference. Not at all surprised the film did poorly in theatres.

I am a sucker for jungle movies. I would love to explore the Amazon regions and suck in the breathtaking variety of green shades, and hear the night birds and insects as I lay (presumably safely) in a tent or hut. Of course, the jungle can so often be treacherous and full of poisonous snakes and predator animals and lethal insects, so of course I prefer partaking of deep jungles by watching good movies that have been filmed there. I love THE AFRICAN QUEEN, THE MISSION, THE MOSQUITO COAST, THE JUNGLE BOOK (various versions), AT PLAY IN THE FIELDS OF THE LORD (still missing in action of DVD or Blu-ray from Universal), the German film DESCHUNGLEKIND, and dozens more, and I enjoy THE LOST CITY OF Z because it so well depicts these mysterious, awesome and enveloping landscapes. When disappearing rainforests are the backdrop for movies of serious intent, I am all-in, and in truth (for me) the plot and perhaps even the actors are secondary to the visual and aural experience.

 

[Keith Cobby]

You could add Run for the Sun (Richard Widmark and lovely Jane Greer) and Duel in the Jungle (Dana Andrews and lovely Jeanne Crain) to your pantheon of jungle movies. Of course if all you want is greenery you could watch David Attenborough or various National Geographic productions. All of which would be time better spent than Zzzz.

 

[Hollywoodaholic]

Don't forget this was based on the book by David Grann, which was a fantastic read (as is his latest non-fiction serving, Killers of the Flower Moon). But I don't know if the back and forth structure of the book alternating between the jungle adventures and the exasperating internal politics of the Royal Geographical Society make for the the rousing adventure film some might have been expecting (for that, I might refer you to The Man Who Would be King).

And you have an ending that is particularly non-Hollywood and the very definition of vague. It's no spoiler to say he didn't round a corner and find the gleaming gold city of El Dorado, that's not what archaeological adventures are about, although I'm still awaiting the Hiram Bingham movie of discovering Machu Picchu - even overgrown that must have been spectacular (and a highlight visit of my own not-so-adventurous life.)

But like Rick, I'm a sucker for a good jungle exploration movie, and would also add Aguirre the Wrath of God to his list.

As a footnote, I did have an interest in my younger days of taking that trek up the Amazon river and was even investigating booking such a trip until my next door neighbor Ecuadorian buddy returned from such an excursion with nasty parasites and blue fungus growing out his backside. It was at that moment I decided I would take my jungle exploration adventures vicariously, and The Lost City of Z nicely fills the bill. It's worth the trip. And you won't get blue fungus.