Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.5

Blue Blu-ray Movie Review

A hypnotic masterpiece of experimental filmmaking

Blue is one of the most minimalist productions the world of independent cinema has ever seen. There is occasional voice-over narration featured (totaling approximately 20 minutes of the entire audio-track) and the voices viewers will hear during the film include John Quentin, Nigel Terry, Tilda Swinton, and director Derek Jarman (as himself). These voices bring a narrative story to the table exploring the experiences of Jarman. Yet the main attraction of the visuals? The color blue.

The focus of the narration is on Jarman's journey in life, his developing blindness, and his struggles with AIDS. The film was produced by Takashi Asai (Black Kiss, Edward II) and James Mackay (The Angelic Conversation, The Kingdom of Shadows). The end result of this experiment is neither a documentary (nor a concert film) but rather a unique work of art which is deeply personal and a clear reflection of its filmmaker.

The music score composed by Simon Fisher-Turner (Claire Dolan, Lillie) is one of the driving forces of the filmmaking. The music features an eclectic group of talented musicians (including one of the best in the entire world: Brian Eno) creating magic together. Visions start to ignite in audience's heads as electrifying soundscapes enter our collective consciousness. There's real wonder here.

Blue on Blu-ray

Derek Jarman (Edward II, The Last of England) wrote and directed the film as a way to express the experiences of his life and to explore the difficulty of dying of AIDS. Jarman was losing his vision throughout making the production become a reality and while this may have been one of the reasons why the film was made with an emphasis on the auditory experience transposed against a largely static blue background, it doesn't change the fact that the film is an experience only a visionary could create.

Jarman's final production, Blue is a hypnotic film that is downright mesmerizing from start to end. There's just something remarkable about it. In theory, the idea of watching a film that only has a blue background for the entire experience sounds like something that could easily become horribly dull and be written off as a failed experiment in filmmaking. The opposite is true. This film is a masterpiece and a true reflection of a visionary artist. A must-see.

Blue Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Blue arrives on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber (through the Zeitgeist Films label) with a 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition presentation in 1.78:1 widescreen. The experimental film is presented with a 4K master. Unlike a traditional production, the feature is almost entirely a blue background. Besides the brief opening and closing credits (with black titles cards) its a largely static blue image. Taken from a film source, one can still see fine film grain inherent on the image and its clear that no DNR was applied to the presentation. The color reproduction is more authentic to the blue hue of the film as the 4K source helps to retain the visual aesthetic as intended. While previous editions of the film released on home media have featured somewhat different color hues for the blue background, looking at this 4K scan on Blu-ray, one experiences a satisfactory and filmic appearance. Occasional specks of dirt and minor scratches are still apparent but the transfer is pleasing overall.

Please note that the included screenshots in this review are from the feature presentation of Blue as well as the bonus compilation-film Glitterbug.

Blue Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The film is presented with both a 5.1 and 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio sound presentation. The surround sound option is surprisingly active and engaging (far more so than I would have expected). The track included on this release actually uses the surrounds for some interesting sound effects and separation while the music score is terrific in its ambiance. The film has some occasional narration (which might amount to approximately 20 minutes of time spread throughout the entire feature) and these moments sound clear with the lossless audio track. The music is the real star of the presentation as the film is a largely auditory experience and the hypnotic score is sublime. This is a quality sound presentation.

Blue Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Bliss (Audio Recording, 39:17) is a special concert recording of an early performance conducted as a run-through for Blue. The concert was performed to raise money for the film to be produced. This concert was also done as a tribute to Yves Klein. The performance was held in London on January 6^th, 1991. This audio presentation received a lossless DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 track. The audio plays against a blue background with notes on the recording.

This is easily one of the best supplemental features to be included on this jam-packed Blu-ray release. I wasn't sure what to expect from the recording. What a pleasant surprise. The music concert ended up being every bit as compelling and invigorating as what is found on the main feature. With eclectic instrumentation and a positive vibe, the music often reminded me of Animal Collective and other psychedelic musicians. There is no doubt that this is a first-rate performance. When the end of the recording is reached, the audience bursts out into applause and one can't help but feel like applauding alongside them. A magnificent concert.

David Lewis remembers Blue (HD, 13:34) is a impressive interview featuring associate director and producer Lewis as he explores his involvement with the project behind-the-scenes and the project's difficulty in getting funded. Lewis also explores some fascinating tidbits (such as a possible double feature bill of Blue and Jurassic Park which almost happened).

Derek Jarman Blue Plaque (HD, 2:11) features collaborators who worked on the feature-film speak about filmmaker Jarman and his contributions to cinema with Blue at a plaque award presented in London.

The Garden Trailer (HD, 1:32) provides a look at another feature-film from director Derek Jarman (also available on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber).

Glitterbug (SD, 44:50) is a compilation film of personal home movies which were recorded by director Derek Jarman. The feature includes a score by Brian Eno and it is presented with DTS-HD Master Audio. This is a hypnotic feature which blurs the line between documentary and art-house feature. Featuring an array of Jarman's collaborators (including Tilda Swinton), the footage in this compilation feels intimate throughout. The music is superb and perfectly fits the footage. The end result is a film that feels somewhat akin to looking through a window recollecting fragmented memories. A must-see.

Hard to Imagine (HD, 8:23) features an interview with John Maybury as he recounts memories about Derek Jarman's efforts in making Blue. This was such an insightful and entertaining interview. The stories recounted are wonderfully detailed and its clear that Maybury had great affection for the production.

James Mackay (HD, 14:40) is one of the producers of Blue as he recounts his involvement with the film in this interview.

Simon Fisher (HD, 8:00) is the composer of the feature and he gives some great views on the film while recounting his own personal memories from the project's development behind-the-scenes. Throughout this fantastic interview, I was deeply moved by Fisher's passion for the project.

Blue Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

I didn't know what to expect when I sat down to experience Blue for the first time. It is unlike any other that I have ever seen. Unlike a traditional narrative feature film, Blue is a minimalist production with a simple blue background throughout the entire presentation with a audio narrative and music score which brings to mind a whirlwind of visuals while the blue oasis hypnotizes. A surreal and fascinating experimental art-house film that has withstood the test of time.

The Blue Blu-ray (which sounds like a pun but isn't) is an exceptional release with a quality 4K master, high-resolution audio, and an absorbing supplemental package which rivals that of the efforts one can expect from Criterion. By my mark, Blue might be one of the best packages Kino has assembled to date as it has some of the best extras I have seen from the distributor. A first-rate effort.