Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		1.0
Overall		4.0

Brokedown Palace Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov July 18, 2019

Jonathan Kaplan's "Brokedown Palace" (1999) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Swiss label Explosive Media. The supplemental features on the disc include an original U.S. trailer for the film as well as a collection of original production and promotional materials. In English or German, with optional English and German subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

The good side of Paradise

I had already seen Return to Paradise when the first publicity materials for Brokedown Palace started coming out. I remember that at the time my expectations for this film were very low because it just looked like it would rehash the same material. Then I saw the first teaser trailer from Fox, and as soon as I heard the snippet from Delirium’s Silence, I knew that I would like the film. I researched the soundtrack and purchased a CD with it on the day before I went to the theater to see the film, and then played it for years. I still have the CD in my library, and to be honest I think that the quality of the tracks that were gathered for it remains hugely impressive. PJ Harvey’s “The Wind” has a dark edge that even now can give the likes of Timo Maas and James Lavelle butterflies, Solar Twins’ reworking of “Rock The Casbah” is legitimately future-proof, and Nelly Furtado’s “Party’s Just Begun” sounds even classier than before. And then you’ve got Tricky in the mix. This soundtrack was at least ten, maybe even fifteen years ahead of its time, and it is one of the main reasons Brokedown Palace is still remembered today. (Return to Paradise might be the better film, but excluding older collectors very few people actually remember it anymore).

Brokedown Palace opens up with a tape recording that describes the beginning of a tragic journey. The voice on the tape belongs to Alice Marano (Claire Danes), who recalls how during a party she learned that five hundred bucks are enough to buy a dream vacation in Thailand. She was convinced that she deserved one, so she asked her best friend, Darlene Davis (Kate Beckinsale), to make the trip with her while lying to her parents that they were off to Hawaii.

In Bangkok, the girls checked in a cheap hotel in the wrong side of town and then decided to get a taste of the good life in a luxury hotel that they could not afford. They got in and acted as if they were guests there. They enjoyed the large pool, had drinks, and nearly got caught. It was then that they met the handsome Australian Nick Parks (Daniel Lapaine), who payed their tab and took them out dancing. He also flirted with them and offered to take them to Hong Kong, while doing business there, so that they can have even more fun together.

It was when their entire trip became a nightmare. At the airport in Bangkok, Alice and Darlene were arrested by the police after they discovered drugs in their backpacks. Darlene panicked and foolishly signed some documents written in a language she could not understand and they were thrown in jail. Shortly after, a judge officially sentenced them to thirty-three years behind bars. After the American embassy contacted their parents and told them about the secret journey, an American lawyer (Bill Pullman) living in Bangkok agreed to take their case, but the more he started digging, the clearer it became to him that the girls’ misery was not initiated by an awful error. They were framed, and some very powerful people their case retried.

While it may not be immediately obvious, Brokedown Palace and Return to Paradise unquestionably draw their inspiration from Alan Parker’s Midnight Express. They are not as direct and graphic, but the final verdicts that these films deliver through the ordeals of their miserable characters are basically the same. (Just like Midnight Express was banned in Turkey, Brokedown Palace was disallowed entry into Thailand).

Parts of the drama are not overly convincing because the film does try to be kind to its Thai hosts, but the exotic visuals and great music create an interesting atmosphere that works in its favor. In other words, a real nightmare like the one that is chronicled in the film would undoubtedly produce far more severe contrasts than the ones that are revealed before and after the girls are arrested.

Danes and Beckinsale have a good chemistry together, and once Pullman enters the picture their character transformations do not disappoint either. However, Lou Diamond Phillips’ shady embassy official always looks like an impostor who is simply performing before a rolling camera.

Brokedown Palace Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 2.33:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Jonathan Kaplan's Brokedown Palace arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Explosive Media.

I have this Region-2 DVD release of Brokedown Palace in my library, which back in the days was the only anamorphic alternative to the non-anamorphic U.S. release that Twentieth Century Fox issued. The Blu-ray release is sourced from an older master, which has just about all of the qualities that are present on my DVD release. To be clear, this does not mean that the master is problematic, but there are some small limitations that I will address below.

First, the good news: If you have seen the DVD release that I have, then you know that the visuals often look blocky and seriously flat there. On the Blu-ray release delineation and especially density levels are vastly superior. Shadow definition is far better as well, though ironically this is the main area where the age of the master shows. Also, color stability and balance are so much better that on a larger screen I can actually see many new nuances. The master is healthy as well.

Now, the not so good news: Basically, because the film is graded in a unique way, the darker footage reveals plenty of very light crushing. It is not distracting, and I actually believe that some of is part of the prominent yellow/orange font, but there is no doubt in my mind that a new transfer will reveal even more details and fine nuances. Colors will look fresher as well. The rest I think looks quite nice, plus the overall upgrade in quality from the DVD release I mentioned above is huge. So, even though there is room for meaningful improvements, I am quite pleased with the current technical presentation. My score is 3.75/5.00. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray release. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your player regardless of your geographical location).

Brokedown Palace Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are two standard audio tracks on this Blu-ray release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and German DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. Optional English and German subtitles are provided for the main feature. When turned on, they split the image and the black bar below it.

The lossless track is an enormous revelation and really a good enough reason to highly recommend this Blu-ray release. The Region-2 DVD release I have was anamorphic, but because it has PAL-pitched audio I rarely used it. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track finally makes it possible to enjoy the wonderful soundtrack that this film has, and the best news is that it is actually very solid. Maybe an DTS:X track can offer some meaningful improvements, but at the moment I really like the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track.

Brokedown Palace Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Trailer - an original U.S. trailer for Brokedown Palace. In English, not subtitled. (3 min, 1080p).

• Gallery - a collection of original production and promotional materials for Brokedown Palace from around the world.

Brokedown Palace Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Brokedown Palace has flaws, plenty actually, but it has such an incredible soundtrack that I like it a lot. Needless to say, after all these years of not having an anamorphic U.S. DVD release, then enduring the PAL-pitched R2 DVD release, and then getting another DVD reissue through Starz/Anchor Bay, I am very pleased to finally have the film on Blu-ray. I think that Explosive Media's release offers a solid upgrade in quality and with the excellent price tag that it comes with I just have to HIGHLY RECOMMEND it. (If you like the soundtrack, also consider picking up the CD while it is still available).