7.1 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
The Birling family are rich, pampered and complacent. It is 1912, and the shadow of the impending war has yet to fall across their lives. As they sit down to dinner one night, a knock at the door announces the arrival of Inspector Poole, who insists on questioning the family about the suicide of a young working-class woman.
Starring: Alastair Sim, Jane Wenham, Brian Worth, Eileen Moore (I), Olga LindoCrime | Insignificant |
Drama | Insignificant |
Mystery | Insignificant |
Video codec: HEVC / H.265
Video resolution: 4K (2160p)
Aspect ratio: 1.37:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.37:1
English: LPCM 2.0
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (2 BDs)
4K Ultra HD
Slipcover in original pressing
Region B (locked)
Movie | 4.5 | |
Video | 0.0 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 2.5 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Guy Hamilton's "An Inspector Calls" (1954) arrives on 4K Blu-ray courtesy of StudioCanal. The supplemental features on the release include archival program with actress Jane Wenham; archival audio commentary by author and film historian David Del Valle; and new program with critic Anna Smith. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.
StudioCanal's release of An Inspector Calls is a 4K Blu-ray/Blu-ray combo pack. At the moment, I only have the 4K Blu-ray with me. When a proper market version of the combo pack arrives, which will include a Blu-ray as well, we will update our review. (A separate Blu-ray release streets with the combo pack as well).
Please note that all screencaptures included with our review are taken from the 4K Blu-ray and downscaled to 1080p. Therefore, they do not accurately reflect the quality of the 4K content on the 4K Blu-ray.
In the United Kingdom, An Inspector Calls made its high-definition debut with this Region-B Blu-ray release in 2014. I have it in my library and think that it offers a lovely presentation of the film. However, the combo pack introduces an exclusive new 4K restoration sourced from the film's original camera negative. The 4K presentation can be viewed with HDR and Dolby Vision grades. I viewed it with HDR.
The difference in quality between the previous 1080p presentation and the new 4K presentation is quite obvious and easy to appreciate. Both well-lit indoor footage and darker outdoor footage boast superior delineation and clarity, sharpness and depth. Where light is properly balanced, background information looks particularly good, so on a larger screen there is simply more to see in these areas. The grayscale is superior, too. In fact, some of the most effective improvements that impact the perception of depth are introduced by the better grayscale. The HDR grade is wonderful. It handles darker areas with outstanding precision, never introducing blacks that are too strong or flatness. Even some of the darkest nighttime footage looks great (see screencaptures, #3, 11, and 15). Grain exposure is very good, and yes, grain reproduction is superior as well. However, I think that in a couple of areas minor encoding optimizations could have been introduced. There are no stability issues. The entire film looks immaculate. My score is 4.75/5.00.
There is only one standard audio track on this release: English LPCM 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.
The audio is very healthy. I do not know if any new restoration work was done on it, but if there is, it is impossible to tell. I still think that the music sounds a bit thin, but this is most likely an inherited limitation. All exchanges are very clear, crisp, and easy to follow. While viewing the film, I did not encounter any encoding anomalies to report in our review.
StudioCanal are celebrating the 70th anniversary of Guy Hamilton's An Inspector Calls with brand new 4K Blu-ray and Blu-ray releases of it, which will street next month. Both will introduce an exclusive new 4K restoration of the film, sourced from the original camera negative and completed at Filmfinity in London. I was sent an early 4K Blu-ray screener and last night viewed the new 4K restoration. It is very beautiful. At the moment, I do not have a Blu-ray screener, but when a market copy of the 4K Blu-ray release arrives, which will include a Blu-ray disc, we will update our review and publish a separate one for the standard Blu-ray release. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
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