Dick
Senior HTF Member
- Joined
- May 22, 1999
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- Real Name
- Rick
This review is made possible with the help of www.DaaVeeDee.com
Notes on my reviews: I do not offer plot summaries in most cases, as these can be found on a million other sites, but rather focus instead on what people want to know: the image and sound presentation, default playback settings, subtitles, audio choices, etc. My equipment: Panasonic TC-P55UT50 Plasma monitor (3-D capable); Panasonic DMP-BDT220 3-D Blu-ray player; LG BD-360 all-region Blu-ray player; Denon AVE-E200 5.1 Surround receiver. All aspect ratios are physically measured on the Panasonic screen, which has been set to eliminate overscan.
If you are a Polanski completist, here is one of his films not available for sale on Blu-ray in the U.S. (another is OLIVER TWIST, plus of course the as-yet internationally unavailable KNIFE IN THE WATER and a very few others).
This is not the Polanski you have generally known, except (marginally) with THE FEARLESS VAMPIRE KILLERS. Here he tried his hand a second time on broad slapstick comedy with an incredibly hammy performance by Walter Matthau (I'd have preferred Peter Ustinov) as, well... a pirate. With a peg leg.
Story aside, the Blu-ray looks pretty good. Purists will notice some grain in the image that, along with other fine detail, has been softened, so occasionally the picture is a tiny bit smeary. The DNR has not been slathered on as egregiously as with, say, SWORD IN THE STONE or the original SPARTACUS, but it is noticeable.
The 2.35:1 image has okay, but not great, color. The ocean looks swell, but the costumes and flesh tones seem a little bit dullish, leaning toward brown. Contrast is acceptable.
The soundtrack fares a bit better. Philippe Sarde's wonderful action score is well represented on this 5.1 dts mix. The soundtrack defaults to Italian, but can be swapped to English on the fly. English, Italian and French subtitles are available.
This seems to be a region B locked release (my Region A Panny player would play back sound, but not picture). But no screen appeared telling me it was a region issue, and so might be my machine.
There is a theatrical trailer included.
The release is from Quadrifoglio in Italy, and runs the full 121 minutes of the theatrical release..
Recommended with caveats.
This review was made possible with the help of www.DaaVeeDee.com
Notes on my reviews: I do not offer plot summaries in most cases, as these can be found on a million other sites, but rather focus instead on what people want to know: the image and sound presentation, default playback settings, subtitles, audio choices, etc. My equipment: Panasonic TC-P55UT50 Plasma monitor (3-D capable); Panasonic DMP-BDT220 3-D Blu-ray player; LG BD-360 all-region Blu-ray player; Denon AVE-E200 5.1 Surround receiver. All aspect ratios are physically measured on the Panasonic screen, which has been set to eliminate overscan.
If you are a Polanski completist, here is one of his films not available for sale on Blu-ray in the U.S. (another is OLIVER TWIST, plus of course the as-yet internationally unavailable KNIFE IN THE WATER and a very few others).
This is not the Polanski you have generally known, except (marginally) with THE FEARLESS VAMPIRE KILLERS. Here he tried his hand a second time on broad slapstick comedy with an incredibly hammy performance by Walter Matthau (I'd have preferred Peter Ustinov) as, well... a pirate. With a peg leg.
Story aside, the Blu-ray looks pretty good. Purists will notice some grain in the image that, along with other fine detail, has been softened, so occasionally the picture is a tiny bit smeary. The DNR has not been slathered on as egregiously as with, say, SWORD IN THE STONE or the original SPARTACUS, but it is noticeable.
The 2.35:1 image has okay, but not great, color. The ocean looks swell, but the costumes and flesh tones seem a little bit dullish, leaning toward brown. Contrast is acceptable.
The soundtrack fares a bit better. Philippe Sarde's wonderful action score is well represented on this 5.1 dts mix. The soundtrack defaults to Italian, but can be swapped to English on the fly. English, Italian and French subtitles are available.
This seems to be a region B locked release (my Region A Panny player would play back sound, but not picture). But no screen appeared telling me it was a region issue, and so might be my machine.
There is a theatrical trailer included.
The release is from Quadrifoglio in Italy, and runs the full 121 minutes of the theatrical release..
Recommended with caveats.
This review was made possible with the help of www.DaaVeeDee.com
