Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		5.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		4.5
Overall		5.0

Breaking the Waves Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov November 12, 2014

Winner of the Grand Prize of the Jury at the Cannes Film Festival, Lars von Trier's "Breaking the Waves" arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Artificial Eye. The supplemental features on the disc include an original trailer for the film; selected commentary with Lars von Trier and editor Anders Refn; deleted and extended scenes with optional commentary; excerpts from the documentary "Tranceformer - A Film About Lars von Trier"; video interview with actor Adrian Rawlins; promo piece with the Danish director; and more. In English, without optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-B "locked".

Praying

Breaking the Waves is a film that can make one’s blood boil -- and for a number of different reasons. It is directed by Danish helmer Lars von Trier, who once described it as "simple love story". But it is hardly a simple film, and it is as much about love as it is about hatred, the type that can easily destroy people.

The film is set during the 70s and follows closely a young virgin named Bess (Emily Watson, The Boxer), who lives in a remote and very conservative Scottish village together with her large family. Bess has fallen in love with Jan (Stellan Skarsgard, Insomnia), who works on a big oil rig in the North Sea and only occasionally visits the village. The two have decided to get married, but a lot of people aren’t happy that they want to create a family because in addition to being a Scandinavian outsider Jan is also a non-believer.

Shortly after the wedding, Jan has a serious accident on the oil rig -- his skull is fractured and his body paralyzed from the neck down. Bess feels partially responsible for his misery because prior to the accident she begged God to bring her husband home.

Confined to a hospital bed and seriously depressed, Jan tells Bess to find a lover that would give her what he can’t -- sexual pleasure. Then she can describe her experiences to him and together they will be able to have the type of intimate relationship a man and his wife should.

Initially Bess rejects Jan’s request, but later on decides to please him. There is no shortage of men willing to help her accomplish her goal. But after she begins dressing like the local whores do and then meets a few horny sailors, Bess earns a reputation that seriously complicates her relationship with her family and the local community leaders.

Convinced that she is sacrificing for her beloved Jan, Bess keeps begging God to guide her and help her husband recover.

There are two key relationships in the film that are examined in ways that force the viewer to reevaluate the power and importance of faith. The conventional one is between Bess and Jan, who are madly in love and fully committed to each other. When their relationship is tested, Bess’ faith gives her the strength she needs to continue supporting and loving her husband. The more unusual relationship is between Bess and God. It is a relationship that is never tested. Bess simply approaches God when she needs His wisdom and then follows His advice. Then she suffers -- a lot -- while God is watching.

The film is so direct and uncompromising that at times it feels like von Trier is simply trying to get the viewer out of his comfort zone - or maybe not. Dangerous fanaticism, sickening indifference, and a lot of abuse are easily rationalized by bizarre pretenses of civilized morality. The question the film asks is this: Are these pretenses a thing of the past?

The film is broken into multiple chapters and its visual style has a lot in common with the one promoted by the famous Dogme movement -- the action is filmed on location, the hand-held camera constantly moves, there are numerous uneven close-ups, and light is frequently under/overexposed. Von Trier and cinematographer Robby Muller’s (Wim Wenders’ Paris, Texas, Barbet Schroeder’s Barfly) use of color throughout the film is also quite unique. (Von Trier directed his first Dogme film, The Idiots, two years after Breaking the Waves).

Watson, who made her acting debut in Breaking the Waves, is sensational. Frankly, it is difficult to imagine that without her the film would have been as absorbing as it is. Skarsgard is equally impressive as the paralyzed Jan. The late Katrin Cartlidge, Adrian Rawlins, Udo Kier, and Jean-Marc Barr also leave lasting impressions.

Breaking the Waves Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 2.35:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Lars von Trier's Breaking the Waves arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of British distributors Artificial Eye.

The release uses as a foundation the same recent 4K restoration of Breaking the Waves which Criterion accessed when they prepared their Blu-ray release for the U.S. market. However, the high-definition transfers the two releases use are not identical.

I've done some direct comparisons and can confirm that detail and clarity are equally impressive on both. Contrast levels remain stable and there are no digital anomalies. Colors are lush and stable, but on this release they are also slightly colder (compare screencapture #12 with screencapture #5 from our review of the Region-A release, as well as screencapture #13 with screencapture #2 from our review of the Region-A release). The discrepancy is very small and as far as I am concerned virtually impossible to detect while viewing the film. The brightness settings appear to be identical (see screencapture #1). Lastly, overall image stability is excellent. (Note: This is a Region-B "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-B or Region-Free PS3 or SA in order to access its content).

Breaking the Waves Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are two standard audio tracks on this Blu-ray release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and English LPCM 2.0. For the record, Artificial Eye have not provided optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature.

Breaking the Waves has a very organic design -- there are plenty of natural sounds and noises and because the camera constantly moves at times the dialog could be slightly uneven. Dynamic intensity is rather limited. There are no audio dropouts or digital distortions to report in this review.

Breaking the Waves Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Trailer - original theatrical trailer for Breaking the Waves. In English, not subtitled. (2 min).

• Selected Commentary with Lars von Trier and Editor Anders Refn - Interviewed by Dod Mantle - this is the same audio commentary that is included on Criterion's release, but here it is spread out over the entire film. It is approximately 48 minutes long (and on the Criterion release each scene where comments are used can be accessed individually).

• Excerpts from the Documentary "Tranceformer - A Film About Lars von Trier" - presented here is raw footage from the shooting of Breaking the Waves with comments from the Danish director and different cast and crew members. In Danish and English, with optional English subtitles where necessary. (18 min).

• Interview with Adrian Rawlins - in this video interview, actor Adrian Rawlins, who plays Dr. Richardson, discusses Lars von Trier's directing methods and his contribution to Breaking the Waves. The interview was produced in 2004 by Electric Parc. It is also included on Criterion's release. In English, not subtitled. (3 min).

• Casting of Emily Watson - presented here is archival footage from Emily Watson's audition for Breaking the Waves, with an optional audio commentary by director Lars von Trier. The footage is also included on Criterion's release. In English, not subtitled. (3 min).

• In Memory of Katrin Cartlidge - presented here is a deleted scene which was selected by director Lars von Trier to serve as a tribute to the late actor. The scene is also included on Criterion's release. (2 min).

• Lars von Trier Promo Clip - in 1996, the Cannes Film Festival requested that competing directors prepare short previews of their films to be shown on opening night. Presented here is the short promotional clip director Lars von Trier prepared for Breaking the Waves. The clip is also included on Criterion's release. (1 min).

• Two Deleted Scenes - two deleted scenes with optional commentary by director Lars von Trier, editor Anders Refn, and location scout Anthony Dod Mantle. The two scenes are also included on Criterion's release. In English, not subtitled.
  
  1. Deleted Scene 1 (4 min).
  2. Deleted Scene 2 (3 min).
  3. Deleted Scene 2 with Commentary (3 min).

• Two Extended Scenes - two extended scenes with optional commentary by director Lars von Trier, editor Anders Refn, and location scout Anthony Dod Mantle. The two scenes are also included on Criterion's release. The two scenes are also included on Criterion's release. In English, not subtitled. (5 min).

Breaking the Waves Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The 4K restoration of Danish director Lars von Trier's Breaking the Waves is magnificent. There have been other presentations of the film on the home video market, but I am convinced that this new restoration will remain the film's definitive presentation. Artificial Eye's Blu-ray release of Breaking the Waves is an excellent alternative for folks in Region-B territories who could not take advantage of Criterion's Blu-ray release. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.