kal
Forum Administrator
Joined: 06 Mar 2006
Posts: 18114
Location: Ottawa, Canada
TV/Projector: JVC DLA-NZ7
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| Posted: Thu May 09, 2013 8:04 pm Post subject: Django Unchained [Blu-ray] |
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Another reference disc!
Great movie - watched it a couple of nights ago and Christoph Waltz (IMHO once again as in Inglourious Basterds) absolutely steals the show. I think I could watch this actor read anything that Tarantino writes and it would be mesmerizing.
Definitely not a movie for the squeamish however.
Django Unchained (Two-Disc Combo Pack: Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy + UltraViolet) (2011)
(Hover over link for price, click to purchase and support our forum at no extra cost to you)
| Quote: | Tapping into a pre-established legacy within Exploitation Cinema, 'Django Unchained' continues an Italian western tradition where the titular character, played terrifically by Jamie Foxx, issues vengeance and justice in some very brutal ways. Also starring Christoph Waltz, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Samuel L. Jackson, Quentin Tarantino's latest genre love-letter is a masterful display of style and hyperbole. The Blu-ray is available in a variety of packages, many of which are store exclusives, and arrives with an excellent audio and video presentation. Supplements are in short supply, which is a bit of a disappointment, but the overall package is recommended nonetheless.
The Video: Sizing Up the Picture
'Django Unchained' is set free and wreaks vengeance on Blu-ray with a stylized yet highly-detailed 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 encode.
There are several photographic styles at play here, but this high-def presentation remains true to the intentions of Tarantino and cinematographer Robert Richardson. Many moments appear softer than others, which are very likely the result of focus manipulation and use of lens filters, and flashback sequences come with a monochromatic appeal. One such scene is even meant to look like a weathered, aging print of 70s exploitation cinema. Nevertheless, the majority of the transfer is crisp and very well-defined, revealing excellent, distinct lines in the costumes, surrounding foliage and the architecture of the antebellum American South. Facial complexions appear healthy with splendid lifelike textures during close-ups.
Presented in a 2.40:1 aspect ratio, the image is also vibrant and energetic with a color palette that jumps off the screen with real panache. Primaries are sumptuous and richly-saturated, sprinkling the film with an ironic feel of spirited life but showering the frame with gobs of vivid blood reds. The softer pastel hues are equally dramatic and passionate, providing the picture with warmth. Contrast is pitch-perfect with clean, brilliant whites throughout, making visibility into the far distance superb and crystal-clear. Black levels tend to waver somewhat, depending on the scene because the cinematography sometimes relies on natural candlelight and the light source is highly-controlled. Still, the video doesn't lose any of its cinematic appeal and shadow details during these low-lit interiors remain strong.
The Audio: Rating the Sound
Django unleashes his retribution vigorously with a DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack that's magnificent, if only a bit more subtle than the video.
The majority of the design is kept up front where the soundstage feels broad and sweeping thanks to excellent separation and fluid movement between the channels. Imaging is expansive and enthusiastic with several discrete off-screen effects while dialogue remains precise and intelligible in the center of the screen. Dynamic range is highly extensive and rather superb, exhibiting brilliant details and differentiation within the orchestration. We can clearly hear each pluck of the guitar string and appreciate the individual brass instruments. Low bass doesn't pack the sort of wallop and punch we'd expect from the action and few explosions, but there is some decent impact in the gunshots and the music delivers the more robust aspects to the LFE channel.
Rear activity is in much the same boat, sprinkling the room with several amusing effects but never really generating a consistent soundscape. Atmospherics are employed throughout with excellent directionality, extending the soundfield and providing some appreciable ambience. Only, it's not all that convincing and can sometimes feel as if there simply to remind viewers they're listening in surround sound. The lossless mix's more substantial and enjoyable aspect comes from the front soundstage, and fans are sure to find it the most satisfying. |
Kal
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