6.9 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
During the English Civil War, a group of deserters are captured by a mysterious alchemist named O'Neil, who forces them to search for a treasure that is believed to be hidden in a field. Feeding on the abundant mushrooms in the English countryside, they descend into psychological turmoil and begin to suspect that the treasure they have been seeking may be something else altogether.
Starring: Julian Barratt, Michael Smiley, Reece Shearsmith, Peter Ferdinando, Ryan PopeHorror | 100% |
Drama | 58% |
Surreal | 15% |
Psychological thriller | 14% |
Period | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.35:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 5.0 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 3.5 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Note: This film is available on Blu-ray as both a standalone
release (from Drafthouse Films) and as a part of All the Haunts Be Ours: A Compendium of Folk Horror.
All the Haunts Be Ours advertises itself as "the most comprehensive collection of its kind", which may initially beg the question as to "kind of
what?". But the release also comes with a front cover sobriquet
proclaiming it "a compendium of folk horror", which may then beg the next obvious question as to what exactly "folk horror" is. In that
regard, this set
begins with a fascinating and diverse documentary which has its own subtitle referencing folk horror, Woodlands Dark and Days
Bewitched: A History of Folk Horror, which provides a veritable glut of clips from international films which director (and this entire set's guiding
light) Kier-La Janisse has assembled to help define the genre, but perhaps the best answer is to simply echo a certain Supreme Court Justice named
Potter Stewart who was trying to decide a case involving supposed pornography, and who famously opined, "I shall not today attempt further to define
the kinds of material I understand to be embraced within that shorthand description, and perhaps I could never succeed in intelligibly doing so. But I
know it when I see it. . ."
A Field in England is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Severin Films with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.35:1. Severin's insert booklet only contains a brief and generic "HD digital master" descriptor for the film, but Michael Reuben's review of the Drafthouse Films Blu-ray release contains more valuable information about both the cameras and lenses. This is a really stunning looking presentation almost all of the time, with really lustrous contrast and a gorgeously modulated palette that may not really push into high contrast territory, but comes awfully close some of the time. Detail levels are often exceptional in close-ups, offering precise renderings of everything from fabrics to, um, boils (if you see the film, you'll understand the halting reference). As Michael discusses in his review, some of the material is intentionally distorted, and the quick cut flashing and stroboscopic material may be difficult to watch even for those not necessarily prone to negative effects.
A Field in England features DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 options. Both tracks offer excellent fidelity and great accountings of effects and score, and even the stereo track has nicely wide imaging, though it can't match the activity of the surround track. The sound design here verges on the hallucinogenic at times, matching some of the visual blandishments, but there's appealing clarity despite some of the layering. Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly and the appealing score by Jim Williams sounds full bodied. Optional English subtitles are available.
This release shares some but not all of the supplements the Drafthouse Films Blu-ray offered. Consult Michael Reuben's above linked review for more details.
I'm not going to pretend I understood most (or, frankly, any) of A Field in England, but it was absolutely one of the most visceral viewing (and listening) experiences I had while wending my way through All the Haunts Be Ours. Technical merits are first rate, and the supplements (while missing some from the Drafthouse Films release) are very appealing. Highly recommended.
(Still not reliable for this title)
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