7.8 | / 10 |
Users | 4.4 | |
Reviewer | 4.5 | |
Overall | 4.4 |
Cowboys Ennis Del Mar and Jack Twist struggle to reconcile their passionate love for each other with the strictures of the society around them.
Starring: Heath Ledger, Jake Gyllenhaal, Linda Cardellini, Anna Faris, Anne HathawayDrama | 100% |
Romance | 94% |
Period | 47% |
Melodrama | 33% |
Western | 10% |
Video codec: VC-1
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
Spanish: DTS 5.1
French: DTS 5.1
English SDH, French, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
BD-Live
Region free
Movie | 4.5 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 1.5 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
Every once in a blue moon, a film arrives on the scene as an unintended answer to a current debate. Brokeback Mountain is one such film. Upon its release in 2005, tensions had been flaring in the United States around the controversial subject of gay marriage. It’s a topic that continues to divide the nation, while serving as a cause that inspires outspoken opinion that falls along religious, political, philosophical and moral lines. While not intended as an answer to any such questions, Brokeback Mountain just happened to find its release in the midst of the maelstrom of controversy that surrounded the issue. For many, the film served as an example of their stance on the subject matter; both supporters of gay marriage and detractors referenced the film and seemed to find inspiration from its subject matter, for better or for worse. Everyone, no matter what side of the issue they espoused, missed the point. Brokeback Mountain isn’t a film about the politics of morality or the religious implications of homosexuality; it’s a film about love; a condition that can be as forbidden and foreboding for a man and woman of different ethnic backgrounds or social classes in 2009, as it was for two cowboys struggling with their sexuality in the early 1960s.
Filled to the brim with luscious photography and stunning western vistas, Brokeback
Mountain is truly breathtaking on Blu-ray. The entire film is bathed in a patina of earthy
colors that perfectly capture the story's natural surroundings. The film's cinematographer,
Rodrigo Prieto, received an Academy Award nomination for his work on Brokeback
Mountain; it's a truly remarkable visual experience. Encoded via the VC-1 compression
codec at full 1080p resolution, while maintaining the film's original aspect ratio of 1.85:1,
Brokeback Mountain has finally received a truly faithful home video treatment.
Stylistically, Brokeback Mountain isn't the most detailed presentation I've ever
witnessed, though there is plenty of detail to be appreciated in the film. Film grain is
apparent and appropriate, contrast is strong and the movie is presented in a film-like
manner. This is a prime example of a Blu-ray encode mimicking the look of actual film and
not a digitally processed representation. As such, viewers shouldn't expect a flashy
experience from Brokeback Mountain. Instead, film lovers will be thrilled by this
disc's elegant handling of the source material. Highly recommended.
Thank goodness for lossless audio encoding. Heath Ledger's performance as Ennis Del Mar,
while brilliant, has always been slightly difficult to comprehend, due to the actor's use of a
particularly grumbly and deeply pitched voice. I've seen Brokeback Mountain on a
number of occasions, both theatrically and on DVD; Mr. Ledger's voice has always seemed
difficult to discern and frustratingly unintelligible. Remarkably, with this Blu-ray's use of 5.1
DTS-HD Master Audio for the film's audio, I was, for the first time, able to discern some of his
most harshly grumbled lines. This improvement alone, makes lossless encoding worth the
price of admission.
While surround usage is light and viewers won't find much in the way of an active surround
experience, Brokeback Mountain features one of the most hauntingly beautiful
musical scores in recent memory. This lossless audio track presents the Oscar-winning
score in a fluid and dynamic manner that helps to accentuate the many emotions that are
conveyed through this remarkably empathetic music. Fans of acoustic and Spanish guitar
will
be thrilled with
just how amazing it all sounds. Highly recommended!
Here's what's included:
- "A Groundbreaking Success"
- "Music from the Mountain"
- "From Script to Screen: Interviews with Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana"
- "On Being a Cowboy"
- "Directing from the Heart: Ang Lee"
- Still Photo Montage
- "Sharing the Story: The Making of Brokeback Mountain"
- BD-Live: My Scenes
I wish I could say that Universal hit it out of the park with respect to Brokeback
Mountain's special features, but sadly, that's not the case. Instead, we've been given
a large number of fluffy promo featurettes that explore critical reaction to the film, a feature
on Ang Lee, the film's screenwriting duo and a rumination on the lives of cowboys. None is
particularly engaging and I was, frankly, disappointed by the lack of real substantive
content. The one featurette I enjoyed, was "Music from the Mountain," a nice, behind the
scenes look at the personality and character of Gustavo Santaolalla, the film's Academy
Award-winning composer. He's an engaging subject who telegraphs his musical passions
and enthusiastic persona into an entertaining and informative 11 minute documentary. It
would have been nice, however, to see more of a tribute to Mr. Ledger's legacy and the
impact Brokeback Mountain had on his career.
While it seems like ages since Brokeback Mountain stirred up controversy and moved audiences around the globe, the film continues to exact its cultural impact on new viewers each and every day. The film's simple and effective storytelling is every bit as moving today as it was back in 2005. Filled with the highest caliber performances, gorgeous music and luscious cinematography, Brokeback Mountain is a rare gem of a film that will continue to make its mark on audiences for decades to come. Universal brings the film to Blu-ray with exceptional audio and video; supplements are, unfortunately, not very compelling. If you've never had the opportunity to take in the remarkable storytelling of Brokeback Mountain, consider this Blu-ray release to be a golden opportunity to experience the film as it was intended to be seen. Brokeback Mountain is highly recommended.
Academy Awards O-Sleeve
2005
Universal 100th Anniversary
2005
2005
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