Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.5

Bright Star Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov May 27, 2010

Jane Campion's "Bright Star" (2009) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of French distributors Pathe. The supplemental features on the disc include "Walking with Jane", a behind the scenes featurette; Jane Campion's short films "An Exercise in Discipline - Peel" (1982), "Passionless Moments" (1983), and "A Girl's Own Story" (1984); photo gallery; and the film's original French theatrical trailer. In English, with optional French subtitles for the main feature. Region-B "locked".

Abbie Cornish as Fanny Brawne

Jane Campion’s Bright Star recreates the beautiful but tragic relationship between John Keats, one of the greatest Romantic poets, and Fanny Brawne. The film is Campion’s first full-length feature since her controversial In the Cut (2003).

Keats (Ben Whishaw, Perfume: The Story of a Murderer) and Browne (Abbie Cornish, Somersault) met in 1818. At the time Keats was living in Hampsted, England with his best friend, Charles Brown (Paul Schneider, All the Real Girls), and Browne was his neighbor. The two immediately fell in love, but Keats could never propose to Browne because he lacked the necessary financial means.

Browne inspired Keats to write many of his best poems. Keats inspired Browne to dream impossible dreams. Their love was pure and beautiful, and for awhile it looked like it would last forever. Everyone around them could see that they were meant for each other. Then Keats suddenly fell ill with tuberculosis. He kept writing but eventually his condition became so serious that his doctor advised him to move to Italy if he wanted to live. He did, leaving Browne behind, and shortly after that died in Rome at the age of 25.

Bright Star is a wonderful film and arguably Campion’s best since her Oscar-winning The Piano. It is beautifully lensed, with impressive emphasis on period detail, and exceptionally well acted. It is also a very carefully scripted film, celebrating the beauty of poetry with pure and admirable passion.

The story of Bright Star is centered on an intriguing love triangle - Keats, Brawne and Brown. After Brawne makes it clear that she is attracted to Keats, Brown initiates a series of personal attacks at her. In the beginning he questions her manners and fascination with fashion trends, then her self-admitted struggle to understand poetry. However, the more intense the attacks get, the stronger the bond between Keats and Browne becomes.

In Bright Star some of the important events in Keats’ life are seen through Brawne’s eyes. Others are simply described in the letters he sends to Brawne. This is a smart move by Campion that allows the story to remain balanced and free of clichés. It also gives the audience an opportunity to experience some of Keats’ original writings.

Rising Australian star Abbie Cornish is sensational. Everything she does in front of the camera is convincing and devoid of sentimentality. And when she reads Keats’ poems and letters, one cannot but get emotional.

Ben Whishaw was clearly miscast in Tom Tykwer’s Perfume: The Story of a Murderer, but in Bright Star he looks at ease with his role. Like Cornish’s performance, his is restrained but, nevertheless, conveying emotions and feelings that feel natural.

Paul Schneider undergoes an intriguing character transformation that is one of the many high points in Bright Star. His performance is unpretentious, relaxed and wholly satisfying. Many of his facial expressions are also a real treat.

Cinematographer Greig Fraser’s lensing is terrific. The outdoor scenes, in particular, are some of the most beautiful I’ve seen in period films. Costume designer Janet Patterson’s contribution is also invaluable (the dresses Cornish wears in the film are impeccable). The editing, courtesy of Alexandre de Franceschi, is competent.

Note: In 2009, Bright Star was nominated for the Camera d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival. Earlier this year, the film also earned an Oscar nomination for Best Achievement in Costume Design (Janet Patterson).

Bright Star Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, encoded with VC-1 and granted a 1080p transfer, Jane Campion's Bright Star arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of French distributors Pathe.

This is a wonderful high-definition transfer. Fine object detail is fantastic, clarity very pleasing and contrast levels consistent throughout the entire film. What impresses the most, however, is the color-scheme. Blues, greens, yellows, browns and blacks look wonderful. Edge-enhancement and macroblocking are not an issue of concern. I also did not detect any traces of heavy noise reduction. Furthermore, when blown through a digital projector, the film looks fresh and exceptionally healthy. Many of the outdoor scenes where Fanny Brawne and John Keats are seen walking together, for example, look like giant pictures. The close-ups are also impressive. My only very minor complaint with the high-definition transfer is related to the presence of some extremely mild background flicker that I noticed during two scenes rather early into the film. All in all, this a very strong presentation of a breathtakingly beautiful film. (Note: This is a Region-B "locked" Blu-ray disc. Therefore, you must have a native Region-B or Region-Free player in order to access its content. Also, if you reside in North America and are using a native Region-B player, keep in mind that the main menu is in PAL, which means that you will not be able to see it. However, you will be able to access the main feature, and from there you will be able to navigate the disc through the pop-up menu).

Bright Star Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are two audio tracks on this Blu-ray disc: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and French DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. For the record, Pathe have provided optional French subtitles for the main feature.

The English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track is excellent. The rear channels are not overly active, as Bright Star is primarily a dialog-driven feature, but the sound quality is very good. Generally speaking, the dialog is crisp, clean and exceptionally easy to follow. There are no balance issues with Mark Bradshaw's music score either. There are no serious ambient effects in Bright Star, but the DTS-HD Mater Audio 5.1 track is very effective in enhancing the sound of chirping birds, screeching doors, winds blowing, etc. Finally, while viewing Bright Star, I did not detect any disturbing pops, cracks, or hiss to report in this review.

Bright Star Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Waking with Jane - a behind the scenes featurette with plenty of raw footage from the shooting of the film in Hertfordshire, England, as well as comments about the film from different cast and crew members. In English, with optional French subtitles. (PAL, 27 min).

Scenes coupees - two deleted scenes. In English, with optional French subtitles. (PAL, 2 min).

Courts metrages - short films:

-- A Girl's Own Story - Jane Campion's 1984 short about three teenage girls living during the Beatles era. B & W. In English, with optional French subtitles. (PAL, 26 min).

-- Passionless Moments - shot by Jane Campion in Sydney, Australia, in 1983. A collection of very strange scenes. B & W. In English, with optional French subtitles. (PAL, 12 min).

-- An Exercise in Discipline - Peel - shot by Jane Campion in 1982, this short is about an angry father who decides to teach his son a lesson. Color. In English, with optional French subtitles. (PAL, 9 min).

Film annonce - the film's original French theatrical trailer. In English, with imposed French subtitles. (2 min, 1080p).

Galerie photos - a collection of stills from the film.

Bright Star Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

What a wonderful film! So pure and emotional. Bright Star certainly is a return to form for Jane Campion. The Blu-ray disc herein reviewed, courtesy of French distributors Pathe, looks and sounds terrific. The disc is also placed in a very elegant purple case. If you could play Region-B "locked" discs, make sure to add Bright Star to your collections. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.